Pumpkin velouté (velouté de potimarron) or our only Halloween night ...

As I told some times ago, I don’t buy my vegetables in supermarket but to a farmer. 

Each week, I have a basket with carrots, eggplants, zucchini, potatoes …etc …

Year ago, I bought a "POTIMARRON". 

I don't know if the english word exists.

It's a kind of pumpkin but smaller, with a sweet hazel taste.

I mean … I bought it to EAT IT !

I used to buy it just for decoration. 

I love the "potimarron" form. 

It reminds me Halloween. I love this period. 

For me, it seems to help to cross over the beginning of fall, the lost of summer …etc ..;

It’s a step between summer and Christmas. 

About ten years, in France, we tried to celebrate Halloween. But  it never really had success. 

The commercial part was more important than the culture and festive part. And it failed. 

Today, some children still try to have candies but they’re very few. 

When my gnome was 2 years old (my gnomette wasn’t born yet), it was the beginning of the fancy for Halloween. 

For October 31th 2001, we went to my brother and sister in law, for Halloween evening, to spend a very good family time. 

We were eating when suddenly … (Always use “suddenly”… good for suspense …), someone rang at the door…

Adults knew what it was. But children, no. 

We were expecting laugh and funny shouts …etc …

My brother in law opened the door and discovered a vampire adult, a little witch and a little ghost under the front porch. 

And the drama happened… 

In my opinion, this adult had a dream : The dream of his entire life was to be a real vampire ! This night, he had the opportunity to live his dream ! 

No way to avoid that ! Tonight was THE night.

Maybe, in his daily life, he was a mechanic, or a doctor, or a baker, or a teacher …

But THIS – NIGHT … He was Dracula ! … (Unfortunately, Edward Cullen wasn’t known at this period).

So, when we opened the door, he yelled at us.

His yell was sounding so real. We felt that it was coming from the deepest of him. I’m sure he trained himself in front of his mirror to look real. 

On the contrary, my son didn’t train himself. But I promise that his own yell was much more better than the vampire’s one !

He shouted without stopping for several minutes (only for breathing). 

His howling could have broken every window in the district. 

Something who can terrified the most tremendous monster in town ! 

The adult who were dreaming to be Dracula, became suddenly a scared bat ! 

The little witch and the little ghost began to scream too.

Such a crazy concert in the house : my son was screaming, the Dracula’s children were screaming, we were laughing like never (yes, because we’re very bad parents)…

A great moment together that we still remember !!

… We never celebrated Halloween again. 

But I love POTIMARRON :D

Here’s a tasty recipe of potimarron velouté.

You'll need : 

• 1 potimarron (weight 1 kg or so)
• 3 beautiful potatoes
• 1 big onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 liter of milk (better to use 1 liter, but I just had 1/2 liter at home)
• 3 tablespoon of semi heavy cream. 
• chives (frozen, for me)

Step 1 : 

Wash the pumpkin. Cut it up in two and scoop out it with a tablespoon.

Step 2 : 

Being very careful, cut it up in pieces. No need to peel it ! Thanks God ! 

Step 3 : 

Slice your onion and make it brown in olive oil. Salt and low fire.

Step 4 : 

Cut your garlic and add it to the onion, when this one is golden. 

Step 5 :

Add your potimmaron.

Step 6 :

Peel potatoes and carrot, cut them up and pour them in. The carrot will give a sugared flavor to your dish. You can also add a tablespoon of white sugar, if you like.

Step 7 :

Pour the milk and the same quantity of WATER. 

Step 8 : 

The 3 tablespoons of cream. 

Step 9 :

Salt and pepper and cover the dish. 

On a low fire, let it cook for one hour. Take off the lid when it will begin to boil.

Here what it looks like after one hour.

It seems to be not cook. But don't worry. It is.

Step 10 : 

Once ago, I told you blender was my best friend. Let's blend, baby ! 

 Before ...

After ...

Step 11 : 

Dredge some chives. Or any kind of herbs you like : parsley, basil ...

... some gruyère, if you have. If you don't, some cheddar. But not too much, it could hide the taste of the mixture.

And ...

Récapitulative : 

• 1 potimarron (weight 1 kg or so)
• 3 beautiful potatoes
• 1 big onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 liter of milk (better to use 1 liter, but I just had 1/2 liter at home)
• 3 tablespoon of semi heavy cream. 
• chives (frozen, for me)

Wash the pumpkin. Cut it up in two and scoop out it with a tablespoon.

Being very careful, cut it up in pieces. No need to peel it ! 

Slice your onion and make it brown in olive oil. Salt and low fire.

Cut your garlic and add it to the onion, when this one is golden. 

Add your potimarron.

Peel potatoes and carrot, cut them up and pour them in. The carrot will give a sugared flavor to your dish. You can also add a tablespoon of white sugar, if you like.

Pour the milk and the same quantity of WATER. 

Pour the 3 tablespoons of cream. 

Salt and pepper and cover the dish. 

On a low fire, let it cook for one hour. Take off the lid when it will begin to boil.

Let's blend, baby ! 

Dredge some chives. Or any kind of herbs you like : parsley, basil.