Mamuq: Light supper for a magic day

Nunavut is a great place to live and today was full of some of the reasons why. It started off with clear blue skies, sunshine and a couple of hours spent with a friend as she shows me the ropes of running a dog team.

It’s a magical mode of travel; hearing the dogs rhythmic panting, watching the pads on their feet flip up as they run, listening to the chatter of ravens as they fly overhead and observing the daily change in the river as it freezes up.

Really, I thought — could it get better than this? Later in the afternoon I headed down to the beach with my dog and we were greeted with a rocky shoreline covered with a glossy smooth coating of ice, the tide line marking the rocks with skirts of ice. Other rocks looked almost reptilian as they cracked and shed one layer of ice only to reveal another one underneath.

As if this show wasn’t enough, the sun was setting and bathing the scene with a soft glow which made the water beyond look incredibly turquoise. Somewhat in awe, we headed back home and later as I was preparing the recipes below for a light supper and undoubtedly tomorrow’s lunch, a friend called to let me know the northern lights were especially beautiful at the moment.

Out we went and with head thrown back and mouth wide open I watched as the lights swirled and danced changing colours and spreading out quickly among the stars. Nunavut is a great place to live.

Make-It-While-It’s-Available Cream Of Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 tblsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions
3 celery stalks from the whiter ones from the centre

2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tblsp finely chopped ginger or 1 tsp powdered ginger
1 butternut squash

3 medium potatoes
1 large carrot
1 cup of pumpkin, fresh or canned

1 tsp. brown sugar
water
1/2 cup carnation milk
pinch of nutmeg

Directions:

Warm up the oil in a large pan and add the chopped onions and celery, letting them fry on medium heat for about 5 minutes until they are tender. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Peel and cut the potatoes, butternut squash and carrot into chunks, add them to the pot with some salt and pepper and continue cooking for about 5-10 minutes. Cover the vegetables with water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 40 minutes on low heat. Stir in the pumpkin and the sugar. (After picking out the candle wax at the bottom of my Halloween pumpkin, I cut it into four pieces and baked old Jack in the oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour, scooped out what I needed and froze the rest for later use.)

Cover and let simmer for another 30-40 minutes.

Using a blender, puree the soup; adding a little carnation milk to each batch for a smooth, creamy golden soup. Serve with a little sprinkle of nutmeg in each bowl and some cheesy garlic and cumin tomato toasts.

This is a great soup for a light supper or lunch or as a first course in a bigger meal. If you are warming up the soup, use low heat, stirring occasionally until it’s hot — avoid bringing it to a full boil.

Cheesy Garlic And Cumin Tomato Toasts

Ingredients:

2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tblsp cumin
sliced tomatoes

olive oil
sharp white cheddar
Slices of your favourite crusty bread

Toast the bread very lightly and brush with olive oil. Place on an oven tray and rub the chopped garlic onto the oiled toast. Spread the tomatoes, sprinkle on the cheese and cumin and broil until cheese melts and browns to your liking.

Send your favourite Christmas cookie recipes to mamuqcolumn@yahoo.ca , fax to 979-4763, or write to Nunatsiaq News, Mamuq Column, Box 8, Iqaluit, NU, X0A 0H0.