As the pandemic grinds on in its so-far relentless pace, this is the question that has been opening up most conversations around here for quite a while.
At first, I found it annoying – especially when one of my friends, who was cooking for her household, would routinely toss it out at me after describing
her family menu for the night, pointing up my solitary status and making me feel terribly sorry for myself.
The answer on my part was usually, “I haven’t thought about it yet,” or, even worse, “maybe some cheerios.” Blah!
Cooking for one during a plague didn’t strike me as much fun.
But as time went on, it became crystal clear from visions of food shortages around the country and people in critical states of need, that if you could access the ingredients, had transportation, had friends kind enough to shop for you if needed, and the means to actually bring home enough of what was available to meet the requirements of your heart healthy diet, you just better snap out of it.
Thus began cooking dinner fever in the little blue house on the lake and a lot of thinking about how folks around me were making do.
Putting together an interesting combination of ingredients that managed to make it through the supply chain became a challenge and sometimes a triumph – when asparagus went down to $1.29 a pound after Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes were pretty inexpensive, too, and a good brand of veggies cost a mere .40 cents a can were just some examples.
Sharing those commodities with neighbors when a really good sale came along became a part of the “what’s for dinner” program around here. It’s not much in the face of things, but as my late brother Pete used to say, “It’s better than nothing.”
As the Christmas season of 2021 dwindles down to a few days in the New Year of 2022, here’s hoping that before too long, this pandemic will just be a memory, something to point to when better times arrive – like my grandmother’s blackout curtains after World War II or my grandfather, forgoing heat so that he could keep the sugar bowl full during the gas crisis of the 1970s.
And I plan to hold on to “what’s cooking for dinner” with thought, care and prayer. I hope to spend some of 2022 asking friends, relatives and colleagues – secular, ordained and religious – what’s cooking for dinner and reporting back.
This very festive recipe for Camarão na Moranga – Brazilian Shrimp Stuffed Pumpkin was shared by Divine Word Father Guilherme Andrino, pastor of Lakewood’s Our Lady of Guadalupe. He prepared it for a number of the volunteers who organized the annual procession of torches in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe which was held for the first time in Lakewood on Dec. 4.
A traditional Brazilian dish from the Southeastern part of Brazil, Father Andrino described it as a “cheese and creamy shrimp stew” often served inside a large pumpkin. The best pumpkin to use, he said, is called Kabocha (or Japanese squash) but Cinderella pumpkins can be used too, he said.
“This recipe is fun to prepare because it is not only delicious, but it is very impressive,” said Father Andrino. “The dish is very creamy, comfy and rich in flavor.”
One thing I really enjoyed about this dish was the adventure of finding some of the ingredients. Because of the constraints of the pandemic, I shop early in the morning or rather late in the afternoon when the area stores are apt to be less crowded.
I’d long noticed that Lakewood is dotted with international markets but, except for a farmer’s market on Route 9 on the border of Lakewood and Howell, I never seriously explored them.
The need to find a pumpkin, or big squash, changed my perspective when Father Andrino told me where they could be found. His advice led me not
only to the pumpkins, but also opened up a veritable wonderland of culinary options for recipes to come after seeing shelves lined with Mexican, South American, Asian and Central and Eastern European goods.
It was a fun adventure and very informative.
Camarão na Moranga – Brazilian Shrimp Stuffed Pumpkin
- 1 large pumpkin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ onions, minced
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound shrimp, cleaned and fresh
- 2 tomatoes, minced
- ½ cup tomato purée
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 seedless chili peppers, hand-chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream (cream cheese or Brazilian Requeijao)
- 1 cup Oaxaca cheese, melted
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 lemon, for seasoning
- Olive oil, for cooking
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut off the top of the pumpkin, around 2 to 4-inch opening depending on the size of the pumpkin. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Set aside.
- grind the 2 garlic cloves with half the onion, pepper, salt, and oil.
- Rub this mixture on the inside of the pumpkin, and cover.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Next, season the shrimp with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- In a hot frying pan with oil, sautée the shrimp until browned. Add more salt and pepper for taste if needed. Set aside.
- In the same frying pan, add the remaining onion and garlic, and then add the tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes. Add in half cup of tomato purée. Mix together, and then add in the cilantro and chili peppers. Next, add in the heavy cream (cream cheese or Brazilian Requeijao), melted cheese, shrimp, and mixed altogether. Season with pepper.
- Pour the shrimp mixture inside the pumpkin.
- Cover with grated mozzarella cheese.
- Place in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Lois Rogers has been writing about faith, family and food (most notably in her award-winning blog, "Keeping the Feast" which has appeared in The Trenton Monitor) for most of her professional career. She may be reached at [email protected]
Photos courtesy Father Guilherme Andrino
