In our estimation, this a very good dressing. The pumpkin: seasonal. The spices: the right touch. The raw onion: the deliverer of nuance and heroic levels of “pop—” its light spice and freshness pleasantly suffuses throughout the mouth and nose, lightly tickling without inducing cough or sneeze reflex. Those same volatile (easily evaporated at room temperatures) chemicals that make you tear up while cutting alliums (the genus to which those bulbous members of culinary produce belong, such as garlic, onions, and leeks) have a pleasant effect on your gustatory system (“taste” system). The volatile nature of these chemicals causes them to rise up your nasal passages, drastically expanding your sense of the vinaigrette and your experience thereof. While there are only 5 distinct gustatory receptors (the taste buds: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, umami), there are hundreds (around 400 according to the results of the Human Genome Project) of olfactory receptors (receptors that allow us to smell). These receptors play and enormous role in what we understand as “taste.” Remove those olfactory receptors from the equation and our worlds become largely tasteless.
Feel free to substitute the pumpkin with roasted and puréed butternut squash—you can’t go wrong there.
2 TBs Apple cider vinegar
1 TB White wine vinegar
0.5 cup + 1 TB Oil of your choice (we used olive oil)
1-2 TBs Puréed pumpkin
0.25 tsp Ginger
0.25 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsps Soy sauce
1-2 TBs Brown sugar
1 Pearl, or similarly-size onion
Microwave all but the onion in a bowl to dissolve the brown sugar. Place all ingredients, including the onion, into a small blender (something like the “Magic Bullet” that is made for smaller quantities) and blend until the onion has been puréed. The onion and the pumpkin are good emulsifiers, so the your vinaigrette should remain homogenous for a while. Adjust any of the ingredients to taste. We didn’t measure, so these are estimates. Use on salads or as a marinate (or on whatever you want).
Erubite 