Kabocha no mafin, sumooku saamon to kuriimu chiizu iri / kabocha pumpkin muffins with smoked salmon and cream cheese

Sweet pumpkin gets a boost from smoked salmon and cream cheese. Great for breakfast or brunch.

<Ingredients>

(12 muffins)

200 g kabocha pumpkin (at least 300-350 g including skin, roughly 1/4 kabocha)
250 g (400cc) flour
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
180 cc milk
60 g butter

For filling
60-70g (6 small slices) smoked salmon
100-120g Neufchatel or low-fat cream cheese
1-2 sprigs rosemary


<Directions>
*Preheat oven to 390 F/200 C. 

1.

Seed, skin and dice kabocha, and steam until soft.
Alternatively, thinly slice (1cm), and microwave until soft.

Mash while hot, and set aside.

2.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

3.

Cut smoked salmon and cream cheese into small pieces (5 mm-1 cm).
Finely chop rosemary.

4.

Melt butter in microwave, 20 seconds.

5.

In a bowl, put eggs and milk, and lightly beat.

Add kabocha and butter, and mix well.

6.

Sift flour mixture in, and mix well with spatula.

Add smoked salmon, cream cheese and rosemary, and mix.

Spoon into molds, and bake at 390 F/200 C for 20 minutes.

<Notes>

• If you end up having too much mashed kabocha, freeze it for another use.
• Some smoked salmon (lox) is very oily. Use less to prevent muffins from tasting greasy.