cranberry relish

This recipe is adapted from Cranberry and Blood Orange Relish, by Bon Appetit, November 2007.

Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 Satsuma orange
2/3 cup sugar

Cut the unpeeled orange into 8 pieces and place in food processor. Add fresh cranberries and sugar; using on/off turns, blend until mixture is finely chopped.

This recipe was made two days in advance and brought to room temperature before serving.

squash soup

This recipe was adapted from Butternut Squash and Sage Soup with Sage Breadcrumbs, by Bon Appetit, February 2008.

Previously, we had roasted and scooped the flesh from some butternut squash and sugar pie pumpkins. I defrosted the frozen Ziplocs of it two days before I made the soup.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
12 leaves fresh sage, chiffonade
3 cups butternut squash
1 cup pumpkin
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions, parsley, and sage and saute until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash and salt. Saute until squash softens and onions are golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add 5 cups stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is very soft, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot and add the heavy cream. Season with pepper and more salt, if desired.

Breadcrumbs:
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp butter
12 leaves fresh sage, chiffonade
1/2 cup lightly salted breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the breadcrumbs and sage and cook until crisp, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.

The soup was made the night before Thanksgiving and reheated on the stove while I made the breadcrumbs.

broccoli and leek stir fry

Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu, 1/2 inch cubed
2 heads of broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces
3 leeks, white & light green parts only, sliced length wise then chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 package garlic udon noodles

Heat the oil in a wok and pan fry the tofu, then the leeks. Boil a pot of water and blanch the broccoli for 1 minute and add to the wok. Add the teriyaki sauce to the wok. Add the udon noodles to the boiling water and cook the udon noodles until they are heated through, just a minute or two. Fast and simple!

weekly delivery 11/26

Today we received:

10 ounces of cranberries
5 sweet potatoes
5 heads of baby bok choy

1 bunch collard greens
6 red Jonagold apples

1 bunch leeks
2 Meyer lemons

1 butternut squash
4 Fuyu persimmons

3 red beets
1 bunch rainbow chard

green chard "fauxsotto"

The faux risotto recipe is based loosely on a recipe from Food & Wine Magazine.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp butter
1 3/4 cups whole wheat orzo
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green chard, stems trimmed and finely chopped, leaves ripped coarsely
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Bring the veggie broth and water to a boil in a pot; keep warm over low heat. Melt the butter in a saucepan. On medium heat, add the orzo to the butter and cook stirring often, until the orzo is golden, about 8 minutes. Add 1 cup of the hot stock mixture and cook, stirring gently, until all of the stock is absorbed. Gradually add more of the stock mixture, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until the orzo is al dente and creamy but not soupy, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and seasonings.

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic and chard stems and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the stems are tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chard leaves and toss, until the leaves are wilted, should be an additional 4 or 5 minutes. Stir the chard and the risotto together. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

weekly delivery 11/19

This week we got:

1 butternut squash
1 bunch of dinosaur kale
3 oranges
6 apples

1 bunch of green chard
1 bulb of fennel
1 bunch of leeks

3 heads of broccoli
6 sweet potatoes
10 ounces of cranberries

mushroom alfredo

Back to basics! Alfredo sauce is super simple and super adaptable. The perfect meal for me to make for myself when Kenny's working late.

Ingredients:
10 white button mushrooms, quartered
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Rinse and quarter the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat and cook the mushrooms in the butter for a few minutes. Add the cream, then the cheese. Simmer, but do not boil. If the sauce is thin, adding a pinch of flour will thicken it up.

To season, I prefer salt, white pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Like I said, it's super adaptable- you can season however you like best, and serve with your favorite pasta. Mine is capellini!