This week your basket contains: leeks, potatoes, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, celeriac, and salad mix (arugula, lettuce, mustard greens, spinach, and red cabbage.)

Pumpkin can be used like any winter squash.  It can also be frozen in two cup portions for later use. To make pumpkin puree, you can cut off the skin of the pumpkin as if you were peeling an orange. Then, halve the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and pulp. After this, cut the flesh into 1 1/2-2 in. chunks and steam until soft. Press through a strainer or puree in a food mill. Pumpkin chunks can also be microwaved in a covered container in about 8 minutes. Use the puree for pies or in other recipes. It can be frozen and used later.  The following is one of my favorite recipes for pumpkin.

CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP

1 large onion, diced

¼ c. butter

1 tsp. curry powder

2 ½ c. chicken broth

3 c. pumpkin puree

½ tsp. salt

2 c. half and half

sour cream (optional)

fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute diced onions in butter until softened.  Sprinkle in curry powder.  Pour mixture into blender or food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to saucepan and add chicken broth, pumpkin, salt and half and half.  Heat through over medium heat.  Do not bring to a boil or soup will curdle.  Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chopped parsley, if desired.  Serves 4-6.  From Portland’s Palate.

PUMPKIN RIGATONI

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

1–2 teaspoons kosher salt

squeeze of lemon

1 lb. rigatoni

Rosemary Walnut Crispies

1 cup walnuts, chopped

1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon melted butter

1–2 Tbs. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

black pepper to taste

Rosemary Walnut Crispies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Run the walnuts through a food processor until they have a chopped texture. Arrange chopped walnuts on a small sheet pan and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with rosemary, butter, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside to cool. Pasta: Cook according to package directions. Drain. Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce: While the pasta cooks, heat the butter in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant (do not brown the garlic – it tastes bitter). Add the pumpkin and broth; simmer until smooth. Add the cream and salt; simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add a little squeeze of lemon juice if you’re into that. Add cooked pasta to the sauce. Serve pasta in shallow bowls with a sprinkle of the walnut crispies on top, and a little sprig of rosemary for a garnish.

As a reminder, the salad mix is NOT table ready.  While we do wash and rinse the greens before we put them in the bags, we are not able to guarantee that all the soil and/or bugs are out of all the leaves.  The best way to rinse your greens to insure that no stowaways remain is to dissolve 2 tsp. of salt in a little warm water in the bottom of your sink.  Fill the sink about half full with the coldest water and add the greens.  It is best if there is enough water to float all of the greens.  Swish the greens gently and let them sit in the water for five minutes or so.  Gently lift the greens from the water so as not to disturb any soil that has settled to the bottom of the sink and either pat them dry with a towel or spin them dry in a salad spinner.  This is a great recipe for salad dressing that works well with the winter mix you have this week.

AVOCADO DRESSING

1 cup +1 tsp  extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (or pine nuts)

2 cloves garlic

Juice of 1 lemon

1 avocado, skinned and pitted

1 tsp sea salt

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 small onion, minced

Place minced onion in a bowl and cover with lemon juice and set aside to marinate.  This will mellow the raw onion flavor.  Heat a small skillet with 1 tsp of olive oil and add raw pumpkin seeds. Cook until seeds are golden brown (3-4 min). Set aside to cool.  In a food processor, chop two cloves of garlic. Add lemon juice and onion, avocado, and salt. Blend until smooth.  Slowly pour in the remaining olive oil while the food processor is on high  (You can optionally add ½ c. parmesan or pecorino cheese to the dressing)  You can make the dressing as thick or thin as you want, just add more or less olive oil.