This week your basket contains:  celeriac, parsnips, carrots, potatoes, red cabbage, Swiss chard, onions, kabocha winter squash, and cauliflower.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO LARGER THAN NORMAL “DOUBLE” BASKETS.  The second will be next week. Because both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are Fridays this year, we will be skipping delivery on those days.  We will  resume a normal delivery schedule on January 7^th.  For easy reference, this information is also on our web site under the “blog posts” tab.

Our friends at Kenai Red Fish Co. are offering a discount to Pumpkin Ridge Gardens subscribers on their seasonal sampler boxes (see kenairedfc.com for details.  Click on “ordering” then “Monthly Seafood Market”).  These samplers include smoked salmon products and other fresh fish.  They are great for gifts or for you holiday table.  Use promo code PR10 for  “Rudolph’s Smoked Sampler Box” or PR15 for “’Tis The Season Sampler Box”.

We think of this cabbage recipe as winter comfort food; it is perfect for a wintery night.

CURRIED CABBAGE

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 ½ tsp. curry powder

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 ½ tsp. lemon juice or 1 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. plain yogurt

Salt to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add curry powder and cook just until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Stir in onion and cabbage, then cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted and soft to the bite, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in lemon or lime juice and yogurt.  Season with salt.  Makes 4 servings.  From Eating Well Feb./Mar. 2006.

SPICED PARSNIP SOUP

1 1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and cubed
2 onions, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic cloves, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoon oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin

1 /2 to 1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 to teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 to 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock

In a skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the cumin, cardamom, coriander, turmeric and ginger and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the parsnips and stock and simmer gently until tender, about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Puree the soup in batches (or use your immersion blender) and serve hot. Serves 6 to 8.

Kabocha squash is our favorite squash.  Its dry sweet flesh is very similar to sweet potato.  This is our favorite way to cook it.  After removing the seeds, cut the halves into thin wedges either with the skin on or off.   Sprinkle them with olive oil, salt, and black pepper.  Bake in a hot oven (400⁰) until browned on one side.  Turn the wedges over to brown evenly.  You can eat them hot, let them cool as a snack or use them as the basis for a pureed squash soup.

AUTUMN GOLD SQUASH SOUP

1 med. to large squash

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 medium carrot, diced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 ½ c. water

1 ½ c. tomato juice

1 c. apple juice

1 c. orange juice

salt and pepper

For a full recipe, you need about 2 c. cooked squash pulp.  Bake or boil the squash.  To bake, halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Place the halves cut side down on an oiled baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees until tender (45 minutes-1 hour).  Scoop out pulp and discard skin.  To boil, peel the squash, halve it and scoop out the seeds.  Cut it into chunks and place in a saucepan with water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and reserve the liquid.  Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in the oil with the nutmeg, cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves until onion is translucent.  Add the diced carrot and celery and the water (if you boiled the squash, use the reserved liquid).  Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender.  Remove the bay leaves.  In a blender or food processor, puree the cooked squash, the onion-carrot mixture, and the juices in batches.  Gently reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.  From Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant.