Author Archives: Pumpkin Ridge Gardens

Caldo Verde

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  • 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6 oz. chorizo sliced ¼ in thick
  • 2 qts water
  • 1 Lb yellow potatoes in 1 inch chunks
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 Lb. kale leaves shredded

Heat the olive oil in a large caserole.  Add garlic, onion and half of the chorizo and cook over low heat until the onion softens (@ 8 minutes).  Add the water, potatoes and a large pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer over low heat until potatoes are tender (15 minutes).  Process the soup to coarse puree and bring to a boil.  Add the kale and simmer until leaves are wilted (3 minutes).  Stir in the remaining chorizo and simmer for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

From Food & Wine, March 2002.

Cabbage Salad with Apple and Celeriac

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  • 1 small green cabbage
  • 1 bunch watercress
  • 1/2 small celeriac
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 Tbs. hazelnut or walnut oil
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • Chives and chervil for garnish

Prepare a vinaigrette:  peel and dice the shallot and combine with the sherry vinegar, salt and pepper, and the two oils in a large salad bowl.  Cut cabbage in half, remove core and slice thinly.  Wash and dry watercress, removing larger stems.  Peel celeriac, cut into thin slices, and then into julienne.  Peel and core the apple and cut into small dice.  Add the cabbage, watercress, celeriac, and apple to the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly.  Serve with chopped chives and chervil on top.

Cabbage Foogath

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  • 2 Tbs. Vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric
  • 3 c. cabbage, shredded
  • ¼ c. fresh coconut, shredded
  • ¼ tsp. mustard seed
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup water
  • pinch of chili powder

Fry onion and mustard seeds in the oil until seeds crackle.  Add cumin and turmeric and mix well.  Add salt and cabbage.  Sprinkle on water and cook until cabbage is tender, stirring frequently.  Add coconut and chili powder before serving.  May be served hot or cold.

Cabbage Cakes

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  • 3 cups loosely packed thinly shredded cabbage
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tbsp. milk
  • 2 Tbsp. sour cream, lowfat or nonfat if you’d like
  • 2 Tbsp. all purpose or whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup minced onions
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Steam cabbage on stovetop or in microwave until bright green. Drain well in a colander.  In a mixing bowl beat together egg, milk, sour cream, and flour. Stir in cabbage, onions, salt and pepper.  Heat a lightly greased griddle over medium heat.  When hot, stir the batter and drop three tablespoons for each cake onto griddle.  Cook until cake has browned underneath, about five minutes.  Turn to brown the other side, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a warm plate and serve right away.

Adapted from Almost Vegetarian by Diana Shaw.

Cabbage Beef Casserole

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  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • ½ c. chopped onion
  • ½ c. uncooked brown rice
  • 1 c. tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ tsp. beef bouillon
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. dried dill
  • ¾ c. water
  • 4 ½ c. coarsely chopped cabbage
  • 6 oz. shredded cheese (Swiss or Colby)

Brown meat and onion and season to taste. Put cabbage in greased 9×13 pan. Sprinkle rice over cabbage. Sprinkle meat and onion over cabbage. Mix tomato sauce, bouillon, Worcestershire, sugar, dill, and water. Pour over cabbage mixture. Bake, covered, at 350 for 1 ½ hours. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese over top. Let sit until cheese is melted.

Red Cabbage and Chickpea Salad

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This quick and easy salad combines chickpeas, chopped red cabbage, tomatoes, and onions in a tahini salad dressing, or substitute your favorite dressing.

2 (16 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 cup chopped tomato

2 tablespoons chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup tahini salad dressing

Combine chickpeas, red cabbage, tomato, and onion in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with salad dressing until ingredients are evenly coated.

TAHINI DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

3-4 Tbsp good olive oil

salt and pepper

Prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine

Butternut Squash and Yukon Gold Gratin

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  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 4 c. thinly sliced onions
  • 1 ¼ lb. butternut squash
  • 1 ¼ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1 c. half-and-half
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 c. fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
  • 2c. grated gruyere cheese
  • 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh sage

Peel seed and slice squash into ¼-inch thick slices. Peel and cut potatoes into ¼-inch thick slices. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet and add onions. Cook over medium-high heat until deeply caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Lay alternate layers of squash and potatoes in baking dish. Layer onions on top. Mix half-and-half, salt and pepper and pour over onions. Cover tightly with foil and bake 90 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese and sage in medium bowl. Sprinkle over gratin. Bake uncovered until top is golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Butternut Squash and Kale Strata

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A terrific make-ahead breakfast strata from baker and pastry chef Zoe Nathan, who uses multigrain bread to add a distinct flavor to this satisfying casserole.

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
  • 2 pounds butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, plus 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 pound kale, ribs discarded and leaves chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup crème fraîche
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 8 large eggs
  • One 3/4-pound multigrain baguette, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 425° and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes, tossing once, until the squash is just tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the sliced onions, season with salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 25 minutes. Scrape the onions into a bowl. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the kale, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon of the thyme and season with salt. Cook over moderately high heat, tossing, until the kale is wilted and just tender, about 5 minutes. Scrape the kale into the bowl with the cooked onions. In a medium saucepan, melt the 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon of thyme and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until a light golden paste forms, 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk and cook, whisking, until very thick and no floury taste remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, crème fraîche, sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. Let the béchamel cool.

Beat the eggs into the cooled béchamel in the saucepan. Pour into a bowl, add the bread and the vegetables and mix well. Pour the strata mixture into the prepared baking dish and let stand for 30 minutes, pressing down the bread occasionally. Bake the strata for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until almost set. Increase the oven temperature to 475°. Sprinkle the Parmigiano on the strata and bake for about 10 minutes more, until the top is lightly browned. Let the strata stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through the making of the bechamel and refrigerated overnight.
From Food and Wine Feb.2013

Butternut Leek Soup

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Here is a wonderfully simple recipe that marries the flavors of leeks and squash. It makes a rich but low-calorie soup that warms you up on wet fall days.  Bake a winter squash (butternut, acorn or Delicata) when the flesh is tender scoop it out and set aside.  Sauté one large or two small leeks in a little olive oil until translucent and tender.  At the same time bring four cups of stock (vegetable or chicken) or water to a boil.  Add the leeks and the flesh of the squash to the stock; season with herbs (salt, pepper, bay, thyme, dill or any combination) and bring to a boil again.  Take the soup off the heat and allow it to cool a bit.  Puree the soup in a blender and serve with sour cream or yogurt garnish.

Butternut and Acorn Squash Soup

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  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 to 4 cups chicken broth or water
  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 cup cubed acorn squash
  • 1/2 potato, peeled and sliced
  • salt to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon julienned orange peel

Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic; sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the ginger and sauté for another minute.  Add the broth, squashes and potato.  Bring the broth to a full boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the squashes are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and allow it to cool briefly.  Puree the soup with a hand-held immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender, or by pushing it through a sieve or food mill.

Return the soup to the pot and bring to a simmer.  Adjust the consistency necessary by adding additional broth or water. Taste the soup and add salt, pepper and orange peel.  Serve the soup in a heated tureen or individual s or refrigerate immediately.  Garnish each portion with a thin slice of

Note: The soup can be held in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. Before serving, return the soup to a full boil, then make the final adjustments to consistency and flavoring.

From An American Bounty by the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, N. Y.