The weeks are flying by! And it’s starting to feel more like fall. The nice cool mornings make it nice and pleasant to harvest. We are almost done planting our fall and winter crops. We’re closing up our high tunnels each night which should help us extend the harvest of our summer crops. The acorn squash in the bag this week is perect for this time of year. It pairs nicely with apples, which are also in season, and you can find in abundance at the farmers’ markets. The cooler temps also mean we will be including more soups in the recipes. This week we made a chorizo and kale soup, and a celery and potato soup. Both go great with crunchy bread or a grilled cheese. Thank you all for supporting our farm!
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. Place squash cut side down in a rimmed baking dish with 1/2 inch water. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes or until squash is tender.
While squash is cooking in a large saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp butter. Add 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1 cup chopped apple peeled. Cook until tender. In a bowl combine the apple mixture with 1/4 cup raisins, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar. Mix and stuff into squash. Return squash to the oven and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melty.
Salad with Vinaigrette
To make vinaigrette combine ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 medium cloves garlic, minced, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Rinse and plate salad mix, then add garnishes of your choice and the balsamic vinaigrette.
Celery and Potato Soup
Dice 1/2 of the yellow onions, chop 1/2 bunch of celery with greens, about 1/2 cup, 1/2 chopped carrots, about 1/4 cup, and chop 3 large potatoes. Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large pot. Add the celery, onions and carrots. Cook until fragrant for about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, 1/2 cup sweet corn, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 quarts of chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender. Blend half of the soup and add 2 Tbsp heavy cream.
Beet Hummus
Boil, then once tender, peel the beets (if desired). Add to a food processor with 2 cloves of garlic minced, 1 cup cooked chickpeas, 1/2 lemon juiced, 1/4 cup tahini, 1/2 tsp salt. Blend to desired consistency, and serve with bread or over pasta with a little pasta water added to loosen.
Kale, Chorizo, and White Bean Tomato Soup
Precook 1 cup of white or navy beans until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, then set aside. Dice 1/2 of the yellow onions, chop 1/2 bunch of celery with greens, about 1/2 cup, 1/2 chopped carrots, about 1/4 cup, mince 1 clove of garlic, and chop all of the tomatoes. Add 2 tbsp oil to a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, and add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, as well as 8 to 16 oz of chorizo sausage. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Add roughly chopped kale, a handful at a time until wilted, tossing occasionally. Add beans, tomatoes and 4-5 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
Ingredients
The first table shows the ingredients that come in the share. The table after that shows the ingredients you would need to make the recipes.
| Stuffed Acorn Squash | Salad with Vinaigrette | Celery and Potato Soup | Beet Hummus | Kale, Chorizo, and White Bean Tomato Soup | |
| butter | 1 Tbsp | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| chopped onions | 1/2 cup | ||||
| chopped apple | 1 cup | ||||
| raisins | 1/4 cup | ||||
| brown sugar | 1 Tbsp | ||||
| cinnamon | 1/2 tsp | ||||
| shredded cheddar | 1/2 cup | ||||
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/2 cup | ||||
| balsamic vinegar | 3 Tbsp | ||||
| Dijon mustard | 1 Tbsp | ||||
| maple syrup | 1 Tbsp | ||||
| garlic | 2 cloves | 2 cloves | 1 clove | ||
| potatoes | 3 large | ||||
| cooking oil | 3 Tbsp | 2 Tbsp | |||
| sweet corn | 1/2 cup | ||||
| chicken broth | 2 quarts | 4-5 cups | |||
| heavy cream | 2 Tbsp | ||||
| cooked chickpeas | 1 cup | ||||
| lemon juice | 1 Tbsp | ||||
| tahini | 1/4 cup | ||||
| white or navy beans | 1 cup | ||||
| chorizo | 8-16 oz |