Roasted Heirloom Squash and Apple Soup

The heirloom squash were harvested last fall and brought inside to over-winter.  We are often amazed at how long they can be held. Here it is the middle of April, our new garden is in process, and we are still enjoying fall squash.

The C. maxima 'Chersonskaya' was beginning to show signs of needing to be processed, so soup is often at the top of my husband's wishlist. (Also pictured above are C. maxima 'Red Kuri', C. pepo 'Thelma Sanders', and everyone's all time favorite_C. moschata 'Butternut'.)

Cucurbita maxima 'Chersonskaya'

Filled with creamy sweetness like only a squash directly from our garden to the table can be, it had all the elements we enjoy: a little sweetness (squash) with some salty (cashew) and a bit of spice (cayenne).



Roasted Heirloom Squash and Apple Soup from Diana's kitchen

1 squash (2-4 lb butternut), seeded, peeled, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 medium tart apples, peeled, quartered, core removed, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
4-6 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock
1 Tablespoon raw unfiltered honey
pinch or more cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 cup cream or half and half
salted cashews

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the chopped squash, apples, onion, curry powder, ginger, salt and pepper and combine. Add olive oil to the melted butter, pour it over the squash mixture and fold to coat. Pour the contents into a large baking pan and roast for 40-45 minutes or until the squash and apples are tender. Stir one or two times during the roasting.

Into a large Dutch oven add 4 cups of chicken stock, the roasted fruit and vegetables, and add the honey, cayenne pepper, nutmeg. Stir, and heat the contents to a simmer. Remove the pot from the burner, and puree the contents with an immersion blender. It will be slightly sweet and thick. Add the cream and combine. If you prefer less thickness, add additional chicken stock. Serve immediately and with a few cashews on top.

Seeds, Seedlings and Vegetable Plants

There is seldom a time when we are not amazed at the vegetable garden. For example, some of the vegetables overwintered and although winter is not the growing season, we can still enjoy a few fruits of our labor.

When we put the garden to bed late last fall, several heads of cabbage had not yet fully developed, but by early February this year they were firm enough to pick and perfect for making one of our favorite Cole Slaw recipes. Parsnips and carrots remained in the ground until we were ready to use the last of them_ a sweet and enjoyable treat, while small pickings of arugula and spinach and a handful of broccoli here and there, sated that desire for green.

And so the cycle begins again. Direct-sown last month: an assortment of heirloom lettuce greens and Walla Walla sweet onions; Nantes carrot and Bull Blood beet seeds were planted into the raised beds last week; and some of our favorite heirloom Brassica seeds were started (pictured below), and these cooler weather vegetables have now found their way into the garden.

Brassica oleracea

Cabbage: Early Golden Acre, Tete Noir, and Flat Dutch
Cauliflower: Giant of Naples, Green Macerata,  Snowball
Kale: Blue Curled Scotch, Dwarf Siberian, Red Winter

Other heirloom seedlings just beginning to form the first and second true leaves include:

Beans: Lazy Housewife, Romano
Peppers: Anaheim, Bull Nose Bell, Orange Bell
Tomatoes: Ashleigh, Black Cherry, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Pineapple, San Marzano, and Stupice

Basil, cilantro, eggplant... are only now finding their way into the seed starting soil_ which reminds me_ I best get to the potting shed! Sure hope your fingers are finding their way into the soil.

Cole Slaw with Pecans and Spicy Dressing

Broccoli is still growing and being harvested from the fall garden, not an enormous amount, but enough to satisfy the palate. Additionally, we have heads of cabbage that came through the winter and one of which was firm enough to pick. And with the last of the carrots and an heirloom cabbage (Brassica oleracea 'Red Acre') waiting in the refrigerator for this particular moment,  a favorite cole slaw was in order.

 Cole Slaw with Pecans and Spicy Dressing from Diana's kitchen and adapted from Tyler Florence 

1 head regular cabbage (or Napa), shredded
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
2-4 carrots, shredded
1 small red onion, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Stevia (or sugar)
1 teaspoon ground Chipotle
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the cabbage, carrots, apples, onions and pecans in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, Stevia, ground chipotle, mayonnaise, and lemon juice until blended. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat. Taste again for seasoning, then mound onto a platter.

Note: This spicy slaw is a favorite and goes perfectly with a slow roasted and slightly sweet pulled pork. Hope you enjoy it.