growlocalcolorado - Tumblr blog

[growlocalcolorado]

Delicious Pumpkin Pie

Sweet Pastry Pie Crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Stir flour and sugar together in a bowl. 2. Add the butter cut into cubes and, using thumb and finger tips, rub the flour and butter into each other vigorously until it resembles sand on the beach and there are no more large chunks of butter. 3. Pour the lightly beaten egg over the flour-sugar-butter mixture and stir vigorously with a fork until all of the dry ingredients are moistened and it starts to clump. 4. With fingers, press together into a ball and place on a floured surface. With the heel of one hand, smear the dough forward quickly, a little at a time (a tablespoon maybe) until all the dough has been "smeared". This blends in the last of the butter. Scrape the dough together and work briefly, just enough to form into a smooth, homogeneous ball. 5. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in fridge until needed or, if making your pie right away, just until it is firm enough to be easy to roll out without sticking to your rolling pin. 6. Lightly butter a pie plate and line with the uncooked sweet pastry pie dough, trimming off any excess dough. Prick lightly with a fork.

Pumpkin Pie:

2 cups fresh pumpkin purée

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg & ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Purée pumpkin by cubing the pumpkin flesh and putting in a large pot with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover tightly and let steam until soft. Pour into a collander in the sink and let drain really well, allowing it to cool at least slightly. Purée and measure, draining any excess water if necessary. Put the purée into a large bowl. Add the flour, spices and salt and stir until well blended. Add the eggs, or if the purée is still hot, add just enough milk to cool it a bit then stir in the eggs quickly. Add the milk and maple syrup and stir everything together until very well blended. Pour into the prepared pie shell until filled about half way. Transfer the pie onto the rack of the pre-heated oven and then carefully pour the rest of the filling into the shell (this should avoid sloshing it onto the floor while carrying it to the oven. (Just a trick.) Let cook about 40 minutes or until the center is just set and the shell is browned around the edges and underneath. If you have leftover dough, you can roll it out and cut out shapes (like a pumpkin or leaves) and very carefully place on the pie about 10 minutes before the pie is finished baking.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Pumpkin Christmas Bread

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

10 ounces pumpkin puree (just over a cup-full if you're measuring and not weighing)

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray one large loaf pan, about 9" x 5", with cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, mix together first seven ingredients. In another bowl, blend the remaining ingredients together. 3. Combine all ingredients and stir well until smooth. (It is a thick batter!) Spoon into loaf pan and lightly smooth out the top with a spatula. 4. Bake about 1 hours and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out dry and clean. Cool thoroughly. It'll seem like the loaf doesn't want to come out. Just give it a few good slaps on the bottom of the pan, and it'll come right out. 5. Great to bake ahead and freeze. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Defrost at room temperature. 6. If you'd like to make three large loaves, triple the ingredients, use a 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree, and mix in a great big bowl. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. This full recipe can make 7 mini loaves (3" x 6" mini loaf pans). Bake the mini loaves for about an hour.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Roasted Acorn Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

1 (1- pound) acorn squash

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon

1 pound pizza dough

1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

1 cup arugula

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the squash in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the seeds. Slice the squash into 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide half moons and place in a medium bowl. Toss the squash with the syrup, olive oil, red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the squash until tender and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep the temperature on the oven at 375 degrees F. Roll out the pizza dough on a flour dusted piece of parchment paper to a 13-inch diameter. Place the pizza and the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the Gorgonzola on the pizza dough. Bake in the oven until golden and cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Peel the skins off the squash. Top the cooked pizza with the cooked squash. Top with arugula and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Slice and serve.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Butternut Squash and Kale Risotto

4 1/2-5 cups vegetable stock

1 cup minced onion

2 -3 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (May use white grape juice) (optional)

2 cups peeled and cubed winter squash (3/4 to 1 inch cubes)

3 cups stemmed and chopped kale, packed (about 1/2 pound before stemming, May use other greens)

1/8-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

salt & fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup gratedpecorino cheese or 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. 2. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, saute the onions in 2 teaspoons of the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. 3. Add more oil, if necessary, to prevent sticking. 4. Using a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the grains, add the rice and stir until it is well coated with oil. 5. Add the wine, if using. 6. When it is absorbed (it won't take long), ladle in 2 1/2 cups of the simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes between each addition, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. 7. Add the squash and the kale and stir. 8. Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth every few minutes for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until all of the stock has been added and the rice is tender but firm. 9. Add the nutmeg, lemon peel, and salt and pepper to taste. 10. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the cheese, and serve immediately.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Finger Squash Curry Soup

1 cup chopped onion

4 peeled and chopped carrots

5 cups cooked squash (see below)

1 tbsp Olive Oil

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp curry powder (I used an imported Korma mix)

½ tsp Garam Marsala

1 qt organic vegetable stock

¼ tsp kosher salt

4 tsp honey

Cook the Finger Squash (can be prepared ahead of time) Cut it in half. Oil the bottom of a baking sheet and place cut side down on the sheet. Bake at 350 for 45-50 min. Take out and let it cool to the touch, scoop out the flesh from the main body with a table spoon , slice each finger of the squash in half and scoop out the flesh. Soup Preparation Sauté onion and carrots in olive oil until tender, about 8 min.  Add this mixture plus some stock to your food processor.  Blend until smooth.  If your processor is large enough, add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  If you do not have this capability, simply process in batches. Add mixture to a large sauce pan and reheat.  This soup is best if it can sit for a while as the flavors meld.  Be cautious not to overheat.  I would let it set until just before serving and reheat.  Serve topped with fresh Cilantro.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Creamy Pasta with Butternut and Sage

¼ chopped fresh sage plus 1 Tablespoon, divided

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4 Tablespoons butter

1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, ¼ inch dice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup heavy cream

In a 10 inch saute pan, cook diced pancetta in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil till crisp, drain on paper towels and set aside. Chop the fresh sage and set aside. Separate 1 Tablespoon of chopped sage in a little bowl. In a 12 inch fry pan with straight sides, heat olive oil and butter. Saute the diced butternut squash till tender on medium to medium high heat. Lower the heat to medium, stir in the salt, pepper, cream and reserved chopped fresh sage. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the sage. Stir to blend and thicken. Turn heat to low while agnolotti is cooking. Cook the Quattro Formaggi Agnolotti according to package directions, drain and add to the butternut squash sauce, gently toss to coat all the agnolotti. Put on a decorative platter, sprinkle with reserved 1 Tablespoon of chopped fresh sage, and sprinkle with the reserved, crisp pancetta.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Butternut Squash, Black Beans and Walnut Coconut Curry

1 (2 pound) butternut squash or pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 can coconut milk

1 can black beans

3 tablespoons walnuts, lightly toasted

1 onion/shallot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons safflower or peanut oil

1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled, finely chopped

1 jalapeño chile, chopped with seeds (optional)

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 pinch ground turmeric

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes/cayenne (Optional)

Salt to taste

Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and cut the squash/pumpkin into bite-sized chunks. Toss squash in 1 tablespoon of oil and place on baking tray. When oven is hot place baking tray in oven and roast squash for 45 min or until tender      Heat reamining oil in a thick bottomed pan or skillet. Add shallot/onion, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until soft. Add Jalapeño chile, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne/red pepper flakes. Stir to release fragrance and to brown spices, cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add squash, black beans, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until squash is tender and just beginning to break down. The squash will thicken the curry as it cooks down. When done, add the walnuts and stir to combine well. Garnish each serving with sprigs of cilantro. Enjoy. serves 4-6 Submitted by: Edgewater Urban Farms

[growlocalcolorado]

Frozen Apple Sauce (or Pie Filling)

4 lbs Apples (Cored & sliced thick w/peel on) Greening, Jonathan, or McIntosh

1 3/4 cups Water

1/4 cup Lemon juice

1 1/3 cups Sugar

dash Ground Cinnamon

dash Ground Ginger

dash Ground Nutmeg

dash Ground Allspice

dash Ground Clove

Boil water, lemon juice, sugar and spices until disolved. ADD the apples to the solution and COOK for 10 minuets, stirring occasionally LET COOL and SERVE; or REFRIGERATE or FREEZE in re-sealable glass or plastic containers. Submitted by: Gerry Todd

[growlocalcolorado]

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

from Simply Recipes

2.5 lb butternut squash, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 3 tbsps olive oil 1/3 cup shallots or onions, small dice (I used shallots) 1 cup water, more as needed 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated and packed 1/3 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used Greek yogurt) 1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated salt to taste 2 tbsps unsalted butter 12 medium sage leaves, fresh extra grated Parmesan for topping freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a roasting pan, toss the butternut squash cubes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper together until the squash is evenly coated. Roast the squash for 45 minutes, giving them a stir with a spatula every 15 minutes until the squash is fork-tender. Remove from oven and place the butternut squash in a blender or food processor. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small frying pan and sauté the shallots or onions until they start to brown. This takes a few minutes. Place the onions in the blender or food processor along with a cup of water. Add more water as needed – mine was super thick so I ended up using 2 cups of water. Purée the squash until smooth. Empty the contents into a medium saucepan and set on low heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), nutmeg, and salt to taste. You don’t want it to boil (and you don’t want the cheese to melt into a giant clump), just heat the sauce. Meanwhile, melt the unsalted butter in a small pan on high heat. When hot, place the fresh sage leaves in a single layer in the butter and fry. Turn them over after 30 seconds and continue to fry until crisp. Remove from pan. Serve the butternut squash sauce over any pasta (I like it with fettuccine – we had a pound of pasta) and sprinkle Parmesan, salt, and black pepper on top. Garnish with 3 fried sage leaves. Serves 4.

Submitted by: UseRealButter.com

[growlocalcolorado]

Polenta

2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil, plus extra for the baking dish

2 cups organic polenta or coarsely ground yellow cornmeal (or 1-½ cups polenta plus ½ cup red quinoa for quinoa polenta)

1 quart chicken stock or water

1 quart milk (or whey leftover from cheese making)

1 tablespoon salt

Olive oil 

1.     Coat a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil, and set it aside.

2.     In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, bring the water and milk to a boil. Add the polenta in a gentle stream, whisking as you pour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk the polenta until it has thickened, about 10 minutes (I find it takes closer to 30 minutes). Add the oil and salt, and continue to whisk until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes (or longer).

 3.     Pour the polenta into the prepared baking dish, and smooth it with a spatula to make an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 2 days.

4.     Cut the polenta into 12 (or more) “steaks,” and pat each one dry with a paper towel (there may be some condensation from the fridge).

5.     Place in wax paper bags and freeze.  To use, thaw, then bake at 350 – 400°F until warmed through or as long as until browned on top.

Serve with pesto or whatever!

Submitted by:  Angela, Littleton

[growlocalcolorado]

Tortilla de Patatas

modified from Cannelle et Vanille

1/2 cup olive oil, extra virgin 1/2 medium onion, medium dice 2 medium russet potatoes, medium dice (I used 3 medium Yukon golds) 1 tsp salt 4 eggs 1/2 tsp salt

Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Add the onions to the pan and sweat them for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of salt to the oil. Let the potatoes cook for a couple of minutes and then reduce the flame to medium-low for 15 minutes. Aran says the point is not to fry the potatoes, rather to poach the potatoes in the olive oil. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt together. Drain the potatoes and onions from the oil and add them to the eggs. Don’t worry if the egg starts to cook. Remove all but a teaspoon of oil from the pan and set the heat to medium. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir the center until the egg begins to scramble. Then leave it be. Use a wooden or rubber spatula to tuck the edges in neatly and let cook for a few minutes. I waited until mine was still runny, but solid enough to invert onto a plate and return to the pan to cook the other side. Serve hot or cold.

Submitted by: UseRealButter.com

[growlocalcolorado]

Sweet Apple Walnut Kale

1 bunch kale

2 to 3 tablespoons butter

½ apple, very thinly sliced

½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon unrefined cane sugar or brown sugar

2-3 tablespoons apple juice or cider

1 tablespoon tamari

2 teaspoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

  Pull away the leaves from the stem before washing. Wash greens carefully. An easy way is to fill your sink with cold water and submerge the greens. If the water has sediment, drain the sink and repeat. Tear leaves into bite size pieces. Melt butter in a large skillet (not cast iron! It will turn the apples grey) over medium low heat. Add apples and walnuts and sauté for a few minutes. Sprinkle unrefined cane sugar over the apples and walnuts and stir so that it evenly coats. When apples are softened, add kale leaves and sauté over medium heat until leaves begin to turn brilliant green. Combine juice and tamari. Pour into pan. Cover tightly. Cook until leaves are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Taste to check for doneness; greens should be tasty, not bitter; still green, not grey. Dress with vinegar before serving.

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Peach Soup

10 peaches (peeled and sliced)

1/2 c sugar

2 egg yolks

1 heaping Tbs flour

1 1/2 c half & half (or milk or soy milk)

2 Tbs ice water

Pour hot water over peaches to facilitate peeling. Slice peaches in 2 cups of water & touch of salt. Boil until soft, mash with sugar & cook a few more minutes. Mix remaining ingred. with egg beater and slowly add to peaches stirring constantly. Bring to a slight boil then remove from heat. When cool, blend in food processor & refrigerate. Serve cold with plain croutons.

[growlocalcolorado]

Vegan Gluten Free Latkes

1 Large Potato (cooked)

1 Small Potato (uncooked)

1/4 C Rice Flour

1 tsp Olive Oil

garlic

minced onion

salt

parsley or spinach

Boil one large potato until cooked through; place in fridge until chilled cold; once cold, grate and place into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Grate and add to the bowl ½ a large or 1 small raw potato. Add a medium-sized palm (about a quarter of a cup) of rice flour; and a small splash of olive oil (in this case, about a teaspoon). [the rest of the ingredients are to taste] Add a small palm of minced garlic (around a tablespoon, don’t go crazy with it); a medium palm of minced onions; a couple pinches of salt; and chopped parsley or minced spinach for color. Hand toss all of this together in the bowl, mashing lightly. Press and form into patties 2-3 inches in diameter and about 3/4 inch thick. In a pan, fry the patties in olive oil on medium heat, flipping every 2-5 minutes, until golden brown. As they cook, they soak up some of the oil, so be prepared to add more oil to the pan as they are cooking. Keep in mind the raw potato in the patties needs to cook through. They are really good with ketchup or vegan gravy. Enjoy! Also, if you want a convenient variation: skip the raw potato and substitute whatever other raw vegetables you have around.

Submitted by:  Dustin Lewis of the Mercury Cafe

[growlocalcolorado]

Chile Sin Carne

In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine:

2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) of diced tomatoes (undrained) (optionally, add fresh tomatoes--peeled and chopped)

1 cup of chopped onions

1 cup of green bell pepper

1 cup fresh corn (I just sliced the raw kernels off the cob)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 minced jalepeno (makes it pretty spicy!!)

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

1 can (15-oz) black beans (or red beans if preferred)

1 can (6-oz) tomato paste

3/4 cup water (option to use beer, or veg broth instead)

1 TBS light brown sugar

1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I garnished mine with a spoon of Greek yogurt, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro!

Submitted by: a Grant Family Farms CSA Member

[growlocalcolorado]

Fava Pesto (Maro)

1 pound of fava beans (in pods)

4 cloves of garlic

8 mint leaves

chunk of pecorino or manchego cheese

Steam pods, which makes them easier to shell. Shell the bean by squishing it out of its waxy cover. While they are steaming and you are shelling, put garlic in a roasting dish and roast at 325 for 20 minutes. Toss the shelled fave with olive oil and salt and roast for 10 minutes. Blend the roasted fave, peeled, roasted  garlic, mint leaves, and cheese until smooth. Serve over a soft egg noodle like fettucine. Submitted by: Granata Farms, a multi-plot urban farm growing produce for a CSA, restaurants and specialty markets since 2002.

[growlocalcolorado]

Eggplant Fries

from The Hungry Mouse

3/4 cup flour 2 tsps garlic powder 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp fresh parsley, minced 1 tbsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp black pepper, fresh ground oil for frying 3 baby eggplants or 2 medium eggplants salt for seasoning honey

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, dried oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until thoroughly mixed. In a heavy-bottom medium saucepan, heat at least two inches of oil to about 350F. Peel the eggplants and slice into 3/4-inch thick fingers. Toss the eggplant slices a few at a time in the seasoned flour until well coated. When the oil is ready, drop a few sticks of eggplant into the oil – they should begin sizzling immediately. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan or have the oil temperature drop too much. When they begin to brown (about a minute) flip them over and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute. Remove the eggplant fries from the oil and let drain on a cooling rack. Serve hot with a shake of salt and a drizzle of honey. A great snacking appetizer for 4 people.

Submitted by: UseRealButter.com