Vegetables of the Week:
Peppers, Delicata Squash, Zucchini, Summer Squash,
Cucumbers, Butternut Squash,
Tomatoes, Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes
This Week:
Delicata Squash Recipes
Delicata Squash Tips and Recipes - By Brenda Hyde
Delicata squash is a nice mild tasting and delicious squash. The following recipes will give you an idea of how to use it. You can substitute other winter squash in these recipes if you wish. Delicata will store at room temperature for about 4 weeks.
Squash with HerbsIngredients:
2 medium winter squash (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons wine or herb vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to tasteIf using delicata squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, then cut it lengthwise in half, and scrape out the seeds. Cut each piece in half again lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Other squash should be peeled, seeded, cut into 1x 1/2 inch pieces. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the sage and rosemary and cook until the butter just begins to turn color-3to5minutes.Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and additional salt if needed.
Spicy Squash SoupIngredients:
2 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 lb. Delicata or other winter squash
2-3 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 liter milk
2 cup sweet onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 tbsp. minced garlic
4 tsp. olive oil
10 oz. frozen corn kernels
10 oz. frozen green beans
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, choppedTrim edges of squash, cut into four pieces, remove seeds. Steam 12-15 minutes until soft. Scrape the squash from the skin into a blender, add ginger and 2 1/2 cups milk; purée. Sauté onion, celery and garlic in 3 tsp. olive oil until onions are soft. Reduce heat to low, stir in Cajun spice mix. Stir for 30 seconds, add squash purée and remaining milk. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes. Add corn and green beans and continue to simmer. Stir in basil. Season with salt to taste.
Baked Delicata SquashIngredients:
1 delicata squash
1-2 Tbsp. butter
salt and freshly ground black pepperCut off the ends of squash, cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Leaving the skins on, cut the squash into 1/2-inch wide lengths. Place these on a baking sheet, dot with butter, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 degree F. oven until soft. This is the basic recipe. You can add herbs, spices or honey to it if you wish.
Delicata Squash PureeIngredients:
One 2-lb. Delicata squash
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh chives
salt and fresh ground black pepper to tasteSplit the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Peel the outer skin and cut the squash into 3-inch pieces. Place squash and potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with water and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and cook until both the squash and potatoes are fork-tender (30-40 minutes). Drain liquid (reserving about 1 cup) and add in cream and butter. Using a potato masher , mix well. Add chives and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooking liquid if you want it a bit thinner consistency.
About the Author:
Brenda Hyde is a mom to three, married and living in the Midwest United States. She is also a freelance writer, editor and owner of www.OldFashionedLiving.com
Some recipes posted here are adapted from Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables (Gibbs Smith, Publisher, www.gibbs-smith.com, 2006), "Relish the American Farmer," August 2006.
Forces in Food
If one needs to stimulate one's thinking then one should use especially the salty stimulant of the radish for instance. If someone is not very active in the head it is good for him to add some radish to his food which will activate his thoughts a little. So you see the strange fact emerges: One can say radishes stimulate thinking. And one does not even need to be very active oneself, the thoughts simply come when one eats radishes -- such strong thoughts that they even generate powerful dreams.
-- Rudolf Steiner, from Nutrition and Stimulants
[ Excerpted from Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farm by Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith Publisher). Check with your local farm or bookstore for availability. Additional recipes, charts, indvidual copies of this book, and quantity discounts available at www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook.]
