Chicken gumbo

• 2 medium onions

• 1 green bell pepper

• 3 ribs celery

• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening (or oil)

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 4 cups chicken stock (unsalted or low sodium)

• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice)

• 1 1/2 cups sliced okra, fresh or frozen

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cup long-grain rice

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken breasts (or boneless thighs)

• Chopped fresh parsley, garnish

• Chopped green onions, garnish

Peel and chop onions, peppers, and celery.

For the roux, melt the shortening in a large Dutch oven over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until medium brown—about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the roux constantly to avoid burning. If it burns, you will have to start over.

Add the chopped vegetables to the roux, adjust the heat to medium-low to medium, and continue to cook, constantly stirring, until the onion is translucent.

Slowly add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the diced tomatoes, okra, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, cayenne, and bay leaf; bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the rice following the package directions. Set aside and keep warm.

Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. Add the chicken to the soup and cook, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes longer, or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper, as needed.

To serve, scoop a mound of rice into the center of each of the four large, shallow bowls. Ladle the soup around the rice. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and/or green onion tops, if desired.

Garlic marinated bean salad with celery

• 8 ounces white beans (chickpeas also work well), soaked in water overnight

• 5 confit garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup sherry or red wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoon mustard (whole-grain or Dijon are my favorites)

• 1 bunch parsley (about 1 1/2 cups), roughly chopped

• 1 head (8 ounces) celery, cut into thin slices

Confit garlic ingredients:

• 2 heads garlic

• 1/2 C. olive oil

Directions:

To make garlic confit: Peal garlic and poach in oil at very low temperature for 45 minutes. Cool and store in jars in the fridge.

To make salad:
Drain and rinse the soaked beans and boil in fresh water until tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.
Roughly chop the confit garlic and combine with the oil, vinegar, salt, and mustard.
Drain the cooked beans and immediately dress with the vinaigrette.
Combine the beans with the parsley and celery just before serving. Taste for salt, vinegar, or olive oil.

Market Creamy Veggie Chowder

6 slices bacon
1 lg onion
1 st celery
1 lg carrot
1 med parsnip
1 med turnip
1/3 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 c chicken broth
1 med swt potato, peeled & diced
1 med potato, diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 c milk
Cheddar Cheese, shredded (opt)

In a large pan, or Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. reserve bacon to add later. Keep 2 tbsp bacon drippings in pan.

Peel and dice onion, carrots, celery, parsnip, and turnip. cook in reserved bacon drippings in pan, ~ 6-8min until fragrant

Sprinkle veggies with flour, salt, and pepper. Stir until blended. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 min until thickened. Stir in the sweet potato, potato, bay leave and worcesterrshire sauce.

Reduce heat. Cover and simmer ~ 15-20 min or until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk and reserved bacon. Heath through. Discard bay leaves. Garnish soup with shredded cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Sweet and Sour Celery

1 bunch celery, leaves removed, stalks cut on the diagonal into 1-inch slices
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tbsp finely chopped sweet red pepper

Pour enough water into a large skillet to fill about 1/4 inch deep. Add celery, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cover and bring to boil. Uncover and cook until celery is tender and liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter red pepper on top. Serve immediately. Serves 4 as a side dish.

 Fresh Ways with Vegetables

Lentil Soup

1 cup brown lentils
3 cloves of garlic
1 onion, sliced
1 small winter squash, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced 3" piece of dulse or wakame
6 c. water salt and pepper to taste

Boil and simmer lentils for about 15 minutes. Add sea vegetable and onion. Simmer 15-20 mins. Add celery, squash, and garlic. Simmer 10-15 mins. or until lentils and vegetables are soft and even creamy. Season to taste with herbs and/or salty seasoning.

From: the Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet, by shareholder Leslie Cerier

Japanese Rainbow Salad

1/2 cup dry arame (Japanese sea vegetable)
2 cups water
1 c chopped parsley
1 qt of chopped red or green cabbage
1 lg carrot sliced
2 stalks of celery, sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp umeboshi vinegar, shoyu, or tamari

First look arame over and remove any tiny seashells. Cover the arame in 1 cup of water. Rub together and whirl to release any sand. Next, lift out the arame and discard the water. Soak arame in 1 cup of cold water for 5 minutes. Drain out the water. Put arame in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped vegetables, oil, umeboshi, and rice vinegar. Stir all the ingredients together, taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

From: The Quick and Easy Organic Gourmet

Garden Squash Minestrone

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lg onion
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves of garlic
1 lb zucchini or garden squash
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
8 tomatoes, quartered
4 cup beef stock
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup elbow macaroni
1/4 tsp pepper

Sauté onion, garlic, and beef in olive oil for 5 minutes in a large soup kettle. Add vegetables, stock, and herbs to kettle and simmer uncovered for 1 - 2 hours. Add macaroni and pepper and cook 20 minutes. You can substitute rice for the noodles, and leave out the beef for a vegetarian version.

Fresh Corn and Tomato Soup

½ onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
dash cayenne pepper
1 whole clove garlic
1 Tbsp oil

5 ears corn (4 cups off the cob)
4 good sized tomatoes
½ cup water
½ tsp salt

(handful fresh cilantro, lightly chopped)

Saute onion, celery, cayenne if desired, and garlic in oil in a heavy 2 quart pan until tender. (This amount of oil will be enough if you keep the heat low and stir frequently).
Strip corn from cobs with a small, sharp knife. Remove stem end of tomatoes and cut up coarsely.
Add corn and tomatoes, water, and salt to sautéed vegetables. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until corn is tender, about ½ hour.
The soup is pretty now, but even better if you take your courage in hand and proceed with the next step; puree it all. Return to pot, thinning with a little more water if you want, and correct the salt. Heat, stirring in cilantro leaves just at serving time. Serves 4.

From: Laurel's Kitchen

Brussels Sprout-Squash Casserole

1 lb sprouts
1 1/2 cups winter squash
1 onion minced
1 cup celery
1 tsp butter
2 tsp oil
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp marjoram
pepper and nutmeg

Steam sprouts and squash separately. Preheat oven to 350F. Sauté onion in butter and oil, add flour and cook slowly for 3 minutes. Add milk and spices, bring mixture to a boil and remove from heat. Arrange squash then sprouts in a baking dish, sprinkle chopped celery on top, pour sauce over veggies and top with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Savory Stuffed Winter Squash

2 med. winter squash
1/3 c chopped walnuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c diced red onion
1/4 c diced celery
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/4 c Jade Pearl rice
3/4 c diced red pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 c boiling water
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh sage
2 c grated gouda or cheddar cheese
 

Preheat oven to 400F. Leave the squash whole. Place them in a baking pan in the oven for 1 hr. until tender. Meanwhile toast the walnuts in a lg saucepan over med heat, stirring often ~ 5 min. Add the oil, onion, celery, and garlic. Saute for ~ 5 min. until onions soften. Add the rice, pepper, and salt and cook for 2-3 min. Lower the heat, then slowly pour in the water. Cover and simmer ~ 20 min. Stir in the herbs. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Fill the squash halves with the rice mixture. Top with cheese and serve immed.

From 'Gluten-Free Recipes or the Conscious Cook'  a great seasonal cookbook from our shareholder Leslie Cerier.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples

There are many fabulous ways to stuff a squash - here's our first recipe of the season, which includes celery and apples, in abundance at the farm at present. 

Ingredients:

2 acorn squash (about 1 pound each), halved lengthwise and seeded                                              

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing                                                            

salt and freshly ground pepper                                                                                                              

3/4 cups diced celery                                                                                                                                    

1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick                                                                

1 apple, peeled and diced                                                                                                                                  

1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme                                                                                                  

approximately 3 cups 10 old sourdough or heavy bread—crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch dice                                                                                  

4 ounces vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts or raw pecans or walnuts                                                         

1/4 cup chopped parsley                                                                                                                                     

1/8 - 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk                                                                                                                      

1/3 cup vegetable stock or broth

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until just tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add the celery, leeks and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the apples and thyme and cook over moderately high heat until the apples just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Add the bread, chestnuts, parsley, cream and enough stock to moisten and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Turn the squash cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

Rhubarb Salsa

Ingredients:

Rhubarb (10 stalks cooked)

Small tomato

Small onion

Celery (2 stalks)

Hot peppers (a few slices)

Garlic (2 cloves)

Lemon juice/lime juice (to taste)

Directions:

Simmer chopped rhubarb in small amount of water in sauce pan until soft. Finely chop all other ingredients. Once rhubarb is cooled, combine all ingredients together and let chill in refrigerator.