Arugula Potato Soup

3 tsp butter
2 onions or leeks
1 1/2 lbs. of potatoes
2 1/2 cups of broth or water
1/3 cup milk,
1 bunch of arugula
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Saute onions, leeks for about 20 minutes. Add chopped potatoes, broth, ginger and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Puree half the solids and return to soup. Add milk and bring to a boil. Add steamed arugula and cook an additional few minutes! Serve nice and hot with yummy bread.

Not sure where this old standby came from, but it's a great variation on a familiar theme.

Tomato Leek Sauce

This recipe is adapted from the Washington Post. It is delicious and versatile. Serve it over any cooked grain (try the barley, wheat berries or triticale from the farm), over potatoes, pasta, fish or chicken for an easy meal. Add a hot pepper for some heat or some fennel or fennel seeds for a change of pace. 

Ingredients:     

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced cleaned leeks (white and light-green parts)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs thyme

4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped, plus their juices

1/3 cup sauvignon blanc or other dry white wine

Coarse or flaky sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the leeks, garlic and thyme. Stir to coat, and reduce the heat to medium; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes plus their juices and the wine, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook uncovered for about 30 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed. The mixture will thicken and begin to look like a chunky sauce. 

Discard the thyme sprigs. Taste, and adjust the seasoning before serving or cooling and storing.

Salsa

3 lbs of tomatoes - any variety
2 jalapeno peppers
1 bell pepper
1 onion (or scallions, leeks, chives, etc.)
1 carrot
1/3 cup cilantro
1/4 cup parsley
1 tbsp lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup vinegar

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove and discard stems, seeds and membranes(handle hot peppers with care. Their oil may irritate your skin and cause your eyes to sting. Wash hands after handling them.) Peel and quarter onions
Use food processor to chop peppers, carrots, cilantro, parsley. Add salt, lime juice, and vinegar.
Add tomatoes and onions and chop until coarsely mixed.
Use this as a dip for tortilla chips or as a sauce for other mexican dishes.

Lombardy Minestrone

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, sliced
1 cup celeriac, diced
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 cups kidney beans, soaked and simmered until soft
2 cups tomatoes, diced
4 cups swiss chard, chopped
6 cups water or stock
1 tsp herbes de Provence (marjoram, rosemary, sage, thyme)
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cups uncooked long grain brown rice

Heat oil in deep coverd pan. Add leek and celeriac, stirring occasionally until soft. Add squash, cook a couple of minutes, stir once or twice. Add remaining ingredients. Cover, bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

From Ibby Gemmil

Super Sweet Roasted Vegetables

2 ½ cups peeled and sliced sweet potatoes
2 cups parsnips (or carrots), sliced
2 cups beets, sliced
1 cup onions (or leeks), sliced
5 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
4 tablespoons Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
1 ½ teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix together. Transfer to a covered baking dish and bake for 1 hour for soft and sweet vegetables

By (our shareholder) Leslie Cerier - the organic gourmet - check out her website - http://www.lesliecerier.com/ - for loads of great recipes!

Leek, Red Pepper and Potato Soup

2 red peppers
4 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks (washed thoroughly and diced
8 cups potatoes (peeled and chopped)
5 cups chicken broth
1 sprig thyme
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Chives

Roast red pepper under broiler until skin is blackened. Place in bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Wait ten minutes then peel off skin. Remove seeds. Chop up. Add peppers leeks and sauté w olive oil for 5-10 minutes, til soft. Add potatoes, broth and thyme. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool 10 min, then puree. Place over medium-low heat. Heat heavy cream on low til steaming. Add warm cream to soup and stir. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle w/ chives.

This recipe is from the book "Vegetables" by the Culinary Institute of America.

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.