Pureed Squash and White Bean Soup

I am coming down to my last few winter squashes, right about on time. Here's another tasty squash soup; make it now while the weather is still cold. Use butternut or another easily peeled variety for this; alternatively, cook the squash separately and add it when you are ready to puree. If using beans that were already seasoned, you won't need much extra seasoning for the soup; however, if the beans are plain, you may want to add a bay leaf and a little sage.

1 Tbsp butter
2 medium shallots, minced
1 large winter squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
Water and/or stock (chicken or vegetable)
Bay leaf (optional)
Sage to taste (optional)
4 cups cooked white beans
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the shallots and saute over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the squash and enough water and/or stock to just cover. If using the bay leaf and/or sage, add them at this point. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until squash is thoroughly tender (15-30 minutes).

When squash is tender, add the beans. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender (or do it in batches in a food processor, then return it to the pot). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8.

Beef Stew with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lime

Stew beef from our beef share plus tomatoes, hot peppers, and cilantro from the freezer made a tasty stew with a mild Asian flair. Serve over rice.

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cut into bite-sized cubes
10-12 cloves garlic, minced (and divided in half)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups chopped tomatoes and their liquid (frozen or canned; thawed if frozen)
2-3 medium hot peppers, seeded and minced (or to taste)
2 Tbsp lime juice (1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp)
3 Tbsp frozen cilantro (1 ice cube worth) or 1/2 cup chopped fresh

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot. Add the beef and brown well over high heat. Add the half the garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté briefly. Add the flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, the hot peppers, and 1 Tbsp of the lime juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

Let the stew simmer, mostly covered, for about an hour. Uncover and stir in the remaining garlic and lime juice. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or so, then add the cilantro. If it's frozen, simmer, stirring, until it melts. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Blueberry Bacon Pizza

And why not? If this sounds odd to you, give it a try anyway. The flavors actually work really well together. Use "wild" low bush blueberries if you can; they are smaller and their flavor is milder, serving more as a pleasing undertone than a star.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
2-3 oz. shredded Edam or medium cheddar
1 medium shallot, minced
6 slices cooked bacon, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup blueberries (frozen is fine)
Black pepper to taste
2-3 oz. shredded or cubed mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil, then spread the Edam or cheddar over it. Sprinkle the shallot over the cheese, then add the bacon and blueberries, evenly distributed. Add a grind of black pepper, then top with mozzarella. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Parsnip Pancakes

Spring is here and the ground is thawed, at least at the lower elevations. And that means spring-dug parsnips are in season! Parsnips have their best, sweetest flavor after a winter in the ground, and these pancakes showcase it. Serve them with dinner (I made them to go alongside roast chicken) or perhaps with brunch in place of hash browns.

7-8 cups peeled and shredded parsnips (woody cores removed if needed)
1 medium onion, minced or shredded
2 Tbsp flour (whole wheat pastry or all-purpose)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
Butter or canola oil for frying
Optional toppings: applesauce, sour cream, yogurt, creme fraiche

Lightly steam the parsnips (1-2 minutes), then drain and press out some of the extra moisture.

In a large bowl, toss the parsnips with the onion, flour, salt, and cinnamon, then add the eggs and mix until well combined.

Heat some butter or canola oil in a heavy skillet (or two). Spoon parsnip mixture into the pan, flattening to about 1/4-inch thick. Fry over medium heat until nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Keep cooked pancakes warm on a covered plate or in a low oven while you fry the remainder.

Serve hot. Add optional toppings at the table if desired.

Serves about 6.

Variation: use curry powder or garam masala in place of the cinnamon and top with yogurt, chutney, and/or chopped cilantro.

Early Spring Planting

With the snow no long gone and the soil starting to warm up a little, this weekend was the time for planting the early spring crops - all those things that can either get an early start or that don't like the hot weather of summer. Lots of greens fall in this category, along with radishes, peas, and a few other things.

Yesterday we planted: snow peas, snap peas (sugar snaps and extra-early dwarf varieties), fava beans, kale, chard, spinach, bok choy, mizuna, arugula, sylvetta arugula (an extra-spicy "wild" variety), claytonia, mache, Persion cress, carrots, radishes, cilantro, fennel, scallions, and lettuce.

Today we are working on starting seeds for the warm weather crops that will grow inside from now until Memorial Day: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melon, pumpkins, summer squash, basil, parsley, etc. I am probably forgetting a few. And at some point we are going to plant potatoes, a new crop for us. Yippee for spring!

Scrambled Eggs with Chives

So simple I can't exactly call it a recipe, but local all the way! The chives in my garden are just big enough now to start harvesting a bit here and there. This morning I went out and picked some to go in our eggs. After plain scrambled eggs as winter, the chive flavor was like a lovely little jolt to the palate - and so full of spring!

About 1-2 tsp of snipped chives per egg works well, depending on how much chive flavor you want. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in the chives, then cook in butter, scrambling as you go, over medium heat.

Pesto Potatoes

I wouldn't have thought this possible, but I might have actually frozen more pesto than I really needed. We still have a ton of it--several different kinds--in the freezer, and it will only be another three months or so before basil is available fresh. I think I'm up to the challenge of using it, though! I made this tonight with standard basil pesto, but it would be good with other kinds, too.

2 1/2 lbs boiling potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup pesto

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water for 15-20 minutes or under tender. Drain, then return to the pot and gently toss with the pesto until well coated. Serve hot or room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

Variation: Mash the potatoes and pesto together, adding olive oil and/or milk as needed.