Garlicky Tomato Soup with White Beans

Next year, I think we can either freeze fewer tomatoes or I need to make tomato soup more often. Right now I am in the mode of working through what's left in the freezer so I will be ready to start filling it again this summer - and we have quite a lot of tomatoes left! This soup used a fair amount of them, though, and it was definitely a winner that I will be making again. Easy, quick, and satisfying, with lots of flavor. You can thaw frozen tomatoes in the microwave or, if you plan ahead, overnight on the counter.

2-3 Tbsp olive oil
10-12 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
8-10 cups tomatoes and their liquid (thawed if frozen; canned also ok)
3 veggie bouillon cubes or some veggie stock
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup small uncooked pasta such as shells (optional)
3 cups cooked white beans

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, then add the garlic an onion. Saute over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomatoes and their liquid, some stock or bouillon cubes, dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender, or do it in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to the pot to the burner and add the pasta and white beans. Cook over medium heat until the pasta is done, 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves about 6.

Pizza with Arugula and Bacon

When I stopped at Green Fields Market this weekend, I spotted a good selection of local greens available - including arugula, spinach, and salad mixes. We can also expect to see lots of greens at the farmers market this weekend! Pick up some Bostrom Farm bacon to go with them for a great combination.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
2-3 oz. arugula
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella
1 small shallot, minced
3 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Paint the pizza crust with olive oil, somewhat generously.

Very briefly saute the arugula over high heat, just long enough to barely wilt it (30-60 seconds).

Spread half the cheese over the pizza crust. Spread the arugula over the cheese. Sprinkle with shallots and bacon, then add salt and pepper to taste. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Last Week for Apex Apples

It's the last week of April and that means it's the last week to buy apples from Apex Orchards in Shelburne. We stocked up last week on Braeburns and Empires and now have two refrigerator drawers full of apples to last us another few weeks. We have found that these long-stored apples are still in pretty great shape as long as you keep them refrigerated after getting them home--but kept out in the fruit bowl, they go downhill pretty quickly.

Once the apples are gone, we'll be into the spring fruit gap as we wait for strawberry season to begin in June. As I write this, it is cool, gray, and rainy outside, making June seem very far away - but really it's only a few weeks. Soon we will be picking strawberries in the hot sun!

Dijon Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

This marks the end of the stew beef from our share; next year I hope we can get more. We still have lots of steaks and ground beef, though, so those recipes will keep coming. This dish also marked the end of the sweet potatoes that I bought at Winter Fare - almost three months ago, but still in great shape. I stored them like the squash, in a paper bag in the mudroom.

2 lbs stew beef, trimmed and cubed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Water and/or stock (beef or veggie)
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

In a large bowl, toss the beef with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and the flour.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, then add the beef. Brown on all sides over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot periodically to prevent too much sticking. When the beef is browned, add the onion and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the mustard, bay leaf, and thyme, plus enough water and/or stock to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pot, plus a bit more liquid if needed. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer for at least another hour (and as long as 3). Just before you are ready to serve, taste and adjust seasonings. If the stew seems to watery, raise the heat to medium and cook uncovered for a bit.

Serves 4-6.

Grilled Steak with Sage and Garlic

The sage-garlic combination works with almost any kind of meat and is great on the grill.

Steak for two people (about 1 lb)
Salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1-2 tsp minced fresh sage
1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Take the steak out of the fridge, or thaw it, about an hour before you plan to cook it. (My steak is all in the freezer; I like to thaw it by putting it in a bowl of cold water. This takes about an hour.)

Liberally salt and pepper the steak on both sides.

Combine the garlic and sage in a small bowl and add enough olive oil to make sort of paste. Spread the paste all over the steak, both sides. Let sit for about an hour (or longer; if so, put it in the fridge and take it out again an hour before cooking so it can come to room temperature).

Grill the steak over high heat, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare.

Pizza with Red Pepper, Garlic, and Sage

Mmm, picked the first fresh sage of the season from the garden this evening! Red peppers from the freezer as usual (if I stocked up on nothing else in my freezer, I would still make sure to have a big stash of red peppers). Here these two items are combined with fresh garlic in a Spanish-influenced pizza.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 tsp minced fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 oz. mozzarella, shredded or cubed

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then sprinkle with garlic, red pepper, and sage. Add salt and pepper to taste, then top with mozzarella. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Variations: If you'd like to add some meat to this, chorizo would be excellent. It is available (sometimes) at the Greenfield Farmers Coop from Not Your Ordinary Farm. Manchego cheese, if you happen to have some, would also be excellent in place some of the mozzarella.

Red Pepper, Potato, and Feta Scramble

I sometimes turn to scrambles for dinner when I'm looking for something quick. This one used peppers from the freezer, Chase Hill Farm feta, the last of the potatoes that I bought at Winter Fare, chives from the garden, and eggs from Over the Hill Ranch. Local all the way.

5 eggs, beaten
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
1/4 cup snipped chives
2 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz. potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced (frozen is fine)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the eggs, feta, and chives in a bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for about 10 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the egg mixture and cook, scrambling, until the eggs are done. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Serves 3-4.