Month: November 2015

Sweet Potato Rice Bowl with Watercress

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  We’ve been enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers morning, noon, and night in our house and I’m ready to start thinking about tempering that with some lighter meals. This rice bowl fits the bill: it’s healthy and flavorful, but still comfort food. Perfect for a chilly evening in. The watercress adds a nice sharp bite to the dish with its peppery finish, so be sure to include plenty in your topping.

A side note in case you find yourself in a round of food trivia: did you know that what we often refer to as yams in the United States are actually sweet potatoes? Yams and sweet potatoes aren’t even related! The beautiful sweet potatoes included in this week’s CSA box are members of the morning glory family, while yams (native to Africa and Asia) are in the lily family and can only be found in specialty Caribbean and west African markets. Hope that little tidbit gives you enough points to win a round of Trivial Pursuit!

Sweet Potato Rice Bowl with Watercress

1 large sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces 
1 small shallot, sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped 
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon mirin
1 tablespoon sake (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 soft boiled eggs
Handful of watercress
2 cups cooked rice

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Toss sweet potato pieces and shallot with 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Place on baking sheet and roast until the sweet potato is fork tender, 12-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile in a blender or mortar and pestle, combine garlic, ginger, miso, rice vinegar, mirin, sake, and remaining sesame oil. Blend until smooth and set aside.
3. Place rice in the bottom of two bowls, top with sweet potatoes, soft boiled egg, and watercress. Drizzle sauce over everything and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Delicata Squash Stuffing with Celery and Apples

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This stuffing recipe was a hit in our house this Thanksgiving and is sure to make an appearance on the holiday table again this year and for years to come. I hope you are having a lovely holiday weekend. Our home has been filled with friends and family- a welcome reminder of the bounty we are surrounded by. I am so grateful for Jubilee Farm and the amazing produce that graces our table every week. It’s truly an honor to write recipes that feature their harvests. The holidays are officially upon us. Feast and enjoy!

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Delicata Squash Stuffing with Celery and Apples

1 delicata squash, washed, seeded, and cut into large dice
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 large apple, cored and cut into large dice
2 shallots, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups celery, large dice
1 medium onion, large dice
Half loaf of sourdough cut into cubes (day old is great for this)
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Leaves from 1 branch rosemary, stripped and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (1 teaspoon dried)
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine squash, mushrooms, apples, and shallots in a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Roast until squash is easily pierced with a fork, about 20-30 minutes. When finished cooking, remove veggies and turn oven down to 350°.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil then sauté onions and celery over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add bread and continue cooking, stirring often for another 5-8 minutes.
3. Add roasted vegetables, stock, and herbs to the pot. Stir mixture over medium heat until the bread has absorbed most of the stock.
4. Transfer to oven with lid and bake 20 minutes, remove lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish or place it right on the table!

Baked Apples with Maple Whipped Cream and Granola

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As promised, here’s another simple recipe for a cozy night in… Or maybe a special breakfast if you’d like to treat yourself! Be sure to drizzle the pan juices over the apples after you place them in their bowls for serving.

Baked Apples with Maple Whipped Cream and Granola

4 apples
4 tablespoons butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup granola

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Core apples and use a sharp knife to score the skin of the apple- four scores should do the trick.
2. Place apples in a baking dish and place one tablespoon of butter inside the core cavity of each apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 45 minutes.
3. While the apples are baking, combine maple syrup and heavy cream. Whip until the cream forms soft peaks. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. When the apples are done, place in individual bowls and top each apple with a sprinkling of granola and a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Butternut Squash Bread with Candied Ginger

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It’s hard to believe the holiday season is already upon us! This week’s recipes are ones that I hope can help you take time to pause and reflect on the simple things- a candlelit dinner with those you love or a quiet breakfast with a warm cuppa. This squash bread is moist and well-spiced. The flavor of the butternut itself is quite mild but lends an earthy backbone to this bake. I’ll be making it the day of Thanksgiving so we have a treat for the next morning.

Butternut Squash Bread with Candied Ginger

1 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash (I simply roasted mine and scooped it out of the skin- the rest went into this soup)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup non-gmo canola oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons candied ginger cut into small bits

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients: sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, spices, and ginger. Whisk to mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients: squash, eggs, oil, water. Whisk to mix well.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients until well incorporated. Pour into a loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
5. Allow the loaf to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pecans

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Fall is my favorite season. It gives me the opportunity to reflect, to turn inward. It provides landscapes ablaze with color and crunchy leaves to step through. Fall is the season of woodsmoke, boots by the front door, cozy flannel, and also for hearty squash. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are so fortunate to have farms like Jubilee who leap at the chance to grow such an incredible variety of these versatile vegetables. The fruit of these vines form the backbone of many of our meals at this time of year and are a rich source of nourishment. To eat squash is to get a warm hug from the season itself. This simple recipe makes a lovely simple supper or a side dish for a more extravagant affair. Give in to the season and let it hold all of your senses in its embrace.

Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pecans

1 large spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
6 to 8 fresh sage leaves
3/4 cup ricotta
Zest from 1 orange or lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1 tablespoon honey

    1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Remove seeds and sprinkle inside with salt. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
    2. Remove squash from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile, heat the butter or olive oil in a sauté pan. Quickly fry sage leaves until crispy and place on a paper towel. Reserve butter. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, citrus zest and garlic. Set aside.
    4. Use a fork to remove strands of spaghetti squash from the shell. Add squash to the bowl with the ricotta mixture.
    5. Toss squash with ricotta mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.
    6. Sprinkle with pecans and sage leaves, then top with the sage butter from the pan and a light drizzle of honey.