Pumpkin Stew with Fresh Chiles & Feta Cheese

I am making this hearty, comforting pumpkin dish tonight.  It is one of my daughter's favourites and it reheats well.  I use pumpkin and squash interchangeably in most recipes depending on what I have on hand.  Use fresh and not canned pumpkin which is pureed. Alternately, a good substitute is a dense orange squash like butternut.  The original recipe was from Peru and it was made with serrano peppers which are 5 times hotter than jalapenos.

Below the cayenne peppers are spread out to ripen in the house.  I had them near the fire for a week or two which helped totally dry them out for storage

Click this link to print recipe.

ORGANIC INGREDIENTS
Makes six servings about 300 grams each

1 Tbsp (15 ml) sunflower or other neutral oil like grapseed
1 cup (250 ml) onion, raw, chopped - I use red
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh cayenne, serrano or jalapeno pepper, minced (to taste) - I used 2 dried cayenne
2 potatoes, with skin, raw, cut into cubes - I prefer red potatoes but any will do
8 cups (2 liters) pumpkin, raw, cubes (or squash or sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup (60 ml) water - add more as necessary
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk or cream (coconut milk works if you need a non-dairy version)
1 cup (250 ml) Ontario cheese like brebis, feta or semi-soft goat cheese (skip cheese for non-dairy or vegan version)
1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) sea salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup (125 ml) cilantro, fresh, minced (or parsley, oregano)

METHOD:

1.  Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Saute chopped onion, minced garlic and chiles until soft and fragrant.  I used a few of my dried garden cayenne peppers.

 2.   Scrub potatoes but leave the skins on for extra fibre and nutrition.  Dice into bite-size squares.

3.  Peel and cut fresh pumpkin (or squash) into cubes.  I use a very sharp chef's knife to split the pumpkin in half and set aside the seeds to dry for the summer garden.  I cut it into strips, peel and cube as below.  It is a bit of work but worth the effort. 

 

I save my vegetable scraps in a bag and freeze them.  I will use them later to make a fragrant vegetable broth.  Pumpkin is really nice in vegetable stocks as it imparts a sweet flavour and golden colour.



4.  Add diced raw pumpkin and potatoes with water to the skillet.  Cover and cook over medium low heat until the pumpkin and potatoes are tender.  I cooked mine 10 minutes and thought it was too long.  I like the pumpkin a bit less mushy.

 

5. Stir in the milk (or cream) and crumbled cheese and heat through.  I used goat cheese in tonight's version but I usually use feta.  It would also be good with the Brie, Brebis or Camembert cheese.  Brebis to me is the French equivalent to feta - a creamy, soft, unripened cheese made with sheep's milk.  PC brand is 26% MF and very delicious. If you want a dairy free version you can use coconut milk and skip the cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with fresh minced cilantro.  You can substitute fresh or dried oregano and/or parsley instead of the cilantro. 

Don't toss the pumpkin seeds!  You can dry them to plant in this summer's garden or toast them for a tasty snacks.  I will sit down and remove the "gunk" and spread them out on a tea towel to air dry.  I have good results and rarely have to buy pumpkin seeds.  I also save the seeds from any organic squash I buy at the store and grow some for myself.  Roast the seeds in a 350'F oven on a lightly oiled pan until lightly brown and toasted.

NUTRITION FACTS: Pumpkin a very versatile and nutritious vegetable that is very good in cookies, muffins, pancakes, pie, savoury quiche, soup, stews and casseroles.  The dark orange vegetables like pumpkin, winter squash, sweet potatoes and carrots outshines all others in beta carotene which our body converts to vitamin A. Research has found that a diet rich in beta-carotene can reduce your risk of developing certain cancers and helps prevent heart disease. Beta-carotene also maintains good vision and fights infection. They are also packed with fibre, antioxidants, vitamins B6, C and K as well as calcium, potassium and folate. The flesh of the pumpkin is lower in calories and carbohydrate compared to sweet potatoes.

Per 300 g/approximately 1 cup serving of the casserole has: 190 calories, 9 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 5 g sugar, 7 g protein.  % Daily Values are 60% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 20% calcium and 10% iron.

Yours in good taste, © Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.  http://nancyguppy.com/

Potato & Kale Pie

This is a re-work of my mom's scalloped potatoes.  Depression food.  I changed the name to get my now adult children to eat it even though they knew it was a version of the scalloped potatoes I was raised on.  "Something about the word scalloped" my daughter said.  I think it is incredibly good.

I make it often switching up various fresh herbs and vegetables layered with the potatoes.  The thinly sliced layers of onion, herbs etc are sprinkled with salt, pepper, flour and a bit of butter and then scalded milk is poured over.  It bakes up thickened without the need to make a white sauce or used canned cream soup.  Leftover chopped ham is also a popular addition between the layers.

This is an "about" recipe. The measurements aren't exact. You just make the number of pies/pans you want. The leftovers re-heat so well it shouldn't be a problem getting people to eat it up later.

Click on this link to get a printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

Per 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate

2 medium large potatoes, washed, but peel on, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
a few cups of kale, chopped.  Remove the stem if it is tough
1 small zucchini or patty pan squash, rutabaga or turnip, sliced same thickness of the potatoes
I medium onion, sliced thin
potato flour between layers, about a 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) per layer - use any flour - I use gluten free potato or brown rice flour
sprinkle of salt and pepper and a bit of butter between the layers
minced herbs between the layers - I like sage and thyme leaves but use what you have on hand
1+ clove garlic, minced also spread between the layers
2 cups scalded milk to pour over - 500 ml
Top with grated cheese like old cheddar.

METHOD:
1.  Butter, oil or spray two 9 inch pie plates (2 inch deep).  I use butter as it is traditional for old school scalloped potatoes.
2.  Slice potatoes, kale, turnip/rutabaga and onion.  Peel on for potatoes and the onion gets cut into rings.  Make potato and rutabaga slices similar size pieces so they have similar cooking times.



3.  Put the milk in a saucepan and heat over medium high heat to scald which is just before boiling.  Whisk along the way.  Don't boil the milk as it can clump.
4.  Mince fresh herbs and set aside.
5.  Grate or slice cheese and set aside.
6.  To assemble place layer of potatoes over bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with some of the onions, chopped kale and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, minced herbs and the flour.  Dot with layer with a bit of butter.





7.  Add layer of rutabaga and repeat step 6.

8.  Sprinkle cheese over top and bake at 300'F for 45-60 minutes or until sauce is thickened and cheese is lightly browned.  Believe it or not I couldn't find the grater so the cheese got sliced.  Dig around the fridge and use the odds and sods of cheese that need to be used up.

Option:  Ham is a nice addition between layers. 

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Soup of Garden Greens

The original soup recipe called for watercress but mentioned that you could also use spinach or sorrel.  I have a number of patches of perennial sorrel and a lot of other greens in the garden so I decided to use them rather than going shopping at the store.  My mix included arugula, beet greens, kale, lettuce, Asian red mustard, spinach and Swiss chard.

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) has a lemony flavour.

Arugula, also know as roquette, has a peppery flavour.

Asian red mustard tastes a bit like wasabi to me.  

True Siberian Kale is my favourite kale.  It tastes sweet and a bit like young broccoli.  I had one patch that grew for four years and successfully over-wintered in northern Ontario though it eventually petered out.  Let part of it go to seed and save them for a future crop.  It has pretty yellow flowers.

Lovely lovage tastes stronger than celery and is best used in smaller amounts.  It freezes and dries well.

ORGANIC and GARDEN INGREDIENTS:
Makes 4-6 servings (about 2 litres - 8 cups in total)

1 Tbsp (15 ml) each butter and good olive oil
2 cups/1 large sweet onion (Vidalia), diced
2 cups (500 ml) potatoes, diced - I didn't peel them
4 celery ribs, chopped (about 2 cups/500 ml) - I used 1/2 cup (125 ml) young garden lovage foliage and stems
4 cups (1 liter) chicken or vegetable broth or water
1/2 (2.5 ml) teaspoons sea salt - depends on your taste and how salty your broth is
1/2 (2.5 ml) teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups (1 liter), greens like watercress or other greens, rinsed and drained.  I used arugula, beet greens, kale, lettuce, red mustard, spinach and Swiss chard
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream - I used Organic Meadow, 14% MF
1/8th tsp (0.6 ml) ground cayenne and nutmeg

Fresh dill, lettuce, lovage and parsley sprigs for garnish

METHOD:

1. Heat the butter and oil over medium high heat in a large soup pot. Add diced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes or until onion is softened.

2. Add diced potato and sliced celery (or lovage), and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. I cleaned up the potatoes but left the skins on for extra fibre and nutrients. The photo below is of garden lovage leaves and stems.

3. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat and cover; simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until potato is tender. I used a homemade turkey stock that I had previously frozen for this very occasion.

4. If you are using watercress, stir it in at the end of cooking. This ensures a fresh bright green soup. I added the clean, sliced greens from my garden during the last 5 minutes as I was using kale, sorrel and heartier greens that need a bit of cooking. Make sure they are tender before you take the soup off the heat.

5. Stir in the sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the ground cayenne and nutmeg as well (optional). The soup tastes great without the sour cream if you are avoiding dairy.

6. Leave the soup chunky or puree, all, or part of it. Serve hot, or refrigerate and serve cold. Thin with a bit of stock or milk before serving if the soup is too thick. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs and baby lettuce. Below I used baby dill, lovage, parsely and red leaf lettuce for the garnish.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 1/2 cup - 375 ml serving): 210 calories, 11 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 4 g fibre, 4 g sugar, 8 g protein. % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet are 60% vitamin A, 80% vitamin C, 10% each calcium and iron.

If you like this post you might also like the sorrel and lovage soup with carrot mint puree:
http://chapmanslanding.blogspot.com/2009/06/sorrel-lovage-soup-with-carrot-mint.html

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Potato Tofu Latkes (gluten free)

I have been making these potato latkes with tofu since my university days.  Simple, satisfying and economical.  The tofu boosts the protein and makes them more substantial.  I like to serve them with my recipe for simple applesauce.  Some people would reach for the sour cream.  The latkes also sub as a veggie burger and freeze well.  Lots of options.

# volume	(# mL)	Ingredient
2.2 lb	1 kg	Potatoes, grated (not peeled) – about 5 medium
¾ lb	350 g	Tofu – I used firm as it has less moisture
6	6	Eggs, medium
¼ c + 2 T	90 ml	Flour – your choice (I used brown rice flour)
1 cup	250 ml	Onion, diced
2	2	Garlic, cloves
1 tsp	5 ml	Dill, dried
½ tsp	2.5 ml	Salt, fine
1/4 cup	60 ml	Oil for frying

Makes 16 patties - latkes

METHOD:

1.  Add all ingredients except for potatoes to bowl of food processor.  Process until smooth.

I used some dried dill that I bought from Rita at the Powassan Farmer's Market. 

2.  Grate potatoes.  I used 5 medium size red potatoes that weighed in at a kilogram.  These potatoes are from the 50 lb bag I bought from Vicki and Maurice of the Schlosser Farm in Trout Creek last fall.  $15 - good deal.

Place grated potatoes in a colander and leave in sink to drain.  Use your hands to press down and remove moisture.  Don't skip this step.  

 3.  Add tofu mixture and grated potatoes to a large bowl.  Mix well.  Season with salt.

I used a 2 oz/60 ml disher to measure out my latkes.  These portion control scoops are awesome for all kinds of baking and cooking jobs.  If you buy the food service quality they should last you your lifetime.  I have three I use all the time - 2, 3 and 4 oz.  They are a quick way to dig in and measure items like yogurt and peanut butter as well.  Find them at a restaurant supply store.

4.  Heat a tablespoon of oil in pan. Drop scoops into hot pan.  Press down with a fork to flatten out.  Fry until browned on both sides.  

Latkes are best fried but you can do them in a non-stick pan if you wish.  Here I am using one of my cast iron fry pans dated 1880 on the bottom and made in Brockville, Ontario. I think we can rest safe that no non-stick pan will be around 130 years from now!

Cook in batches, adding more oil as needed.  Keep warm in the oven.  Serve very hot with applesauce

NUTRITION FACTS:

Calories (per 1/16th recipe)	150
Protein (g)	7
Total Fat (g)	7
Saturated Fat (g)	1
Carbohydrate (g)	16
Fibre (g)	1
Cholesterol (mg)	60
Sodium (mg)	100
%DV
Calcium	6
Iron	6
Vitamin A	0
Vitamin C	20

Tastefully yours,
Nancy Guppy, RD
Email

Visit me at www.chapmanslanding.com where you can find out what's
cooking on my class calendar. If you are interested in nutrition or diet
counselling pop over to www.nancyguppy.com. A lot of health plans cover the cost of consulting an RD.

Wild Leek, Lovage & Potato Chowder

ORGANIC and GARDEN INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

1 Tbsp (15 ml) butter

1 cup (250 ml) lovage or celery, sliced
2 cup (500 ml) leeks, light green and white part, sliced

6 good size potatoes, skin on, diced

1/4 cup (60 ml) wild rice

4 cups (1 liter) cold water

1/2 lb (250 grams) chicken breast - optional

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) sea salt

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) black pepper, freshly ground

1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) red chile pepper flakes, dried (optional temperature boost)

1 cup (250 ml) organic whole cow's milk - I used Harmony organic

1 cup (250 ml) + cheese like cheddar or Swiss

Sprigs of fresh lovage for garnish (or sliced green onions)
Vegetarian version - omit butter, chicken, milk and cheese and it will still be very good.  I have made vegan and lacto-vegetarian versions many times.

METHOD:

1. Heat olive oil and/or butter in soup pot over medium high heat.

2. Clean up the wild leeks.  Slice green and white part of leek and add to the soup pot.  I grew these leeks in the back yard - transplanted a few years ago from the forest.

3.  Add sliced lovage (or celery),  and the diced (skin on) potatoes as well as the dry wild rice and cold water.  The photo below is of a sprig of my garden lovage.

4.  Cut boneless chicken breast into bite-size pieces about 1 inch (2.5 cm) square.  Add to pot with the salt, pepper, and crushed red chili pepper flakes (optional).  Cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until potatoes and wild rice are tender.  Chicken is a nice addition to this soup but it is also very good without it.

5.  Mash potatoes in pot using a potato masher.  Mash half of the mixture to create texture and help thicken the soup.  Stir in the whole milk and grated cheese.  I have been using the Harmony organic whole milk.  It is 3.5% milk fat but I don't drink it - just for coffee and cooking.  If you haven't tasted organic milk you should try it - very sweet and delicious.

6.  To serve, garnish bowls of soup with a sprig of fresh lovage or other herb.  You can serve with additional grated cheese if you wish.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1 1/2 cup - 375 ml serving): 260 calories, 10 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre, 4 g sugar, 15 g protein.  %Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet are 4% vitamin A, 50% vitamin C, 15% calcium and 10% iron.


© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.  Visit me at www.chapmanslanding.com  


Try something new at my next cooking class - Meal from Oaxaca (Mexico) on Saturday June 5th.  The menu features fresh and vibrant foods with the flavours of Southern Mexico.  For registration and information please visit my website.

April's showers bring May flowers!