Witchin’ in the Kitchen at the Bubbling Cauldron

1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 12 ounce package frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry.
Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.

4 strips bacon
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups firmly packed chopped kale leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon until crisp in a large soup pot.
Remove bacon strips with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Lightly saute potatoes, onion, and garlic in bacon fat.
Add stock, kale, salt, and pepper and simmer for an hour or until potatoes are soft.
Mix soup in batches in blender until it is smooth.
Return to pot and thin with stock or milk if necessary.
Crumble bacon and sprinkle over soup as garnish.
Yield: 6 servings

http://www.yankeemagazine.com

This is an excellent addition to your Harvest, Samhuinn and Yule tables. The colors and richness are warming and satisfying on the coldest of days. This is a large recipe and cans well. Ball now makes canning jars suitable for freezing or canning. I’ve poured half of this recipe into jars and stored away in my freezer for a bit of spice and sunshine in the coldest, darkest part of January.

Spicy Three Squash Soup

3 winter squashes of your choice, halved and seeded
1 medium head garlic
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tart apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup dry sherry
3 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 small red bell pepper, roasted and minced
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp fresh thyme or winter savory
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place
the squashes cut side down on a roasting pan.
Wrap garlic in foil and set in pan with squash.
Roast squash and garlic for 50 to 60 minutes.
Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium
heat. Saute the onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in ginger and curry powder; cook 3 more minutes. Stir
in apples and sherry; reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and set aside.
When the squash and garlic are done squeeze the softened garlic into the apple mixture.
Process until blended, but still slightly chunky.
Return mixture to pot over medium-low heat.
Scrape out flesh of the squash and puree small batches of squash and veg broth.
Transfer each batch to the pot with the apple-garlic mixture.
Stir in red bell pepper, rosemary, parsley, basil,thyme, pepper, salt, cayenne.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
When ready to serve stir in hot water.
Makes 10 servings.

Our first day of Autumn is cold, grey and rainy. After a morning spent out at the farmers’ market I came home to a toasty fire in the woodstove and the urge to make soup. As I poked through my stores I realised it’s lacking a good veg stock so here is an excellent one I recently uncovered in my great piles of recipes. I’m making a hearty barley soup for today anyway and in the slow cooker I’ll have the following…

Vegetable Stock

2 large potatoes, thickly sliced
2 - 3 onions, quartered
3 - 4 carrots, thickly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 apple or pea, quartered
1 or 2 bay leaves
6 peppercorns
10 cups (2 1/2 quarts) water

Optional Vegetables or Herbs

Garlic cloves
Leeks, including the tough green leaves
Mushrooms, whole or stems
Parsley including stems
Parsnips
Scallions
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes (in small amounts only or the stock may be too acidic.
Winter squash
Zucchini or summer squash

Scrub the unpeeled vegetables and cut into chunks.
Place in a stockpot with bay leaves and peppercorns; cover with water.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour or more.

Strain the stock through a colander or cloth, pressing out the liquid from the
vegetables. (The remaining solid vegetables make good compost material or can be
discarded.)

The stock will keep refrigerated for 3 to 4 days, or may be frozen in 1 to 6 cup
quantities.

Note: Vegetables should be rinsed, but there is no need to peel them.
Avoid such strongly flavored vegetables as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant,
peppers, and turnips. Natural food stores and well-stocked supermarkets carry a good
selection of organic vegetable stocks in 1-quart boxes that can be used when time is
short.

Variation: For stock with an Asian flavor, add 4 or 5 quarter-size slices of fresh
gingerroot and water from soaking dried shitake mushrooms.

Yield: 2 quarts

Reprinted with permission from ©2005
David Hirsch The Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden , published by Ten Speed Press

1 lb ground beef
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 oz. can tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained
2 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cup small elbow macaroni
2 cups water
5 tsp. beef boullion
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sweet basil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup frozen or fresh green beans (cut in 1 inch pieces-optional)
Parmesan Cheese

Brown beef in large heavy kettle; drain. Add all ingredients except cabbage, green beans and macaroni. Bring to a boil. Lower heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add cabbage, green beans and macaroni; bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender. If you prefer a thinner soup, add additional water or broth. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese before serving.

1 lb sausage
1 large, finely chopped onion
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups hot milk
1/2 ts. nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste
chopped parsley

In large frying pan brown and crumble sausage.
Remove sausage and sauté onions in drippings.
In large pot or crock pot, add all the ingredients.
Heat until hot. Serve sprinkled with parsley. Serve 8 to 10.

2 whole butternut squash, pricked and roasted with skin on
2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
3 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups water, vegetable or chicken stock
4 cups heavy cream
salt to taste
1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
fresh grated nutmeg

Peel squash, discarding seeds, reserve pulp.
Sauté onions in olive oil until soft and transparent.
Add squash, garlic and water.
Cook over medium heat for 30minutes.
Add cream and nutmeg.
Remove and puree in blender until smooth.
Add salt to taste.

I have been remiss in sharing recipes throughout the month leading up to the celebration, for that I am sorry. I will include a couple at least for today.

Vermont Apple Soup with Curry

2 Tbs butter (1/4 stick)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 Tbs curry powder
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup whipping cream
sour cream (optional)
chopped fresh chives (optional)

Melt butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion: sauté 4 minutes. Add apples: sauté until apples begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add curry and cook 15 seconds. Gradually stir in stock. Increase heat and simmer until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Add cream and simmer 5 minutes.

(Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Re-warm over medium heat before continuing.)

Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. If desired, top with dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chives.

Serves 4.

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced celery
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken base or bouillon granules
12 ounces Brie cheese, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a kettle saute chopped onion and sliced celery in butter until soft. Stir
in flour.
Remove from the heat and stir in milk, chicken broth, and chicken base; mix
well. Return to the heat and simmer, stirring, until the soup thickens. Add
diced Brie cheese and stir until melted. Transfer the soup to a food
processor and blend until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Heat
through.
Makes 6 servings.

1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 12 ounce package frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sherry

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry.
Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.

8 ounces of your favorite sausage or kielbasa, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 medium parsnips, washed, peeled, and diced
1 medium rutabaga, washed, peeled, and diced
1 large carrot, washed, peeled, and diced
1 15 ounce can chicken broth
1 15 ounce can beef broth
1/4 cup fresh half and half
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried and crumbled
plain salt or Iodized salt
peppercorns, freshly ground,

Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add your favorite sausage and cook until it is brown on all sides.
This takes about 8 minutes. Place the cooked sausage on a plate using a slotted spoon.
Add chopped onion to the same saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and cook the onions until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Add the diced carrot, rutabaga, parsnips,and cook 5 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
Add both broths to the saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Using your food processor, puree the soup in several batches. Add two 1/2-inch slices of cooked sausage to each batch before processing. Return all the batches to the saucepan. Mix in half and half and the crumbled thyme. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add the rest of the cooked sausage. Heat through. Do not boil. Laddle this hearty soup into your waiting soup bowls and serve with fresh bread and butter.

2 generous servings: Recipe can be doubled for a family dinner

http://www.yankeeharvest.com/recipes/recipe38.html

1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups light vegetable stock (or light chicken stock or water)
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 cups pumpkin purée
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream

Sauté onions, celery, and garlic in butter. Add stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and nutmeg. Cook until vegetables are very soft. Strain and reserve liquid. Purée vegetables with some liquid and strain through a sieve. Combine liquid, puréed vegetables, and pumpkin; heat. Add cream and season with salt and pepper.

Red Clover Inn Bed and Breakfast
Mendon, Vermont

(serves 3 to 4)

6 slender leeks, about 3/4 inch across
3 small yukon gold potatoes
6 small turnips
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
a few thyme sprigs
sea salt and freshly ground pepper cream
chopped parsley or thyme

Slice the white parts of the leeks crosswise and wash them well. Scrub the potatoes, quarter them lenghtwise, and chop. If the turnip skins are tender looking, quarter and chop the turnips with out peeling. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the vegetables, give them a toss, then add 1/2 cup water and the thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add 5 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and stir in a few spoonfuls of cream. Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme.

Perfect for Samhuinn

2 cups cooked wild rice
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (16-ounces) pumpkin
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Chives or parsley for garnish
Cook wild rice according to package directions. Melt butter in large
saucepan. Add onion and cook until light brown. Stir in broth and
pumpkin. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wild rice and
pepper; cook 10 minutes longer. Stir in cream; heat to boiling. Serve
garnished with chives or parsley.

Makes 8 servings

(Source Unknown)

This is a favorite dish of mine for the Harvest, though today is a more Summer-y day I plan to make this to enjoy for tonight’s feast when the air grows cool quickly it will be very welcoming.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion (1/4-inch dice)
1/4 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)
1/4 cup diced carrot (1/4-inch dice)
1 cinnamon stick
Gray salt and freshly ground pepper
About 4 cups Chicken Stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander (optional)
1-1/2 cups Roasted Winter Squash
1/2 cup half-and-half (optional)
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and sauté until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the chicken stock and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.)
Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ladle into a warm tureen, a ceramic bowl or 4 soup plates. If desired, garnish with a spoonful of mascarpone and/or a scattering of pumpkin seeds.
(Makes about 4-1/2 cups, serves 4)