1 small orange hubbard squash (about 5” dia.) roasted equals about 2 cups puréed

1 small pie pumpkin (about 4” dia.) roasted equals about 2 cup puréed

3 to 4 Large Fresh Garlic Cloves

3 cups Homemade Vegetable Broth

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Herbs and Spices to taste

Serves 6 to 8 (1 cup servings)

Low Calorie, Low Cholesterol, No Trans Fats

BISQUE PREP

Quarter each squash. Remove seeds - retain for toasting or planting (instructions follow). Place in a shallow baking dish, flesh down, with 1/4” to 1/2” of water. Peel garlic cloves and scatter among squash pieces. For a flavor kick, experiment! Toss in a dried hot pepper, or fresh rosemary and thyme, or cinnamon stick and cloves. Roast the squash and garlic for 1 hour at 350° F.

VEGETABLE BROTH - Yields 7 to 8 Cups

If you don’t already have frozen homemade vegetable broth, you have time to make some right now. Start with 8 cups of filtered or distilled water. Toss in 4 cups of coarsely chopped celery including tops, 2 medium sweet onions quartered, 2 cups chopped carrots (cleaned, but no need to peel), 4 garlic cloves and your choice of spices. I love coriander, cumin, black pepper, and any fresh herbs I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to toss in ANY vegetable. Beet greens, spinach, bell peppers, or anything that might be close to it’s un-crisp stage can be cooked down for a hearty broth. Don’t forget to compost all the scraps.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 1 hour. Strain through a fine strainer or single layer of cheese cloth. The broth can be used immediately or frozen. When freezing in plastic or freezer safe glass containers, leave 1/4” headspace to allow for expansion, and label with date. Compost your veggie scraps.

BISQUE COMPLETION

After roasting, remove baking dish from oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Using a spoon or butter knife, scoop the flesh from each piece of pumpkin and squash into a blender or food processor. Retain your skins for compost. Retain the liquid in the baking dish to aid blending. Now mix it up! This stage is up to you. Short bursts if you like a thicker pulp, or longer for a fine purée. You may need to add your retained baking liquid or some of the vegetable stock to aid your mixer.

In a medium to large stock pot, bring 3 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Reduce to low and add your blended squash/pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Add salt and spices to taste. Reduce to LOW and add 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Stir well. Serve immediately or spoon into 1 cup freezer containers for quick lunches. Allow 1/4” headspace for freezing.

Garnish your soup with fresh chives or a fresh cilantro leaf. Try tossing in a few toasted seeds for a crunch.

PUMPKIN & SQUASH SEEDS

Separate the seeds from pulp, rinse, dry with paper towels. You can spread the seeds on wax paper to dry overnight, or spread on a baking sheet and toast at 350° F for 8 to 15 minutes. Stir every 3 minutes and keep an eye on them to make sure they do not burn. Toast plain, or add a little olive oil and kosher salt. Remove from oven and transfer to a cool plate or bowl. When cool, store in glass jars for snacks or salad toppings. Don't forget to label and date.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

VEGETABLE BROTH - Yields 7 to 8 Cups

If you don’t already have frozen homemade vegetable broth, you have time to make some right now. Start with 8 cups of filtered or distilled water. Toss in 4 cups of coarsely chopped celery including tops, 2 medium sweet onions quartered, 2 cups chopped carrots (cleaned, but no need to peel), 4 garlic cloves and your choice of spices. I love coriander, cumin, black pepper, and any fresh herbs I have on hand. Don’t be afraid to toss in ANY vegetable. Beet greens, leeks, spinach, bell peppers, or anything that might be close to it’s un-crisp stage can be cooked down for a hearty broth. Don’t forget to compost all the scraps.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 1 hour. Strain through a fine strainer or single layer of cheese cloth. The broth can be used immediately or frozen. When freezing in plastic or freezer safe glass containers, leave 1/4” headspace to allow for expansion, and label with date. Compost your veggie scraps.

Use immediately or spoon into 3-cup or 1-cup freezer containers. Allow 1/4” headspace for freezing. Don’t forget to label and date your containers.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

When freezing leftovers, meats, fruits, vegetables, soups or stocks, it is BEST PRACTICE to label and date. Trust me, things can find their way to the back, and the next time you reach that far in, you might not remember when you put it there! When frozen, it's impossible to see the difference between vegetable stock, chicken stock, or lemon juice, so descriptions are helpful too.

The two best tools for labeling are; Painter's "Perfect Release" Tape and a SHARPIE permanent marker. The marker won't fade or wipe off, and the tape can easily be removed from plastic or glass containers without leaving a residue. A SHARPIE marker is also perfect for labeling freezer bags. For best results, mark the bag before filling. Cold, moisture, and a lumpy surface can make writing on the bag difficult.

Don't forget;

DATE - day, week and year.

DESCRIPTION - contents, unless of course you love surprises.

Saturday, November 8, 2008