Curried Squash, mushroom, and orange soup

I froze some butternut squash last winter. Seems like the cold winds are calling me to make soup today. This recipe is from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook.

2 medium-sized acorn or butternut squash (about 4 pounds)
A little oil for the baking tray.
3 1/2 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
Cayenne to taste
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Yogurt for the top

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Split the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and place face-down on a lightly oiled baking tray. Bake until very soft (30 to 40 minutes). Cool, then scoop out the insides. Measure out 3 cups of squash, place it in a food processor or blender with 1 1/2 cups of the orange juice, and purée until smooth. (You may need to do this in batches.) Transfer to a soup pot, and stir in the remaining orange juice.
2. Melt the butter or heat the oil in a skillet, and add the onion, ginger, salt, and spices. Sauté over medium heat until the onion is very soft (about 8 minutes). Add a few tablespoons of water, if necessary to prevent the spices from sticking.
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cover, and cook about 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the sauté to the squash mixture, scraping the skillet well to salvage all the little tidbits of flavor. Add cayenne and lemon juice to taste.
5. Serve hot, topped with a little yogurt.

 **As I was about to add the spices, I realized that I didn't have enough cumin, so I used curry instead of the coriander and cumin. I put in the correct amount of mustard and a pinch of cinnamon. The spices were fine, but I found the orange juice overpowering. I only added 1 1/2 C of it and it was still too strong for me. I would recommend really mincing the ginger up very well. I doubled the ginger since I was feeling cold. The result was a warming soup. I won't make it again.

Zucchini Fritters

I've tried a fair few zucchini fritter recipes. This is my favorite so far. You can get the recipe online at cuisine.co.nz 

6 small zucchini
salt
3 spring onions, chopped
2 T parsley, chopped
1 T mint, chopped
1 T dill, chopped
1/2 C feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 C flour

Grate the zucchini into a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out moisture by hand then wrap them into a towel to get the rest of the moisture out. Transfer to a bowl and add the onions parsley, mint, dill, feta cheese, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix well then blend in the flour. Drop by tablespoons into a hot skillet and fry till golden. Turn and cook the second side.

Delicious with yogurt. Makes 24 small ones.

 **Yummy!

Lentil Walnut Burgers

This comes from Mollie Katzen's site. She indicates that they are good frozen (after cooking them first) and with our without cheese.

3/4 cup dry lentils (any kind)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for sautéing the patties
1 cup minced onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced
10 large mushrooms, minced
1/2 cup very finely minced walnuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound spinach, finely minced (optional)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs, wheat germ, or rolled oats

1. Place lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, add vinegar, and mash well.
2. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onion and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs, wheat germ, or oats, and sauté 5 to 10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the sautéed mixture and bread crumbs, wheat germ, or oats to the lentils and mix well. Chill for about 1 hour before forming patties.
3. Form 4-inch diameter patties. (It might be easiest to do this if you wet your hands.) Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet, and sauté the patties on both sides until heated through and crispy. You can also just broil them for about 5 to 8 minutes on each side.

 **These were easy to make. I used canned lentils and used my food processor to mince the mushrooms and walnuts. I didn't add spinach. I used rolled oats and sauteed rather than broiled the burgers. They kept their shape well. Keeper.

Basque Eggs

I found this recipe a while back on one of my favorite sites: cuisine.co.nz It is a great dish once the zucchini is ready to harvest. The perfect dish if you have chard, tomatoes and zucchini. I have adapted this recipe. The original is on the link.


6  tablespoons olive oil
2 medium red onions, finely diced
4 zucchini, sliced less than 1” thick
1 small hot red chili thinly sliced or a roasted chopped green chili or two
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch of swiss chard, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leafed parsley
4-6 organic eggs
1 cup cherry tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat in a heavy frying pan (preferably one that can go straight into the oven). Add the onions, zucchini, chili and garlic. Panfry, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until everything has softened and browned.

Stir in the chard and saute for a minute or two. Then add the paprika and parsley, mix well then remove from the heat. If you are not using a frying pan that is oven-safe, oil a shallow ovenproof dish with the remaining oil. Pour the vegetable mixture evenly into the dish and break the eggs on top, leaving them whole and evenly distributed over the surface. (Use as many eggs as your dinner companions need)

Push the tomatoes in beside the eggs. Season with salt and pepper.

Place in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until the eggs are just set. Remove from the oven and serve. Serves 4

 Going into the oven

**Delicious. I love the smokey paprika with the fresh veges. Keep your eye on the eggs- you'll need to poke them to know how runny or cooked they are.

Asparagus-Tofu-Noodle

I couldn't resist the asparagus at the store. When we get asparagus, this is one of our favorite ways to eat it. This recipe is from Mollie Katzen's Still Life with Menu cookbook. You can get the recipe from Mollie Katzen's website.

8 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Chinese dark sesame oil
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound vermicelli or linguine
1/2 pound tofu, in small dice
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 pound slim asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths
12 to 15 fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
Toasted sesame seeds and/or cashews for the top

1. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, red pepper, lemon juice, sesame oil, water, sugar or honey, and salt. Stir in the tofu. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes (longer is OK . You can prepare the other ingredients during this time.)
2. Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain, rinse in warm water, and drain again.
3. Place a large wok over medium heat and wait a minute or two. Add 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, then turn up the heat. Add the asparagus and mushrooms, and stir-fry for several minutes until the asparagus is just tender.
4. Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for about 3 more minutes, keeping the heat high. (It helps to use tongs for the stirring at this point.)
5. Pour in the entire bowlful of marinade-plus-tofu. Cook and stir another 3 minutes or so, or until the sauce is well distributed and everything is heated through.
6. Serve immediately, topped with toasted sesame seeds and/or cashews.

*I use 3 T tamari instead of soy sauce and 3 T sesame oil. I don't use the red pepper, and I use rice spaghetti noodles broken in half before cooking them. I tend to use more asparagus.

**Delicious- Keeper

Rosemary Dijon Pork Loin

This recipe came the Food Network. I am leaving the rosemary in the ingredients, but I didn't use it.

• 1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Trim any excess fat from the pork loin, leaving a thin-layer of fat over the top.
Evenly rub the entire pork loin with the Dijon mustard followed by the onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Make sure to really rub in the spices, and then sprinkle the
rosemary evenly all over the top.
Place the pork in roasting pan lined with a rack and roast for 20 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F, and continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 145 degrees F, about 1 hour more. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice and pork and arrange on a platter garnished with rosemary sprigs.

**I cooked it till the internal temperature reached 160. It was moist and fork tender. I also cooked it on a cookie sheet. It did not brown up- you'll need to sear it first if you want it to be brown. Delicious- keeper.

Cabbage Gratin

I've never made this and am looking forward to trying it. It came directly from the Orangette blog. I recognize we did not get Savoy cabbage, I'm hoping the mild flavor of the napa will work.

Savoy Cabbage Gratin
Adapted from All About Braising, by Molly Stevens

A couple of notes about ingredients:

- Good stock, either chicken or vegetable, is key here.

- If you can’t find Saint-Marcellin, use a good triple-cream cheese, such as Delice de Bourgogne, Pierre Robert, or Brillat-Savarin. I used Delice de Bourgogne, and it was wonderful. Just remember not to use the rind: it’s too pungent. Also, don’t be tempted to use Brie. It isn’t quite right here.

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Savoy cabbage (about 1 ½ lb.), quartered, cored, and sliced into ½-inch-wide shreds
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, sliced into ½-inch-wide pieces
Kosher salt
1 ¾ cups mild chicken or vegetable stock
1 ripe Saint-Marcellin cheese (about 3 oz.), or an equal amount of triple-cream cheese

Set a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large (roughly 10”x 14”) gratin dish, or another dish of similar size.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch or bigger) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and scallions, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring, until the cabbage is nicely wilted and just beginning to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a steady simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Transfer the cabbage, scallions, and all the liquid into the prepared gratin dish. Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 20 minutes more. Then remove the dish from the oven. Cut the cheese into small lumps and scatter it over the cabbage. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F, return the dish to the oven, and cook until the cheese is thoroughly melted, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot or warm, as a side dish for almost any meat. I’ll bet it would also be delicious with an egg. Or on its own, as a light meal, with a hunk of bread.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

 Making the gratin

The finished gratin
**So delicious- there were no leftovers. Worked great with the napa cabbage, however I adjusted the time in the oven in half. I added a little too much salt considering  my vege stock was a bit salty- but it paired so nicely with the pork loin (which needed salt). Absolutely a keeper.