Potato and Roasted Chicken Chowder

The quality of your cooked chicken, as well as the stock or broth, can make all of the difference to the flavor of this soup. Starting with a good quality bird (like Hoe Hop Valley Farm's fresh whole hens) will produce the best flavorful meat, and the best tasting stock. You can substitute store bought broth and cooked boneless portions if you are short on time, but taking the time to make your own stock will produce the richest flavors. Also, most chowders and potato soups are prepared with cream and cheese. In this version, the good quality chicken stock and assorted vegetables create a chowder that is rich and flavorful enough to go without the extra fat and calories in the cream and cheese. However, if desired, a little garnish at the end is decadently rich, but not overpowering.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of cooked Chicken, leftover from a whole roasted hen if possible

2-4 quarts of good Chicken Stock

2-3 lbs of Potatoes (russet, red, etc.)

1 lb Carrots, chopped

1 bulb of Fennel, diced

4 stalks of Celery, chopped

3 Purple Sweet Peppers, diced

2 medium Yellow Onions, diced

1 Tbs Herbs de Provence

Olive or Canola Oil

8 cloves of Garlic, minced

Kosher Salt

freshly ground Black Pepper

1 cup White Wine

Garnish:

Sauteed Kale, (prepared with oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt)

Heavy Cream (optional)

Shredded White Cheddar Cheese (optional)

Method:

Dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces. If they release a lot of starch when chopped, rinse under cold water before using in the soup.

In a large stock pot, saute carrots, onions, fennel, peppers and celery with a little oil. When the vegetables begin to sweat, add a teaspoon or so of kosher salt, herbs de Provence, potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until the potatoes and vegetables are soft.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree (not until completely smooth) with an immersion blender until the soup has thickened a little, but still has some texture and chunks of vegetables.

Return the soup to the heat and warm on low. Add the wine, garlic and chicken. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes or so.

To serve, stir a small amount of cream and cheese into each portion (if desired), then top with the sauteed kale.

Raw Kale Salad with Spicy Apple Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Curly Kale

Olive Oil

Juice from 1/2 Lemon

Kosher Salt

1 bulb of Fennel, shaved or sliced thinly

2 Purple Sweet Peppers, sliced

1/2 Apple, shaved or sliced thinly

toasted Walnuts

Apple Vinaigrette:

1/2 Apple, core removed

1 clove of Garlic

1/2 fresh Yellow Cayenne Chili Pepper, seeds and stem removed (use whole if you like a lot of heat)

1/4 cup Canola Oil

2 Tbs natural Apple Cider Vinegar

2 tsp of juice from a fresh Lemon

1-2 tsp local Honey

pinch of kosher Salt

dash of Cinnamon (optional)

Method:

Wash kale and remove stems and ribs.  Tear the leaves into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the lemon juice, a couple of pinches of salt, and a few tablespoons of olive oil onto the kale.  Massage the kale until the leaves turn bright green and wilt to your desired tenderness.  The longer you massage, the softer it will become.

For the vinaigrette: Put all vinaigrette ingredients in a high-power blender and puree until smooth.  For lower-power blenders you may need to chop the apple, garlic and chili pepper before blending.

Combine the salad ingredients and toss with salad dressing. Alternately, arrange ingredients on individual plates and drizzle dressing over the top.

Quinoa-Lentil Garden Burgers

This recipe has what seems like a long list of ingredients.  Most home-made garden burgers are a combination of many things, but this one pays tribute to any leftover grilled vegetables from the weekend cookout.  If leftovers generally are not your thing, don't worry.  Transformed into a garden burger, yesterday's meal becomes a protein, fiber, and flavor-packed lunch, dinner or snack.  They freeze well, and can turn those late-summer/early-fall vegetables into weeks of delicious, quick meals.

Ingredients:

½ Cup dry green lentils, cooked with vegetable broth until soft. Discard extra cooking liquid

½ Cup dry quinoa, cooked with vegetable broth according to packet directions until light & fluffy

½ Cup fresh brown breadcrumbs (toast until dry, and then grind in a blender)

½ lb Zephyr squash or zucchini, sliced, brushed with oil, seasoned with salt, and grilled

½ lb Eggplant, sliced, brushed with oil, seasoned with salt, and grilled

½ lb Golden beets or carrots, finely chopped in a food processor

1 Bunch beet greens or spinach, chopped

1 Medium-large yellow onion, finely chopped in a food processor

5-6 Cloves of garlic, minced

3-4 Fire roasted Italian sweet peppers, (red, yellow or orange) peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 Large tomato, diced

Juice from one lemon

1 tsp Alchemy Spice Kitchen Karma herb blend

1 tsp Kosher salt

¼ Cup olive oil

2 Eggs

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Chop the grilled squash and eggplant. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  The mixture will be quite soft, but should not be too watery.  Add more breadcrumbs if necessary to absorb some of the excess liquid.  Form into balls (about 1/3 cup), place on the lined baking sheet, then press gently to flatten into a patty shape.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Cool completely before freezing. Recipe makes about 20 burgers.

Serve on a toasted bun with pesto or whole grain French mustard, lettuce, tomato, and your favorite cheese (optional).  Freeze extras in freezer bags.  Reheat in a toaster oven or microwave.

Winter Squash Hash with Chanterelle Mushrooms & Fresh Herbs

The chanterelle mushrooms in this recipe are from Alexzanna Farm (found at the Main St. Farmer's Market).  The best mushrooms to use are the ones that are freshly harvested, but you can substitute other fresh wild mushrooms found at grocery stores if the local ones are unavailable.

Ingredients:

2 Delicata squash, seeded and diced (do not peel)

1 Small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 Large Italian sweet pepper, seeded and diced

2 Medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced into wedges

About 1/2 lb fresh chanterelle mushrooms (Alexzanna Farm, Main St. farmer's Market)

1/2 Cup of chopped fresh herbs: Mixture of parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme

1/4 Cup of olive oil

Sea salt

Black Pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the vegetables, mushrooms, herbs and about 1/4 cup of olive oil and spread evenly on a baking tray or large ovenproof dish.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Bake for about 60 - 90 minutes.  Turn with a spatula after about 45 minutes.  Remove from oven when the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown on the edges.

Roasted Eggplant Dip (Baba Ghanoush)

There are many ways to make Baba Ghanoush.  Some recipes suggest salting the eggplant and letting it drain before cooking.  Others say to discard the skins after cooking, and puree the insides.  This recipe is more rustic in the preparation method; making use of the extra flavor, texture and nutrients in the edible skin. Letting the eggplant drain is not necessary, as any excess moisture will evaporate while roasting.

Ingredients:

1 lb eggplant

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Juice from 1/2 lemon

2 Tbs sesame tahini

2 Cloves of Garlic

1 tsp paprika

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove stem from eggplant and slice into wedges or large chunks.  Place in a baking dish or tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with kosher salt.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The eggplant should be quite soft with golden-brown edges, but not dry when it's done.

Place roasted eggplant in a bowl and cut into small chunks using kitchen shears.

 Add the rest of the ingredients plus one Tbs olive oil, and pound with a mortar or wooden spoon until the ingredients are combined and the texture is soft enough to spread or use as a dip.

Season to taste, and garnish with Toasted Garlic Drizzling Oil. Serve with pita chips, sliced raw vegetables, or use as a spread for sandwiches.