Thanksgiving Feast

Maple Roasted Winter Squash with Kale and Blue Cheese

3 cups peeled and cubed squash

5 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp maple syrup

Pinch of Cayenne

Blue Cheese

salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Drizzle oil the cookie sheets

Peel and cube the winter squash (1 inch squares)

De-rib and cut kale into bite size pieces

Put the squash on one cookie sheet, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with salt and a pinch of cayenne. Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes

Spread the kale on the other remaining cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, bake for 10 minutes until roasted but not crunchy

Combine in a bowl and add crumbled blue cheese. Serve warm or cold.

Here are more of our favorite Thanksgiving ideas from CSA members in 2011.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Thyme

Ingredients:

- 2 lb. brussels sprouts

- 5 oz. bacon, diced

- 4 shallots, finely chopped

- 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

- 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or turkey stock

- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter

- 3 Tbs. olive oil

- 3 tsp. salt

- 5 oz. bacon, free of nitrates and preservatives

Preparation:

1. Cut or pull off any dry outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim away any brown spots and slice off the dry stem end. Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters. Set aside.



2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Pour off the fat in the pan and discard. 

Although I leave a little.

3. Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon. Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

4. 

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and salt and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir again, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 cup of the stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, until the brussels sprouts are soft, about 15 minutes more. Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate.

5. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Time: About an hour

Sauteed Winter Greens

Ingredients:

- Any winter greens you have - Collards, Kale, Escarole, etc.. .Any, or preferably all.

- Garlic, minced

- 1 large lemon

- good salt and pepper

- 4 to 8 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash and separate the greens from their stems. Break into the size you like to eat and place in a bowl. Add 1/2 the oil on top for about 15 minutes.

2. When you are about ready to serve dinner, heat the remaining oil on med. high to high in a good saute or cast iron pan. Add the garlic and flash sear for under a minute (don't let the garlic brown).

3. Begin to add the greens by their thickness Collards first, because they are the heartiest, then the kale, then the rest. Saute each batch for just a bit. You want to wilt them slightly.

4. When you are almost done, add squeeze of lemon (optional) [ginger and a touch of soy is nice too], salt and pepper and cook for about 30 more seconds. Don't over cook, remember they greens will continue to cook once the heat is off. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Yield: approximately 2 per head of greens

Time: 15 minutes

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

• - 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• - 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed,
  peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 4 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal or 8-12 smaller carrots left whole
• - 4 large parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 3 Tbs. wildflower honey
• - Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• - 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• - 1/2 cup golden raisins
• (I sometimes add squash such as butternut, peeled and cubed)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 425ºF. Using 2 Tbs. of the melted butter, grease a roasting pan just large enough to hold the vegetables comfortably.

2. Arrange the sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips in the prepared pan. Toss the vegetables with the remaining 6 Tbs. melted butter, then drizzle with the honey. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the lemon juice and raisins.

3. Roast the vegetables, turning twice (or as often as needed so as not to burn the top), until tender, about 1 hour.

4. Using 2 large spoons, gently transfer the vegetables to a warmed platter. Serve hot.

Yield: 8+

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serving Tip: If desired, before serving the roasted vegetables, stir them with a wooden spoon to break them up and mash them together for a homey, comforting side dish.

Apple Pie with Thyme and Wild Honey

Ingredients:

• - 3 Golden Delicious, Gala or Fuji apples (or a combination), peeled and cored (about 1¼ pounds)
• - 3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored (about 1½ pounds)
• - ½ cup wild honey
• - 12 thyme branches
• - ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), cut into small pieces
• - 2 tablespoons instant tapioca
• - 1/3 cup brown sugar
• - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• - ¼ teaspoon salt
• - Flour, for dusting
• - Dough for 2 9-inch pie crusts
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice Golden Delicious apples and 3 Granny Smith apples into sixths.
• 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring ¼ cup honey to a boil. Let simmer about 2 minutes, until honey is caramelized. Add 3 thyme branches, preferably tied up. Arrange half the apples in a single layer in skillet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons butter over apples. Cook apples, turning, until well caramelized on all sides (but not cooked through), about 8 minutes. Scrape apples and honey mixture into a bowl. Add tapioca and toss to combine. Repeat cooking process with remaining honey, thyme, butter and sliced apples. Add second batch of apples to bowl; combine. Discard all thyme branches.
• 3. Thinly slice remaining Granny Smith apple and add it to bowl. Stir in sugar, ginger and salt.
• 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out both crusts to 12-inch circles. Place one crust in 9-inch pie plate. Scrape apple filling into crust and top with remaining crust. Pinch edges to seal. With a knife, slice 4 vents in top of crust. Or you can use cookie cutters to make a decorative lattice. I use butterflies.
• 5. Place pie on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is dark golden and apples are tender when pricked with a fork, about 45 minutes more. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Yield: One 9-inch pie, 8 servings.

......................................................................................

Daryl Peveto

L U C E O I M A G E S

West Coast / California

+1 267 882 8378

darylpeveto@luceoimages.com