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Seasonal Recipes

Pumpkin Puree

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Recipe by Tonia Schemmel, Feasting at Home

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Yields 1 ½ – 3 cups (1 small pumpkin equals approximately one 15 oz. can)

Making pumpkin puree from scratch is simple and an excellent alternative to canned pumpkin. Add puree to smoothies, baked goods (like pancakes, muffins, scones, bread, and pumpkin pie, of course!), soups, and even baby food. The puree can also be frozen in portions for later use.

Ingredients

  • 1 or more pie pumpkins from the farmers’ market
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and stringy middle part. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
  3. Place halves, flesh side down, on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 50 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
  5. Once the pumpkin is cool, scoop out of the skin and process in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Adapted from the recipe for Maple Roasted Pumpkin Seeds by Sylvia Fountaine, Feasting at Home

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yields approximately 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F
  2. Soak pumpkin seeds in a bowl of water and massage them a bit to help remove the pulp. Scoop out the seeds and discard the pulp.
  3. Place 1 cup of pumpkin seeds in a small pot,  with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain, do not rinse, and pat dry.  
  4. Once dry, place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place on the middle rack in the oven, and stir every 5 minutes. Watch very carefully between minutes 10-15. You want them to toast, but not burn. 
  5. Remove from oven, fluff them a bit with the spatula, then let them cool completely, about 20 minutes.  They should be beautifully golden and crispy.

NOTES

Variations galore! Before roasting, toss pumpkin seeds with 1 teaspoon olive oil and add desired seasonings: 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, sesame seeds, cumin, etc.

Ravioli in Olive Oil

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Recipe courtesy of My Saratoga Kitchen Table

Serves: 2

 

Ingredients

All Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • 1 package of homemade ravioli (about 10)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • ½ Tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
  • Optional: ½ Tablespoon of Peperonciono sott’olio from Dancing Ewe Farm

 

Instructions

  1. Bring water to a boil. Add ravioli stirring so it doesn’t stick, and water returns to a boil. Cook pasta until it is tender about 4 to 5 minutes. Test the pasta after 3 minutes if you prefer it al dente. Drain and reserve 2 Tablespoons of the pasta water to create a sauce.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan or skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until light brown. Do not burn the garlic. Add the reserved pasta water. Gently mix in the ravioli. Sprinkle in the parsley and basil. If using Peperonciono, top the dish after plating.

 

Notes: Peperonciono sott’olio can be purchased from the Dancing Ewe Farm or add ½ Tablespoon of red pepper flakes when you add the garlic. Top with favorite Pecorino (made from sheep’s milk) cheese, e.g. Pecorino Riserva.

Roasted Garlic

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Recipe courtesy of Squashville Farm

Serves 2-4

 

This recipe is perfect for the grill or the oven.

 

Ingredients

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • One bulb garlic*, cleaned and peeled of outer layers
  • Olive oil

 

Instructions

  1. Peel off the outer layers of a fresh bulb of garlic so that only 1-2 layers remain between the skin and fresh cloves.
  2. Place the bulb in a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. (Other seasonings or herbs can be added if desired).
  3. Place on grill and roast for about 20-30 minutes, until the cloves are soft.
  4. Remove from heat and when cooled, break the bulb into cloves.
  5. Enjoy as is, or smash the softened cloves onto bread or crackers.

 

Stuffed Cousa or “Syrian Squash”

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Recipe courtesy of Marcie Place, owner of The Chocolate Spoon

INGREDIENTS                                          

*Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

●      4 small cousa or “Syrian Squash”*

●      1⁄4 cup olive oil*

●      1 teaspoon ground allspice

●      1 tablespoon salt

●      2 tablespoons tomato paste

●      1 lb diced tomatoes*

●      1 garlic clove*, crushed

●      2 cups vegetable stock

FOR THE STUFFING

●      1 small onion*, finely chopped

●      1-2  tomatoes*, finely chopped

●      1 bunch fresh parsley*, finely chopped

●      2⁄3 cup uncooked basmati rice washed and drained

●      salt and pepper

●      Optional: 1 lb ground lamb or beef

DIRECTIONS

  1. Hollow from one end of the cousa with an apple corer or a small spoon leaving about 1/4-inch-thick shell all around.
  2. Wash them thoroughly and dry.
  3. To make the stuffing, mix the ingredients for the stuffing in a bowl, add a little oil, 1/2 tsp allspice and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Stuff the cousa up to three-quarters full (do not fill to the brim as the mixture will expand when cooking and leak out).
  5. In a large casserole or saucepan, first oil the base, then place the diced tomatoes at the bottom of the pot.
  6. Sprinkle crushed garlic on top and then layer the stuffed cousa.
  7. Season with remaining half of the spices and oil.
  8. Mix the tomato paste with the vegetable stock and pour into the pot to cover the stuffed cousa.
  9. Cover the cousa with a plate or something to hold them down lightly to keep them in place while cooking so the stuffing doesn’t run out.
  10. Put the pot to cook on high heat and bring it to a boil.
  11. When it comes to boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour.
  12. Uncover and simmer to thicken the sauce, if needed.
  13. Serve hot.

Baked Goat Cheese Spread

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Recipe by Saratoga Spicery

Ingredients

Ingredients available at the farmers’ market

  • 8 oz. goat cheese*, room temperature
  • 4 oz. cream cheese*, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan* (more if you like it extra cheesy)
  • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*
  • 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt*
  • 2-3 teaspoons (to taste) of a Saratoga Spicery seasoning*

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all ingredients and blend by hand or in a food processor until smooth.
  2. Brush small baking dish or cast iron pan with olive oil. Spread cheese mixture into the dish. Drizzle with olive oil.
  3. Bake 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden on top.
  4. Serve with pita chips, baguettes, or your favorite cracker.

 

Note: If reheating dip, add a small amount of Greek yogurt to increase creaminess.

Hearty Radish Greens Salad

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Adapted from the recipe in Chef Ramzi’s ‘The Culinary Heritage of Lebanon’ and shared by www.tasteofbeirut.com

This salad is a balance of flavors and textures. Radish greens provide body and earthiness and a bit of bite, apples offer sweetness, scallions some slight tanginess, and the garbanzo beans and cucumber are mellowing. Also, Radish greens offer six times more Vitamin C than the actual radish! They are rich in calcium and potassium, full of antioxidants, and act as a powerful digestive aid.

INGREDIENTS 

*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

  • Greens from 2 bunches of radishes*
  • 1 teaspoon of mashed or crushed garlic* with a pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil*
  • 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup of apples*, chopped
  • 3 purple or white scallions*, finely chopped
  • 1 cup of cucumbers*, chopped
  • 1 can of cooked garbanzo beans

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the radish greens. Chop them coarsely.
  2. Make the dressing by mixing the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.
  3. Add to the radish greens the apples, cucumber, scallions and garbanzo beans. Mix and pour the dressing.