Long Pie Pumpkins and Fennel

I must confess I read seed catalogs like some people read novels.  My favorite is Fedco Seeds of Waterville, Maine.  Last winter I could not resist ordering a few “Long Pie “pumpkin seeds after reading about their story of survival.  So for those of you picking up your GEFA CSA share who just thought those long oval pumpkins were just too weird to mess with, you missed an opportunity to try some real food history.   This pumpkin is believed to be the same variety as Nantucket Pie Pumpkin. They arrived from St. George in the Azores to Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1832 on a whaling vessel.  Burpee Seed Company offered them in 1888 as “St. George”.   Like so many seed varieties lost to extinction, Long Pie was popular at one time throughout the New England area and nearly vanished. Fortunately an old timer from Maine showed up at Common Ground Fair, a huge event where organic farmers and folks gather each September in Unity Maine, with his Long Pie seeds and gave some to John Navazio who took them to Garden City Seeds in Montana. Thanks to him we can now grow them.  

 If you picked one yesterday that is still a little green with only a tinge of orange, not to worry because this is one pumpkin which can ripen well after it is picked.  The whole fruit turns a little orange in a cool area of your house.   Then it turns completely orange which means it is ready to be made into your favorite pumpkin recipe or used in one of the following recipes.   Why not share the fun of making pumpkin recipes with your children, grandchildren or neighbor children?  It would be a real shame if kids grew up to believe pumpkins are used only for Jack-O-Lanterns and pumpkin pies are made only from commercially canned pumpkin.

How to cook: Pumpkin can be baked whole (be sure and pierce sides to allow steam out) or cut into pieces, baked or boiled. Bake whole at 425 for 45 minutes to an hour. Or cut it into large chunks, remove the seeds, cover with foil, or invert on an oiled baking sheet, and bake at 350 for an hour. Don’t forget to roast the seeds on a cookie sheet at 350 for 20 minutes. They make a great nutritious snack. 

Pumpkin Muffins

2 c, unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin, or winter squash, well drained

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

4 Tbs melted butter

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 400. Heavily grease a 12 cup muffin pan. Sift flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spices and salt into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, pumpkin, sugar, butter, applesauce and milk.  Stir dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture, just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake until the muffins are golden, about 30 minutes. Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

2 pounds pumpkin flesh

1 large onion, unpeeled, halved

3 leeks, white part

3 cloves garlic

3 Tbs olive oil

1 Tb butter 

2 tsp ginger

1 apple, peeled, cored, diced

1 tsp curry powder

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut pumpkin into large chunks. Remove seeds and pithy pulp. Place pumpkin and onion halves, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet, with leeks and garlic. Brush vegetables with the oil, cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool. Peel vegetables, including garlic and coarsely chop.

In a 4-5 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil with the butter. Add ginger and apple and sauté until soft. Stir in the curry powder. Add reserved roasted vegetables and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Puree mixture in batches in a food processor. Return the soup to pot, add milk, and heat through just until warm. Add salt and pepper. Serves 6.    

Just Call Me Florence

Yesterday at Hult Health Education Center as folks picked up their weekly share of GEFA produce, I sensed a real growing community of food lovers.  Things have changed from the first couple of weeks when I thought no one is talking; no one is asking any questions; something must be wrong.  Yesterday it was nonstop talking and questioning and bantering across the tables. I couldn’t have been happier. There was Erin explaining one of her products to someone.   Jim was talking about apples at the center table.  Pam was helping someone and I was promising to include some fennel recipes on the web site for those who asked, “Now what do I do with this white thing with the ferny top”?  Let’s face it when was the last time you heard much talking about food at your local supermarket?

Apparently Thomas Jefferson was pretty taken with Florence fennel.  After he received fennel seeds from the American consul in Florence, Italy and grew some he described it as, “The Fennel is beyond, every other vegetable, Delicious.  There is no vegetable, equals it in flavor.”

How to store: Refrigerate, plastic –wrapped, for no more than a few days.

Try these ideas to get your culinary juices going. 

• Lightly boil fennel slices and then marinate in herbal vinaigrette.
• Brush thick slices with a seasoned oil and grill.
• Brown quartered bulbs along with a few minced ferny tops in oil and butter. Moisten with wine or broth, cover and bake until tender.
• Layer fennel slices in a casserole dish with potatoes, broth, milk and cream. Top with crumbs or Parmesan or both. Bake until tender.
• Stir fry or sauté fennel slivers or dice with shallot, onion or garlic along with any of your favorite thin-sliced vegetable of your choice.

Braised Carrots and Fennel

6 large carrots, peeled
2 large bulbs fennel
1 large onion
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped dill
3 tablespoons chopped chives

Slice the carrots 1/2-inch thick on an angle.

Quarter the fennel bulbs lengthwise, cut into bulb to remove core and thinly slice, or roughly chop. Reserve 1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds.

Halve and slice the onion. Fill a skillet with 1/4-inch water. Add vegetables then sprinkle with sugar and salt and drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Simmer covered 20 minutes, and uncovered for 5 minutes and adjust salt. Toss vegetables with fennel fronds, dill and chives.

Creamy Fennel Soup with Herb Salad

5 bulbs fennel with stalks and feathery green tops (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon finely ground fennel seeds
6 diagonal-cut slices baguette
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Remove the greens from the fennel stalks, chop them, and reserve. Cut the fennel bulbs and stalks into coarse pieces.
Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 7 minutes. Add the 1 clove garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Increase the heat to high. Add the chopped fennel and the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the fennel is very tender, 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
Puree the soup, in batches, in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean soup pot. Add the cream, and season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and lemon juice. Add the reserved fennel greens and parsley, toss to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Set the herb salad aside
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the ground fennel seeds and stir for 30 seconds. Add the baguette slices in a single layer, and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes total. Season with salt to taste. Remove the baguette slices from the pan and rub each piece lightly on 1 side with the clove of garlic.
Warm the soup over medium heat. Ladle it into bowls, place a baguette slice on top of each, and top each slice with some of the herb salad.

Fennel Slaw

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice. Add fennel, onion, parsley and toss. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

• If you've been following the weather report you might know that the temperature is likely to dip below freezing this weekend.  Never fear!  We've still got things growing in hoop houses and the root crops will be fine.  We look forward to one more week of our 2009 CSA.