Beer, Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Have you heard? The Honeycrisp Apple is “the” apple of 2010. That”s right, just like fashion in the streets of New York has its trends and hot designers – Ontario Apple Farmers have listened to their consumer”s demands for a sweet, yet crisp apple that also packs a tiny tart punch and will amazingly also hold up in cooking – and they have given us the lovely Honeycrisp. The world of apple cultivars and those that breed them can be a complicated one at times. I have been told it takes about three years from planting a tree to actually being able to harvest the precious fruit – so those apple farmers are constantly taking risks, and going out on a limb (look at me – a pun!) to wager on what kind of apple we finicky consumers may be demaning three years down the road. How stressful, especially if you consider that an apple grower usually is growing something else at the same time and that there is also the threat of weather and pests, and sigh – well, it”s amazing that we get these wonderful different varieties brought to market to try and taste. I picked up some Honeycrisp apples and decided to make this wonderful soup from Ontario Chef Lynn Ogryzylo cook book – Niagara Cooks. It was delicious and I think you may like to try it! Apple, Beer and Butternut Squash and Beer Soup (slight adaptation) 1 tablespoon Ontario Canola oil (try Persall”s found here.) 2 cups Ontario onions – chopped 1 clove Ontario garlic – minced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 4 cups peeled and diced Ontario butternut squash 3 cups of Ontario apples (I used Honeycrisp) 2 cups chicken broth (I used vegetable) 2 cups of Ontario craft beer – try St.Thomas Ironspike available at LCBO 1/2 cup table cream pinch fresh ground nutmeg salt and pepper apple slices for garnish Heat the canola oil in your big soup pot over medium heat. Throw in the onions, cook until soft, stir on garlic and thyme and cook for about a minute. Add squash, apples, broth and beer. Turn the heat up to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook at a simmer for about 15 minutes or until your sqaush is all soft. Remove from heat, use an immersion blender to puree the soup, add the cream and reheat. Season with the salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Garnish with an apple slice. Dig in with a big baguette and more beer!  Read More

Best Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is good for you. For one, it”s loaded with beta carotene – which the body uses to produce Vitamin A (Vitamin A promotes bone growth, reproduction and vision). Squash consumption is also shown to prevent cancer growth, keep cataracts away, control blood pressure and reduce your risk for gallstones. All that aside, it”s delicious. It”s one of those tasty treats in the garden that masquerades as an ugly vegetable. My most favourite way to eat up these butternut babies is to roast them. Roasted Butternut Squash Kelly Stylie Start off by setting your oven preheat to 350 degrees and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Get a good sharp knife and carefully cut your squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, then slice off the skin and cut the squash into crescent moon shapes. Arrange on baking tray and drizzle with some oil (I use olive – I know, not local!) Sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast off your squash for 40 minutes until squash gets soft and starts to caramelize. Eat. Make yum/nosh noises, eat more – then see if your vision is any better. Butternut squash, pumpkin and all of the ugly sisters of the cucurbita moschata family can be found at every roadside farm stand, and every Farmer”s market from now until spring!  Read More

Stuffed Buttercup Squash

Stuffed Squash | Photo: Kelly Hunt I have been told by my relatives (god bless them for reading!) that I do not post enough. The truth is that I feel I am not getting to all of the awesome markets that surround our city and post them. That was what I initially set out to do with this blog – highlight the markets and the farms. I will still do that, but I think I may hone in my blogging (to make it more frequent) on different local foods and how you can cook with them. This would be more for inspiration on using and finding local foods for my faithful readers out there. By all means, feel free to email me with your recipe ideas or post them in the comments section! The picture above is a spotted buttercup squash that I decided to stuff. This is new for me, as it may be for some of you out there. As many of you budding cooks out there may do as well, I started by looking for a recipe for squash in one of my many cookbooks. I ended up drawing inspiration from Simply in Season which is available at Ten Thousand Villages. Here is what I did Kelly Stylie: 2 medium buttercup squash 1 big carrot – diced 1/2 big onion – diced (or one small) 1 large clove garlic – diced olive oil (or any oil) 3 big mushrooms – diced 1 medium green pepper – diced 1 medium tomato – diced breadcrumbs (about a cup and half – I always use panko – I know Japan is not local, but damn they are so much better!) fresh sage – chopped(big handful) fresh rosemary – chopped ( small pinch) 1 cup of grated cheese (any kind- I used cheddar) 1 cup raisins salt and pepper to taste Set oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half. Scrape out seeds and pulp, place face down on greased cooking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile: Get a medium fry pan going with some oil. Add your onion, carrot, cook for few minutes, then add garlic,sage,pepper, tomato, mushroom, salt + pepper, raisins. Cook for about 5 more minutes, then add the bread crumbs, take off heat, add cheese. Set to side. Remove squash from oven, flip them over, fill with stuffing mixture, turn up oven to 375 degrees, place stuffed squash back in oven for 10 minutes. EaT. Be. HaPpY!  Read More