Eating Seasonally and Locally with Community Supported Agriculture
The first box arrived in March, filled with asparagus, bok choy, chives, chickpeas, cilantro, mixed greens, rhubard, and spinach. Each week the bounty continued until only a couple of weeks ago, ending with the twenty-sixth delivery. Included in the last box were pumpkins, apples, radishes, bok choy, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, gourds, leeks, butternut squash, and acorn squash.
I miss Thursday afternoons. That was the day that we’d head down the dusty, dirt road to pick up our delivery. Even though the drive was only one mile from our home, my family anticipated the outing.
My family ate well over the course of several months and we are so thankful for Schreiber and Sons.
Two pumpkins remain, waiting to be consumed. For Thanksgiving our family savored a pie made from one of the several pumpkins we received over the last several weeks. Tomorrow we’ll dine on pumpkin soup. The pumpkin puree that’s left over will go into the freezer. We’ll add the puree to muffins, pancakes, and more soup.
Baking a Pumpkin
Once you’ve used fresh pumpkin in a recipe, you may never open a can of pumpkin puree again.
To make pumpkin puree, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and place halves cut side down in a large pan covered with a thin layer of water. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes until soft. When cooled, remove the pumpkin from the shell and puree in a blender or food processor. Excess puree may be stored in the freezer.
Use the seeds to make toasted pumpkin seeds. Rinse off the seeds, pat them dry, and spread a layer of seeds on an olive oil greased pan. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes.
Here’s a soup recipe that is simple to make and flavorful.
Pumpkins – Not Only Used for Jack-o’-lanterns – Soup
1 diced onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups cooked, pureed pumpkin
½ cup cream
½ cup milk
In a large pot, sauté onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent. Add broth and pureed pumpkin and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring periodically. Gently stir in cream and milk. Remove from heat. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and toasted pumpkin seeds. For an extra kick, add chili pepper flakes. Yields 6 servings.
