avocado squash?

Deborah
While working with a client this week to create some recipes that would support her new approach to healthy eating she presented me with an ingredient I had never seen or heard of before: avocado squash.

It looked like the adorable offspring of a zucchini and an avocado, pear shaped and heavy. Cutting it open revealed a thin green skin and pretty creamy yellow flesh. A quick internet search revealed that this variety is beginning to find its way into farmer's markets. Maybe Hook Mountain Growers can tell us more?
I decided to saute this pretty squash up with some garlic and red lentils, creating a dish we could then serve with a whole grain to make a complete protein. The sauteed squash was delicious! It had a delicate, but surprisingly very flavorful presence with, unbelievably, some overtones of actually avocado flavor. How do they do it? I am now in love with avocado squash and have to figure out where to buy it. The one we worked with came from the Saturday green market at Abingdon Square  in the West Village, my old home stomping ground but not on my path on Saturday mornings now that I have moved to Queens. Any suggestions on where else to find it would be much appreciated!

Red lentils are so easy to work with because they cook quickly. I decided to try a risotto-like cooking technique for this recipe, ladling simmering water into the pan, adding more as the liquid became absorbed into the lentils. 

Grains and legumes are a natural combination. I had some cooked bulgar and red quinoa left over from another recipe and thought they would be perfect with my red lentil "risotto". The two grains tasted great mixed together and may now be my favorite new combo. 

Red lentil and Avocado Squash "Risotto" 

Red Lentil and Avocado Squash "Risotto" 

-any summer squash can be substituted for this avocado squash

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves minced

1 summer squash, cubed

1 tomato cubed

1/2 teas. salt

1 teas. freshly ground pepper

1 cup red lentils

3 cups of simmering water or broth

1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used thyme and oregano, delish!)

•Heat oil in a saute pan, add garlic and cook about 3-4 minutes till garlic is golden and fragrant. 

•Add the summer squash and saute for 5 minutes, till squash begins to soften but is still firm.

•Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute. 

•Add the cup of lentils and the salt and pepper and stir the pan to combine the ingredients. 

•Begin adding a 1/2 cup of  boiling water or broth to the pan and stirring to distribute evenly. Continue to add the liquid by half cups, allowing the liquid to absorb into the lentils before adding more. The lentils should cook in about 10-15 minutes, using abut 3 cups of liquid. The lentils are done when they completely lose there shape and become mush. 

•Stir in the fresh herbs at the end to finish and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on top if you so desire. 

Serve with a steamed grain or pilaf such as rice, bulgar or quinoa.

Amanda

I looked at the beautiful picture of the finished product and instantly thought of Chardonnay and Sangiovese as two good matches for this dish. I immediately love the idea of the creamy nature of this dish paired with a Chardonnay (but nothing with too much oak...) Choosing a wine with a complementing characteristic for this dish seems to me the way to go. Keep in mind that another technique used for pairing wines with food is to pick wines with qualities that contrast to those in the dish. Utilizing this school of thought, one might decide that a crisp, lean wine like a Sauvignon Blanc would be ideal. While both wines would provide a delightful experience (as Deb's dish looks wonderful), I personally would choose a Chardonnay. Perhaps even a Burgundy with it's minerally, earthy characteristics. While we're on the topic of Burgundy, a red (Pinot Noir) would also be an exquisite match. Pinot Noir from Burgundy typically display wonderful fruit intertwined with that mushroom-y, earthy quality I love so much. A beautiful Burgundy, red or white, would surely be a great choice for Deb's dish. Keep in mind Burgundies are rarely "cheap". They tend to be in the pricier range. That being said, this dish seems to me so elegant - and if it tastes as good as it looks, it certainly is worthy of a "higher-end wine". In my eyes, a special, beautiful bottle of red or white Burgundy and this dish make for a perfect date night. (plus perhaps a good movie rental to follow).

As mentioned above, Sangiovese would also make a great accompaniment. This varietal typically produces medium-bodied wines. As this seems to be a fairly "heavy" dish, you don't want to pair it with a wine that is too light, or the wine will be overpowered. At the same time, I wouldn't pair it with a heavy Cabernet, or the wine will wind up taking over the dish. The flavors and different characteristics of Sangiovese will vary widely depending on where the grape is grown. Typically, this varietal makes for a savory wine, with tart cherry flavors and herbal qualities. It is a grape that is often blended with other varietals too, so of course what it is blended with will greatly affect it's flavors and aromas. Choose a Tuscan Sangiovese, like a Chianti to enjoy with this beautiful dish! I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

something different

Deborah
This week's episode of No Reservations got me hankering for something exotic. Anthony Bourdain was wandering all over Istanbul eating everything in sight. The one dish that really caught my eye was part of a home-cooked meal; baked artichoke hearts with peas and fava bean puree. Wow.
As I generally do after watching one of his shows, I wandered over to my cookbooks and scanned around for further inspiration. This time I  immediately gravitated towards Paula Wolfert, someone I consider a high priestess of Meditteranian cookbook writers. Her meticulous research and devotion to authenticity always provides interesting reading. The two books of hers that I own (Mediterranean Cooking and The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen) did not have the recipe I was looking for, but I got distracted by her Turkish Red Lentil Soup.

Dried Red lentils are so pretty AND they are easy to cook. Too bad they lose their pert orange color; when cooked and tender they turn a pale yellow.

The soup recipe sounded easy to make so I gave it a try. The procedure was basically just cooking onions, garlic, red lentils and rice in water till softened. The unusal part of the recipe is that as a finishing touch Wolfert has you create a roux from butter and flour, cooking until it is "hazelnut brown" in color and then adding stock to it before adding this to the soup. This was an unfamiliar technique for me as far as soups go, so I was excited to try it. Leave plenty of time to cook the roux, if you try this. I cooked mine on the lowest heat for about 45 minutes, which was as long as it took for the lentils to cook.
The other intriguing finish was a SIZZLE created by melting butter and then briefly sauting paprika and dried mint and then stirring that into the soup as a garnish.

tada!

Well, the soup came out great, very smooth and creamy, almost too smooth, I think.  I would probably only puree half the ingredients next time and leave some texture. The flavor was surprisingly exotic and unfamiliar considering the simple ingredients. I really felt like I was tasting something different. What a nice treat, and I did not have to leave home!

Turkish Red Lentil Soup

adapted from Paula Wolfert's The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen

For the Soup:

1Tb butter

1/3 cup grated onion (one small onion)

1 clove of garlic, mashed

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 Tbs white rice

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 1/2 quarts water

For the Roux:

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

2 cups vegetable stock

For the SIZZLE:

1 Tbs. butter

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried mint, pressed through a sieve to make a powder

To make the soup- In a large soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the butter for 5 minutes, till golden. Add the lentils, rice, tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Cover pot and lower  flame to a simmer, cook for 45 minutes.

MEANWHILE- to make the roux- In a small sauce pan melt the butter, then add the flour and whisk to combine so there are no lumps. Slowly heat the mixture under a VERY low flame and stir from time to time. The roux will gradually take on a warm golden color. Wolfert says go for a hazelnut brown, which took me about 45 minutes to achieve. Slowly add in the stock, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook for 5 minutes.

Back to the soup- Transfer half the soup with a slotted spoon to a food processor or blender and the other half to a clean pot. Don't add all the liquid, you wont need it, remember you are going to be adding two more cups of the roux liquid into this. Blend the soup until it is very smooth and add it to the pot with the unblended half. Add the roux liquid to the soup pot and warm  everything together for 5 minutes on a low heat.

Make the SIZZLE: In a very small pot, melt the butter and add the paprika and the mint. Cook for 5 minutes and then drizzle the sizzle into the finished soup.

serves 4

Not all bad

Deborah
So many fall lovers have been extolling the pleasures of the season to me since my last post. Don't get me wrong. I really do love fall, all those crunchy leaves underfoot, long shadows on the streets, sweaters out of the closet finally. My problem seems to be that my little backyard just doesn't have much pizzazz this time of year. It looks so dreamy in the Spring with pale green shoots and flowering bulbs. And in Summer while I don't get enough sun for a satisfying vegetable garden, my plants stay green and cool even on the hottest summer dog days. I tend to have more passion than skill when it comes to gardening, but I'm working on it.

Not every garden in Queens is as pitiful as mine this fall. 

Don't those kale leaves look wonderful? Perfect in soup!

Fall brings finality to all my summer garden ambitions and then there are those darn short days. BUT change is good and fall recipes are great! Sticking to the theme of soup this week I am offering up my lentil soup recipe. This is one of those recipes that can accommodate massive improvisation. I urge anyone who tries this to have fun and play, yes play with your food.

I think of the recipe in four stages:

One- vegetables/aromatics that get gently softened in oil.  This would include onions, garlic, celery, carrots, fennel, celery root, bell pepper, leeks, etc. These are the vegetables that won't completely fall apart or be grossly mushy after an hour of cooking.

If you like things spicy, why not add some chili peppers like these beauties growing at Stone Barns Center for Agriculture

Two- the liquid and seasonings get added now. For liquids think of vegetable or meat stock, tomato juice, tomato paste, or even water.  For seasonings I might add herbs or curry powder or chili powder, what ever I'm in the mood for. Again, you can play and experiment.

Three- When the liquid is simmering I add the lentils, along with maybe rice, potatoes, cubed pumpkin. This is the starchy stuff that will thicken the soup.

Four- Finishing the last 5 minutes of cooking with green vegetables like chopped swiss chard, green beans, broccoli florets, anything that will taste good with a brief blanch in the soup liquid and will add color or a little crunch of texture.

Even pale wax beans will look pretty in the soup


Depending on the flavor direction I have been going in I will also add any of the following: some grated cheese, a splash of vinegar or lemon juice, a dollop of pesto, a drizzle of olive oil.

Four steps with lots of chopping may seem like a lot of work, but you really don't have to pay much attention to what you are doing (not that I'm advocating inattention at the stove). The recipe is very forgiving. Lentils cook quickly and they have a very comforting earthly flavor. This soup will happily feed a crowd, is very cost effective and it can be eaten all week.

I love to serve this soup over macaroni or noodles, which I cook separately.

I am going to sit in my backyard with a bowl of lentil soup and warm myself in the beautiful October sun.

Lentil Soup 
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped into small bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, peeled or scrubbed and chopped into small bite sized pieces
1 clove garlic finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. tomato paste
4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
3/4 cup lentils
1/2 cup diced potato
1 cup chopped swiss chard
1/2 cup green beans cut into 1" lengths
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
3 Tbs grated Romano cheese
1 Tbs high quality extra virgin olive oil

Part One:
Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan and add the onion, celery, garlic and carrots, the salt and pepper. Gently sweat vegetables till they begin to soften, about 5-8 minutes.

Part Two:
Add the tomato paste, the thyme and the bay leaf and cook with the vegetables for about 30 seconds to mix well. Add the stock and raise heat a bit to bring to a simmer.

Part Three:
When the liquid is simmering add the lentils and the potatoes. Cook at a simmer for about 25- 30 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Part Four:
Add the chard and the green beans and cook for another 5 or 10 minutes till the green vegetables are cooked but not mushy. Finish with the vinegar, cheese and a drizzle of good quality of extra virgin olive oil.

serves 4 and can easily be multiplied

Amanda
I have to say that each post and each recipe sounds better than the last. This presents a bit of a problem for me. Case and point: Yesterday, I went to the market and purchased the ingredients to make the Cauliflower soup (I also added Kale to the mix). My plan was to make it this evening. This Lentil Soup recipe just about resulted in the abandonment of the said previous plan. I was on my way to the store this afternoon to pick up what I would need to make the Lentil Soup this evening, when it occurred to me there was an expectant head of cauliflower and bunch of kale in my fridge eagerly awaiting my return home from work.  "One thing at a time" I convinced myself, and ultimately decided to let the Lentil Soup wait a few more days.

But - I do at least have a wine (or wines) in mind. Definitely not too big or too bold for this meal. (Remember - it is difficult to pair wine with soup...) My thoughts immediately turn to red - something earthy, perhaps mushroomy, light-medium bodied with soft fruit and spice. Pinot Noir, maybe? Not the big, ripe, highly concentrated Pinots from California. I'd like to say Burgundy, and I know it would work well. However, though I'm confident this meal is wonderful, does it merit the high price demanded by Burgundy? Wines simply labeled "Bourgogne" can include grapes from all over the region and typically run between $15-$25. This would be the best bet for Burgundy. Even so, it's not cheap for a bowl of Lentil Soup (even a spectacular one at that!)

The Marlborough region of New Zealand provides an alternative. The wines typically have bright red fruit flavors, but also a smoky, herbal quality that would work well here. In the wines from this region, there is a similar "terroir" characteristic as is found in Burgundy, as well as those funky, earthy, savory flavors. When I think of lentils, I think of similar flavor descriptives, so I think this would be a match made in legume heaven!