Butternut Squash Buttermilk Waffles

This recipe is prepared for serving as a savory waffle.  However, it is still delicious with maple syrup.  Our favorite way to eat them is topped with a soft boiled egg, apple smoked cowboy bacon, and sliced tomato. If you like a sweeter batter, simply add some warm spices and a little sugar to the recipe.  This waffle recipe is for thinner Scandinavian style waffles.  It has not been tested on a deep-holed Belgian style waffle maker...so if you have one of those, let us know how they turn out!

Ingredients:

1 Small butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and grated (about 2 cups)

1 Cup whole wheat flour

1 Cup all purpose flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 Cup canola oil

2 Small eggs

2 Cups buttermilk

Method:

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, oil, and buttermilk.  Pour the wet ingredients onto the flour mixture, along with the grated squash.  Stir until combined.  The batter should be pourable and not too thick.  Add more buttermilk to thin the batter if necessary.  Ladle appropriate quantities of batter into a hot waffle iron as directed by the manufacturer.  Serve immediately, or refrigerate and warm in a toaster oven as needed.

Makes about 12 waffles.

Ann Keener's Butternut Squash Galettes

Ann Keener was selling some of these delicious Butternut Squash Galettes at the Main Street Farmer's Market last winter.  I bought more than I probably should have, but they were worth it.  When this year's butternut squash harvest was ready I couldn't get the ginger-coconut sweetness wrapped in flaky buttery pastry taste out of my mind. So now we have a blog full of tasty butternut squash recipes that happened while I was trying to pluck up the courage to ask Ann for hers. Fortunately, she is kind enough to share her galette recipe with us all.  Thank you Ann...you are the best.

Ingredients:

Pastry Dough:

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cups + 1/2 cup whole wheat)

1/2 Cup plus 2 T cold unsalted butter, or 1 1/4 sticks

1/2 t salt

1/2 Cup ice water

Blend butter into flour and salt with finger-tips or pastry blender.  Toss ice water in gently with a fork or hand til all the dough is just moistened.  Chill in fridge at least 2 hrs before using.

Filling:

1 1/2 Cups butternut puree

1 Cup unsweetened flaked coconut

1/2 Cup sugar (I like the mild taste of the raw can sugar they sell at Whole Foods in the bulk bin, but obviously substitutions can be used)

1/2 Heaping tablespoon of coarsely grated fresh ginger root, or to taste (hint: it's the ginger that makes it awesome)

Pinch of salt

Mix filling just before using, the sugar will begin to liquefy it otherwise.

Method:

Divide dough as desired and roll into circles (it's ok of they're not perfect) about 1/8 inch thick- not too thin- or about 6-7 inches for small.  This recipe will make about six 5-inch galettes. Use about 1/3 cup filling for small galettes, and smooth it out on dough, leaving a 1-2 inch border.   Fold dough over filling, overlapping alternately as needed.  Sprinkle a little coconut in the middle of each, for a pretty contrast.  I usually form these on the baking sheet so that I don't have to move them around too much- give about 2 inches between each one.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and stick galletes in freezer for about 10 minutes before baking (this helps make the crust extra crispy).  Bake about 15-20 minutes

Roasted Butternut Squash Baked Custard

After these came out of the oven I immediately thought that if I had a blow torch I might have covered them in sugar and called it brulee.  The texture is soft like a pie, but less eggy than a true custard.  If you do want to make a pie, or light up a blow-torch to make a sugary shell for fun; this custard-like filling would be appropriate, but neither is required.  As is, this warm baked custard is sufficiently delicious. Also, for anyone with allergies: This recipe is gluten and dairy free.

Ingredients:

1 Medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 -2lbs)

1 large or 2 small farm-fresh eggs

1 can unsweetened full-fat coconut milk (cold pressed)

1 Tbs local raw honey

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Kosher salt

Ground ginger

2 Kaffir lime leaves, dried or fresh (optional)

Olive or canola oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel the butternut squash, remove seeds, and dice into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a baking dish and toss with a little oil.  Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt and a generous dash of ground ginger.  Place in the oven and bake for 60 - 90 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn dark brown, the squash is soft, and has lost a good bit of moisture. (See: How To Prepare Winter Squash).

About 15 minutes before the squash is done, place the coconut milk in a medium saucepan with the kaffir lime leaves and let simmer on the lowest heat setting.  Do not boil. Once the squash has caramelized, remove from the oven and add to the coconut milk.  Continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard the kaffir lime leaves.  Place the squash and milk mixture in a blender.  Add the honey and lemon juice then puree until combined.  Taste and adjust seasonings, honey, or lemon juice as desired.  Add the egg(s) then puree until smooth.  Pour or spoon into ramekins.

Place filled ramekins on a baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  Baking time will vary depending on the size of the ramekins.  If baking as a pie, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and cook for about one hour.  The custard will puff up and be set when done.  Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes.  Serve warm or cold.

Coconut Butternut Squash Pie

Two coconut butternut squash pie recipes in one week? Yes, well, who could turn down the opportunity to share Ann Keener's Butternut Squash Galette recipe? Also, playing with your food is generally a good idea, despite what your mother might have said.  So while making the galettes, custard, and waffles, I thought I'd play around with fusing some of these ideas together.  The result is a coconut flavored butternut pie...or maybe a butternut flavored coconut pie.  Either way, it's delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Recipe for Classic Pie Crust

1 Medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2-2 lbs)

1 Can of full-fat coconut milk (or substitute 16 oz of heavy cream)

1/2 Cup unsweetened fine-shred coconut

1/2 Cup local raw honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 farm-fresh eggs

Dash of cloves

Dash of cinnamon

Juice from 1/2 lemon

Method:

Prepare one recipe for Classic Pie Crust and bake blind in one large or two small pie plates.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut away the ends of the squash, then slice in half at the point where the straight sides meet the round end. Remove the peel and scoop out the seeds.  Grate what is left of the round end until you have about 1 cup of grated squash.  Chop the rest of the squash into 1-inch cubes. (See: How To Prepare Winter Squash).

In an 8x8 baking dish, combine the coconut milk, cubed squash, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.  Bake uncovered for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Once the squash mixture is at room temperature, place in a blender with the coconut, lemon, and honey.  Puree until smooth.  Add more salt, spices, honey, or lemon to taste.  Add eggs and puree again until smooth.  Fold in the grated squash.

Pour the mixture into the pre-baked pie crusts.  Bake pies for about 1 hour, or until the filling puffs and is set.  Remove from oven and let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Serve warm or cold.

Kimchi and the Micro-Universe of Probiotics

One of the many reasons why we choose to farm organically is because we want to protect the natural ecosystems of life.  Much of what we see in terms of "pests" that nibble holes in the broad leafy greens, are only a tiny portion of living organisms that depend on vegetables for life and health.  When pesticides are used, It's not just the beetles and caterpillars that are eradicated; even the organisms that are healthy and necessary for digestion are disrupted. Bacteria are part of the life cycle, and for humans and other animals they are necessary in the process of digestion and absorption of necessary nutrients. Lactobacilli is the main naturally-occurring pro-biotic that lives on fresh fruits and vegetables.  When the vegetables are allowed to ferment in an anaerobic environment, the lactobacilli multiply.  This is good news for everyone, but especially for anyone who might have difficulty digesting certain foods.  Other fermented foods such as sour dough bread, yogurt, and cheese are already common in western diets for their taste as well as their nutritional properties. Although pro-biotics are available in pill form at pharmacies, making your own is not only cheaper, it's delicious as well!  This season's CSA shares are full of fantastic fermenters. Cabbages, radishes, spring onions, and kohlrabi are excellent as sour kraut or kimchi.  Give it a try.  And if you are looking for more information about fermenting, contact our local Slow Food Chapter, or read one of the many books about fermenting available online or at your local library.

Basic Kimchi

(Adapted from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz)

Ingredients:

(To make 1 quart of Kimchi)

Sea salt (not iodized)

1 lb Napa cabbage, pak choi, or arrowhead cabbage (or a mixture of the three)

1 Daikon radish or a few easter egg radishes

1-2 Fennel bulbs

3-4 Spring onions

4-6 Cloves of garlic

3 Tbs fresh ginger root

3-4 Hot chilies (fresh or dried)

Method:

To make the brine, fill a quart jar with filtered water or spring water, then add 4 Tbs sea salt.  Cover and shake until dissolved.

Coarsely chop the cabbage or pac choi, spring onions, and fennel.  Grate or julienne the radishes.  Place in a mixing bowl and cover with the quart of brine.  Cover with a plate or other weight to keep the vegetables submerged in the brine.  Let the vegetables soak for about 2 hours.

Place the garlic, chilies and ginger in a food processor or blender and puree into a paste.  You may need to add a little water or brine to make the paste.

When the cabbage mixture is decidedly salty to taste, drain off the brine into a bowl or jug (you may need some later).  Place the cabbage into a bowl and massage the garlic-ginger paste into the cabbage.  Always make sure to use clean utensils and hands.  (Sterilizing with anti-bacterial or chemical sanitizers are not necessary, but you want to make sure there are more good bacteria present than bad ones that will encourage mold growth. Soap and water for hands and utensils is perfect).  Stuff the cabbage mixture into a clean quart jar, packing in as tightly as possible and forcing the brine to rise.  Bruising the vegetables until they release brine encourages fermentation and removes air pockets.  The lactobacilli bacteria will populate in an anaerobic environment (no air), whereas molds will grow in the presence of oxygen.  However, you need to make sure to Leave about 1 inch of space in the top of the jar because the fermentation process will release gasses and cause the kimchi to swell in the jar.

There are several methods for keeping the kimchi submerged in the brine and discouraging mold growth.  For the sake of simplicity, however, I'm going to suggest keeping the lid on the jar (not too tight!).  Without a weight to hold the vegetables under the brine, you will need to open the jar and press the vegetables down into the brine once a day for a week.  Katz says, "If you think you can remember to check the kimchi every day, you can jus use your (clean!) fingers to push the vegetables back under the brine. I myself like the tactile involvement of this method, and I especially enjoy tasting the kimchi by licking my fingers after I do this.  Either way, cover the jar to keep out dust and flies."  It takes about a week for the kimchi to ferment to a point of ripeness, but you can taste each day and decide how you like it best.  I won't hurt to let it go longer if you prefer.  Leave it in your kitchen or on a shelf (not in direct sunlight) at room temperature, then refrigerate for long storage once it tastes perfect.  It will continue to ferment very slowly in the refrigerator, but can be tasty for months of stored properly.

Kimchi is a very versitile salad or condiment, but my favorite way to enjoy this tasty pro-biotic-filled food is with scrambled eggs and sauteed greens. It's a fantastically nutritious way to start the day.