Chunky Ontario Autumn Vegetable Soup



"Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living." Louis P. De Gouy

Hiya my fab followers!
Well, I woke up this morning feeling a tad under the weather and I now have a hankering for a hot bowl of homemade soup. Luckily for me, it looks like I don't even have to leave the house to shop for any ingredients. And thank goodness, since it looks rather dreary outside! Last week my sweetie Kevin came home with two giant squash that were harvested out of one of his co worker's gardens. One is a butternut, but I have no idea what the other one is! Do any of you know? So, along with the squash, I've got a few carrots, sweet potatoes, onions and some celery. All locally grown, of course! I'm happy to see that most of our herbs have survived the first couple of frosts, so I'll be tossing some of them into the pot as well! Okay, I better get started cooking. Mmmm, can't wait to taste it!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Chunky Ontario Autumn Vegetable Soup
(serves 6 to 8)

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 butternut squash (small in size), chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, scrubbed and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 thyme sprigs
2 sage leaves
2 parsley stalks, 1 in the pot, 1 reserved
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Water or vegetable stock

In a large pot with a lid, heat the oil on medium heat and add all of the vegetables and herbs, stir in a generous pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Cover with the lid and allow to cook for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape up any dark bits on the bottom of the pot. Pour in enough cold water, or stock, until the vegetables are covered by about a couple of cms. Replace the lid and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove lid, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about another 20 mins, until all the veggies are soft. Chop the reserved parsley and toss in the pot and if you like, use a potato masher and give the pot a few good mashes. Remove the stalks and leaves, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, serve with buttered bread and sharp cheese. Enjoy!

There you go! A delicious soup, perfect for a day like today! Please feel free to use whatever autumn veggies you have around. Turnip, cabbage, parsnips or Brussels sprouts would all be delicious additions!
Now, at the bottom of today's blog I have included a couple of pictures from our recent trip to Cuba. 43 of us managed to get down there for the marriage of my brother Jordan and his wonderful Jennifer. The wedding went off without a hitch and a fantastic time was had by all! Congratulations again!
Also, I would like to say hello to my great aunt Marge and to my great uncle Ed! It was so lovely to have dinner together and get to spend some time with you both!



Kitchen Tip Number Three: Butchering a Butternut

Butternut squashes can be a bit intimidating! They are generally large in size and have a very tough skin. Trying to tackle one without a game plan can be a stressful experience, but with my step by step instructions, you might find it a bit easier. But, before we begin, make sure your knife is sharp and that your cutting board is secure!

1. Cut the squash into smaller pieces, so it is more manageable to handle.

2. Cut the tough skin off one piece at a time, then continue to cut into your desired shapes and sizes.

 

 

 

3. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

4. Turn the scooped out piece upside down and cut in half. Cut off the skin around the edges. You can hold the piece like a handle for a better grip.

 

5. Flip the piece of squash on it's side to remove the last of the skin and the core end.

 

  

 

6. Cut into your desired shapes and sizes.

 

7. Not too shabby!

 

 

 

Turkey Stock and Turkey Soup

"Only the pure of heart can make soup." Ludwig Van Beethoven

Hello followers! I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
Now, I'm sure that all of you have had your fill of turkey sandwiches by now and are ready to warm up to a bowl of homemade turkey soup! So, today I have posted my turkey stock recipe and my recipe for turkey soup. Both very easy to make and not only will you enjoy eating your delicious soup, but your house will be filled with the most inviting aroma while making the stock!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Turkey Stock

1 roasted turkey carcass, any meat or stuffing removed and set aside
1 onion, quartered
1 leek, green only, rough chop
1-2 celery stalks, rough chop
1-2 carrots, rough chop

1 bouquet garni:
1 pc of rinsed leek green
1 sprig of fresh thyme & parsley
1 bay leaf
4 - 5 peppercorns
(make your bouquet garni by placing the thyme, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns inside the leek and tie with butchers twine, as pictured below)

.in the roasting pan, add enough cold water to cover the carcass and place on top of the stove over one or two burners, depending on the size of your pan (or in a stock pot), heat on medium
.add leek, onion, celery stalk, carrot and the bouquet garni
.slowly bring the water up to a rolling boil, then turn down to a low simmer, cook for 4 to 6 hrs
.skim off the fat and impurities regularly with a spoon or small ladle, discard
.once done, pass through a cheesecloth lined colander or a fine mesh strainer
.once cooled, discard bones and veg

Turkey Soup
(serves 4 to 6)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, rinsed well and chopped
2 celery stalk, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme, left whole
2 L home made turkey stock
1 cup egg noodles
a hand full each of frozen peas and green beans
2 cups leftover turkey and stuffing, cut or torn into bite sized pieces
sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
a hand full of fresh parsley, chopped

. in a pot on medium heat, add olive oil, throw in onion, leek, celery, carrot, bay leaf and thyme
. cook 5 mins and stir frequently until onions start to brown, season with salt and pepper
. next add garlic, stir 1 min, add stock
. bring to a rolling boil, then turn down heat to a low simmer, cover with lid
. simmer for about 20 to 30 mins until veg have reached desired doneness, meanwhile...
. in a small pot boil the noodles until el dente, throw in the frozen veg to thaw, strain and rinse under cold water, set aside
. once the veg in the soup are done, stir in noodles, beans and peas, turkey and stuffing
. heat through, taste for seasoning, throw in chopped parsley, serve, enjoy!

Freezing OntarioTomatoes

"Only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and home grown tomatoes." John Denver

Hello followers, hope you're enjoying this lovely day!
Busy, busy, busy... That's the best way to describe our lives around here lately! Not only is work a bit hectic, but we are off to Cuba on Wednesday for my brother Jordan's wedding at the end of the week! Amazing! So, with all of the planning, laundry and packing it's no wonder that I forgot about something important. Our tomatoes!!! We've been eating them as quickly as they ripen and the thought missing out on any of our wonderful homegrown tomatoes made me really sad! Well, that is until I remembered that I could simply freeze them whole! So, I decided to document the method and share this easy process for all of you with an abundance of tomatoes.

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Freezing OntarioTomatoes

Pick your ripest tomatoes and put on a pot of water to boil. Also, fill a bowl with cold water and set aside. With a sharp paring knife, cut out the stem and score a cross on the bottom of the tomatoes. When the water is boiling, plunge your tomatoes in for a minute or so, until the skins are starting to come away. Lift them out and place them in the bowl of cold water. Peel the skins off and put them into a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag across, leave a small opening at one end and insert a straw. Take a deep breath and suck out the air (this could take a couple of goes!), until it is as airtight as you can get it. Place the bag into the freezer and store for 6 to 8 months. Enjoy!



I like to freeze my tomatoes whole, but you could also cut them up and continue freezing them with the same method. Believe me when I tell you that it is a great feeling to know that you are eating your home grown tomatoes in the dead of winter! I like to use them in sauces and soups. Well, have a great couple of weeks my fun followers and I will be back with a lot of pictures from our trip and maybe a tasty recipe or two from Cuba! Adios!

Pan Con Tomate

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." Lewis Grizzard

Isn't that quote the truth, my followers?
When I think of homegrown tomatoes I think of my Dad and our neighbour Nina. Every summer the competition was on for the biggest and best beefsteak tomatoes on the block! I swear, some of them were so huge they could barely fit in my hands! I loved those tomatoes so much and as soon as they were ripe enough, we would enjoy them in delicious toasted tomato sandwiches, simply made with mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Yum! So with our own tomatoes ripening by day the day, it's needless to say that my sweetie and I have been enjoying our fair share of toasted tomato sandwiches! Actually, we've been enjoying our homegrown tomatoes just about daily with just about every meal! Having so many ripe tomatoes has become a bit of a challenge which I have really been enjoying! And just now, while on my walk this morning, I thought of something else I could prepare with our homegrown tomatoes... The wonderful Spanish dish called 'pan con tomate'! I remember a few years ago while working at All The Best Fine Foods in Toronto, there was a rep from a Spanish olive oil company. He came in, set up his little stand, got out a box grater and started to grate tomatoes into a bowl. Next, he drizzled in some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled in sea salt and stirred. Then, he toasted some slices of bread, rubbed them with a garlic clove, spooned on the seasoned tomato pulp and offered me one. Well, I had never tasted anything like it and was amazed with the simplicity of it all! When I asked him how this modest offering could be so wonderful, he simply said 'The tomatoes must be in season and perfectly ripe.' No problem there!

Simple and Tasty Recipe:

Pan Con Tomate
(serves 4)

1 tomato, Ontario grown and perfectly ripe!
1 to 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, good quality
sea salt
3 to 4 slices of bread

Using a box grater, grate the tomato into a bowl and discard the skin. Drizzle in the olive oil, sprinkle in salt and taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Either toast the bread in the toaster, or under the broiler. Rub the top surface of the bread with the garlic clove. Spoon over the tomato pulp and serve immediately. Buen provecho!

How easy it that?! And believe me, once you've tasted it, you'll enjoy Pan Con Tomate every summer when your homegrown tomatoes are ripe! Alrighty followers, I gotta run but I'll be back next week and chances are we'll still be talking tomatoes! Bye for now!