Seasonal recipes from the Holland Marsh

To your health!: HMGA's Vegetable Nutritional Values (pdf)

Vegetable Recipes from Foodland Ontario

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ONTARIO CARROT SOUP WITH HERBED CROUTONS

This was one of the soups that Avia Eek of Eek Farms served during Soup-a-Licious. The soup is adapted from a recipe she discovered by Steven Wilson, executive chef at The Local Company in Toronto. Read all about it in the Toronto Star

Makes about 16 cups (8 large servings)

Ingredients:
4 leeks, white and light green parts
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 lb (1 kg) carrots, peeled, cut in 1-inch chunks
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut in 1-inch chunks
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs thyme
4 bay leaves
1/4 tsp each: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 tsp pepper
8 cups water
1/2 cup half & half (10 per cent) cream (optional)

Croutons:
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp each: chopped thyme, chopped rosemary
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups small bread cubes (about 3 slices)
Kosher salt + pepper

Directions:

Cut leek in 4 lengthwise, then across in 1-inch pieces. Wash well; drain.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks, carrots, potatoes, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften, about 7 minutes. Add water. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Using hand or immersion blender, or in batches in blender or food processor, purée soup until smooth. Stir in cream, if desired. Taste; adjust seasonings if needed.

Meanwhile, for croutons, in mini food processor, purée parsley, thyme, rosemary and oil.

In bowl, toss bread with herb oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated 400F oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Serve soup with croutons sprinkled on top.

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PARSNIP SOUP WITH CHIVE SOUR CREAM

Parsnip and Squash recipes from Anna and Michael Olson and The St. Catharines Standard.

Serves six to eight

This soup can be made a day or two in advance then reheated for your dinner. Be sure to strain for the smoothest results. A good pureed soup should have some body but not be too thick - just enough to coat the back of a soup spoon.

1 1/2 lbs (680 g) parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine
6 cups (1.5 l) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125 ml) whipping cream (optional)
salt and pepper

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and saute the parsnips in butter three minutes to soften slightly. Add the onions, celery and cook five minutes further until the onions are getting soft and translucent. Add bay leaf, white wine and stock and bring to a simmer then cook, loosely covered, about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Puree and strain. Return soup to pot, add cream and return to a simmer. Season to taste and serve in warm bowls with chive sour cream.

Chive Sour Cream

You can substitute another herb for the chives. For a "cappuccino" look you can use unsweetened whipped cream instead of the sour cream.

1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) chopped chives
pinch salt

Stir sour cream and chives together and stir in salt to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

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BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Makes about three cups - serves six to eight

The nutty, buttery taste of this puree is a wonderful side for roasted meats. Leftovers can be thinned out for a pasta sauce or cup of soup. Puree it completely smooth to avoid lumps and show off the beautiful texture of the squash.

3 cups (750 ml) peeled, seeded and diced butternut squash
1 shallot, peeled and sliced 1 clove garlic, peeled
salt
3 cups (750 ml) water
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) butter pinch grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

Simmer squash with shallot and garlic in salted water until fork tender, about 15 minutes, then drain well. Puree squash (along with shallot and garlic) with butter and nutmeg until smooth. Season to taste and serve.

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TRADITIONAL BORSCHT

From Norman Young, Norman Young & Son, Kettleby, Ontario. Key ingredients: beetroot, onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomatos, white cabbage, sour cream.

Serves 8

1 lb - 1½ lbs beetroot

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 large potato, peeled and cut into julienne strips

2 large carrots, cut into julienne strips

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

6 cups broth

1 can, 796ml, of whole tomatos

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped dill

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup white cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup sour cream

Instructions:

Wash, peel and slice the beetroot into very thin strips. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the thinly sliced onion for a few minutes, then add the potato, carrot, celery, and beetroot strips.

Cook for five minutes, stirring frequently until the oil is absorbed. Add the stock, tomatos, lemon juice, half of the dill and seasoning.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the cabbage and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

Serve cold or hot (chill soup overnight) with a dollop of sour cream and sprinked with the remaining dill.

Enjoy!

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