Category: Recipe

Grain Cereals with Cherries

Grain Cereal with Cherries

Every summer, I purchase some Okanagan cherries from a local farmers’ market and indulge myself with a big bowl of fresh cherries in the warm afternoon. But being an urban farmer, there is always a thought for winter season in mind. So I freeze the rest for a cold morning in winter to enjoy this recipe. I repeat this process every weekend until cherries are out of season. I do the same for all those heat loving stone fruits. You will come to appreciate this when there is nothing but rain!

Grain cereal

Cherries

Grain Cereal with Cherries

Grain Cereals with Cherries

Serves 2

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup rolled rye

1 tablespoon butter

2 1/2 cups almond milk

1 tablespoon cane sugar

Pinch of salt

Cherry sauce

1 cup fresh or frozen cherries

1 tablespoon cane sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Add 1 tablespoon water if using fresh cherries

Topping

Ground flax seeds

Handful of sliced almonds

Heat a sauce pan with butter and toast the grains well over medium-high heat till you smell the aroma . Stir continuously for 7 to 10 minutes so as not to burn them. Add almond milk, bring to a boil then add sugar and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to low, continue to stir and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or to your liking. I like it thin so I stop the heat when there is still some liquid left, about 12 minutes. In the meantime, place cherries, sugar and vanilla extract in a small pan and cook for 6-8 minutes over medium-high heat. When cherries have softened and the juice becomes syrupy but not dry, remove from heat. Serve the cereal in a bowl and drizzle cherry sauce on top. Sprinkle flax seeds and sliced almonds over top.

 

 

 

Winter Squash Soup

Winter squash soup

Every early summer all I think of when I transplant winter squash plants to the garden is to make this soup for dark cold nights. So far my favourite winter squash for this recipe is definitely Marina Di Chioggia (Cucurbita maxima) because it has a dense and meaty flesh which is not as dry as Japanese kabocha yet possesses a rich sweet flavour. This Italian heirloom is popularly used to make gnocchi, but I would like to use it for every recipe I have on hand! I would even give up growing any other squashes or pumpkins to secure a spot for this beautiful squash. It keeps well into spring in a cold place and, after cooked into soup, it freezes very well too!

Winter Squash Soup

Winter Squash Soup

Serves 6-8

2 1/2 cups roasted Marina Di Chioggia or any butter cup type

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

8 cups chicken stock

1/3 – 1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sour cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Quarter the squash and remove the seeds. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes until tender when it’s tested. How long it takes to finish roasting depends on how thick and how big each piece is, so keep an eye on them after roasting 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion, carrot, celery and Italian parsley until they start colouring over medium-high heat, about 12-15 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and skim the foam that floats on the surface of the soup. Simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered. Spoon the roasted squash from the skin and add it into the pot. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat. Put soup into a blender or use a hand blender and puree. Be careful not to burn yourself. If I were to use a blender, I would blend the first half of the soup and transfer to a large bowl. Then I would do the second half, and finally bring everything  back into the pot and simmer for a few more minutes. Add cream, blend well over medium heat and adjust the flavour with salt and pepper. If the soup becomes too thick, add some water or chicken stock to achieve your preferred consistency.