Squash Parmesan Soup

I couldn’t believe how good this soup was given how simple it was to make with so few ingredients, perfect for a New Year's dinner or après-ski. In a large soup pot begin by sautéing a large chopped onion over medium heat in a little bit of butter. While that’s cooking peel and seed approximately 2 ½ pounds of butternut squash and chop into small chunks.

Once the onion is translucent add the squash to the pot along with 5 to 7 cups of chicken stock, depending on how thick you like your soup. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes uncovered or until the squash is tender. Use a stick blender or food processor to puree the soup until its silky smooth then stir in a cup of grated parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. If you like herbs you could sauté a little bit of sage with the onions just before adding the squash.

Have a safe and festive 2017!

Chopped Liver

No matter the holiday, when we went to my grandmother’s house one thing was always certain, chopped liver. And we loved it! I hadn’t had it in years so decided to give it a try, minus the Ritz crackers. And we loved it! So here it is, super easy and a guaranteed conversation starter at any gathering.

Begin by making four twelve minute hard boiled eggs then set aside to cool. Sauté a large chopped onion over medium low heat until golden brown then stir in a minced clove of garlic and cook for another minute. Add a pound of rinsed and dried chicken livers to the pan and continue to cook until the livers are grey all the way through, about ten minutes. Spread the mixture out on a large dish to cool.

Pulse the peeled eggs in a food processor until coarsely chopped then scrape them into a large bowl. Do the same with the liver and onion mixture then stir together with the eggs. Add at least a teaspoon of black pepper, two of kosher salt, then garnish with some finely chopped onion or egg and serve with a thinly sliced baguette.

Tapenade

The holiday party season is upon us and whether you’re hosting or pot lucking this tapenade is a crowd pleaser, and all it takes is a little Cuisinart magic. Chop a couple of cloves of garlic and combine in the food processor with two tablespoons of capers, a tablespoon of lemon juice, a bit of lemon zest, a big squeeze of anchovy paste, a few pinches of chopped thyme (optional), and a cup of Kalamata, nicoise, oil cured, or a mix of all three kinds of pitted olives. Pulse until it’s a chunky paste.

Transfer to a small bowl and stir in approximately a half cup of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crackers or a sliced plain or grilled baguette. Time to be merry!

Pork Tacos with Kimchi

These tasty tacos are all local thanks to our valley farmers, All Souls Tortilleria, Vermont Probiotica, and Gracie’s Kitchen. Hopefully you live in a place with lots of local food producers, if not you'll just have to come visit us in the Mad River Valley.

Sauté half of a finely chopped onion until translucent then add a couple of minced garlic cloves followed by a half pound of ground pork. Once the pork is cooked through salt and pepper to taste and turn the heat to low. Soften a couple of tortillas in the toaster oven on low heat then spoon in some of the pork mixture and top with a bit of kimchi and green salsa. To make them even better, serve with A Sip of Sunshine...our award winning local Warren brew.

Broccolini with a Balsamic Reduction

Vegetables are on the menu this week and this balsamic reduction works as well with carrots and green beans as it does with broccolini. Start by heating some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat then saute the broccolini until it starts to brown, about five minutes.

Add a quarter cup of water and a bit of salt and continue heating until the water has evaporated. Stir in a couple of chopped garlic cloves followed by a quarter cup of balsamic vinegar…making sure your exhaust fan is on before you do. By the time the vinegar has reduced to a glaze the broccolini should be tender, if not add a splash more vinegar, cover, and let cook for a few minutes longer.