ITEMS
Swiss Chard
Pie Pumpkin
Dried Flathead Cherries
Crimson Lentils
Plain Yogurt
Eggs
*Parsnips (if you got last week's delivery)
PRODUCERS
Missoula Grain & Vegetable Co. - Missoula
Mill Crick Farm - Hamilton
Fat Robin Orchard & Farm - Polson
Timeless Natural Food - Ulm
Kalispell Kreamery - Kalispell
Spencer's Valley View Eggs - Plains
*Gallatin Valley Botanical - Bozeman
Pumpkin Bread
If you're not planning to make pie with your pumpkin, or if you have extra purée, this is an easy treat. Here are instructions to make purée out of your pumpkin first, and here are some more tips and recipe ideas for pumpkin.
2 Tbs oil or melted butter
1/2 C honey or maple syrup
1 egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature (or 2.66 oz, just under half of a 6 oz container)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C puréed pie pumpkin
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp each ground nutmeg, cloves (or allspice), and ginger - feel free to use fresh if you have it
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 C flour - all purpose, whole grain, or gf baking flour all work. Whole grain flour will make a more dense bread that is no less delicious.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the oil and honey together until smooth. Add the yogurt and the egg, whisking until the ingredients are smooth and well blended. Finally, whisk in the pumpkin purée and vanilla.
Sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt over the pumpkin mixture, then stir to combine. Add the flour and stir until just mixed, so there are no clumps of flour. Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the second half of baking. Let cool at least 30 minutes before slicing. If you can transfer the loaf out of the pan, it will cool more quickly. I am never successful at this, so you can also leave it in the pan.
Add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried cherries if you like extra goodies in your bread.
Pumpkin Dal with Swiss Chard
Either basmati rice or a flatbread like naan are ideal accompaniments to dal. A spoonful of plain yogurt is good, too. Serve with a chutney or other pickle if you like, or alongside a nice salad. Butternut squash can substitute for pumpkin when you don't have one. Recipe adapted from Nik Sharma, serves 4-6.
5 C water
2 lbs of pie pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. I bake mine whole, poked with a few holes, until it's soft, ~1 hr. It's much easier to peel and cut once cooked.
1 C crimson lentils
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
salt to taste
3-4 oz swiss chard leaves and stems, rinsed and chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
2 Tbsp neutral oil with a high smoke point such as safflower or grapeseed oil, or ghee
1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
A tiny pinch of asafoetida (optional) - see note
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes like Aleppo or Urfa - sub crushed red pepper. Use less to adjust heat level
1 green chilli, thinly sliced - Bird's Eye, jalapeño, or serrano all work (optional)
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the water, pumpkin, chard stems, lentils, garam masala, turmeric, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and cook until the lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes. Fold in the chard leaves and cook until they are completely wilted, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, taste and season with salt.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan (with a lid handy) over medium heat. Drop a mustard seed into the oil: you'll know it's hot when the seed sizzles and jumps. Once hot, add the remaining mustard seeds. With lid in hand, carefully add the garlic and cover immediately - the oil will splatter when the garlic hits it. Swirl the saucepan and fry until garlic is fragrant, just about 1 minute. Add the asafoetida powder and red pepper flakes, and swirl the contents of the saucepan for another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and pour contents over the dal. Garnish with the green chilli, if using, and serve warm with rice or flatbread.
Notes: 1) I find asafoetida in the bulk spices at the Bozeman Co-op. It's a powder made from a plant resin that is commonly used in Indian food. When cooked, it adds an onion-y aroma and compliments the other spices. I find it be one of the key "missing ingredients" that makes my homemade Indian food taste and smell more traditional. It is sometimes mixed with wheat flour, so if you are gluten-free, check the label before buying. 2) Have you ever made homemade naan? It's a great use for plain yogurt, it's not complicated, and very delicious. Homemade naan recipe.
Additional Recipes & Suggestions
This Braised Parsnip & Carrot Recipe would also be good with dried cherries instead of cranberries.
Homemade Granola is one of my favorite ways to use dried cherries