ITEMS
Carrots
Red Potatoes
Fresh Basil
Harvest Gold Lentils
Cookies / GF Brownie
Grass-fed Beef / Broccoli-Cauliflower Mix
PRODUCERS
Terra Greens Produce - Manhattan
Kimm's Organic Potatoes - Manhattan
Swanky Roots - Billings
Timeless Natural Food - Ulm
On the Rise - Bozeman / Sister's Gluten-Free - Belgrade
Wickens Ranch - Winifred / Root Cellar Foods - Bozeman
Not-Quite Split Pea Soup
I was planning for split peas this week until discovering that Timeless no longer carries them. Sorry if you were looking forward to them as much as I was! Lucky for us, the difference between split peas and dehulled lentils (red or gold lentils) is not that significant. Lentils cook a bit faster, and may even be a bit more nutritious, so... this is the split pea soup recipe I'd planned to share with a few tweaks. Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe for Parker's Split Pea Soup, serves 4-6.
1 C onion, diced (~1 medium onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, or your cooking fat of choice
1/2 tsp dried oregano or marjoram
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 C carrots, diced
1 C red potatoes, diced (no need to peel them unless you want to)
1 lb harvest gold lentils (1 package)
6 C chicken or vegetable broth
1-2 Tbs fresh basil, chiffonade for a garnish (optional)
Heat a large pot over medium heat, then add the olive oil followed by the onions, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 3/4 of the package of lentils, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for ~30 minutes, or until all the lentils are soft. Skim off any foam from the top. Stir vigorously or mash a bit with the back of a spoon to further break down the lentils and give the soup a thicker texture, then add the remaining 1/4 package of lentils and simmer another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (The reason for this is to have some lentils completely broken down to build the body of the soup, and then have some that are only just cooked to add some more texture. It's possible that this works better with split peas than lentils - I haven't tested it out! If you want to skip this step altogether, just add all the lentils to simmer for 30-40 min.). Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with a garnish of basil, if you like, and maybe a thick slice of bread.
Shepherd's Pie
For a vegetarian version, try this one. Recipe adapted from Local Dirt by Andrea Bemis, Serves 6-8.
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
Up to 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil, or cooking fat of your choice (optional)
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
1 C beef broth (or chicken, vegetable, or mushroom broth)
1/2 C red wine
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried rosemary (any dried or fresh herbs you like can work for the next 3 ingredients)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbs fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 C frozen peas (or green beans, corn... whatever you like)
2 lbs potatoes, cut into chunks
6 Tbs butter, cut into chunks
1/2 C + 1 Tbs milk
1 egg
Salt, to taste
In a large cast-iron skillet or oven-proof pot, cook the ground beef over medium-high, breaking it up as it cooks, until it's evenly browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the cooked beef to a plate or bowl lined with paper towels. If there's a lot of fat left in the pan, drain all but 1 Tbs. If there's not a lot, add a bit more cooking oil to make ~1 Tbs and return pan to the heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, and parsnip until they begin to soften, 8-10 minutes.
Add the beef back to the pan along with broth, wine, tomato paste, dried herbs, and crushed red pepper. Simmer for ~10 minutes, until the liquid reduces somewhat and the mixture thickens. Stir in the fresh basil and frozen peas, then remove pan from heat.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Put the potato chunks in a pot and cover with water, then salt generously. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender 15-20 minutes. Drain the water, then add the butter, milk, and a bit of salt to the potatoes and mash. Taste and add more salt if needed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 Tbs milk. Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef/vegetable mixture, then brush the top with the whisked egg. Make a crosshatch pattern with a fork, if you like. Bake the pie until top is golden brown, 30-35 minutes, and serve hot.
Additional Recipes & Suggestions
Gold lentils are the base of many delicious Dal recipes. Here's one we shared a while back, but there are many versions out there!
This potato soup is on regular rotation in our house. So easy and flexible.
One of my favorite summer deliveries had all the fresh fixins for a burger night. Though we don't have the sweet onion and heirloom tomatoes right now, you can still make the burgers and fresh basil aioli.
Lentils aren't just for savory dishes - try these oatmeal raisin cookies with golden lentils from Timeless.
This Golden Lentil Soup has a different flavor profile than the one above, with cumin, curry powder, and lemon juice.
Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole....because vegetables don't always have to be good for you!
Broccoli-Cauliflower Soup isn't a bad option, either.