Some of the fun of having a CSA is trying new vegetables.
This is a delicata squash.
Its considered a winter squash but is more related to summer squash. Delicata is also known as a peanut squash or a sweet potato squash. It is slightly sweet and the skin is edible. They can be cook similarly to a butternut or acorn squash.
This week I received some really great vegetables but was daunted with so many other things to get done I didnt have the time or the energy to look up recipes for each thing. So, I threw it into a one pot stew (or as a certain perky show host would call it a "stoup".
Mid-Summer Ratatouille Stew
4 slices of bacon or prosciutto (if vegetarian sub 3 tbs margarine)
1 medium onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup wine
2 medium delicata squash
3 medium beets
2 medium yellow squash
2 medium tomatoes
2 medium bell peppers
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup corn starch
** cut all veg to similar bite size
- In stock pot or dutch oven, saute bacon/prociutto/marg, onion and garlic until onion is translucent
- Deglaze the pot using wine. (deglazing is simply using a liquid to loosen up the yum from the bottom of the pot)
- Add 3 cups of vegetable stock and bring to boil.
- Add delicata squash, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add remaining vegetables. Simmer 30 minutes.
- Remove 1 cup of liquid from the pot and whisk with cornstarch. Pour starch mixture back into the pot. Bring back up to the boil then simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Test tenderness of vegetables with a fork. If the vegetable slide off the fork then its finished.
I will freely admit that I am not a fan of chunky soups. I generally not a fan of most soups with exception of chicken noodle and matzo ball soup. I hit my soup with an immersion blender, threw a little parm on top and I was even happier.
