A Day (and night) In The Kitchen

It has been raining alot here, it's been sleeting and hailing. The wind has been persistently hard and continuous. Only someone with diminished mental faculties would go out in this, right? Well, I guess that you know what category of nutcase that I fall into then, 'cause out I went day after day...working in-between the short showers of whatever cold stuff Mother Nature decided to throw down.
Ach, what did I care--I had hung up a bird feeder and I just put on water to boil in the little shed. Shucks, I just zipped-up my jacket and settled down in my little chair and let my mind wander as I read, watched birds, looked some strange passers-by up and sometimes huddled with both hands wrapped around the hot ceramic cup as I simply let my mind wander, about this, that or the other. A person feels pretty good as he sits, dry and somewhat warm in the little shed of solace, protected from the lashing torrents that blew sometimes. I could be content taking it easy as I contemplated the alternative meteorological scene that displayed out of doors.

Inevitably the weather would calm again and the sun would come out and I would return to my work clearing and tilling ground, harvesting veg, turning the compost and moving the Lathyrus screen...the list goes on. I just adapted myself to the changing weather conditions and the condition of the soil.

I took out a big load of leeks that I wanted to take home for use.


Another hardy gardner from down the way came by with a wheel barrow filled with apples and asked if I wanted some. He had given some before. No wonder because he has taken over custodianship of some 15 trees of his neighbour lady down his end.
I was delighted, because I like applesauce and it's easy to make.
Here are what he was willing to part with. He also gave apples for the Food Bank pick-up a couple of times.


I just peeled them, cut them and de-cored them before chucking them into the pot to heat-up. I had to use that darned glass pan that refuses to break, so a "bottom" of water was necessary.


Once cooked, it was time to puree the boiled apple flesh, sieve it and then once back in the glass pan, sugar and cinnamon and clove powder was added and stirred-through and it boiled gently for a while longer.


Once it was ready, the applesauce was ladled into the large jars for storage.


Another thing that I brought home was a load of quinces. That added to what a colleague had given me, gave me enough to make a few more pots of jelly.
I sort of do it the same way as the apples, except I leave on the skins and cores.
Once they have boiled for a couple of hours, I blend the pulp and all...then pour the liquid into a muslin "sack" made of three layers. I it up and let this drip for several hours until no more liquid comes out of the sack.
This was re-strained and brought to a boil again before being poured into jars. I strained it four times to get a nice, clear jelly.


The batch was a good one...I could check the gelling quality of the jelly by cooling a plate in the freezer then dribbling a bit of the liquid on it. I could see right away if it would be too liquid, or if it would get too rubbery.
I got 12 jars full out of this load....but that was only 2/3rds.


Yes, I still had quite a bit more liquid. What to do then? I had no more room for jelly jars. I couldn't throw it away, or I wouldn't be able to sleep well at night for a couple of months.
Then it came to me--I will make quince popsicles. Voilà!


You fill the molds and let them sit in the freezer a couple of hours and then take them out and shove the sticks in the icy liquid--they stand erect, no problem.

Oh me, oh my though--the butternut squashes. I had a look at them and saw signs of frost damage. Here we take them in before the first frost, because it can damage the flesh inside the cocoon-like skin.
Look at these dark spots in the light yellow skin. It remains to be seen if they will all be OKÉ or not.


Another rule of thumb that I use for picking these squashes is: the stem colour. I am talking about the stem connecting the veg to the vine.
When it's green it is not a good time because it can rot and the "rot" can get down into the veg.
This is what I mean about "green":


What I want to see before I squeeze the secateurs is this kind of browness of the connecting stem:


You want to leave that stem as long as possible, especially if the squashes have to be harvested prematurely (to minimalize the chance of the creeping rot).

I am afraid that the freezing night has forced me to harvest them all at once though, as I feel that the threat of frostbite is greater than the chance of creeping stem rot. It's a bit of "wet finger work", some say...but I feel certain of my choice in this instance.
Don't these guys look cozy and happy on the chest and bedroom window sill, curing in the sunlight? They sort of look like yellow Smurfs or something to me.


Here is a pan of half of the soup made this evening to go with some chicken khorma that I made yesterday. I like to let the flavour "soak-in" for a day because I find the flavour richer then. You can see that I added the cream last and I had already begun to stir it in.


The way that I make Butternut Squash soup is as follows (for those interested):

Ingredients:
175-200 grams of butternut squash (peeled)
800-850 ml vegetable or chicken stock
~½ cup of cream
1 large onion (peeled)
4-5 leeks (depending on their size)
1 tsp butter
1-2 tbsp snipped chives (fresh if you can)
salt and pepper

*************************

Preparation:
LEEKS--Remove the green leaves and roots of the leeks.
slice them lengthways and peel off the outermost (tougher layers)
run water in-between the remaining leaves to get out the lurking sand or dirt.
Then slit them lengthways in strips and cut these in blocks at a jaunty angle (for looks).
If you want the leek bits round, then just cut them without slicing them in half.

ONIONS--Slice it in any shape you prefer...not too small, not too large.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH--Peel it and cut it into blocks.

GARLIC--This is something I like, but not everyone does. Peel 1-3 cloves. Chop them somewhat finely.

CHIVES--snip them with scissors or a sharp knife.

BAY LEAF--this is optional. I sometimes use it and sometimes not.

Cooking:
(1) Melt a nob of butter in a saucepan/soup pan and add the veg + garlic (except for the chives). Stir them while they cook and the butter melts...
then cover the saucepan and turn the heat down to low for ~20 minutes. You want the veggies to "sweat" the flavour out a bit.

(2) After the 20 mim., you add the stock and pepper (and the bay leaf if you choose to use it. Put the lid back on and let it all simmer for another 20 minutes.

(3) When the 20 mim. is up, then put it all (except the bay leaf--set it aside to add back later) into a blender or use a staff mixer to puree the lot.

(4) Pour it back into your soup pan and heat it up again, add the chives now, and do not not let the soup actually boil...just simmer. Put back in now the bay leaf now if you are using it in your soup. Let your soup simmer long enough to get some of the bay leaf's flavour.

(5) When you are nearly ready to serve it, add the cream as you stir. Stir it through evenly...and add the salt to your taste (it can be added at the table if you are unsure how much salt your guests like.

(6) Once poured into warmed bowls, you could put a couple of chopped or whole fresh coriander leaves on top. If you want to go for this aromatic decoration, do not use more than one or two leaves for risk of detracting from your already perfect masterpiece.

Well, it's been a long day and the sun setting is just perfect...like something that Maxfield Parrish would paint.


It's time to take it easy now...so a shower and a cuppa with my feet propped-up on the camel and I can wind down before finally going on one ear.:-o Yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.....

 

What an end to a wet, bountiful day, Sjoerd.

You certainly know how to make the most of a day that most people would stay inside in.

Your apple sauce and quince jelly look scrumtious I must say. And you're right about the squash. I fee the urge to knit them little hats. Are you making that deliciuos-looking soup from all of them or do you use some in other dishes?

 

Reading your posts is better than reading a good book--your illustrations are better, too! "Yellow Love apple sauce, and when we lived in upstate NY I made quince jam and preserved quince, also. No quinces in Texas, at least not that I've found.
Thanks for sharing your cold, windy, and most productive day with us.

 

beautiful sunset sjoerd! and all your harvest looks wonderful! that's what i'm trying to do the last few days too, finish harvesting. i have brussel sprouts, broccoli, apples and pears, oh and carrots to finish picking, yet...in the cold wind, and on-and-off rain no less. haven't seen the sun for days now.

i'm in the process of making apple sauce, too. if the peels are very red, i cook them with the flesh. it makes for a pinkish glow to the sauce.

we're still making popsicles here, even with the cold!

we have the squash 'people' sitting up in our loft, too. excellent info about the stems!

and thanks for the recipe for the soup. looks yummy!

dangit...now i have to look up the recipe for chicken khorma!

 

I've been wanting to try butternut squash soup. I use mine to make a yeast bread. It's such a good rich color and it tastes really good. I'll try to post the recipe on here one of these days. I'm working on getting my computer set up at home again. Maybe by next week. dooley

 

Thanks so much, DROOPY--Knitting hats for those little guys. Ahhhh, ain't that sweet. They'd be tickled pink.
No I shall not use them only for soup. I will use them for different dishes, although I am enormously fond of the soup.

Yes EILEEN, the jellies and jams are piling-up now. As for the job of taster--any time you've got the inclination, I've got the squash. hahaha.

Thank you so much, MG-- it sounds like you are an old quince hand.(ermmm, I didn't mean "old" in the age sence, but rather in the 'experienced' sense)

Thanks TONI-- Yeah, I liked that picture also--the squash standing around. I'm glad you liked this posting.
'
Glad you liked that sunset, BUNKIE--It was just gorgeous to see.
It crossed my mind to leave the skins on, but I just didn't. I may have to try that next time, if I have a small batch.
What a surprize to hear that you have a squash colony there too. I wonder if they communicate? chortle.
It sounds like you really enjoyed the posting this time.
Sorry for having caused you so much look-up work...that may lead to more hours in the kitchen as well.

DOOLEY--I sure hope that you do try the soup sometime. I am going to make a bread out of it one of these days, if my collegue doesn't make one for me first. hahaha. She is always baking little sweet things for me, and they taste REALLY good.
I have everything crossed for you and your computer. I miss your posts. BTW--have you heard anything from Glenda lately?

 

I just had the last of the soup! It was delicious. I imagined that it was even better than when it was first cooked.

 

Your posts are always interesting to read.All that jelly sounds so good.Thanks for the post.Makes my mouth water.

 

Hiyah GLENDA-- So pleased to see you back. Glad you liked the posting, wish you could taste the goodies.