Green Feast
Consider cooking with our eco-friendly recipes this Thanksgiving. All of these dishes incorporate locally produced ingredients and were provided by area chefs.
Chili in a Whole Pumpkin
Recipe from Farmers at Firehouse, by Jane and Michael Stern
You'll never taste the chocolate, but the combination of cocoa and spice mellowed with honey and sour cream is a ripping good combination with nice chunky bites of chicken. Reheat this chili in a baked whole pumpkin. Scoop some of the cooked pumpkin as you serve. Garnish with toasted, salted pumpkin seeds.
10-pound pumpkin
1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch pieces (approximately 3 large breast halves)
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
14-ounce can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon jalapeno powder or to taste
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 15-ounce cans white kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon masa harina dissolved in 1/4 cup water (optional; may use corn meal instead)
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup sour cream
Clean a 10-pound pumpkin (about 30 inches around the waist and 7 to 8 inches tall). Place in a dish such as a pie pan and bake with lid on in a 350-degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until tender. In a Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until soft. Add the chicken without crowding and cook until browned. Remove from the heat. Add the salt, pepper, cumin and cocoa, stirring well. Mix in the broth and 1 1/2 cups water, tomato sauce, jalapeno powder and parsley. Return to heat and bring to a boil. Cook at a very low boil, partially covered, for 35 minutes. Add the beans and cook 15 minutes more. Add the masa harina mixture and cook 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey. If you are serving in a pumpkin, transfer chili to the baked pumpkin, leaving 1 inch at the top, and replace the lid. Pumpkin may not hold all the chili. Bake in a 325-degree oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chili is very hot and pumpkin very tender. Stir in sour cream and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
Juicy Pork Loin with Pomegranate Sauce
Recipe from Farmers at the Firehouse, by Virginia Phillips
Simple and festive, the juicy pork loin's dark sweet crust is jeweled with ruby bits of shallot. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and green pistachio. Serve with wild rice and spinach.
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white or red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (available in Middle Eastern and specialty markets) or balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1 pork tenderloin
Handful chopped pistachios
Cook chopped shallots and rosemary in olive oil in a nonreactive skillet until shallots are soft. Add wine and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Add chicken broth, pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses (or balsamic vinegar) and honey and cook slowly until almost syrupy and reduced to about 3/4 cup. Taste and add salt if needed. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub pork loin with olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sear lightly, turning once, in a non-reactive, ovenproof skillet. Brush with sauce and bake, basting often, about 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees. Let rest 5 minutes. Pork will be slightly pink inside. On a board, slice on the diagonal in 1/2-inch pieces. Pour any juices on the board into the pan juices and spoon over servings. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped chives. Serves 3 to 4.
Maple Roasted Pumpkin
Recipe provided by Soergel Orchards
1 small Soergel Orchards pumpkin (about 2-3 pounds)
2 1/2 tablespoons Amish butter, melted
2 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the pumpkin into 6 wedges and scoop out the strings and seeds. Place wedges with the cut sides down, in an 11x7 inch-baking dish. Add 1-inch of water. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Uncover, pour off water, and turn the wedges over. Drizzle with butter, maple syrup, and salt. Bake for 10 minutes or until browned. Serves 6.
Pumpkin Soup
Recipe provided by Soergel Orchards
2 small pumpkins ("Baby Pams" work best)
Salt & Pepper (Personal preference)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (rosemary can be substituted)
2 tablespoons Amish butter
2 carrots, finely diced
1 medium sized sweet onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons flour
6 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Ground nutmeg, allspice, or parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400F
Carefully cut the pumpkins in half from top to bottom, removing the stem. Scoop out the seeds and season the insides with salt and pepper. Put the thyme or rosemary in the halves, place them on a baking sheet or roasting pan and bake for 45-60 minutes, until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
Once cool, scoop pumpkin meat into a food processor and blend until smooth.
In a stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat, and add the carrots and onion, sautéing until soft. Add flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and pumpkin puree, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for 15-20 minutes. Add the heavy cream and more salt and pepper, if desired.
Before serving, add nutmeg, allspice, or parmesan cheese, if desired.