Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Herb Crème Fraîche
This soup is the epitome of fall comfort food.
Ingredients:
1, 2-2½ pound Winter Density pumpkin, quartered and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt, plus additional
for seasoning the soup
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup diced Cipollini onion
1 cup diced Yukon Gold potatoes
1 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cups chicken stock
Fresh ground pepper
For Herb Crème Fraîche:
¾ cup crème fraîche, plus additional for garnish
2 teaspoons each fresh parsley (finely chopped) and thyme leaves
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place pumpkin quarters in a baking dish and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 2 teaspoons sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast at 350° for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Scoop out cooked pumpkin and reserve.
2. Heat butter and remaining oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and garlic and
season with a pinch of sea salt. Sweat over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Do not brown.
3. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, and roasted pumpkin and season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a simmer, and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
4. While soup is cooking, combine crème fraîche with fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Once soup is ready, purée it in batches in a food processor (or with an immersion blender). Stir in ¾ cup of crème fraîche. Add more chicken stock as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Garnish each serving with reserved crème fraîche.
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Baked Eggs with Crème Fraîche & Fresh Herbs
These oeufs en cocotte boast a wonderful balance between the rich crème fraîche and the bright parsley and chives.
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1 cup Farm & Larder crème fraîche
Pinch nutmeg
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Season the crème fraîche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
3. Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a small individual ramekin or custard cup*, followed by a sprinkling of parsley and chives. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with an additional pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with remaining ramekins.
4. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are set to your liking. Finish each serving with additional chopped herbs.
*This dish can also be made in a large baking dish, or even in a few smaller baking dishes. Spread a thin layer of cheese and herbs on bottom, carefully crack eggs and space out evenly, then dollop additional cheese and add water as directed above.
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Baked Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche & Fresh Herbs
These oeufs en cocotte boast a wonderful balance with rich crème fraîche, plus bright parsley and chives.
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1 cup Farm & Larder crème fraîche
8 ounces smoked salmon, flaked
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Season the crème fraîche with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a small individual ramekin or custard cup, followed by a sprinkling of parsley and chives. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with an additional pinch each of salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining ramekins.
4. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are set to your liking. Finish each serving with a helping of smoked salmon and additional chopped herbs.
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Chilled Pea Soup
Cooking the peas briefly retains their vibrant color, while the addition of fresh herbs keeps the finished soup tasting bright.
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
6 cups shelled fresh peas
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream or water
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Chopped fresh chives (for serving)
Method:
1. Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer gently until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove pot from heat. Add parsley, mint, and remaining 2 cups broth to pot. Purée soup in a blender or with an immersion blender, thinning with water if soup is too thick, until smooth. Season soup with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve.
3. Whisk crème fraîche and cream in a small bowl to blend. Serve chilled soup topped with chives, passing crème fraîche mixture alongside for spooning over.
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Roasted Pumpkin & Pear Soup
The classic fall soup gets a delightful new twist with sweet roasted pears.
Ingredients:
1 pumpkin, cut into thick slices
2 ripe pears, peeled and cored
3 Cipollini onions, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Cut pumpkin into thick slices, removing seeds and stringy loose flesh inside. (Reserve seeds for roasting, if desired). Cut the pears in half, peel and core.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the pumpkin and pears on top. Bake in a preheated 375° oven until both the pears and pumpkin are fork tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes for the pears and 45 minutes for the pumpkin. Allow to cool and scoop out the pumpkin flesh, keeping 4 cups for the soup and reserving rest for another use. Chop pears coarsely.
3. In a heavy soup pot heat the butter and add the onions. Cook over medium low heat until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown.
4. Add the garlic and cook an additional couple of minutes. Add the pumpkin and pears and about 4 cups of broth. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
5. Blend, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding additional broth if soup is too thick.
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Herbed Crème Fraîche
Add a dollop of this flavorful crème fraîche to this week’s soup!
Ingredients:
¾ cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons each fresh parsley, rosemary and sage (all very finely chopped)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine crème fraîche with fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead.)
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Herbed Smoked Salmon Salad with Watercress
Serve this creamy salmon salad atop a bed of greens with sliced cucumber and tomatoes on the side.
Ingredients:
1 package smoked salmon (about 8 ounces), flaked
4 cups watercress, trimmed, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
½ cup crème fraîche
3 tablespoons chopped celery
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
¼ cup chopped tender herbs, such as chives, oregano and parsley
1 clove garlic, pressed
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a small bowl, combine crème fraîche with garlic and olive oil and whisk to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. In another mixing bowl, combine smoked salmon, capers, celery and herbs. Toss with crème fraîche dressing.
3. Serve smoked salmon salad over a bed of watercress, with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers alongside.
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Baby Beet & Carrot Salad with Herbed Crème Fraîche Dressing
This beautiful salad utilizes both the bright baby beets and tender greens.
Ingredients:
Dressing:
2 green onions, minced
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
½ cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons minced dill
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 pound baby beets with greens (about 1-inch thick)
1 pound slender young carrots with greens (about 1/2-inch thick)1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. For the dressing: Whisk to combine green onion, garlic, and lemon zest and juice, onion and garlic powder, and sea salt in a small mixing bowl. Set aside to marinate for a few minutes. Fold in the crème fraîche, followed by the fresh herbs. Taste and add sea salt as needed. Cover and set in fridge to chill. Just before serving, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin dressing as needed.
2. Preheat oven to 425°. Trim all but ¼-inch of beet and carrot greens (reserve beet greens), and thoroughly scrub vegetables. Set unpeeled beets in a small, 2-inch-deep baking pan. Add ½ inch of cold water and cover tightly with foil. Slide into oven and roast until beets are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover beets, drain hot water, and set beets aside until cool enough to handle. Slice off beet tops and remove skin under cold running water, either with fingertips or a peeler. (Skin will come off very easily.) Quarter beets and sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Halve carrots and cut on the bias into 4-inch spears. Toss with olive oil and a pinch each sea salt and pepper. Scatter on a rimmed baking sheet and slide into oven to roast alongside beets 10 to 15 minutes, or until carrots just begin to curl up and the edges turn golden.
4. While vegetables cook, rinse and dry beet greens, and arrange leaves on a serving platter. Tuck beets and carrots into the greens. Spoon on the dressing, and finish with a few twists of pepper and minced parsley. Serve immediately.
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Homemade Pumpkin Purée
Nothing quite beats a pie crafted from homemade pumpkin purée! Substitute this purée in any recipe calling for canned pumpkin.
Ingredients:
1 (4-6 pound) Winter Luxury pumpkin, rinsed and dried
Sea salt
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 400°.
2. Remove the stem and split the pumpkin in half from top to bottom, using a large cleaver and a mallet. Scoop out the seeds and fiber with a large metal spoon or ice cream scoop, cutting the fibers with kitchen shears if necessary. Reserve seeds for another use.
3. Sprinkle the flesh with kosher salt and lay the halves, flesh side down, on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Roast until a paring knife can be easily inserted and removed from the pumpkin, 30 to 45 minutes. Test in several places to ensure doneness.
4. Remove the pan to a rack and cool the pumpkin for 1 hour. Using a large spoon, remove the roasted flesh of the pumpkin from the skin to the bowl of a food processor. Process until the flesh is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Watercress Soup
Made with bunches of fresh watercress, a splash of white wine, and some potatoes to fill it out, this is a cozy, flavorful soup.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups white or yellow onion, chopped
1 cup white wine, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
1 pound baby potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 cups water
6 cups fresh watercress, chopped, stems included
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
6 tablespoons crème fraîche
Method:
- In a large pot, heat the butter until it is frothy. Then, add the onions, cooking over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Salt the onions as they cook.
- Add the wine (or stock), potatoes, and water and then bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
- Add the watercress to the pot. Stir well and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender, pour the soup in batches into a regular blender and transfer the blended soup to a clean pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then stir in the crème fraîche. Serve hot.
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