Italian Sausage-Lentil Soup with Leeks
This longtime family recipe is a winning New Year’s dish; Fun fact: Lentils are believed to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the new year because they resemble coins!
Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage
1 pound lentils
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 leeks, cleaned with white and light green parts chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 cans (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried oregano
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, for topping
Method:
1. In a large pot, brown the sausage until it is no longer pink. Remove from the pan, drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the olive oil and then sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until tender. Add stock, lentils, tomatoes, sausage, wine, sugar, vinegar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 and ½ hours. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan cheese.
Paella Party Recipes
The fall harvest continues in abundance, with tender broccolini, earthy Hedgehog mushrooms, peppery radishes, juicy tomatoes, and more all found in your delivery this week. Put these gorgeous offerings to delicious use in a traditional Spanish-style paella crafted with traditional Valencian Matiz rice, our housemade chicken stock and locally made chorizo sausage. Also featuring a freshly-baked wild rice and onion loaf, farm-fresh eggs, beautiful garden greens, and punchy piparra peppers, this lineup is fit for a fun gathering—gather ‘round the paella pan, uncork a bottle of wine and enjoy!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Fall Vegetable PaellaThis recipe is so versatile: Try it with different vegetables, add in protein like this week’s chorizo sausage, or even cook it on the grill!
Radicchio & Apple Salad
Tart, crunchy and crisp, this cool salad celebrates the classic combination of apple and radicchio.
Fava Shoot Salad with Walnuts
This bright and fresh salad shines a spotlight on light, tender, succulent fava shoots.
Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
As good as heirloom tomatoes are fresh, roasting them concentrates their flavor even more!
Garlic Butter-Roasted Mushrooms
Roasted with capers and garlic, this simple dish is a real show-stopper.
Pappardelle Pasta with Sautéed Fall Mushrooms
Also rich with chicken stock and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of mellow, earthy mushrooms.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh pappardelle
4 cups mixed mushrooms, washed and patted dry
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Grana-style cheese
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the drained pasta and toss. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.
Grilled Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette
In addition to salad greens, this bright and robust dressing is wonderful tossed with pasta salad, or drizzled over steamed or grilled vegetables.
Ingredients:
1-2 heirloom tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
½ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill tomato halves until soft and slightly charred, beginning flesh side down, and flipping over halfway through cooking so both sides have grill marks. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and herbs and process until smooth. Check for seasoning and season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Then, with processor running, slowly add olive oil and process until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.
