My Halloween treat to myself is that I just signed up with a group called Plow to Porch Organics to have local, organic produce delivered right to my door each week. Ever since the season ended with the CSA that I joined this year (Fairview Gardens), I have been missing a regular supply of good produce. Plow to Porch sounded like just the right solution — and they even deliver!
So today I got my first box of produce, pictured above. It contained: 1 bag of Shepherds salad mix, 2 Granny Smith apples, 1 lb Pixie tangerines, 1 basket of cherry tomatoes, 1 grapefruit, about 7 tiny Persian cucumbers, 1/2 lb green beans, 1 bunch of carrots and 1 head garlic. A perfectly nice assortment of produce, but I have to confess that I’m a little disappointed that there isn’t a pumpkin. It being Halloween and all.
I will console myself with my favorite carrot soup, which is, at least, the appropriate color. I may even get crazy and garnish it this time with some chopped black Kalamata olives. Recipe follows.
Carrot Soup
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 pound carrots, peeled, sliced
1 8-oz russet potato, peeled, cut into cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove of finely minced garlic
1. Combine the broth, carrots, potato, onion and ground ginger in a soup pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and then using an immersion mini blender, puree until smooth. Return to heat, thinning with more broth, if necessary. Add lemon juice and garlic; simmer 3 minutes.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with a little sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired. A sprinkling of chives or other fresh herbs is nice, too.
Serves 4
