by LibbyD » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:22 pm
Like Acorn Squash? Here are a couple of delicious sounding recipes, but will take some time. (Winter squashes for P2-3 only...due to higher glycemic index than other squashes).
Acorn Squash Soup
Ready in: 2-5 hrs
Ingredients:
3 acorn squash
3 carrots, scraped and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
3 1/2 cups canned chicken broth, divided
1/3 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons butter substitute
1 tablespoon ww flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup ff half-and-half
Fresh thyme for garnish
Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Bake in shallow pan in 350-degree oven for 55 minutes. Place cooked squash halves on paper towels on baking board and allow to cool. Scoop out the pulp and reserve; discard the shells.
Cook carrot and onion in boiling water 12 to 15 minutes, drain. Combine 1/2 of carrot mixture, 1/2 squash pulp, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and 1/2 the water in an electric blender, cover and process until smooth. Place puree in crockpot or large saucepan. Repeat procedure with the remaining carrot mixture, squash pulp, 1/2 cup chicken broth and water, then add to crockpot or saucepan.
Melt margarine in another saucepan over low heat, add flour and stir till smooth. Add flour mixture to pureed squash and carrots, along with remaining 2-1/2 cups chicken broth, sherry, salt, pepper, paprika, allspice and nutmeg. (You can place crockpot of soup in fridge overnight and bring it out in morning to begin simmering while you are at work.)
If you are using a large saucepan instead of a crockpot, just heat the soup for a few minutes at this point. When ready to serve, stir in half-and-half. Place soup in tureen or individual bowls and garnish with fresh thyme springs.
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Italian Pork, White Bean and Acorn Squash Stew
Use a pressure cooker as well as canned rather than soaked beans and you can cut the time in half (and the meat comes out more tender too). This one is deeeeelicious!
Ingredients for this heavenly Italian stew:
2 cups dried Italian white beans (or use 2-3 cans of white beans, drained)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless, country-style pork spareribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Remove as much of the fat as you can.
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, minced
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
4-5 cups homemade chicken stock or canned broth
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes with juices
1 tablespoon (packed) chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled acorn squash
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
Preparation:
Place Italian beans in large bowl. Cover generously with cold water and soak overnight. Drain beans in colander. Rinse them well until all foaminess is gone. (This is the sugar that keeps Beano in business).
Cook the beans in plain water for 1-1 1/2 hours. No salt. This helps to tenderize the beans, especially at high altitudes. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the pork in batches and brown on all sides.
Transfer pork to heavy large pot or Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté until soft, about 10-15 minutes. (The longer you cook vegetables such as these over relatively low heat, the more of their delicious, fabulous smelling juices they will release).
Transfer vegetables to pot with pork. Pour 1 cup stock into skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from the pork. Add deglazing liquids from skillet, remaining 4 cups stock, beans, tomatoes and sage to pot.
Cover pot and simmer stew 1 hour, stirring occasionally (20 minutes with a pressure cooker).
Uncover pot and simmer 15 minutes to reduce liquids.
Add squash and simmer until beans, pork and squash are tender, about 30 minutes longer and, bada bing! You've got a truly delicious Italian stew.
Transfer this wonderful Italian soup creation to some authenic italian soup bowls and get ready for the praise that is sure to come your way.
Garnish with fragrant Ialian parsley and serve it.
This is a fair amount of work, I'll give it that, but you will find that it has been well worth the effort. Italian beans are cannellini, etc. You can use navy or great northerns if need be.
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Last edited by
LibbyD on Sun Oct 03, 2004 9:32 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Less is More.