Workshop Recipes

My mother developed these two wonderful recipes for delicious and hardy soups for our Halifax Introduction to Permaculture workshop. They were a hit! Everyone was talking about them, and I even had one student tell me that "this is the best tomato soup I've ever had before!" They are quite easy to make, and based on how well received they were, we have decided that these a regular fare for our Introduction to Permaculture workshops.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

For 24 people

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

• Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.
• Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.
• Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
• Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

For 24 people

• 6 tbs. olive oil
• 4 tbs. butter (optional)
• 9 cups minced onion
• 15 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tsp. salt
• 6 tsp. dried dill weed (or more to taste)
• Lots of freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large cans of tomatoes…use either whole and chop, or buy diced
• 12 cups water
• 4 tbs. honey
• 6 tbs. sour cream (optional)
• A handful of minced parsley, chives, scallions for garnish or to stir in when soup is finished.

• Heat oil and butter if using in a large heavy bottomed pot. Add onion, garlic, salt, dill and pepper. Stir over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the onions are very translucent and soft.
• Add canned tomatoes, water and honey. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or so. Taste to correct seasonings.
• You can blend this soup or serve as it. Either is great.
• Before serving, whisk in the sour cream. Serve hot with minced herbs on top.