Fresh, Local, and Meatless

Plant-based recipes that are good for you, for the planet, and for New England farmers.

Recycle. Compost. Turn off the lights. Shut the refrigerator door.

These are just a few of the common-sense ways you can reduce the impact your kitchen has on the environment. Food choices can also make a difference. Concentrate on local products. Food grown nearby requires less transportation, saving fuel. And because it is fresher, the produce is bound to taste better than something picked early and shipped thousands of miles. Reducing or eliminating meat from your diet is also something to contemplate, because raising animals to eat uses more energy and resources than raising crops.

The menu below combines the ideas of locally grown and vegetarian. The ingredient lists aren't perfect - the flour, mushrooms, and Worcestershire sauce are from elsewhere. Still, these dishes' primary ingredients - pears, leeks, squash, turnips - can put New England on your table.

PEAR- WATERCRESS SOUP
SERVES 6

The idea for this recipe came from two books - Pears, by Linda West Eckhardt (Chronicle), and The Complete Book of Raw Food, edited by Lori Baird and Julie Rodwell (Hatherleigh Press/Healthy Living Books).

1 tablespoon butter
2 medium (about 1 pound) leeks, trimmed of dark green tops, white and light green parts finely chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)
3 large, slightly underripe Bartlett or Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and chopped (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
2 bunches (about 3/4 pound) watercress, large stems removed, a few small sprigs reserved for garnish, and the rest roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cider vinegar, plus more to taste
Pepper

In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks, pears, and 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt, stir to coat with butter, and cook for a minute or two, until leeks and pears are hot. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks and pears have released their juices, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, leaving the pot uncovered. Add the watercress, pushing it into the liquid, and allow it to wilt, about 45 seconds.

Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree. Pour each batch into a large bowl and continue pureeing until all the mixture has been processed. Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan, add cream and vinegar, and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the soup is heated through (do not allow to boil). Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar, if desired. Ladle into bowls, garnish with reserved watercress sprigs, and serve at once.

NEW ENGLAND SQUASH AND TURNIP SHEPHERD'S PIE
SERVES 8

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup milk, warmed
20 ounces baby bella or crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, finely chopped
5 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 cup beer
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the squash and turnips to the pan, return to a boil, and cook until the vegetables are barely tender, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a 13-by-9-inch baking or gratin dish and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add the potatoes, and cook until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Use a colander to drain the potatoes, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water. Return the potatoes to the pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and use a potato masher to mash the cubes until the potatoes are smooth and uniform. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper to taste, and the warm milk, and, using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously to blend. Set aside.

In a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. When the foaming subsides, add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give up their liquid.

Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 12 minutes total. Transfer them to the dish with the squash and turnips.

Return the medium saute pan to medium heat and melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. When the foaming subsides, add the onion and 2 teaspoons of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and thyme and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 1 1/2 minutes. While whisking the mixture, slowly pour in the beer and the reserved vegetable cooking water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is smooth and thick, about 4 minutes.

Add the Worcestershire sauce and vinegar, and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the sauce over the vegetables in the baking dish, add the parsley, and fold to blend.

Using a spatula, spread the mashed potatoes over the squash-turnip filling to form an even, seamless layer that goes to the edges of the dish, so it will seal in the filling and minimize bubbling over. Place the dish on a large baking sheet and bake until the filling is hot and the potatoes have browned lightly, about 35 minutes. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Send comments and suggestions to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com.

• Searched
• E-Mailed