From Farm to Table: Cooking Together with Stewart’s Caring Place

This fall Crown Point Ecology Center welcomed eight guests from Stewart’s Caring Place for a crossover event that brought together two programs: our Farm to Table Cooking series and Stewart’s own community programming.

The day began at the farm, where the group gathered for some garden education and a conversation about clean eating and how it connects to our health. Then it was time to get hands-on. Participants headed into the garden to harvest a variety of vegetables for the meal they would cook later that day.

From the farm, the group traveled to Stewart’s Caring Place, where CPEC Chef Kaitlyn Misheff led everyone step by step through preparing a harvest mulligatawny made with organic produce from our fields. This was no watch-and-listen demo. Participants asked questions, got their hands into the ingredients, and experimented with different versions of the dish along the way.

We’re grateful to Stewart’s Caring Place for partnering with us and to Chef Kaitlyn for the knowledge and warmth she brings to every class. Events like this show how food, health, and community come together, from the soil to the table. We’re proud of this collaboration and already looking forward to the next one.

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Try It at Home: Chef Kaitlyn’s Harvest Mulligatawny

Grating the vegetables speeds up cooking, and the recipe is easy to adapt to whatever is in season. Our group made their own variations, and you can too.

Serves 4-5 | Prep 15 minutes | Cook 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium yellow onion, grated or finely diced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 small bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 cup grated butternut squash

• 1 cup grated delicata squash (skin on, seeded)

• 1 cup grated potato

• 1¼ cups dried red lentils, rinsed

• 1 carton (32 oz) vegetable stock

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk

• 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

• 1 Tbsp curry powder

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp each turmeric, coriander, and ginger

• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs

Method

1. Prepare. Grate the butternut squash, delicata squash, and potato using the large holes of a box grater. Grate or finely dice the onion and finely chop the pepper.

2. Build the base. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook the onion and pepper for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

3. Bloom the spices. Add the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger. Stir for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add and simmer. Stir in the grated vegetables. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, the rinsed lentils, and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

5. Cook until tender. Simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and vegetables are tender. Add water or stock if the soup becomes too thick.

6. Blend for creaminess. Carefully blend one-third to one-half of the soup with the coconut milk in a Vitamix until smooth. Blend hot liquids in small batches, following your blender’s hot-liquid safety instructions. Return to the pot.

7. Finish and serve. Warm gently for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and finish with fresh herbs.

Notes from the Farm
Red lentils soften and thicken the broth, and blending a portion with coconut milk creates a velvety texture without dairy. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a subtle smoky brightness. Try different seasonal vegetables and fresh herbs as the harvest changes.

Recipe created by Chef Kaitlyn Misheff, kaitlynmisheff.com.