Relish the Harvest

Relish the Harvest

How do we perceive the changing of the seasons? Is it the arrival of the first hard frost, falling leaves fluttering to the ground, the apple harvest and bright orange pumpkins? To me it is all of the above. After a long, hot summer, I embrace the...

Author

Lehman's

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 medium butternut squash – peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 (32 fluid ounce) container chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 medium head cabbage
• Water to cover
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup cooked rice
• Garlic powder to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) container of favorite tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• Water to cover
• 1 medium red cabbage
• 8 tart red apples
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• Salt, to taste
• 2 Gala Apples (peeled)
• 1 Granny Smith apple (peeled)
• 1 pear (peeled)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. nutmeg
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 pie crusts (if frozen crusts are used, defrost prior to using)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot, and cook the onion, celery, carrot, potatoes, and squash 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
2. Pour in enough of the chicken stock to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 40 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender.
4. Transfer the soup to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot, and mix in any remaining stock to attain desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Place the head of cabbage in a large pot over high heat and add water to cover. Boil cabbage for 15 minutes, or until it is pliable and soft. Drain and cool completely. Remove the hard outer vein from the leaves.
6. In a separate large bowl, combine the beef, rice, garlic powder and egg, mixing well. Place a small amount, about the size of your palm, into the center of a cabbage leaf and fold leaf over, tucking in the sides of the leaf to keep meat mixture inside. Pile up the filled leaves in a large pot, putting the larger leaves on the bottom.
7. Add the tomato sauce, vinegar and sugar and enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat for about 60 minutes. (Note: Keep an eye on them, making sure the bottom leaves do not burn.)
8. Wash cabbage and coarsely shred. Put cabbage in a kettle or Dutch oven with about an inch of water.
9. Peel, core, and slice apples; arrange over top of cabbage.
10. Add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Simmer cabbage for 10 – 15 minutes or until desired doneness.
11. Remove from heat and gently stir.
12. In a separate bowl, mix together vinegar, sugar, and the salt to taste. Add blended dressing to cabbage. Mix to blend. Serve hot or cold.
13. Cut peeled apples and pears into 1/4 inch slices and place in a large bowl. Add raisins.
14. In a separate bowl mix all sugars, spices, and flour. Pour mixture on fruit and toss to coat evenly.
15. Spread contents into one pie crust in your favorite pie pan. Cover with thin slices of butter.
16. Flip second pie crust over the first and seal edges well. For decoration, press edges with a fork. Cut 8-12 slits in top of crust.
17. Bake at 400 F for 45-60 minutes or until top is a dark golden brown. Let cool two hours.