October is the perfect recipe for soup season. As the weather chills, craving something warm and comforting in a bowl just makes sense! Markets are full of ingredients practically begging to be simmered in a pot. Root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and turnips lend a deep, earthy sweetness to broths, while onions, leeks, and garlic add the kind of rich aromatics that make your kitchen smell like home. You’ll also find an abundance of winter squashes—especially butternut, acorn, and long island cheese—whose velvety textures and subtle nuttiness make them ideal bases for creamy bisques and purées. Don’t overlook those greens, either–kale, swiss chard, and spinach all hold up beautifully in hot soups.
If you are looking for a cozy soup that will warm you up in both temperature and spice, this green chile chicken soup is a great way to use some of those summer ingredients that will disappear after the first frost. Start by putting your big soup pot on the stove and warm a tablespoon of olive oil or butter. Add one medium dice onion to the pot and cook until translucent. Add three cloves of minced garlic and two to three green chile peppers of your choice, like jalapeno, poblano, or anaheim peppers. If you are not one for the spice, swap these peppers for green bell peppers. Add a sprinkle of spices like cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper and stir. Well Seasoned Table’s Green Dragon Dust seasoning blend is perfect for this soup! If you happen to have already roasted a whole chicken, you can use the carcass to make your own chicken broth, otherwise, add four cups of chicken broth to the pot and bring everything to a simmer. If you don’t have any pre-cooked chicken to use up, boil two chicken breasts to then shred and add to your soup pot. Keep simmering your soup for another 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Add a drained can of white beans for a protein and texture boost along with a splash of lime juice. If you want a thicker, creamier soup, add half cup of heavy cream, sour cream, or Grassroots Farm & Dairy yogurt. Garnish your soup with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions and cilantro.
Find peppers before they are gone from vendors like Sleight Family Farm (they sell roasted chiles too!) at North Asheville Tailgate Market, Gaining Ground Farm at North Asheville and River Arts District markets, and Olivette Farm at Asheville City and East Asheville markets. Local chicken may seem hard to find, but Dillingham Family Farm (Weaverville Tailgate Market), Good Wheel Farm (North Asheville Tailgate Market), and Wild East Farm (Black Mountain and River Arts District markets) have you covered!
What better to pair with your green chile chicken soup than jalapeno cornbread muffins. First, you’ll want to pick up some very special stoneground cornmeal and wheat flour from Two Stones Farm + Mill (North Asheville and West Asheville markets). Beginning October 25, you can bring your own jars to Two Stones for refills of grits, flours, and wheat berries. To make your jalapeno cornbread, preheat your oven to 425 degrees and grease a muffin pan or baking dish. Get out a mixing bowl and add your dry ingredients: one cup of cornmeal, one cup of all purpose flour (or gluten free flour), four teaspoons of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt. In a separate bowl, combine your wet ingredients: three tablespoons of honey or sorghum, one cup of buttermilk, two eggs, and a fourth cup of oil. Whisk your wet ingredients together then pour into your dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. Dice one jalapeno (seeds removed) and fold into your batter. If you want to add any shredded cheese or gouda chunks, fold that into your batter too. Slice two more jalapenos into rounds to top on your muffins. Start spooning your batter into your muffin tin and top each one with a round jalapeno slice. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
At markets now you’ll also find collards, beets, carrots, apples, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, okra, beans, eggplant, microgreens, many types of fresh herbs, the first fall lettuces and broccoli, and more. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. Find fresh flowers to brighten your homes or a loved one’s day, too. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
|
|
|
ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
|
|
|
|
|
Each year Stepp's Hillcrest Orchard in Henderson County unveils its five-acre corn maze alongside other fall agritourism offerings, including u-pick apples, pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and more. This year, a portion of the proceeds will benefit ASAP's Appalachian Grown Farmer Resiliency Fund.
The corn maze will be open daily throughout the fall season (9 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays, and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday). Find out more at steppapples.com.
|
|
Finest Deli is now open on Haywood Road in West Asheville! Starting as a pop-up at Buncombe farmers markets, Finest continues their local ingredient sourcing at their new brick and mortar.
Read more about their opening from Mountain Xpress.
|
|
|
|
|
