December 9-15, 2011

In the box:

Apples - x
Arugula - F,
Red Express Cabbage - x
Carrots - x
Romanesco cauliflower - x
Fennel - x
Leeks - wherever onions are called for
Parsnips - x
Radicchio - x
Crushed Dry-farmed Tomatoes (jar will be inside your box) - pantry

In the house:

Cabbage - x
Beets - x

Grocery List:
Garlic
Bananas
Talapia
shallots
sour cream

Menu:
Friday: Spaghetti with minced arugula in the sauce
Saturday: Mexican
Sunday: Something easy from the fridge/freezer

Monday: Fish and Shredded Cabbage/Radicchio Tacos
Tuesday: Romanesco Cauliflower and Garlic Pasta
Wednesday: Parsnip and Beet Soup
Thursday: Carrot Raisin Salad and Baked Chicken

Recipes:

Parsnip and Beet Soup with Dill Cream
from "Your Organic Kitchen" by Jesse Cool
Serves 6
Jesse says, "The flavors and appearance of this passionately purple soup are balanced beautifully by the tart creaminess of the sour cream. In my restaurant we serve this soup on Valentine's Day accompanied by heart-shaped biscuits."

6 C vegetable or chicken broth
1 lb. parsnips, cut into small cubes
6 beets, trimmed and scrubbed [sure, use some red and some yellow!]
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 whole cloves
3 whole peppercorns
3 tbsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 C sour cream
1 green onion, finely chopped [leeks instead]
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill [or 2 tsp. dried]

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the parsnips. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the parsnips to a bowl.

Add the beets, shallot, cloves, and peppercorns to the simmering broth. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the beets are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beets to the cutting board, reserving the liquid. When the beets are cool, slip off the skins. Cut into small cubes.

Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large bowl. Return the broth to the pot. Add the parsnips, beets, and sugar. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, green onion, and dill.

Ladle soup into 6 bowls and top each with a dollop of the sour cream mixture.

Apple Fennel Puree for lunch "Applesauce"

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baja_battered_fish.html

From : http://www.vegkitchen.com/kid-friendly-recipes/easy-healthy-recipes/salads-your-kids-just-might-eat/

Classic Carrot-Raisin Salad
Here’s a simple salad that might just be the first your kids will enjoy. A food processor is a must for preparing this salad quickly.

Serves: 4 to 6
8 ounces carrots, peeled (or use baby carrots)
2/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more, to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise or Cashew Cream
Generous pinch of ground cinnamon
[Add some red cabbage too]

Grate the carrots in a food processor, then transfer to a serving bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, and mix together thoroughly.

Let the salad stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then serve.


For later:

http://mytastyhandbook.com/tasty-food-and-drink/spicy-red-lentil-soup-with-magic-potion/

Lovely Lentil Soup

RJ loved this, Lance couldn't taste the beets (which is a good thing for him), and Logan ate it up.  I will have to make this one again. 


LENTIL SOUP with BEETS and COCONUT MILK
Makes 2 to 2 1/2 quarts
This gorgeous fuchsia soup has a delicate flavor. Packed with nutrition, the spices aid digestion.

1 1/2 C French green lentils
5 C broth [i actually ended up using 6, adding more after the lentils plumped up and soaked up a lot of it]
one 4-inch piece of kombu seaweed (optional) [I didn't have this, but threw in a sheet of nori ripped up for fun]
1 small sweet potato or yam or potato, grated [I had a potato]
1 medium beet, grated
1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C minced onions or leeks [i used a leek]
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated [i actually used a big pile of ginger powder instead]
1 tbsp. ground coriander [omitted because my magic bullet (which is my spice grinder) kicked the bucket]
1 tbsp. ground fennel seeds [omitted for the same reason as the coriander]
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. sea salt
3-4 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish [garnish was not necessary]

1. Rinse the lentils and place them in a saucepan with the kombu and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Add the yam, beets, and coconut milk and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the beets and yams are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. While the lentils are cooking, saute the onion and ginger until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the spices and sea salt and cook over low heat, stirring, for 3 more minutes.
4. Add the onion mixture to the lentils and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add sea salt if needed.
5. Garnish the soup with cilantro and serve.

November 19 - 25, 2011

In the box:

Gala apples
Arugula - W
Brussels sprouts - Sa
Beets - Su
Cabbage- M2
Fennel - Su2
Green beans - R/F
Leeks - Su2
Lettuce - T
Onions (Pinnacle Organic Farm) - R/F
Radicchio - M

Groceries:
Turkey (pickup at counter)
Yams
Potatoes
Pumpkin for Pies
Sausage for Stuffing
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
Ricotta Cheese
Eggs
Carrots
smoked mozzarella
garlic
mozzarella

Menu:
Saturday: Chinese Food (day off from cooking!)
Sunday: Lentil Soup with Beets and Coconut Milk
Monday: Radicchio Risotto
Tuesday:  Salad with Chicken
Wednesday: Arugula and Ricotta Calzones
Thursday: THANKSGIVING OFFERING - Dinner at the Reichguts
Friday: THANKSGIVING FOOD - PARTY
Saturday: Leftovers with Steamed Brussels Sprouts
Sunday: Fennel & Leek Soup with Bread
Monday: Cabbage "Sushi" with Leftover mashed potatoes
Tuesday: Random leftovers from the freezer
Wednesday: Random leftovers from the freezer
Thursday: Random leftovers from the freezer

The week after Thanksgiving is leftovers week since we don't get our next share until Dec 1.

Recipes:

LENTIL SOUP with BEETS and COCONUT MILK
Makes 2 to 2 1/2 quarts
This gorgeous fuchsia soup has a delicate flavor. Packed with nutrition, the spices aid digestion.

1 1/2 C French green lentils
5 C broth
one 4-inch piece of kombu seaweed (optional)
1 small sweet potato or yam or potato, grated
1 medium beet, grated
1 can coconut milk
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 C minced onions or leeks
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced or grated
1 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. ground fennel seeds
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. sea salt
3-4 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Rinse the lentils and place them in a saucepan with the kombu and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Add the yam, beets, and coconut milk and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until the beets and yams are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. While the lentils are cooking, saute the onion and ginger until the onion is translucent and tender. Add the spices and sea salt and cook over low heat, stirring, for 3 more minutes.
4. Add the onion mixture to the lentils and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add sea salt if needed.
5. Garnish the soup with cilantro and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Smoky-Radicchio-Risotto-Michu-351292

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Arugula-and-Ricotta-Calzones-233791

FENNEL and LEEK SOUPServes 4-6

2 fennel bulbs
6 C stock (recipe follows)
2 medium leeks, white parts plus 1 inch of the green, chopped
1 small potato, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. olive oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/3 C cream, optional

1. Remove the tough layers of the fennel and use them in the stock, along with the 1 C chopped leek greens and the leek roots. Chop half of the fennel green and reserve.
2. Quarter the fennel bulbs, remove the core if tough, and thinly slice crosswise. Warm the oil in the soup pot and add the onion, fennel, leek, potato and 1 tsp. salt, plus 1 C of the strained stock.
3. Cover and stew over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the remaining stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the fennel is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir in the cream and the reserved fennel greens. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.

SAVORY "MAKI-SUSHI"-STYLE CABBAGE ROLL
Serves 4-6

For the roll:
1 small cabbage
4 large potatoes
3 pats* butter (about 1 tbsp.)
8 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 lb. spinach or other greens of choice
1 large carrot
nutmeg
sea salt
For the sauce:
half a lemon
4 tbsp. olive oil

*[a pat is about a teaspoon of butter sez Rebecca; I'm not capable of using butter in such small amounts, so I'd use a tablespoon per 'pat' myself, but Rebecca and I both agree: either way is fine ;-) - Debbie]

1. Remove the tougher outer leaves from the cabbage, if necessary, then wash and blanch the remaining leaves in boiling water. Drain well and arrange them in layers, forming a rectangle.
2. Boil the potatoes, press them through a potato ricer (or mash them), then put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 pats of butter. Season with salt and reduce the puree over low heat. Add some parmesan, a pinch of fresh grated nutmeg and an egg and stir until well blended.
3. Blanch the spinach or other greens for a few minutes, until tender. Dry out over a gentle heat with the remaining butter.
4. Boil the carrot whole in a little water (or steam) until al-dente but pierce-able with a sharp knife tip, then set aside.
5. Spread the potato puree evenly over the rectangle of cabbage leaves leaving a margin exposed; spread the greens on top of the potatoes, then finish off with the whole carrot. Wrap the cabbage leaves around the filling in the shape of a log roll like you would when making maki-style sushi, then wrap in a sheet of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to become firm.
6. Remove the roll from the refrigerator, remove the plastic, and slice crosswise into 1-inch (or so) thick slices; dress with lemon juice and salt.
7. Sometimes I roast garlic and mash it into the potatoes for extra flavor.

RJ asked for SECONDS!!! Kale, Black-Eyed Pea & Lentil Soup

RJ has been entertaining a greens aversion lately, so imagine my surprise when he not only ate the soup, greens and all, but then after eating his lollipop treat, claimed that he was still hungry and asked for seconds (which I was happy to dole out!).

Kale, Black-eyed Pea & Lentil Soup
from a SF Chron. clipping
serves 6 – 8

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 yellow onions (or equivalent in young onions), chopped [I used leeks because I had them]
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. mild Italian sausage 
1 bunch kale, washed
1 qt. water [I only used a pint - I meant to refill the measuring cup and put in the other pint but I got distracted and forgot, it was a bit more stew-like, which works better with the messy kids anyway]
1 qt. chicken broth
1 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes and juice [I used 6 small fresh tomatoes chopped up because I had them]
2 C black-eyed peas fresh, frozen or canned
1 C lentils
1 lb. waxy potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 tbsp. fresh)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. kosher salt or to taste
Pinch of black pepper
2 tsp. sherry vinegar or to taste

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent. Meanwhile, remove sausage from their casings and brown in a separate skillet over medium heat, breaking into small pieces. [I used pre-cooked Full Circle brand italian chicken sausage, so I just sliced it and tossed it in where it said to below - I didn't have to brown it because it was cooked already] De-stem the kale [my favorite way to do this is to hold the stem in one hand and 'strip' the greens off with the other - Debbie] and chop into bite-sized pieces, discarding stems. Once onions and garlic are sweated, add water, broth, tomatoes and their juice to stockpot. Bring to a simmer. Add sausage, kale, black-eyed peas, lentils, potatoes, thyme and bay leaves. If using canned black-eyed peas, rinse and drain them, but add them about 30 minutes later. Continue to simmer until the kale is tender and the lentils, peas and potatoes are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sherry vinegar. If desired, add a touch of cayenne or Tabasco. [I forgot to add the heat for my bowl, but it was good without it it too]

The newspaper clipping indicated that this soup goes well with Merlot (if you don’t add too much cayenne or Tabasco), and cheese toasts: Split baguette or foccacia in half, brush with olive oil, sprinkle w/grated Gruyere or Parmesan and bake at 375 degrees until cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Devoured Soup: Cauliflower Curry Soup

It's a good thing there was extra of this soup to can since the whole family completely devoured every last drop of their servings!


CURRY CAULIFLOWER SOUP
Serves 6
Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable that's full of cancer-fighting enzymes. Roasting cauliflower avoids the sulfur-smell caused when steaming, and also produces an unbelieveably sweet flavor. [I'll second that! Roasted cauliflower is hands-down more delicious than steamed. - Debbie]

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tbsp. olive oil
sea salt
1 C finely diced yellow onion (use leeks)
2 carrots, diced small
2 potatoes, cubed small
1 C finely diced celery
1 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. coriander ground
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 C broth of choice [I used chicken broth since that's what I had]

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1/4 tsp. of salt, then spread in an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake until the cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.
3. While the cauliflower is roasting, heat he remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, and 1/4 tsp. salt and saute until the vegetables begin to brown, about 12 minutes.
4. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and another pinch of salt and and stir until the spices have coated the vegetables. Pour in 1/2 C of the broth to de-glaze the pan, then cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from the heat.
5. Pour 3 C of the remaining broth into a blender, then add half of the vegetables and roasted cauliflower. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into a soup pot and repeat the process with the remaining 2 1/2 C broth and the remaining vegetables and cauliflower. [I actually didn't repeat the process with the remainder as I wanted to leave some chunks of vegetables - I pureed about 2/3 of it.] For a thinner consistency, add another cup of broth.
6. Gently reheat he soup over low heat. You may want to add a spritz of lemon juice, or additional salt, to taste.

Yum!  I used the pressure canner to can a couple of pints after we finished our fill.

August 28 - September 2

In the box:

Arugula - T
Asian stir-fry mix (tatsoi/mizuna) - M
Carrots - M, Th
Cauliflower - Th
Chard - F
Cilantro - M
Leeks - M, Th, C
French breakfast radishes

Padrone Peppers - W
Sungold cherry tomatoes
Summer squash - M
Dry-farmed tomatoes - T, W, C

In the house:

22 lbs. Dry-farmed tomatoes -T, W, C

Leeks - T, Th, C

Sweet Peppers - W

raspberries

Grocery List:

Potatoes

Celery

bulgur

Ricotta Cheese

Mozzarella Cheese (Fresh and regular)

fruit

milk

flour

Menu:

Sunday: Italian Festa

Monday: Asian Tabbouleh

Tuesday: Arugula Lasagna

Wednesday: Tacos with Fresh Salsa

Thursday: Curry Cauliflower Soup

Friday: Chard Fettucine

Recipes:

Asian Tabbouleh
(for 4 - 6 people)

Combine and cover, allowing to "plump" for about 30 minutes:
1 C bulghur
2 C boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt

Meanwhile, make a dressing/marinade by combining the following:
juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 1/4 C) (or half a lime would work too)
about 1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
a clove or two of garlic, crushed
1 tsp. chinese chili-garlic sauce (or equivalent)
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. olive oil
a few tbsp. minced cilantro

Drain off any soaking water remaining after the bulghur has soaked the 30 minutes, then stir in marinade and as many chopped veggies from the list below as you like. Combine and chill well. Serving suggestion: romaine lettuce leaves (the smaller, inner ones) work great as 'scoops' for eating the tabbouleh with.

Veggie additions:
asian greens (steam-to-wilt, then run under cold water to stop cooking, then drain and chop)
any other greens could be used as above also... spinach, chard, beet greens, kale, kohlrabi greens
diced carrot
diced seasoned tofu (optional)
chopped green onion
diced summer squash

CURRY CAULIFLOWER SOUP
Serves 6
Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable that's full of cancer-fighting enzymes. Roasting cauliflower avoids the sulfur-smell caused when steaming, and also produces an unbelieveably sweet flavor. [I'll second that! Roasted cauliflower is hands-down more delicious than steamed. - Debbie]

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tbsp. olive oil
sea salt
1 C finely diced yellow onion (use leeks)
2 carrots, diced small
2 potatoes, cubed small
1 C finely diced celery
1 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. coriander ground
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 C broth of choice

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the cauliflower with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1/4 tsp. of salt, then spread in an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake until the cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes.
3. While the cauliflower is roasting, heat he remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, and 1/4 tsp. salt and saute until the vegetables begin to brown, about 12 minutes.
4. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and another pinch of salt and and stir until the spices have coated the vegetables. Pour in 1/2 C of the broth to de-glaze the pan, then cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Remove from the heat.
5. Pour 3 C of the remaining broth into a blender, then add half of the vegetables and roasted cauliflower. Blend until smooth, then pour the mixture into a soup pot and repeat the process with the remaining 2 1/2 C broth and the remaining vegetables and cauliflower. For a thinner consistency, add another cup of broth.
6. Gently reheat he soup over low heat. You may want to add a spritz of lemon juice, or additional salt, to taste.

Fettucine with Chard, Raisins, Brown Butter
serves 4

6 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. dried currants
2 tbsp. golden raisins
1 bunch swiss chard, cleaned
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 med. onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic*, finely chopped
1/2 lb. fettucine
1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted
grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in small pan over low heat until rich amber in color (8-10 min). Set aside. Pour 1/4 cup hot water over currants & raisins in small bowl to plump. Trim stems from chard, stack leaves & slice crosswise into 2" ribbons. Set a large pot of salted water on to boil for pasta. In a large pan over med. heat, saute onion in olive oil w/salt, pepper (about 5 min). Add garlic & chard, and saute 4-5 min until chard is just tender. Cook fettucine in boiling water, timing it to finish cooking with the chard. Drain pasta well, and add to chard along with plumped fruit, walnuts and warm brown butter, adding salt & pepper to taste. Toss to mingle ingredients. Serve w/parmesan.

Canning:

Spaghetti Sauce

TOMATO, LEEK, AND ONION SOUP

1/4 C olive oil
2 medium sized onions, diced
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chopped, fresh parsley
1 tsp. minced, fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 C tomatoes, diced
3 C stock of choice
soy sauce to taste
1-2 tsp. honey
chopped fresh parsley
chopped scallion tops

1. in a large skillet, heat the oil and saute the onions, leeks, and garlic until translucent but not brown.
2. Combine the sauteed vegetables, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, tomatoes, and stock in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes are cooked and the flavors are well combined, 20-30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
3. Season with the soy sauce and honey. Garnish with parsley and scallions before serving.


For when we get eggplant:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee/

June 26 - July 1, 2011

In the box:
Basil - T
Broccoli - M
Carrots (Lakeside Organic Gardens) - R
Garlic - R, F
Kale - T
Lettuce - W
Fresh onions - R
Parsley - R, F
Red potatoes - F
Radicchio - F
Salad mix - W, R?
Raspberries - Already gone!
Strawberries - missing from share :(

Left from last week:

fennel bulb - T
cabbage - M
carrots -M
arugula - M
scallions - M

Menu:

Monday - Aromatic Whole Wheat Pasta
Tuesday - Asian Veggie Miso Soup Bowl
Wednesday - Dinner Salad
Thursday - Braised Fennel and Tofu with Kale
Friday - Debbie's Radicchio, Potato and Artichoke Heart Pizza

Grocery List

miso paste
peanuts
tofu
soba noodles
ginger
tumeric
chickpea flour
artichoke hearts
mozzarella
apples

flax seed

For a snack with leftover greens: 

Blend It and Mend It Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch red leaf lettuce
4 Red Delicious apples
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups ice

Recipes

Aromatic Whole Wheat Pasta
serves 4
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 C diced onion
1 C peeled and diced carrots
1 C diced celery
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 C Marsala, red wine, or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
12 oz. whole wheat penne, elbows or shells
1 C finely chopped arugula or Swiss chard
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 C grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add in order, the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until the vegetablse are just tender. Add the Marsala and parsley, cover, lower the heat, and gently simmer. When the water boils, add the pasta, stir, cover the pot, and bring back to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile add the greens to the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, until bright-colored and wilted. Add the salt and pepper, cover, and set aside. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss with the extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon the vegetables over the pasta and serve immediately, passing the grated cheese at the table.

ASIAN VEGETABLE MISO SOUP BOWL
1 C arugula and or spinach leaves
4 tbsp. sliced scallions
1/2 C cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 C broccoli florets (or chopped broccoli)
4 tbsp. carrots, very small dice or finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
1/2 C small cubed tofu
1 C cooked soba noodles, or noodles of choice (optional)
toasted sesame oil, to taste
2-4 tbsp. miso paste (I like the mellow brown rice miso; the darker the miso, the stronger the flavor)
boiling water, about 6 cups

1. Boil the water in a large saucepan
2. Divide the carrots, cabbage, broccoli, arugula-or-spinach, tofu, noodles (if using), among 2 large bowls and mix together in each bowl.
3. Pour the water over the mixture and let it sit for a minute.
4. Divide the miso and add to taste (I like mine strong, so I keep adding until it tastes good to me), Stir in well.
5. Top with the scallions, cilantro, and peanuts and drizzle with the sesame oil, to taste.
6. I like mine spicy-hot, so at this point I add a little Thai chili paste or freshly slice jalapenos!

If you have any other Asian greens, add those in too -- they add a great flavor and boost the nutrition. You can play with the amounts of the ingredients you put in according to your tastes and what you have available. The measurements above are more or less to give you proportions but don't really have to be measured. The miso is always added after the water is off the heat, because you want it to stay "alive". Boiling water kills the active culture in miso that is so important for our digestive tract.

[Additional tip from Debbie: about 1 tbsp. miso per cup of water is a good rule of thumb; you can go more or less from there. Also, pre-dissolving the miso paste in a little water first makes it easier to work with. Scoop a quarter cup or so of the water soaking your veggies into a small separate bowl, dissolve the miso into that, then add it back into the original bowl with the patiently waiting veggies and noodles, etc. Repeat for the other bowl. Mind what Rebecca said about the boiling water - never boil miso! Always add it to already heated (but not boiling) liquid. If you have to re-heat it, same deal: don't boil it!]

BRAISED FENNEL and TOFU with KALE
2 tbsp. organic plain yogurt (can substitute coconut milk)
2 tbsp. plus 1/4 C water
1/2 C raw organic sugar
2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp. ground fennel seeds
1 tbsp. ground coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp. turmeric
1 fennel bulb, cut into small chunks
1 C tofu cubes, approx 1/2-inch cubes) (can substitute cooked chicken or omit entirely)
1/4 C vegetable stock
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 bunch kale or Asian greens or spinach
Sea salt

1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt or coconut milk, 2 tbsp. water, and sugar. Set aside.
2. Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, coriander, and turmeric and saute for 1-2 minutes more. Add the fennel and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tofu or cooked chicken, remaining water, stock, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Add the greens and stir to combine the ingredients. Cover the pan again and continue to cook until the fennel and greens are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the reserved yogurt mixture. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thoroughly heated through, about 5 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter or on individual plates. Season to taste with sea salt.

I love to serve this with the following mint-coconut sauce:

Mint-Coconut Sauce
2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
1 tbsp. chickpea flour (or flour of choice)
2 tbsp. mild curry powder
1 1/2 C coconut milk
3 tbsp. yogurt
10-20 fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Heat the ghee or oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir with a wire whisk to form a paste. Cook for about 2 minutes more.
2. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the coconut milk. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken into a creamy consistency. Remove frot the heat.
3.Whisk in the yogurt and mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Variations: You can use soy milk instead of the yogurt and basil leaves instead of the mint, and can add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

These recipes come from an Ayuvedic cookbook called EAT TASTE and HEAL by Thomas Yarema, MD, Daniel Rhoda, and Chef Johnny Brannigan-a great book, full of luscious recipes and Ayurvedic guidance.

Debbie's Radicchio, Potato and Artichoke Heart Pizza

homemade dough for one pizza** (you could probably use a boboli in a pinch)
tomato sauce (home canned, if you have it!)
1 head radicchio, pan caramelized, with balsamic (see last week's newsletter for "Pan-Browned Radicchio" recipe)
2 medium potatoes, boiled or steamed whole, until just done, then cooled and sliced
Chopped fresh parsley and garlic (say, ¼ C parsley, 3 cloves garlic)
several artichoke hearts (Trader Joe's has 'em frozen in a bag)
Lots of mozarella cheese!

**if you would like the recipe I use to make homemade pizza dough, email me and I'll put it in next week's newsletter and update this recipe in the database.

Preheat your oven to 500 or more degrees, and stick a pizza stone in there if you have one. Haven't tried this, but I imagine a flat, cast-iron griddle would work if you don't have a pizza stone.

Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse cornmeal and flour onto a rimless cookie sheet (or pizza peel), so that your dough does not stick to it. Stretch and shape pizza dough into a big circle (you know, like pizza!) and lay it on top of the cornmeal/flour.

Prepare toppings: chop up the caramelized radicchio, slice the potatoes, chop the parsley and garlic, slice the artichoke hearts into wedges, grate the mozarella.

Spread tomato sauce, then lay on the radicchio, potatoes (I like to sprinkle in a little salt here), parsley-garlic mixture; scatter artichoke hearts on top, then cover all with a generous amount of grated mozarella cheese.

Slide pizza from peel (or cookie sheet) onto hot pizza stone and bake 10 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is brown and bubbly! Yummo!!!

For later date:

When we have both beets and carrots

SUNNY BEET and CARROT BURGERS
These burgers are a colorful surprise! Use your food processor to grate and mince the vegetables and the burgers will be quick and easy to make. You can frezze these individually. If you want to make them without cheese, add an additional tbsp. of flour and a bit more beaten egg.

2 C grated beets (about 3/4 lb.)
2 C grated carrots (about 1/2 lb.)
1 C cooked brown rice, or cooked grain of choice
1 C cheddar cheese (optional)
1 C sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 C sesame seeds
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 C grated onion
1/4 C olive oil
3 tbsp. flour of choice
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine evenly.
3. Form the mixture into patties using a packed half-cup of mixture for each. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake the burgers for 25-30 minutes or until firm ant the vegetables are cooked through.
5. Serve on a sprouted whole grain bun with your choice of condiments. Top it with a generous helping of the salad mix!

Try making some baked potato "fries" to accompany these great burgers. All I do is cut the potatoes into half-inch wedges, toss in a bowl with some olive oil to coat and -- now her is where it gets good -- I sprinkle the coated potato wedges with Panko bread crumbs to coat, and add a sprinkle of garlic granules mixed with sea salt and fresh pepper. Place prepared potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven (about 400 degrees) until golden, at least 20 minutes. I keep checking them; I like mine super crispy! When they come out of the oven, you can sprinkle them with some freshly-chopped parsley for flavor and color.

May 14 - 20, 2011

From the CSA:

Broccolini - x

Carrots - x
Cauliflower - x
Fava beans - x
Green garlic - x
Kale (Red Russian or Lacinato) x
Lettuce (romaine or bibb) x
Bunching onions (scallions) x
Fresh "green" onions (red or yellow) x
Oyster mushrooms - x
Sugar snap peas - x
Watercress - x

Menu:

Saturday - Salad with Lettuce, Sugar Snap Peas, beans, Scallions, sunflower seeds, etc.

Sunday - Split pea Soup with Ham from freezer & Bread

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Easy-Split-Pea-Soup-1919

Monday - Crock pot Cauliflower Chili

Tuesday - Broccoli Pasta with Garlic-Lemon Breadcrumbs

Wednesday -

Snack - Fava Bean hummus with veggies/pita

Lunch - Watercress Egg Salad Sandwiches, sugar snap peas

Dinner - Meat Curry with Kale

Thursday - Baked Salmon in Green Garlic Puree

Friday - Scallion Pancakes with carrots and chicken

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/appetizer-starter-recipes/Scallion-Pancakes

All recipes below from Live Earth Farm website

Crock Pot Cheesy White Cauliflower Chili
Another recipe submission by member Lauren Thompson, who says, “I don't know if we are going to be getting any more cauliflower, but I hope so, because I want to make this again. This is a nice recipe for using up a whole head of cauliflower in one go. It's also the first crock pot recipe that I've made that people finished up the whole crock over the course of a day, which is saying a lot for our small family. I wouldn't call this gourmet, more homey, but it is solidly good eats. A nice filing meal made in crock pot that uses fresh ingredients instead of ‘cream of x’ soup!”

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
1 can (14 to 19 oz) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 C dried white kidney beans, cooked and drained
3 C vegetable stock
3 C cauliflower florets, cooked for 4 minutes in salted boiling water and drained
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
2 C shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and softened
1 can chopped mild green chilies
finely chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)
finely chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, chili powder, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Add beans and stock and stir to combine.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until hot and bubbling.

3. Stir in cauliflower, jalapeno pepper, green pepper, Monterey jack cheese, and cream cheese and chilies, if using. Cover and cook on high for 25 to 30 minutes, until the green peppers are softened and cauliflower is heated through. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired with chopped green onions and cilantro.

If you prefer thicker chili, mash some or all of the beans or puree in a food processor before adding to the recipe.


Debbie's Broccoli Pasta with garlic-lemon breadcrumbs, Bon-Appetit-style

What you'll use from the box:
Broccolini
Green garlic
Carrot (optional)
Oyster mushrooms (optional)

Also you'll want:
Meyer lemon (zest, and juice)
Olive oil
Butter
Sea salt
Pasta of some sort (Fettucini, Linguine, Capellini, Spaghetti; any would be fine)
Fresh Parmesan or Romano, or similar hard-grating cheese
Bread crumbs (see below for how to make your own)
Fresh parsley (optional, for breadcrumbs)

to make the garlic-lemon breadcrumbs
To make breadcrumbs, tear fresh or day-old (but not dried out) bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor. Finely mince up about 1 to 2 tbsp. of green garlic. Cut zest from lemon (i.e. the yellow part of the skin only) and finely mince up 1 to 2 tsp. Mince up some optional parsley. In a small skillet or saucepan, melt some butter and olive oil together (don't skimp!). Add garlic and lemon zest and simmer a moment or two, then add breadcrumbs and toss/stir to mix with the fat/garlic/zest, then cook until they begin to crisp and brown, stirring in optional parsley near the end. Remove from heat and set aside.

to make the pasta
Cut broccolini into small floret tidbits (i.e. quarter the florets if they are bigger, leave 'em whole if they are small, and cut stalks into inch-ish or smaller segments if they are long). Slice up all the white and light-to-medium green of a large green garlic stalk (use two if small). Be sure to check for dirt between the leaves, just like you would with leeks.

Optional carrots: if you want to add color, scrub or peel a carrot, slice it lengthwise, then crosswise on the diagonal into thin half-moons. (You can leave it out and this will be just fine.)

Optional mushrooms: chop some into tidbits. (Ditto)

Bring well-salted water to a boil; cook pasta about 2 minutes less than package directions. Scoop out a cupful of the cloudy, starchy pasta water and save before draining pasta.

While pasta is cooking, start sauteeing the green garlic in olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat (make sure this pan is big enough to hold all the ingredients, including the pasta). Add broccolini (and mushrooms and/or carrots, if using), sprinkle with a little additional salt (optional) and continue to saute for a few minutes, adding pasta water in splashes and maybe covering for a minute or two so the steam from the water hitting the pan will begin to cook the vegetables.



Drain the pasta, transfer it to the pan with the veggies, and toss everything together with tongs, adding more of the reserved pasta water and juice from half a Meyer lemon. Keep cooking, tossing, etc. until the pasta is al dente and veggies are just barely tender, and everything has that light, unctuous coating formed by the emulsification of the olive oil and starchy pasta water. Remove from heat, grate in a generous amount of cheese and toss some more to incorporate (it will melt quickly and become part of the sauce). Plate the pasta and top with garlicy-lemon bread crumbs.



Hummus from Fresh Fava Beans
Debbie's version

I am modifying my favorite hummus recipe from Jane Brody's Good Food Book. What I've always loved about this version of hummus is that the onion and garlic are sauteed first, making them sweet instead of sharp. This will be a gorgeous emerald green color!

1 large onion, minced (perfect use of the big fresh onions we're getting!)
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (substitute 1 stalk green garlic, white and light green parts)
oil for sauteeing
2 C cooked and peeled fresh fava beans (or if you don't have enough favas to make 2 cups, substitute garbanzo beans for some portion)
juice from 1 lemon (about 1/2 C)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 C tahini
additional flavorful olive oil (optional)

Saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent and soft. In a blender or food processor, puree the favas with the onion and garlic, lemon juice, soy, and tahini. Add a couple blorps of flavorful olive oil at the end to incorporate, or serve with flavorful olive oil drizzled on top. Use as a veggie dip, or with pita, or however you like to use hummus!

Watercress Egg- salad sandwich spread

Ingredients

The main ingredients are ½ cup watercress, chopped finely and 2 hardboiled eggs. The other ingredients are:

2 Tbsp chives or minced onion

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Salt and pepperPreparation

1)The hardboiled eggs are mashed with a fork and mixed with watercress and chives.

2)Moisten with mayonnaise then season gently with salt and pepper.

Optional: One can add a teaspoon of horseradish to make this spread extra wonderful

Jiten's standard meat curry using fresh ingredients
from member Alicia Woodrow, who says, “as new members, your veggies exceed expectations. My husband Jitendra (Jiten for short) is from Maharashtra, India. We used the fresh garlic and fresh onions in a standard curry recipe where we usually use the mature versions. This was sooooo good. It was spectacular. This was not a restaurant curry where they cook the bejeepers out of the veggies in a quart of oil and throw in a handful of garam masala. This is more of a home-style recipe where you can taste the ingredients. Here is that recipe, with quantities adjusted for fresh garlic and onions from the farm.”

Ingredients:
whole spices and oil
¼ C oil
2 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods (black cardamom is very good, but regular pale cardamom is good too)

wet ingredients
1 C of LEF fresh garlic, chopped. Use white and green, or all green. Don't use the top part of the leaf that has sand under it (Or 3 tbsp. chopped up regular dry/cured garlic) [note from Debbie: the green garlic is getting pretty mature now; the cloves are fairly fully formed. The garlic is still less strong-flavored than regular dry-cured garlic, so you could easily use one to two heads worth of peeled cloves in this recipe, I think]
3 C fresh onions, chopped
3 - 4 tbsp. ginger, finely chopped

powdered spices
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 ½ tsp. powdered chilies

final ingredients
28 oz. can of (organic) tomatoes
2 ½ lbs. meat, cut up for curry
3 C water

Directions:
1. Fry the whole spices gently in the oil until they puff up slightly.

2. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Fry gently until they are very soft, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Add small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning.

3. Add the powdered spices and fry for two minutes more.

4. Increase heat to high, and add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are hot.

5. Add the meat, get it hot also, then fry it for 6 minutes.

6. Boil the 3 C of water separately, then add it to the curry. Simmer everything very gently until the meat is cooked.

Notes:

A. This can be made with no meat. Just pour over hard-boiled egg halves for egg curry.
B. Good choices for meat are organic chicken thighs, whole organic chicken, skinned and "cut for curry,” lamb pieces without fat, beef pieces. [note from Debbie: even better than 'organic' try to get your meat from pasture-raised animals. Read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan and you'll know why I say this.]

C. If desired, if using the lamb or beef, after frying the spices you can brown the meat in the oil. Set the meat aside until time to add to the curry in step 5 and cook as directed.

D. Serve with rice or naan or bread.



Baked Salmon in green garlic puree
created by member Lisa Bautista!

Lisa says, “I took a (smaller) stalk of green garlic and cut it into 1" pieces, half a preserved lemon* (I didn't rinse it off because I wanted the salt) and about 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. I blended it all with enough olive oil to make a paste. I placed a salmon fillet on a piece of foil, slathered it with the green garlic goo, wrapped it up and baked until done. Yummy!

*If share members don't have preserved lemons, they could use the juice and pulp from a lemon with about 1/2 tsp. of salt as a substitution.”

Future -

Penne with Oyster Mushrooms in Garlic and Lemon Cream Sauce
serves 4 to 6
[it's an old typed card from my recipe file; source was a caterer I assisted in preparing a big fundraising meal for a nonprofit decades ago. I've forgotten the caterer's name, alas.]

8 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 lbs. fresh oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, tops wiped clean as needed [obviously you'll need to either scale down the recipe, or be satisfied with less mushrooms in the overall recipe, which would not be the end of the world]
4 tbsp. minced or pressed garlic
3 C heavy cream [don't use ultra-pasteurized! Yuck!]
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 C tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced [I just use canned chopped tomatoes when fresh tomatoes are out of season]
1 lb. penne rigate
¾ C grated asiago cheese

Greens-n-Beans

a bunch of greens (whatever you have on hand: kale, chard, dandelion, beet), cleaned and coarsely chopped
2 heads of green garlic, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1/3 C sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in a little water and then chopped
1 1/2 C cooked fava beans (see last week’s newsletter), or a can of small white beans
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
Salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to taste

Sauté the garlic in oil until soft. Add greens and stir-fry until just wilted. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid) and simmer until the greens are cooked. Add beans, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and salt/pepper. Simmer a minute or two to warm up the beans and meld the flavors. Serve in bowls with some cheese sprinkled on top.