October 15-20

In the box:

Gala apples
Beets - R
Red Russian kale - T
Green beans
Leeks - T
Lettuce - Su
Chard - R
Sweet peppers & Hot Peppers
Summer squash - M
Dry-farmed tomatoes

In the house:

Basil - Su
Napa cabbage - W
Hot peppers (Hungarian yellow/red; Padrons) - Su, W
Yellow Finn potatoes - T
Sweet peppers - Su
Summer squash - M
Dry-farmed tomatoes - Su, M, T

Menu:

Sunday: Fresh tomato pizza with salad

Monday: Squash Spaghetti, make bread

Tuesday: Black Eyed Pea and Lentil Soup

Wednesday: Cabbage and chicken burritos

Thursday: Roasted Red Pepper Chili with Green Beans

Co-op: Pumpkin Zucchini Bread (Snack), Beet & Chard Waffles with Apples and smoothies.

Other cooking tasks: Throw leftover veggies in stock pot to make veggie broth, skin and puree the rest of the tomatoes to can, roast all peppers and freeze leftovers.

Groceries:

Italian Sausage
mozzarella
tortillas
nutritional yeast
organic black eyed peas (if they have them)

Recipes:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/summersquash/r/Summer-Squash-Pasta-Recipe.htm

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
4 garlic cloves, minced (or equivalent in green garlic)
1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1 bunch kale, washed
1 qt. water
1 qt. chicken broth
1 14.5 oz. can chopped tomatoes and juice
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. 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.

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.

Janet’s Sautéed Cabbage Burritos
from member Portia Halbert, who says, “I was reading your cabbage section [from the last newsletter] and thought I'd send along the recipe I use for almost all of the cabbage I get from you. It's from ‘The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook.’ I know this recipe by heart, and it can be made in about 15 minutes; it's always surprising how good cabbage can be.”

1 onion chopped
4 tbsp. oil
One head of cabbage cut into eighths, then sliced crosswise
2 tbsp. soy sauce or Braggs [a kind of soy sauce]
½ tsp. vinegar (I use white wine vinegar, but any other vinegar will work)
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1-2 tbs. Sriracha depending on how spicy you like it - this is my addition and I think it's essential. [Sriracha is a Thai hot sauce made from chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. I had to look it up because I hadn’t heard of it before! - Debbie]
2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. additional oil (optional)

In large pot, sauté onion in oil until transparent. Add remaining ingredients and cook until cabbage is soft and golden. Wrap in warm tortilla and enjoy.

Debbie’s Ground Beef and Roasted Farm Peppers Chili
Onion, chopped (medium sized, or half a big one)
Ground beef (I used a 1lb. pkg. of my Morris Grassfed Beef)
Salt
Garlic, minced or crushed (as much as you like!)
Some ground cumin
Some ground red chili pepper
Half a dozen or more peeled farm tomatoes, chopped [dont’ know how to peel a tomato? See end of recipe]
A can of cooked pinto beans (or cook your own)
A bunch of chopped up roasted peppers [see above for how to roast them, if you’re jumping to this recipe from the database]
A generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Pat ground beef dry, break apart with your hands a bit, sprinkle with salt and set aside. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in some olive oil, until starting to brown. Crumble ground beef over this and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is also starting to brown (this way you kinda continue to caramelize the onions while the beef is cooking). Add garlic, stir and cook another minute or so. Sprinkle on some cumin (maybe ¼ tsp), and chili powder (less if you just want that ‘chili’ flavor, more if you like more heat). Add chopped peeled tomatoes and any accumulated juice and cook awhile (covered, if you like) until the tomatoes start to disintegrate. Add the can of pinto beans, bean liquor and all (i.e. the liquid in the can). Add the chopped roasted peppers. Cook and stir until heated through and bubbling. Turn off the heat and add the optional chopped cilantro at this point. Serve with a bunch of corn tortilla chips, which can be used to scoop and eat the chili with! This also would freeze well for later use.

October 1 - 6

In the box:

Gala apples - M, Lunches
Arugula - T
Napa cabbage - M
Carrots - Sa
Green beans - Su
Red Russian kale - W
Leeks - M
Lettuce - Sa
Purslane - Su
Sweet peppers - Sa, M, T
Summer squash - W
Dry-farmed tomatoes - Sa, T, W, Th

In the house:

Pac Choi - Su
dill - Su

Grocery List:
Garbanzo beans

feta
caraway seeds
orzo
shrimp

Menu:
Saturday: Meat and Salad and Bread
Sunday: Potato Salad, Green Beans,
Monday: Bread and Sweet and Sour Beef Cabbage Soup
Tuesday: Greek Orzo Stuffed Sweet Peppers
Wednesday: Squash Pasta
Thursday: Roasted Prawns with Romesco Sauce

Recipes:

Debbie's Potato Salad with Mei Qing Choi, Purslane and Dill
This is a variation on the salad I made last week, and I'm including it just to show you how easy it is to play with and modify recipes to suit the ingredients you have (I know we're not getting the choi, purslane or dill this week, but again, if you're like me, sometimes your veggies last more than one week. We ARE getting celery, cucumbers and basil though, so see below how you could change the recipe to use these instead). I highlighted the differences in purple.

4 medium-sized potatoes (red or yellow, doesn't matter)
4 stems of mei qing choi, with leaves
Several stems of purslane
2-3 tbsp. finely minced fresh dill fronds
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed and/or finely minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 tbsp. olive oil
finely diced red onion (optional)
kalamata olives
feta cheese

Put washed whole potatoes, with skins, in a pot; cover with cold water, add some salt, bring to a boil, then turn down heat to medium and cover/boil 15 - 18 minutes or so, until they pierce easily with a sharp knife.

While potatoes are boiling, wash any dirt away from choi leaves, and chop into small dice (like you would celery for tuna salad, say). Chop up the darker green leaves too.Pinch off purslane leaf clusters and/or chop coarsely, until you have a small pile - maybe a cupful or more, and mince your dill (or basil).

Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, sugar, oil and dill and whisk together.

Drain potatoes when done (save the water for soup-stock making, along with that bag of veggie trimmings in your freezer I told you about earlier), and when cool enough to handle (but still warm!), slice as carefully as you can (to keep the skins intact; do the best you can - sometimes it works better than others but don't worry about it, it still tastes good!), and then dice the slices. Toss warm* diced potatoes into a bowl with choi, purslane, optional red onion and olives. Crumble in some feta cheese. Re-whisk the dressing and pour over the warm potatoes and veggies. Stir well to mix, then refrigerate until completely cooled.

*the dressing seems to be absorbed better when the potatoes are warm.

SWEET and SOUR BEEF CABBAGE SOUP
Serves 6
This wholesome sweet and sour soup combines beef, caraway seeds, sweet paprika and cabbage - ingredients that star in a number of German dishes. It is particularly nice with a crusty rye bread. For an even heartier soup add potatoes along with the cabbage. I am not a meat eater, but this is a comforting, delicious soup on a cold evening; the flavors are amazing! Remember to use only organic, grass-fed meat!

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. organic, grass-fed ground beef
1 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 1/2 C sweet peppers and onions, chopped
1 medium apple, diced
6 C broth
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. sweet paprika
3 C coarsely chopped Napa cabbage
1-2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat ( any large pot will work). Add beef, caraway seeds, and thyme and cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a spoon, until mostly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onion-pepper mix and apple; cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes more.


2. Stir in the broth, honey, tomatoes, and paprika and adjust the heat so the mixture gently boils. Cook for about 8-10 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in the cabbage and cook until barely tender, 3-4 minutes more. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste.

GREEK ORZO STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS
Serves 4
This basic recipe will work with just about any filling. Try substituting different types of cheese, herbs, or beans.

4 sweet peppers
1/2 C whole-wheat orzo
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 mediums onion, chopped
6 ounces arugula, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried
3/4 C crumbled feta cheese
1/4 C oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (or 1/2 C fresh tomatoes), chopped
1 tbsp. red-wine or sherry vinegar
1/4 tsp. sea salt

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Halve the peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and the white membranous veins. Place peppers cut-side down in in a large baking pan and roast for about 7 minutes, or until just barely soft (you want the peppers to still be firm, but somewhat pliable). Let cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, about 8-10 minutes, or according to package. Drain and rinse with cold water
4. Mash the garbanzos into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the arugula and oregano and cook until the arugula is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas (garbanzos), 1/2 C of the feta cheese, the tomatoes, vinegar, and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the peppers and sprinkle each with the remaining feta cheese.

Stephanie's Secret Squash Creamy Pasta Sauce

Puree 2 zucchini [or any other summer squash] and half an onion to a slightly runny paste-like consistency.

Sautee the other half of the onion, finely diced, with 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic in 2 tbsp. of butter until garlic is brown and onions are translucent. If you like, add a handful of coarsely chopped basil.

Add a couple of handfuls of small fresh mushrooms, whole - you can also add some coarsely chopped peppers, squash, kale, etc. [all of which we have this week!]. Stir in the zucchini-onion puree and let it come to a simmer.

Sprinkle in red pepper (to taste-depending on how hot you like it).

Add 2 cups of whole milk, stir to mix and let come back to a simmer.

In a small cup, pour 1/4 cup of milk and add 2-3 tbsp. of cornstarch. Mix well. Gradually stir this into the simmering sauce by pouring from the cup while straining out any lumps with a fork.

After sauce thickens, add your favorite cooked pasta and toss. Sprinkle the top with chopped tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/oven-roasted-prawns-with-romesco-sauce-recipe/index.html

September 23 - 29

In the box:

Gala apples
Basil - Sa, W
Napa cabbage - M
Carrots - Sa
Green beans
Red Russian kale - W
Lettuce - Sa
Pac choi - T
Sweet peppers - Sa, canning
tomatillos - Sa
potatoes - Sa
Summer squash + - R
Dry-farmed tomatoes +

In the house:
Dill - R
peppers - T
padrone peppers
heirloom tomatoes - Sa

Grocery List:

Bleu Cheese
Bacon
Chinese Egg Noodles
Garlic
Shallots
Kuzu or Arrowroot
Shitake Mushrooms
Organic Shortening
Organic Cream
Wine
Limes
Cocoa

Menu

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday:
Bruchetta
Salad (lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, carrots)
Scalloped Potatoes with Tomatillo Sauce
Smoked Meat
Birthday Cake and Ice Cream

Sunday: Leftovers from Saturday, canning peppers, drying tomatoes
Monday: Warm Napa Cabbage with Bacon and Bleu Cheese, Dilled Salmon
Tuesday: Noodle Soup
Wednesday: Fusilli with Basil and Kale
Thursday: Stuffed Tex-Mex Squash
       Co-op: Apple, Carrot, Peanut Butter Waffles, Cheddar Dill Scones, Steamed Green Beans

Recipes

Warm Napa Cabbage with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Apple
from Franklin Cafe, in Boston (adapted for farm goodies)
serves 4

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
5 thick applewood-smoked bacon slices (about 5 oz.), chopped
One 1 ½ lb. head of Napa cabbage, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 12 C)
One 8-oz. head of radicchio
1 large tart apple (or a couple small farm ones), peeled, coarsely grated
1 C (4 oz.) crumbled Maytag blue cheese [I like Cowgirl Creamery blue cheese - it's more local!]
Thinly sliced fresh sage leaves

Whisk Dijon mustard and vinegar in small bowl for dressing. Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Add Napa cabbage and radicchio [or collards or kale], stir until wilted, about 1 minute [yeah, I know I said above not to stir-fry collards, but this is a little different... here, you're just wilting it, and you want that 'bitter' flavor in this case, like that which you'd get from radicchio]. Transfer cabbage mixture to large bowl. Add mustard dressing, apple, and cheese to bowl and toss. Sprinkle with thinly sliced sage and serve.

Mei Qing Noodle Soup
from the website for Abundant Harvest Organics, a CSA in Central California
Serves 2-3 (May be doubled)

1 qt. chicken or veggie stock
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sherry
6 dried wood ear or shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3-1/2 lb. Chinese egg noodles
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 C cooked chicken
1 Mei Qing Choi, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, julienned [use the sweet yellow Hungarian peppers]

Combine stock, soy sauce sherry, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and onions in a large saucepan. Season to taste with salt and pepper [if you use packaged stock, check saltiness before adding more; you might not need more, since you're already adding soy sauce]. Simmer for 25 minutes. Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add noodles, cook until just barely tender, drain. Toss noodles with sesame oil and keep warm. Add chicken, mei qing, and sweet pepper to broth. Simmer another 6-8 minutes. Place a nest of noodles in each bowl, ladle broth and vegetables over nest and serve hot. Chinese chili paste may be served on the side as a condiment. 

FUSILLI with BASIL AND KALE
Serves 4
This fun-shaped pasta with long spiraling curls makes a festive dish. Dotted with vegetables and tossed in garlicky sauce, Roman-style, this recipe is a real attention-grabber.

1 lb. fusilli
2 tsp. olive oil
7-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-4 shallots, minced
sea salt
1/2 C sun-dried tomatoes
1 C vegetable stock
1 bunch kale, finely diced
2 tsp. kuzu or arrowroot, dissolved in 1 tbsp. cold water
12-18 basil leaves, minced

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add the fusilli. Cook until just tender to the bite, about 8-10 minutes.
2. While the fusilli is cooking, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the shallots, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring until the shallots are translucent. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and season lightly with salt. Add the stock and simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Add the kale and coolk until the kale is wilted and turns a deep green, about 8 minutes. Stir in the thickener until a thin sauce forms, about 3 minutes.
4. Drain the fusilli, do not rinse. Add the fusilli and sauce to the pasta cooking pot and stir until the fusilli is well-coated with the sauce. Gently fold in the basil. Transfer to a pasta bowl and serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves.

September 16-22

In the box:

Gala apples - lunches Asian stir-fry mix - R Dill - M Green beans - T Red Russian kale - W Leeks - M, T Lettuce - Sa Padron peppers - R Sweet peppers - Sa, T Radishes Spinach - T Dry-farmed tomatoes (3 lbs!) - M, T

In the house:
potatoes - T
leeks - M, T
carrots - Sa
summer squash - Su
scallions - R
heirloom tomatoes - Sa

Menu:
Friday: Baked Fish with Dill, Green Beans, Rice
Saturday: Steak Salad
Sunday: Raita and Dhal
Monday: Tomato Soup with Cheese Dill Scones
Tuesday: Rasedar, Saag Gosht, Naan
Wednesday: Pasta with Greens and Feta
Thursday: Veggie Broth
Thursday Dinner: Steamed Asian Greens with Eggrolls and scallion pancakes

Other cooking tasks:
Make vegetable broth with leftover veggies to freeze or can.

Groceries:
Lamb shoulder or leg
ginger
feta
sesame oil
mangos

Recipes:

Deb's quick zucchini 'raita' or tsatziki

zucchini
red onion (white or yellow will do too)
plain yogurt
seasoned rice vinegar
salt

Grate a medium zucchini into a bowl. Coarsely grate in about a tbsp. of fresh onion. Splash in a little rice vinegar, and stir in a heaping spoonful or two of plain yogurt and a pinch of salt. Serve in small bowls rather than on plates as it is a touch soupy. But it tastes good! Serve it nice and cold.

Indian Dhal with Pita (the essential vegetarian cookbook, p. 141)

Cheddar and Dill Scones http://simplyhealthyfam.blogspot.com/2011/04/mini-cheddar-dill-saffron-scones-and.html

Potage aux tomates
from Denise Lapierre

"My sister, member Nicole Pullman, insisted that I send in this recipe of mine. I've been picking up her share every week for her, and with the recent bounty of beautiful tomatoes, thought other shareholders might like to try this recipe for tomato soup."

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
5 tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
4 tbsp. flour
4 C soy milk
4 C chopped tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
few tbsp. chopped thyme (optional)

Sauté onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, then sprinkle the flour over the mixture, stir in, and let that cook for a couple of minutes. Add soy milk and let cook a few minutes more, until it thickens a little. Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and sugar, and optional thyme. Let that cook until the tomatoes are well done, then put mixture in a blender and puree, and voila! A succulent "potage aux tomates."

Rasedar (Savoring India p. 95)

Saag Gosht (Savoring India p. 113)

Pasta with Greens and Feta

6 tbsp. olive oil
4 C chopped onion
7-8 cups (packed) bitter greens (kale, chard, spinach or any combination thereof), coarsely chopped
3/4 - 1 lb. pasta (penne, shells)
1/2 - 3/4 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
pepper, salt and parmesan cheese to taste

Steamed Asian Greens with Sweet and Spicy Sesame Dressing
1 - 2 lbs. combination of Asian greens (can include bok choy, and while broccolini is not an Asian green, it would be delicious included here too, as would the cabbage)
3 tbsp. tamari or Bragg's Amino Acid
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. honey or raw agave nectar
1-2 tsp. dark sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or mashed
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, finely chopped (if you can find Thai chilis or any of the other hot red peppers, they add a nice bit of color as well as heat)
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Steam the greens for about 5 minutes or until they are tender. In a small bowl, combine the other ingredients. Combine the greens with the dressing, and toss well. Garnish with additional sesame seeds. Serve right away or this is delicious chilled as well.

Some people find the taste of mizuna similar to arugula, so here is a recipe where you could easily use one or the other.

Sept 8 - 15

In the box:

Gala apples - lunches
Asian stir-fry mix - T
Carrots - T
Chard - W
Green beans - T, R
Lettuce - Su
Radishes
Summer squash - M
Sweet peppers -
Heirloom tomatoes - Su
Dry-farmed tomatoes (lots!) - canning

In the house:

Beets - R
Leeks
Peppers
scallions - W
heirloom tomatoes
Tomatoes - M, canning

Dinners:

Sunday: Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

Monday: Enchilada Pie, Steamed Summer Squash

Tuesday: Stir Fry

Wednesday: Chard and Feta Pie with Heirloom tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

Thursday: Beet Gnocchi with steamed green beans

Recipes:

Chard and Feta Pie
from "Your Organic Kitchen" by Jesse Cool

2 C shredded potatoes (I used more!)
2 green onions, minced (I chopped up the light green stalk of the fresh onions)
3/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs (I only used 4)
1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches green or red chard or spinach, coarsely chopped (I used mixed mustards and beet greens, but would also easily substitute kale or other dark-leafys)
1 1/2 C (8 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1 C milk (I used much less)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (I didn't have fresh and so used dried; you could've used the marjoram we got last week!)
1/2 C toasted bread crumbs (I toasted 'em in a toaster oven -- worked fine!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9" deep-dish pie plate (I just used a regular glass 10" pie-plate). Place potatoes and green onions in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Drain for 5 minutes, gently squeezing out any excess liquid. Place in a medium bowl and add 1 of the eggs, the flour, and pepper. Stir until well blended. Press into the prepared pie plate to form a crust. Brush with 1 tbsp. of the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and chard or spinach (or other greens) and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the greens have wilted. Remove from heat, drain off excess liquid, and cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 5 (or in my case, 3) eggs, 1 C of the cheese, the milk, oregano, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and greens mixture. Pour into the baked crust. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 C cheese. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Beet Gnocchi with Rosemary
[that’s pronounced “NYO-kee”]
from another Bon Appetit clipping; serves 8 as a first course; 4 as a main course

3 small beets, trimmed
1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg
¾ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ C flour, divided
½ C (one stick) unsalted butter
8 3-inch long fresh rosemary sprigs
Additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. [Note from Debbie: because we tend to keep our beets in the fridge, this adds to their baking time. If you think of it, take ‘em out so they can come to room temperature first. They may cook a little quicker. Of course I always forget to do this, but I thought if I wrote it down I might remember!] [Beets are done when they pierce easily with the tip of a sharp knife.]

Allow beets to cool enough to handle, then slip off skins; discard [compost] skins.

Coarsely grate beets. Place ¾ C grated beets in large bowl (reserving any remaining beets for another use [i.e. in one of those ‘beet sandwiches’ from last week!]. Stir in ricotta, egg, and ¾ C parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in 1 C of the flour.

Lightly dust baking sheet with flour. Place remaining ½ C flour in a small bowl. Using a tablespoon measure as an aid, scoop dough into rounds; transfer to bowl with flour. Coat rounds with flour, then roll each into little oblong footballs in the palms of your hands. Hold each gnocchi in the palm of one hand and gently press centers with fingertips to make slight indentations [the better to hold sauce or butter with!!]. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet.

Melt butter with rosemary sprigs in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Working in batches, cook gnocchi in a large pot of simmering salted water until gnocchi float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook 1 ½ minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with butter and rosemary. Heat butter and gnocchi over medium heat, stirring gently to coat. Transfer to plate; sprinkle generously with additional Parmesan cheese and serve.

September 3 - 9, 2011

In the box:

Basil - R
Beets - Su
Chard - T
Fennel - M
Leeks - Su, M
Potatoes (Yellow Finn) - Su, M
Radicchio - Sa
Scallions - T, R
Spinach - Sa
Sweet peppers - T
Dry-farmed tomatoes (lots!)- M, W,
Strawberries

In the house:
potatoes
leeks - Su, M
tomatoes - M, W
carrots - M
sweet peppers - Sa, M, T
padrone peppers - M
celery - M
cilantro - M

Menu:
Saturday - Casa McCauley's
Sunday - Ethiopian Beet-Potato Salad with Lemon, lemon baked chicken
Monday- Gazpacho, Potato and Fennel Bake, Smoked Meat?
Tuesday - Chard and Pepper Frittata
Wednesday - Alfredo with Tomatoes
Thursday Co-op - Truffles as a project, Sweet pepper, cottage cheese "boats", Savory Waffles
Thursday Dinner -leftovers

Groceries:
Cucumbers (3)
feta
red onion

Recipes:

Ethiopian Beet-Potato Salad with Lemon
from Meskerem Restaurant, Wash. D.C.
serves 4

1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 C fresh lemon juice (1 med. lemon)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, minced
1 lb. beets (appx. four 2" diameter),
tops & roots trimmed, gently washed
1 lb. potatoes (match beet volume),
scrubbed, skins left on

Combine onion, lemon juice, jalapeno & oil in a large bowl. Set aside. Cook potatoes & beets in separate large pans of boiling salted water until just tender: about 30 min. for the potatoes, 45 min. for the beets. Drain. Cool slightly. Peel & cube beets, cube potatoes and add both to lemon mixture, tossing to coat. Season generously w/salt & pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LAYERED POTATO and FENNEL BAKE

4-6 potatoes
1 large fennel bulb
1 medium onion (use the fresh onions from your CSA box if you have any left; they are perfect for this dish!)
1/2 C finely grated cheese of choice
1 C cream (I sometimes use almond milk)
1/4. tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
freshly groung black pepper

1. Pregheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a large, shallow, ovenproof dish with melted butter or oil. Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Cut the tops off the fennel and thinly slice the bulb. Peel and thinly slice the onion.
2. In prepared dish. alternately layer the potatoes, fennel and onions, ending with a layer of potatoes on top. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Pour the cream over everything as evenly as possible.
3. Sprinkle with nutmeg and pepper, to taste.
4. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

NOTE: To prevent the cut potatoes from browning before assembling the dish, place them in a bowl of cold water with a squeeze of lemon juice. Drain and pat dry before using.

OPTIONS: When I have them, I also like to include a layer of thinly sliced apples in this dish. If you don't like fennel, you can substitute apple, although the fennel adds a wonderful flavor and texture, so I always use it!

REBECCA'S GAZPACHO
about 4-5 tomatoes (more if they are small), small dice
1 hot pepper, padron if you have it, diced (you can substitute jalapeno or serrano if you like, or simply omit if you don't want it hot)
2-3 sweet peppers, small dice
1 small red onion, small dice
1/2 bunch cilantro or parsley, chopped finely
1 stalk celery, small dice (optional - I love the crunch it adds)
2-3 cucumbers, diced
1 small carrot, small dice
juice of 1 lemon (or to taste)
1-2 squirts of worchestshire sauce
sea salt and pepper to taste
2-3 extra tomatoes to puree, scored on the bottom (cut an X across the bottom with your knife)

1. Boil water in a sauce pan and drop (carefully) the extra scored tomatoes in for about a minute, just until the skins start to split and pull away from the tomato. Take out of the water and let cool. When they are cooled, peel the skins off and puree in a blender. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the other ingredients together, adjusting the flavors as you blend.
3. Add the pureed tomatoes to moisten the mixture. (You may like more puree; I like mine thick, so I don't add very much of the puree)
4. You may need to add bit more acidic flavor; I sometimes use red wine vinegar with the lemon juice to brighten the flavors.
5. This is good served at room temperature so that all the flavors shine.

Spinach and Roasted Pepper Frittata

from Fields of Greens, a great cookbook by Annie Somerville of Greens Restaurant, in San Francisco:
serves eight to ten

"Roasted peppers add a lively twist to this savory Greek frittata. A hint of fresh rosemary permeates the eggs and wilted spinach, while the tangy feta cheese picks up all the flavors. Take it on a picnic or serve for a light supper with a salad of vine-ripened tomatoes tossed with fruity olive oil, red wine vinegar, Kalamata olives, and chopped garden mint."

1 1/2 tbsp. light olive oil
2 bunches spinach, stems removed and leaves washed, about 16 cups packed
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 yellow or red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and diced [use any of the farm's sweet peppers, and since they tend to be small, I'd use 2 or 3. Click here if you don't know how to roast and peel peppers]
2 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced on a diagonal [alternatively, use very thinly sliced onion]
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated, about 1/3 C
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled, about 3/4 C
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
8 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. Reduced Balsamic Vinegar (optional) [see below]

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat 1/2 tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet. Wilt the spinach over high heat with 1/4 tsp. salt, a few pinches of pepper, and the garlic. Drain and cool the spinach. Squeeze out the excess moisture a handful at a time and coarsely chop. Place the spinach in a bowl with the peppers, scallions, Parmesan, feta, rosemary and lemon juice. Stir the eggs into the mixture and add 1/4 tsp. salt and a few pinches of pepper.

In a 9-inch saute pan with an ovenproof handle, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil to just below the smoking point. Swirl the oil around the sides of the pan to coat it, turn the heat down to low, then immediately pour the frittata mixture into the pan. The pan should be hot enough so that the eggs sizzle when they touch the oil. Cook the frittata over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sides begin to set; transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the frittata is golden and firm.

Loosen the frittata gently with a rubber spatula; the bottom will tend to stick to the pan. Place a plate over the pan, flip it over, and turn the frittata out. Brush with the vinegar if you like. Serve warm or cool to room temperature. Cut into wedges and serve.

The frittata can also be cooked entirely in the oven. Pour into a lightly oiled baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes, until the eggs are golden and set.

Tropical Basil Chocolate Truffles
found online here http://www.wineandfoodtravel.com/food/basil-does-dessert-how-sweet-it-is/

16 ounces semisweet chocolate chips [or equivalent; if you use bars like Bakers Semi-Sweet, you need to grate or chop it up into fairly small bits]
3/4 C coconut milk
1/4 C packed basil leaves [I used more, just 'cuz I could!]
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1/2 C cocoa powder

1. Place chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Place coconut milk and basil in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 30 minutes.

3. Remove basil and return milk to a gentle simmer over medium. Pour over reserved chocolate chips and stir vigorously to melt and blend. Add butter and zest; stir until smooth. Place in refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes, until firm enough to hold shape.

4. Scoop out a teaspoonful and form into a ball in your hands. Roll into cocoa powder to coat, gently re-roll with your hands to adhere cocoa, then roll again in cocoa. [See my notes about this, below.] Place on parchment-covered baking sheet and repeat with remaining balls. Chill until firm and serve.

Savory Waffles
http://eatplaylove.blogspot.com/2009/07/kitchen-sink-meal-savory-waffles-and.html with Jen's Modifications: 1 cup of shredded sharp cheese, about 1/3rd a cup of wilted spinach, 1/2 a cup of black beans and maybe 1/3rd a cup of chopped scallions. We used a little sour cream and ketchup on top. I've also used ketchup and maple syrup mixed before for an interesting combo.

August 20-27, 2011

In the box:

Arugula - Th
Asian stir-fry mix (tatsoi/mizuna) - M
Beets (mix of golden and red) - F
Chard - W
Cilantro - Su
Green beans + - M, T
Leeks + - M
Lettuce -T, Th, F
Potatoes (Yellow Finn) - W
Radicchio - Th
Sweet peppers - M
Dry-farmed tomatoes - Sa

In the fridge:
Beets - Sa

Leeks - Su

Lettuce - Sa, T, Th, F

Green Beans - Sa

Radicchio - Th

On the counter:

Tomatoes - Sa

Tomatillos - Su

Menu

Saturday: Salad, Smoked Pork Loin, Steamed Green Beans, Beet Mango Coconut Smoothies

Sunday: Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce Chicken Enchiladas

Monday: Tofu Stir Fry

Tuesday: Smoked Salmon, Green Beans, Salad

Wednesday: Chard Gnocchi, Salad

Thursday: Mixed Greens Calzones, Salad

Friday: Beet Topped Salad

Recipes

Tomatillo Cilantro Sauce

Swiss Chard Gnocchi
serves 6

1 lb. potatoes (sez Russets, but who cares... Fingerlings'll do fine - Debbie)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/4 lb. chard, stems/ribs removed (who knows how much 1 1/4 lbs. is... just use the whole bunch in your box)
1 lg. egg
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 3/4 C (about) flour

Steam potatoes until very tender (about 20 min.). Cool slightly, peel if you like (I don't) and mash thoroughly in a large bowl. Mix in salt & pepper.Meanwhile, steam chard until wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool, and squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible. Finely chop, then add to potatoes. Stir in egg and oil. Gradually mix in enough flour to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Dust a baking sheet with flour (I lay out a sheet of waxed paper myself). Working in batches and using floured hands, roll about 1/4 cup of dough on a lightly-floured work surface to form a 12-inch long rope. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece into an oval ball and then using a whisk, gently roll each ball down the length of the wires, making a ribbed impression in the gnocchi (I hold the balls in the palm of my hand and use the tines of a fork). Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet and repeat the above process with rest of dough. (At this point, gnocchi can be frozen right on the baking sheet, then transferred to a ziploc bag for future use. Cooking is the same for fresh as frozen. - Debbie) Working in batches, cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water until they float. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Serve with your favorite pasta sauce, or sauté in butter and sprinkle with fresh parmesan. Or... use your imagination!

Mixed Greens Middle Eastern Style
from 108 Recipes/Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking, from Nyinga Institute
Serves 4 to 6

4 bunches greens, leaves sorted & washed, stems removed (Sue says you can use any kind of green, although she has not tried Asian Greens.)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. peanut oil
1 lg. onion, chopped medium-fine
8 - 10 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. sweet paprika
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 C canned tomatoes, chopped, with their juice


Use a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and heavy bottom. Coarsely chop greens. Heat oil and sauté onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until they are soft. Stir in herbs and spices. After a minute or so, add greens and salt. Stir vigorously to mix the greens with onions and spices. The greens will shrink as they wilt, so you can add them by the handfuls if they do not fit in the pot all at once.

Turn heat to high, stir in tomatoes with their juice. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, let sim-mer, covered, stirring often to prevent sticking. After about 40 minutes, taste for doneness. If the greens are tender, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until they are fairly dry, with only some liquid showing on the bottom of the pot when stirred aside. Do not leave them unattended until they are finished; they scorch easily.

Comments from Sue: This is a very forgiving recipe. I have used all dried herbs when fresh were not at hand. I have used more or less greens and tomatoes. I have used this recipe over rice, in calzones with pine nuts and feta cheese, and on top of pizza. It also freezes well.

In the box: Arugula - F Basil Carrots - Su, W Pickling cucumbers, Su,W Fresh garbanzos, bunched - W Green beans - W Leeks - F Lettuce - M, W Spinach - M Potatoes - W Sweet peppers - Th Strawberries In the fridge/from Sara's Garden: Heirloom Tomatoes - Su, W, F Padrone Peppers - Th Tomatillos - Th Plums/Peaches Green Beans Lettuce - Su, M Sunday: Hot Dogs and Salad Monday: Raviolis with Spinach Tuesday: Dinner Out Wednesday:Garbanzo Edamame Salad, String Beans with Ginger, Oven Fries Thursday: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, Tomatillo Salsa with Chicken Tacos Friday: Leek Tomato Arugula Frittata

KIM'S STUFFED PADRON PEPPERS
Thanks, Kim, for sharing this great, tasty recipe!

Padron peppers
Cooked quinoa (instructions below)

Seasoning mix
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp.cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

1. Cook the quinoa: 2-1 ratio liquid to water or stock (always rinse the quinoa before cooking to remove the "bitter" flavor it sometimes has). Bring stock or water to a boil, add the quinoa, stir, and bring back up to a boil. Cover pot and reduce to a low simmer for about 15-20 minutes. You want the quinoa to be light and fluffy. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for about 10 more minutes. Remove lid and "fluff" the quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly. While it is still warm, add the seasoning mix to your desired taste. Nutritional yeast is a great booster, full of vitamin B 12, and it gives the quinoa a nutty, cheesy taste.
2. When the quinoa is seasoned to taste, stuff it into the peppers that have the tops cut off. Place them in a baking dish, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and bake in a pre-heated 400 oven. Keep an eye on them so you can take them out when done to your liking and serve as an appetizer or a delightful snack!


REBECCA'S ADDITIONAL PADRON PEPPER IDEAS
The padron peppers are great just raw - I have been using the in salsa that usually uses a jalapeno or serrano. You can saute (fry) them in a skillet with olive oil, and serve warm with a a sprinkle of good, crunchy salt. They are fantastic grilled, similar to a bell pepper that has been grilled, but, oh, so much tastier! They are great stuffed with a creamy cheese of your choice, or you can even pickle them! 

String Beans with Ginger
from Gardencuisine, by Paul Wenner
serves 4

1/2 lb. fresh green beans
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped*
1 red chili pepper, seeded and minced**
1/2 C reduced-fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Trim ends of green beans and cut into 2-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the ginger, lemongrass, and chili pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green beans, coconut milk, 1/2 cup of water, and salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the green beans are tender, about 10 minutes.

* Sue didn't have lemongrass, but she did have a lemon verbena bush in her yard. So in place of the lemongrass she stripped the leaves from about 4 good-sized sprigs and finely minced them. And since lemon verbena is a more tender leaf than the strong stem of lemongrass, she only added about 1/4 of it at the beginning, but the rest she added only for the last few minutes, so as not to cook away its delicate the flavor.

** Sue says about 1/8 tsp. of crushed red chili flakes is a perfectly good substitute.

And lastly, she says she once added cubed up potatoes (small cubes, about 1/2"), shelled peas (from the more mature sugar-snap pods), and some green curry paste, and was very pleased with the result! Since the curry paste is quite hot, start with about 1/4 tsp. then taste for heat. You can always add more, but you can't take it away! She says she ended up using about 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. in the end.