Showing posts with label tomatillos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tomatillos. Show all posts

Sunday, September 25, 2011

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.


Saturday, August 20, 2011

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


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.



Wednesday, August 17, 2011


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.

Friday, September 10, 2010

September 9 - 15 Dinner Menu Plan

Thursday - Faux Chicken Parm with Homemade Tomato Sauce <I added a stevia leaf to sweeten a little>
Friday - Polenta, Squash and Black Beans
Weekend - Tilapia with Tomatillo Sauce and Avocados with Creamy Maque Choux (RR p 162)
Monday - Lentil Salad with Carrots Tomatoes, and Bell Peppers
Tuesday - Moroccan Carrot Salad and Moroccan Chicken and Baby carrots with leftovers
Wednesday - zucchini hummus, peppers, and pita bread, swiss chard with golden raisins (RR p 253)

From CSA -
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Melon
Blackberries
Strawberries
Bell Peppers
Jalapenos
Tomatoes
Corn
Cippolini Onions
Oregano
Stevia
Squash
Cucumber

From Grocery Store:
feta
pancetta
Tilapia
polenta
golden raisins
Lime
avocados (2)