Sunday, June 29, 2008

Roasted Beets & beet greens

Don't forget to check the binders on the recipe table in the barn for recipes you can take home with you! Christina has them organized under tabs for the main vegetable in the recipe. She also has cookbooks on the table there that you can browse through to get recipe ideas (please do not remove these cookbooks from the barn).

I *LOVE* beets, and so does my husband. I remember as a child my mom kept a garden & always grew beets in it. They are so delicious, and what a beautiful deep red color. Here is a recipe to roast beets in the oven.

Roasted Beets
recipe found by Bob on internet :)

(do not wash beets prior to cooking, they should be dry)
1. Preheat your oven to 400F
2. Cut the greens off of the beet, but do not cut into the beet itself. Place beets in a baking dish so they are not touching, cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 to 1& 1/4 hours (depending on size) until fork tender.
3. After removing from oven, cut into the aluminum foil to allow the steam to escape, let cool for a few minutes. Remove foil & allow to cool enough so you can handle the beets, and then peel the skin off using your fingers.
4. Eat your beet!
Enjoy!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Salsa Verde!

When I picked up my share on Friday I was amazed by the amount of basil I was receiving!! What a bundle! I decided to make some salsa verde, and all I had to pick up at the store was a chile pepper & a lime (I had garlic at home already, and I probably could have used the garlic scapes as well)

Salsa Verde with Basil, Cilantro & mint
Local flavors, by Deborah Madison

1 jalapeƱo chile
1 large bunch cilantro, stems removed
½ C basil leaves
¼ C mint leaves
2 small garlic cloves
½ C olive oil
Grated zest & juice of 1 lime
Sea salt

1. Chop the first 5 ingredients very finely, then stir in ¼ c water, oil and lime zest & juice.
2. Taste for salt & adjust balance of lime juice to oil, if needed

Alternatively, pulse the chile, herbs & garlic in a food processor, then gradually add water, oil & lime juice to taste.

For my taste I think I would have preferred more lime & less oil, and I think I will adjust it the next time I make it. It was delicious on corn tortilla chips, and I used it to dress a Mexican style salad - very tasty!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Greens!!!

As always, your comments are appreciated!! Also, do you have questions? Want to know how to cook something that I haven't mentioned yet? Please feel free to ask questions, or ask for recipes. If I don't have the answer I will do my best to help you find it!

This week the share includes Beets, Radishes, Turnips, Kale & collards (thanks to farmer Kris, & interns Nathan & Stephanie!!). That means 5 types of greens to cook & enjoy. How do you like to prepare your greens? I am coming up with new ideas all the time it seems, and they all seem to be pretty tasty.

Here is an easy favorite of greens, corn & cherry tomato (or whatever type of tomato you may have available). The original recipe calls for spinach, which is just wilted directly in the pan. However, if you choose to adapt the recipe for Kale, Broccoli Raab or Collard greens, I recommend boiling the greens for about 3 minutes prior to sauteing them in the pan, to make them tender and remove any bitterness. Beet greens, radish greens & turnip greens will also substitute well in this recipe (no boiling needed).

Spinach With Corn & Tomatoes
Everyday Food, issue #23

2 t olive oil
10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
5 ounces spinach finely sliced (or other green as mentioned above)
1 C grape tomatoes, halved (or other tomato as available)
salt & pepper

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add corn kernels, cook until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.
2. Add spinach, cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cook until softened, 1-2 minutes.
3. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. To serve chilled, let cool, then refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 hours.

Enjoy!!

Monday, June 23, 2008

What do you like to do with Turnips & radishes?

I was never a big radish fan. I have tried many times over the years to get used to the fiery taste, and just could not do it. However, I have discovered that when cooked, radishes take on a sweet flavor that is quite delectable. Here is a recipe for caramelized turnips & radishes!! Delicious and easy.

Caramelized Turnips & Radishes
Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Young, tender turnips (and radishes) only need to be rinsed & dried, older purple top turnips will need peeling. Cut turnips into quarters, radishes in half or quarters. If turnips are large, cut in half lengthwise & slice the halves into wedges.

2. Toss the cut vegetables in a bowl with a generous splash of olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Spread them out in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, toss once and roast for 5 minutes more, then check for tenderness. Depending on the water content, they can take 15 to 30 minutes total. Vegetables are done when they are fork tender & nicely caramelized.

And don't just throw away the tops! They make another excellent side dish. Rinse, then cut up stems into 1/2-1" pieces, and saute in olive oil & garlic (or garlic scapes!) until wilted. Add your choice of seasonings, such as crushed red pepper flakes, or a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Please let me know your favorite way to prepare turnips or radishes, the more ideas, the better! Simply make a comment at the link that says "comment" below. Thanks!

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Barbecue, summer, what could be better?

A word of warning, I am *not* a vegetarian. This meal (and many others I make) contain meat. We do not eat as much meat as the "average" American, but we do enjoy eating it on a regular basis. I respect the meat that I eat, by always remembering that another living thing was killed so that I could have dinner. If anyone has recommendations on a local place to purchase fresh, (free range/no preservative added) meat, I would love to hear about it, I can publish it on the blog.


Last evening I pulled some spareribs out of the freezer to barbecue. We had a hog butchered over a year ago, and there is not much left of it in the freezer now. I guess we had been saving the ribs for a special day. I decided this time, rather than using just barbecue sauce alone, that I would put a spice rub on the ribs first, before grilling them. Bob said I could only put the rub on one section of ribs (he was worried it wouldn't turn out well I guess). I found a recipe for a rub that looked like it would go well with a sweet BBQ sauce in issue #14 of the Everyday Food magazine (my favorite cooking resource!!)

Spicy Paprika Rub
4 t paprika
2 t salt
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t ground allspice

After drying the ribs off with a paper towel, I rubbed in the spices, and then we cooked the ribs on the grill over low heat. When they were about 10 minutes from being finished, Bob applied the BBQ sauce. Then after we pulled the ribs off the grill they had to rest. Isn't that a difficult thing to do? Waiting for the meat to be ready to eat when it smells so delicious that you are just about drooling over it.

Anyhow, that was when I pulled the zucchini from the garden out of the fridge to prepare. I sliced it into 1/2" thick slices at an angle, to make oval shapes, then brushed with olive oil, and put on the grill, turning after about 4-5 minutes. I LOVE grilled zucchini. It is great with a little feta cheese added to it if you have some on hand, but we ate it plain this time.

When it was finally time to eat, we also had potato salad from the day before, and coleslaw that I had made earlier with the cabbage from the garden. The potato salad benefited greatly with some garden fresh dill chopped up and sprinkled on top. The rub was the perfect companion for the barbecue sauce, in that it added some extra heat & flavor, rather than just the plain sweet KC Masterpiece that Bob always picks out. It was a very wonderful dinner. I feel certain Bob gives this one 5 stars. Maybe next time he will let me put the meat rub on his portion also!!!

Please, comment below & tell me what you like to do with your cabbage? I made coleslaw because I feel it is a good companion to BBQ, but I don't even really care for coleslaw. What would you have made instead?

Also, any recipes you want to share? I can publish them for you on the blog. Please let me know who you are so I can credit you.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Summer is HERE!!

As a new blogger, this is a whole new experience! My goal is to provide & share recipes, primarily for food that I receive from the local CSA garden at La Vista. I hope to be a helpful resource for other members of the garden that are also looking for things to make with the new food they are receiving each week.

Yesterday was share pick up day for me. I decided to use the chinese cabbage, peas, and broccoli to make a peanut-sauce based stir fry with tofu. For seasoning I used the garlic scapes, some green onions, cilantro, and a little fresh mint from my fridge. I loved it!! Bob will give it 3.5 stars out of five because he prefers chicken to tofu! Here is how I put it together:

Jenn's Garden Day stir fry
(recipe adapted from everyday food magazine, issue 22)

~ 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided (or peanut oil)
1/3 cup tamari (or soy sauce) , divided
1/4 cup rice vinegar (a must for asian cooking!!)
1/4 cup water (although I may leave this out next time...)
2 Tbsp peanut butter, creamy - or chunky if it is your preference
1 container extra firm tofu, drained on towels & cut into 1/2 inch cubes
~ 2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
~ 4 scallions, thinly sliced and separated (white from green)
1 head chinese cabbage, sliced into 1 inch strips
4 oz broccoli, stems peeled & chopped
1/2 Qt sugar snap peas, strings removed
red pepper flakes to taste
cilantro to taste, finely chopped
2-3 leaves mint, finely chopped

1. Make sure your tofu is drained. I try to dry mine a bit by slicing it up & pressing lightly with flour sack towels to remove the excess moisture. (this makes it ready to soak in a little flavor!) Drizzle tofu with some tamari or soy sauce until it tastes seasoned enough for you. I like reduced sodium tamari usually, but I prefer the full sodium tamari to season tofu, as tofu has no flavor until you add it. Now, to a large stir-frying style pan, add about 2 Tbsp olive oil and turn pan to coat the bottom evenly. Add your tofu & listen to it sizzle! Cook & stir only intermediately to allow the tofu to brown on all sides (or most sides anyway...) When tofu is done, remove from pan and reserve somewhere warm for later.

2. While the tofu is browning, make your sauce. Add 1/4 C hot water to the peanut butter in a small mixing bowl. whisk together until smooth, then add 1/4 C tamari & 1/4 rice vinegar. Set aside. (see note below)

3. Add another 2 Tbsp olive oil to pan if it looks dry, 1 Tbsp if you think it looks wet. Toss in the garlic scapes & scallions, stir fry for a bit to let them start flavoring the oil (maybe 1-2 minutes). Then add broccoli, peas, and cabbage, and cover. Check after 2 minutes, stir the veggies around to allow the stuff on top to get to the bottom, etc, cover again. After about 2 more minutes, your veggies should be done (crisp-tender, do not overcook). Remove from heat.

4. Add browned tofu & green parts of scallions to pan with veggies, and then add sauce & red pepper flakes, stir to mix well. Sprinkle on the cilantro & mint if using.

Serve with rice. I used brown jasmine rice, but any kind will work. My sister highly recommends adding rice vinegar to the rice before cooking. It does taste pretty good - I guess I put in about a tablespoonful when I make 2 "cups" of rice with my rice cooker.

You can substitute any meat you prefer for the tofu if you like - chicken or pork would probably make good choices. You can also substitute the vegetables for what you have on hand. Carrots, bell peppers, bean sprouts, mushrooms - the options are limitless. If you do not have mint, you may want to try fresh ginger instead.

I say I may leave the water out next time because I prefer a thicker sauce than this made. You can melt the peanut butter in the microwave to make it easy to mix, or put the sauce ingredients in a food processor & pulse to mix.

Enjoy!!