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Author Archive for csa – Page 5

CSA News: Week 8- July 15 to July 17

Posted by csa on
 July 14, 2014

This Week’s Share

Crop

Family Share

Half Share

Carrots 2 pounds 1 pound
Cucumbers 4 each 2 each
Garlic 4 bulbs 2 bulbs
Lettuce, Romaine 2 heads 1 head
Napa Cabbage 1 larger head 1 smaller head
Onions, Red Long of Tropea 2 each 1 each
Summer Squash 2 pounds 1 pound

Share Notes

  • Carrots: Rejoice! Sweet, crisp, fresh SIO carrots are here. We had planned for this first round to include their fluffy green tops, but with the HOT weather in the forecast decided to remove them as they are prone to drawing the moisture out and creating a rubbery carrot.
  • Lettuce, Romaine: Try a traditional Cesar Salad with the garlic and Romaine in your share this week, it’s sure to cool you off in heat.
  • Onions, Red Long of Tropea: These beautiful fresh onions, also known as Torpedo onions, are an Italian heirloom variety with elongated shape with sweet mild flesh that is tender with light purple color. You can also use the vibrant green tops.
Categories : Blogroll, CSA Newsletter, Farm News & Updates, Uncategorized

CSA News: Week 7- July 8 to July 10

Posted by csa on
 July 7, 2014

This Week’s Share

Crop

Family Share

Half Share

Beets (with tops) 3 pounds 1 1/2 pounds
Fava Beans 4 pounds 2 pounds
Fennel 2 large bulbs 2 small bulbs
Garlic  2 bulbs 1 bulb
Kale, Red Ursa 2 bunches 1 bunch
Lettuce 2 heads 1 head
Summer Squash 2 pounds 1 pound

Share Notes

  • Beets: The red beets in your share this week have their tops on. You may notice beets greens resemble chard, and you can use them anywhere you would use chard in your cooking
  • Summer Squash: Our first planting of summer squash has both Yellow Scallopini and Green Zucchini, and you will see both in your shares for the next several weeks. They can be used interchangeably in nearly any recipe, and will be in your share regularly for the summer stretch ahead.

 

Categories : Blogroll, CSA Newsletter, Farm News & Updates, Uncategorized

Recipes for CSA Week 7

Posted by csa on
 July 7, 2014

 

I’ve tried to minimize the stove time in the recipes this week as it’s going to be a hot week! And squash is here! I know they are prolific and we’ll be seeing them for months but I really don’t tire of them. I harvested my first one out of the garden today. Happy Cooking and stay cool!

Salad of Fava Beans, Fennel and Mint
Green Salad with Fava Beans, Crab and Basil and Aioli Dressing
Beet Basics: Roasted, Boiled and Grated/Marinated
Beets and their Greens with Garlicky Yogurt
Kale Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Summer Squash Frittata
Zucchini in the Frying Pan
Grilled Fennel

Salad of Fava Beans, Fennel and Mint

Fresh and delicious and perfect for this hot week.

Serves 3-4

1 ½ -2 cups shelled fava beans
1 ½-2 cups very thinly sliced fennel
A little olive oil
4 cups washed, dried lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces
Handful of mint leaves
2-3 ounces aged pecorino or Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler into thin shavings

For the dressing:
Juice of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
About 4 tablespoons of the best olive oil you have
About a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the shelled fava beans and cook for about 4 minutes (if they’re really small cook for more like 2 minutes). Remove them with a slotted spoon and run under cold water. Shell the individual fava beans.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toast the slices of bread and tear them into small bits and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.

Now toss the lettuce and mint with the dressing, then add the fennel and fava beans and the cheese and the bits of bread and toss again.

Green Salad with Fava Beans, Crab and Basil and Aioli Dressing

Fava pea crab salad aioli greens

I put this salad together on a whim after I splurged on a beautiful Dungeness crab at the farmers’ market. I had both fava beans and shelling peas but just fava beans will be fabulous too. And you could substitute canned Oregon Albacore for the crab or bay shrimp or omit entirely or add chopped hardboiled egg or no additional protein at all. Adapt to your tastes/what you have on hand.

Serves 4-6

About 6 ounces of crab meat (I got that from one whole crab-albeit a very large one) (see headnote)
1 ½ – 2 cups shelled fava beans
½ cup shelled peas (optional—see headnote)
6 cups lettuce, washed, dried and torn or chopped
Handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
2 scallions, thinly sliced (or a bit of any other type of onion)
2-3 tablespoons aioli or store bought mayonnaise you’ve doctored with some minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, a little Dijon and a bit of olive oil.
Juice of half a lemon or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Shell the fava beans and cook the beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Pinch the skins of the beans and set aside. If using shelling peas, cook those for 2 or so minutes in the same water as you used for the favas.

In a small bowl mix the crab, beans (and peas if using) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of aioli and a little salt and pepper.

Toss the basil, scallions and lettuce in a large bowl or on a platter with the remainder of the aioli or doctored mayonnaise and the lemon juice. If your aioli or mayo is too thick for tossing thin it with a little cream or water. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread the fava bean crab mixture on the bed of greens.

Beet Basics: Roasted, Boiled and Grated/Marinated

Roasted:

I like to roast bunches of beets all at once. I use them throughout the week in various salads and other dishes. Sometimes I add diced avocado and lots of cilantro and mix that with lettuce; sometimes it’s sunflower seeds, lettuce, green onion and feta. . .

I love the flavor of roasted beets, though boiling them is quicker and good too.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1 bunch beets, trimmed of beat greens and scrubbed but not peeled. If they’re large I cut the beets in halves or quarters. Place the beets in a baking dish, sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of water and cover tightly with foil.  Roast for about 45 minutes (depending on size of your chunks of beet).  A tester should easily pierce the beet.

When cool enough to handle slip the skin off. If you’d like toss them when still warm with a little red wine or sherry vinegar and a bit of salt. Beets do well with a little acidity and if you toss them in oil first the vinegar won’t get absorbed. Now you can add them to salads of many kinds. Or skip the vinegar and puree them into a spread or pesto.

Boiled:

Scrub and trim the beets, halve or quarter if they are large. Put them in a saucepan covered with water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender when pierced with the tip of knife. When cool enough to handle, peel and toss with vinegar (see above) if you’re likely to use them in salads. green salad with grated beets

Grated and Marinated:

Raw beets are delicious and particularly so when grated and marinated in a dressing of minced and mashed garlic, lemon juice (or vinegar), salt and olive oil. Grating beets can make a big mess–the red juice splattering all over the place and potentially staining things. Use the grating blade on the food processor to contain the mess or set your box grater in the sink and grate them that way. Then, all they need is a soak in lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, salt and olive oil, 20 minutes will do it but longer is fine too. Then you can toss a cup of them into any green salad, add a bit of crumbled feta and maybe a few handfuls of toasted, coarse breadcrumbs and you have the perfect winter/spring salad.

You can also mix them with grated carrots and marinate the whole thing and then stir in lots of parsley leaves for a wonderfully refreshing side/salad.

You can mix the grated marinated beets into Greek yogurt for a sort of (very pink) beat tzatziki and serve that with lamb burgers or dolloped on plain, cooked chickpeas.

Beets and their Greens with Garlicky Yogurt

This is a perennial favorite and with the lovely new-ish garlic it will be perfect. I use Greek yogurt a lot. Several years ago I started buying it instead of sour cream. I find it so much for versatile and somehow it finds its way onto/into many of my meals. It’s also gotten a bit easier to find full-fat Greek yogurt. Nancy’s and Fage are my favorite brands.

Serves 3-4

1 bunch beets, with greens
3 garlic cloves, divided and minced
1 medium shallot or chunk of onion, finely chopped
½ cup of full fat Greek or regular yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus an extra squeeze or two
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the greens off the beets, wash well and cut into wide ribbons. You can use most of the stems. I usually just toss the 2-3 inches closest to the beat root. Scrub the beets well and cut into wedges. Put the beets in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for about 15-20 minutes until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively you can roast them (better flavor but takes longer). Drain well and toss with a little lemon juice and salt.

Meanwhile sauté the onions or shallots in a little olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Add beet greens and a little olive oil if necessary and one clove of garlic, minced, and a few pinches of salt. It will only take about 3-5 minutes for the greens/stems to be tender. In a small bowl mix the yogurt with the remaining garlic, a pinch or two of salt and the teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix the beet wedges with the greens and heat thoroughly and then serve with a generous dollop of the yogurt.

Kale Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds

It’s going to be such a warm week I’m going to be making many salads and turning on the stove as infrequently as possible. This is robust enough, with the seeds, to be a light supper with a little fish on the side or some hard-boiled eggs or canned tuna or the Summer Squash Frittata below.

Note: you could also add some cooked chickpeas and really make it a one-dish meal. You could also certainly add some thinly sliced fennel to this salad.

Serves 4-6

1 bunch kale, washed
2 cups cooked chickpeas (optional—see headnote)
2-3 garlic cloves
Sea salt (you’ll need a fair amount)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon or more to taste or some red wine or sherry vinegar
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds (about 8-10 minutes at 350 in the oven or about 4-5 minutes on the stove top in a heavy skillet–watch it carefully if going that route–with or without a little olive oil and salt for either method)

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 1/4 -inch ribbons. You should have 6 or so cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

Use the side of a chef’s knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste or grate the garlic on a micro-plane. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well or preferably work it in with your hands. Then add the chickpeas, if using. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes or more to soften and then stir in the sunflower seeds.

Summer Squash Frittata

Serves 3 as an entrée 5-6 as a side.

As you’ve probably surmised I make frittatas a lot. They simply are one of the quickest and best dishes and so suited to CSA cooking. One of my all time favorites is this one, with summer squash. Some fresh pork sausage or diced new potato are wonderful additions here as well.

½ medium onion, diced or sliced
2 medium zucchini/summer squash, sliced or diced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)
6-8 eggs (or whatever you have or want to use)
A little grated hard cheese or your choice or feta or goat cheese (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan or well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick (if it’s heatproof and can go in the oven). Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the squash and a few pinches of salt and sauté them over med-high heat until they’re tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 8-10 minutes.

Set your oven to broil.

Lightly whisk the eggs until they’re just broken up—no need to get them frothy or really well mixed. Add the chopped herbs, a few more pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour eggs over the squash and tilt the pan to evenly distribute the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the eggs, if using. Cover and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. When the eggs are beginning to set take the pan off the heat and set under the broiler until the eggs are cooked and slightly puffed and golden.

Let the frittata sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving. It will come out of the pan much more easily that way and is more flavorful. Serve with a slice of good, crusty bread and salad.

Zucchini in the Frying Pan

zucchini in the frying  pan kd

This is the quintessential cook-with-what-you-have dish my mother made all summer long and I never, never tire of it. She is not shy with the heat and lets the summer squash (of any kind) get nice and brown and soft. It’s not a beautiful dish but it is sweet and wonderful. It’s a perfect way to work through a lot of squash and it’s just as good at room temperature or for breakfast with an egg.

Summer squash, cut into fairly thin slices-halve any larger squash
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

The most important thing is to have a large skillet so that you don’t crowd the squash too much.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (don’t skimp on the oil) in a large, heavy skillet. When hot add the sliced squash and a few pinches of salt. Cook over medium-high to high heat stirring on and off until the squash is browning and soft. Taste and add salt if needed–it takes a bit. Serve topped with a dusting of grated Parmesan if you’d like.

Grilled Fennel

Again in light of the heat this week I would suggest grilling the fennel if you have a bbq.

Trim the bulbs and slice them lengthwise into ¼-1/2-inch thick slices. Brush them with just a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and grill until tender and blackened in places.

 

 

Categories : Recipe

Recipes for CSA Week 6

Posted by csa on
 June 30, 2014

See the post below for Recipes, and scroll down to the next post for the Share Photo, Share List and news from the farm.

I have been loving the scallions this year—so sweet and versatile and punchy. I should have included this wonderful ginger scallion sauce earlier in the season but make it this week and you’ll be putting it on everything. The fava bean and potato pasta “risotto” is a sure fire winner as is the chicken, chard and potato dish, if you eat meat. And I tend to resist condiments that I don’t use much but the oyster sauce is key for this bok choi dish and the sauce keeps forever so it’s not a bad thing to have on hand. Happy cooking!

Fava Bean and New Potato Pasta “Risotto” with Basil
Green Salad with Fava Beans, Scallions and Basil (link to last week’s salad)
Bok Choi Stir Fry with Rice
Chard, Herb-roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Scallion Mint (or Basil) Vinaigrette
Ginger Scallion Sauce

Fava Bean and New Potato Pasta “Risotto” with Basil

fava new potato pasta risotto in bowl

This comes together very quickly and even shelling and blanching the favas doesn’t take very long and the reward that awaits you is worth is many times over.

Serves 4

1 – 11/2 cups shelled blanched fava beans (shell and cook in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes, drain, run under cold water and pinch of skin from each bean)
½ onion, diced
1 – 1 1/2 cups scrubbed, diced new potatoes
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 1/3 cup tubetti, sometimes called salad macaroni (or ditalini or other small pasta)
4 cups flavorful vegetable broth (homemade veggie bouillon broth) or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard, grating cheese (Asiago Stella is a good, cheaper alternative)
Salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, potatoes and a few pinches of salt and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often. You may need to reduce the heat a bit. Now add the broth or stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and then simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered. Now add the blanched, shelled fava beans, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. At this point add the cream and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Stir in the Parmesan and the basil and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Green Salad with Fava Beans, Scallions and Basil (link to last week’s salad)

I think last week’s Green Salad would be spectacular with the addition of some of this week’s lava beans.

Shell the lava beans and cook them in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water and then pinch the skins of each bean and toss with the salad.

 

Bok Choi Stir Fry over Rice

bok choi stir fried rice

 

This is a delicious way to prepare bok choi. And the sauce works beautifully for any other quick vegetable stir fries as well.

 

Serves 3-ish

 

1 large head bok choi, stalks separated and wash and stems and leaves cut into 1-inch or so ribbons/slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 scant tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed a bit
2 whole star anise
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 ½ tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Mirin) or dry sherry
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar 

Steamed rice for serving

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly.

 

Meanwhile heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the garlic, ginger, star anise and crushed pepper corns and sauté for a minute or two until very fragrant and just starting to brown, stirring often.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a simmer and cook for about 4-5 minutes at a simmer. Scrape all of the sauce out of the sauce pan and transfer to a wok or large skillet.

 

Drop the bok choi into the boiling water and cook for about 3-5 minutes—taste after 2 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size of your pot/amount of water and strength of burner. Drain the bok choi and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Cook over high heat for just 1 minute or so to combine well. Serve hot over rice.

Chard, Herb-roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Scallion Mint (or Basil) Vinaigrette

chard, chicken potatoes, scallion mint sauce

This is the loveliest platter of food—blanched chard and roasted chicken are dressed with the same, lemony, minty (or basil-y) scallion vinaigrette. You can also roast the potatoes and cook the chard and use perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs (cover eggs generously with cold water, bring to a boil, turn off heat and let sit in hot water for 8-9 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water) instead of chicken or you could use canned Oregon Albacore. The dressing is really what ties all together.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons sage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 large bone-in chicken breast half, preferably at room temperature (use eggs or Tuna instead—see headnote)
2 tablespoons olive oil
6-7 medium potatoes, well scrubbed and cut into thumb-sized chunks
1/3 cup water
1 large bunch chard, well washed and stems separated from leaves

Dressing

2-3 scallions, thinly sliced (greens and all)
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons good olive oil (use the best you have)
8 sprigs mint, leaves picked and finely chopped or 1/3 – ½ cup finely chopped basil or a combination of the two
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix the chopped rosemary, sage and salt with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Dry the chicken breast well. Use about half the herb mixture to cover the chicken on all sides, using your hands to thoroughly cover.  Place chicken in an 8” x 13” baking dish.

Toss the potatoes with the remaining herb mixture and arrange the potatoes around the chicken. Add the 1/3 cup water and roast for 35 – 45 minutes. You can test the chicken by carefully cutting into the thickest part of the breast and checking for any pink flesh.

Meanwhile, stir together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt. It should be quite tart so don’t be shy with the lemon juice.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use about 1 tablespoon of salt for 3 quarts of water). Chop the chard stems into 1-inch pieces. Pile the chard leaves on top of each other and cut the leaves lengthwise once or twice (depending on how big the leaves are) and then cross-wise four or five times.

Add just the chard stems to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then add the chard leaves and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain well and press out as much moisture as you can against the side of the colander. Return the chard and stems to the pan and cover to keep warm.

When the chicken is done carve the breast into slices. You might need to use your hands to carefully loosen the bottom of the slices from the breastbone. Arrange the chicken on a large platter with the potatoes and the chard and drizzle the chard and chicken generously with the shallot vinaigrette. You can certainly dress the potatoes too, if you have plenty of dressing.

Ginger Scallion Sauce
–from LottieandDoof.com

This is such a quick recipe and makes plenty of sauce to have on hand to enhance anything from chicken to eggs to pasta or any grain or vegetable. . ..Halve the recipe if you’d like.

ginger scallion sauce

2 bunches of scallions (about 6 ounces) washed, trimmed and dried and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt (2 ½ teaspoons or so sea salt—less if it’s very fine grain)
1 cup sunflower oil (or other neutral-ish vegetable oil that handles heat well)
Very small splash of sesame oil (optional)

Put the scallions into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped but not pureed.  Put the scallions in a large heatproof bowl or pot. Now add the ginger to the food processor and process until it is finely chopped. Add the ginger to the heatproof bowl with the scallions. Salt the scallion-ginger mixture and use more salt than you think is good. You can of course add more later if it’s not bright enough.

Now, heat the peanut oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Just as it starts to smoke, pour the hot oil over the scallions and ginger. As noted by the original author, Francis Lam: “things are about to get real. When you pour the insanely hot oil over the scallions and ginger and salt it is going to steam and hiss and bubble and scare you. Keep your wits about you! Be careful! Wear long sleeves!”

Let the mixture cool in the bowl and then transfer it to a jar and refrigerate. Use it however you like. It is best at room temperature so be sure to take out however much you want to use well before serving.

 

 

 

Categories : Recipe

CSA News: Week 6- July 1 to July 3

Posted by csa on
 June 30, 2014

This Week’s Share

Crop

Family Share

Half Share

Basil 8 ounces 4 ounces
Bok Choi, Prize Choi 2 heads 1 head
Chard, Rhubarb Red 2 bunches 1 bunch
Fava Beans 5 pounds 2 1/2 pounds
Lettuce  2 heads 1 head
New Potatoes, Red Gold 4 pounds 2 pounds
Scallions (Green Onions) 2 bunches 1 bunch

Share Notes

  • Basil: It might be time to get out the food processor for pesto making, because basil is back again and even more bountiful than last week.
  • Fava Beans: You will receive Fava Beans in your share this week and next week. They are a crop that is here and gone quickly, so enjoy them while they are around. WARNING– There is a rare genetic deficiency that affects some people and can lead to health problems if they eat fava beans. This condition is relatively rare and usually detected by childhood, but if you have never eaten fava beans before we recommend you check out www.g6pd.org to learn more.
  • New Potatoes, Red Gold: Another round of delicious new potatoes. You may notice they are unwashed, and that is because we didn’t want to further peel their delicate “new” skins. Also, make sure to keep them refrigerated as they have not yet developed a thick and protective skin.
  • Scallions (Green Onions): Enjoy the last early season round in your share this week.

CSA Split Payment Reminder

This is a friendly reminder that those of you set-up for split payments, your second installation is due by July 15.

Please send checks to:

Sauvie Island Organics LLC.
20233 NW Sauvie Island Rd
Portland, OR 97231

Beat the Heat

We’ve got some hot days in the forecast, and with that here are a few reminders for making sure your veggies  don’t get cooked early.

  • Pick-up on the day of delivery. Picking up on the day of delivery is always your best option for optimal quality of your share, but this is even more true with summer heat.
  • Don’t leave your share in the car.  Greens can go from happy and crisp to a sad and wilted in a matter of minutes in a hot car.
  • Cool it off. Once home give your lettuce, chard, and bok choi a cool douse of water before they go into the fridge to keep them hydrated and perky.

Can You Help the Farm? We Need a Vehicle

Do you have an older (but loved) pick-up truck, mini-van, passenger-van, or car that is looking for the perfect place to retire. Send it here to SIO and we’ll happily welcome your old baby into our family of work vehicles. We are in search of a well-used, well-loved, no-longer-needed, automatic or manual transmission vehicles that can be used to transport people, produce and/or equipment from different sites. We are open to donations, or low-priced offers. Rest assured knowing that on our farm only rewarding work filled days and peaceful calm nights on the island lie in wait for your much deserving engined friend. Please email (csa@sauvieislandorganics.com) or call (503.621.6921) if you have just the right member for our team.

 

Categories : Blogroll, CSA Newsletter, Farm News & Updates, Uncategorized

Recipes for CSA Week 5

Posted by csa on
 June 23, 2014

 See the post below for Recipes, and scroll down to the next post for the Share Photo, Share List and news from the farm.

So much beautiful broccoli! It needs nothing more than a quick steam or boil and a little salt and maybe a little butter but have fun with the soup and fritters too. And an elegant use for your fennel fronds as a bed/flavoring for salmon.

Green Salad with New Garlic and Basil
Broccoli and Turnip/Potato Soup with Croutons
Broccoli Fritters
Collards and Beans
Quick-Cooked Collards with Citrus and Raisins
Fennel Notes
Slow-cooked Salmon with Fennel Fronds and Parsley
Caramelized Fennel with Goat Cheese
Napa Slaw with Herbs

New Garlic Notes

New garlic is sweet and tender and less pungent than mature/cured garlic so you can use it more generously. I’ve been making lots of herb-based sauces or aioli or Greek yogurt-based ones in which the sweet freshness of the garlic really shines. If you make the vegetarian version of the broccoli soup (below) by all means use lots of the garlic and the Citrus Collards use some as well.

Green Salad with New Garlic and Basil

What to do with basil before the tomatoes are there? This salad, for one thing. I was in a hurry when I made this and really wanted to add toasted sunflower seeds but had none toasted. I’ve always toasted them in the oven but didn’t have enough time to do so. I toasted them in my cast iron skillet with just a little olive oil and salt. I had the heat on pretty high and they almost got too dark but I caught them, tossed them around a bit and reduced the temperature and toasted a bit more—in total probably just for about 5 minutes. They were smoky and delicious.

salad with basil, new garlic, seeds and creamy dressing

Serves 4

1/3 -1/2 cup basil cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
1 small-ish head lettuce, washed, dried and torn
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons whipping cream (not whipped)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3 cloves new garlic, minced, sprinkled with coarse salt and then mashed into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
A bit more salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper

Put the basil, lettuce and seeds in a salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Toss dressing with salad and taste and adjust with more salt and/or pepper and/or vinegar.

Broccoli and Turnip/Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

We had this soup for dinner on a warm evening with salad with new garlic and basil—a perfect light combination. If you don’t want to use bacon I would substitute 4-5 cloves new garlic and ½ teaspoon ground cumin. I happened to have both turnips and potatoes from last week’s share so created this soup to use them up.

The soup turned out so pale since I had to give my broccoli a bit of a hair cut as I neglected it for too long. Use your broccoli soon after you get it and you'll get a much prettier color.

The soup turned out so pale since I had to give my broccoli a bit of a hair cut as I neglected it for too long. Use your broccoli soon after you get it and you’ll get a much prettier color.

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
½ large onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced (or vegetarian alternative—see headnote) (I buy Nueske’s bacon ends—cheaper than slices—at Pastaworks and freeze them so I always have some on hand)
2/3 lb broccoli (one really large head or several small ones), peeled, trimmed of any tough stems and chopped
2 Japanese salad turnips, washed and diced (or just potatoes if you don’t have turnips)
2 potatoes, scrubbed and diced (no need to peel if new potatoes but peel older ones) (or just turnips if you don’t have potatoes)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 – 5 ½ cups water, vegetable or chicken stock (or veggie bouillon broth) (I used water as I didn’t have anything else and it was delicious)
¾ cup whole milk
Croutons for serving (made by toasting diced bread in a large, heavy skillet with a little olive oil and salt until crisp but still a little chewy) or Toasted sunflower seeds
Good olive oil for drizzling

Heat the butter or oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the bacon and the potatoes and/or turnips and a few pinches of salt and sauté, stirring often, for another 4-5 minutes without browning.

Add the broth/stock and bring to a lively simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are quite tender. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes depending on how big your pieces are. Add the milk and simmer for another minute.

Puree the soup in batches in the blender and return to a pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a little squeeze of lemon if you’d like.

Serve topped with croutons or toasted sunflowers seeds and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Broccoli Fritters
–inspired by smittenkitchen.com

These are terribly addictive. They’re perfect with a fried egg on top or just with some Greek (or plain whole milk yogurt) that you’ve doctored with a little minced garlic, salt and lemon juice and/or some finely chopped parsley. You can substitute kohlrabi or cauliflower or carrots or cabbage for the broccoli.

About 10 3-inch fritters

About 4 cups broccoli, well washed and cut into small florets and stems cut into small chunks
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or other cheese—sharp cheddar is fine too)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 cloves new garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying

Cook the broccoli in a pan with about 1/2–inch of water for 5-6 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain the broccoli and let cool slightly.

In the meantime beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Then, add broccoli and, using a potato masher or a fork, mash it up a bit and incorporate the other ingredients well. You don’t want a uniform texture but you want it mashed enough so they stick together when fried.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon the batter into the pan and flatten it slightly with a spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving and inch or so between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven if you’re not eating them right away. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. Serve with garlicky or plain Greek yogurt or a fried egg or just as is–see headnote.

Fennel Notes

Add very thinly sliced fennel to any salads you make this week. Or if you’re making a sauce of any kind that starts with diced onions, add some fennel as well, for depth and sweetness. The below recipe is a real treat so if you have what you need for it by all means use all of your fennel for that dish.

Slow-cooked Salmon with Fennel Fronds and Parsley

This recipe comes straight from Noble Rot chef Leather Storrs who is a very talented fish cook.

Cover the bottom of a pretty, ovenproof dish with fennel fronds and parsley. Plop a filet of salmon on it and season with salt and pepper. Pour in a little white wine and bake at 180 degrees until just set. 30-45 minutes. Squeeze over some lemon and throw on some fresh herbs. Serve from the dish.

And I would roasted the fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, with just a little olive oil and salt until browning in a hot oven, and serve those with the fish.

Caramelized Fennel with Goat Cheese
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Family share members will have enough fennel for this recipe.

 Serves 4

2 large fennel bulbs
2 ½ tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra to finish)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
2-3 new garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces crumbled fresh goat’s cheese
Grated zest of 1 lemon
¾ cup dill (leaves and stalks) chopped 

Prepare the fennel by taking off the leafy fronds and any tough or brown outer layers. Then slice off some of the root part but make sure the base still holds everything together. Then slice the bulbs into ½-inch slices lengthwise.

Melt half the butter with half the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the butter starts to foam add a layer of sliced fennel. Do not overcrowd the pan and don’t turn the fennel over or stir it around in the pan until one side has become light golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove form the pan and continue with the rest of the fennel, using the remaining oil and butter.

Once the fennel has been seared, add the sugar and fennel seeds, if using, and plenty of salt and pepper to the empty (don’t clean it!) pan. Fry for 30 seconds, then return all the fennel slices to the pan and caramelize them gently for 1-2 minutes (they need to remain firm inside so just allow them to be coated in the melting sugar and seeds). Remove the fennel form the pan and let cool a bit on a plate.

To serve, toss the fennel in a bowl with the garlic, dill, lemon zest and then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve dotted with the goat cheese.

Quick-Cooked Collards with Citrus and Raisins
– slightly adapted from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

Bryant talks about this dish as symbolic of his approach to cooking–fresh, lively twists on traditional dishes and treasured ingredients. His combinations are never short of inspired and in his subsequent books Inspired Vegan and Afro Vegan he continues on his path of satisfying, gorgeous, culturally and historically-rooted food.

I love this as a side dish or in a quesadilla with some grated sharp cheddar. I’m not a big fan of raisins in savory dishes but they are essential here.

Serves 2-4

1 large (or 2 smaller) bunch collard greens, washed, tough stems removed and cut into a chiffonade (fine ribbons)
Sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 3-4 new garlic cloves)
2/3 cup golden or regular raisins
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (apple cider works too if you don’t have orange juice)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the collards and cook, uncovered, for about 4-5 minutes. Drain the collards and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and set the color of the greens. Drain again.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the collards, raisins and a 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add orange juice and cook for an additional 15-30 seconds. Season with additional salt to taste if needed and serve immediately.

Collards and Beans

This isn’t really a recipe, just a suggestion of a good combination. I’ve been mixing cooked collards with any kind of home-cooked (canned could work too) bean I have around. I think they are particularly good with pinto beans and chickpeas. I chop up a bunch of collard greens, slice a clove of garlic and give those a quick sauté in some olive oil or bacon fat if you happen to have some around. Then I add a pinch or two of chili flakes and the beans and some bean cooking liquid or a little broth or water —not to make a soup (though that would be good too) but just so that everything heats through together evenly. Simmer the lot for 5-7 minutes until the collards are tender.

Serve with your favorite hot sauce or black pepper and olive oil. You can serve this over rice too for an even more filling dish. Or fry and egg to put on top!

Napa Slaw with Herbs

I made this for a party this weekend and it was well received. I think the mint is key so hopefully you can find some. Scale this as you’d like. If you have a big crowd use a whole head of cabbage.

napa cabbage slaw with herbs

Serves 4-6

½ head napa cabbage, washed, dried and leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½-1-inch strips
Handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
A few radishes, cut into matchsticks (optional)
1 Serrano chili (seeded if you don’t like much heat), minced

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
3 cloves new garlic, minced and then mashed with coarse sea salt with the side of a chef’s knife
Freshly ground pepper and more sea salt

Put all the vegetables in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss well. Let sit for a few minutes and toss again and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice, etc.

Post by Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have. For questions or comments contact katherine@cookwithwhatyouhave.com. 

 

 

 

Categories : Recipe

CSA News: Week 5- June 24 to June 26

Posted by csa on
 June 23, 2014

This Week’s Share

Crop

Family Share

Half Share

Basil 4 ounces 2 ounces
Broccoli 5 pounds 2 1/2 pounds
Collard Greens 2 bunches 1 bunch
Fennel 2 bulbs 1 bulb
Garlic (fresh/new) 2 bulbs 1 bulb
Lettuce, Red or Green Leaf 2 heads 1 head
Napa Cabbage 1 large head 1 small head

Share Notes

  • Basil: We hope you enjoy the first taste of basil in your share this week. This first “pinch” allows us to get to the plants before they set flower, encouraging abundant leaf growth so we can enjoy even more of their delicious aroma and flavor in several more weeks.
  • Broccoli: Abundant once again this week; enjoy it while it’s here as the season for broccoli is brief yet prolific.
  • Collard Greens: Enjoy the last early season round of collards in your share this week.
  • Napa Cabbage: Also known as Chinese Cabbage, this crop is delicious used raw, lightly sauteed or in a batch of Kimchi.

Can You Help the Farm? We Need a Vehicle

Do you have an older (but loved) pick-up truck, mini-van, passenger-van, or car that is looking for the perfect place to retire. Send it here to SIO and we’ll happily welcome your old baby into our family of work vehicles. We are in search of a well-used, well-loved, no-longer-needed, automatic or manual transmission vehicles that can be used to transport people, produce and/or equipment from different sites. We are open to donations, or low-priced offers. Rest assured knowing that on our farm only rewarding work filled days and peaceful calm nights on the island lie in wait for your much deserving engined friend. Please email (csa@sauvieislandorganics.com) or call (503.621.6921) if you have just the right member for our team.

Save the Date

Your Invited to the SIO Annual Potato Harvest Party & French Fry Feast
Saturday August, 16th 10am-2pm

Mark your calendars to join us for our annual Potato Harvest Party & French Fry Feast. This is a very kid friendly event, and in addition to potato harvesting we’ll have fresh french fries at eat and sprinklers to cool you down. Please bring a potluck dish to share. Join us anytime during the event, even just for lunch!

 

Categories : Blogroll, CSA Newsletter, Farm News & Updates, Uncategorized

Recipes for CSA Week 4

Posted by csa on
 June 17, 2014

A variety of different salads, all substantial, this week. Fried rice is CSA heavy hitter in my book—to be adapted all season long with veggies and herbs you happen to have and a quick pickling idea for those lovely, sweet turnips. Enjoy!

Panfried Turnips and New Potatoes with Miso Mustard Greens
Warm Broccoli and Potato Salad
Toasted Bread Salad with Scallions, Mustard Greens and Golden Raisins
Broccoli Fried Rice
Quick Turnip Pickles

Panfried Turnips and New Potatoes with Miso Mustard Greens

New potatoes and turnips pan-fried together into sweet, crispy nuggets served on top tender, savory sautéed greens is tasty combination.

panfried turnips potatoes on miso greens

Serves 3-4 as a side, 2 as more of main.

1 bunch turnips, scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, or less
4-5 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, or less
Olive oil or coconut oil (or any other oil really)
Salt

1 bunch mustard greens, washed and roughly chopped, stems and all
2 cloves garlic, minced or mashed
2 teaspoons red or yellow miso
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons or so water (if there’s very little liquid in the pan)

Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the turnips and potatoes and a few pinches of salt. Toss and then cook undisturbed for 5 or so minutes. Toss a bit again to get even browning and cook until just tender.

Meanwhile stir together the miso, soy sauce and garlic in a small bowl and set aside. In another skillet warm a little more oil and sauté the greens for just a few minutes to wilt. If there is a bit of liquid in the pan pour of just a little and add it to the miso mixture. Toss the miso with the greens and stir to incorporate evenly. Remove from the heat, or simmer another minute or two if there is lots of liquid. You want to evaporate most of it.

Serve the greens topped with the potatoes and turnips.

 

Warm Broccoli and Potato Salad

potatoes and broccoli with sauce gribiche

Serves 4

It’s practically a meal in one with the hard-boiled egg, potatoes, and broccoli but would be wonderful with grilled meat or fish or other veggies or some crusty bread and a simple green salad. I realize you don’t have the herbs called for here in your share this week but you do have the two main players!

Scale up or down as needed and feel free to change the ratio of potato and broccoli.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 ½ lbs potatoes. scrubbed but not peeled, and cut into thumb-sized pieces
scant 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
¾ lb or more of broccoli, cut into small florets and stems sliced into ½ inch pieces
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (divided)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
2-3 scallions, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh tarragon  (optional but wonderful if you have it–see headnote)
Black pepper

Toss the potato chunks with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and several generous pinches of salt and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and more salt and spread on a second baking sheet and slide into the oven as well.  You want the broccoli and potatoes to be done at just about the same time. You can alternatively boil the potatoes and cook the broccoli with the potatoes for the last few minutes–quicker and also very good (see headnote).

To make the dressing, mash one of the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs in a medium bowl. Slowly add the remaining oil, whisking constantly to create an emulsion. Add the vinegar and mustard and whisk until smooth. Then stir in the capers, herbs, ¼ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  Coarsely chop the egg white and add to the dressing. Roughly chop the remaining 2 eggs. Gently toss the dressing with the warm potatoes, broccoli and egg. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Toasted Bread Salad with Scallions, Mustard Greens and Golden Raisins

I was inspired by the famous Zuni Café roast chicken to create a riff on the bread salad served with the chicken. So if you feel like roasting a chicken this would be a lovely accompaniment. My ratio of bread to greens is the opposite of the Zuni one though but feel free to invert that.

Serves 4, generously

6 cups lettuce, washed, dried and torn
2 cups mustard greens, washed, dried and thinly sliced
4-5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden (or regular raisins) or dried currants, chopped a little if you’d like
¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts)
3 slices good, crusty bread, well-toasted and torn into bits of varying sizes

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons good olive oil (or more to taste)
1 clove minced or mashed garlic (optional)

Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl or platter. Mix the dressing in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning. It should be nice and vinegary. 

Broccoli and Turnip Fried Rice

I try to make twice as much rice as I need for any given meal and then freeze the remainder to have on hand for this (and other) quick meals.

Serves 4

2 1/2 – 3 cups cooked, cooled rice (day-old or previously cooked and frozen rice works much better than fresh—fresh is too moist)
1-2 tablespoons coconut, sunflower or olive oil
1/2 a medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1-2 ounces bacon, cut into small dice (optional)
2 cups broccoli, cut into1-inch pieces
½ cup or more turnips, cut into 1/2-inch dice
½ bunch mustard greens, well washed and finely chopped (optional)
1 Serrano or jalapeño chili, seeded (if you don’t want it very spicy) and finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 teaspoons Tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (or to taste)
3 tablespoons roughly chopped basil, mint or cilantro (optional, or a combination)
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt

Heat the oil in a wok or largest skillet you have, over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, broccoli and turnips and hot chili, if using, and bacon and cook stirring very frequently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the rice and mustard greens, if using, and mix everything very well. Cook for about three more minutes to heat the rice through and wilt the greens.

Push the contents of the pan to one side and add the eggs to the empty spot and scramble them until almost set. A few stray rice kernels ore veggies will make their way in which is just fine. You just don’t want to mix the raw egg into the rice right away since you’ll loose track of it as it just coats the kernels instead of scrambling. When the eggs are almost set, mix them gently into the rice, add the soy and fish sauce, stir well and then mix in scallions and herbs, if using. Adjust seasoning–it may need salt or more soy or fish sauce, hot sauce or a squeeze of lime juice–and serve immediately.

Quick Turnip Pickles
–adapted from Andrew Cohen

Here is a variation on a theme of a salad called sunomono that you get in Japanese restaurants.

1 bunch Japanese Salad turnips, trimmed and scrubbed but not peeled
2 medium carrots (optional), well scrubbed but not peeled
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup sugar

Use a mandolin, if possible, to slice the turnips as thinly as you can and keep them whole. If you do not have a mandolin, I recommend slicing the top and bottom flat so you have a firm base and the turnip does not roll. If using the carrot, slice the carrot as thinly as the turnips. Use the same shape or shred into thin shreds.

Sprinkle the vegetables with the salt, toss to coat evenly and massage the vegetables a little.

While the vegetables wilt, combine the water, vinegar, and sugar in a jar and shake until the sugar dissolves.

When the vegetables have begun to wilt and have lost their “raw”-ness, rinse in plenty of cold water. Taste a slice to be sure the salt is mostly gone. Add the vegetables to the dressing and allow to marinate at least an hour. Chill the pickles, then serve cold.

Categories : Recipe

CSA News: Week 4- June 17 to June 19

Posted by csa on
 June 17, 2014

This Week’s Share

Crop

Family Share

Half Share

Broccoli 5 pounds 2 1/2 pounds
Lettuce, Red Butter  2 heads 1 head
Mustard Greens, Red Giant 2 bunches 1 bunch
New Potatoes, Red Gold
4 pounds 2 pounds
Turnips, Hakurei 2 pounds 1 pound
Scallions (Green Onions) 2 bunches 1 bunch

Share Notes

  • Broccoli: Rejoice for bountiful broccoli in the share this week. Our yields came in so high we decided to leave the Lacinato Kale in the field to size up a bit more and enjoy in another week. Enjoy raw, steamed, roasted, grilled or sauteed, but be sure not to over cook. Feeling like the broccoli bounty may be too much for one week? Just blanch and freeze what you won’t use this week and save for using another day.
  • Mustard Green, Red Giant: If you are new to mustard greens then give these a little nibble fresh first as they tend to be packed with spicy kick. The mustardy hot taste mellows when cooked.
  • New Potatoes, Red Gold: Your Red Gold’s this week are young with tender skins. You may notice the potatoes are a bit muddy, and that is because we didn’t want to further peel their delicate “new” skins with abrasive washing. Just give them a gentle rinse to reveal the beautiful spuds.  Also, make sure to keep them refrigerated as they have not yet developed a thick and protective skin.

The Buzz: It’s National Pollinator Week

This year marks the 8th celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 16-22). Pollinating animals, including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles and others, are vital to the earth’s delicate ecosystem, supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watershed, and more. Here at SIO we couldn’t farm with our the help of our pollinating friends, and we regularly include beneficial flowers in our row crops, as well as large beds of mixed beneficials called “insectory” plantings.  So flap your wings and dance like a bee, because it’s time to celebrate your favorite pollinators.

Pollination Celebration with the Sauvie Island Center

Join the Sauvie Island Center on Saturday, June 21st from 10 am to noon for our annual celebration of these hard-working friends of the farm. Pollination Celebration will offer attendees a sneak peek into the world of pollinators, the challenges they face and the important role they play in farming and our food supply. While everyone is welcome to walk the farm and native hedgerow with us, the event will feature games and interactive learning opportunities for kids from Pre-K to 5th grade. For more information and registration visit Pollination Celebration.

 

Categories : Blogroll, CSA Newsletter, Farm News & Updates, Uncategorized

Recipes for CSA Week 3

Posted by csa on
 June 9, 2014

Some one-dish meals this week in the form of the Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions and the Chard Tart as well as some tasty sides and salads including my “Lettuce Management Treatise”. I am guilty of having to compost a few slimy outer leaves from last week’s share and I vow to do better! Happy cooking!

Long-cooked Chard and Onions
Mizuna Notes
Mizuna, Scallion and Turnip Salad with Miso Dressing
Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions
Lettuce Management
Miso-Braised Turnips with their Greens
Green Sauce (for grilled vegetables or meat or eggs. . .)
Chard Tart

Long-cooked Chard and Onions

longcooked chard onions

I can eat the better part of this in one-sitting but I suppose it might serve 3 normal people as a side:)

This is a bit of an atypical way to cook chard since you cook it for a quite a long time. It is well worth it though—silky and rich.

Wash a large bunch of chard. Separate the leaves  and stems and roughly chop the leaves and thinly slice the stems. Slice a large onion and begin stewing it (and the stems, if using) in some olive oil in a good-sized pot or pan. When the onion has softened a bit add the chard, season with salt and pepper, cover and stew, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes. The moisture from the leaves and onions should be enough to cook it, slowly, but if it gets too dry you can add just a little water. Remove from the heat when the vegetables are silky and tender.

I’ve used this as a pizza topping with some feta, as a pasta sauce or just a side to whatever else I made for dinner. It’s also wonderful with eggs.

Mizuna Notes

Mizuna is a peppery, fresh and juicy green with deeply cut and fringed leaves. It’s also sometimes called Japanese Mustard and does have the characteristic flavor though mizuna is milder than typical mustard greens. It’s pale, tender stems are also delicious so cut them up finely and use them wherever you are using the leaves–salads, slaws and even lightly stir fried or pickled.

I like to finely chop mizuna or other greens, mix them with a little olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic and salt. Then I top soups or stews or plates of grains and vegetables with a generous amount of this zippy, fresh, finely chopped salad/garnish. It adds wonderful texture and flavor–it’s like having a mini salad incorporated into a warm dish.

Mizuna is quite tender so use it within a 3-4 days of getting it. Store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions
–inspired by Bon Appetit, June 2013

sesame noodles with snap peas, mizuna and green onions

I love scallions and especially the greens so I use them liberally here. You can cut back if you’re not as much of a fan. The chili oil, of which you’ll have some leftover, is wonderful on any salad or meat or roasted veggie.

This dish is suitable to many kinds of vegetables, both raw and briefly cooked in the same pot as the noodles. You could add turnips and turnip greens to this salad this week. Be creative just cut the vegetables into matchsticks or julienne or shred them so they mix well and don’t fall to the bottom of the bowl!

This makes a lot! You can only dress 2/3 of the noodles and save the rest of the noodles for something else and just have a bigger veggie to noodle ration (which I prefer).

I also make a version with canned Oregon Albacore which is delicious—definitely a meal in itself.

Serves 6

5 scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Scant 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like a lot of heat)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb spaghetti (de Cecco is my favorite brand)
3-4 turnips, cut into match sticks or small dice and green chopped, if using here
3-4 cups mizuna, chopped
Sea salt
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar

Cook scallion whites, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until oil is sizzling and onions are golden brown, 12–15 minutes; let chili oil cool in saucepan.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water. About 2 minutes before the noodles are al dente add the turnips and turnips greens, cook for a few more minutes; drain all of it. Rinse under cold water and drain well and put in a big bowl. Toss with a little of the chili oil to keep noodles from sticking.

Whisk tahini, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 2–3 tablespoons chili oil (depending on desired heat) in a small bowl; season with salt. Add dressing to noodles and turnips and add onion tops and mizuna and toss to coat. I found tossing the salad with my hands was by far the most effective technique to get the thick dressing well distributed. Makes a mess but it’s quick and easy.

Mizuna, Scallion and Turnip Salad with Miso Dressing

mizuna, turnip, scallion miso salad

I made this for lunch on a whim and it was lovely. The scallions and miso balance the sweetness of the turnips and the miso brings it all together. I wanted to add roasted peanuts but was uncharacteristically out of them but I’m fairly sure it would be a good addition.

Feel free to cut the recipe in half or scale it any way you like. It’s a pretty filling salad I found.

Serves 4-6

1 bunch mizuna, roots trimmed, washed, dried and chopped, stems and all
5 or more scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 medium-large turnips, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts (optional)

1 tablespoon red or yellow miso
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin (rice cooking wine)
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl stir together the dressing ingredients. In a large bowl toss the vegetables and nuts, if using, with the dressing, though you may not need all of the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may need a little salt.

Lettuce Management: Storage, Salad Additions & Dressings

Staying on top of lettuce takes a little work. It’s completely worth it but here are a few tricks/methods I employ to keep things interesting on the salad front . . and keep those beautiful heads from going slimy and brown.

Washing and storing:

If you’re having a hard time staying on top of the lettuce, wash enough for two big salads soon after you pick up your share. My preferred way to store the washed lettuce is rolled up in clean, dishtowels. This is actually my preferred drying technique and it stores well that way, or a couple of days. You can put the rolled up lettuce-filled towels in a plastic bag and store in the fridge.

Crunchy additions:

Keep sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds, and/or walnuts or hazelnuts on hand. Pumpkin seeds take just a few minutes to toast in a dry skillet and sunflower seeds toast best in a 300 degree oven with some salt and olive oil. Walnuts and hazelnuts toast well in an oven—no salt or oil needed—as well. And they all add so much to salads.

If you have a slice or two of nice crusty bread that needs using you can toast it and then tear it into little pieces and add it your salad for a little chew and heft.

Pickled additions:

I keep a jar of thinly sliced (red) onions covered in red wine vinegar in the fridge at all times. A few slices of these pickled onions brightens up salads and many other dish too.

I sometimes chop up some kimchi and add it to salads, especially ones that include cooked beans.

Fruity additions:

Add chopped sweet cherries, strawberries or blueberries to your green salads. If you have a little goat cheese or feta, that would be a good combo as well.

Dressing variations:

The classic vinaigrette I make is about 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar (red wine, cider, sherry), 2-3 tablespoons good olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and if I’m feeling fancy 1 teaspoon of Dijon-style mustard and a little minced shallot or garlic and some minced thyme or tarragon. You’ll want to scale this up for larger salads and change the ratio to suit your taste. I don’t ever measure as you can easily adjust as you go and no two salads are every the same size. Make about triple this amount and keep it in a jar in the fridge.

Add a couple of teaspoons of heavy cream, mayonnaise (homemade or store bought) or Greek yogurt to a classic vinaigrette (above) for a slightly creamier dressing. Dress your lettuce with this, add ½ cup of toasted sunflower seeds and some thinly sliced onions for a robust salad.

Add ground cumin, lime or lemon zest and some red pepper flakes to a typical vinaigrette or the creamy version above. This is particularly good for slaws and black bean salads.

Add a couple of tablespoons of smashed avocado to your dressing. Lime or lemon juice and some minced garlic is a good combination for this variation.

Miso-braised Turnips and their Greens

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare these tender turnips. If the greens are still attached by all means use them–the dish is wonderful with and without so make it throughout the season.

You can scale this up or down to use however many turnips you want.

Serves 2- 3 as a side

1 plus 1 teaspoon white or yellow miso
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1 1/2 pounds turnips, scrubbed and trimmed (not sure how much your bunches will weigh this week)
2-3 cups washed, chopped turnip greens  (optional)
Generous 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

Stir together miso and 1 tablespoon butter.

Halve or quarter the turnips and put in a large heavy skillet along with water, mirin, remaining tablespoon butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then boil, covered, about 10-12 minutes.

Add greens, if using, by handfuls, turning and stirring and adding more as the volume in skillet reduces. Cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until turnips are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes. Stir in miso butter and cook 1 more minute. Serve hot.

Green Sauce (for grilled vegetables or meet or eggs. . .)

There are so many variations on this theme of simple herb sauces and this is most like a chimichurri. And the quantities are just suggestions, taste as you go and make it to your liking in terms of acidity, salt, oil, and spice. You can certainly use a food processor to chop the parsley but I think the texture is even better if chopped by hand.

If you have some cilantro and or/oregano on hand add some—that will get you even closer to a traditional Argentinian chimichurri sauce.

Serve this sauce with grilled meats or fish, with eggs or beans. I made a white bean salad with this sauce as a the dressing, Oregon bay shrimp and more scallions and it was really, really good.

1 bunch parsley, washed and just trimmed of tough stems (no need to pick the leaves), finely chopped
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced and then chopped a bit more, greens and all
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice (start with two and taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (feel free to toast whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or two and grind them for even more flavor, or use ground)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup or more olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Chard Tart

Beautiful and delicious.

Serves 5-6

Preheat the oven to 425ºF

1 recipe Tart Dough (recipe follows)

1 large bunch of chard, leaves, roughly chopped and stems finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (or Gruyère or just plain old cheddar if that’s what you have)
A few pinches of ground nutmeg (optional)

Heat the butter in a wide skillet; add the onion and stems and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic, and the chard leaves by handfuls, if necessary, until they all fit. Sprinkle in a large pinch of salt. Turn the leaves over repeatedly so that they are all exposed to the heat of the pan, and cook until they are tender, 5 minutes or more.

To make the custard, beat the eggs; then stir in the milk, grated Parmesan, and a few scrapings of nutmeg. Stir in the chard and onion mixture. Taste and season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Pour the filling into the prepared tart shell and bake until the top is golden and firm, about 40 minutes.

Tart Dough
–Adapted from David Lebovitz

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
(or ¾ cup apf and ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of a 10-inch tart pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling-pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations. (I occasionally forget to do this with no ill effect so don’t sweat it if you forget.) If you don’t have a tart pan you can use a 9 or 10-inch pie pan too. The recipe for the dough is pretty generous so will fit a pie pan too.

 

 

 

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