The roasted savoy cabbage wedges with a simple vinaigrette seems like it won’t amount to much. It does! It’s a perfect dish. Please make it! Happy cooking!

Braised Cabbage with Apple Cider, White Wine and Vinegar
Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Vinaigrette
Fennel, Carrot and Parsley Salad
Mustard Roasted Potatoes, Carrots and Fennel
Potato Leek Soup
Potatoes with Salsa Verde I & II

Braised Cabbage with Apple Cider, White Wine and Vinegar

This is a simple and delicious way to work your way through a lot of cabbage. I ate ¼ of a cabbage in one sitting I think prepared this way recently—and a quarter of a big (!) cabbage.

Preheat oven to 375 – 400 (my oven runs cool so I tend to always go higher)

Use however much cabbage you want/need to use up. Remove the outer most leaves, cut the cabbage in quarters and remove the core. Now carefully cut the cabbage into wedges about 2 inches wide, trying to keep the wedges together as best you can. Place the wedges snugly next to each other in a baking dish.

Generously sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil. Pour in about 1/3 cup of dry white wine (if you’re using an 8 x 13” baking dish) and 1/3 cup of apple cider. Bake the cabbage for about 45 minutes until nicely browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and drizzle with about 2 teaspoons of good sherry or balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes and then serve.

Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Vinaigrette
–adapted from The Yellow House

The cabbage gets tender on the inside and caramelized and crispy on the outside and is so simple and delicious this way. If you have a large head of cabbage this will probably be more than you can eat in one sitting like this but the roasted cabbage is so good that I would suggest roasting the whole thing and using any leftover wedges in other ways later in the week.

1 head  savoy cabbage
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

For the vinaigrette:
5-6 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Pecorino Romano or Parmesan for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Using a large, sharp knife, quarter the cabbage. Depending on the size of your cabbage, these quarters may be good size already. If they seem too large for one plate, halve each of the quarters so you have eight cabbage wedges, or more if they’re still quite large. Trim away any very pithy or brown ends of the core, but leave the core intact. The core will hold the wedges together while roasting.

Arrange the cabbage wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cabbages with the olive oil, and then sprinkle liberally with sea salt.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Roast the cabbage for 30 minutes, flipping the wedges at 15 minutes so they brown evenly. At the conclusion of roasting, the cabbages may have some blackened, crispy outer leaves. If you don’t want this, feel free to take them out a few minutes early, but note that the inside of the cabbage may be less tender than if you had left it in longer.

While the cabbage is roasting, make your vinaigrette by whisking together olive oil, sherry vinegar, and mustard. Taste the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper to taste.

When the cabbage is tender, serve the wedges, drizzled with vinaigrette, and a good grating of cheese over the top. Serve immediately, while the cabbage is still hot.

Mustard Roasted Vegetables

This is a nice variation to plain roasted vegetables. One of my favorite things to do with these, once roasted and a bit cooled is to toss them with lots of parsley. Then add a bit more lemon juice and olive oil and make a big salad out of it. Quantities are approximations. Use however many vegetables you want in whatever ratio you want.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced in ½-inch thick half-rounds
5 potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into wedges
6-7 carrots, scrubbed and cut into ½ – ¾-inch slices on the bias
1 head fennel, trimmed and cut into ½-inch thick sliced and then cut in half
2-3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped parsley, for tossing with at the end

Put all the vegetables in a big bowl. Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl and then toss the mustard mixture with the vegetables mixing very well. I use my hands to get it thoroughly mixed—messy but fun and effective.

Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet—try not to crowd and use two sheets if you have too much for one. Roast for 20 minutes then stir and keep roasting until all vegetables are tender and beginning to brown around the edges.

Toss with a bit of vinegar and/or lemon juice and chopped parsley if you’d like (see headnote) and serve hot or at room temp.

Fennel, Carrot and Parsley Salad

As you’ve probably heard me say before I didn’t use to like raisins in savory food but looking back over the recipes I’ve created or adapted here I see a handful of them with raisins and I think I have to stop saying that. And I particularly like golden raisins in some of these dishes. Whether or not you have/had a similar aversion, give this a try.

1 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced as thinly as you can
2 carrots, julienned or gated on large holes of a box grater
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 small shallot (or 2 scallions or a piece of a regular onion, very thinly sliced)
½ cup golden raisins
Zest of 1/2 lemon, finely grated on a micro-plane
Juice of 1 lemon (or more)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons good olive oil

Toss all ingredients together well. Let sit for 10 minutes. Toss again and taste and adjust seasoning. You need plenty of salt to offset all the lemon.

This would be delicious with any kind of fish!

Potato Leek Soup
–adapted from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

This classic is worth repeating. Simple, luscious and always rewarding. You could make fancy croutons by tossing them in lots of chopped parsley and minced garlic and toasting just a little more.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped (or 1-2 extra leeks)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, washed, and thinly sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
2 fresh sage leaves (optional), finely chopped
4 cups veggie bouillon, chicken stock, or water
3 cups whole milk

Optional Toppings:

Minced fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan or Gruyere
Croutons

Melt the butter in a large pot over low to medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, salt and pepper, cover cook and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft but not colored. Add the remaining ingredients, along with a little more salt unless your broth or bouillon is very salty, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. As soon as the soup bubbles, turn the heat to low, mostly cover the pot, and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, or until all the vegetables are mashably soft. Taste the soup and season generously with salt and pepper. You can serve the soup chunky or use an immersion blender to blend or transfer to a blender. The soup is good hot, at room temperature and cold. Garnish as desired.

Potato Salad with Creamy Salsa Verde I

A friend of mine who receives the SIO CSA requested this recipe again. It is a standby in our house hold. You can also use the dressing on roasted polenta or any kind of grains or beans that you’re serving at room temperature. It’s great with roasted veggies or shrimp. Just make it and use it!

Serves 4

About 5-6 Sangre potatoes, scrubbed
2 hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped (optional)

Dressing

1 bunch parsley
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
½ cup Greek or plain whole milk yogurt, or more if you want it creamier
1 garlic clove, minced or preferably mashed (or pressed)
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon (or a bit more)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

Scrub the potatoes and boil them in their skins until tender. Drain and let cool. Peel if you’d like or skip this step (I usually skip it) and cut into bite-sized chunks. Mix all remaining ingredients (except the eggs) in a medium bowl. Taste the dressing to make sure it’s salt enough and has enough acidity. The capers add a bit of both and if you’ve mashed the garlic with some salt, go easy on the salt at first—though potatoes soak up a lot of salt. The dressing will be fairly thick. You can thin it out with a bit more olive oil or milk or cream or even a little water if you’d like.

Mix the dressing carefully into the potatoes and finally add the chopped egg if you’re using it.

Potato Salad with Salsa Verde II

Make the same dish as above but omit the Greek yogurt and substitute 3 more tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard. Some crumbled crisp bacon would not be amiss here either.

This week’s recipes have been put together by Francesca from the farm. I’ve included some past seasons’ recipes from Katherine, as well as few favorites of my own.

Beet Ideas
Grated Beet and Apple Salad
Celeriac Notes
Celeriac Remoulade
Delicata Squash and Celery Root Mash
Delicata Notes
Simple Roasted Delicata Squash
Delicata Fritters
Sweet Pepper Pasta Toss with Kale

Beet Ideas

Toast some cumin seeds in a dry skillet for just a minute or two and then coarsely crush. Mash some garlic with some salt and add some lemon juice and olive oil to the garlic and cumin and dress diced, roasted beets and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and a bunch of chopped parsley, if you have it. Toss gently and adjust salt and lemon.

Dress roasted beet wedges and thinly sliced kale and very thinly sliced onion with a dressing of Dijon-style mustard, capers, olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Grated Beet and Apple Salad
–adapted from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

This is gorgeous, refreshing, crunchy and packed with good nutrients and the author is a friend of Katherine’s.

2 large beets, peeled
2 large apples, cored, peeled
1/4 cup apple juice/cider
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dried currants (you could chop up some raisins, golden or regular if you don’t have currants though the currants are awfully good)

Coarsely shred beets and apples on box grater or food processor fitted with large grater attachment. Combine in large mixing bowl and set aside.

Heat apple juice in small saucepan or skillet over high heat until boiling. Cook until reduced to one tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Transfer to medium mixing bowl. Add apple cider vinegar to reduced apple juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drizzle dressing over shredded beets and apples, add currants, and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Celeriac Notes

I love celeriac! It’s good raw and cooked, mashed or pureed or fried in baton-sized pieces in bacon fat. Cook it, diced until very tender and mash like you would potatoes or mixed with potatoes or roast with rutabaga and carrots.

And what to do with those tops? Give them a taste raw and go from there. Stir-fries, salads, and soups all would be great places to use them up.

Celeriac Remoulade

A classic Celery Root Remoulade exclusively uses mayonnaise in the dressing, which is good but I suggest a combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for a slightly tangier and fresher flavor here but by all means use just mayonnaise if that’s what you have.

And again, quantities are approximations so adjust depending on the number of people you’re feeding, etc.

Scant 2 lbs. celeriac, peeled
¼ cup good mayonnaise
¼ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
A little white wine or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

You can either grate the celeriac in a food processor or if you can, use a sharp knife or a mandolin to cut it into matchsticks. Toss the grated or cut celeriac with 1 teaspoon sea salt most of the lemon juice. Let rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 30.

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the veggies. Mix well and adjust seasoning.

Delicata Squash and Celery Root Mash

–http://cookinghussy.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/delicata-squash-and-celery-root-mash/

Delicata Notes 

Delicata in particular has relatively thin skin (so thin you can eat it, no peeling needed) and a creamy and nutty flavor making is great for baking and steaming. Delicata should keep for several weeks in a cool and dry part of the kitchen away from direct sunlight, although due to its thinner skin is known to not keep for quite as long as all the other thicker skinned winter squashes.

Simple Roasted Delicata Squash

–http://chezpim.com/cook/simple-roasted-delicata-squash

Delicata Squash Fritters
–adapted from the Kelly Meyers collection on Culinate.com

Simple (if you have a food processor) and completely addictive. And a sidenote, Kelly Meyers (author of this recipe) has a new restaurant at 37th and Division that is well worth a visit.

Batter
1 large egg
½ cup cold water
¼ cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
about 1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground pepper
Your oil of choice for pan-frying

Veggies
1 medium delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out (no need to peel) and grated in food processor or on the large holes of a box grater (not as hard as it sounds but takes a bit of elbow grease and don’t grate your knuckles!)
¼ of an onion, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more or less depending on how much spice you like)
Chopped herbs such as chives, parsley, mint (optional)

Crack egg into a small bowl. Add water, flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until batter is smooth. Put grated squash and onions and spices and herbs, if using, into a medium size bowl. Add batter and stir mixture well.

Heat a wide skillet with 1-2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat until the oil is very hot but not smoking.

Add 2 heaping tablespoons of fritter mixture to skillet and flatten with the back of a spatula until fritter resembles a pancake. Repeat, leaving room between the fritters. Cook for about 2 minutes each side, or until fritters are golden brown. Use a spatula to remove fritters from skillet onto a plate lined with paper towels. Continue cooking the fritters in batches. Add additional oil as needed. Fritters may be held in a warm oven but are at their best when served freshly fried.

Sweet Pepper Pasta Toss with Kale

–http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-pepper-pasta-toss-with-kale/

Soup, pot roast, pickles, glazed carrots—you have quite the range of dishes this week. The miso braised turnips are so good too. Enjoy!

Leek and Chard Soup with White Beans and Garlicky Bread – aka Best Soup
Fall Gratin
Hakurei Turnips and their Greens with Miso Butter
Quick-pickled Carrots and Turnips (and Peppers)
Ginger Glazed Carrots with Sesame
Pot Roast with Carrots, Leeks and Roasted Potatoes

Leek and Chard Soup with White Beans and Garlicky Bread – aka Best Soup

I titled this soup “The Best Soup” in a blog post years ago. It’s a risky thing to say and tastes vary so widely it’s really quite a ridiculous thing to say, however, I do love it. It makes plenty and freezes well (without the poached eggs and bread of course) so pick up a bunch of cilantro and have at it! You could also use the turnip greens, in addition to the chard, in the soup this week. And don’t skip or substitute anything for the cilantro. It’s a really key component.

It’s also delicious without the egg but if you do the whole thing—garlicky bread with soup ladled over and poached egg on top you’re in for a real treat and a beautiful one-dish meal.

This photo does not do this lovely dish justice. Make it!

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups dried white beans (cannelini, great northern, Ayers Creek white beans of any kind, Rancho Gordo Marrow beans . . . ) or 1 ½ 14 oz. cans of cannelini or other white beans
2 tbs olive oil
2 leeks (about 2 ½ cups, chopped)
5 large cloves garlic
6 ½ cups home-made veggie bouillon broth or veggie or chicken stock and/or bean cooking liquid
2 cups packed cilantr0
one bunch chard, stems and leaves finally chopped (about 5 cups)
sliced crusty bread (6 slices)
6 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
good olive oil for drizzling

Cook the beans in water with one clove of the garlic until soft. (See bean cooking instructions here) Drain, reserving liquid, and set aside. You could also use canned beans—see note above.

Trim and clean the leeks. Cut in half, lengthwise, and slice in 1/4 inch slices.

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the leeks in olive oil until limp. Add three cloves of garlic, minced. Continue sautéing until the garlic is soft but not brown about 2 minutes, lower heat as needed. Add 4 ½ cups of the stock/broth/bean cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer for a minute or two. Add the chard to the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Blend the cilantro with the reserved 2 cups of bouillon or broth in a blender. Add the cilantro mixture and season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a rapid simmer. Crack eggs into soup, cover and let poach about 4-5 minutes until the whites are just set and the yolks still runny.

While eggs are cooking toast the bread slices and rub with remaining garlic cloves. You can rub one or both sides of the toast with garlic–depending on much you love garlic. Lay the bread in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the soup over. Top with poached egg. Drizzle with good olive oil and grind some pepper over the top.

Basic Dry Bean Soaking/Cooking Instructions

If you aren’t in the habit of soaking and cooking dry beans here are the basic steps. The flavor of the beans is very good this way and they are much, much cheaper than cans. Once in the habit, it’s not much work at all. And I always soak and cook more than I need for any given recipe and freeze the rest in some of the cooking liquid. I also rarely cook beans for use in the moment. They improve so much if you can let them sit in their cooking liquid for an hour or so, or up to 8 hours. I usually cook them while I’m doing something else in the kitchen and then have them on hand for the next few days and/or freeze them for later use.

3-4 cups dried beans (garbanzo, white, black, pinto. . . ) Rinse beans if they look dusty and pick out any stones. Usually I don’t find anything like that. Place in a large bowl covered by about 4 inches of cold water. Soak over night or 6-8 hours. Drain and rinse beans.

Place soaked beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by several inches. Add a few whole, peeled garlic cloves, a bay leaf and a big chunk of peeled onion. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook covered until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally (this helps prevent some beans from softening before others.) If your beans are old (hard to tell!) salting them at the beginning can prevent them from cooking properly, so salt mid-way through or at the end. When you do add salt, be generous, as in at least 3 teaspoons kosher salt to start if you’re cooking 4 cups or so of dried beans. They’ll probably need more still. The time it takes for the beans to cook will vary depending on the kind of bean and the freshness of the dried beans. Garbanzos take the longest, usually about 45 minutes. Black, white and pinto can be done in 15-40 minutes. Let beans cool in their liquid (if you’re not in a rush) and then use, freeze, etc. If you’re freezing some, fill your container with the beans and then ladle in the cooking liquid until the beans are almost covered. Cooked beans also keep in the fridge for 5-6 days and for several months in the freezer.

Fall Gratin

I made a version of this, this weekend and it was a crowd pleaser. The variations are endless—use broth or milk; add bacon, use different herbs and/or spices, etc.

6 or so potatoes, scrubbed
1-2 leeks, cleaned, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-in half rounds
2-3 sweet peppers, seeds removed and thinly sliced or diced
Milk or broth/stock
Grated cheese (optional) cheddar, Parmesan, . . ..
1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
1-2 tablespoons flour (optional)
chopped parsley or thyme or a little sage or oregano (optional but very good)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the potatoes as thinly as you can. I use the slicer on my box grater. Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl.

Sauté the leeks and peppers in a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt until softened, about 10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix the salt, pepper, cumin, pimenton herbs and flour (if using).

Toss the spice mixture with the potatoes and mix as well was you can. Spread half of the potato mixture evenly over the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish (or similar oven proof container). Spread the pepper and leek mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and a bit of grated cheese, if using. Spread the remainder of the potatoes over the pepper layer and top with a little more grated cheese, if using. Pour milk or broth in the dish about 1/3 way up the sides of the vegetables. It doesn’t really matter how much. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15- 20 more. Test for doneness. You want the potatoes to be nice and soft but still keeping their shape.

Hakurei Turnips and their Greens with Miso
–adapted from Gourmet

You can easily double this recipe if you have a full share and want to use both bunches of turnips in one fell swoop.

1 1/2 tablespoons white miso
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
1 bunch turnips, scrubbed and trimmed but not peeled
1 bunch turnip greens, well washed and roughly chopped (you can also just double the amount of turnip greens)
generous 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon 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 ½ tablespoon butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then boil, covered, about 10-12 minutes.

Add greens by handfuls, turning and stirring and adding more as 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.

Quick-pickled Carrots and Turnips

These are quick and tasty and you can add strips of red pepper for more color and flavor if you’d like.

4 cups clean, trimmed and sliced turnips, carrots (and peppers—see headnote)

• I slice the carrots into ¼-inch thick strips about 3 inches long

• Turnips I halve and then slice into ¼-inch strips or thin wedges

• Peppers cut into ¼-inch strips, if using

3/4 cup cider or rice wine vinegar
2 cups water
2 garlic cloves, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, slightly crushed (optional)

Bring brine ingredients to a boil in a nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat. Transfer pickling liquid to a one-quart canning jar. Discard garlic (don’t be alarmed if it has turned blue in reaction to the vinegar) and add vegetables to pickling liquid. Weight vegetables down to keep them submerged in liquid if necessary. Chill, covered, at least 24 hours.

Ginger Glazed Carrots with Sesame

Quick and good!

1 lb or so carrots, scrubbed and cut in ¼-inch slices on the diagonal
2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons honey
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter
Sea salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Put all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil and simmer for about 7-8 minutes. You want tender carrots but no soft ones and you should just have a nice syrupy glaze at the end. Cook longer to reduce syrup if need be. Taste and adjust for salt. Serve with toasted sesame seeds.

Pot Roast with Carrots, Leeks and Roasted Potatoes

A wonderful weekend meal. And you could serve this with braised chard instead of roasted potatoes.

Couple of sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 dried bay leaves or 1 fresh bay leaf
One sprig fresh rosemary
2 juniper berries, crushed (optional)

 One 2-pound piece shoulder of beef, bottom round, or pot roast
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour for dusting
5 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 leeks, trimmed, washed and cut into 3-inch lengths
3 carrots, cut into chunks
1 bottle (750ml) dry red wine (does not have to be expensive!)
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, coarsely chopped and soaked in 1 cup warm water (optional)
2 cups canned whole or crushed tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
Water as needed

Potatoes, for roasting

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Season the beef with salt and pepper, then lightly dust with flour. Melt the butter in a large (6-quart) Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. When it is foaming, add the beef and brown it on all sides, 5 minutes. Add the onions, leeks, carrots, and all the herbs/spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 2 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the bottle of wine. Cook until the wine begins to boil, about 2 more minutes, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Strain the porcini mushrooms, if using, through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the liquid. Rinse the mushrooms under cold running water to remove any grit, and add them to the pot along with the strained mushroom liquid and tomatoes. The liquid should just cover the meat. If it does not, add water. Cover the casserole and bake it in the oven until the meat is cooked through and tender, about 2 – 3 hours. Remove the meat from the casserole to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs.

Scrub potatoes and cut into chunks. Toss with a little oil and salt and roast for the last 45 minutes of the meat cooking time.

Mash the vegetables up as best you can or use an immersion blender (you can also remove them and blend separately and then return to pan) set the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook to reduce sauce/puree for about 5 minutes. Carve the meat into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with the thick vegetable sauce and the roasted potatoes.

I can’t wait to see these kohlrabi the farm is promising. I hear they are 3-5 lbs each and unbelievably good and sweet! So if you’ve been leery of kohlrabi, this is the week to give yourself over to this wonderful vegetable. Lots of ideas below! And a quick note on the jalapenos–mine have been quite mild this season and assuming this week’s are too you can really use them as a wonderful seasoning most anywhere—in kohlrabi slaws, with the sweet peppers in a stew or sauce or frittata, etc. Happy cooking and eating!

Roasted Sweet Peppers with Parsley and Garlic
Peperonata
Quinoa, Toasted Bread and Tomato Salad
Kohlrabi Notes
Kohlrabi Salad with Parsley and Sumac
Kohlrabi Parmesan Fritters
Barley Risotto with Beans and Escarole
Escarole Salad Note

Roasted Sweet Peppers with Parsley and Garlic 

This is the way sweet red peppers are prepared in many parts of Italy. It’s very simple and very good. This dish keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days so make extra and enjoy it for a while. And use however much parsley and garlic you like. It’s really a matter of taste.

4-5 sweet red peppers
10 sprigs of parsley, big stems discarded, chopped
1 medium clove garlic, minced
Good-tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Set oven to broil.

Rinse peppers. Place them on a baking sheet and place about 4-6 inches under the broiler. Broil, turning as one side blisters and turns black. When they are blackened all around remove from oven, place in a bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let steam and cool until you can handle them. Remove the stems and seeds. Chop into large-ish pieces (1 ½ – 2-inch square). Toss in a bowl with the remainder of the ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Let sit to let flavors marry for 15 minutes if you can. Serve with bread, cheese, grilled anything, salads, a frittata, etc. . . Great on sandwiches as well.

Peperonata

The classic Italian Peperonata is made with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. This version includes potatoes which makes it a more substantial dish and with a green salad and piece of bread, a perfect summer/fall dinner.

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium or 1 ½ large onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
¼ – ½ teaspoon of hot chili flakes (to taste)
2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
3-4 sweet peppers, washed, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon or more kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add the onions and several generous pinches of salt and sauté until they are translucent. Do not let them brown (though the dish will still be delicious, so don’t worry if you do). Add the potatoes and cook slowly, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the chili pepper and tomatoes and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Add the peppers, garlic, black pepper and another pinch or two of salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the peppers are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature. Drizzle with a little more olive oil at the table.

Quinoa, Toasted Bread and Tomato Salad
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This is hearty and delicious and a perfect way to celebrate what’s close to the last of the tomatoes. Use your heirlooms for this dish.

¼ cup quinoa
4 sliced good, crusty bread (like Grand Central Levain or some such)
scant 1/3 cup plus olive oil plus more for brushing on the bread
Salt
2 large tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch diced
1 or 2 sweet peppers, cut into small dice or thin slices
½ small onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
1 ½ tablespoons chopped mint
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon red wine vinegar (more to taste)
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
Pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the quinoa in a small sauce pan with boiling water and cook for 9-10 minutes or until tender. Drain in a fine sieve, rinse under cold water and let dry.

Brush the bread with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay the slices on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, turning them over halfway through. The bread should be completely dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down, then break into different-sized pieces by hand.

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and gently but thoroughly toss. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Kohlrabi Notes

The farm reports that the kohrabi this week is giant (3-5lbs each), and also really delicious. It’s super juicy, crunchy and has a subtle sweetness and great flavor they’ve been likening to jicama. It’s definitely the best any of the folks at the farm have ever had, and they’ve mostly been eating/using it raw.

In addition to the salad and fritters below you can grate the kohlrabi and make a lovely, fresh slaw with it. You can use rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil and ginger and lime juice and minced jalapeno or use cider vinegar, olive oil and ground cumin and chili flakes. . . You can mix in grated beets and/or carrots (though all will go pink!).

You can also roast wedges or chunks of kohlrabi, tossed in olive oil and salt.

You can cook and mash it like mashed potatoes, adding butter, salt, pepper and dill if you have any.

Kohlrabi Salad
–adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

½ a kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 2/3-inch dice
1 tablespoons mint leaves, torn
½ cup of parsley leaves

Dressing:

1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or mashed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon sumac, for serving

 Place the diced kohlrabi in a large mixing bowl.

Mix the dressing: place the yoghurt, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Add the salt, black pepper, and other seasonings, and whisk together until smooth. Add the dressing to the kohlrabi and stir to combine well. Place in a serving bowl and gently toss with herbs and sprinkle with sumac, and serve.

Kohlrabi Parmesan Fritters
–inspired by smittenkitchen.com

While the kohlrabi is good raw I love it cooked just as much and these fritters are terribly addictive. They’re perfect with a fried egg on top or just with some Greek (or whole milk yogurt) that you’ve doctored with a little minced garlic, salt and lemon juice and/or lots of chopped parsley.

About 10 2.5-inch fritters

1 lb  kohlrabi (about half of one of the smaller ones!), peeled and chopped into small-ish chunks
2 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (or other grating cheese—sharp cheddar is fine too)
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1 jalapeno, minced
Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Cook the kohlrabi in a pan with 1/2–inch or so of water for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile lightly beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt, and jalapeno. Then, add kohlrabi and, using a potato masher, mash it up a bit. You want to keep the bits recognizable, but small enough (1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks) that you can press a mound of the batter into a fritter in the pan. Once mashed a bit, stir or fold the ingredients together the rest of the way with a spoon. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon or two of oil. Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches 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 some of the suggestions listed in the head notes, above.

Barley Risotto with Beans and Escarole
–adapted from Food and Wine via smittenkitchen.com

This is creamy, delicious and perfect for this blustery weather.

And do play around with this dish — try different broths, such as beef or mushroom. Skip the beans, swap a cooked vegetable. Use your favorite greens and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Add a clove of garlic, use romano instead of parmesan, dollop in some crème fraîche at the end; use red wine or skip the wine. I know it can sometimes be overwhelming to have too many options but the possibilities here are really endless, and a little extra tinkering could make a staple out of this dish for you. And you could certainly sauté a bunch of peppers with the onion in addition to using the beans or instead of.

Serves 3 to 4

5 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup pearled or semi-pearled barley (if you have hulled, not pearled barley, par boil it for 10 minutes and then proceed with the recipe)
1 cup cooked beans (white, pinto, borlotti, etc. )
4 cups chopped escarole
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the barley and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine if using and cook, stirring until absorbed, about one minute. Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time in six additions — you’ll have a cup of stock left in the pot — stirring until it is nearly absorbed between additions. Most barley risottos are done when the barley is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 35 minutes, however, I like to take this one a little “soupier” adding another half to one cup of stock. (This gives the beans something to drink up, and you a margin of error if you grains continue to absorb the stock once you think they are done.) Stir it in until the risotto is on the loose side, then add the beans and let them cook for a minute. Add the escarole and let it wilt and then cook for an additional minute. Stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano and the butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, passing more cheese at the table.

Do ahead: Although it’s not generally ideal to reheat rice risottos, I actually enjoyed this barley one reheated. Keep the flame low, splash in some more broth if it seems thick and slowly warm the dish, stirring. Top with extra cheese.

Escarole Salad Note

I love heartier and more strongly flavored greens for salads and escarole is a favorite. It stands up beautifully to Caesar-like dressings or capers and hardboiled eggs. It will be wonderful this week with lots of parsley and sturdy dressing. Thinly sliced peppers and even diced, boiled potatoes would make lovely additions to the escarole. Enjoy!

Spiced Eggplant and Tomato Stew
Fennel and Onion Soffrito (link to earlier post)
Fennel and Mizuna Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Early Fall Hash with Potatoes, Fennel and Peppers
Tomato Salad with Toasted Bread (and Mizuna and Feta)
Beets and Beet Greens with Garlicky Yogurt
Beet Green Tart
Nigel Slater’s Carrot Cake

Spiced Eggplant and Tomato Stew
–adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater

I included this recipe last year with this headnote: “I have to admit that I have not made this—I’ve had it bookmarked for a year. I am committing to making it this week. It is definitely a bit of a project but my mouth is watering as I type. . .please report if you make it. I’d love to know how it turns out. And I should say that I trust this cookbook author completely. Everything of his I’ve ever made I’ve loved.”

Well, I finally made it last week, not a year ago. And it was everything I’d hoped. I have simplified some of the steps and while it is a bit of work, you can break up the process and make it very manageable, it is totally worth it and it makes a lot.

6 -8 generous servings (and it keeps getting better with age-to a certain point!)

2 large eggplants
3 onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil
8 green cardamom pods
2 tablespoons coriander seeds (or 1 tablespoon ground)
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper corns
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 0r more large tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cans coconut milk (not lite)
2-3 serrano or jalapeno peppers, minced (remove seeds if you want it less spicy)
1 small bunch mint
1 bunch cilantro

Cut the eggplants into fat chunks. The dish will be more interesting to eat if you don’t cut them too small. Put them into a colander, set in the sink and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave them for a half hour or longer.

Cook with onions in the oil in a large pot until soft and translucent. While the onions are cooking, crush the cardamom pods with the flat blade of a knife or a rolling pin and shake out the little black seeds into a mortar or spice grinder. Add the coriander seeds and grind them to a coarse powder.

Stir the garlic and ginger into the onions with the turmeric and ground spices. Seed the tomatoes by cutting them in half on the equator and squeezing them gently over your compost container. Then roughly chop them and add to the pan with the onions and spices.

Rinse the eggplant of their salt and pat dry. Without oiling them, grill them on a cast iron ridged grill pan (I don’t have one of these and just used my regular cast iron pan with just a little oil and it worked great) until they are starting to soften and have dark grill lines across them. Turn and cook on both sides. Continue with the remaining eggplant. Add them to the onions and pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Add the coconut milk, chilies and a little salt and continue cooking for about 45 minutes. The eggplants should be very soft and silky but not actually falling apart.

Lift out the eggplants, tomatoes and some of the onions with a slotted spoon. Reduce the rest of the sauce by boiling hard for 50-10 minutes or so. Return the vegetables and the sauce to the pot, then chop the mint and cilantro and stir them in, together with a final seasoning of salt and black pepper. Serve with rice.

Potato, Fennel and Sweet Pepper Hash

This is a wonderful quick hash that utilizes many of your items this week, such as peppers, potatoes, onions and fennel. Top this hash with a poached or fried egg and dig in.

You don’t want to crowd the pan so if you don’t have a very large skillet use two. You don’t want to steam the vegetables but get them all tender and a bit browned and if you have too much in one pan they’ll got mushy—still tasty but not a nicely browned hash.

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter or
2 slices bacon, diced and 1 tablespoon olive oil if bacon isn’t very fatty
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-1/2-inch dice
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and then diced
2 sweet peppers, deseeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil or butter in the largest skillet you have or if you’re using bacon, start with that and add a bit of oil and cook for just a few minutes. Add the onions, fennel and peppers and cook for 5 minutes over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and maybe a bit more oil if things are dry. Add several pinches of salt, stir well to make sure everything is coated with a bit of oil and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10-12 more minutes. Cook until everything is nicely browned and tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with egg of some kind or fresh salsa or lots of chopped cilantro if we end up with some this week . . .

Fennel and Onion Soffrito (link to earlier post)

I will be making this recipe with at least some of my fennel this week. For this weather is definitely my favorite preparation.

Fennel and Mizuna with Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Toasted sunflower seeds improve so many salads and particularly this one.

And this more simple technique than real recipe. It easily scales up and down and you can change the ratio of fennel to mizuna so use however much you want. The below quantities are just suggestions.

½ bunch mizuna, washed and dried and cut into1-inch strips
1 fennel bulb, well washed, trimmed and outer fibrous layer removed, cut in half lengthwise and sliced as thinly as you can
1 -2 sweets peppers, halved, deseeded and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/3-1/2 up toasted, salted sunflower seeds (toast on a sheet pan in a 300 degree oven tossed with just a little oil and sprinkled with salt until nice and golden brown and toasty smelling about 10-15 minutes)

3 tablespoons Greek or plain yogurt or sour cream
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (or more)
2 tablespoons cider or red wine vinegar
juice of half a lemon (or more vinegar, to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all the vegetables in a big bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients mix well with the veggies though you may not need all the dressing. Add sunflower seeds toss again and adjust to taste.

Tomato Salad with Toasted Bread (and Mizuna and Feta)

This from a recent blog post of mine, inspired by SIO tomatoes:

This quick salad is what I made at least three times last week with the gorgeous and delicious orange heirloom tomatoes from last week’s share. I’m sure this week’s will be equally suited to this preparation. This is not a panzanella, at least not in the typical Tuscan sense, though it may look like it to many. This is panzanella- http://racheleats.wordpress.com/2013/09/11/bread-love-and-fantasy/! Thank goodness for a better writer than me and one with more authority on Italian food than me to write a proper post about this wonderful, soggy, yes soggy, Tuscan dish that I ate day after day in Italy and have recreated for students and friends alike, almost always to raised eyebrows of skepticism before and appreciation and wonder after ingestion! I like many of the more modern, American adaptations with toasted bread, I just resist calling them panzanella for some stubborn nod to tradition that occasionally comes over me.

This is the version I made last week with red onions and arugula and basil. This week you can use mizuna and Cortland onions.

1 large heirloom tomato cut into large dice
2 thick-ish slices of good, crusty bread, toasted and cubed
2 cups (or more) washed, dried and chopped mizuna
small chunk of onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced
1-2 ounces feta, crumbled
2 or more tablespoons of best olive oil you have
1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss everything together, adding the feta last. Taste and adjust seasoning. Buon Appetito!

Beets and Beet Greens with Garlicky Yogurt

I come back to this dish over and over again. It is very garlicky. Reduce if you want it milder.

1 bunch of beets, with greens (4 medium beets) or whatever you have on hand
3 small cloves of garlic, divided and minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ cup of Greek yogurt or plain, full fat 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 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.

Beet Green Tart

This tart is quicker than it might seem. It’s a wonderful use for your beet greens and onions in this week’s share. The tart dough comes together very easily and does not need to rest or be chilled before baking. I bake the tart, in its tin, on a pizza stone that gets preheated in the oven. That way the crust cooks quickly and well and doesn’t get soggy. The high oven temp usually ensures that it works anyway so don’t worry if you don’t have a pizza stone.

It’s also a great dish to make in advance since it’s excellent at room temperature and it transports well and can be cut into thin slices for an appetizer too.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF

1 recipe Tart Dough (recipe follows)
1 large bunch beet greens, stems removed and finely diced, leaves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
Zest of 1/2 small lemon (optional)
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 but very good)

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet; add the onion and beet green stems and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and softening. Add the garlic, and beet greens. Sprinkle a few pinches 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, about 5 minutes.

Make the custard. Beat the eggs; then stir in the milk, lemon peel (if using), grated Parmesan, and a few scrapings of nutmeg. Stir in the greens 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)
4 1/2 ounces, about 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.

Carrot Cake
–adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater

This is a superb version of this classic cake.

3 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup apf
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
scant 1 cup light brown sugar
2-3 carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
juice of half a lemon
11/4 cups walnuts, toasted

Frosting

9 ounces mascarpone cheese
7 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup maple syrup (or 1 cup powdered sugar)
grated zest of a medium orange
A handful of walnut halves

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line each with a round of parchment paper.

Separate the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Beat the oil and sugar in a stand mixer until well beaten, then add the egg yolks one by one. Add the grated carrots into the mixture, then add the lemon juice. Coarsely chop the walnuts and add them too.

Fold the flour into the mixture with the mixer on low speed. Beat the egg whites until light and stiff, then fold gently into the mixture using a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out).

Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake pans, smooth the top gently, and bake for forty to forty-five minutes. Test with a skewer for doneness. The cakes should be moist but not sticky. Remove from the oven and let rest for a good ten minutes before turning the cakes out of their pans onto a wire cooling rack.

To make the frosting, put the mascarpone, cream cheese, and confectioners’ sugar into an electric mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. It should have no lumps. Mix in the orange zest.

When the cake is cool, sandwich the halves together with about a third of the frosting. Use the rest to cover the top and sides of the cake. I don’t think you need be too painstaking; a rough finish will look more appropriate here. Decorate the top with walnut halves.