Some new and old favorites–two fairly quick one-pot dinners that are ideal CSA catch-alls. My favorite fall winter condiment in the form of a reduced apple cider syrup that is the perfect ingredient for an escarole salad. . . Happy cooking!

One-pot Winter Squash and Pasta with Escarole
Escarole Salad Note
Apple Cider Syrup
Wilted Escarole (with Roasted Beets?)
Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
Maple Spice and Delicata Bowl
CSA Risotto with Leek, Fennel, Carrots
Seafood and Fennel Soup (link)

One-pot Winter Squash (and Fennel?) and Pasta with Escarole

I created this recipe for a cooking workshop with Early Head Start staff last week. The escarole is a SIO addition but this has already become a favorite in our household—fast, one pot, endlessly adaptable! It makes good leftovers and can be adapted with spices, herbs and other vegetables or meats even depending on your taste and/or what you have on hand. You can change the ratio of vegetable to pasta and if you add the fennel (as suggested below) you could reduce the pasta by ½ cup and reduce the liquid by a bit as well.

I think dicing a fennel bulb and adding it to the onion or leek would be a delicious addition.

Generously serves 4-5

Oil
1 onion, diced (or 1 large leek, well washed, halved and thinly sliced)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into small dice (optional)
1 small-ish delicata squash, scrubbed but not peeled, halved, seeds and strings removed and cut into small chunks
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 ½ cups small pasta such as small elbow macaroni or ditalini (tiny tubes)
3 ½ cups water (or broth or chicken stock)
3-4 cups shredded escarole
Salt
½ cup or so grated cheese (parmesan or sharp cheddar or whatever grate-able cheese you have)
Black pepper

In a large heavy skillet heat about 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and thyme, if using, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the squash pieces and a few pinches of salt and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add a little oil if it starts sticking. Add the pasta and the water and about ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir well, bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes. Check occasionally to see if there is enough liquid. When the pasta and the vegetables are almost tender add the escarole and cook for 2 more minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed at this point. Take it off the heat and stir in the cheese and add some black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if need be. Cook for another few minutes if at all watery. You want to have a silky sauce coating the pasta.

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. I also like it with a dressing that includes a teaspoon or so of apple cider syrup (recipe below), sherry or red wine vinegar, olive oil s & p and some shaved manchego and toasted filberts. Heaven!

Wilted Escarole (with Roasted Beets?)
–from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

Escarole is part of the fall/winter greens in the chicory and endive families. I love them all—they are crunchy and slightly bitter (in a very pleasing way when dressed or cooked) and can often be cooked or grilled since they’re more substantial than other lettuces.

This is a very simple technique that just begs for a fried or poached egg or maybe some fish or lovely bowl of beans and good olive oil as an accompaniment.

Wash and trim the escarole. Cut the leaves into wide strips. Saute in olive oil, covered, until wilted and bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add a splash of vinegar, and serve.

While I haven’t tried them together I would imagine some roasted beets dressed with red wine or sherry vinegar on the side, would be lovely.

Apple Cider Syrup

This is my go-to secret ingredient in salad dressings, soup and dessert enhancers from now until late spring!

Bring 1 gallon of cider to a boil in a large pot. Uncover the cider and cook on high heat until the cider has reduced to about to about 3 cups. You’ll want to check it periodically to see if it’s getting syrupy and viscous. It will depend on your pan and your stove as to how long this takes. My guess is somewhere around – 2 hours but start checking after about 90 minutes. If you cook it too long you get a wonderful apple cider caramel if you stir in a bit of cream and a tablespoon or so of butter.

When the syrup is cool pour into glass jars and keep in the refrigerator or freezer (for back up). Use a couple of teaspoons in salad dressing or drizzle over Greek yogurt, or on your hot cereal, or in salad of thinly sliced fennel, etc.

Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
–from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This is a gorgeous, easy to make and elegant dish. I just eat it by the spoonful and spoon it into warm pita bread. It makes quite a bit so halve the recipe if you’d like but go ahead and roast all 6 beets while you’re at it and use half for something else.

6 medium beets (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed and scrubbed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and minced
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon za’atar (middle-eastern spice mix including hyssop and sesame seeds—I found it at People’s co-op recently). You can substitute a mixture of dried thyme and toasted sesame seeds.
Salt
1/4 cup roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.

Peel the beets, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile and yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and scallions on top and serve with bread.

Maple Spice and Delicata Bowl
–adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen

This recipe is written to include kale which you don’t have in your share this week. You can just omit the kale, or substitute wilted escarole (for a slightly moister texture than the baked kale) or toss the squash and fennel with a bunch of fresh parsley or cilantro.

A note on texture. As written, the kale ends up somewhere between a kale chip and sauteed kale – crisp edges and a tender center. If you want it more crisp, make sure your kale is completely dry and add 5 minutes to the baking time. If you prefer it less crisp, take 5 minutes off the baking time, giving it just enough time to wilt.

2 small delicata squash (about 1 – 1.5 lb. total) skin on, halved and seeded
1 large fennel bulb
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or less if you don’t like much spice)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 bunch kale, stems removed (see headnote) or escarole
3 tablespoons minced red onion

Preheat the oven to 400′. Arrange one oven rack in the upper third and one on the bottom third.

Slice the squash into 1” half moons. Slice the fennel down the center, cut out the tough core, slice into 1/2” wedges. Spread everything on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, maple, mustard, cayenne, red pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat everything, adding another drizzle of oil or maple if it seems too dry. Roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until the squash is tender and caramelized, tossing the vegetables half way through.

Rip the kale into large chunks, drizzle it with remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread it on another baking sheet. At the 30 minute mark, move the squash tray to the lower rack and put the kale on the top rack. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are crisp. Add your minced onion and gently toss everything together. Enjoy warm.

CSA Risotto with Leek, Fennel, Carrots

Tonight I had 1 yellow sweet pepper, 1 bulb of fennel, 1 red onion and a bunch of broccoli about to go bad and 1 bunch of red chard stems. So I made risotto with all of it and not very much rice in fact. It was just dandy and I feel very pleased about my cleaned out crisper ready for tomorrow’s share.

Use any manner of leftover veggies or new ones from this week, just chop it all rather small. And much like the One-pot Pasta and Delicata squash, above, you can stir in a bunch of shredded escarole at the end. It would be a wonderful addition.

Olive oil
1 leek, washed, trimmed and cut into thin half rounds
½ onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 bunch chard stems if you happen to have them
1 or 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into small dice
2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
6 cups vegetable stock or homemade veggie bouillon broth (see below)
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan bring 6-7 cups water with about 10 teaspoons of homemade veggie bouillon to a boil and keep at a bare simmer or use whatever stock/broth you have. Be sure to taste the broth to make sure it’s well-seasoned but not too salty.

In a large sauté pan cook onion, leek, and bacon and chard stems, if using, for 5 minutes in a bit of olive oil. Add the fennel and carrots and a splash more olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring, until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in rice, stirring until each grain is coated with oil and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine (if using) and cook, over moderately high heat, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add about 3/4 cup simmering broth and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Repeat several times until the rice is nearing tenderness, about 15-18 minutes.

Add escarole, if using and the butter and Parmesan, another ladleful of broth—you want it to be quite soupy. Let rest for 7-10 minutes, covered, before serving. Most of the liquid will be absorbed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and or freshly ground black pepper.

Homemade Veggie Bouillon
–adapted from 101cookbooks.com

This bouillon paste that you dilute with water (about 1 ½ teaspoons per cup of water) has become my go to stock for everything from risotto to chicken noodle soup. I cook rice and quinoa in it instead of water as it adds so much flavor. It’s basically a fresh, instant stock. None of the vegetables or herbs is cooked. They are just processed in the food processor into a paste that keeps perfectly in the freezer for months and because of its salt content it does not freeze solid making it very easy to use. Don’t be put off by the quantity of salt. Once you dilute it with water it tastes perfect and is still lower in salt content than commercially available bouillon cubes. And this is much cheaper!

This recipe requires a food processor. I have an 8-cup / 2 liter / 2 quart model, and need every cubic inch of it. I found the best approach if you are tight for space in your food processor is to add a few of the ingredients, then pulse a few times. The ingredients collapse and free up more space for the next few ingredients. If you don’t find yourself using much bouillon, I will suggest making a half batch of this.

NOTE: You can also just make this with what you have. Onions, celery, carrots and parsley are enough. Use the proportions that make sense to you. Use 1/3 cup salt for each 2 cups of finely blended veggies/herbs.

5 ounces / 150 g leeks, sliced and well-washed
(about 1 medium)
7 ounces / 200g carrot, well scrubbed and chopped
 (about 3 medium)
3.5 ounces / 100 g celery
 (about 2 big stalks)
3.5 ounces / 100g celery root (celeriac), peeled and chopped (a piece about 3” x 4”)
1 ounce / 30g sun-dried tomatoes
 (about 6 dried tomatoes)
3.5 ounces / 100g onion or shallots, peeled
(about half a small-medium onion)
1 medium garlic clove
6 ounces / 180g kosher salt
(scant 1 cup)
1.5 ounces / 40 g parsley, loosely chopped
 (about 1/3 of a big bunch)
2 ounces / 60g cilantro (coriander), loosely chopped (about ½ bunch)

Place the first four ingredients in your food processor and pulse about twenty times. Add the next three ingredients, and pulse again. Add the salt, pulse some more. Then add the parsley and cilantro. You may need to scoop some of the chopped vegetables on top of the herbs, so they get chopped. Mine tended to want to stay on top of everything else, initially escaping the blades. You should end up with a moist, loose paste of sorts. Freeze the bouillon paste. Because of all the salt it barely solidifies making it easy to spoon directly from the freezer into the pot before boiling.

Start by using 1 1/2 teaspoons of bouillon per 1 cup and adjust from there based on your personal preference.

Seafood and Fennel Soup
–from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This is a bit more involved than the other recipes but I trust everything in this cookbook and it uses several of your items this week including the fennel and potatoes.

It’s the last of the peppers I’m guessing and some Spanish or Spanish-inspired recipes are here to enjoy them. Pick up some cilantro this week since several of the recipes call for it.

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Roasted Carrots and Cumin/Lemon Dressing
Roasted Pepper Salad with Onions, Cumin and Sherry Vinegar
Romesco
Simple Turnip and Joi Choi Stir Fry
Baked Acorn Squash Wedges with Sweet Pepper and Cilantro Sauce
Slow Cooked Chard and Onions
Rice with Eggs, Cheese and Chard
Carrot and Cumin Salad with Cilantro

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Roasted Carrots and Cumin/Lemon Dressing

This salad is also delicious with grilled or sautéed shrimp, rounds of cooked pork sausage or served with quartered, hard-boiled eggs over which you drizzle some of the dressing. You could also easily add leftover chicken to this to add even more protein. The garbanzo beans have a good amount already though. You can also add chunks of roasted acorn squash to this or use it instead of the carrots.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

5-6 medium carrots, sliced into ½-inch slices on the bias
Olive oil
Salt
3-4 cups cooked garbanzo beans (soaked and cooked or canned) if using canned beans, rinse well before using.
½ bunch of parsley (optional, but excellent and you might have some left over from last week)
Green onions or chives (fine to omit if you don’t have it on hand)

Vinaigrette
2 tsps red wine vinegar
2 tsps lemon or limejuice
3 tsps ground cumin
1-2 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Clean carrots slice in the bias into 1 ½ – 2-inch pieces. Mix with olive oil and salt and roast carrots at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes until tender and browning on the edges. Mix garbanzo beans and carrots with dressing, add green onions and parsley (if using). Let marinate a few minutes.

Roasted Pepper Salad with Onions, Cumin and Sherry Vinegar

This traditionally includes roasted tomatoes as well as the peppers but it is such a good combination it’s worth doing with the last of the peppers.

All the peppers you have—broiled until blackened and blistered and seeded and peeled and coarsely chopped
Small chunk of onion, sliced as thinly as you can
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
Salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons sherry or champagne or red wine vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
Some slices Jamon Serrano or prosciutto

Arrange the roasted peppers, slivered onions on a platter. Sprinkle the hardboiled eggs over the peppers.

In a small bowl mix the cumin, salt, olive oil, pepper, garlic and vinegar. Drizzle the dressing over everything and top with the slices of jamon. Enjoy with some good bread.

Romesco

There are so many versions of this pungent, zippy sauce. It’s delicious with many things and often served with roasted waxy potatoes or with fish.

2-3 sweet peppers, broiled until black and blistered, deseeded and peeled
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped and fried in olive oil until golden brown and removed from pan
1 thick slice crusty bread, fried in the garlic oil
1/4 cup toasted almonds (marcona almonds if you have them)
about 1/3 cup sherry or red wine vinegar or a combination
good glug of olive oil
Salt

Process everything until smooth in a food processor. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should have a good vinegary kick.

Simple Joi Choi and Turnip Stir Fry (with or without tofu)

This is more of a technique than a recipe. Play around with it as you like.

If you’re going to use tofu, use firm tofu and pat it dry well. Cube it and pan-fry it in a little peanut oil, without disturbing for a 8 minutes or so. Gently turn and fry the other side. Set aside.

Peanut oil
2 clove garlic, minced
chunk of ginger, minced
4 cups Joi choi, sliced
2 turnips, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks or small dice
1 bunch turnip greens, well washed and chopped
about 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
about 1 1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
about 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

Mix the sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 ½ tablespoons or so of peanut oil over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and turnips and cook for about 4 minutes, keeping the ingredients moving the whole time. Add about half the oil and vinegar and soy mixture to the pan and the joi choi. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, then add the turnips greens and the rest of the oil/vinegar mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes. If you’re using tofu you can add it back in at this point and gently heat through. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Baked Acorn Squash Wedges with Sweet Pepper and Cilantro Sauce

1 large acorn squash
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 sweet peppers, broiled until blackened and blistered
2 cloves garlic, minced
about 2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped cilantro (or parsley)
Salt and pepper

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss squash with black pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

Peel and deseed the roasted peppers and chop finely. In a small bowl mix the peppers with the cilantro, vinegar, oil, garlic and salt.

Arrange squash wedges on a platter and drizzle with the sauce. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Slow Cooked Chard and Onions

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 from the stems and reserve stems for another use. Cut the leaves into 1-2 inch ribbons. Slice 1 large onion into thin half-rounds and begin stewing them 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. You can add a little lemon zest and juice at the end but just by itself it is pretty much perfect

I’ve used this as a pizza topping with some feta or just a side to whatever else I made for dinner. Also wonderful with eggs.

Rice with Eggs, Cheese and Chard
–adapted from Deborah Madison via Ellen Jackson

This is a simple, hearty dish that can be varied with whatever greens you have. It’s a bit like pasta carbonara but with rice and greens and bacon would be a wonderful addition.

1 bunch chard, washed, stems removed and saved for something else, leaves chopped
1 cup rice (uncooked)
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup grated parmesan or other hard cheese
finely chopped parsley or oregano or chives
Toasted nuts such as walnuts or hazelnuts or pine nuts (optional)

Blanch chard in an inch of water in a wide skillet for 2-3 minutes. Drain and squeeze dry when cool enough to handle. Chop finely.

Cook rice in salted water until tender. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper and cheese and stir them into the hot rice along with the butter. The heat of the rice will cook the eggs and coat the grains. Stir in the chard and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with toasted nuts, if using.

Carrot Salad with Cumin and Cilantro

I love grated carrot salads. This one is seasoned with cumin, lime juice, minced jalapeno and lots of cilantro.

Grate however many carrots as you’d like. Make a dressing of ground cumin, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. If you have whole cumin seeds, toast them briefly in a dry skillet, let cool and then pound in a mortar or in a spice grinder for extra fragrance or just use already ground cumin. Toss the grated carrots with the dressing and a minced jalapeno and plenty of chopped cilantro or mint. If you have toasted pumpkin seeds they are a wonderful addition as well.

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.

I finally made my annual Eggplant Parmesan this week—something I always want to make more often while the eggplants last. And the Baba Ganoush. I ate that for breakfast three days in a row. Make gazpacho on Thursday when it’s supposed to be warmer again. Enjoy!

Eggplant Parmesan
Baba Ganoush
Gazpacho
Simplest Tomato Sauce
Poblano Notes
Roasted Poblano and Onion Tacos
Garbanzo Beans with Roasted Carrots and Beans and Cumin/Lime Dressing
Late Summer Stew with Cilantro Cream
Chocolate and Zucchini Cake

Eggplant Parmesan

I only make this about once a year but each time I make it I wish I did so weekly while eggplants and tomatoes are in abundance. As I think I’ve mentioned before I rarely salt and drain eggplant anymore. It’s an extra step that I don’t find necessary with perfectly fresh eggplant. You can either bake the eggplant as noted below or pan-fry it in a bit of oil. I really like both versions and when I’m in a hurry I tend to fry since it’s quicker.

2 large globe eggplants, sliced into ¼ – 1/3 –inch slices lengthwise or into rounds
Olive oil
Salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups tomato sauce (below or your favorite version) to which you’ve added some chopped basil and the minced garlic
1 cup (or more) grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Arrange the slices on two baking sheets (they may not all fit and you’ll need to do them in batches). Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake, turning once until tender and starting to brown, about 20-25 minutes total. Turn oven down to 375.

Line the bottom of an 8 x 13” baking dish (or something similar). Spread a thin layer of sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with Parmesan. Repeat until you’ve used up all your ingredients, ending with either eggplant and cheese or sauce and cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or so until everything is bubbling and the cheese is browning on top. You can run it under the broiler for a few minutes if you want more color.

Baba Ganoush
–slightly adapted from David Lebovitz

I made this last week and ate it on/with everything—liberally piled onto toasted bread, by the spoonful as is, with pan-fried salmon, with hard boiled eggs as a lunch. It’s light but complex and satisfying.

 2 medium-sized eggplants
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
3 (or more) tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/8 teaspoon chile powder
pinch or two of cumin (it can easily overwhelm so just add a very little bit)
1 tablespoon olive oil
a half bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.)

Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance. Remove from oven and let cool.

Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve drizzle with olive oil, perhaps some more herbs. See headnote for serving ideas.

* Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days.

Gazpacho

There are many, many different version of gazpacho but I particularly like this one. The use of a little bread and the sherry vinegar are distinctively Spanish and are both important to the success of this, but most important are perfectly ripe tomatoes. It does need to chill for at least 3 hours so throw this together in the morning and have it waiting for you for dinner with some good bread or roasted fingerling potatoes or some kind of grilled beef.

You can halve this recipe if you don’t have enough tomatoes or just don’t need a lot of gazpacho.

1 slice of bread (good crusty bread not sandwich bread and not seedy or very whole grain), crust removed
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt (more to taste)
Scant 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar (or more to taste). If you don’t have Sherry vinegar use half balsamic and half red wine or champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds (best if you can do this in the mortar and pestle with the garlic, otherwise pre-ground is fine)
2 ½ – 3 lbs tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/3 cup good tasting (not bitter—use the best oil you have) olive oil. The Spanish oil Unio (by Siurana is perfect and available at New Seasons and Pastaworks and is my standard good, oil)

For serving: Finely chopped sweet pepper and chopped basil and a little finely diced red onion.

Briefly soak the bread in water and squeeze dry really well. Grind the coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle or grind with a spice grinder (or use pre-ground coriander). Add garlic and salt to the coriander in the mortar and pestle (or mince and mash garlic and salt with the side of a chef’s knife) and work into a paste.

Put garlic coriander paste, bread, vinegar (and ground coriander if you didn’t use whole seeds) and half of tomatoes in a food processor and process until tomatoes are very finely chopped. Add remaining tomatoes with motor running and, when very finely chopped, gradually add oil in a slow stream. You can either leave it a bit chunky or blend it until smooth. I like it fairly smooth. Some people will have you strain the whole thing but I never do.

Transfer to a glass container and chill, covered, until cold, about 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar. Serve topped with the chopped basil, cucumbers and a bit of onion, if using.

Simplest Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes, olive oil, salt. That’s it. When the tomatoes are good it’s honestly all you need. And I make sauce with slicer and heirloom tomatoes all the time. It takes longer to cook down because they’re so juicy but with a little patience and high heat it’s perfect.

I made this the other day, in about 15 minutes and I topped pizza dough with it and some mozzarella and basil and had the perfect dinner.

Dice as many tomatoes as you want to use. Add them to a wide skillet to which you’ve added a generous splash of olive oil. Cook at a lively simmer until it’s thickened to your liking. Salt to taste. If the sauce seems too acidic or not quite perfect add a tablespoon or two of butter. Butter is THE “perfecter” of tomato sauce.

Poblano Notes

I would suggest roasting all your poblano peppers at once and then you’ll have them on hand to add to salsa, sauces, salads or use them in the tacos below. I roast mine under the broiler, turning them regularly to evenly blacken all sides. Then you can set them in a bowl and cover them to steam a bit more. This also loosens the skin a bit. Then peel and deseed and you’re ready to go. Poblanos have a wonderful smoky flavor and can vary in heat level. They pair beautifully with eggs, potatoes, creamy dishes and of course tomatoes.

Roasted Poblano and Onion Tacos

This is a variation on the Mexican dish Rajas. It’s delicious, smoky and easily varied. I’ve included a meat (beef) and vegetarian (potato) option below. You could also add some corn sliced off the cob to this as well.

3 poblano peppers
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
olive oil
6 oz skirt or flank steak (optional), sliced thinly against the grain
3 potatoes (optional) cut into small dice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt & pepper
1/3 cup of heavy cream (or sour cream)
8-10 small corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro and lime wedges for topping

Roast the peppers under the broiler or directly over the gas flame on the stovetop, until they’re black and blistered all around. Set in a bowl to cool and cover with a plate or towel. They are easier to peel if you let them steam a bit like this. When cool, peel and seed the peppers and cut them into ½-inch wide strips.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot add the flank steak strips in a single layer, if using, sprinkle generously with salt and sear on both sides for about 1 minute each. It cooks really quickly and gets tough quickly so do not overcook. Remove from pan onto a plate.

Add the onions to the same skillet with a little more oil and the cumin. Sauté until beginning to brown and soften. If you are using potatoes (instead of or in addition to the beef) add the diced potato and cook on medium-high heat, stirring often until the potatoes are tender.

Add the poblano strips and heat them through, then add the meat back in (if using), and then add the cream and a few grinds of black pepper and quickly bring to a boil.

Serve the mixture on warmed tortillas with a little fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

Garbanzo Beans with Roasted Carrots and Beans and Cumin/Lime Dressing

This is a beautiful, colorful, hearty salad. It’s also delicious with grilled or sautéed shrimp, rounds of cooked sausage or served with quartered, hard-boiled eggs over which you drizzle some of the dressing. You could also easily add leftover chicken to this to add even more protein. The garbanzo beans have a good amount already though. And add some crumbled feta or goat cheese by all means if you have it.

Serves 4-6 as a generous side

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

6 or more carrots, scrubbed and cut into thin half-rounds or small chunks
½ lb green beans, topped and tailed and cut into 2-inch lenghts
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 -3 cups cooked garbanzo beans (or canned) if using canned beans, rinse well before using.
3 tablespoons cilantro

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
1/3 cup olive oil – divided
salt
pepper

Mix carrots and green beans with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and roast at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes until tender and browning around the edges. Mix garbanzo beans and carrots and beans with dressing, add sausage or other protein, if using. Let marinate a few minutes. Add cilantro and mix well and taste, adjust seasoning and enjoy.

Late Summer Stew with Cilantro Sauce

A SIO share member sent me this link the other day. I’ve adapted it here for this week’s share. I like the large size of the vegetables—I usually chop things a bit smaller—but this makes for an appealing change.

And please adapt as you see fit with quantities, spices, cooking time, etc. It’s the perfect catch-all CSA recipe. This is a good thing to make if you are not going to have a lot of time to cook this week and want to be sure things don’t go bad on you. Make a lot and eat throughout the week. Reheat with, surprise(!), a poached or fried egg on the side; enjoy over rice or quinoa, or with any kind of meat.

olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or pimento (smoked paprika)
some minced jalapeno or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
6 cloves garlic, chopped
4 carrots, scrubbed and cut into 4-inch chunks
2 sweet peppers or 2 poblanos or both, seeded and cut into large chunks
½ lb green beans, topped and tailed and cut into thirds
2 Summer squash, washed and trimmed and cut into large batons
4-5 tomatoes, diced
kernels from 2-4 ears of corn

½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (optional)

In a large pot with a tight fitting lid heat 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil and add the onion and spices and hot pepper, if using. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to burn the spices. Add the garlic and cook for another few minutes. Now layer on the carrots, beans, and peppers and finally the zucchini/squash, sprinkling over a bit of salt on each vegetable. Now scatter the tomatoes over everything. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes. At that point check for doneness and moisture. You should have enough liquid but add a bit if you need to. Now add the corn and cook for another few minutes.

Meanwhile process the cilantro sauce ingredients until more or less smooth.

Taste stew and adjust seasoning and serve the stew topped with the sauce.

Chocolate and Zucchini Cake
–from Culinate via Chocolate&Zucchini.com

Ok, you’ve had plenty of savory zucchini recipes. It’s time for a little chocolate and zucchini!

Chocolate brings deep flavor to this cake, while grated zucchini makes the crumb moist and fluffy.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, or ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little butter or olive oil for greasing the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
3 large eggs
2 cups unpeeled grated zucchini, from about 1½ to 2 medium zucchini (squeeze any liquid you can over the sink. You can grate on the large or small holes of the box grater. I prefer small but be sure to squeeze out liquid.
1 cup good-quality bittersweet chocolate chips
Powdered sugar or melted bittersweet chocolate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter or oil.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a food processor, process the sugar and butter until creamy (you can also do this by hand, armed with a sturdy spatula). Add the vanilla, coffee granules, and eggs, mixing well between each addition.

Reserve a cup of the flour mixture and add the rest to the egg mixture. Mix until just combined; the batter will be thick.

Add the zucchini and chocolate chips to the reserved flour mixture and toss to coat. Fold into the batter and blend with a wooden spoon, don’t overmix. Pour into the prepared cake pan and level the surface with a spatula.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the pan to loosen the cake, and unclasp the sides of the pan. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, or glaze with melted chocolate.

Well, it’s an Italian-inspired packet today! I spent two late summers/falls in Italy many years ago and some of my fondest food memories originated there. And there are a lot of dead simple recipes—very few ingredients and lots of flavor—this week. And in several you cook the vegetables longer than is often done here in the States—a very Italian technique and a very good one. Buon Appetito!

*because of all the recent rain some of the produce, especially the squash I’ve noticed, can turn more quickly so pay attention to the produce and use the squash earlier in the week.

Slow Cooked Beans and Tomatoes
Chard and Summer Squash “Cake”
Spaghetti with Eggplant Sauce
One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes
Green Salad with Corn
Galette with Corn, Zucchini and Tomatoes (link)
Cornbread with Fresh Corn
Caramelized Corn with Fresh Mint

Slow Cooked Beans and Tomatoes

You need a bit of patience for this dish and some beans and tomatoes, both of which you’ll have. It’s simple and more than the sum of its parts.

½ medium onion, thinly sliced
As many green beans as you want to use (I would use them all), washed, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2-3 tomatoes (more if you’re using more beans), chopped
Olive oil, plenty
Salt

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons or so of olive oil. Add the onion and cook fairly gently for about 5 minutes. Add the beans, turn up the heat a bit and cook for about 10 minutes until browning and beginning to get tender. Add the tomatoes and several pinches of salt. Stir well and then turn down to medium and cook gently, stirring occasionally for about 30 more minutes. The tomatoes will reduce and eventually coat the beans. You want the beans completely tender and sweet. Taste and adjust seasoning and stir in some more of the best olive oil you have at the end.

Spaghetti with Eggplant Sauce
–adapted from The Wednesday Chef

This dish is not going to win any beauty contests but just like the above bean and tomato dish it is simple, sweet and glorious.

Serves 3 or 4

1 large eggplant, cut into ½ inch slices and then cut into large dice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
2 springs thyme or oregano, chopped
1 cup chicken stock or water
½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons basil, sliced thinly
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound spaghetti

Put the olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan, add the garlic cloves, and set over low heat.

When you start hearing the garlic sizzle a little and can smell it, drop in your eggplant and stir to coat it all with oil. Turn up the heat a little bit to medium high and add the, thyme or oregano and stir. When the eggplant is turning translucent and softening, add the liquid, let it come to a boil, and turn it back down to medium-low. Let it bubble for a bit and cover it, leaving a crack for steam to escape. Stir once in a while so that the bottom doesn’t stick. Add the tomatoes after about 10 minutes.

After another 1o minutes or so, the liquid in the pan should be mostly evaporated and the eggplant should be soft and melting. Mash it with a fork or spoon, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Toss the eggplant purée with the spaghetti that you cooked al dente. Stir in the basil. You can gild the lily with drizzling on some more oil. Serve immediately.

Chard and Summer Squash “Cake”
–adapted from RachelEats

This is a classic Italian vegetable custard, richly flavored and smooth. It’s best at room temperature and needs to rest for a while before eating so make this ahead of time if you can and then serve it with a nice cold glass of white wine.

Serves 4 as lunch/dinner, 8 as a starter.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
½ a medium onion, finely diced
2 medium summer squash/zucchini, trimmed, washed and cut into thin-half rounds
Salt
1/3 cup white wine or water
1 bunch chard, leaves well washed, stems removed and reserved for another use
5 eggs
1 cup half and half or cream or whole milk or a combination of any of them
½ cup grated Parmesan
Freshly grated nutmeg
black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°

Warm the oil and butter in a heavy based frying pan and then sauté the onion until soft and translucent.

Add the squash to the onion and stir well. After a few minutes, raise the heat a little and add the wine/water. Allow it to bubble enthusiastically. Now reduce the heat again and allow the onion and squash to bubble and cook gently – half frying/ half braising, giving a stir and nudge every now and then and adding a little more water if the pan looks dry – for about 15 minutes or until the squash are very soft tender and collapsing and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.

Now put the chard in a large pan with nothing but the water that clings to the leaves, cover the pan and cook on a low flame until the chard has collapsed and is tender. This should take about 7 minutes. Add a little more water if things dry out.

Drain the chard and once it is cool enough, squeeze and press it gently with your hands to eliminate as much water as possible. Chop the chard roughly and transfer to a bowl.

Add the cooled onion/squash mixture to the chard and then using a hand blender or a food processor blitz the mixture into a smooth green paste.

Add the cream and eggs to the bowl and blitz again before stirring in the parmesan, a grating of nutmeg, salt and black pepper.

Pour the batter into in ovenproof sauté pan, buttered baking dish or 10-12 inch deep-pie dish and then slide into the oven. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the cake is set but still with a slight tremble/wobble at the center.

Allow the cake to sit, cool and settle for at least 40 minutes before serving in wedges.

One-Pan Farro with Tomatoes
–adapted from smittenkitchen.com which as inspired by Martha Stewart Living

Below is smittenkitchen’s farro note which I thought I’d include here:

One Farro 101 note, the trickiest thing in writing this recipe was considering the different types of farro (from an Italian wheat strain known as emmer) available — as well as misconceptions, such as the notion that it can be used interchangeably with spelt. (It cannot, as spelt can take hours.). Farro comes whole/unpearled, semi-pearled (semi-perlato) and pearled (perlato); pearling describes how much of the exterior bran is removed, but packages are not always labeled. If your package says it will cook in less than 15 minutes, it’s probably pearled; if it takes around 30 minutes, it’s probably semi-pearled. And if it takes 60 to 80 minutes, it is whole or unpearled. [To make it even more confusing, I’ve been using the Rustichella d’Abruzzo brand, which labels it as “whole farro” but it is indeed semi-pearled, which is why cooking times are the best way to decipher which kind you have.] This recipe will work for all three versions (there are multiple comments below noting results for each, as well as quinoa, couscous, and even rice, just do a word search [Cntrl + f] to find the grain you’re looking to swap) but I’ve defaulted to semi-pearled below, which I find most frequently in stores. In all cases, if your package gives you a different cooking time than the 30 minutes suggested below, default to it instead.

I used farro from the New Seasons bulk bin and let it soak in the water I’d eventually cook it in for several hours. Then it took 65 minutes and an extra 1 cup water to get tender. I’m not sure all the soaking cut down on the eventual time—par-boiling for 10 minutes would probably vastly speed things up so try that if you’re short on time and have the “whole” farro.

Serves: 4 as a side, 2 as a hearty main

2 cups water (or more – see above)
1 cup semi-pearled farro or whole farro (see Note above for farro types)
1/2 large onion, cut in half again and thinly sliced into quarter moons
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10 ounces tomatoes, cut into thin wedges or large dice (about 2 cups)
1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
½ – 1 jalapeno, deseeded (to taste), minced (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Handful of basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, onions, garlic, pepper. Add salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.

Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow.

Green Salad with Corn

The other day I made a pizza with fresh corn, onions and roasted chopped Anaheim chilies. I had a bit more corn that I needed so my husband suggested I add it to our green salad. I had forgotten just how fabulous raw, fresh corn is in salads like this. Or I should say how fabulous SIO corn is like this!

It was a simple lettuce salad with some thinly sliced onion, a bit of chopped tomato and a bunch of toasted sunflower seeds and about 1-2 ears worth of corn. The vinaigrette had a bit of Dijon-style mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Galette with Corn, Zucchini and Tomatoes

I just made this savory tart and it’s ideal for your share this week though it calls for cherry tomatoes but simply substitute slicers or heirlooms.  It’s a bit of work but completely worth it.  and very impressive to behold and consume!

Cornbread with Fresh Corn

Adding fresh corn to my favorite cornbread recipe is fun this time of year. The texture is more interesting and it’s even moister and a bit sweeter. It’s very quick and nothing beats warm cornbread with honey for breakfast, lunch or dinner and/or dessert. It’s really best within a few hours of baking but it never lasts long around here. I just add two big pieces for breakfast with more butter and honey.

5 ½ tablespoons butter, divided
1 ½ cups cornmeal (if you happen to have local Ayers Creek cornmeal, use it! Otherwise use a medium grind of whatever brand you have)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg
1 ¼ cups milk
Kernels cut off 2 ears of corn (after you’ve cut the kernels off, use the back of a chef’s knife to extract any more juice and little bits of corn that didn’t come off in the first round. Collect all of that and use it with the kernels).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 4 tablespoons butter and let cool slightly. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking, powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg and milk together in a small bowl. Add melted butter and milk mixture to dry ingredients and stir quickly. Do not over mix. Heat a 9 or 10-inch cast iron frying pan over med-high heat. Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons butter to the pan. When the butter is melted and foaming pour the batter into the skillet. Bake in the oven until the corn bread is golden and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean, between 15 and 18 min. Serve hot out of the oven with butter and honey or just plain. It’s a bit crumbly and you may end up eating it with a fork.

Caramelized Corn with Fresh Mint
–inspired by Julia Moskin

There’s a theme this week—very few ingredients and very simple preparation. I can eat this whole dish by myself.

Serves 2

Kernels form four ears or corn (or more—this is so good you’ll eat as much as you make I guarantee)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
Salt

In a wide skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring often, until golden and browned (kernels may begin to pop), about 10 minutes. Stir in the mint and sprinkle with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve while hot.

I think you hardly need recipes these days with the extraordinary produce that’s coming in! But as usual I couldn’t help including some herbs that are not in your share–thyme, tarragon and cilantro–so pick some up if you can. The first recipe, the Onion and Sweet Pepper Tian (from Deborah Madison’s book Vegetable Literacy) is the epitome of perfect late summer food and as simple as can be. And the corn pesto is so good I eat way to much of it when I make it. Happy cooking!

Torpedo Onion and Sweet Pepper Tian
Roasted Onion, Corn and Tomato Salad
Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto
Cook-With-What-You-Have Ratatouille
Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Yogurt sauce
Kohlrabi Salad
Fennel, Grape, and Feta Salad with Sumac
Fennel and Onion Soffrito

Pesto

Torpedo Onion and Sweet Pepper Tian
–adapted from Vegetable Literary by Deborah Madison

Oh my goodness this is good. All you need is some time. The preparation is dead simple but it takes 90 minutes to bake. It’s just as good or better the next day so you could make it one night while you’re making something else for dinner and then have it the next day.

3-4 small-ish torpedo onions
3 sweet peppers
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 thyme branches or several pinches of dried
6 small garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350F. Quarter the onions, leaving the base intact, and peel them. Halve the peppers both crosswise and lengthwise, remove the seeds and veins, and cut them into pieces roughly 1/2 inch wide. Remove the core from the tomatoes and cut them into sixths.

Brush a film of olive oil over the bottom of a gratin dish, scatter the thyme over it, and add the vegetables, including the garlic and arrange nicely in the dish. Brush the remaining oil over the vegetables, being sure to coat the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the tian and bake for 1 1/2 hours. The vegetables should be very soft, the tomatoes melting into a jam. Remove it from the oven and carefully pour the liquid that has collected into a small saucepan. Add a teaspoon of vinegar, bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce until it is thick and syrupy. Taste for vinegar and salt; then pour or brush this syrup over the vegetables.

Serve with slices of grilled polenta or piled on top of grilled bread that has been spread first with a layer of garlic mayonnaise. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roasted Onion, Corn and Tomato Salad
–adapted from Food52

2 torpedo onions
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt
1 summer squash, cut into large dice
3 ears corn, blanched
Another small piece of onion, diced or 2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
Coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/3 torn basil leaves

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and slice the onions into 1/2-inch rings, and then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle the onions with 1 tablespoon or so of the olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt, and toss everything around to coat the onions on both sides. After 20 minutes add the diced summer squash to the pan and continue roasting for about 20 minutes more until the onions are brown and soft. Let the vegetables cool and then roughly chop the onions. Set aside.

Strip the kernels from the ears of corn and add them to the bowl with the squash. Add the raw onion and tomatoes to the bowl. Add the chopped roasted onions, squash a tablespoon of olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir everything together gently.

In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the honey; whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some more salt and pepper. Stir about two-thirds of the dressing into the salad, taste, adding more if you like. Stir in the basil and serve. This salad keeps well so feel free to make more and enjoy the next day.

Pasta with Sweet Corn Pesto
–adapted from Bon Appétit

To make this vegetarian, instead of the bacon you can sauté the corn in butter or olive oil and add 1-2 teaspoons of pimenton (smoked Spanish Paprika) and then add a few squeezes of lime juice at the very end.

3 bacon slices, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 5 large ears)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/4 cup almonds or pine nuts (I always use Almonds because that’s what I have on hand)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb tagliatelle or fettuccine or penne
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet (and reserve for future use or toss). Add corn, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, red pepper flakes, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn kernels to small bowl and reserve. Pulse almonds until finely ground, add cheese, whiz again, then scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, bacon (if using) and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves. Serve pasta, passing additional grated Parmesan alongside.

Cook-With-What-You-Have Ratatouille

I love this time of year when I can make ratatouille, when sweet peppers, eggplant, summer squash and tomatoes are all at their peek. Quantities are all easily adapted and the ratios are not critical so scale up or down as needed. It is a rich, stew-like dish in which the vegetables all break down a bit. It is not beautiful but it is GOOD! Serve with some good crusty bread, another salad, a frittata or some such. It’s even better the next day.

4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 large eggplant, diced
1 onion, cut into large dice
2-3 summer squash, sliced or diced
2 sweet peppers, seeded and diced
Olive oil
Basil, handful of torn loves
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
More olive oil for serving

Heat some olive oil in two large skillets. Add the onions and peppers to one pan and the zucchini to the other. Sprinkle all with a bit of salt. Cook both on high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently and then turn down to medium high and continue sautéing until softened and browning just a bit. When the zucchini is just about tender remove it from the pan and reserve. Add a bit more oil and add the eggplant and a bit more salt. You can keep the peppers and onions sautéing on medium while the eggplant cooks. When the eggplant is tender and browning, add half of it to the pepper and onion pan and divide the zucchini between the pans. Now add the tomato to both and bring to a lively simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to marry the flavors. Add the garlic and basil and cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm (but not hot) or at room temperature with a drizzle of good olive oil.

Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Yogurt sauce

Whether or not you make this tahini yogurt sauce for the eggplant you might grill all of your eggplant in rounds just to have it and snack on or use however you see fit. It’s delicious in myriad ways.

Slice the eggplant into about ½-inch rounds. Brush both sides with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and grill, fry or roast until tender and browning on both sides, about 5 minutes per side, give or take. I tend to use a cast iron pan but sometimes broil. I don’t have a gas grill so tend not to go that route though it is easy and delicious grilled.

Sauce (from Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy):

½ cup whole milk or Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 small clove garlic, minced and mashed into a paste with a little salt on your cutting board with the side of your chef’s knife

chopped cilantro for serving

Drizzle the warm eggplant slices with the tahini sauce and garnish with the cilantro.

Kohlrabi Salad

1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks using a sharp knife or mandolin
1/2 crunchy apple, cut into matchsticks as well
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 serrano or jalapeno chili, minced and seeded (unless you like more heat—try first to see how hot it is)
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss the kohlrabi and the apple with the remaining ingredients and chill before eating. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Fennel Salad with Grapes, Feta and Sumac
–from The Ottolenghi Project

The original recipe calls for pomegranate seeds instead of grapes. It seemed odd to include a recipe with pomegranate seeds at the height of our own local produce so I tried it with small, fragrant grapes from Ayers Creek Farm and it was wonderful. This is a cinch to make but does call for a few ingredients you might not have. I found sumac recently at New Seasons. You can make it without the sumac though and it will still be great.

2 medium sized fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved and cut as thinly as you possibly can
2 cups small, flavorful grapes
2 teaspoons of Sumac and some extra to garnish
Juice of a lemon
Good olive oil
4 tablespoons of tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped parsley
2 ounces feta, crumbled
Salt and pepper

Rinse and stem the grapes and reserve. Put the fennel slices in a larger bowl or on a platter.

Mix the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, herbs and salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well, and add to the fennel and mix well. Finally add the feta and grapes. Garnish with more sumac and serve!

Fennel and Onion Soffrito

This is my favorite thing to do with fennel, hands down. It’s a delicious garnish/condiment/side for fish, roasted vegetables, etc.

Olive oil

1 ½ cups thinly sliced fennel
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onion
¾ cup chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
red wine vinegar to taste
salt and pepper

 In the largest skillet you have heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and fennel all at once and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until starting to brown and quite soft. Add the garlic and the tomatoes, a couple of generous pinches of salt and some pepper and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Finally add a little vinegar, you’ll probably want at least 2 teaspoons and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This is delicious with a bunch of chopped parsley and black olives too.

Pesto

I used to be a purist about pesto and I’m not anymore. I use almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts since I never have pine nuts. I use aged, Asiago Stella (available at Pastaworks and City Market) because it’s much cheaper than Parmesan and still very good. I also use the food processor. And you can scale this up or down very easily. It keeps well in the fridge, topped off with a thin layer of good olive oil, for about a week. And you can put it on so many things—use it as a sandwich spread; stir it into deviled eggs or a frittata thin it out for a salad dressing . . . .

basil, leaves picked (about 4 cups leaves, loosely packed), washed and dried
3 smallish cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
Generous handful of almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or pine nuts
About 2 ounces of Parmesan or aged Asiago (Asiago Stella available at Pastaworks/City Market)
1/3 – 1/2 cup of good-tasting extra virgin olive oil (or more)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

If you have a mortar and pestle, a strong arm and some time, by all means make the pesto by hand. I almost always now make it in a food processor and it’s very good that way too.

Put the nuts and cheese in the processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the basil, garlic and salt and process until well chopped. Then slowly add the oil. Don’t over process. Adjust for salt and oil. Then store in the fridge until ready to use.