Kale and Potato Au Gratin

1 lg bunch kale, washed,ribbed and torn

1 small onion sliced

2 cloves garlic sliced or pressed

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

s & p

3 lg potatoes peeled, sliced 1/4" thick

2 T. butter sliced into pats

2 T. butter

2 T. flour

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c cheddar grated

Grease a 2 qt casserole . Set oven to 350.

Saute the onion, garlic in the olive oil and butter and then add kale and saute until wilted. Season. Set aside.

In the same fry pan melt the 2 T butter and whisk in 2T flour. Add the milk and cook over med heat until thickened ( I added more milk as the sauce was very thick). Add grated cheese and stir until melted. S&p.

Layer the potatoes and kale mixture in the casserole adding the pats of butter to the kale layer. Pour the sauce over the top and bake for 45 mins.

Betty’s Turnip Puff & Edna’s Turnip or Potato Soufflé

Betty’s Turnip Puff

Serves 6-8

Mix together;

3 cups mashed turnip

3 T butter or margarine

2 eggs

In a separate bowl mix;

3 T flour

1 T brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

touch of nutmeg

Mix and add to turnip mixture.

Whip mixture and pour into 1 quart casserole

Topping;

Melt 2 T butter or margarine

Add to ½ cup cracker crumbs

Sprinkle on top of turnip mixture

Bake 350 F for 35-40 min.

Edna’s Turnip or Potato Soufflé

Cream together;

2 T butter or margarine

2 cups mashed turnip or potato

2 well beaten eggs

¾ cups milk or cream

salt to taste

Pour into deep dish and bake 400F until golden brown

Remove from oven carefully as it will fall easily

**Note this was a wonderful depression food for small

farms to feed large families. I have dressed up the Potato

Soufflé with cheese, onions, garlic etc. I have not

experimented with the turnip one.

Purple, Green, and Black Pasta - from 'The Gardener's Table'

Here is a recipe we made the other night with some veg from the box.

Changes we made to original are noted.

serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut Into 1/2 - inch cubes
1 cup shredded red cabbage*
9 leaves spinach or green chard, stemmed and chopped (3 cups)
1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped * I doubled amount, but we all love olives.
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 ounces angel-hair pasta
1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
*garlic, oregano & sage - my additions (fresh herbs if possible)

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the chicken until it is golden brown on the outside and opaque throughout.
* I added oregano to cooking chicken

Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and sauté the cabbage for 1 minute.
* I added about 1 cup of leftover spaghetti squash - already baked, instead of cabbage.

Add the spinach, parsley, and olives and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
* I used the red chard from Taproot farms, this provides green & purple colours. Olives - black
* I added 3 cloves of chopped garlic & fresh sage

Add the balsamic vinegar and stir. Turn off the heat.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup pasta water.

Return the skillet with the sauce to medium heat and add the chicken and pasta along with the reserved water.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes (stirring to combine), or until the water evaporates. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place in a serving bowl. Top with the bread crumbs and cheese and toss. Serve immediately.

Buon Appetito

Root Veggie Slaw

I'm still learning how to use some of these root crops. Last night I threw together a slaw-type salad that turned out pretty tasty. It had the look of pink confetti and had lots of satisfying crunch. This made about three servings, but you can easily adjust the quantity to suit your needs.

1 large carrot, peeled

1 white turnip, peeled

1 medium beet, peeled

1 wedge of cabbage

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise (lowfat)

2 Tbsp. plain yogurt (nonfat)

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. celery seed

dash of salt and possibly a drizzle of honey or other sweetener

Grate all the veggies (I used a food processor). Whisk the dressing ingredients in a big bowl. Dump in the veggies and toss.

Variations I thought of but haven't tried yet: some grated apple, raisins, chopped nuts. You might even try a more savory version with red onion, olives, capers, and a red wine vinaigrette.

Red Beet Fusilli with Balsamic, Poppy Seeds and Mint

recipe here
Holy cow what a colour!

A suggestion from Pratima.

http://kirstenskitchen.blogspot.com/

Spicy Parsnip Soup

Spicy Parsnip Soup

Heat a splash of olive oil and a knob of butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic , ginger and garam marsala. Gently fry for around 10 mins, unti th eonions are sweet and soft.

Drop in the choppwd parsnips and stir together so that everything get s coated with th eoil and flavours. Pour in the milk and stock, season well amnd bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 mins with the lid on.

After half an hour, check that the parsnips are cooked by sticking aknife in. If you're happy, remove them from the heat and carefully whizz up using a hand blender or liquidizer. Taste the soup to see if it needs more salt or pepper.

Serve with a sprinkling of sliced red chili , a handful of chopped coriander leaves. And a good chunk of crusty bread.

Tip: Use coconut milk instead of regular milk for a twist.

Serves 4.

Jamieoliver.com

olive oil

knob of butter

1 large onion roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic roughly chopped

a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon garam masala

6 parsnips, peeled and chopped

500 ml milk ( i used 250 ml)

1 litre veg stock ( i used 3 cups)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 fresh red chili deseeded and finely chopped

handful of fresh coriander leaves chopped

crusty bread to serve

Belgian recipe for Endive

Hi Val., here is my tried, tested and true Mother Arlette recipe:

1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. (because lettuce tends to shrink quite a lot)
2. When water is at a rolling boil, precipitate the lettuce in it for a quick boil. until the lettuce is just limp, but still uncooked
3. Drain really well, really well
While the lettuce is draining...
4. Prepare your MORNAY sauce (white sauce with sharp cheese) [Recipe available on the internet]
5. In an oven proof glass dish, lay down the lettuce, pour MORNAY sauce over it, add a pinch of sugar (Kills bitterness), lots of fresh nutmeg, salt, pepper, if you like, a bit of shredded ham (optional), cover with thin slices of butter and breadcrumbs, cook in the oven to taste. .... et voila!

Belgians also make a fresh Endive salad, but the endive is mixed with other types of lettuce like "ESCAROLLES", and a pinch of sugar is added to the dressing to mitigate the bitterness.

Cheers, Pol.

Double Celery Soup

Thanks Joanne.

Double Celery Soup

3 T. butter (or olive oil to make this vegan)

6 ribs celery, sliced

3 leeks, sliced

1 tsp crushed fennel seed

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

1 celery root peeled and chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

2 T fresh parsley

1 T. lemon juice

2 T chjopped celery leaves

Sautee celery, leeks and fennel seed, salt and pepper in oil or butter until translucent- about 20 mins. Add celery root, broth and 4 cups water. bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer, covered, until veggies are soft - about 25 mins. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Using imersion blender or blender puree until smooth. Stir in lemon juice.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with celery leaves.

Makes 12 servings.

Borscht

I like a good soup to clean out the fridge. Borscht is perfect this time of year - carrots, cabbage, celery and of course beets.

1. Chop 1-2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, and several beets and sauté over medium heat in a glug of olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot. Reserve a small amount of beet to grate and add near the end to enliven the color. (I am allergic to onions but most people include onions here. I use a few cloves of garlic instead.)

2. In the meantime, bring heat veggie or beef stock to a simmer. Don't boil stock it ruins the flavour. When the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock. Simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. With a few minutes left, add the reserved grated beet.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then squeeze in some lemon juice or a bit of a tasty vinegar, aiming for a pleasing but subtle sour taste. Serve with freshly grated black pepper, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped parsley, if desired.

chick peas and leeks

Hi Patricia, I am one of those people who tend to throw stuff together and rarely measure anything. So getting recipes from me can be a problem, but I did make this soup and loved it. I find between your recipes and the internet there are lots of choices of what to do with our veggies.

Ingredients:

Chickpea and Leek Soup

• 12 oz chickpeas, soaked overnight in water
• 1 medium potato, peeled
• 6 leek, finely, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• knob of butter
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely, sliced
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 850 ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 handful parmesan cheese, grated
• extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Chickpea and Leek Soup

1. Rinse the soaked chickpeas, cover with water, and cook with the potato until tender.
2. Remove the outer skin of the leeks, slice lengthways from the root up, wash carefully and slice finely.
3. Warm a thick-bottomed pan, and add the tablespoon of oil and the knob of butter. Add the leeks and garhc to the pan, and sweat gently with a good pinch of salt until tender and sweet.
4. Add the drained chickpeas and potato and cook for 1 minute. Add about two-thirds of the stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Purée half the soup in a food processor and leave the other half chunky this gives a lovely smooth comforting feel but also keeps a bit of texture.
6. Now add enough of the remaining stock to achieve the consistency you like. Check for seasoning, and add Parmesan to taste to round off the flavours.
7. This is classy enough for a starter, but I like it best for lunch in a big bowl with a good drizzle of my best peppery extra virgin olive oil, a grinding of black pepper and an extra sprinkling of Parmesan.

   © Jamie Oliver 2002

   http://www.jamieoliver.com

Five Days of Squash

Some squash inspiration from Martha & Tom

Recipe from Elizabeth

Hi Patricia,
I wanted to post ASAP before I forgot to. One of the recipes I've made in the past week was Minestrone Soup. It was divine. Since embarking on our journey with the CSA one of my children has become vegetarian, so I've been playing in the kitchen with some new recipes. This recipe isn't entirely vegetarian, but I made it that way.

Minestrone Soup (adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

1 1/2c. Great Northern Beans
3 tsp. salt
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2lb salt pork diced fine (optional)
1/3c. finely chopped parsley
2 large onions, chopped fine
leaves from 3 stalks celery chopped fine
1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled (I used a handful of fresh sprigs)
4 tomatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
2 carrots diced,
3 stalks celery, diced
3 or more cups beef broth (I used more tomatoes instead)
2c. chopped cabbage
2c. chopped zucchini
4 swiss chard leaves sliced (or about 1/2 bunch spinach)
2tsp dried basil, crumbled or 1tbsp. fresh, chopped
grated parmesan

Soak beans overnight in water to cover. Drain and simmer in 3qts of water with the salt. Cook until tender (about 1-1 1/2 hrs).
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medum heat. Add the salt pork (if using), parsley, onions, celery leaves, and thyme, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, carrots, celery, broth, and beans. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, zucchihi and chard (or spinach). Add water if necessary and simmer for another 20 minutes or so.Stir in the basil and taste to correct seasonings. Serve with parmesan cheese.

I served this with a crusty bread and we had it along with a cheese fondue, which the kids love!

NOTE: the recipe says to puree the beans but I like to leave them whole for texture

Celeriac coming!

Patricia mentioned that celeriac will be harvested and available sometime soon. Celeriac is one of my favourite strange veggies. My daughters call it mandrake (all you Harry Potter fans will understand why). Here is the way my mother prepared it, from the Mamma Leone cookbook (Mamma Leone's was a famous Italian restaurant in New York City, and Mom made several really excellent dishes from the cookbook). The comments in italics are actually from my father when he sent me the recipe.

Marinated Celeriac

Peel 1 lb celeriac after cutting off greens - reserve greens for optionally adding them - or some of them - to the boiling water. (After peeling the celeriac was down to 7/8 lb.)

Cut into 1/2" x 1/2" strips (Leone's says 1/4" - I think this is too fragile). Boil the strips 5-10 min. in salted water & drain (or rinse with cold water in strainer & then drain).

Marinade consists of:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp. wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, mashed or minced

1/2 tsp. powdered mustard

5 Tbsp. lemon juice (Leone's says juice of one lemon - the 5 Tbsp. comes from mom)

salt & pepper to taste

Pour over the strips. I let it marinate for several hours at room temp. (If you refrigerate it the oil solidifies).

I like this as an appetizer on a plate with olives and other savoury tid-bits or in a salad. It could be a side dish, too.

Squash Walnut Feta Dish to Inspire Patricia

This works as a side dish or as a vegetarian main dish. We eat this every fall.
Cut up a squash into cubes about 1" square or less so that they cook relatively quickly
In a hot frying pan saute squash in a good glug of olive oil, some chopped garlic, ginger & red chilis or hot pepper, when the squash is nicely browned lower the temp slightly & add about a Tbsp of water (too much will make the squash mushy, but adding small amounts until the squash is just done helps it hold it's shape). Keep an eye on the squash while in a separate pan lightly toast about 1/2 cup of walnuts. Stir squash & add water as needed. The squash will only take from 5-10 minutes to cook. When it is almost done, add a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg or garam masala. When squash is soft remove from heat, gently mix in 1/2 cup or more of cubed feta and top with toasted walnuts. Add salt & pepper. You can also adapt this to the oven, but I find it works best on the stove in a cast iron pan.

Recipes from Ellie

Slice green tomatoes on the bottom of an oven proof
casserole.
Spread mashed sardines on top of that layer.
Spread the mashed potatoes on the top.

Put in an oven 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

That's it. It doesn't seem to need anything else, but you
could add pepper if you want, I suppose.

I don't remember where I got this, but probably over 30
years ago in England.

I also have one for Green Tomato Chutney from the
same place and timeframe. The English know all about
not having the weather to ripen their tomatoes!

Green Tomato Chutney:

1 tsp pickling spice
1/2 pint vinegar
2 lb green tomatoes
8 oz onions, chopped,
8 oz apples peeled, cored and chopped,
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 rounded tsp mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger,
8 oz raisins or sultanas
8 oz sugar

Put onion into preserving pan with 2-3 tblsp vinegar and
simmer slowly untl soft. Add apple pieces, slided
tomatoes, spices, salt and pepper, mustard, ginger and
raisins or sultanas. Simmer gently until mixtgure is soft,
stirring occasionally. Add the rest of the vinegar and
sugar. When the sugar is quite dissolved, boil the
mixture until it is the consistency of jam. Pour into jars.
Seal at once.

For 8 lbs of tomatoes use about 1.5 pints vinegar. 8 lb of
green tomatoes makes 14-16 lbs of chutney.

Hope you enjoy if you get a chance to try them out.

Pac Choi Soup from Dave

Pac-Choi Soup

1 pac-choi

2tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, sliced

1 large potato, diced

1 large carrot, diced

8. garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1” piece of ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I used homemade turkey stock)

1 can coconut milk

1 tbsp thai fish sauce

½ cup fresh coriander leaves

Wash the pac-choi and separate the leaves from the stalks. Tear the leaves into pieces and cut the stalks into 1” squares.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onions until soft.

Add the potato and carrot and cook for a few minutes.

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for about 10-15 mins.

Add the fish sauce, coriander leaves and pac-choi leaves and let simmer for another 10-15 mins or until everything is nicely cooked.

At this stage I used a steamer basket containing the pac-choi stalks, suspended over the soup mix and covered the pan. I steamed the stalks, over the soup, for about 10-15 minutes until they were slightly soft, but still had a bit of crunch to them. Alternatively, you could steam the stalks separately, or stir-fry them, or cook them for a few minutes in the microwave until tender.

Blend the soup mix (not the pac-choi stalks) in a liquidizer until smooth.

Add the pac-choi stalks to the soup.

Enjoy…..

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Hi Everyone!

I have a quick tip for all those tomatoes...wash them and put them in the slow cooker for 4hrs on HI or leave all day on low, then run through a food mill (I got mine at the Superstore). It purees everything and leaves behind the seeds and skins. Then you have beautiful crushed tomatoes for soup, stews, or sauces!

Seeing that pumpkin is on the list this week, I thought I'd post a recipe I tried last year and plan to do again. My mom saw it on Oprah, it turns out like a pumpkin mousse. I would tinker a bit though, add more gelatin and more pumpkin for a firmer texture and more pumpkin flavor; and I like a pie crust. You could probably skip the raw egg whites if you are worried about them. It just makes the texture more light and fluffy I find. By the way, it says that this is lighter desert option--it does not mean that it is "light" calorie wise...just means not as heavy on the tummy. :-)

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Recipe created by Cristina Ferrare

When topping off a holiday meal, Cristina Ferrare suggests making pumpkin chiffon rather than regular pumpkin pie. It's a lighter dessert option for those who are already stuffed!

Ingredients: Serves 8

Pie:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs , separated, yolks beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream , whipped
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust

Topping:
2 pints heavy cream , whipped
Shaved dark chocolate

Combine gelatin, 1/2 cup of sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg in a saucepan. Stir in milk, egg yolks and pumpkin. Cook over medium heat until thick. Chill saucepan in refrigerator until partially set—about 1 hour.

In a bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1/2 cup of whipped cream. Fold egg white mixture into filling. Pour filling into pie crust and chill for 1 hour.

Just before serving, top with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle some shaved dark chocolate on top.

Muffin Love

I'm not sure where the name originated, but we often call our youngest son "Muffin Love". It's not surprising I suppose that the little guy just loves muffins! I was thrilled to see the return of squash to our weekly box as this recipe is a favorite in our house. It makes a perfect afternoon snack with a glass of milk. The source for this recipe is a mystery to me. I have it jotted down on a crumpled sticky note and I'm thinking I did a little substituting here and there. They are most certainly not low in fat and sugar...but they sure are tasty. Hubby calls them ginger cookie muffins...yum!

Squash Muffins

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup mashed cooked squash
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
add nuts or raisins if you wish

Cream sugar, molasses, butter. Add eggs and then squash. Mix in dry ingredients.

Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes.

Happy Friday!

Soup Weather

It's here, we can all sigh, take a big breath of crisp fall air and make some soup. When I am sure the frost is immanent, I am going out to my tomato plants & collect the green stragglers & try out this recipe for Green Tomato Soup from the New York Times.

Planning Ahead...

These crisp, cool mornings have us all realizing that fall is just around the corner. This hint of autumn has me planning for the cooler months ahead, dreaming of the soups, stews, sauces and chilies I'll be serving for dinner to keep us warm from the inside out. So, this is not a recipe sharing, but a reminder that it might be a good idea to tuck away some of these bits of summer to pull out on those coldest of days. When I saw the opportunity to purchase 25 pounds of tasty tomatoes, I jumped. I've been busy blanching, peeling, chopping and freezing my tomatoes for the winter ahead.

Here's my little process:

- Place washed tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for 45-60 seconds.
- Remove and place immediately in a bowl of ice cold water.
- Peel the tomatoes - The skins slid off very easily for me.
- Quarter and remove any brown or tough spots.
- Chop to the desired size and pop in the freezer!

I measured mine out in increments of 28 fl oz which is the size of a standard can of tomatoes. I thought this would simplify things when following recipes.

Patricia also suggested freezing the tomatoes whole. Upon removing from the freezer, you can simply run them under hot water and the skins will fall off nicely. This sounds like an even simpler plan for this sleep deprived mommy! I may just give it a try.

Nappa Cabbage Salad

I was thrilled with the discovery of a large, crisp nappa cabbage in our box this week as I’ve been itching to make this recipe. Any suggestions on what we could replace the “Mr. Noodle” noodles with would be welcome. I’m ashamed to admit I consumed far more than my share of these in my university days. There must be a better alternative out there! Despite all this, it really is super tasty! Enjoy!


1 large nappa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
¼ cup butter or margarine (or less)
2 pkg Mr. Noodle noodles, broken up
(discard the seasoning)
1 cup sliced almonds
2 T. sesame seeds
½ cup white sugar
¾ cup peanut oil
2 T. soya sauce
½ cup vinegar

- Toss sliced cabbage and green onions in a large bowl.
- Saute the noodles, almonds and sesame seeds in the butter until lightly browned.
- Combine sugar, peanut oil, soya sauce and vinegar in a small sauce pan. Boil for 1 minute then let cool.
- Add dressing and noodle mixture to salad just before serving.

Simple Turnips

I have never been a fan of turnips, so finding ways to use them has been a challenge. I found this simple way of preparing them quite tasty. It might make a turnip fan of me yet.

Peel, then grate turnip (or julienne). Lightly salt and let sit for 15-20 minutes (this removes water from the turnip). Rinse in cold water to remove salt, then squeeze out extra water in batches - you want it pretty dry. Saute in butter (I used two tablespoons butter for about 4 cups of grated turnip). Serve with chopped toasted almonds and a bit of salt and pepper. We used tamari roasted almonds from Bulk Barn. Some of my family chose to add some grated parmesan cheese, too, but I didn't.

Beet Carpaccio au Bleu

Use your spring turnips, beets & salad greens in this tasty recipe From the Denver Post

Bulghur Salad with Corn, Zucchini, and Shredded Basil

I love having salads in summer. Not just as a side dish, but as a whole meal. I'm looking forward to having the ingredients on hand to make this recipe from Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin.

1 1/2 c. coarse-grain bulghur
1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed (I bet fresh off the cob would be just as good)
1 tomato, cut into small cubes
1 c. very thinly sliced zucchini rounds, cut into sixths
3 Tbsp. finely shredded fresh basil
1/4 c. thinly slivered red onion
1/3 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lettuce leaves, for garnish

(1) Place the bulghur in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over it to cover by 2 inches. Let soak 30 min., or until tender. Remove all of the soaking liquid by placing the bulghur, in batches, in cheesecloth or a cotton towel and squeezing it dry. Or place it in a strainer and press out the liquid with the back of a large spoon. Place the strained bulghur in a large serving bowl.
(2) Stir in the corn, tomato, zucchini, basil, and onion. In a separate bowl, beat together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. pour it over the salad and mix well. Let sit 30 min., or cover and chill for up to 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before serving. Place lettuce leaves on individual plates and spoon the salad on top.

Cukes and Tomatoes - A Perfect Combination!

I’ve been eagerly awaiting this week’s share with the knowledge that we’d be treated with the freshest of tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley - a great combination of ingredients to whip up one of my favorite summer salads! This makes a nice meal on a hot summer evening, paired with some buttery corn on the cob. (Yes, it can also be enjoyed on a none-too-rare rainy foggy evening!) It’s always a crowd pleaser at potlucks as well.

Green Lentil Summer Salad

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried green lentils
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups diced cucumber
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

-Toast almonds in a small, dry skillet – set aside.
- Cook lentils with garlic until tender – about 15-20 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and discard garlic.
-In a large bowl, whisk oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.
-Toss in the remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Dress Your Salad Pretty In Pink!

Lots of green goodness in this week's basket once again! I thought I'd share my favorite everyday dressing. I do up a nice big batch each week so it's always handy in the fridge.

Red Onion Salad Dressing

1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 small red onion
1 tsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp poppy seeds

Whip all the ingredients up in a blender and voila! Enjoy!

Napa Cabbage, Radish & Celery Salad

with Buttermilk Dressing

French Breakfast Radish

So, I could not help but notice that many of the shareholders at the Grainery yesterday swapped their radishes. "We are just not eating them", one person said. Now they may not be as glamorous as a tomato or as necessary as lettuce, but I really think you should make more of an effort to appreciate these little gems & expand your culinary horizons.
What seems to me the simplest way to eat radishes is to slice, butter & salt em up. If you don't trust me, check out what a bunch of foodies have to say here
If that doesn't grab you, try these:
Butter-Poached Radishes
Quick Radish Pickles
or stir fry a la Smitten Kitchen

Zucchini Chocolate Indulgence

A quick scan through the posted recipes and I see there are lots of creative uses out there for zucchini! I'd like to add a favorite in our family. It's quick and easy and a big hit with kids in the kitchen.

It comes from one of my favorite books, "Crazy Plates"

Isn't She Loafly? - Chocolaty, chocolate chip zucchini loaf

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used baby food prunes)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

- Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 8x4 loaf pans

- Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl

- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir in zucchini. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just moistened. Add chocolate chips.

- Spread batter into pans and bake for 50 minutes.

I baked all my batter in a 9x13 pan instead and created a sort of "snack cake". No need for frosting on this one. My little guy was thrilled of course, wondering whose birthday we were celebrating. No special occasion, but a perfect treat on an ordinary day (and a great way to sneak in another serving of veggies with the wee ones).

Enjoy (:

Radish on the Grill and Zucchini Bread

Thanks Brenda for these.

Radish on the Grill

Wash cut in half radish, place in glass bowl microwave for 1 min. ( radish will become less red, idea is to tenderize, and it will lessen the sharp taste)

Large piece of tinfoil ( piece large enough to allow ingredients to be placed in the middle of the sheet and the four sides to fold into the middle closing the tinfoil, to be somewhat flat without too much thickness as this package will go on the grill, place ingredient on the shinny side tinfoil, helps absorbs heat )

Arrange thinly sliced onions in two rows in the middle of the tinfoil, ( cut a whole onion into slices leaving as rings, may require two whole onions)

Garnish with spice ( can add garlic cloves chopped/shallots, peppers thinly chopped or sliced- with what ever spices you enjoy, pepper, celery, etc or commercial blends to your own taste)

Place radish on top of onion layer, sprinkle with spice.

Place onion layer on top of radish, close the tinfoil making a sealed package.The tinfoil package should be relatively flat not too thick)

Place the tinfoil package on the grill, (10 min or less) do not need to turn over, if you are bbq/grilling meat, can move the radish to top shelve of grill for the rest of the time it takes to cook the meat.

Open tinfoil and serve. ( onions will be steamed, spice/onion flavor will infuse the radish)

Variations: Using crushed Chili peppers/chili powder will compliment/enhance radish taste. ( If you like hot)

Can wash the radish greens (tops) cut in half, lay on top of the first onion layer with the radish and prepare as directed above using a bit more spice on the greens before placing onion layer on top. The greens will steam cook within the tinfoil.

Zucchini Bread (low fat/salt)

Ingredients

1	cup oats
1/2	c plain no fat yogurt
2	c zucchini (shredded)
1	egg ( or egg substitute)
1/4	c unsweetened applesauce
2	c flour
1/4	c vegetable oil/ or oil of your choice, not olive
2	tsp baking powder
1/2	tsp salt
1/2	baking soda
1/4	c walnuts/ raisins (optional) 2 tbsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tbsp sugar if desired Mix yogurt, oil, egg, applesauce together with a Wisk, add walnuts/raisins then baking soda, powder and salt with cinnamon and nutmeg, one tbsp sugar if desired, Wisk together add oatmeal, stir, then zucchini stir, then two cups flour mix all together, batter will be heavy, if flour hard to mix in add small amount of water, tbsp perhaps. Bake in a greased bread pan, for 30 -40 min at 350. Check center of bread if moist bake longer checking every 5 min or so until done. I have also baked this in a square pan (9 x12) Note that the baked cake with be moist. Freezes well. Can garnish with fresh fruit and serve. Object of recipe is to be a low fat/salt, moderately sugar free, nutrious with flavour.

Japanese Chicken & Cucumber Salad (Or how Lorrie learned to like cucumbers)

Okay ..Its Japanese, I learned it from Harume, my japanese flamenco dancing friend:

Cukes: Cut them in diagonal rounds and then in groups of 3/4 , like hickory sticks. Is this julienning? Salt em.

Chicken: Boil meat chunks in a little water and a dollop of sake for flavoring (approx 2/3 Tbs.) Once cooked and cooled, separate the strands of meat by hand.

Onions: Cut in rings and soak to remove hot.

Place on platter: bed of finely julienned cukes, meat and then onion rings.
Top with sliced up green onions.
Dressing is apporximately : rice vinegar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sugar, salt, and soy sauce.

Best chilled on a hot day. Add the sauce at the last minute.

Salad Salad Salad

I think the New York Times may have heard about our abundance of greens.
For some serious salad inspiration check out 101 Simple Salads for the Season

quick zucchini sauté

From Smitten Kitchen, a foodie site I like to visit, I am going to try this simple zucchini dish tonight.

Honey Mustard-Glazed Salmon with Lentils and Kale

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
8 oz (about 8packed cups) kale, chopped
4 6-oz wild-caught salmon fillets
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
ground black pepper and sea salt, to taste
olive oil cooking spray

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 F
2. In a large saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water to a boil. All lentils and kale. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more or until lentils and kale are tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Meanwhile, place salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 12 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir together honey and mustard. When salmon is ready, remove fillets from oven and coat thoroughly with honey-mustard glaze. Return to oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until cooked through.
5. Divide lentil mixture among 4 plates. Top each with a salmon fillet and serve immediately.

This recipe is from the March/April 2009 issue of Clean Eating

Zucchini Hummus

This is an easy and yummy use for zucchini, that my kids (ages 5 and 7) gobbled up in one sitting:

2 cups unpeeled zucchini
2/3 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
juice of 2 fresh lemons
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp sea salt

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in food processor. Puree and serve with chopped veggies, crackers or pita.

This recipe is from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Garlic Scape Pesto sent in by Lisa P

http://www.whatgeekseat.com/wordpress/2007/06/16/garlic-scape-pesto/

zucchini casserole

This is an old family favourite, but great once tomatoes are ripe. Serve with really fresh bread to mop up the juice.

2-3 zucchini (depends on size)
2 large tomatoes
1 red onion
1/2 c or more grated cheddar
2 T or more basil
2 T or more oregano
salt and pepper

Slice the zucchinis and put two layers in the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer sliced tomatoes on top. Sprinkle 1 T basil and 1 T oregano (I've only ever used dried, but I imagine fresh would be good too). Add two more layers of zucchini and one more of tomatoes. Sprinkle more basil and oregano, salt and pepper - don't go scanty, this is better with lots of herbs. Layer sliced red onion on top. Sprinkle over cheddar cheese. Cook at 350 until zucchinis are really soft (about 20-30 mins).

Zucchini Pasta Bake

At our house, in order to increase variety & also to address the complaints department (... do I have to eat the greens?) my kids each have one night per week to choose our dinner meal. Oscar has Mondays, Amaya has Wednesdays. We have done this for years & originally they were expected to help prepare the meal as well, however that part of the deal has fallen by the wayside a bit. They are welcome to help, but usually they don't want to & I kind of prefer cooking alone.

So, last night was Amaya's night & she wanted pasta & cheese sauce. As we are all allergic to milk & try not to eat a lot of carbs, this is a rare meal in our house, but it was her night after all. I do consider it fairly obvious to toss some veggies in with the noodles, add cheese & bake, but it turned out yummy (how could it not) and I managed to slip in quite a few delicious Tap Root veggies, so I thought I'd post.

I fried a couple of strips of bacon chopped into small pieces (you could easily skip this & just start with some veg. oil)
chopped & added to the bacon a big fistful of garlic scapes
wilted the entire bag of arugula into the bacon drippings
tossed all this together with pre-cooked noodles and put in the bottom of a baking pan
then I sliced my zucchinis very thinly with a mandolin and drizzled the zucchini with a bit of olive oil & salt & arranged the zucchini slices on top of the noodles
I did not make a cheese sauce, though it would have been yummy
I just threw a bunch of crumbled cheese (cheddar & blue) on top of the zucchini with several basil leaves & some salt & pepper
I baked it at 375 F for about 45 min.
My friend Katie & her 2 boys came by for a spontaneous visit & we had a little pasta party.

Pickles

My husband really likes Strub Pickles so I have occasionally made them using this recipe on their website. I have never managed to get them as crisp as we like them, but I have learned that soaking the cukes in icy water for a couple of hours before making the pickles will give a crunchier crunch.

As a rule of thumb, for dill pickles, you need one pound of cucumber per one quart jar. So if you want 8 jars, order 8 pounds.

Happy cooking.

Swiss Chard Pizza

I posted this as a comment, but now that I'm an official contributor I'll repost ... especially since we seem likely to get lots of chard (yay!)

I became a fan of swiss chard when a friend made me his Majorcan Swiss Chard pizza. When we make pizzas this disappears faster than anything - including pepperoni & cheese. I don't know if it's authentically Majorcan but my friend ate it lots in Majorca.

Marc's Majorcan Swiss Chard Pizza

-2 med. onions, chopped
-2 red sweet peppers, chopped
-5 cloves of garlic (or to taste) minced
-1 bunch swiss chard
-lots of salt and pepper
-pizza crust or flatbread
-olive oil
-feta or cooked chicken pieces if desired

Chop the onion and saute with the garlic in a little olive oil in a large pan or wok. Chop the stems of the chard and add; chop red peppers and add. Cook low-med about 10 minutes. Chop the leaves of the chard and add, stirring, until just wilted. Spread olive oil on the pizza base or flatbread, top with the mixture. Add lots of salt and pepper (put what you would expect then double it - this recipe needs salt). Top with feta and/or chicken if desired. Cook in a high oven (425) until the crust is cooked.

We make our own pizza crust - if anyone wants the recipe let me know.

Good things to do with Garlic Scapes

I am so excited that the garlic scapes are ready. The season is brief folks, so enjoy them while you can. Some folks at the Grainery pick up wondered how to use them. They are tasty added to stir fry or tomato sauce but don`t cook them long or they lose their glossy green colour and crunch. They really only need to be added near the end of cooking. They are delicious in potato salad (lightly cooked or raw & finely sliced). I added a bit to homemade mayo this week & used for hamburger topping. They can also be used to make pesto, alone or combined with basil.
good eating!

Garlic Scape Soup

2 tablespoons clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil
2 dozen garlic scapes (or as many as you have), flower buds discarded and green shoots chopped
3 large potatoes, cut into ½ inch dice
5 cups vegetable stock or water
2 large handfuls spinach leaves or swiss chard, stemmed
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the scapes and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stock, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and beginning to break down.

Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and puree using a hand blender. (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches at low speed.) Season with the lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk in the cream for a silkier texture. If the soup tastes flat, add salt a few big pinches at a time until the flavors really pop. Serve garnished with the chive blossoms.

Serves 4 to 6.

A forward to us on Nettles....for next spring

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTucBoeggqI

Hodge Podge for the Uninitiated

Being from away, I don't have a family recipe for Hodge Podge. Please share your favourite and/or family recipe. I made a stab at it tonight and it came out pretty good. New potatoes and spring turnip from Taproots, carrots and sugar snap peas from the farmer's market. I cooked them in just a little water (starting with carrots, then turnip and potatoes, adding peas last), then stirred in some butter and milk. Added salt and pepper at the table. It was a nice accompaniment to some sauteed trout.

A Delish Fish Dish

I do not like cooking fish because it stinks my house up. Besides that, I'm not very good at it. But TA DA! I have found a way to cook haddock that is non-smelly AND easy as pie!

Because I had a bunch of dill in my bounty basket last week, I decided to take the plunge. I went out to Vicki's fish market in Coldbrook and found some nice looking haddock fillets that had just been caught that morning at a reasonable price.

So here is what I did after reading a few on-line recipes to get ideas: greased a baking dish that had a lid with a little olive oil. Slapped in the fish. Seasoned it with sea salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, some of the green onions that were in the basket and a wack of the dill. Flipped it over and did the same thing to the other side. Baked it at 350 with the cover on for 15 minutes. Then removed the cover and topped it with a little grated cheese. Popped it back in the oven for another 15 minutes (perfect, because I had prepared the asparagus that was also in the basket for baking: sprinkled with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. This was the first time I had roasted it and it was AMAZING).

And miraculously, the fish dish was delish! Thanks for the adventure, Taproot!

Nicoles Chutney Recipes

If you haven't got chutney on hand, this Fiery Onion Relish from "Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant" is simple to make.

1 cup finely chopped onion
4 tsp lemon or lime juice
1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
1/4- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
salt to taste

If you prefer less pungency from the onion, soak it in salted water to cover for about 30 minutes and then drain and rinse it.
Combine all of the ingredients and set them aside for about 30 minutes while the flavours blend.

Mom Would be Proud

So I never really understood what the fuss was about when the swiss chard was ready in the family garden. Blech.

Oh, boy. Did I change my tune after deciding to steam up the chard that I found in my CSA bounty basket this week! So pretty...not at all like the boring green and white lets-let-it-grow-until-it-is-thick-and-woody chard I remember. A dash of apple cider vinegar and I was a changed woman.

Thanks Taproot, for showing me the way!

This is what I'll be doing if we get more Rhubarb

http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2007/06/rose_grays_and_.html

Asparagus Galore

Since we are getting into asparagus full swing now, you might want to check out Mollie Katzen's website where she features asparagus as the food of the month and has four great recipes. Mollie was one of the early chefs at the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY and is the author of the original Moosewood Cookbook as well as many other wonderful cookbooks. Her website is full of great recipes and information.

A Daughters Favourite straigth from: Tide Head, New Brunswick - the unofficial fiddle head capital of the world. I'm a big fan!

Here is a recipe for fiddlehead soup. You can adjust the amounts depending on how many fiddleheads you get.

4 cups fiddleheads
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped - about 1 cup
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon flour
3 or 4 cups chicken broth
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 cup light cream or milk (I usually just use chicken broth and no milk)

Cook fiddleheads in boiling salted water until just tender, then drain and reserve

Melt the butter in the pot you are making the soup in
Saute the onions until softened
Sprinkle flour in pan, mix in and cook for 1 minute
Gradually stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil
Add diced potato, reduce heat and cook covered for 5 minutes or till softened
Add the fiddleheads and continue to simmer until the vegetables are soft.

Working in batches in a blender, pure the mixture
Return to pot and add milk if desired.

Note: To add a decorative touch, save a few whole fiddleheads for a garnish. Put a little swirl of cream or plain yogurt on top of the individual bowl of soup and place a fiddlehead on top of the swirl.

Enjoy!

In popular demand: Cream of Nettle Soup

Delicious Cream of Nettle Soup
1 pound of nettle leaves
2 Tbsps oil or butter
1 minced onion
4 tsps chopped chives
3 Tbsps flour
2 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 tsps salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup cream

Heat oil or melt butter in soup pot. Sauté onion until soft. Add chives and flour and stir until blended. Slowly stir in stock, beating with wooden spoon until smooth. Add remaining ingredients, except cream, and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add cream and heat to just boiling. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Rub soup through a sieve into heated tureen. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.

Nettle Cheese Muffins

I just added 1 cup of cooked netted to a basic cheese muffin recipe. They turned out great!

Parsnip Muffins

In an effort to use my parsnips in ways my family would accept, I found two muffin recipes. My children maintain that they don't approve of parsnip muffins, but later decided maybe the problem was the crystallized ginger. They liked the second recipe better. I like both, but then I like parsnips.

In general, when I make muffins I always use whole wheat pastry flour and I substitute 1/4 to 1/3 of that with soy protein powder. In both of these recipes, I chopped the raisins finely and grated the parsnip on the fine side of my grater. As soon as muffins are cool, I stick them in a zippie bag in the freezer. My older daughter takes one every day in her lunch box. It defrosts by lunch time. The rest of us pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds and they're always fresh!

Ginger Parsnip (or Rutabaga - what you call Turnip) Muffins
Adapted from Healthy Living
Makes 12 muffins

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. crystallized ginger, finely chopped
1/2 c. raisins
1 egg
1 c. grated peeled parsnip
3/4 c. milk
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease or spray muffin cups with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir in raisins and ginger.

In medium bowl, lightly beat egg, add milk, honey, oil, and parsnip and combine thoroughly.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a few deft strokes. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool 5 minutes in the pan before removing to cooling rack.


Parsnip Muffins
Adapted from Whole Foods Market
Makes 12 muffins

2/3 c. pecans, toasted and chopped
1 1/3 c. finely grated parsnip
1 medium apple, grated
1 1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. golden raisins
1 egg
1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 c. buttermilk or milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease or spray muffn cups with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir in pecans and raisins.

In medium bowl, whilsk together eggs, oil, and buttermilk. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the grated parsnip and apple, into the flour mixture, stirring until moistened. Spoon batter into cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

There's more to a radish

My father, the most gourmet cook in our family, is pretty keen to get cooking with radish greens. Hey, the nettles were good, so we might as well keep expanding our repertoire of unlikely green things to put on the dinner plate. He came across a recipe for radish leaf pesto, so from one blog to another, here it is:

- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves, stems removed
- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler
- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion)
- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like- salt, pepper, ground chili pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process in short pulses until smooth. You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)
Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.

from http://www.chocolateandzucchini.com/
for a lot more great reading about radish tops, click on http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2009/05/radish_leaf_pesto.php#more

Bread

Hi Folks,

For those of you who collect your share at the Grainery, we now receive bread deliveries from Julien's Bakery on Tuesday am. If there is a particular kind of bread you'd like me to order please let me know.

cheers,
Lorrie

Beans, Beans the musical fruit...

OK. So I get a bag of beans in my CSA basket this week. I'm thinking, "H'oh boy. Here's a challenge" because a) I'm not a huge fan and b)the couple of times I have tried to make them they were, um, icky. Well.

Since my pal Tim and I are sharing a 1/2 share, I offer to cook them up and bring him half but I make no promises. For this he is grateful because he said otherwise the beans would have sat in his cupboard for eternity. I thought, "Hmmm. The recipe on the back of the package looks pretty idiot proof...I'll give that a try."

Well. I am amazed at how well they turned out! I did make a few adjustments....used maple syrup instead of brown sugar, Meadowbrook Farms bean bacon instead of salt pork and Boate's Apple Cider Vinegar as opposed to regular. The sauce was a little thin for my liking so I added a little corn starch and it was be-you-tif-ful. I did use the slow cooker.

All in all, I'd have to say the experiment was a success. Which is more than I can say about my last use of the slowcooker with half of a cabbage and sausages a couple of weeks ago!

Sweet Yellow Daal

Here is a link to Sweet Yellow Daal. I plan to make a modified version of this for dinner tonight. I will leave out the onions & add extra garlic. Looks like a great way to use turnip (swede) & other root veg.

http://jeenaskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/05/sweet-yellow-daal-dhal-recipe.html

Stinging Nettles

They can be steamed the same as spinach or beet greens or swiss chard.

Josh really loves adding a bit of vinegar to his. He does this with most greens and with fiddleheads too. A bit of butter and vinegar. The amount of vinegar he adds depends on how much he likes the flavour of the greens.

I love them all without the vinegar.

Enjoy!

Mayonnaise

I have to warn you that this mayo contains RAW EGGS. You should use it within 3 days. That said, we have eaten this in my house for about 10 years & have never become ill from it, and we use it well past the recommended 3 days. Just use eggs from a source you trust. This is delicious on homemade french fries.

You need:
a hand held blender & tall narrow container
an egg (it works best if the egg is at room temp)
a lemon or lime (I once used a clementine with tasty results)
salt, pepper, herbs & spices (garlic is good, but eat immediately, it gets stronger)
vegetable oil (I like grape seed oil, canola is also good. Olive oil makes a strong flavored mayo but it can be nice to use in combination) The amount of oil varies, depending on ... I don't really know, the egg, the lemon, atmospheric conditions. Have at least 500 ml on hand, if not more. It can take a lot.

Instructions:
Crack the egg into the container, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon or a whole lime & a pinch of salt & pepper, herbs & spices. Take the lid off the oil & holding the blender in the egg mix with one hand, very slowly add oil while blending. This can be tricky so you may need an assistant to provide an extra set of hands. The oil should pour in the thinnest stream possible. As the egg & oil are blended they will thicken. Keep going until you have a very creamy mayo. This takes up to 5 minutes.

Warning: for some reason the mayo does not gel when there is a thunderstorm coming.

Cole Slaw

Cole Slaw is an obvious choice when you have cabbage on hand. I tend to make it a lot in the spring when there is still plenty of cabbage available but we are feeling more salad-y.

Grate cabbage & add one or two of the following -
grated carrots, apple, beets, broccoli ...

To this add a slosh of vinegar right away & allow the veggies absorb, any yummy vinegar will do, but dark vinegars like balsamic may make strange coloured slaw. You could also use citrus juice or a combination or the leftover juice from a jar of pickles. The veggies should not be swimming in vinegar, just dampened.

Next dressing. We use homemade mayo, but it's fine to use mayo from the store. (Home made mayo recipe in next post). In a prep bowl mix mayo, a big tsp or more of mustard &/or horseradish & a bit more of your vinegar. Also add salt & pepper to taste. Mix this together & add to cabbage mix. Once this is mixed you may adjust the texture of the slaw by adding a bit more mayo or vinegar. My son likes cole slaw creamy while my daughter prefers it super vinegar-y, so this is a tricky balance at my house. You could also skip the mayo altogether & use an oil & vinegar dressing. This is very nice with sesame oil.

Finally, add a garnish. I like toasted sunflower seeds or walnuts. Chopped dill pickles are also nice or simply some finely chopped herbs.

Here's a favourite recipe for cabbage and potatoes from Anne.

Adapted from: Mollie Katzen, Moosewood Cookbook, New Revised Edition, (Ten Speed Press, 1992).

Solyanka

4 medium potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
1½ cups cottage cheese (lowfat OK)
1 cup firm yogurt (or use some sour cream)
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups chopped onion
¾ to 1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. caraway seeds
1 small head green cabbage, shredded (about 6 cups)
2 medium carrots, shredded
4-5 medium cloves garlic minced (optional)
1 Tbsp. dill (3 Tbsp. if using fresh)
Lots of black pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
½ cup sunflower seeds
Paprika

(1)Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole or its equivalent.
(2)Scrub the potatoes, cut them into small pieces, and boil until mashable. (You can do steps 4 and 5 while the potatoes boil.) Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
(3)Mash the potatoes while still hot, adding cottage cheese and yogurt.
(4)Melt the butter in a large, deep skillet. Add onions and salt, and sauté about 5 minutes. Add caraway and cabbage, and sauté about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally and covering in between.
(5)When the cabbage is tender, add carrots, optional garlic, and dill. Cook about 5 more minutes, and remove from heat.
(6)Add the sautéed vegetables and all remaining ingredients, except sunflower seeds and paprika, to the mashed potatoes. Mix well and spread into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and paprika on top.
(7)Bake uncovered 35-45 minutes, or until heated through and lightly browned on top. Serve hot.

Check This Out!

Supercook is a pretty cool website where you can punch in the ingredients you have and up pops a recipe! What do you suppose comes up for a search with Jerusalem Artichokes? Quite a bit, actually...

What I like to do with Cabbage

Tonight I plan to duplicate a yummy cabbage dish that I made last week. It'll go something like this:

chop up about 1/4 of a cabbage & 2 or 3 carrots & some garlic
heat about 2 tbsp of olive oil in frying pan, and add the vegetables when oil is quite hot along with a bit of sea salt, some curry powder & red chili flakes
this needs to be cooked on quite high heat for 7-10 minutes, depending on how 'cooked' you like your cabbage, we like the cabbage nicely browned to bring out its sweetness
after a couple of minutes cooking things seem to need a bit of moisture, so I add a shot of soy sauce, sometimes a bit of water too
when it is almost done add some sesame oil, more salt & pepper

Some reading...

This is not a recipe post but a collection of links about CSA's that I have saved.

My name is Lorrie & if you collect your share at the Grainery then you have met me. I am thrilled to be involved with Taproot, as a shareholder & by helping Patricia at the Grainery pickup. I have the impression from reading comments & from listening to shareholders on Tuesdays, that some of you are finding the CSA an enjoyable adventure & others are finding it a bit challenging. I will post some recipes tomorrow, after I find out what's in this week's basket.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tips-techniques/weekend-projects-seven-tips-for-managing-your-csa-055864
www.slate.com/id/2202186/
http://www.slate.com/id/2214524/

Send in via email to me.

I don't know how often I'll post a recipe, but last night I finally
used the fingerling potatoes and parsnips! It was a busy week last
week I and hadn't had a chance to cook much. I took the potatoes,
scrubbed and oiled them and roasted them as you had suggested, but I
added the two parsnips from the previous weeks, as well as seasonings.
Then I saved half the batch as is (I'm thinking hash on the weekend),
and mashed the rest (skins and all) with some sour cream and green
onions. It was terrific, love those little taters!

To be added as an authour

If you'd like to be added as an authour so you can add recipes and comments - please let me know.
Patricia

Recipes for the Bean Sprouts

Minga who grows the sprouts suggested these recipes:

Stir Fry - add for the last 10 minutes of cooking
Vegetables Soup - add for the final 10 minutes of cooking
Vegetable Curry - saute onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots. Cover with water and seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes or so. Add coconut milk, crunchy bean mix, cilantro, spinach (or red leaf kale) for last 10 minutes of cooking. Top with fresh cilantro. For curry seasoning I use Pataks mild curry paste.

Enjoy