Greens & cabbage

The weather is cooling off.  I wonder if these are our last tomatoes.

• Arugula
• Baby bok choy
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Spicy lettuce mix
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• White Hakurei turnips

Steel cut oats

Now that the weather's getting cooler, I'm starting to make steel cut oats for breakfast again.  They take a long time to cook, but you can make a big batch to keep in the fridge and microwave portions.  I really like the texture compared with rolled oats.

I haven't tried cooking with them yet, but the recipe for Scottish buttermilk oat scones on the package sounds good.

Winter/summer veggies

We're still getting tomatoes while we get our second batch of winter squash.  the greens are nice, too.  We need to use the beets!

• Baby bok choy
• Beets
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Cilantro
• Lettuce
• Spicy lettuce mix
• Peppers
• Radicchio
• Tomatoes
• Winter squash

Free-Form Apple Onion Tart

Pastry:
1½ cups flour
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
8 T. butter
1 T. white vinegar
4-5 T. ice water

Onions:
1 lg. red onion, peeled, root intact
2 lg. spanish onions, peeled with root intact
2 T. olive oil
2 T. dijon mustard
3 T. thyme
salt/pepper
3 T. balsamic vinegar

Apple Filling:
4 golden delicious apples
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
pinch of nutmeg

Pastry: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse to sift together. Add the butter, pulsing to mix until the mixture resembles sand. Mix together the vinegar and 4 T. water. Mix vinegar mixture into the flour, enough that the dough comes together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board, and knead until smooth. Shape into a flat, round, cake. Wrap in foil and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Onions: Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cut each onion into 6-8 wedges, keeping some root on each piece to hold together. Mix olive oil, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the onions, and toss gently to coat. Arrange onions in a baking dish, rounded sides down. Sprinkle with vinegar. Cover with foil, roast for 45 minutes. Remove foil, roast for 30 minutes more, until very tender.

Apples: Peel, core, and quarter apples. Cut each quarter into 3 pieces. In a large skillet, melt butter, add apples, and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Set oven at 400° F. Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 9x11 inches. Transfer to floured baking sheet. Place apples on dough, and onions on top of apples. Curl up edge of dough around filling. Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until pastry browns.

From the Boston Globe, probably 15 years ago but I don't have the original recipe--Jay sent me a copy.

Asian Eggplant

From Bon Appetit, via Epicurious.

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, stems trimmed
5 tablespoons canned low-salt chicken broth
2 green onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves
1 small jalapeño chili, chopped
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1 1/4-pound eggplant, cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide slices and slices cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide-strips

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Combine cilantro, 1 tablespoon broth, green onions, garlic, chili and ginger in processor and puree until paste forms.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add half of eggplant. Cover skillet and cook until eggplant is tender and beginning to brown, turning once, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and remaining eggplant.

Add cilantro paste and soy sauce to skillet and stir over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Return eggplant to skillet and add remaining 4 tablespoons broth. Stir until sauce thickens and boils and eggplant is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Cabbage and Carrot Stir-Fry with Toasted Cumin & Lime

Serves 6

1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 T. canola oil
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black peppercorns
1/2 jalapeno, seeded, ribbed, and finely chopped
6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 2/3 medium cabbage)
2 cups julienned or grated carrots (about 3/4 lb.)
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
1 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro sprigs, finely chopped
2-3 T. fresh lime juice

Toast 1 tsp. of the cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and beginning to smoke, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.

Heat the oil with the remaining 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, the coriander, and peppercorns in a large wok, and cook until the cumin is browned. Add the jalapeno and cook until sizzling and just starting to soften, 30 to 60 seconds, and then add the cabbage and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has wilted yet is still al dente, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the freshly ground cumin, salt, and sugar and cook for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice and taste for seasoning. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. From Fine Cooking.

Perfect veggie storm

From the weekly newletter from the farm, "We’re in the middle of the perfect veggie storm!  We are still able to enjoy summer tomatoes while fall radicchio, arugula, chard and other greens are ripening."  Good stuff.

• Arugula
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Collards
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Radicchio
• Radishes
• Scallions
• Spinach
• Winter squash
• Grape tomatoes
• Slicing tomatoes

Heirloom Tomato Bread Pudding

Heirloom Tomato Bread Pudding

Makes 12 servings
Prep: Approx. 15 minutes (so they say...after you chop/grate everything)
Cook: Approx. 55 minutes

1 pound of brioche or hearty white bread (I used a really nice roasted garlic farmhouse loaf)
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups small onions - diced
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, peeled, seeded, drained and diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
7 eggs
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and toast the bread, turning as needed, until golden brown (about 10 minutes).

2. Heat the oil and butter in a saute pan. Add the onions, and cook until translucent (about 6 - 8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until aromatic (another 3-4 minutes). Combine with the tomatoes and herbs in a large bowl. Reserve.

3. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl just to combine. Add the milk, cream and salt, and stir lightly.

4. Mix the bread in with the tomato/onion mixture. Toss the Asiago with the bread and tomato mixture.

5. Butter eight 8-ounce ramekins and divide the mixture among them.

6. Pour the eggs and milk mixture over the bread mixture, dividing equally among the ramekins. Top each with Parmesan cheese.

7. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish halfway up with boiling water to create a hot-water bath. Bake for 35 minutes and then broil until the top is crispy and browned.

Serving Suggestion: Place each ramekin on a dish, accompanied by a side of lightly dressed greens.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Barbera d'Alba, such as Renato Corino Barbera d'Alba, 2007.

Source: Chef Michael Schwartz - Premier Issue 'Yum Food & Fun' magazine. Found online here, and only modified slightly.

I needed more ramekins than they said, though I don't know how large mine are (relatively large, though). Also, I wasn't paying attention and grated both cheeses into the same container. So I tossed all of the cheese with the bread mixture, and there wasn't any on top. It was easier and surely just as good. This is amazing!

Summer Squash Soup with Pasta and Parmesan

From Cooking Light, and found online here. This soup makes the most of fresh summer herbs and squash.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups)

Ingredients

• 6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2 1/4 cups uncooked farfalle (about 6 ounces bow tie pasta)
• 2 cups finely chopped yellow squash
• 2 cups finely chopped zucchini
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

Bring broth and water to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add pasta, and cook 8 minutes or until almost tender. Add squash and the next 7 ingredients (through pepper). Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until pasta is done and squash is tender. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

We liked but didn't love this, but it might have paled in comparison with the tomato bread pudding from the same meal.

Gumbo time

An abundance of greens, I will make some gumbo today to use up as much as I can.  Made tomato sauce this week to try to keep that abundance under control, but we still have lots of eggplants, beets, and peppers.

• Beets
• Bok choy
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Chinese cabbage
• Collards
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Spaghetti squash

A rare intersection of lettuce & tomatoes

Although spring and early summer lettuce is great and abundant, we miss having salads with lettuce and tomatoes once in a while.  This week, lettuce has returned for the fall, while we still get tomatoes, so we can have our salads with our amazing heirlooms from the farm!

Also, something really need to be done about eggplants.  I've been making a lot of dips and The Best Eggplant Dish Ever, but we're not keeping up.

• Bok choy
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Collards
• Eggplant
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Pumpkin

Tom yam kung

Tom Yum is one of my favorite soups. It's actually pretty easy to make if you have the right ingredients on hand. Now that we have a Kaffir lime tree in a pot, we always have fresh lime leaves, and we can harvest lemongrass from the pot on our deck. We always have chicken stock in the freezer, and shrimp is easy to keep there as well, so we really only need to make sure we have chillies, limes, and mushrooms around to be able to make this. I'm sure it took longer than the 5 minutes prep and 5 minutes cooking that the recipe claims, but not by much.

600ml (1 pint) chicken stock

1 lemon grass stalk, chopped into 4 pieces and slightly crushed

4 Kaffir lime leaves, roughly chopped

2 small fresh red chillies, finely sliced

8 small button mushrooms, quartered

8 raw king prawns, peeled and de-veined

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Coriander leaves, to garnish

In a saucepan, heat the stock to boiling point.Add the lemon grass,

Kaffir lime leaves, chillies and mushrooms and bring back to the boil.

Add the prawns, Fish sauce, lime juice and suger and simmer for

about a minute or so, unit the prawns are cooked.

Turn into soup bowl and garnish with coriander leaves

From Stylish Thai in Minutes

"Best eggplant dish ever"

An excellent way to use eggplant. We like it on baguettes, but it's good on rice, too.


We use a little fish sauce instead of dried shrimp.

3 dried red chilies, preferably Thai ¼ cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 heaping tablespoon dried shrimp
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium tomato, cored, coarsely chopped and briefly drained
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup ground pork (optional)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
1½ pounds eggplant, preferably the small Asian kind, sliced ¼ inch thick
Roughly chopped cilantro or mint for garnish.

1. Soak chilies in warm water for about 15 minutes, until softened. Drain, reserving water. Discard stems and seeds, and combine chilies in a blender or small food processor with shallots, garlic, shrimp and salt. Process, adding a little of the chili-soaking water if necessary. Add tomato, process briefly and set aside.

2. Put a large, deep skillet over high heat, and add oil; a minute later, add pork and cook, stirring to break up lumps, for just a minute. Add chili mixture and turmeric. Lower heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add eggplant, stir, cover tightly and reduce heat to low.

3. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so, for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until eggplant is very tender and shapeless. (You can prepare ahead to this point and reheat before serving.) Just before serving, raise the heat, and boil off any excess liquid if necessary; the mixture should not be watery. Serve, topped with cilantro or mint.

From Hot Sour Salty Sweet, by way of The New York Times.

Pumpkin time

You know fall is close when school is starting and we start getting pumpkins in the box.  I always hope that our fellow CSA members are using their pumpkins for cooking, too, and not for jack-o-lanterns.

• Basil
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Summer squash
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Regular tomatoes
• Pumpkin

Hot Pepper Jelly

From the Joy of Cooking All About Canning and Preserving cookbook, which is excellent.

• 1 pound ripe sweet red peppers, cored and seeded
  
• 8 oz. jalapeno peppers, seeded
  
• 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
  
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
  
• 1 packet (3 oz.) liquid pectin
  

Preparation

1. Clean and sterilize jars; they say three half-pints; I used 4 oz. jars.

2. Mince or grind the peppers; I coarsely chopped, then processed them briefly in the food processor.

3. Combine the peppers and their juices in a large, heavy saucepan with the vinegar. Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat until the peppers are thoroughly soft, about 10-12 minutes.

4. Strain. Use a jelly bag or four layers of cheesecloth in a colander, over a bowl, and leave it for 3-12 hours. Do not press on the remaining fruit/pulp, or the jelly won't be as clear. Pour into a glass bowl and allow to settle in the refrigerator 12-24 hours, then pour off the clear juice and leave any sediment in the bottom.

5. You should have two cups of juice; if not, add enough water to bring it up to 2 cups. Return to the saucepan, adding the sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and then add the pecton. Boil hard for 1 minute.

6. Remove from the heat, and skim off any foam.

5. Can leaving 1/4 inch of headspace in each jar and processing jars for 5 minutes.

This recipe did not set up well following these directions--it took a long time, and though we haven't opened one of the canned jars yet, it looks like it wept, at least in some of the jars. BUT I might have lost track of time and over-processed. Oops. So maybe that's the problem? It tastes good, looks nicely orange, and is perfect for cornbread. And was made with peppers from the farm!

Heirloom tomatoes and flowers

I hate to whine about what's in our weekly box, but I have been sad to see no heirloom tomatoes yet.  Until today! Also, a bouquet of flowers, including a big sunflower.

• Basil
• Chard
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Flower bouquet

High summer vegtables

We may be coming toward the end of summer, but the vegetables are still abundant warm-weather crops.  Keep on eating good tomatoes!

• Basil
• Beets
• Cilantro
• Chard
• Eggplant
• Peppers 
• Hot peppers
• Scallions
• Summer squash
• Grape tomatoes

More of the same (not that that's a bad thing)

The vegetable list is virtually identical to last week's (with the addition of scallions).  We did pickle beets on Monday, now the biggest problem is what to do with two watermelons.  The tomatoes and eggplant are easy (and delicious).

• Basil
• Beets 
• Chard 
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Scallions
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes
• Watermelon

Time to pickle beets

We need to do something with our accumulating beets.  It's surely time for pickled beets.

• Basil
• Beets
• Chard
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes
• Watermelon

Watermelon

Today we got a watermelon, which we will bring to a barbecue, along with soup made from fresh grilled tomatoes.  We canned pickles and jam this week, now we need to can some beets.

• Basil
• Beets
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Melon
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes
• Watermelon