Still salad season

Finally getting caught up on posting vegetable pictures.  We're a bit behind on eating vegetables as well, we had to jettison some things (especially parsley and cilantro) from the fridge today to make room for the new stuff.  The salads are great, though.

• Arugula
• Chard
• Cilantro
• Hot peppers
• Lettuce
• Mesclun Mix
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• Spinach

October 17 farm share

• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Hot peppers
• Lettuce
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Spicy mix
• Turnips

October 9 farm share

• Carrots
• Chard
• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Hot peppers
• Lettuce
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes

October 2 farm share

• Arugula
• Bok choy
• Cabbage
• Cilantro
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Hot peppers
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Tomatoes 
• Grape tomatoes

Beet Slaw

Simple salad in the New York Times Magazine this week.  Oddly, I forgot to add the saffron when I made the dressing.  It was still good, and used most of our beets.

Beet Slaw with Saffron Aioli

1½ pounds beets
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 chopped shallot
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnishing
Saffron

Shred beets. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and a crumbled pinch of saffron. Toss with the beets, shallot and parsley. Garnish: More parsley.

No pumpkins this year

This week we heard that the farm lost its pumpkin crop due to downy mildew, which has been a problem this year due to all the rain.  It sounds like they've been worried about the winter squash as well, so they harvested all they could to give us this week.  Otherwise, the tomatoes are tapering down, and the greens increasing again.

• Beets
• Cilantro
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Winter squash

You say celery root, I say celeriac

So what's the difference between celery root and regular celery?  The celery we get from the CSA doesn't look that much different from the top of the celeriac.  The weekly newsletter tells us that the root "is the only part used for cooking purposes" though.

• Broccoli
• Celeriac
• Cilantro
• Collards
• Garlic
• Hot peppers
• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Sauce tomatoes
• Tomatoes
• Butternut squash

Plum tomatoes

Time to make tomato sauce, some nice plum tomatoes this week.

• Arugula
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Kale
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Scallions
• Tomatoes
• Sauce tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes

More nice tomatoes

Still lots of tomatoes, and starting to get some fall greens.

• Basil
• Beets
• Celery
• Collards
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Hot peppers
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes

Hurricane delays, but doesn't stop, CSA delivery

For the first time in the history of Honey Brook Organic Farm, they cancelled Sunday's delivery due to weather.  Hurricane Irene made sure not much was moving on Sunday.  The delivery was rescheduled for Tuesday, and we got a full box with tomatoes outside the main box.

• Beets
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green Beans
• Summer squash
• Hot peppers
• Parsley
• Peppers
• Tomatoes 
• Grape tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Watermelon

Beet Risotto

2 medium beets, trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 T. unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. orange zest
1 cup arborio rice
2 T. raspberry or lemon vinegar
pinch sugar
1 T. sour cream or yogurt cheese

Put beets and bay leaf in a saucepan with 4 cups water, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered until the beets are cooked through (about 40 minutes, depending on size). Remove the beets, strain the water and discard the bay leaf, and pour the beet cooking water back into the saucepan.

Skin the beets. Chop 1 beet and set aside. Pure the other beet in a food processor, return to the strained broth, and bring the broth to a simmer. Keep it on a gentle simmer, covered, over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add onion and orange zest, and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the chopped beet and stir well. Add the rice and stir until it's well coated with the seasonings and glistening, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.

Using a ladle, add about 1 cup hot broth. Stir constantly over medium heat until the broth has been absorbed. Add another ladleful and keep stirring until it's been absorbed. Continue the process, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring this way until kernels are plump and no longer chalk white in center. This should take 25 to 30 minutes altogether. It's almost done when the kernels are still separate but starting to bind, and there are pools of broth on the surface. It's done when the liquid has been absorbed, and the kernels are bound in what looks like very ricey, yet somewhat creamy, rice pudding.

When the risotto is done, stir in the sugar, sour cream or yogurt cheese, and stir well to blend.

This is from Diane Shaw's Almost Vegetarian. My changes: double the butter (I used salted), used balsamic vinegar (what I had), add more water after the broth is gone, skip the sugar, and just about triple the sour cream. We added a bit of salt at the end, and grated some fresh parmesan on top. Very nice.

Heirlooms

Now we need to figure out what to do with beets! And lemon verbena.

• Beets
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Hot peppers
• Lemon verbena
• Peppers
• Shallots
• Swiss chard
• Tomatoes 
• Grape tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Watermelon

Many little tomatoes

The summer squash is starting to get ahead of us, we might have to pickle some.  And dry some grape tomatoes.

• Basil
• Cilantro
• Eggplant
• Flowers
• Garlic
• Peppers
• Fingerling potatoes
• Shallots
• Tomatoes
• Grape tomatoes 
• Summer squash

Chipotle salsa

Nothing like spending a sultry summer evening in the kitchen with several large pots boiling on the stove!  To make use of the pile of tomatoes we got this week, we decided to can some salsa. Virtually all of the ingredients came from the farm share: tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, and onions (not pictured).  All we needed to add was chipotles and vinegar.  I think it worked out well!  We canned four pints and had a fifth for the fridge.

Chipotle Salsa 

6 lbs. tomatoes (about 12 large)
4 dried chipotle peppers
3 cups diced onion
1½ chopped cilantro, tightly packed
15 cloves garlic, minced
4 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 tbl. salt
¾ cup red wine vinegar 

Wash tomatoes; drain. Peel, seed and dice tomatoes into ¼ inch pieces. Remove seeds from dried chipotle peppers; place chili peppers in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over chipotles just to cover. Secure plastic wrap over bowl and allow to steep for 15 minutes. Drain half the water. Puree chipotles and remaining water in a food processor for 1 minute until smooth. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture thickens. Ladle hot salsa into jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Based on "Spicy Tomato Salsa" from the Ball Blue Book of Preserving

Tomatoes

Lots of tomatoes!

• Basil
• Beets
• Cabbage
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Tomatoes
• Grape Tomatoes
• Onions
• Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Potatoes
• Summer Squash 

Cabbage as a pH indicator

This one is classic, and fun.  The middle glass is water that red cabbage was soaked in for a few minutes.  The glass on the left has a teaspoon of vinegar added, and the glass on the right a teaspoon of baking soda.  Great pH indicator!

Borscht fixin's

First tomatoes, though only grape sized.  Some real heft to the box this week.

• Basil
• Beets
• Bell peppers
• Cabbage
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Grape tomatoes
• Hot peppers
• Potatoes
• Scallions
• Summer squash
• Swiss chard

Red flannel hash time

We were travelling the past couple weekends, so we gave our veggies away to friends.  Today we got to pick up the box ourselves, so we get a fresh batch of summer vegetables!  Potatoes and beets naturally make us think of red flannel hash.

• Basil
• Beets
• Collards
• Onions
• 3½ pounds potatoes
• Yellow squash
• Zucchini

We are of course, eagerly and impatiently awaiting the start of tomato season.  It should be soon!

Week 5

Lovely beets, cucumbers to pickle, and a cabbage.

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cucumbers
• Lettuce
• Scallions
• Summer squash

Week 4

No picture this week, since I brought the box over to share with some friends.

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Cucumbers
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Radicchio
• Summer squash

Week 3

Already getting zucchini!  Seems early.  The garlic scapes a good, too.  Still have lettuce from last week, though.

• Collards
• Garlic scapes      
• Lettuce       
• Oregano
• Zucchini

The second week of the CSA, we get lots of strawberries and greens.

• Bok choy
• Garlic scapes
• Lettuce
• Strawberries
• Turnips

There were lots of aphids on the bok choy, but they washed off, and as a bonus a ladybug came in the box, too. We put it on one of our deck flowerboxes to graze there for a while.

A New Season

First vegetables from the CSA!  Lettuce, mint, spinach and turnips.

DIY peeps

Homemade peeps!

Tropigal Granola

Maybe I'm wishing for spring, and even pretending that when it gets here it will be warmer like summer. Maybe I was just dreaming of being on vacation in the Bahamas with Gwyneth. Who knows. But here goes: granola modified from this recipe at Joy the Baker, who modified it from Martha Stewart. I am, by the way, very enamored of Joy the Baker. Have I mentioned chocolate peanut butter pretzel sea salt brownies lately?! But I digress....back to the granola.

4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup slivered raw almonds

1 cup whole raw almonds

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (the Whole Foods bulk coconut is great)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

approximately 3 oz. dried unsweetened mango slices, snipped into small pieces

approximately 4 oz. dried tart cherries, cut in half (I used Montmorency cherries from Trader Joe's)

Place a rack in the upper third and middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line one large or two small baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together oats, whole almonds, slivered almonds, sweetened coconut cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt together butter, oil, honey and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Carefully whisk together so it’s well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. Pour the warm mixture over the oat and almond mixture and toss together with a wooden spoon, ensuring that all of the oat mixture gets moistened by the sugar and oil mixture.

Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet(s) and bake for about 25 minutes, removing the oats to stir and toss on the pan twice during baking. Remove from the oven, letting cool and turning over/breaking up every few minutes until it is almost room temperature and relatively dry. Mix in cherries and mango pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Even Kels likes this. I would like to make this with macadamia nuts next time, but it was a spur of the moment thing, and at that moment, Trader Joe's was out of them. But--for the record--when they have them, they are both good and affordable.

Seeds Straight From Your Fridge

In the New York Times, seeds that are viable from the shelf.  I wouldn't have guessed that it was easy to grow poppies from commercial poppy seeds.  Also, papayas and lychee.

Dry roasted granola

I like making granola, but most recipes are fairly heavy and sweet.  I have never cared much for the raw taste of muesli.  Here is a nice in-between version, with toasted oats and nuts, and a little brown sugar, that I found while browsing The Enchanted Broccoli Forest recently.

DryRoast Granola
1 cup raw rolled oats
⅓ cup chopped nuts
⅓ cup wheat germ
⅓ cup sesame seeds
⅓ cup sunflower seeds
⅓ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp salt

Use a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron). Toast the oats and nuts over medium low heat, stirring continuously for 5 minutes.

Add wheat germ, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut and dried fruit. Heat and stir for another 10 minutes.

Sprinkle in brown sugar and salt. Cook for 2-5 more minutes, still stirring. Remove from heat, cool, and store in an airtight container.

 From The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, via SparkRecipes

Enchanted Broccoli Forest

I cook from the original Moosewood Cookbook a lot more often than from its followup, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.  I never even realized until recently that the title was actually a recipe in the book, with little broccoli trees standing in a brown rice casserole.  It doesn't get any more Moosewood than that.  We had to try it.  The lemon butter broccoli was pretty good, but the casserole was bland.  I would double the onion and salt, and maybe throw some more vegetables in.

Enchanted Broccoli Forest

1 1-lb. bunch of broccoli, cut into spears and steamed until just tender

2 cups brown rice, cooked in 3 cups water until just done

Juice from 1 lemon combined with 2 tbsp of melted butter

Sauté:

1 tbl. butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 large clove crushed garlic

½ tsp salt

½ tsp dill

Lots of black pepper

½ tsp dried mint

cayenne pepper, to taste

Sauté together until onions are soft and translucent.  Add to the cooked rice.

3 large eggs

¼ cup parsley

1½ cup grated grated cheddar or Swiss cheese

Beat together well, then add to the rice mixture and spread into a buttered 8"x8" pan.

Arrange the broccoli trees upright in the bed of rice mixture and drizzle with lemon butter.  Cover gently but firmly with foil.  Bake 30 minutes at 325°F.

From The Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Chicken and Dumplings

Found a good recipe on Epicurious for chicken and cornmeal dumplings.  There were a lot of alternative chicken & dumpling recipes, including an unappealing low-fat version and one from 1963.  This one was pretty good, I left out the turmeric and we didn't have parsley, and next time I would think about a wider pot to give the dumplings more room.

Chicken Adobo

This is a nice take on chicken adobo that was in the New York Times Magazine a few weeks ago.  I have made the version in Molly O'Neill's New York Cookbook often, but the recipe below is spicier and more interesting.  The coconut milk added some smoothness (fat) but surprisingly little taste.  It would be interesting to try with more coconut milk.

Chicken Adobo
by Sam Sifton

1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup soy sauce
1½ cup rice vinegar
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 whole bird’s-eye chilies or other fiery chili
3 bay leaves
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs.

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic freezer bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

2. Place chicken and marinade in a large lidded pot or Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, around 30 minutes.

3. Heat broiler. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl, raise heat under the pot to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until it achieves almost the consistency of cream, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and chilies.

4. Place chicken pieces on a roasting pan and place under broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Remove, turn chicken, baste with sauce and repeat, 3 to 5 minutes more. Return chicken to sauce and cook for a few minutes more, then place on a platter and drizzle heavily with sauce. Serves four. Adapted from Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, Purple Yam restaurant, Brooklyn.