April 30th, 2010
Chives
Chives
Radishes
Eggs
Eggs
Baby Bok Choy
Spinach
Lettuce
Lettuce
Rhubarb
A quick note about Yoder greens:
Like all his produce, David's greens are grown organically--which means you could just go ahead and eat the dirt (on this point your dentist might disagree). David tends to pre-rinse the greens on the farm to remove the larger bits and pieces, but I'd still recommend that you give them another rinse or two. Here's the easiest way to do that: fill a VERY large bowl with cold water and toss in the greens, flipping them over a few times gently. Then allow them to sit for a few minutes: the solid, unwanted bits will sink. Then scoop the greens off the top into a colander, dump that dirty water, and repeat once or twice more, until your rinse water looks clean. Before dressing your greens, we recommend using a salad spinner to get them nice and dry--this is a worthwhile ten dollar investment. Finally, don't be alarmed to find a critter sinking to the bottom of your rinse bowl, displaced from its home among the baby arugula, mustard greens, and romaine. These are the happiest bugs on earth and their presence offers you some evidence that your produce has been grown organically. Feel free to repatriate these bugs to your local compost pile.
Wilted Spinach with Garlic and Nutmeg
This a very easy, healthy, and almost effortless vegetable side.
Ingredients:
One pound spinach, very carefully rinsed
A quick note about Yoder greens:
Like all his produce, David's greens are grown organically--which means you could just go ahead and eat the dirt (on this point your dentist might disagree). David tends to pre-rinse the greens on the farm to remove the larger bits and pieces, but I'd still recommend that you give them another rinse or two. Here's the easiest way to do that: fill a VERY large bowl with cold water and toss in the greens, flipping them over a few times gently. Then allow them to sit for a few minutes: the solid, unwanted bits will sink. Then scoop the greens off the top into a colander, dump that dirty water, and repeat once or twice more, until your rinse water looks clean. Before dressing your greens, we recommend using a salad spinner to get them nice and dry--this is a worthwhile ten dollar investment. Finally, don't be alarmed to find a critter sinking to the bottom of your rinse bowl, displaced from its home among the baby arugula, mustard greens, and romaine. These are the happiest bugs on earth and their presence offers you some evidence that your produce has been grown organically. Feel free to repatriate these bugs to your local compost pile.
Wilted Spinach with Garlic and Nutmeg
This a very easy, healthy, and almost effortless vegetable side.
Ingredients:
One pound spinach, very carefully rinsed
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 T. olive oil
2 T. olive oil
Ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper
Method:
Heat a large Dutch oven or even a pasta pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with the smashed cloves of garlic and toss for about one minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the oil is infused. Then add all the spinach at once and cover the pot immediately. Allow to wilt, while covered, for about three minutes, then uncover and toss (the bottom leaves will wilt first, so this will distribute the cooking). Continue tossing until all the spinach is wilted, about one minute more, then transfer immediately to a sieve or colander and allow to drain its liquid for a few minutes.
Arrange the wilted spinach on a plate and sprinkle with some grated nutmeg and an additional drizzle of excellent quality olive oil. Serve hot.
Stewed Rhubarb with Ginger and Honey
Excellent when served—still warm—over vanilla ice cream
6 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and Pepper
Method:
Heat a large Dutch oven or even a pasta pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with the smashed cloves of garlic and toss for about one minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the oil is infused. Then add all the spinach at once and cover the pot immediately. Allow to wilt, while covered, for about three minutes, then uncover and toss (the bottom leaves will wilt first, so this will distribute the cooking). Continue tossing until all the spinach is wilted, about one minute more, then transfer immediately to a sieve or colander and allow to drain its liquid for a few minutes.
Arrange the wilted spinach on a plate and sprinkle with some grated nutmeg and an additional drizzle of excellent quality olive oil. Serve hot.
Stewed Rhubarb with Ginger and Honey
Excellent when served—still warm—over vanilla ice cream
6 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 T. freshly grated ginger root
About ½ cup water
About ½ cup water
¾ cups honey (or ½ cup sugar)
Place rhubarb, ginger and water in a pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the fibers of the rhubarb have broken down completely. Allow to cool and then stir in the honey.
A quick note about CSA eggs:
Often new members are happy to receive eggs in our weekly portions but are concerned by the fact that they are not refrigerated. First, David does refrigerate them on the farm until they are sent in with your boxes. But here's my personal, unofficial take on refrigerating eggs (though I'd ask that you all proceed with your own cautionary instincts): eggs are much less perishable than you might think, the egg shell being a kind of perfect vessel. In Europe and elsewhere, eggs are frequently stored and sold at room temperature in grocery stores (and that's taken as a sign of their freshness). Here in the U.S., the typical supermarket egg is about thirty days old--which is one of the reasons we are neurotic about keeping them cold. The eggs you receive from David are typically only a day or two old, if that--you'll see that when you crack the first one into a frying pan and check out the vibrant color of the yolk and the "muscle tone" (Joel Salatin's phrase) of the white. Keeping them in the fridge will add to their shelf life, but in my opinion a short spell in your produce box (in my fairly cool garage) doesn't put your eggs at much risk.
Cranky Egg Salad
The eggs get cranky with the addition of a bit of cayenne (entirely optional if you are feeling placid)
4 hard boiled eggs, cooled and diced
Place rhubarb, ginger and water in a pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the fibers of the rhubarb have broken down completely. Allow to cool and then stir in the honey.
A quick note about CSA eggs:
Often new members are happy to receive eggs in our weekly portions but are concerned by the fact that they are not refrigerated. First, David does refrigerate them on the farm until they are sent in with your boxes. But here's my personal, unofficial take on refrigerating eggs (though I'd ask that you all proceed with your own cautionary instincts): eggs are much less perishable than you might think, the egg shell being a kind of perfect vessel. In Europe and elsewhere, eggs are frequently stored and sold at room temperature in grocery stores (and that's taken as a sign of their freshness). Here in the U.S., the typical supermarket egg is about thirty days old--which is one of the reasons we are neurotic about keeping them cold. The eggs you receive from David are typically only a day or two old, if that--you'll see that when you crack the first one into a frying pan and check out the vibrant color of the yolk and the "muscle tone" (Joel Salatin's phrase) of the white. Keeping them in the fridge will add to their shelf life, but in my opinion a short spell in your produce box (in my fairly cool garage) doesn't put your eggs at much risk.
Cranky Egg Salad
The eggs get cranky with the addition of a bit of cayenne (entirely optional if you are feeling placid)
4 hard boiled eggs, cooled and diced
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ red onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of ½ lemon
1 celery stalk, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
Minced chives (optional)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Toss all the wet ingredients together, then mix with the eggs, celery and onion. For traditional (albeit “cranky”) tea sandwiches, cut the crusts off some very good, fresh bread, then slather that bread with the egg salad and a small handful of watercress, arugula…or even baby lettuce. Top with another piece of bread, then cut the sandwiches into triangles and devour them with or without your best manners intact.
Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Oil, Ginger Vinaigrette
Numerous baby bok choy, rinsed carefully, then sliced in half lengthwise (or left whole)
Half inch segment of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Toss all the wet ingredients together, then mix with the eggs, celery and onion. For traditional (albeit “cranky”) tea sandwiches, cut the crusts off some very good, fresh bread, then slather that bread with the egg salad and a small handful of watercress, arugula…or even baby lettuce. Top with another piece of bread, then cut the sandwiches into triangles and devour them with or without your best manners intact.
Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Oil, Ginger Vinaigrette
Numerous baby bok choy, rinsed carefully, then sliced in half lengthwise (or left whole)
Half inch segment of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 T. olive or canola oil
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
Cilantro
Cilantro
1 T. soy sauce
The vinaigrette:
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté the garlic and ginger root for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly and being careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove from heat and add the vinegar right to the hot pan to stop the cooking. Then whisk in the sesame oil, a splash of water, and a pinch of sugar. Once the dressing has cooled to room temperature, whisk in some minced cilantro and the soy sauce.
Heat a large skillet over medium high then add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Place the bok choy halves, cut side down, into the hot oil and allow to sear until slightly browned (about two minutes), then flip them over and cook on the other side for another minute. Remove from heat and arrange on a plate cut side up. Drizzle the wilted bok choy with the vinaigrette. Serve hot or at room temperature.
The vinaigrette:
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté the garlic and ginger root for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly and being careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove from heat and add the vinegar right to the hot pan to stop the cooking. Then whisk in the sesame oil, a splash of water, and a pinch of sugar. Once the dressing has cooled to room temperature, whisk in some minced cilantro and the soy sauce.
Heat a large skillet over medium high then add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Place the bok choy halves, cut side down, into the hot oil and allow to sear until slightly browned (about two minutes), then flip them over and cook on the other side for another minute. Remove from heat and arrange on a plate cut side up. Drizzle the wilted bok choy with the vinaigrette. Serve hot or at room temperature.
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