October 20, 2011

In your boxes this week, you'll find (depending on availability) the following:

Romaine Lettuce

Radishes

Kale

Turnips

Sweet Potatoes

Zucchini

Gingergold Apples (NY State)

Eggplant

Green Beans

David hopes to continue CSA deliveries for an extra week or two in November, just as a bonus for what he feels has been a "less than excellent year on the farm." I may need to hit a few of you up to drive, so keep an eye on your e-mails about that. Enjoy the last of the eggplant, zucchini, and green beans this week!

Western Pennsylvania “Acquacotta” with Mozzarella & Poached Egg “Boats”

This is an adaptation of the wonderfully simple soup from Italy’s Maremma region. The greens actually make the broth (normally you’d add them at the end, but by cooking them along the way you get a rich, slightly greenish, extremely healthful soup base). Use chicken stock for an even richer soup.

For the soup:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 bunch kale, stemmed, rinsed, and chopped

5 small turnips, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

Handful of green beans, stemmed and cut into small pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch of hot red pepper flakes

2 quarts stock or water

For the “boats”:

Eggs

Crusty bread

Fresh mozzarella

Heat olive oil in a soup pan over medium heat; when the oil is warm, add the onion and sweat for two minutes, then add the turnips, carrots and celery and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the garlic, zucchini, green beans, and the kale. Season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of hot pepper flakes, then then add the stock or water. Simmer until all the vegetables are tender, about fifteen minutes. Check for salt and pepper.

Toast one thick slice of crusty bread for each serving. While still warm, sprinkle with a little salt and then lay a wedge of fresh mozzarella on top, where it can begin to soften. Place these pieces of bread in the bottom of each soup bowl you intend to serve.

Meanwhile, fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. Add a drop of vinegar to the water, then crack one egg for each serving and drop them into the water carefully. Soft-poach the eggs, simmering about four minutes each. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place one atop each piece of bread in a soup bowl.

Ladle the hot soup around each mozzarella boat and serve immediately, with some grated Parmigiano as a garnish.

Roasted Turnip & Apple “Coins”

These make an excellent side dish, or warm accompaniment for a salad. Use a mandoline to speed up the prep time.

4-6 turnips, peeled & thinly sliced across the equator

3 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced across the equator

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the turnip slices with a generous amount of olive oil and some sprinklings of salt and pepper. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the parchment paper. Bake until the undersides of each “coin” begins to become golden (about ten minutes), then flip each coin. Add the apple slices to the baking sheet along with the turnips and bake another 10-12 minutes, until the apples are become slightly soft and the turnips are browned on both sides. Remove from the oven and toss the turnips and apples with additional salt and pepper and some fresh thyme leaves. Serve while still piping hot.

Orange, Almond & Radish Salad

4-6 cups rinsed, chopped leaf lettuce (romaine works nicely)

2 or 3 navel oranges

1 cup sliced red or white radishes

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Citrus dressing:

1 tsp salt

2 T lemon juice

1 T. orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Black pepper

Make the dressing by combining the salt, lemon juice, orange juice, garlic, and mustard in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine, then add pepper and oil and shake again to emulsify the mixture.

Prepare a base of the lettuce on a flat platter or individual plates. Peel and slice the oranges in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange the oranges and scatter the radishes and almonds over the top. Pour a small amount of dressing over the salad and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Simply Pickled Radishes

1 bunch radishes, stems & leaves removed

1 tsp. coarse salt

1 T. rice vinegar

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the radishes into thin circles. Combine with the salt in a glass bowl and set aside for at least 30 minutes. Drain off the liquid that is left in the bowl and then thoroughly rinse the radishes in water to remove as much of the salt as possible. Press dry with a towel. Combine radish slices with vinegar and mix. Sprinkle liberally with ground pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature. These can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead.