Category Archives: Recipes

Gazpacho

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IMG_7001 (3)I found it hard to believe that this recipe wasn’t already posted here. I’ve been making this gazpacho for over 10 years, and it remains my favorite. It has classic ingredients, and with a food processor comes together in about 15 minutes. By design it is a chunky gazpacho, but you can adjust the texture by pureeing some and stirring it back into the bowl (or puree individual portions, if like me, some at your dinner table like a completely smooth gazpacho while others do not. I’ve struggled to get excited about a lot of summer soups, but this one is so refreshing and easy I really don’t think I need any others.

What a bounty! My full Potter Hill CSA share this week was lettuce, radishes, yokatta na, chard, peppers, onions, eggplant, savory, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and large tomatoes. Some of the tomatoes and lettuce went into BLTs, the perfect September sandwich. Cherry tomatoes and onions went into these olive oil fried lentils from Dining In that have a Thai spin to them which were slightly weird, but really good. The eggplant and some greens went into this braised eggplant with minced pork. I’ve been eyeing this cottage cheese salad which uses radishes, tomatoes, and cukes, so that might be on the docket this weekend. Alongside this gazpacho, we had tofu shawarma, which might be the sandwich I’ve made most often in 2019.

Don’t forget all my Potter Hill recipes are tagged at the bottom (including the ones from last year!), so there is always inspiration at the ready for cooking.

Gazpacho

Adapted from Ina Garten

Serves 6

  • 1 large cucumber (~1 lb), halved and seeds removed
  • 2 peppers (~1/2 lb), halved and seeds removed
  • 2 large tomatoes (~1 1/2 lbs), cores removed
  • 1 small red onion (~1/4 lb)
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and root removed
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cups tomato juice
  • 1 teaspoon koshers salt
  • A few good grinds of black pepper
  • Hot sauce

Chop the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, and red onion into 1″ chunks (but keep them separate).

Start running a food processor with an S blade and drop in the 3 garlic cloves. When they stop bouncing around, scrape down the sides of the bowl with spatula, then add in the cucumber. Pulse until the cucumber is chopped, but not pureed (it’s ok if there are some larger chunks lingering – texture!). Removed the cucumber and put it in a large bowl, then one at a time process the peppers, tomatoes, and red onion, adding each into the bowl when done.

Add the white vinegar, olive oil, tomato juice, salt, pepper, and hot sauce (if you please) to the bowl and stir to combine. If you like a smoother texture, return some (or all) of the gazpacho to the food processor, puree, and stir back in to achieve your desired texture.

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Roasted Eggplant, Cherry Tomato, and Garlic Pizza with Olives and Savory

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I feel the same way every year, but this is really just the best time to eat. Perfect tomatoes, beautiful eggplant, vibrant lettuce and greens, sweet corn, tender berries, juicy melon, tart stone fruit and so many other bountiful vegetables are at their peak. My kitchen has been a very happy place this week as I try to cook as much as possible.

As it is apparent from this recipe, eggplant and tomatoes are my absolute favorites. I have a big list of recipes that I have to make for it to truly feel like summer, and eggplant pizza is always on there. I’ve made many iterations (two great versions are in that link), but I especially love this one with the sauce replaced with juicy, tangy, and sweet cherry tomatoes plus the briny contrast of olives.

My Potter Hill share this week was eggplant, beets, savory, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cucumbers, and coriander. I used one of the eggplant and some onions in a noodle dish with coconut broth from Dinner (my perennial favorite). There was no cilantro left at the grocery store when I went shopping, so I just subbed the coriander from the share in (it was going into a spice paste) and it worked great. I made lamb meatballs with the last onion and paired them with a yogurt dill sauce and a cucumber and tomato salad (from, you guessed it, Dinner). If you’ve craving cooler weather you could use the beets and any leftover carrots from last week in roasted root vegetable bowls. Lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers could all go into this Greek-inspired salad I made last summer.

Roasted Eggplant, Cherry Tomato, and Garlic Pizza with Olives and Savory

This is my go-to pizza dough recipe, and I usually sub half of the white flour for wheat. It is a very wet pizza dough which I spread it on a Silpat on a baking sheet and cook it on the lowest oven rack. If this is your first time making pizza dough, I suggest this recipe for a slightly easier to work with dough. I often use pizza making as a chance to use up any random cheese I have in the fridge, so feel free to try others than I listed here.

Serves 4

  • 1 pizza dough, storebought or homemade (see note)
  • 10 ounces eggplant (1 small), chopped
  • 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 cloves of garlic (do not remove the paper)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces kalamata olives, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons minced savory
  • 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat your oven to 400F. Place the cherry tomatoes, eggplant, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes, stir, and bake for another 10 until the eggplant is soft and the cherry tomatoes have shriveled a bit. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Turn the oven up as high as it will go (mine goes to 550F).

While the tomatoes, etc. are roasting spread your dough on a baking sheet (I like to use a Silpat, or you could use parchment paper).

Peel the garlic cloves and chop. Build your pizza starting with the roasted cherry tomatoes, eggplant, and garlic, then the olives and savory, topped with the mozzarella and goat cheese.

Place your pizza in the oven on the bottom rack and cook for 10 minutes. The top should have nicely charred bits and the bottom should be crisp. Remove from the pan and place on a cutting board. (If you are using a Silpat you will need to peel it off before cutting. I just tuck one end under and pull it to the other side. It helps to have someone else hold the pizza put.) Cut and serve with red pepper flakes.

Summer Salad with Ranch Dressing

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IMG_6988 (2)The oppressive heat and humidity this week means it is time to embrace no-cook dinners. With the abundance of produce right now salads are the way to go. I love a giant salad made slightly indulgent with homemade ranch (but still a pile of vegetables! with beans! so much fiber!). This one is almost all CSA vegetables, but I couldn’t help but add fresh corn for sweetness, beans for protein, and some red onion for bite.

My full CSA share this week was a pint of cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, leeks, carrots, lettuce, eggplant, shishito peppers, microgreens, zucchini, summer squash, and dill. I did get some extra cherry tomatoes so I could use them in this salad as well as a pasta with fresh tomato sauce (from Dinner, but very similar to this recipe, just without the pancetta) that was so good, paired with baked zucchini and summer squash with breadcrumbs from Dining In. I used the eggplant, plus leftover broccoli leaves from last week in a quick stir fry with this sauce. I’ve been eating the shishitos charred in a pan dipped in a simple aioli (mayo, lemon juice, and salt) for a perfect summer appetizer.

This barbecue chicken salad is also extremely summery meal. Least year around this time I made a summery couscous salad that is an excellent picnic meal or barbecue side. If you have some extra prep time put some effort into making some pickled carrots that will improve your sandwiches and salads for many weeks to come.

Summer Salad with Ranch Dressing

Serves 4

  • 1/4 cup full fat Greek Yogurt
  • 1/4 cup full fat mayo
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons minced dill
  • 2 tablespoons minced parsley
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 head lettuce, chopped (about 8 cups)
  • 1 cucumber, chopped
  • 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
  • 1.5 cups beans (1 15.5 ounce can), such as chickpeas, cannellini beans, or black eyed peas
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion (from 1/2 small onion)
  • 1/2 cup sprouts or microgreens

Combine the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk to combine. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.

Prepare the salad by layering all the lettuce, cucumber, beans, cherry tomatoes, onions, and sprouts in a large bowl or plate. Serve with dressing.

Athena Bowls

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IMG_6979 (3)When I came home with my CSA share I laid the mountain of vegetables out on my kitchen table and started pulling out cookbooks. I was paralyzed with dinner indecision, but after much perusing I saw a recipe in Plenty  for “mixed grill” with parsley oil, that was essentially grilled eggplant and zucchini with a parsley sauce. I loved the idea but knew that I didn’t have quite enough vegetables for dinner and lunch leftovers. That recipe reminded me of my favorite root vegetable bowls with parsley sauce, which combine starchy vegetables and chickpeas to make a bright meal. Plus there was feta in those bowls, which paired with eggplant screams “Greek!”

This all led to the happy invention of what could be called Greek burrito bowls, but that sounded weird, and since there was no exact Greek dish I was turning into a bowl, it needed a whole new name. And thus we have Athena Bowls! Greek inspired, summery, filling, and vegetarian (easily vegan). Perfect for August, when the humidity breaks enough that turning on the oven is a thinkable act.

My full Potter Hill share this week was eggplant, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, shishitos, broccoli leaves, fresh onions, cucumbers, lettuce, thai basil and scallions. I’ve been eating the tomatoes and cucumbers in the morning over yogurt with Alison Roman’s savory granola from Dining In and it is heaven. The scallions went into a slaw for fish tacos, and the lettuce is went into BLTs tonight (first of the summer!!) with some charred shishitos and aioli alongside. If you need basil ideas I posted a bunch last week.

Athena Bowls

Inspired by The Mediterrenean Dish

Roasted Vegetables

  • ¾ lb eggplant, chopped into 3/4″ pieces
  • ½ lb cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 4 oz onion (1 small onion), chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Lemon Rice

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 oz onion (1 small onion), diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ cups of water, plus water for soaking
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Parsley Sauce

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¾ cup parsley leaves and soft stems
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For serving

  • 6 ounces full fat feta, crumbled
  • 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (from one 15.5 ounce can, rinsed and drained)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and onion on a baking sheet with the olive oil and salt. Roast for 20 minutes, then toss. Roast for another 15-20 minutes, until the eggplant is completely soft with some charred bits.

While the oven is preheating cover the rice in water and let soak for at least 15 minutes, then drain. In a small saucepan heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes (the onion should star to become translucent). Add in the rice and stir to coat. Add the 1 1/2 cups of water, cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove from the heat and let sit for 10.

Turn on a food processor with an S blade and drop in the garlic cloves. Let them process until you can no longer hear them bouncing around, then turn it off and scrape down the sides. Add the parsley and salt and process until minced. Turn on the food processor and stream in the olive oil and lemon juice until it is a uniform sauce. Alternatively, mince the garlic and parsley, then stir in olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

To serve prepare bowls with rice, chickpeas, roasted vegetables, feta, and parsley sauce.

 

 

Two Herbal Citrus Summer Refreshers

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IMG_6963 (3)When I picked up my share this week Paul (friend and farmer at Potter Hill) handed me two bunches each of lemon basil and holy basil and said “Here is your challenge for the week!” Apparently a lot of his customers aren’t sure what to do with these wonderfully fragrant herbs, so challenge accepted! My go-to preparation takes advantage of each of their unique flavors to make quick, but impressive summer refreshers: lemonade and limeade. These aren’t sugar packed, pucker-inducing ades, but truly refreshing summer beverages. They are easily adapted with different herbs, like mint and lemon verbena, or even heartier herbs like thyme and rosemary (for those I would scale back to ¼ cup). For a drink more like a soda use seltzer in place of the water, or turn them into cocktails by adding some gin or vodka. 

My entire share this week was the basils, lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, bok choy, fresh onions, and a bunch of carrots. The cherry tomatoes and bok choy went into a tofu curry from Melissa Clark’s Dinner (a very similar recipe is here). I used the zucchini and peppers in this wonderful, summery pasta with fried lemons (lemon basil would be great here too). The remaining peppers and onions were sauteed and served atop cheddar grits with some Short Creek poblano and cheddar sausage. The carrots are about to go into an Indian stir fry with coconut from Vegetarian India to be paired with dal.

Still looking for basil ideas? Summer rolls are one of my favorite hot weather meals, especially when paired with peanut sauce. Holy basil is an essential ingredient in classic Thai chicken stir fry Pad Kra Pao. Or give your pesto a twist by using lemon basil. And don’t forget to serve a refresher alongside!

Lemon Basil Lemonade

Serves 4

Adapted from Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison.

  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup lemon basil (regular basil can be substituted)
  • ½ cup lemon juice
  • 4 cups water

In the bottom of a pitcher muddle the lemon zest, sugar, and lemon basil until the basil is very fragrant, but the leaves are still intact. Add the lemon juice and water and stir to combine (make sure all the sugar isn’t sitting on the bottom). Chill for at least 30 minutes, and strain to serve.

Holy Basil Ginger Limeade

Serves 4

Adapted from Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison.

  • zest from 2 limes
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup holy basil (regular basil or Thai basil can be substituted)
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger (peel before grating)
  • ½ cup lime juice
  • 4 cups water

In the bottom of a pitcher muddle the lime zest, sugar, holy basil, and grated ginger until the basil is very fragrant, but the leaves are still intact. Add the lime juice and water and stir to combine (make sure all the sugar isn’t sitting on the bottom). Chill for at least 30 minutes, and strain to serve.

Charred Onion Dip

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IMG_6957 (4)Discovering that onion dip is something you can easily make yourself is life changing. Alton Brown was the first to show me this possibility, and while his recipe is good, it is not fast. When my mom discovered this recipe in Bon Appetit, everything changed. We started requesting it at every family dinner, and she even made enough for 85 people to serve at our wedding. It has all the creamy richness you want to slather on a chip, but tastes fresher than your usual onion dip because the onions are cooked hot and fast instead of low and slow, so they retain some of their bite. I would tell you to double this recipe, but know that people will eat as much of this dip as you put in front of them.

My share this week was leeks, cauliflower, lettuce, basil, cilantro, fresh onions, zucchini, and eggplant. The lettuce went into a giant salad I served with these buffalo veggie burgers and bleu cheese dressing. Eggplant and leftover bok choy from last week went into noodles with sesame sauce and chili oil. If you have any cucumbers, this smashed cucumber salad is both fun to make and delicious. The basil and zucchini went into this easy pesto bean dish.

Charred Onion Dip

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 4-6

I adapted this recipe to take advantage of the fresh onions with their greens attached in my CSA share. If you don’t have fresh onions, you could use a shallot and scallions as the original recipe calls for. I don’t have a grill so I haven’t tried this yet, but I imagine you could halve the leek and onion bulb, and grill them along with the onions greens, then slice everything, instead of the slice first then broil method outlined below.

  • 1 fresh bulb onion, quartered and thinly sliced (3 ounces/¾ cup)
  • 1 ounce (1 cup) thinly sliced fresh onions greens (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 2 small leeks, dark greens removed, halved and thinly sliced (2.5 ounces/1 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • ½ cup full-fat mayonnaise
  • ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice (this was ½ a small lemon for me)
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Potato chips for serving

Heat your broiler to high. On a baking sheet toss the onion, onion greens, and leeks with the olive oil and season with a hefty pinch of salt. Broil for 5-10 minutes total, checking after 5 minutes and monitoring closely. You want significant char on the onions, but not to turn the whole pan completely black. When the onions are done, remove from the oven and let cool.

While the onions are charring combine the garlic, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, buttermilk, and pepper in a bowl. Add the cooled onions and stir to combine. Garnish with the reserved onion greens and serve with potato chips (Cape Cod Kettle Chips are my favorite).

 

Green Rice for Burritos or Whatever You Please

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IMG_6937 (3)This week feels like such a relief after the hot weekend. I even went so far as to roast vegetables for dinner tonight! I love roasted summer vegetables, but the opportunities to make them seem few and far between so they should definitely be embraced. This side is a great way to add a ton of fresh greens into a colorful side dish.

My Potter Hill share this week was red cabbage, basil, fresh onions, perpetual spinach, bok choy, zucchini, cauliflower, and lettuce. I used the red cabbage and lettuce to make an epic Cobb salad with my favorite bleu cheese dressing. It is the perfect time to make pesto (classic with basil, or mix it up with other herbs/greens!). Its the perfect time of year to make a batch of peanut sauce for the freezer to pair with summer rolls.

I put this green rice into burritos with roasted vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, and onions), black beans, avocado, sour cream, and hot sauce. It would be a great side for tacos or chile rellenos, or a base for burrito bowls.

Green Rice

Adapted from Rachel Ray

Serves 6-8 as a side

  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems
  • ½ pound tender greens, such as spinach, chard, young kale, or perpetual spinach
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion tops, scallions, or chives
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups of brown rice, cooked (from 2 cups uncooked)

Place the cilantro, greens, chives, lime zest and juice, half a cup of water and a tablespoon of oil in food processor or blender and process into coarse green paste. Stir the green paste into your cooked rice until it is thoroughly coated.

Zucchini salad with herb yogurt dressing

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IMG_6902 (3)If you have been slow to accept zucchini as noodles – I hear you. I was too, and I am still very wary of vegetable noodles completely replacing traditional pasta in dishes. But (but!) vegetables noodles have their own place in the world. Especially raw, they have great crunch and can hold dressing well, making a mean summer salad that will have you wishing for more zucchini instead of lamenting another one.

The Sprouted Kitchen salad that inspired this recipe was the first time I accepted zucchini noodles into my kitchen, and here they are to stay. Sara’s recipe calls for an anchovy or capers, and once I decided to use up the two anchovies I had left in a jar (because would 1 more make that much of a difference?). Well, that is now the infamous fishy salad that I will likely never live down. So, capers it is for us.

My full share this week was a head each of cauliflower and broccoli, carrots, two bunches of basil, a zucchini, fresh onions, and pea shoots. I simply stir fried the cauliflower and broccoli to serve alongside this fiery kung pao tofu. The pea shoots, some carrots, and a cuke leftover from last week went into cold Sichuan sesame noodles. If you have leftover broccoli stem this salad is a summer favorite. This is not a CSA related recipe, but since we are heading into a HOT weekend I want to point you towards by favorite popsicles that are just three ingredients (coconut milk, lime, and honey!).

Zucchini salad with herb yogurt dressing

Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen

Serves 4-6 as a side

  • 2 lbs summer squash (I used one large zucchini)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup thinly sliced onion greens or scallions (this was .7 ounces for me, about ½ the greens from one fresh onion)
  • 1 cup chopped basil (this was 1 ounce for me and came from one small bunch of basil)
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers

If using a mandolin, you may want to cut the squash in half and scoop out any of the middle that is especially seedy and spongy. Julienne peelers and noodle makers cut from the outside in, so this isn’t necessary with them.

Using a mandolin with a julienne attachment, a julienne slicer, or a vegetable noodle maker, turn your squash into long, thin, noodle-like strips. Put the strips in a colander, toss with the 1 teaspoon salt, and toss to coat (note that a lot of water will drain off the squash, so you will need to put a bowl or plate under it to catch the liquid). Let sit for 20 minutes.

While the squash is draining, make the dressing. Turn on a food processor with the S-blade and drop in the garlic clove. When the clove stops bouncing around turn off the food processor and scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add in the yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, onion tops, basil, and capers. Process until smooth and taste for seasoning. Alternatively, finely mince the garlic and herbs, chop the capers, and whisk to combine with the yogurt, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar.

Squeeze any extra liquid out of the squash, and when ready to serve toss with the herb yogurt dressing. Once dressed the salad will last a day or 2 in the fridge, but it is best immediately.

Nose-to-Tail Broccoli and Tofu

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IMG_6897 (2)The star of my Potter Hill share this week was a beautiful head of broccoli with the stem and leaves attached. This crown jewel is actually three vegetables in one – slightly vegetal leaves, the crunchy stems, and the meaty florets. All three parts get worked into this recipe along with a rich sauce made with just three ingredients – soy sauce, molasses, and black pepper. Frying tofu does take a bit of time, but it makes for a delightfully crispy addition to this dish. I adapted this recipe from one in Dinner by Melissa Clark, which I’ve mentioned before and still turn to regularly for interesting, easy, and vegetable forward dinners.

My full share was a bunch of fresh onions and their greens, Red Russian kale, cabbage, a bag of lettuce, beets, a whole head of broccoli (leaves attached), cucumbers, summer squash, and basil. I used kale and some cabbage to make a caesar salad, and the broccoli and onions went into the tofu dish below. I used the summer squash and basil to riff off this pasta with fried zucchini, replacing the pasta and mozzarella with tortellini, and adding in some arugula. Lettuce, some cabbage, a cucumber, and some pickled turnips from a few weeks ago went into this salad, which was excellent ( I especially loved the preserved lemon). I haven’t gotten to my beets yet, but my favorite way to eat them is shredded and raw like in this salad or this amazing sandwich with sweet potatoes and feta.

Nose-to-Tail Broccoli and Tofu 

Serves 6

Adapted from Dinner: Changing the Game by Melissa Clark

If you don’t have fresh onions with the greens attached, use the same amount of sliced shallots in place of the bulb and scallions in place of the greens. I wrote this recipe to utilize all parts of the broccoli in our CSA share, but you could substitute another hearty green like bok choy, yokatta na, perpetual spinach, collards, or kale for the leaves. If you’re not into tofu, you could sub chicken, pork, or beef cut into 1 inch chunks, but leave out the cornstarch.

  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 package (14 to 16 ounces) firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • ¼ cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 small fresh onions and their tops, bulbs halved and thinly sliced (about 1½ cups/5 ounces) and green tops thinly sliced (about 1 packed cup/1½ ounces) (see note)
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 small head of broccoli head with stem and leaves still attached (see note)
  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
  • Cooked brown rice, for serving (I cook ¼ cup per serving, so a total of 1½ cups)

In a large wok or skillet heat the oil over medium-high. Toss the cubed tofu with the cornstarch until it is well coated, then fry in the hot oil until it is crisp, about 10-15 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes so the sides brown evenly. When the tofu is crisp remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with a towel to drain.

While the tofu is cooking, prep the broccoli. Separate the leaves from the broccoli head, and then remove the stem from each leaf (these are tough and can be discarded). Thinly slice the leaves and set aside. Cut off the stalk from the broccoli crown (the leafy part of the “tree”), and using a knife or vegetable peeler remove the outer layer. To ensure you’ve removed enough, cut off a slice and try it – it should be crunchy but not tough. Quarter and slice the stalk, and cut the head into 1 inch florets (the 1 inch being the width of the top of the “tree”). 

Pour off the remaining oil from the pan, and return the to pan on medium heat. Melt the butter, then add in the sliced onion bulbs, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Add the red pepper flakes, stir, and cook for a minute more.

While the onions are cooking, prep the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, molasses, and freshly ground pepper in a bowl.

Add the broccoli stem and florets to the pan, stir, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, then add in the greens, stir, and cover again. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the greens have fully wilted. Add the sauce and tofu to the pan and toss until the vegetables and tofu are thoroughly. Serve over brown rice with extra chili flakes.

Fattoush

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IMG_20190701_192719600 (3)Fattoush is a Syrian salad defined by the pieces of fried flatbread in it and sprinkled sumac. Lettuce is the base, with other crunchy vegetables included. I know it seems wrong to turn on the oven to make a salad, but one taste of your fresh, homemade pita chips will convince you otherwise. This seems like a lot of oil for the pita chips, but that is what makes them stay crispy.

IMG_20190701_181040847 (3)My complete share this week included lettuce, parsley, cabbage, Red Russian kale, radishes, turnips, basil, and bok choy. I doubled this salad for 8 meal servings, so I used up all the lettuce (plus some leftover from last week), radishes, and turnips. I used the radish greens, turnip greens, and boy choy cooked with some Short Creek green garlic sausage, served over polenta with parsley and garlic. If you still have any greens around, I finally made this spanakopita which was unbelievably good (I used couscous as the mix in and it worked great). I’ll probably use the cabbage for a classic barbecue slaw, but this lo mein is a favorite (vegan) cabbage dish.

Fattoush

Adapted from Soframiz

Instead of thinly slicing the vegetables you can dice them for a more textured salad. If you don’t have pomegranate molasses and/or sumac, up the lemon in the dressing significantly. It should be very tart when you taste it alone, and will mellow on the salad. I also threw a handful of sprouts in the salad as I wanted to use them up. This is a great salad to use up any vegetables that taste great raw. I added in the chickpeas to make this a more filling meal, but if you just want this as a side salad you could leave them out.

Serves 4

  • 2 pitas (mine were about 8″ across)
  • 10 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons sumac
  • 2 salad turnips, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 3 French radishes, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup chopped parsley (a large handful)
  • 9 ounces of chopped lettuce (about 8 cups, or a large bowlful)
  • ¼ English cucumber, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas

Preheat the oven to 375F. Slice the pita bread into 1″ squares. Place pita pieces in a large bowl and pour 6 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Massage the pita so that all of the oil coats the pieces and is absorbed. Spread on a baking sheet and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing the chips and rotating the tray halfway through. Allow to cool. (Try not to eat them all.)

In the same large bowl (no need to wash) make the dressing by whisking the pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, and remaining salt, and then slowly whisking in the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the turnips, radishes, parsley, cucumber, lettuce, sumac, chickpeas, and pita chips. Toss to combine.

If you don’t want to serve the whole salad right away, store the pita chips, vegetables, and dressing separately, and combine just before serving.

Chicken Meatballs with All the Greens

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IMG_20190626_194153751 (3)Though I won’t, I could easily turn this blog into one only about greens. It’s the category of vegetable I most crave when I want something healthy, and they can improve just about anything. I also happen to love stretching out meals that normally rely entirely on meat with a strategically added vegetable, and these meatballs can handle a surprising amount of greens. They are easy, flavorful, and adaptable, which are the three attributes most important to me in a recipe.  There are a lot of greens packed into these meatballs, which does make them more delicate, but since they are small and cooked quickly under the broiler you really don’t need to handle them much.

My share this week included lots of lettuce, perpetual spinach, yokatta na, Red Russian kale, French radishes, Hakurei turnips, pea greens, dill, parsley. I used some lettuce, and pickled radishes and turnips to go into tofu banh mi. Though beets aren’t around yet, this kale salad would be great with sliced turnips and/or radishes, and this kale salad is always a good idea (turnips/radishes could also be substituted for the broccoli stem). If the meat in this recipe turns you off, I’ve made and loved these Green Falafel Bowls.

Chicken Meatballs with All the Greens

28 meatballs, or 6-8 servings

Adapted from Molly Yeh

This recipe can go a lot of different directions. I changed up the spices to my liking, as can you, and see the inspiration recipe linked above for another take. These could also be made into burgers and grilled. Turkey, pork, or beef could all be substituted for chicken. I served them with the tahini sauce in the original recipe (which I didn’t love) and a salad alongside with lettuce, radishes, salad turnips, and parsley. These would go great with tzatziki or a similar yogurt sauce.

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking sheets
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups/8 ounces)
  • 10 ounces of finely chopped greens (I used a mix of perpetual spinach, yokatta na, and turnip greens)
  • 1 handful of parsley, chopped (½ cup)
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 3 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ lbs ground chicken (preferably ground thigh meat if you can get/make it)
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat (it needs to be large enough to fit all the greens). Once hot add in the oil, then the onion. Saute for 5-10 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown at the edges. Add in the greens, in a couple batches if necessary, and stir. Cook for 5 minutes, until the greens have wilted, and let them cool slightly.

Put all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then add in the cooled onions and greens. Mix until just combined (use a light touch, otherwise you will have tough balls).

Coat 2 baking sheets with olive oil, then form the meat mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs (you should have about 28). Space them evenly on the baking sheets, then broil each sheet for 5-7 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Break one apart to check doneness, and pop them back in the oven if the meat in the middle isn’t opaque.

 

 

Red Lentil Coconut Stew with Greens

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Hello, summer! This is the second year that I’m writing recipes for Potter Hill Farm‘s CSA. Each week the CSA members will get a bag full of awesome and varied vegetables, and I’ll post a recipe using those exact vegetables. Because I can’t help myself, I’ll throw in some other ideas for what to cook as well. To make the recipes easy to find, they are all tagged Potter Hill. If you weren’t lucky enough to get a spot in the CSA, you can still buy Potter Hill vegetables at Monday pick ups or at the Grafton Farmer’s Market. If you don’t live near Grafton, you can shop at your local farm or farmer’s market.

If you’re new this year, a little bit more about me can be found in last year’s intro post. The short version is I’m a home cook who loves vegetables. I’m not a vegetarian, but I am passionate about all of us finding more ways to incorporate great produce into our diets. Even if you aren’t a CSA member, I hope you come here to find interested and delicious ways to put vegetables on your plate. While it’s great if you want to follow my recipe exactly, I’m just as happy inspiring you to adapt my recipes with what you have or tweak them to your preference. Besides here, you can find me on Instagram and Facebook.

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This week my share had spinach, radishes, Red Russian kale, Yokatta Na, lettuce (mixed), and perpetual spinach (left to right, top to bottom). Besides this stew, I made Priya Krishna’s Saag Feta (using a mix of spinach, perpetual spinach, kale, and Yokatta Na), used lettuce in Tofu Shawarma Pita Wraps, and made a simple salad with lettuce, dill, and radishes to accompany a frittata. This is the time of year to embrace recipes that use an absurd amount of greens that you would balk at buying the rest of the year. Spanakopita is high on my list, plus old favorites beans and greens and greens with eggs, garlic yogurt, and chili butter.

For this stew I riffed on Alison Roman’s Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric. I didn’t have chickpeas, so I used red lentils which could quickly cook in the coconut milk/broth mixture. Cooking the lentils in the broth cut out the initial frying step, so this comes together in about 30 minutes. Though it’s called a “stew,” it is most definitely not a heavy affair.

Red Lentil Coconut Stew with Greens

Serves 6

  • 1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 15-ounce cans full fat coconut milk
  • 4 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
  • 2 cups red lentils
  • 1 lb greens, chopped and washed (I used a mix of spinach, perpetual spinach, and Red Russian kale)
  • Salt
  • 1 cup fresh soft herbs (such as basil, mint, or cilantro)
  • 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced (about 1 cup total)
  • Lime wedges

Put a large pot over medium heat (remember all the uncooked greens need to fit in the pot too). Add in the oil. When the oil is hot, add in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

Add in the turmeric, red pepper flakes, and a big pinch of salt. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute (it should be wonderfully fragrant). Add in the broth/water, coconut milk, and lentils. Bring to a simmer and cook (covered) for 20 minutes.

Taste the lentils to ensure they are cooked through, and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add in the chopped greens, stir as best your can, and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until wilted (stirring once to help all the greens get in the stew).

Serve with herbs, radishes, lime wedges, and extra red pepper flakes.

Vegan Tofu Bowls with Citrus Tahini Sauce

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tofu bowl 2What should make when you need a reset after weekend eating? When you aren’t fully inspired, but have a fridge full of random vegetables? Or, when you feel like there is nothing in the fridge? When you have a bunch of diet restrictions at the dinner table? When you want to eat something incredibly satisfying and delicious?

Tofu bowls.

I’ve been making some variation of this bowl almost monthly for years. Tofu, rice, and the sauce are constants, but toppings always fluctuate depending on the season and what is in the fridge. If the ingredient list for the sauce seems long (or maybe contains nothing in your normal pantry), know that almost all the ingredients keep very well, so once you invest in them once you can make these bowls whenever the craving strikes (which will be often). The sauce is the great unifier and elevator that takes this from a bowl of health to a delightful dinner you really want to eat.

I like to use a mix of raw and cooked vegetables for textural contrast, but you can literally use whatever you fancy. Cucumbers, carrots, radishes, salad turnips, and avocado all make great options for a raw component. For cooked I’ve used many different types of greens (kale, collards, radish, turnip, chard), cabbage, Brussels sprouts, summer squashes, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and eggplant. Don’t feel limited by these options, use what you’ve got. This is also a great time to utilize leftover cooked vegetables from another meal.

This is the tail end of my CSA and my final week included celeriac, sweet potatoes, radishes, parsley, scallions, and lettuce. I used the lettuce in a salad inspired by this recipe with roasted carrots, couscous, and yogurt. It is an excellent time of year to make these root vegetable bowls.  If you haven’t yet, it’s time to make the celeriac slaw from a couple weeks ago (I’d throw in the scallions too), or this excellent winter chowder. If you want to see the whole season of CSA recipes, they are under the Potter Hill tag!

Vegan Tofu Bowls with Citrus Tahini Sauce

Serves 6.

Tofu marinade and method adapted from Thug Kitchen, sauce just barely adapted from Bowl + Spoon (which is also posted here). I’ve written this to serve 6, but if you want to scale this assume ¼ cup uncooked brown rice (1 ½ cups total) and ~2.5 ounces tofu per serving.

Marinated Tofu

  • ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce (or, 1 teaspoon grated garlic and 2 teaspoons sriracha)
  • 1 14-ounce container extra firm tofu

Citrus Tahini Sauce

  • 1⁄3 cup fresh-squeezed orange, clementine, or tangerine juice (you only need a little, so go the distance)
  • ½ cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons honey, maple syrup, or agave
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

For serving:

  • Cooked brown rice or noodles (see head note)
  • Raw vegetables and herbs (for these I used 1 small bunch radishes (sliced), pickled onions, scallions, and avocado)
  • Cooked vegetables (for these I used 1 large sweet potato which I cubed and roasted with the tofu, plus the radish greens which I threw on the same pan as the sweet potato in the last 2 minutes of cooking)

Remove tofu from container and drain all liquid (don’t discard the container!!!). Wrap tofu in a clean cloth napkin or dish towel, and place on a bowl/plate. Top with another bowl/plate, and place a weight on top (such as a full can of beans). Let drain for at least 30 minutes, but longer is great.

While tofu is draining place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

Remove tofu from the napkin and slice into 1/4″ planks width-wise (you should have 10-12 planks total). Return planks to their original container, and pour marinade over them. Poke in between the slices so the marinade can mingle. Let tofu marinate for 30 minutes (flip the slices over halfway through if you can remember to).

Preheat oven to 450F. Spread out tofu slices (reserving additional marinade) and roast for 15 minutes. Flip, spoon extra marinade over each slice, and roast for 10 more minutes. Flip one more time, spoon any remaining marinade over, and roast for 5 minutes more.

Whisk all sauce ingredients to combine. Prep vegetables for serving.

Serve bowls with rice, tofu, raw and cooked vegetables, any extra marinade, tahini citrus sauce, and extra sriracha. For maximum meal flexibility let diners assemble their own bowls.

 

 

Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

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IMG_20181101_122925192For most of my life I was anti-squash soup. I found the texture off-putting, and I didn’t care for the flavor enough to try to overcome that aversion. But five years ago Molly Wizenberg introduced me to this soup. It isn’t a Pumpkin Spice Latte in soup form. It has rich coconut milk to provide a velvety texture without the need for a high powered blender. Instead of cinnamon or another official fall spice, it has curry powder to bring additional warmth, fish sauce for salty funk, and lime juice for the hit of acid so many squash soups are missing. It was the potential I tasted every time I had a spoonful of lackluster soup before this.

I’ve made it so many times I felt it deserved a spot here. I’ve made a few changes from Molly’s, mainly that I always double it because that means I can use a whole squash and a whole quart of broth. It is perfect for freezing in individual portions and grabbing on those days when you need an emergency lunch because maybe you went out for pizza the night before instead of cooking (like I did this week).

It is nearing the end of our CSA season, which means it is time to stock up the ole root cellar! But in reality I live in an apartment on the top floor of a classic Worcester triple decker so there is no cellar to speak of. If you are in a similar situation, you can still store winter crops for quite a while. The share this week was carrots, chard, butternut, potatoes, and onions. I store the carrots in a plastic bag in the produce drawer of my fridge and they will last for months there. Butternut stores well in a dark, dry place but should not be refrigerated (unless it is cut). Potatoes and onions should be stored in complete darkness, separately if possible because the gas from onions encourages potatoes to sprout (as I learned here). Potatoes do best in a paper bag and onions prefer the open air (I keep them in those wood boxes clementines come in).

If you do want to cook with your veg from this week right away, then you can do that too! Before I found this soup, Ottolenghi was the first one to truly show me the merits of butternut squash. This recipe with tahini and za’atar and this recipe with yogurt and chili are both great. I’m going classic this week and making a roasted chicken with roasted potatoes. I’ve also been using the potatoes for a quick breakfast hash with whatever else I have around, like broccoli and onions (egg on top required).

Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Milk

I put a range for the squash size because they can be so variable. No need to do something silly like use a squash a half (unless you already have a plan for the other half). Just know that the bigger your squash is, the thicker and heartier the soup will be.

  •  3 tablespoons coconut oil (you can also use vegetable or olive oil)
  •  2 cups of chopped onion (this was one medium onion and 2 small ones for me)
  •  6 garlic cloves, minced
  •  2 tablespoons curry powder
  •  1 large butternut squash (about 3-4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  •  2 14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
  •  4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  •  2 tablespoons maple syrup
  •  2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
  •  2 teaspoons Sriracha or other Asian chili sauce, plus more for serving
  •  Lime wedges, for serving

In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, until it is fragrant. Add the curry powder and cook for another minute. Add in the squash, broth, coconut milk, maple syrup, fish sauce, and Sriracha. Turn the heat up to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30-40 minutes (until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork).

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or, you can use a blender and puree it in batches). Serve with extra Sriracha and lime wedges.

Celeriac slaw with apples, herbs, and horseradish

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celeriac slawI know “slaw” probably makes you think of summer, but this one is firmly rooted in fall. Celeriac (or, celery root) tastes like a celery-scented potato. Unlike a potato, it is fine to eat raw. It makes an excellent pair with autumn apples – the crisper and tarter, the better. Tossed in a bright dressing with lemon, mustard, horseradish, and yogurt (for creamy contrast), it would be excellent alongside a pork chop .

My Potter Hill CSA share share was celeriac, perpetual spinach, onions, potatoes, green peppers, spicy lettuce, purple turnips, and a handful of spicy peppers. This week has been a little lighter on cooking and heavier on aspiration from extra leftovers and lots of dinner work events. When I brought my share home I made a quick stir fry with some leftover eggplant, plus the perpetual spinach, turnip greens, and green peppers (using this sauce). I’m contemplating trying a fermented hot sauce with the medley of spicy peppers. I’m going to wait on cooking the potatoes since they will last a few weeks, but I am still dreaming about this harissa chicken with leeks and potatoes I made a few weeks ago (make it!!!!). I really only want to eat one green salad this time of year, which is spicy greens with a Dijon vinaigrette (like this one), toasted nuts, apples, and dried cranberries (autumnal AF). If you are looking for a festive meal for Halloween, I highly recommend these black and orange burrito bowls (or you could have the same fillings in tacos!).

Celeriac slaw with apples, herbs, and horseradish

Celeriac is pretty knotty, so I find it is easier to peel it with a knife than a vegetable  peeler. Slice off the stems if they’re still attached and some of the remaining roots on the bottom. Then use your chef’s knife (or a paring knife) to remove the outer 1/4 inch.

Adapted from Happyolks

  • 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
  • 2 heaping teaspoons prepared horseradish (if you have fresh definitely use that, but start with 1 teaspoon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon(ish) fresh ground pepper
  • 2 celeriac (aka celery root), peeled
  • 2 apples (no need to peel)
  • 1 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped

In a large bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, Dijon, honey, extra virgin olive oil, Greek yogurt, horseradish, salt, and pepper.

Thinly slice the celeriac and apple into planks about 1/8″ thick, and then slice into matchsticks of the same thickness (alternatively, you can use a mandolin). In a small bowl toss the sliced apples with the remaining tablespoon of lemon juice.

Add the sliced celeriac, apples, and parsley to the bowl and toss to combine with the dressing. Salad is best immediately, but will last for a couple days (the apple just won’t be as crisp).

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup

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IMG_20181018_173543805I have a certain affinity for unappetizing foods. Foods that look terrible no matter what, but taste so good. Poutine. Beans and rice. Baba ghanoush. This soup certainly fits into that category. It is completely brown. Not the rich, glistening brown of a crispy French fry, but the flat brown of a pureed soup. But (but!) it is worth making.

It starts with summer vegetables you know would taste so good roasted, but in August you can’t bring yourself to turn on the oven. While August may be their peak season, tomatoes and eggplant are usually hanging around until the first frost. Which is a point you welcome turning on the oven, and can take those vegetables that are no longer quite at their peak and concentrate their flavor.

You halve them, along with an onion and a few garlic cloves, and stick them in the oven for 45 minutes to get a little bit caramelized. Then you simmer them with some stock for another 45 minutes and puree. What you have is warm and comforting, but not a heavy soup. It is a fall soup made with summer ingredients, or a perfect soup for the transition of seasons. It’s not pretty, but we all have our days.

Besides the eggplant, tomato, and onions I used for this recipe, the rest of my Potter Hill CSA share this week was celeriac, spicy lettuce mix, chard, mustard greens, Tokyo bekana, parsley, and a jalapeño. Alongside this soup, we had a salad of spicy greens dressed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. I’m going to use basically all of the greens in the Olive Oil-Braised Chickpeas with Swiss Chard and Cumin from Dinner: Changing the Game. I haven’t decided how to use the celeriac and parsley yet, but I’ve made this slaw in the past and loved it. If you can’t decide how to use a jalapeño, you could always slice it and throw it into the jar of pickles you’ve already made, or use it to flavor a jar of pickles of another vegetable (spicy pickles carrots!!!).

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Soup

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

  • 3 medium tomatoes, halved
  • 1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2  pounds), halved lengthwise
  • 1 small onion, halved
  • 6 large garlic cloves (do not peel)
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place tomatoes, eggplant, onion, and garlic cloves on baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then check to make sure everything is doing okay (especially the garlic cloves). Rotate the pan and return to the oven for 25 more minutes. All of the vegetables should be soft and slightly charred.

Let cool slightly and remove the skin/peel from the eggplant, onion, and garlic. Add all to the pot along with the tomatoes, broth, salt, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook with the lid on for 45 minutes. Using a stick blender puree the soup (or, you can blend in batches in a food processor or blender). Taste for seasoning and serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

A Vegetable Filled Tortilla Casserole

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I always struggle with the change of seasons. I feel like I’ve just gotten into my groove in the last season when the new one is upon us. But what about all the eggplant and tomatoes I still need to eat?! The warm nights when I sit on my porch and watch the sunset while the kids across the street debate who should be “It”? Reading for hours on the beach, but stopping to walk out as far as possible at low tide and eating lobster rolls? But, I do truly love each and every season. I suppose I can embrace sleeping better during cooler nights, welcoming the added heat roasting and simmering brings into the kitchen, and the wonder that is fall squash (but get the f*$# away from me with your pumpkin spice lattes and cinnamon-sugar rimmed beers) .

This is really a great point in the season, because there are some summer vegetables hanging on while the fall vegetables start to trickle in. This is the point when you actually want to turn on the oven and make roasted tomato and eggplant soup, the idea of which seemed like a hilarious joke at points this summer. Or you can embrace the fall vegetables entirely, and make this easily adaptable tortilla casserole with kale and butternut squash.

This week my share was onions, yellow potatoes, lacinato kale, salad turnips, French radishes, spicy lettuce mix, mint, parsley, eggplant, jalapeños, and butternut squash. I cooked up some Short Creek tsuga sausage, then removed it from the pan and cooked diced radishes and turnips followed by their greens in the delightful drippings, and then served the whole lot over polenta with pecorino (then we ate the leftovers for breakfast with an egg on top and HOT DAMN). The lettuce went into some end-of-season BLTs. Eggplant and cherry tomatoes (from last week) went into a simple roasted dish with haloumi from Smitten Kitchen Every Day Potatoes, parsley, and a leek leftover from last week went into this sheet pan harissa chicken which may be the absolute highest calling for Paul’s potatoes. If you didn’t get around to it last week, you could pickle some onions and jalapeños to top this casserole (or tacos, burritos, chilaquiles, etc).

I used butternut and kale from my share as the main vegetables for this casserole, but it is easily adaptable. You could use corn and spinach as called for in the original recipe, zucchini, eggplant, sweet potatoes, peppers, or whatever else pleases you.

Vegetable Tortilla Casserole

Adapted from Jennifer Farley via Cup of Jo

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 medium onion (mine was ~1 cup when chopped)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or salsa (maybe dial back the spices if you’re using salsa)
  • 3 1/2 cups black or pinto beans (or a mix), rinsed and drained (2 15-ounce cans, or 1 double can)
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 small butternut squash
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 8 large corn tortillas, or 14 small taco tortillas
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese or both
  • Accouterments: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh jalapeño, sour cream or plain yogurt, salsa, pickled jalapeño, pickled onion

Preheat your oven to 400F. Peel, deseed, and chop your butternut into 1″ pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes, toss, and roast for another 10 minutes. You should easily be able to pierce the butternut with a fork.

Dice your onion, mince the garlic clove, and thinly slice the kale. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, and cook until it is translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more, until it is fragrant. Add the spices and stir so the onion and garlic and coated in them, and then add the kale. Toss until the kale is wilted, then add the beans and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors can combine. If it looks a little dry, add 1/4 cup of water.

Make your casserole by greasing a 9″x13″ dish (I used 1 teaspoon olive oil). Add a spoonful each of the tomato mixture and roasted butternut squash so the bottom of the pan is mostly covered. Add a layer or tortillas (I cut some in half to evenly fill the dish), then top with more of the tomato mixture (about 1/4), a large spoonful of the roasted butternut, and a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, finishing with a the tomato mixture, butternut, and cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with a variety of accouterments for topping.

 

Three Quick Pickles (Jalapeño, Carrot, Onion)

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IMG_6452For this week’s Potter Hill CSA recipe I’m focusing on one of my favorite ways to brighten up a dish: pickles. I’ve never met a pickle I don’t like. While I am perfectly happy to eat them straight out of a jar, their tang, spice, and crunch can so often turn a bland dish into something exceptional. This is also a ridiculously easy way to use a vegetable you may not have an immediate plan for.

Anything can be pickled, so there is no need to limit yourself to just cukes. Pickling also doesn’t have to be an elaborate process with numerous jars and hot water baths. It can be as simple as chopping up a little extra veg while you’re making dinner, filling a single jar, and topping it with a quick brine of vinegar and salt. Thinly sliced pickles will take on the flavor of the brine in as little time as half an hour, and the flavor will continue to intensify with time.

I made my pickles with jalapeños, carrots, and onions. While I stuck to a single vegetable for each pickle, you could certainly mix and match (just cut them into uniform sizes/shapes). Feel free to sub different vinegars and/or spices, or add a touch of sweetness. I specify kosher salt in all the recipes. If you’re using table salt, I would cut the amount in half and then add more to taste.

The uses for these are endless. They can top tacos and burrito bowls, add crunch to sandwiches (breakfast or otherwise), elevate a cheese plate or grilled cheese, or provide contrast in a salad (green, potato, egg, tuna, or whatever). The fun doesn’t end with the pickles though! The brine is also a great ingredient for salad dressings and sauces (like the green sauce in the burrito bowls linked above).

My entire CSA share this week was purple potatoes, onions, rainbow carrots, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, thyme, eggplant, celeriac, chard, spicy lettuce mix, jalapeños, and a leek. I used onions, carrots, potatoes, and chard in lentil rice bowls with muhamarra from Bowl + Spoon. Potatoes, tomatoes, and more onions went into a lackluster gratin paired with a spicy salad (the fault of the recipe not the vegetables – I should have just made this again). Eggplant topped my favorite pizza (crispy capers! garlic oil!!). I paired my pickles with these super flavorful Vietnamese-style chicken meatballs, which I’ve made before and according to my husband are “dope” (I concur).

Quick Pickled Jalapeños

Makes 1 1/2-pint

  • 1 cup thinly sliced jalapeños (I used 4)
  • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Combine vinegar and salt and stir to combine. Let sit until the salt dissolves, or heat gently on the stove top or in 30 seconds bursts in the microwave. Add jalapeños to the jar, and pour brine over. Pickled jalapeños will last for a couple months in the fridge, but will soften over time.

Quick Pickled Carrots

Makes 1 pint

You may notice in the photo I used pickling spice, but I only call for mustard seeds below. I love the flavor of pickling spice, but I learned with such a small pickle it is annoying to have to fish out the cloves and allspice berries.  You could use a different spice in mustard seed’s place such as coriander or celery seed. I used a mandoline to julienne my carrots, but you could slice them into coins instead (there will just be less surface area to be pickled).

  • 2 cups julienned carrots (I used 5 smaller carrots, about 3/4 lb)
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, or add more!)

Combine vinegar, salt, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then pour over carrots in their jar. Let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Quick Pickled Onions

Makes 1 pint

A few years ago I got a book from the library on Mexican food that included this genius recipe for pickling onions with just citrus juice. I, of course, did not write down the book title, but this recipe will stick with me forever. I wrote out specific quantities here, but usually I just chop up the onion and squeeze enough citrus juice to submerge it entirely. Will once suggested we use the leftover pickling liquid for a cocktail, which we haven’t done yet…but we will.

  • 2 cups thinly sliced red onion (from 1 onion, about 1/2 lb)
  • 1 cup of freshly squeezed citrus juice (I used 1 orange and 6 limes)

Pour citrus juice over onions. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

Turmeric noodle salad with crunchy veg

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noodle salad

I’ve written before about my annoyance with seasonal creep. We always seem to move to the next season before the current one is over. I love flannel, apples, and warm beverages as much as any born and bred New Englander, but I can wait to embrace them. Even though the school year has started it is still technically summer, and I’m happy to keep eating cold and crunchy things while I can. This salad is a quick dressing, julienned vegetables, and noodles you don’t even need to cook on the stove. Great for the hottest summer days, or those transitional nights when we’re still holding on to later daylight.

My Potter Hill CSA share this week was 1 bunch salad turnips, 1 bunch radishes, spicy lettuce mix, pea shoots, parsley, arugula, 2 lbs potatoes, onions, and cherry tomatoes. Earlier this week I made a light summer lasagna with roasted zucchini, cherry tomatoes, onions and arugula. The potatoes and remaining arugula, along with the spicy lettuce and pea shoots went into potatoes anna and salad, which so delightfully flavorful for so few ingredients, but definitely let it cool a bit before cutting if you want clean slices. Before I decided on this noodle salad I contemplated making this roasted vegetable bowl using potatoes, radishes, turnips, carrots, onions, and the parsley. It would still be an excellent option if the weather cools off again next week.

Turmeric noodle salad with crunchy veg

Serves 4

Adapted from Molly Wizenberg and Heidi Swanson. All sorts of vegetables would be great here. As Molly did in her original recipe, you could add cucumber or cabbage, or some kind of protein. I love Heidi’s idea of adding turmeric to noodles so they become vibrantly yellow, but you could omit the turmeric if you don’t have any.

Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or, 1 garlic clove grated and 1 teaspoon sriracha)

Salad

  • 1 bunch of salad turnips (4 turnips made 2 cups of shredded)
  • 1 bunch radishes (7 small radishes made 1 cup shredded)
  • 1 large carrot (1 cup shredded)
  • 2 scallions, sliced (mine were huge, so about 1 cup total)
  • 1/2 cup chopped herbs, such as cilantro or basil (Thai, regular, or lemon)
  • 8 ounces of rice noodles
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup peanuts
  • Optional: 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes (raw or roasted)
  • Optional: minced jalapenos

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

Shred or julienne turnips, radishes, and carrots. Slice scallions and chop herbs. Place noodles, turmeric, and salt in a large bowl and cover with boiling water (the noodles should be totally submerged). Stir to distribute the turmeric and insure the noodles don’t stick together. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then drain (definitely check after 5 minutes, because thinner noodles will be done at that point). Roughly chop the peanuts.

Toss drained noodles, shredded vegetables (including the tomatoes if you’re using them) , scallions, and dressing in a large bowl. Top with chopped herbs and peanuts. Serve with extra chili garlic sauce and jalapenos.

Big Salads with tzatziki and marinated lentils

Posted on by under Recipes

IMG_6419 (2)Most often when we get lettuce in our CSA I just make some version of this giant salad. Lentils are always a good quick legume to cook when I get home from work if I don’t have another precooked or in cans. Canned tuna is great, as if leftover roasted chicken. Farro or quinoa are nice additions. I usually go with a vinaigrette for dressing, but the tzatziki here adds enough moisture that I don’t think you’ll miss regular dressing. If your household likes tzatziki as much as mine, you may want to double the recipe to have on hand as a snack with cucumber slices or pita chips. I didn’t have any pita when I made this salad, but that would also be a great addition (or stick the whole thing in a sandwich/wrap!).

My full share this week was lettuce, chard, salad turnips, purple potatoes, lemon basil, regular basil, 2 pints of cherry tomatoes, 1 pound of large tomatoes, carrots, and jalapenos. I’m eating potatoes and chard like this again because its so good (have you made it yet?!).  I’ve somehow made it this far into the season without making salsa, so that will be remedied this week. The turnips and their greens are going to go into a cold spicy noodle situation inspired by this and this (but using the chili crisp I already have in the fridge). Speaking of chili crisp, the reason I made it in the first place was to make these Vietnamese-style chicken meatballs which were SO GOOD and would be an excellent use of your lettuce, carrots, turnips, and jalapenos this week.

Big Salads with Tzatziki and Marinated Lentils

Inspired by Ina and Sprouted Kitchen

Serves 6

I know cucumber sizes can vary widely, but I used smaller cukes that you would get at a farmer’s market and when grated (before squeezing) it was 2 cups of shredded cucumber. I used lentils because I had some and they are quick cooking, but white beans or chickpeas would be great too. I find the tzatziki to be enough of a dressing, but if you need some more zing toss the lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice before assembling the rest of the salad.

Tzatziki:

  • 2 small or 1 large cucumber (see note)
  • 2 cups plain (unflavored) Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 chopped dill (and extra for garnish if you like)
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper

Salad:

  • 1 cup French green lentils (sometimes sold as Le Puy)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 small cucumber, chopped
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 head of lettuce, chopped

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the lentils. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender and then drain.

To make the tzatziki: Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater and set in a fine mesh strainer over a bowl to drain (don’t throw out the liquid!!!). While the cucumber is draining combine the yogurt, dill, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper in a bowl. Take small handfuls of the grated cucumber and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, adding the dry cucumber to the bowl with the yogurt mixture as you go. When all of the cucumber has been strained stir to completely integrate it with the yogurt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

After the lentils have drained toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine. Build your salads with lettuce, lentils, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, feta, an artful blob of tzatziki, and a sprinkle of dill.