Kale, Cabbage, Potatoes

Colcannon

2 ½ lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
8 tablespoons unsalted butter - (1 stick)
¾ cup milk
4 slices bacon, cut 1/2" dice
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 large leek, white and light green part, halved lengthwise,
rinsed well and thinly sliced
1 bunch curly kale - (abt 3/4 lb), stemmed, and
coarsely chopped
1 small head napa cabbage - (abt 1 lb), cored, and
coarsely chopped
⅛ teaspoon mace or freshly-grated nutmeg
Put the potatoes in a large pot, add water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches and generously salt the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine the butter and milk and heat until the butter melts and the mixture is hot, 8 to 10 minutes.

Set a potato ricer over a large bowl and press the potatoes through in batches. Fold in the milk mixture in two additions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water to keep warm.

Heat a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

I didn't use the cabbage, and it was still very good.

Radishes

Radish Salad

4 C radishes, thinly sliced
3-4 T wine vinegar
1 t. sugar
1 T salt
pepper, freshly ground
Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt; toss well with radishes. Marinate for 1 hour, drain, and add pepper to taste.

What a good salad from the Victory Garden Cookbook! Excellent and easy.

Eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, onions!

Ratatouille
Serves six to eight.

1 lb. eggplant (1 medium globe), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 3-1/2 cups)
Kosher salt
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces onion (1 medium), thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 lb. red bell peppers (2 medium), peeled (as much as possible with a vegetable peeler; serrated works best), cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 lb. zucchini (3 or 4 small), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick half-moons (about 3 cups)
¼ cup chopped garlic (6 to 8 large cloves)
1 lb. tomatoes (2 medium), peeled (with a serrated vegetable peeler; otherwise, skip the peeling), cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Few drops hot sauce
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil (a chiffonade)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint (a chiffonade) (optional)

1. Toss the eggplant with 1 tsp. kosher salt in a colander and let sit in the sink or over a bowl while you prepare the other vegetables.
2. Sauté the vegetables one at a time.
3. Tip: If the juices in the pan look black and burned at any time, rinse the pan with water and wipe it out. If not, leave the cooked-on juices in the pan; they'll add flavor to the final dish.
4. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 Tbs. of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, the thyme, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and deep golden brown, 15 to 20 min. Scrape into a clean colander or large strainer that's set over a bowl to catch the juices.
5. In the same skillet, heat another 3 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and get browned around the edges, about 5 min. Add the rosemary, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're extremely soft and sweet, another 10 to 15 min. Gently fold into the onions in the colander.
6. Heat another 1 Tbs. oil over high heat, and as soon as you see the first hint of smoke, add the zucchini and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Shake and stir to distribute the zucchini slices evenly in the pan so they all get browned. Cook over high heat until tender and nicely browned on both sides, 5 to 7 min. Add to the colander and gently fold with the onions and peppers.
7. Finish with the eggplant and tomatoes.
8. Dump the eggplant onto some paper towels, and pat to blot up surface water. Heat 3 Tbs. olive oil in the skillet over high heat, add the eggplant (no additional salt), and shake and stir to distribute the cubes evenly in the pan so they all get browned. Cook over high heat until lightly browned on several surfaces, about 5 min, and then lower the heat to medium. Cook until the eggplant is very tender--not at all al dente--another 13 to 15 min. Fold into the other vegetables.
9. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and let sizzle for about 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and all their juices and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt. Cook until the tomatoes collapse slightly and the juices thicken and darken a bit, 3 to 5 min. As you're cooking, scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze all the cooked-on vegetable juices. Add to the colander, scraping out all the juice from the skillet, and fold everything together.
10. Let the vegetables rest, then reduce the juices
11. Now let the vegetables sit in the colander for 15 to 20 min. At that point, you should have around 1/2 cup liquid in the bowl. Pour it into a small saucepan, heat until gently boiling, and boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. The flavor should be very bright and intense. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a few drops of the hot sauce to taste. Fold this glaze into the vegetables, along with the basil, parsley, and mint (if using). Taste for salt and add more if needed.
12. Serve now or later.
13. Serve soon, if you want it to be warm, or let the ratatouille cool and serve at room temperature.

Recipe from Fine Cooking web site.

Wonderful recipe! Because everything is actually cooked separately, the flavors are much stronger than if they are cooked together. I did have to use dried herbs, but the flavor was still good.

Potatoes, Peppers, Tomatoes

Potato Gratin with Sweet Peppers and Tomatoes
 

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2 lbs. all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick or less
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 ½ cups water
½ cup dry vermouth
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaf
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced thin
5 plum tomatoes, sliced thin
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub bottom and sides of 5- to 6-cup gratin dish or shallow baking dish with garlic. Mince remaining garlic and set aside. Once garlic in dish has dried, about 2 minutes, spread dish with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.
2. 2. Heat remaining oil in medium saucepan and sauté onion and reserved garlic until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, water, vermouth, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, basil, and cayenne (if desired).
3. 3. Pour half of potato mixture into prepared dish; top with bell pepper. Add remaining potato mixture and cover with tomatoes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Shake dish or use fork to distribute potatoes evenly. Gently press down potatoes until submerged in liquid.
4. 4. Bake, basting once or twice, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and continue baking until top is golden brown, about 40 minutes more. Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Excellent recipe that I made for the first time last summer. I used green peppers instead of red and did not have vermouth--substituted more water for the vermouth. I also covered the gratin dish for the first 45 minutes.--Enjoy--

Potatos, cucumbers, radishes, green peppers & onions

Crispy Potato Salad with Blue Cheese

1 ½ lbs. small new potatoes
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon dried marjoram
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
⅓ cup salad oil
½ cup radishes, sliced
½ cup cucumber, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 eggs, hard-boiled, sliced
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled
tomato wedges, for garnish

1. Cook potatoes (unpeeled) in boiling salted water to cover until tender (25 to 30 minutes). Drain and slice while warm. Place in a large bowl.

2. While potatoes cook, in a small bowl mix vinegar, mustard, salt, marjoram, pepper, and garlic. Using a whisk or fork, gradually beat in oil until well combined. Pour oil mixture over warm potatoes, stirring gently to coat potato slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or as long as overnight, if you wish).

3. Lightly mix in radishes, cucumber, onion, pepper, carrot, celery, parsley and hard-cooked eggs. Mix mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth; stir in cheese. Fold mayonnaise mixture into potatoes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours. Garnish with tomato wedges.

What a great recipe. I normally use my mother's potato salad recipe, but decided to try this one, since it uses veggies from the CSA. I will definitely be using it again!

Eggplant

Lamb and Eggplant Moussaka

3 lbs. eggplant (2 large or 3 medium)
2 large russet potatoes
Salt as needed
⅓ cup olive oil, or as needed
2 cups diced onion
1 ¼ lbs. ground lamb (or substitute beef, turkey, pork, or combination)
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cloves
Small piece cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)
1 bay leaf
Pinch ground allspice
Freshly ground black pepper, as needed
½ cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup dry red wine
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
2 cups Cheese Sauce

1. 1. Peel, salt, and rinse the eggplant if desired (see note "Preparing Eggplant for Cooking" below).
2. 2. Place potatoes in a pot and add enough water to cover them. Over medium-high heat bring them to a boil and boil lightly for 5 minutes. Cool, cut into 1/8-inch slices, and set aside.
3. 3. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the eggplant to the hot oil a few slices at a time and sautéthe eggplant slices, turning as necessary, until tender and lightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a rack to drain while you sauté the remaining eggplant, adding more oil to the skillet as necessary.
4. 4. To prepare a meat sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the meat loses its raw appearance, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, allspice, salt, pepper, and about 1/2 cup water. Simmer until thick and flavorful, about 30 minutes. Add the tomato paste and red wine and continue simmering until the wine has developed a sweet aroma, about 10 minutes.
5. 5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
6. 6. To assemble the moussaka: Scatter the bread crumbs in a deep, rectangular baking dish. Place a layer of half of the eggplant slices over the bread crumbs. Add the meat sauce and spread it into an even layer. Place an even layer of sliced potatoes over the sauce. Add the remaining eggplant in an even layer over the meat sauce. Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese sauce is thick and golden brown and the eggplant is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let the moussaka rest for about 20 minutes before cutting and serving.

Cheese Sauce

5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups milk
Few grains of nutmeg
Salt as needed
Freshly ground black pepper as needed
2 egg yolks
½ cup grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

1. 1. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in the milk, working out any lumps that form. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 30 minutes.
2. 2. Remove the sauce from the heat and add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk the egg yolks in a small boil and add a bit of the hot sauce to the yolks. Blend well, and return the yolk mixture to the rest of the béchamel. Stir in the cheese and blend well. Keep warm while preparing the moussaka.

Excellent recipe that came from Epicurious.com. I forgot how long it takes to prepare moussaka, however! I was also pleased that not only was I able to use the eggpland--and finish it for the week--but onions, plum tomatoes, & potatoes from the CSA.

Eggplant

Pan Fried Eggplant with Saffron Mayonnaise

1 pinch saffron
1 tablespoon hot water
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup olive oil, or as needed
8 sprigs parsley, for garnish

1. Stir saffron into hot water, and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir together saffron water, mayonnaise, and minced garlic until smooth; set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and kosher salt in a shallow bowl. Dip the eggplant slices into beaten egg, then dust with flour. Gently shake off excess flour, and place eggplant slices onto a baking sheet.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil before frying each batch of eggplant. Once all of the eggplant has been fried, roll up into cylinders and secure with toothpicks. Garnish with parsley and serve with saffron mayonnaise.

This recipe came from Allrecipes.com. The best thing about it the sauce for the eggplant!

Cucumbers & Corn

Corn and Cucumber Salad

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups cooked corn kernels
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
½ cup vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill for several hours.

This recipe came from Allrecipes.com and is even better the next day after the veggies have had time to marinate.

Eggplant

Herb-roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta

For a great vegetarian entrée, serve the vegetables on a bed of couscous.
1 1 3/4-pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large plum tomatoes, cored, quartered lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 teaspoons oregano and serve.

Excellent recipe found at Epicurious.com.

Uncooked Pasta Sauce

Fusilli with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

4 large tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons basil, julienned
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 tablespoons goat cheese
parmesan cheese to serve at table
1 lb. pasta, fusilli or farfalle works well
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

1. Start water to boil for the pasta as you begin making the sauce. Cook the pasta according to package instructions (you should be able to get sauce ready by time pasta is done). Dice 2 of the tomatoes and put in a large serving bowl. Add the basil and scallions to this bowl, and combine.
2. Cut the other 2 tomatoes into chunks that will fit into food processor. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor, then puree the tomatoes in the processor. Pour these pureed tomatoes into the serving bowl with the diced tomatoes and basil, stir to combine. When the pasta is ready, combine it with the sauce, and add the goat cheese. Serve with extra parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!

This recipe is from David Crowley from his blog:  http://cookingchat.blogspot.com/. This is a wonderful recipe and will be used again this summer.

Zucchini--Asian style

Asian-style Zucchini

1 teaspoon butter
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch slices
2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
garlic powder to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the zucchini, and cook until lightly browned. Sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Season with garlic powder and pepper, and continue cooking until zucchini is well coated and tender.

I sliced the zucchini in 1/4" slices rather than 1". They cooked faster and seemed more delicate. This is an excellent and rather unexpected way to serve zucchini.

Radicchio, Chard & Onions

Rainbow Chard and Radicchio Sauté

2 lbs. rainbow chard (3 to 4 medium bunches)
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. radicchio (about 2 large heads), cored, cut into 1-inch wedges, leaves separated (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons (or more) red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons currants (optional)
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Cut ribs from chard; chop crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups). Slice leaves crosswise into 1-inch strips (about 16 cups).
2. Melt butter with oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add chard ribs; cover and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Working in batches, add chard leaves and radicchio, stirring until wilted. Cook uncovered until vegetables are tender, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons vinegar and currants, if desired. Season with salt and pepper and more vinegar, if desired.
3. Using slotted spoon, transfer chard mixture to bowl. Sprinkle pine nuts over.
 

What a surprise--I actually liked the bitter radicchio when the bitterness was offset by the raisins and vinegar. Definitely a keeper and will probably use up the rest of the radicchio the same way. I did halve the recipe--but not the currants and vinegar.

Beets--Chilled Borscht

Chilled Borscht

2 lbs. beets (6 medium), scrubbed and all but 1 inch of stems removed
1 small onion, peeled
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

1. Place the beets, onion, 7 cups water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer until the beets are tender and can be easily pierced with a skewer, about 45 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the onion. Transfer the beets to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Strain the liquid through a strainer lined with paper towel and reserve.
3. With a paper towel, rub the skin from beets. Grate half of the beets using the large holes on a box grater or a food processor fitted with a shredding disk. Refrigerate the ­grated beets until cold. Cut the remaining beets into large chunks. Place half of the cut beets in a blender. Add just enough cooking liquid to cover them by 1 inch and blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large container. Repeat with the remaining beets. Stir the remaining ­cooking liquid into the pureed beets and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
4. Remove the pureed beets and grated beets from the refrigerator. Whisk the heavy cream and sour cream into the pureed beets until smooth and fully blended. Stir in the grated beets. (Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.) Stir in the lemon juice and adjust the seasonings. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the dill and other garnishes as desired. Serve immediately.--CooksIllustrated.com

This is the best recipe that I've found for beets yet! It was really delicious. We had it with left-over cole slaw and green beans--all from the CSA.

Cabbage--Slaw

Creamy Coleslaw

1 pound cabbage--1/4 head of the huge head that we received!
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or 1 teaspoon table salt
½  onion, minced
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Ground black pepper Ground black pepper

1. Toss cabbage and carrots with salt in colander set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
2. Dump wilted cabbage and carrots into the bowl. Rinse thoroughly in cold water (ice water if serving slaw immediately). Pour vegetables back into colander, pressing, but not squeezing on them to drain. Pat dry with paper towels. (Can be stored in a zipper-lock bag and refrigerated overnight.)
3. Pour cabbage and carrots back again into bowl. Add onions, mayonnaise, and vinegar; toss to coat. Season with pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Excellent recipe, but it was clear that the very fresh cabbage contributed quite a bit to the wonderful taste. This recipe made much more than I anticipated. I only used 1/4 head of cabbage and we have coleslaw for at least two or three meals. Yikes!

Lettuce Curry!

Vietnamese Beef and Lettuce Curry

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2 cups water
5 teaspoons white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fish sauce
5 tablespoons water
1 ½ tablespoons chile sauce
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes
2 cups lettuce leaves, torn into 1/2 inch wide strips
 

1. In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mash together the sugar and 1 clove garlic with a pestle. Mix in the fish sauce, water, chile sauce, and lemon juice.
3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, and quickly saute the 3 cloves garlic. Mix the beef into the wok, season with cumin, and cook until evenly brown. Pour in the tomatoes and about 1/2 the fish sauce mixture. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until thickened.
4. Toss the lettuce into the beef mixture. Serve at once over the cooked rice with the remaining fish sauce mixture on the side.
Source
AllRecipes.com

We didn't eat this over rice and it was still quite good. I also did not have fish sauce on hand. This is an unexpected way to use lettuce--very unexpected!

Zucchini, Basil, Summer Squash

Garden Vegetable Medley

2 yellow squash, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 tablespoons water
1 tomato, sliced
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
1 ½ teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a large skillet. Cover, reduce
heat, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato and next 3 ingredients.

Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

If you have to substiture dired herbs, use « t. of each basil and thyme.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Another yummy, easy recipe!

Beet Salad with Greens

Beet Salad with Pecans and Mixed Greens
 

5 small beets (about 1-1/2 in. diameter)
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ lbs. Belgian endive
12 leaves romaine lettuce, in 1/2-inch strips
½ cup pecan pieces
 

1. Rinse beets, taking care not to pierce the skin. In base of a steamer over medium-high heat, bring at least 1 inch of water to a boil (boiling water should not reach holes in upper part of steamer).

2. Place beets in steamer top above boiling water. Cover tightly and steam over high heat, adding boiling water occasionally as needed, until beets are tender (about 50 minutes).

3. Remove beets and let cool. Peel beets while holding them under cold running water.

4. To make dressing, whisk mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually pour in oil in a fine stream, whisking constantly. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

5. Wipe endive and trim bases. Cut leaves in fairly thin slices crosswise. In medium bowl, combine endive with vinaigrette and toss; let marinate 5 minutes.

6. Just before serving, dice beets and add to endive mixture. Add strips of lettuce and toss gently. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Another unexpectedly good salad--this time with beets. I didn't have endive or pecans, but it was still a wonderful salad and again--super-easy.

Zucchini Salad

Zucchini Salad

2 medium zucchini, shredded
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin seed
black pepper
paprika
2 tablespoons onion, grated

In a colander, sprinkle zucchini with salt and allow to stand 15 minutes. Squeeze as much moisture as possible from zucchini. Combine remaining ingredients in ceramic bowl. Stir in zucchini. Chill at least one hour.

Who would have thought that such a simple recipe would be so good--Really!!

Romaine Lettuce, Radishes

Vietnamese Beef and Lettuce Curry

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
2 cups water
5 teaspoons white sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup fish sauce
5 tablespoons water
1 ½ tablespoons chile sauce
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (28 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes
2 cups lettuce leaves, torn into 1/2 inch wide strips
 

1. In a pot, bring the rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mash together the sugar and 1 clove garlic with a pestle. Mix in the fish sauce, water, chile sauce, and lemon juice.
3. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat, and quickly saute the 3 cloves garlic. Mix the beef into the wok, season with cumin, and cook until evenly brown. Pour in the tomatoes and about 1/2 the fish sauce mixture. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes, until thickened.
4. Toss the lettuce into the beef mixture. Serve at once over the cooked rice with the remaining fish sauce mixture on the side.

Changes I made: I didn't serve it over rice--just the meat by itself. I didn't have fish sauce, so that was left out. And, I used double the amount of lettuce and half the amount of tomatoes. It is an excellent recipe and will be used again.

Radishes Chinese Style

2 T soy sauce

2 T white vinegar

1 T sugar

2 T sesame oil

4 C sliced radishes

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and oil; mix with radishes. Cover, refrigerate, and marinate for at least 1 hour.

This recipe comes from the Victory Garden Cookbook. I halved it and it was plenty for the two of us. Again,an excellent recipe that I will use again.

July 3--Spinach and Scallions

One-skillet: Chicken and Spinach with White Beans

3 teaspoons Extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ lbs. Chicken breasts
2 Celery stalks - minced
4 Garlic cloves - minced
2 Shallots - minced
15 ounces Tomatoes - canned, diced
1 teaspoon Fresh rosemary - or 1/2ts dried rosemary
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 cup Chicken broth - defatted
15 ounces Cannellini - canned
12 ounces Spinach - fresh
Salt
Black pepper - fresh ground
10 Black olives - brine cured
1. Heat 2 TS oil in large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sautÇ until firm and white, not pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm. 2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 TS oil. Add celery, garlic and shallots and sautÇ until limp and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and rosemary and simmer minutes. 3. Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth and add to skillet. Bring to boil and cook until sauce is thickenedd. Add cannellini beans and chicken; heat through. 4. Just before serving, add spinach to skillet and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Garnish with chopped olives. Serve at once.

Excellent recipe, that I, of course, modified to fit the ingredients that I had on hand. I used scallions from the CSA instead of shallots, did not have celery, used boned chicken thighs and did not use the cornstarch. It was very tasty and the recipe will be used again.

Swiss chard

Chard
Bacon
Garlic
Shallot
Eggs
Parmesan Cheese

This recipe came to me from Dina Smith. The directions are fairly self-explanatory from the ingredients. Sauté the bacon, add the shallot (I used plain onions) along with the garlic. Add the chard (I used chard and spinach.). Put portions on plates and top with a fried egg and parmesan cheese. I didn't use the parmesan and it was still a wonderful dish. Thanks, Dina.

Butter Lettuce

Butter Lettuce and Radish Salad with Lemon-garlic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sherry vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup canola oil

Table salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 heads butter lettuce, outer leaves discarded, leaves torn
12 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
¼ cup mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chervil, basil, and chives, minced

1 (3-ounce) piece Parmesan cheese

1. In 1-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water. Using mortar and pestle or food processor, grind or crush garlic, lemon zest, and kosher salt into fine paste. Whisk paste into lemon juice mixture. Gradually whisk in oil. Whisk in table salt and pepper to taste.
 

2. In large bowl, toss together lettuce, radishes, minced herbs, and dressing. Divide mixture among 6 salad plates. Using vegetable peeler, shave curls of Parmesan atop each salad and serve.

I only had lettuce left from the CSA--and no fresh herbs and no parmesan. That said, the dressing was superior and it made a lovely salad. Ken doesn't like green salads and wasn't crazy about it, but it really was good!

June 25--Kohlrabi

Butter-Braised Sliced Kohlrabi

1 ½ lbs kohlrabies
4-6 T butter
onions, chopped

Peel and slice kohlrabies into 1/4 inch pieces. Heat 2 T. butter and sauté the onions until wilted, add the kohlrabies, and lightly brown for about 5 minutes. Add remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and slowly cook until kohlrabies are tender, 20-25 minutes.

What an easy recipe! The only caveat is to not slice the kohlrabies too thin. The recipe says 1/4" and slices should not be any thinner than that. Any thinner, and you risk burning the slices. I learned that the hard way last summer! This time I was much more careful to slice them a little thicker and to watch as they cooked. I didn't need to cook them more than 15 or so minutes.

June 24--Lettuce

Wow--what a surprise! Who knew that plain old iceberg lettuce could almost taste like bok choy! One of the lettuces that we received this week was a gigantic head of iceberg lettuce. Look what I did with it last night--or at least half of it!

Stir-fried Garlic Lettuce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¾ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 lb. hearts of romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces
1 teaspoon sesame oil (see note)

1.Combine the rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.

2.Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the vegetable oil, add the garlic, and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Add the lettuce and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it is just limp. Stir the sauce, swirl it into the wok, and stir-fry for 30 seconds to 1 minute more, or until the lettuce is just tender and still bright green. Remove from the heat, drizzle on the sesame oil, and serve.

Changes to the recipe are as follows: I actually pureed the garlic and cut up the lettuce into inch wide ribbons--cross-grain.

June 23--Arugula & Summer Turnips

Onion and Arugula Frittata

This frittata from Puglia is flavored with onion and arugula. Substitute watercress or spinach leaves if you have no arugula.
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch of arugula, tough stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
8 large eggs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. 1. Place the onions in a bowl with cold water to cover. Let stand 1 hour, changing the water once or twice, until the onions taste sweet. Drain and pat dry.

2. 2. Pour the oil into a 9-inch nonstick skillet. Add the onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the arugula until wilted, about 1 minute.

3. 3. In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the skillet and lower the heat. Cover and cook until the eggs are just set but still moist in the center and the frittata is lightly browned on the bottom, about 5 to 10 minutes.

4. 4. Using a spatula to help, slide the frittata onto a plate. Invert the skillet over the plate and quickly flip both the plate and skillet so that the frittata is back in the pan with the cooked side up. Cook until just set in the center, about 5 minutes more. Or, if you prefer not to flip it, slide the skillet under the broiler 3 to 5 minutes or until the eggs are set to taste.

5. 5. Slide the frittata onto a serving dish and cut into wedges. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Grated White Turnips
2 lbs Turnips
Salt
4 T Butter
¾ C Heavy cream
Herbs

1. Peel and grate turnps, then sprinkle with salt and set aside. AFter 30 minutes, squeeze the water out; you will ahve approximately 4 C of turnps.

2. Melt butter in a sauté pan and stir in turnips. Turn heat to los, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Uncover, turn heat to medium. season with salt and pepper, stir, add cream (if desired), and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until cream has heated through.

4. Add some favorite herbs, such as marjoram or basil, if you wish.

I didn't add any cream and actually did not cover them, but rather kept stirring. They were wonderful and we'd never had turnips cooked this way.

June 22--Radishes, Lettuce, Beets

Last summer we participated in a CSA from Kenney Farms in Concord. We are doing so again this summer and our first distribution was this past Tuesday. In an effort to share the recipes that I have found for all the wonderful veggies, I will be posting recipes that I use for dinner throughout the summer.

Roasted Radishes
2 bunches medium radishes (such as red, pink, and purple; about 20)
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

2. medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.

3. Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.


Lettuce and Peas
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 spring onions or 3 scallions thinly sliced, or one quarter of an onion, finely chopped
About 20 large leaves of lettuce, washed well and sliced into 1-inch ribbons (stalks OK)
About one-half cup vegetable or chicken stock (low-sodium if packaged), or water
One-half teaspoon coarse kosher salt
One-half teaspoon sugar
1 generous cup fresh shelled peas (or frozen, but fresh are in now and they're so worth shelling)
1 tablespoon heavy cream or creme fraiche (optional)
 
1. 1. Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat and add onions. Cook until soft but not colored, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.
 
2. 2. Add ribboned lettuce to pan with stock, salt and sugar and toss to combine.
 
3. 3. Add peas, cover pan and cook, just until lettuce and peas are tender, about 5 minutes, but might take longer for more sturdy varieties of lettuce.
 
4. 4. If using cream, stir in at end. Taste and add seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.

Spring Beet Salad
2 lbs. baby beets, scrubbed(assorted red and yellow)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup small fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the roots and stems off the beets to 1 inch.

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and bake on a baking sheet until tender when tested with a toothpick, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, remove the foil and slip off the skins. Halve the beets lengthwise.

Combine the vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil and continue whisking until thickened. Toss with the beets.

Place the beets in a serving bowl and garnish with the mint.



The big surprise in this menu was the roasted radishes. Last summer I tried various recipes for the cooking radishes, but had not success! These were wonderful.