Swiss Chard with Beets, Goat Cheese, and Raisins

1 ½ lbs. red beets (about 3 large) 4 lbs. Swiss chard ¼ cup olive oil 1 large red onion, halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise ¾ cup sliced green onions (about 3) 5 garlic cloves, chopped 2 jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced crosswise with seeds 3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons golden raisins ¼ cup fresh lime juice 1 51/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons pine nuts Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets individually in foil. Roast until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.) Fold Swiss chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately. Cook chopped leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and reserve. Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sliced stalks; sauté until starting to soften, about 8 minutes. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and 1 cup raisins. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add chard leaves to pot; stir to heat through. Remove from heat; add lime juice and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large platter. Sprinkle with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons raisins. Serve warm or at room temperature. Tried this last night and it was quite nice. We both really liked it. Today Ken finished the left-overs and said that it was just as good cold.

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.