Good Eats Newsletter - March 11, 2015

Localvore Members  & Veggie Only Share Members take a TAN / LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag will contain: Shoots; Potatoes; Carrots; Beets; Cabbage; Cippolini Onions And OUT of the bag: Frozen Broccoli Frozen Roasted Peppers Localvore Offerings Include: Slowfire Maple Pecan Bread Cellars Landaff Cheese Pete's Greens Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Kimchi Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Shoots; Potatoes; Carrots; Beets; Cabbage; Cippolini Onions And OUT of the bag: Frozen Broccoli

Want to get a free Pete's Greens t-shirt, tote bag, or jar of honey? Refer a friend to our CSA! We've still got shares available for the spring. If you refer a new member to Good Eats you'll get your choice of one of those items. Let us know if you have any questions! *If you have already referred a friend to the spring share I'll be in touch with you later this week to find out what you'd like. Deliveries start this week at 116 State St, Montpelier If you would like to pick up your share here going forward let me know!

Storage and Use Tips Many of you have been asking what do you do with shoots?  Often I use them as a salad base and add lots of shredded carrots and beets with it, or I'll steam or saute some greens and add the shoots on top.  They're great in sandwiches, especially egg salad.  Try adding the shoots to pasta, burritos, on top of a stew or sloppy joes.  They are terrifically healthy so do your body some good and experiment with ways to pack them in!  I found a neat website with lots of shoot options; it's a pea shoot website out of Britain but I thought it was a great jumping off point with some new ideas. This weeks' potatoes are a mix of baby potatoes. These would make excellent boiled potatoes to go with your St Patty's Day celebration, or roasted, mashed, or just about any other way you can think of to enjoy your potatoes. See below for a great mashed recipe! This week's carrots are a mix of purple, white, yellow, and orange carrots.  These are all very sweet carrots that don't need a whole lot of preparation to enjoy. They should be stored loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer, where they will keep for a couple of weeks. Red beets have so many health benefits. They contain betaine, the same substance that is used in certain treatments of depression. They also contain trytophan, which relaxes the mind and creates a sense of well-being, similar to chocolate. Beets can also lower your blood pressure. They also contain potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; and folic acid. Beets are particularly beneficial to women who are pregnant, as the vitamin B and iron are very beneficial to new growth cells during pregnancy and replenishing iron in the woman’s body. Beets cleanse the body- they're a wonderful tonic for the liver, works as a purifier for the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer. Try shredding your beets and adding to your salads, juice them, boil or roast them. Store your beets in the fruit and vegetable drawer of your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Savoy cabbage has loosely wrapped, savoyed or crumpled leaves.  These cabbages have a thick wrapper leaf which enables them to store well but are not as well suited to stir fry or egg rolls as Chinese types of cabbages with their thin skins and sweet flavor.  They are also not so high in dry matter like your slaw or kraut cabbages which are perfect for retaining structure during processing and fermenting.  The savoy cabbage is perfect for cooking however, especially in soups that can tenderize its thick kale-like leaves.  I also prefer savoy cabbages to stuff with rice, tomato sauce and sausages.  Saute with a little butter and a splash of milk or cream to quickly soften the leaves and bring out its sweet flavors on the stove top.  Store cabbage in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer for a few weeks. The large share is getting red cippolini onions. These onions, pronounced chip-oh-LEE-nee, are small flattened Italian onion with a sweet, mild flavor. Cippolinis are traditionally served roasted or baked, but also work well on kebabs or eaten fresh. If you have never eaten a roasted cippolini you must, as you will never think of onions the same way. The advantage of the cipollini is its mild flavor that when roasted caramelizes quickly into sweet, flavorful goodness! Their shape lends them well to roasting. A classic Italian recipe is to glaze them with balsamic vinegar, roast and serve as part of an antipasto. Cippolini onions do not store as well as your typical onion. For short term storage keep in a cool, dry place or in the butter compartment of your fridge. Frozen roasted peppers - these Anaheim peppers were picked at peak freshness and roasted in our kitchen. They're mild on the heat scale.  They're not going to retain their shape as they would eaten fresh but are great for salsas, added to a sandwich or salad, or chopped and added to burritos or added to stews or soups. They'll add a little kick to your life in this cold weather! Our frozen broccoli was blanched for a minute or two in our kitchen before cooling and freezing.  It is not a substitute for fresh broccoli in salads or places where you really need the veggies to be crisp.  But they are fantastic for pastas, burritos, casseroles, quiches, soup etc. To reheat, bring some water to a boil in a pot and put in all or a part of the bag of broccoli (you can saw off chunks of frozen if you don't want to use the whole thing). Heat for 2-5 minutes, testing each minute after 2 minutes to see if it has reached the tenderness you seek. Veggie Storage and Use Tips are on our website too, so please bookmark the recipe and storage tip section.  I am sure you will find it useful. Localvore Lore Slowfire Bakery made loaves of their Maple Pecan bread for you. Slowfire is a farm-based, wood-fired bakery overlooking the Lamoille River at Waiora Valley Farm in Jeffersonville. They make breads and pastries that are naturally leavened, hand-crafted, and baked in a masonry oven (pictured at right). They source their flours, all of which are organic, from Meunerie Milanaise in Quebec, and procure dairy and produce from even closer: their own gardens and forest, those of their neighbors, and nearby farms.  The maple syrup comes from a friend of theirs in Fletcher. Made from thier own high quality Holstein raw cow's milk, Landaff Creamery's Landaff Cheese is a mild, semi-firm cheese with a delicious combination of flavors. Its complexity balances a bright buttermilk tang and savory brown butter notes. The buttery texture comes with a natural, cave-aged rind. It melts beautifully for cooking, and makes a wonderful addition to any cheese plate. Remove cheese from the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to eat it. This will allow the full flavors to be enjoyed. Keep your cheese surfaces protected so they won't dry out. If mold does develop, just trim it off. The natural cave-aged rind is safe to eat. Landaff Cheese placed third in the Open Class Semi-soft Cheese class at the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2012!  Doug and Deb Erb craft Landaff on their second-generation dairy farm in the White Mountains. Declining milk prices drove the Erbs’ determined pursuit of cheesemaking as a way to revitalize their farm. Doug developed Landaff after study with the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese and time spent making Caerphilly with the Duckett family of Somerset, England. The cheese is made there and then brought to Cellars to age. Pete's Kimchi is a wonderfully spicy kimchi that we collaborated with Michelle Guenard of Michelle's Spicy Kimchi to make.  We used our vegetables and her recipe (thanks Michelle!).  Her kimchi has received rave reviews so we are excited to have the opportunity to bring it to you.  This spicy condiment is a real treat and is extremely healthy for you.  It's loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but most importantly has "healthy bacteria" in it that aid in digestion.  It's one of the world's healthiest foods!  This kimchi was made with our own organic napa cabbage, carrots, onion, plus daikon radish, red chile pepper flakes, rice flour, sugar, garlic and ginger root.  The non-vegetarian version also includes fish sauce made with anchovies, salt, and sugar. What to do with your kimchi?  Eat it as a banchan as some Koreans do (serve a little bowl of it with every meal), stir it into rice or eggs, fry it into kimchi pancakes, or include on a grilled cheese sandwich (my favorite way to eat it). **Please be careful selecting your kimchi!** We leave enough vegan kimchi at sites for Vegetarian Localvore and Vegetarian Pantry Members. All others should select non-vegan kimchi.  Both kimchis are clearly marked on the lids and the vegan kimchis will include the members' name. If you aren't certain of your share type, please check the names list when you check off at your site. Starving a Landfill - Efficiency in the Kitchen to Reduce Food Waste A CSA member forwarded this article that ran in The New York Times last week. It's an article about reducing food waste in your home kitchen as well as in restaurants. There are even new restaurants and stores popping up that just use food scraps and waste - pretty cool! Check it out here. Do you have any great ideas for keeping food out of the landfill? Please share if you do! Here are a few of my own basic tips: Put all veggie peels, ends, and other scraps into a ziploc bag. Put into the freezer, add to it when you've got more, and use it to make broth After roasting a chicken boil the carcass down to make chicken broth Compost, compost, compost! Feed veggie scraps to chickens or other animals Eat leftovers Use citrus peels to add flavor to other dishes Soft fruit goes great in smoothies Wilted or veggies past their prime go great in soups or roasted Changes to Your Delivery? If you will be away some upcoming week, and need to make changes to your share delivery, let us know at least 1 week before the change. You can have your share donated to the Food Pantry, or you can skip your share delivery and you will retain a credit on your account toward the purchase of your next share. Recipes Carrot and Potato Mash This recipe comes to you from my new book, Edible - a Celebration of Local Foods by Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian. This is a great book that celebrates the local foods movement with essays about local heroes and a collection of recipes that showcase both classic and modern dishes with foods grown in our backyards. 4 carrots, cut into 1- inch lengths 4 potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes 3 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more if needed 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper In a larget pot of boiling salted water, add the carrots and potatoes. Return the water to a boil and cook until the carrots and potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. In a large colander, drain the veggies. Return them to the pot and add the butter and buttermilk. Using a potato masher, mash the carrots and potatoes to the desired consistency (leave some lumps if desired). Add the salt and pepper and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Roasted Root Vegetables Any combination of root veggies would work well in this recipe. The list includes, but is not limited to, sweet potatoes, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, fennel, turnips, rutabage, beets, kohlrabi, and onion wedges. Each of these vegetables contain natural sugars that caramelize when roasted, intensifying their flavor and sweetness.  If you make this with this week's beets keep them separate while tossing with the oil, salt and spices. They can be roasted on the same pan but try to keep them separate so the colors don't bleed onto the other veggies. 2 pounds assorted root veggies, cleaned, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks 2 tbsp olive or grapeseed oil 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more if needed 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano, optional 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, plus more if needed, optional Preheat the oven to 425. Line the bottom of a 9x14 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables. Add the oil, salt, and thyme, if using. Using your hands, toss the veggies to coat well with the oil and seasonings. Transfer the veggies in a single layer to the baking sheet. Bake until veggies such as potatoes and sweet potatoes are soft, and other veggies such as parsnips and beets are tender but still slightly firm, when pierced with a knife, about 35-45 minutes. Transfer the veggies to a serving bowl or platter. Add the vinegar, if using, and gently toss the veggies to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Quick-Sautéed Savoy Cabbage Here's a great recipe for your cabbage if you've never been one for the traditional boiled cabbage that often goes along with the corned beef on St Patrick's Day. I didn’t learn to love cabbage until I cooked it hot-and-fast–in a sauté pan, in a stir-fry pan, on a griddle—anything where I could bring out its sweeter side with a little browning. 2 tablespoons chicken broth ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce ¼ teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion (4 to 5 ounces), thinly sliced kosher salt for seasoning ½ head Savoy cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 8 to 9 ounces) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley (optional) Combine the chicken broth, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the butter is foamy, add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring, until the onions are somewhat softened and just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add all of the cabbage and ½ teaspoon salt and stir well. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until the cabbage is limp and browned in spots (the bottom of the pan will be very brown and the onions will be brown), about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the chicken broth mixture and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir until the butter has melted, scraping up some of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Let the cabbage sit in the pan for two minutes and stir again. (The cabbage will release a little more moisture and you’ll be able to incorporate a bit more of the browned bits.) Add the parsley, stir again, and transfer to a serving dish. Serve right away. Simple Vegetarian BiBimBap Many bibimbap recipes online feature meats but I liked the looks of this vegetarian one. This is a very basic recipe just begging for your personal touch - use whatever veggies you have on hand and make it your own. This would be amazing with some added kimchi! 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 cup carrot matchsticks 1 cup celeriac matchsticks 6 ounces canned bamboo shoots, drained 1 (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained 1/8 teaspoon salt to taste 2 cups cooked and cooled rice 1/3 cup sliced green onions  2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter 3 eggs 3 teaspoons sweet red chili sauce, or to taste Shoots Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir carrot in the hot oil until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Cook and stir until carrots are tender, about 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and set vegetables aside. Stir cooked rice, green onions, soy sauce, and black pepper in the same skillet until the rice is hot. In a separate skillet over medium heat, melt butter and gently fry eggs, turning once, until the yolks are still slightly runny but the egg whites are firm, about 3 minutes per egg. To serve, divide hot cooked rice mixture between 3 serving bowls and top each bowl with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture, a handful of shoots, and a fried egg. Serve sweet red chili sauce on the side for mixing into bibimbap. Roasted Carrots and Cippolini Onions Cippolinis deserve to be roasted and are great on their own with no fancy treatment. Add the carrots though and some wine and stock and you really have something special. 1 pound cippolini onions, ends trimmed and peeled, halve larger onions 2 pounds baby carrots 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1/4 cup white wine 1/4 cup chicken stock Salt and coarsely ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a sheet tray, toss onions and carrots with oil, butter, wine, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden and caramelized, about 25 to 30 minutes. Toss in a shallow serving bowl and garnish with parsley. Chocolate Beet Cake In honor of St Patrick's Day I usually make some sort of Guinness desert. My favorite is this Guinness chocolate silk pie but I've also had great success with cupcakes and flourless cake. I tried to find a Guinness recipe featuring beets (beets are an excellent addition to chocolate cake!) but didn't have any luck. Nonetheless I think this recipe, from David Leibowitz, will be a tasty treat featuring our beets. 8 ounces (240 g) beets, unpeeled 7 ounces (200 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (70% cacao solids), chopped 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot espresso (or water) 7 ounces (200 g) butter, at room temperature, cubed 1 cup (135 g) flour 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (the darkest you can find, natural or Dutch-process) 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature pinch of salt 1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar   Butter an 8- or 8 1/2 inch (20 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Boil the beets in salted water with the lid askew until they’re very tender when you stick a knife in them about 45 minutes. Drain then rinse the beets with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slip off the peels, cut the beets into chunks, and grind them in a food processor until you get a coarse, yet cohesive, puree. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a cheese grater.) Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). In a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring as little as possible. Once it’s nearly all melted, turn off the heat (but leave the bowl over the warm water), pour in the hot espresso and stir it once. Then add the butter. Press the butter pieces into the chocolate and allow them to soften without stirring. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir until the butter is melted. Let sit for a few minutes to cool, then stir the egg yolks together and briskly stir them into the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the beets. In a stand mixer, or by hand, whip the egg whites until stiff. Gradually fold the sugar into the whipped egg whites with a spatula, then fold them into the melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the flour and cocoa powder. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and reduce the heat of the oven to 325ºF (160ºC), and bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until the sides are just set but the center is still is just a bit wobbly. Do not overbake. Let cake cool completely, then remove it from the pan. Serving and storage: This cake tastes better the second day; spread with crème fraîche and sprinkle with poppy seeds shortly before serving. Or serve them alongside. BBQ Country Style Ribs Country style ribs require long slow cooking and deserve to be cooked to the meat is nearly falling from the bone. You can do this in a slow cooker in about 6-8 hours, or you can go the oven route and get there in a shorter amount of time. Either way, the results should be delicious. This recipe was reviewed by over 200 users of allrecipes.com, most giving it 5 stars. Not surprising as the method is perfect for this cut of meat and the lemon slices on top help tenderize the meat while it cooks. You could use any BBQ sauce for this, or just serve the ribs plain if you have picky kids in the house. They'll be yummy regardless. Some reviewers covered the ribs with foil for the first 2 hours to keep the more moist. 10 country style pork ribs 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). In a shallow baking pan or roaster, place ribs in a single layer; salt if desired. Spread the garlic on the ribs, then place the lemon slices on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 2 hours - the ribs should be tender. Drain any grease and liquid. Pour BBQ sauce over the ribs. Return to oven and bake one more hour at 200 to 250 degrees F.