Salad Mix: Lettuce, claytonia, upland cress, spinach, and roots. A hearty blend
Fennel: Crunchy and slightly sweet with the flavor of anise, fennel is delicious served raw but is just as often served cooked on its own or in other dishes. This fennel is mostly small, so it may not look like much, but it brings the flavor anyway! This is actually our last distribution of fennel for the year. Until next season, fennel! Though most often associated with Italian cooking, it has an uncanny ability to blend with other flavors adding a light and fresh note. It is delightful in soups and stews and sauces and is particularly at home with tomato sauce dishes. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. To prepare, cut off the hard bottom and slice vertically or into quarters. Or cut the bulb in half lengthwise, cut out the core, and cut into strips. Add it raw to salads or try some thinly sliced fennel on your sandwich. Top thinly sliced fennel with plain yogurt and mint leaves. Or braise, roast or saute it. It is done when tender enough to pierce easily with a skewer.
Butternut Squash: This week's butternut is in a class of squash all its own, known for being both nutty, sweet and because the flesh is so smooth and silky on the inside. It is great for mashing, soups, roasting and probably most loved because it is easy to peel and boil making is perfect for quick dinners with the kids.
Celeriac: Let's call this the "black sheep" of the root family. An underappreciated root veggie that is so versatile! It's great for roasting, mashing, soup making, and more! Celeriac is a great potato substitute or try mixing it in with your potatoes. Last night I made tacos and cubed it up in small chunks, then roasted with cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt & pepper, and olive oil. It made a great filling along with some refried Jacob's Cattle beans, roasted squash, sauteed onions, and sharp cheddar cheese. Store unwashed celeriac in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where it will keep for several weeks. Soak celeriac briefly in warm water and then scrub it with a stiff brush. Take a thin slice off the top and bottom and peel it with a sharp paring knife or a sturdy vegetable peeler. A few deep crevices will remain; leave them, or slice them out. Remove the core if it seems pithy or hollow. Like apples, celeriac will darken if exposed to the air for too long. If you don’t plan to cook it immediately, submerge the celeriac in a bowl of water with lemon juice squeezed in.
Featured Recipes
Celeriac and Apple Salad with Tarragon and Roasted Walnuts
Serves 4 to 6
4 cups water
juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
1 large celeriac, peeled, cut into matchstick-sized strips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 teaspoons prepared Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt
1. Combine water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the apple slices and celeriac strips and let stand for 15 minutes (this acidified water will keep the celeriac and apple from turning brown).
2. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring frequently, until they begin to darken in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool.
3. Drain the celeriac and apple mixture; return to the bowl, add the vinegar, and toss.
4. Combine the mayonnaise, cream, mustard, tarragon, pepper, and salt to taste in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the celeriac and apple mixture; toss to coat. Add the walnuts and toss again. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving (2 or 3 hours is even better).
Scalloped Celeriac and Potatoes
Serves 6
butter for greasing the baking dish
1 pound celeriac, peeled, halved, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled, sliced about 1/8 inch thick
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Gruyère or domestic Swiss cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter.
2. Place the celeriac and potatoes in alternating layers in the baking dish, seasoning every few layers with salt and pepper. At about the halfway point, add 1/3 cup cheese in an even layer; sprinkle with the thyme. Continue with the celeriac and potatoes, until you have used all of your slices (don’t go all the way to the top edge; leave a little room to allow the liquid to boil).
3. Pour the stock over the celeriac and potatoes. Dot with butter. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 cup cheese over the top layer, add several grindings of fresh pepper, and bake until the cheese turns golden, about 15 minutes.
4. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Mock Potato Salad
I just found this recipe when looking for new ideas for celeriac. It sounds delightful! It's labeled "paleo" and low carb and uses a variety of items that have appeared in the share over the past couple of weeks, with root veggies substituting the potatoes. If you try it, let me know!
Spices for boiling vegetables:
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
½ tsp salt
Salad & dressing:
1 medium rutabaga / swede
1 medium turnip
½ medium celeriac
4-6 pickled cucumbers
6 large eggs, free-range or organic
1 small white onion
1 large celery stalk, sliced
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp pickle juice or 2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp celery seeds
2 tbsp each freshly chopped parsley and chives
½ tsp salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Start by cooking the eggs. Fill a small saucepan with water up to three quarters. Add a good pinch of salt. This will prevent the eggs from cracking. Bring to a boil. Using a spoon or hand, dip each egg in and out of the boiling water - be careful not to get burnt. This will prevent the egg from cracking as the temperature change won't be so dramatic. To get the eggs hard-boiled, you need round 10 minutes. This timing works for large eggs. When done, remove from the heat and place in a bowl filled with cold water.
Peel the rutabaga, celeriac and turnip. Dice into ½-1 inch pieces. You may want to cut the rutabaga into smaller pieces as it takes longer to cook than turnips and celeriac. Place in a pot filled with water and add the vinegar, whole peppercorns, salt and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil over a high heat. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the rutabaga is tender for 10-15 minutes (time depends on the size of the pieces). Once cooked, take off the heat and pour through a colander. Discard the spices. Set aside to cool down and then place in a mixing bowl.
Peel and finely chop the onion and dice the pickles. Add the onion and pickled to the mixing bowl with the cooked vegetables.
When the eggs are chilled, peel off the shells. To do it, simply roll the eggs against a chopping board until the shell cracks. Remove the top part of the shell. Then, insert a spoon and run it under the shell until it falls off. This way you will avoid the egg white from sticking to the shell and breaking off.
Chop the eggs into small pieces and place in the bowl with the vegetables. Add the pickle juice (or vinegar) and mix until well combined.
Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, sliced celery stalks, freshly chopped herbs and the celery seeds. Mix until well combined and season with salt and pepper to taste. For best results refrigerate and serve the next day. All the spices, herbs and vegetables will blend together and make the flavor more intense.
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Fennel And Kale Pasta
Sweet fennel and greens work beautifully together.
1⁄2 c olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 medium fennel bulb fronds removed, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb spaghetti
up to 3 lb kale or other cooking green washed and chopped
1 c grated parmesan
Heat oil in a large braising pan or skillet with a cover. Add onion; sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until fennel is tender, about 8 minutes longer. Stir in vinegar; simmer to blend flavors, 1 minute longer. Adjust seasonings.
Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; return to boil. Add kale; continue to cook until pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes.
Drain pasta and greens; toss with fennel mixture and cheese. Transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Garnish with reserved minced fennel fronds. Serve immediately with more cheese passed separately.
Low Carb Fennel Gratin
2 large fennel bulbs, stalks and fronds removed
2 tbs water
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp garlic paste (or minced garlic)
salt and black pepper
2 green onions, finely chopped
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Chop the fennel bulbs into small wedges or slices, whichever you prefer.
Place them in a microwave-safe bowl with the water, then cover and microwave for 5 minutes on full power. Drain the fennel and transfer to a baking dish.
Mix together the heavy cream, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Add the green onions and pour everything over the fennel. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan over the top of everything.
Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Marinated Beets
A little sugar softens the edge of the vinegar here and complements the natural sweetness of the beets. Keep these on hand for healthy snacks, or add to salads.
1 bunch beets
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Salt to taste
2 garlic cloves, cut in half
2 teaspoons sugar
Place the beets in a saucepan, cover with water, add 1/4 cup of the vinegar and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from the heat, add the garlic to the pot and set aside to cool.
Remove the beets from the pot (do not drain), slip off the skins and cut in wedges.
Combine the remaining vinegar and the sugar. When the sugar has dissolved in the vinegar, stir in 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the beets. Toss with the beets and the garlic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove the garlic from the marinade. Remove the beets from the marinade with a slotted spoon to serve.
Black Bean & Butternut Squash Chili
Black beans and winter squash, who would have thought they would make such a great pair. This is a mild version of the recipe. If you like a spicy chili feel free to add some red chili pepper or go ahead and throw some sweet corn in for a sweeter version. Adapted from epicurious.com.
2 cups dried black beans (about 6 cups cooked)
3 Tbs cooking oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 ½ tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground coriander
3 c butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (1 small butternut squash)
1 bay leaf
2 ½ c broth (combination water and bean cooking liquid, chicken or veggie stock)
2 medium, fresh tomatoes (or one 15-oz can, diced)
3 cups coarsely chopped mustard or kale greens
Soak black turtle beans in 3x the amount of water overnight, or for 8 hours. (Or, do a quick-soak: Bring beans and 3x the amount of water to a boil, turn off heat, and soak, covered, for 1-2 hours.) Rinse beans and place in a large pot with 3x the amount of fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook, partially covered, for 1 hour or until beans are tender.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and golden. Add garlic, salt, and spices and sauté 1-2 minutes more. Add butternut squash, bay leaf, broth, tomatoes with juices, and black beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as necessary. Stir in greens and simmer until chard is tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with optional chili accompaniments like sour cream, fresh cilantro or scallions, etc.
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