Good Eats Newsletter December 19th, 2012




 
Localvore Members 
& Regular Veggie Only Share Members
take a LIGHT GREEN/TAN BAG
 
This week your bag will contain:
 
Winter Chard, Carnival Squash, Mixed Potatoes,
Rainbow Carrots, Daikon, Valentine Radishes,
Pac Choi, Shallots, and Garlic

 
Localvore/Pantry Offerings Include:
 
Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese
Les Aliments Massawippi Soy Barley Miso
Vermont Soy Tofu
Pa Pa Doodles Eggs
 
 
 
Small Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:
 
Winter Chard, Mixed Potatoes,
Rainbow Carrots, Valentine Radishes,
Pac Choi OR Napa Cabbage, and Shallots
Holiday Delivery Schedule
 
 
We will NOT deliver
Dec 26/27.
 
We WILL deliver
January 2/3, 2013.
 
If you need to make changes to a delivery please email me.
 
 
 
Happy Holidays!
 
Our good friend Greg Williams brought us a very special Pete's Greens Christmas tree last week to get us all in the holiday spirit!  Some of the crew w/ tree yesterday from left to right: 
Annie, Molly, Andrew, Deb, Sara, Steve and Tim. 
 
 
Storage and Use Tips
 
Pac Choi - A member of the brassicas family along with cabbage and kale, pac choi (aka bok choy or Chinese cabbage) originated in China, where it has been grown for over 1500 years. It was introduced into the US during the late 19th century by Chinese immigrants. Part of the cabbage family, it packs in nutrition with high scores for vitamins A and C and calcium. Pac Choi is mild enough to be chopped up for a salad, particularly if you give it a quick wilt in a hot pan. It's also great in stir-fries and sautes and in asian soups (and other soups too).  The leaves taste similar to Swiss chard and the stems (called ribs) are deliciously crispy and can be substituted for celery in recipes.  My favorite way to cook it is to halve or quarter it lengthwise (depending on the size), brush it with olive or sunflower oil and throw it on the grill. Prepared this way, it makes an excellent and easy side. Store pac choi loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.
 
Daikon - This large root looks like an overgrown white carrot, but it is actually a radish.  In Korea, cubed daikon radish is used to make a type of kimchi. Its mild taste makes it an excellent palate cleanser. In Japan, strings of daikon marinated in vinegar typically accompany sashimi. Try serving the radish in light salads where its own flavor won't be overwhelmed by the other ingredients.
 
Valentine Radishes - These Asian radishes are also known as Beauty Heart or Watermelon. They have a distinctive bright pink interior with a white, green and pink skin. Sweet, with just a hint of a radish bite, valentines are great in salads, slaw, or as crudites. You can also add to soups, or saute thinly sliced or shredded radish in butter with a pinch of salt. Cook lightly without browning. A stunning bright pink addition to any meal! Store valentine radishes loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.
 
Shallots - Shallots look like small brown onions and have a flavor that's milder and sweeter than an onion and less harsh than garlic. Like garlic, shallots are composed of multiple cloves—usually 2—under a thin, papery skin.  A standard ingredient in French cooking, shallots are frequently added to vinaigrettes and added to a variety of soups, stews, and sauces.
 
 
Veggie Storage and Use Tips are our website too, so please bookmark the recipe and storage tip section. I am sure you will find it useful.
 
 
Localvore Lore
 
Yay!  Great cheese to share with guests over the holidays.  Jasper Hill Bayley Hazen Blue receives regular rave reviews like this one from Cynthia Zarin who described Bayley Hazen Blue for the New Yorker Magazine this way “It was tangy, sweet, creamy, velvet on the tongue, the most delicious blue cheese I’d ever tasted." Bayley Hazen Blue is named after a road running through the Northeast Kingdom. The road was built and named after two Revolutionary War generals Bayley and Hazen, who were stationed along the Canadian Front. Jasper Hill summarizes this delicious cheese as follows. "The paste of a Bayley Hazen is drier than most blues and the penicillium roqueforti takes a back seat to an array of flavors that hint at nuts and grasses and in the odd batch, licorice. Though drier and crumblier than most blues, its texture reminds one of chocolate and butter."  Enjoy, it's awesome.
 
Also this week, eggs from Deb's hens.  You might notice a mix of egg sizes in your cartons as the new flock sizes up in coming weeks.
 
This week we have a bit of an Asian theme going with miso in the share as well as tofu, plus daikon, valentine radish and pac choi. 
 
Owners of Les Aliments Massawippi Gilbert and Suzanne made the superb soy barley miso in the share today. The two are big supporters of local growers. Their oats come from Michel Gaudreau. Their soy beans come from a grower within 60 kilometers of their facility, and their Quebec barley is processed on the south shore of Montreal.  To make this miso, Suzanne and Gilbert begin by introducing their own lactobacilli culture to washed barley. After culturing for 45 hours, they have what is called, "koji," the basis for making their miso. At this point, they will mix in soy that has been soaked and then slowly cooked for 20 hours. This part of the process takes around 4 days. The next phase of miso production is fermentation. Gilbert and Suzanne ferment their miso very carefully controlling the temperature, humidity and oxygen levels. Their fermentation chamber is on premises, and is held at a continuous 60F. The Japanese soya and barley variety in the share this week ferments for 2 years and then is packaged without any pasteurization to preserve its live culture. The flavor is fresh and soft, almost sweet on the finish with some saltiness. As miso is a living food, it is best not to cook it. Instead, stir miso into a dish after it is removed from the heat to maintain it's nutritional benefits. Kept refrigerated, it will last several years.
 
Vermont Soy's Artisan Tofu is produced right down the road from us in Hardwick, Vermont. Tofu is a fermented soy product, high in protein and rich in calcium.  Vermont Soy makes their tofu from non GMO and organic soybeans grown in Vermont. They have been working in conjunction with High Mowing Seeds for years on seed trials to better equip their farmers with varieties that can be grown more and more successfully here in our climate. Vermont Soy uses traditional fermentation methods when processing their tofu. Although tofu can be eaten raw, it is best used with seasonings and marinades as it soaks up flavor. Before using, wrap tofu block in a very clean cotton or linen kitchen towel and squeeze the excess moisture out.  Tofu freezes really well, so toss in freezer if you won't use soon.
 
 
What To Do If You Have a Problem at Pick Up

Although we do our best to make sure that every delivery and pick-up goes smoothly, there are the occasional shortages and disappointments. Should you arrive at your pick-up site to find that your name (or share partner's name) is not on the list, one or more of your items are missing or that some of your produce is in unsatisfactory condition, please let us know right away!
 
Our goal is 100% satisfaction. If you email us (or call if you can't email) as soon as you discover the problem, we may be able to resolve it the same day or the following day. If you would like to receive an item that you missed at pick-up, you must contact us by Thursday morning.

If we have not heard from anyone, by Friday our site hosts are instructed to donate leftover food, ensuring that they do not end up with bad food on their hands.

If we can not resolve your issue right away, email us to arrange a replacement or substitution the following week.
 
 
Recipes
 
Super Simple Miso Soup
You can throw together a delicious nutritious veggie miso soup in 5-10 mins.  I had some for lunch today and it was perfect.  The recipe below makes 2 good sized bowls of soup.
 
1/4 onion sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin
several radishes, or part of a daikon, or a sweet salad turnip or 2 sliced thin
a couple large handfuls of pac choi, napa or some any other greens you have on hand, sliced into ribbons (if using chard or pac choi, the sliced stems are great too)
small piece of ginger (size of 1/2 a thumb ore less) minced
small handfull of asian noodles - udon, soba, lo mein, even rice noodles (or really even spaghetti or you can skip noodles altogether)
a couple large TBs of miso
a couple slices of tofu, cubed (optional)
3-4 cups of water
 
Bring the water to a boil with the onion, carrot, radishes in the water.  Simmer for 5-10 mins to extract some veggie flavor into water.  Add the noodles and cook to package directions.  Just before noodles are done, add the greens.  Scoop a 1/2 cup of water out and add the miso to the water, mixing to blens the paste into the water.  Turn off soup pot.  Pour the cupful of blended miso water back in the soup pot.  taste and adjust seasonings.  You may want a little more miso if you like your soup more dense.  You might choose to add some scallions or sesame seeds or more ginger to your broth for added flavors. 
 
 
 
Swiss Chard with Ginger
This is an simple, slightly spicy side dish or snack.  Try adding just a little miso to the pan, but make sure not to add  more salt if you do!
 
1 bag Swiss chard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 sliced jalapenos
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
 
Separate stems and leaves from Swiss chard. Chop leaves and dice stems small. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add chard stems, minced peeled fresh ginger, and jalapeno slices; cook until stems soften, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chard leaves, cover, and cook until wilted, 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until tender, 4 minutes.
 
 
 
Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame
A perfect recipe for your vegetables and miso this week, and it will keep for days.
 
Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
1 onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped
4 regular or 6 small garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon finely chopped or grated ginger, or more to taste (it could easily be doubled)
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup white miso paste, or more to taste
 
To finish
Drizzle of toasted sesame oil
2 scallions or leeks, very thinly sliced
 
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and garlic sauté until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add broth and ginger. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
 
Puree soup in batches in blender, or all at once with an immersion blender. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso an a half-cup of the soup. Stir the mixture back into the pot of soup. Taste the soup and season with salt, pepper or additional miso to taste.
 
Ladle into bowls and garnish each with a drizzle of sesame oil and small mound of scallions.
 
 
 
Creamed Chard and Leeks
Veering away from the gingered Asian dishes, this is a decadent way to eat that chard.   Substitute cream for some of the milk to make it even more rich and delicious.
 
1 bag chard, thick stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
3 leeks, ends trimmed, white and some green parts sliced into thin coins
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk
Salt and pepper
 
Wash your chard, but no need to dry it, just place it in a large pot over high heat. Cook, covered, with just the water clinging to leaves, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 6 minutes.
 
Press or squeeze out the excess liquid any number of ways, either by wringing it out in cheesecloth (my favorite method), putting it in a mesh strainer and pressing the moisture out with a spatula or large spoon or letting it cool long enough to grab small handfuls and squeezing them to remove as much water as possible.
 
Wipe out the large pot so you can use it again. Heat milk or cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until warm. Keep warm. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic, if using, in butter in your wiped-out large pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about six minutes. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, about three minutes. 
 
Add warm milk or cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, three to four minutes. Stir in chard, then salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until heated through.
 
To make Creamed Chard and Spring Onion Pasta: Use 1 3/4 cups of milk instead of 1 1/4 cups. Stir 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan into the sauce while cooking, and keep extra on hand for serving. This should be enough to toss with about half a pound of pasta (more or less depending on how saucy you like yours).
 
 
 
Stir-Fried Pac Choi and Daikon with Crisp Tofu
This dish allows you to taste each distinct flavor of the ingredients.  You can substitute chard for the pac choi - it won't be quite the same, but still tastes great.  
 
2 heads pac choi
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 block firm tofu (about 1 pound), cut into 1⁄4-inch slices and patted dry
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 or 2 fresh hot chiles (like jalapeño or Thai), seeded and minced
8 ounces daikon radish, cut into 1⁄4-inch coins
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
Black pepper
 
Cut the leaves from the stems of the bok choy. Trim the stems as necessary, then cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons and keep them separate from the stems.
 
Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, slide in the tofu, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until the bottoms are crisp and golden, 3 to 5 minutes; carefully  flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes on the other side. When the tofu slices are done, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
 
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile and cook, stirring, for just 1 minute. Add the bok choy stems and daikon and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just lose their crunch, about 3 minutes.
 
Add the bok choy leaves and about 1⁄2 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the stems and radish are fully tender, 5 to 10 minutes; add a little more water if necessary. Return the tofu to the pan, stir in the soy sauce, and sprinkle with black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.
 
 
 
 
Miso Soup with Maple-Baked Tofu and Udon Noodles
Quick, satisfying and delicious this recipe easily comes together with the share ingredients after a hectic day at work. Serves 4.

5 oz (150 grams) udon noodles
2 tsp sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 shallots sliced thin
1 quart chicken stock
2 carrots sliced thin
2 daikon radish sliced thin
2 cups chopped cabbage
8 oz mushrooms sliced thin
8 oz maple-ginger baked tofu, cubed
2 TB miso diluted in 1/4 cup of hot water
tamari or soy sauce to taste

Boil udon noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse and set aside. Meanwhile,
heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and shallots, saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, carrots, daikon and cabbage. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add noodles and tofu and simmer until heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in miso and tamari. Taste and adjust seasonings.
 
 
 
Sweet and Sour Radish Salad
 
2 cups thinly shredded watermelon radish (2 medium size radishes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
 
Peel the radishes in generous thickness and save the skin if you wish to make pickle. Shred the pink flesh into strands of 1/8 inch thickness. Put the shredded radish in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and marinate in refrigerator for about 20 minutes or so. Serve cold garnished with thinly sliced scallion. It is excellent as an accompaniment for meat dishes.
 
 
 
Sweet Pickled Daikon Radish
Keep these in your fridge to have on a sandwich, on top of a brothy soup, or alongside a heavy, rich meal.  They are wonderfully refreshing and cut through the thick flavors of winter meals. 
 
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 pound daikon radish
1/4 cup kosher salt
 
In a small saucepan over medium heat add the vinegar, water, sugar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
 
Meanwhile, peel the daikon radish and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. (If your daikon is very large, slice the rounds into semicircles.) Place in a colander with salt and mix well. Place the colander over a bowl and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse the salt off with a couple of changes of water and dry the daikon well. Put into a sterilized glass jar. Pour the cooled brine through a coffee filter (or a cheesecloth lined strainer) into the jar to cover the radish slices. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Will keep for about 2 weeks.
 
 
Daikon Raita
A raita is a yogurt-based condiment served alongside spicy dishes. It can be used either as a sauce or a dip.

1/3 cup shredded daikon
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place shredded daikon in a kitchen towel and squeeze out extra moisture. Mix together all the ingredients and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Bring to room temperature before serving.
 
 
Daikon Fettucine with Tomato-Basil Sauce
From Martha Stewart, this is the perfect recipe for those of you who really aren't sure any of the typical ways to cook daikon sound appealing.  It doesn't taste like pasta, but all the other flavors are ones you are familiar with.
 
1 pound daikon
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving (optional)
 
Using a swivel-blade vegetable peeler, remove outer skin of the daikon and discard. Continue peeling down the length of the daikon, creating long ribbons that look like fettucine noodles. Place daikon noodles in a large bowl and cover with salted water; let soak 15 to 20 minutes.
 
Meanwhile, drain tomatoes, reserving half the juice in a medium bowl. Squeeze tomatoes with your hands into the bowl of reserved juice; mash to combine. You should have about 2 cups.
 
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Drain daikon noodles and dry them using a kitchen towel. Gently add noodles to sauce; reduce heat to medium. Cook until noodles are just heated through, about 1 minute. Divide among 3 or 4 serving plates; serve immediately, with cheese, if desired.
 
 
 
Caramelized Shallots
 
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1.5 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
 
Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof* saute pan, add the shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.
 
Place the saute pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season, to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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