Storage Tips and Recipes
Every week we'll send you snapshots of veggies in your share. You can always find more recipes and storage info on our blog and website.
Mesclun: All the greens are pre-washed but we recommend giving them a good rinse before eating. Unopened, the bags will store for several days in the fridge. They need to stay cool as much as possible.
Delicata Squash: A favorite! We've wiped these down for you but the skin is edible, so please give a more thorough scrub if you plan to eat the thin, tasty skin.
Brussels sprouts: Related to cabbage, kale, collards, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and broccoli, Brussels sprouts get their name from being grown in and around Brussels, Belgium. Brussels sprouts are a tall-stemmed cabbage in which many tiny heads form at the bases of the leaves along the entire length of the central stalk. The "sprouts" are made up of tightly packed leaves, each resembling a miniature cabbage head. Like most brassicas, the flavor of Brussels sprouts benefit from a frost, concentrating their sugars.
Brussels sprouts can get a bad rap from those who have eaten overcooked versions that their parents may have boiled to oblivion. Try sauteing, or better yet, roasting them to bring out their inherent sweetness. Brussels sprouts should be stored in a closed plastic bag in the crisper drawer.
Please note: we've been battling aphids in our Brussels sprouts for two seasons. Members from last year may recall NO Brussels at all! We're sending these out to you, at a lower value than usual, knowing you may come across some aphids inside the sprouts. The aphids left no discernible pattern to attacking stalks or sprouts but rather than lose them all, we're sending out what we think are the most problem-free. Please let me know how your stalks turn out! **Some members will need to pick up TWO stalks. More info Wednesday!**
Green Wave Mustard: Related to kale, cabbage, and collard greens, mustard greens are the peppery leafy greens of the mustard plant. Green Wave is a beautiful representative of this group. Green Wave is a bit hot when raw, but still tender enough for salads. It is delightful in stir-frys, braises, steamed and added to many dished calling for greens.
Peppers: The last of our hot peppers and poblano peppers! You may find some hot orange habaneros, or green or red jalapeños. The poblanos are nice roasted or stuffed.
Collard Greens are a form of kale and cabbage, with a sturdier and thicker leaf than kale or cabbage. They are probably best known in America as being part of the American South cuisine, but similar varieties are also popular in the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. There are a few ways of cooking them, most commonly boiled until tender with some pork product. You can cook them slow and long or simmered in broth for 15 - 30 minutes until the texture is medium firm, like sautéed cabbage. Thinly sliced leaves can be cooked briefly, for a greener flavor and chewier texture. You can also mix them with other leaves (try your kale!) for a more complex taste. You can also blanch the leaves and use them as a wrapper (like grape leaves) or use them as a stuffing. The stalks are tough; discard and only use the leaves. Keep collards very cold. Wrap in a ventilated plastic and use fairly soon - they don't last as long as a cabbage.
Tomatoes: Purple bags, please pick up TWO paper bags of tomatoes! We have two types going out this week, paste (or Roma) tomatoes, which are long and oval, or red/ yellow/ heirloom slicers. Our crew was cleaning out beds late last week and found these field tomatoes still hanging on! I hope you enjoy.
Recipes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
from the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1.5 lbs brussel sprouts
3 TB good olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately.
Brussels Sprout Slaw with Mustard Dressing and Maple-Glazed Pecans
Bon Appétit November 2009. Serves 8.
Vegetable oil
1 cup large pecan halves
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (grade B is best)
1/2 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Make the Candied Pecans:
Oil a large sheet of foil. Place pecans on small rimmed baking sheet. Whisk maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Add to nuts and toss to coat; spread in single layer. Bake nuts 5 minutes. Stir. Continue to bake nuts until toasted and glaze is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Immediately transfer nuts to prepared foil and separate. Cool completely.
Make the Dressing:
Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar in small bowl; whisk in oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
Cook the Brussels:
Bring large pot of water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Add brussels sprouts. Cook until crisp-tender and still bright green, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water. Cool on paper towels. Using processor fitted with 1/8- to 1/4-inch slicing disk, slice brussels sprouts. Transfer to large bowl.
Toss brussels sprouts with enough dressing to coat. Let marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Mix in some pecans. Place slaw in serving bowl. Top with remaining pecans.
Wilted Asian Greens
Adapted from a recipe in the July 2003 issue of Gourmet magazine. You could also substitute Pak Choi in this recipe and it would be great, but you will need to steam the chopped stems a couple minutes and then the leaves til tender. The spinach (if using) and mustards do not need to be cooked before adding the hot dressing.
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
8 cups chopped Spinach, tough stems removed (3 oz)
8 cups mustard (3 oz)
Heat vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved (do not let boil). Pour hot dressing over greens in a large bowl and toss well. Serve immediately.
Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
From Eating Well Magazine. Orange juice and cilantro yield a tangy dressing that you'll want to have on hand. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
1 cup packed cilantro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of minced garlic
Puree cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender or food processor until smooth. Makes 1 1/4 cups.
Roasted Cauliflower
Cut the cauliflower head into slices. Toss them with a little ghee and salt and then arrange them in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet (line with parchment paper if you'd like). Roast for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees, until the slices are browning on the edges.
Serve alongside something like lentils or quinoa. A delicious, simple way to eat cauliflower.
Grown-up Grilled Cheese
This recipe is adapted from the Vermont Farm Table Cookbook by Tracey Medeiros. Switch up your panini ingredients with whatever you have on hand- pesto, spreads, cheeses, or fresh veggies. Dare I say add a hot pepper to kick it up a notch further?
1 1/2 tsp unsalted butter, softened
2 slices Flax Bread
3 thin slices sweet onion
Lettuce
1-2 thin slices prosciutto
Freshly ground black pepper
1 slice (3 ounces) Landaff cheese or any other mild raw cow's milk cheese
Coarse grain or Dijon mustard
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a panini press. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter and place buttered side down on a cutting board. Layer one side of the bread with the onion, lettuce, and prosciutto. Season with pepper to taste. Top with the cheese and the second slice of bread.
Place the sandwich on the grill pan or panini press. If using a pan, weigh down with a heavy skillet and cook until golden brown and the cheese has melted, 3 to 4 minutes per side. If using a panini press, grill according to the directions. Cut the sandwich in half and serve with mustard on the side.
Cheese Fondue with Vegetables
Fondue is a fun hands-on meal that can take on so many variations. Try making veggie fries, as suggested here, or use cubed bread or meats. The perfect apres-ski meal!
1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
3 cups shredded cheese (Jasper Hill’s Chef Shred, or cheddar, gruyere, emmental, etc).
For dipping:
Carrots, potatoes, kohlrabi, cauliflower, etc., cut into cubes, wedges, or wide matchsticks
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, for 40 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through and golden.
Rub inside of a 4-quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic, then discard garlic. Add wine to pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.
Stir together cornstarch and win in a cup or bowl.
Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent cheese from balling up, until cheese is just melted and creamy (do not let boil). Stir cornstarch mixture again and stir into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to fondue pot set over a flame.
Serve veggies or other dipping foods on a platter with fondue skewers, toothpicks, or kabob skewers for dipping.
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