Recipes

 

Each week we highlight a recipe which includes one or more items found in that weeks CSA box. CSA members often share their own recipes with us and we forward those recipes to our community. The recipes come in handy when we have a product that a member may not be familiar with. After all, we grow over 150 different varieties of produce and not everyone has seen all of these items which come from other cultures throughout the world.

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Recipe of the Week for October 24, 2010

Penne with Chard, Tomatoes and White Beans

This quick sauce packs a nutritional punch. The chard, tomatoes and beans all are high in healthful phytochemicals.

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne pasta, uncooked
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup prepared or homemade marinara sauce
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups chard, coarsely chopped
• 15 oz canned white beans (cannelini, navy or white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, optional
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese*

Directions

• Boil water for pasta and cook pasta for about 10 minutes, until done.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until onions are just starting to turn brown. Pour in marinara sauce and canned tomatoes and stir to combine. Add chard, white beans, wine (if desired), and pepper.
• Drain pasta and place in a bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

 

Swiss chard is packed with nutrients.

Chard is a good source of Vitamins A, C. E, K, and B6, Thiamine, Folate, Phosphorus, Zinc, Dietary Fiber, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese.

 

 

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Recipe of the Week for October 17, 2010

 

Broccoli and Stuffing Casserol

A broccoli recipe with stuffing ingredients.

Ingredients:

 

• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup shredded process American cheese, or Velveeta (4 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage leaves
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups plain croutons
• 1 head chopped broccoli

Preparation:

Heat milk, cheese, and seasonings in a 2-quart saucepan, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Beat eggs until well blended. Stir hot mixture into eggs slowly, stirring constantly. Stir in croutons and broccoli. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 to 2-quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until casserole is set in the center.
Serves 6.

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Recipe of the Week for 12-10-09

 

Stir-fried Napa Cabbage Recipe

 

Recipe: Napa Cabbage with Dried Shrimp (and Straw Mushrooms)

 

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped napa cabbage

6 straw mushrooms (cut into halves) – optional3 cloves garlic (chopped finely)2 tablespoons dried shrimp (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, drained and set aside)1 teaspoon oyster sauce1 tablespoon cooking oil

Method:

Make the garlic oil first by stir-frying the chopped garlic with the cooking oil. Dish out half of it when the garlic turns golden brown.

With the remaining garlic oil in the wok, add in the dried shrimp and do a few quick stir until you smell the aroma of the dried shrimp. Add in the straw mushrooms and do a quick stir, then follow by the chopped napa cabbage. Stir fry for 1 minute and then add in the oyster sauce. Stir well and dish out the napa cabbage when it’s still somewhat “crunchy” and not over-cooked. Top the stir-fried napa cabbage with the remaining half of garlic oil. Serve immediately.

 

 

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Recipe of the Week for 12-03-09

 

 

 

Chicken Stir-fry With Bok Choy and Garlic Sauce

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 3 medium chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 3 large bok choy stalks with leaves
• Marinade:
• 1 TB Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 green onion, diced
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• Sauce:
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 TB water
• 1 tsp white rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp black rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Other:
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons water
• 4 to 5 TB oil for stir-frying, as needed

Preparation:

Cut the chicken into thin strips about 2-inches long. Add the rice wine or sherry, green onion and the cornstarch. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the bok choy and the sauce. Separate the bok choy leaves and stalks, and cut both cross-wise into thin strips.

Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat wok and add 2 TB oil. When oil is ready, add the chicken and stir fry until it turns white and is nearly cooked. (Stir-fry in two batches if necessary). Drain the stir-fried chicken on paper towels.

Clean out the wok and add 2 - 3 TB oil. When oil is ready, add the bok choy stalks. Stir-fry briefly and add the leaves.

Push the bok choy up to the sides of the wok and add the sauce in the middle. Turn up the heat to bring to a boil. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the sauce and stir rapidly to thicken.

Add the chicken. Mix through and serve hot. Serves 4.

 

 

 

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Recipe of the Week for 11-25-09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe: Cranberry bean, lacinato kale and pasta soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total time: 2 hours

Servings: 8 to 10

Note: Lacinato kale, also called cavalo nero or black kale, is available from Whole Foods and some farmers markets; cranberry beans (also called borlotti beans) are widely available.

1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 1/2 tablespoons, divided

2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced, about 2 cups

2 medium carrots, finely chopped, about 1 cup

1 onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup

3 cups dried cranberry beans

Kosher salt

2 bunches lacinato kale, cleaned, stemmed and coarsely chopped, about 10 cups

3 cups dried orecchiette pasta (about 9 ounces)

1 tablespoon fresh minced sage

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika

1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. In a 4-quart soup pot or cast iron casserole (with a lid that fits), heat 1/4 cup of olive oil and cook the leeks, carrots and onions over medium-low heat until just softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the dried beans and 12 cups of water. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with the lid, stirring occasionally. After about 45 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Continue to cook, covered, and again stirring occasionally, just until the beans are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour or more (this may vary according to the beans you use).

3. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 cup of the beans and, separately, 2 tablespoons of bean liquor and set both aside. Add the kale to the soup, stirring in a few cups at a time as the greens wilt. Cover, and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes more until the greens are tender, then remove from the heat.

4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and reserve.

5. In a food processor, combine the reserved beans and bean liquor, sage, parsley, paprikas and lemon juice, the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, then check for seasoning, adding more salt if desired.

6. Just before serving, add the cooked pasta to the soup and stir to blend. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with about 2 tablespoons of spiced bean purée. Grate Parmesan over the top of each bowl to taste and serve immediately.

Each serving: 298 calories; 13 grams protein; 41 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 352 mg. sodium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Recipe of the Week for 11-19-09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This simple recipe features sauteed tat soi that is bathed in a tangy, spicy ginger sauce and paired with tofu, though grilled white fish or sauteed shrimp work well too. It's delicious served atop jasmine rice.

Gingery Sauteed Tat-Soi with Tofu Steaks

Serves 2

 

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 ounces extra firm tofu, cut into "steaks"
1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
2 small bunches of tat-soi
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl whisk all ingredients from soy sauce through cayenne pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Add tofu steaks; cook for 5-7 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil to skillet; add tat soi; once wilted, add sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook just until sauce slightly thickens.

Divide greens on plates. Top with half of the tofu. Drizzle with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

 

 

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Recipe of the Week for 11-15-09

 

 

 

 

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups of packed arugula leaves, stems removed
• 1/2 cup of walnuts
• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced

Method

1 Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

2 Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.

3a Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

3b Mortar and pestle method (photo pictures pesto produced this way): Combine the nuts and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.

4 Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice*. You may need to add a little bit of water or more olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta.

Makes enough pesto sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four people.

*Use gluten-free pasta if you are cooking gluten-free.

We grow only 100% Certified Organic Producel  We grow 150 varieties of Mixed Vegetables, Herbs and Melons of the highest quality each year and we are an Earth Friendly Sustainable Farm!