Creamy Coconut, Celery, & Kale Soup With Ginger

Recipe & Pic From The First Mess

Looks like we're getting a bit more heat early this week, but we'll finally be seeing some rain on Weds & Thurs so this seems like a great opportunity to break out the soup kettle!

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds

2 teaspoons coconut oil

1 large shallot, chopped (about ¾ cup diced shallot)

1 small bunch of celery, chopped (about 4 cups chopped celery)

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped

3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (roughly 2 tablespoons)

6 cups vegetable stock

sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups chopped and packed greens (I used kale and a bit of chard)

1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the cumin and coriander seeds to the pot and toast in the dry pot until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove the spices from the pot and grind them to a powder. Set aside.

Drop the coconut oil into the pot and let it melt/heat up for 30 seconds. Add the shallots to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the celery, and apple to the pot and stir. Add the ginger, ground cumin and coriander to the pot and stir to distribute the spices among the vegetables.

Add the vegetable stock to the pot and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the vegetables and broth to a boil and then simmer, stirring here and there, until the zucchini is very tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the chopped greens and coconut milk to the pot and stir to mix. Keep simmering and stirring until the greens have wilted and are bright green. Remove the vegetables and stock from the heat.

Purée the soup with a stick blender or in batches using an upright blender. Return the puréed soup to the pot and bring it to a boil. Stir the fresh lime juice into the soup and adjust any other seasoning. Serve the soup hot with any garnishes you like.

Braised Celery With Thyme & White Wine

Recipe & Pic from NYT Cooking

Braised Celery is THE BEST, seriously one of our favorite dishes on the farm. Serve this with a simple roast chicken and you have a meal worth inviting friends over for!

1 head celery

½ cup chicken stock or veggie stock

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup olive oil

1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds

1 bay leaf

4 sprigs thyme

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tbs whole dried peppercorns

3 tbs butter

pinch of dried chile flakes

Prepare the celery: Separate the stalks, and reserve some celery leaves for garnish. Gently peel the outer layer of the thicker stalks to remove any tough strings. Cutting at a sharp angle, trim and discard the tips of the stalks, then cut stalks on an angle into 3-inch pieces. Add the celery segments to the boiling water, and cook just until slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the blanched celery to a large 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, and arrange in an even layer.

Top with the stock, wine and olive oil. Add the shallots, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and garlic, tucking them between the celery layers, then sprinkle with the peppercorns, chile flakes and ½ teaspoon salt. Dot with the butter, then cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Transfer to the oven and bake until celery is tender and yielding, about 45 minutes, if you want it to retain slight bite, or 1 hour or more, if you prefer it extra-tender.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the braised celery to a serving platter or shallow bowl and cover. Transfer the remaining liquid to a medium saucepan and boil over medium-high until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Pour the reduced sauce over the celery, straining, if desired.

Recipe: Alex's Mom's Stuffed Cabbage

2021 Week 24 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From Smitten Kitchen

Another recommendation from a CSA member! Try with a bowl of perogies on the side and some good sour cream (or the hasselback potato recipe below).

1 head Savoy cabbage

1 pound ground beef

1 small to medium onion, chopped small

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 carrot, shredded

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 parsnip, shredded

1/2 cup uncooked white rice

1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 to 4 cups of your favorite simple tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it, with the empty core area facing up, in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. (I like to use the large one I will cook the final dish in — a deep 12-inch saute pan — to save dishes.) Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes — until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves, cut out the large vein — if the leaf is very large, you can make two rolls from each, if it is smaller, you can cut the vein out partially and pull the sides to overlap before you roll it into one roll. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. If sauce has thinned a bit, you can heat up any additional sauce you didn’t use and pour it over as you serve the rolls.

[These also freeze very well.]

Recipe: Braised Celery With Lentils & Garlic

2021 Week 16 Newsletter

Recipe and pic from Epicurious

A fantastic way to make the most of both your celery and garlic while providing a warm and hearty meal for your household! 

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 bunch celery, leaves reserved, stalks sliced ½” thick on a diagonal

6–8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more

½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

A small handful hardy herb sprigs (such as rosemary, thyme, and/or sage; optional)

2½ cups low-sodium beef, chicken, or vegetable broth

2 cups Big-Batch Marinated Lentils

4 large eggs

Flaky sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Crusty bread (for serving; optional)

Heat ¼ cup oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add celery and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until celery is very lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then add garlic and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is deep golden brown and celery is tender and golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Mix in 1 tsp. kosher salt, then add wine and herbs (if using) and stir to combine. Cook until wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil; stir in lentils. Cook until lentils are warmed through and flavors have come together, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more kosher salt if needed. Fish out herb sprigs if using and discard.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Crack eggs into skillet and cover with a lid (or a baking sheet if you don’t have one), reduce heat to low, and cook just until egg whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.

Divide braised celery mixture among bowls. Top each with an egg and some celery leaves; sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread, if desired.

Marinated Lentils

2½ cups French green or black beluga lentils, rinsed, picked through3 tsp. kosher salt, divided¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar½ tsp. honey¼ tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika or Hungarian sweet paprika

Combine lentils and 2 tsp. salt in a large saucepan and pour in cold water to cover by at least 1”. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until lentils are tender but still have some bite (like al dente pasta), about 20 minutes. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, whisk oil, vinegar, honey, paprika, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a small bowl or measuring glass.

Pour vinaigrette over hot lentils and toss to coat. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving to give lentils time to absorb flavors from vinaigrette.

Do ahead: Lentils can be prepared 5 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container; cover and chill.

Recipe: Tuscan Ribollita Soup

2021 Week 12 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from The Original Dish

I don't want to suggest that we're anywhere near Soup Season (otherwise known as Fall), perish the thought! But since the evenings have been a bit chilly recently I thought I'd share a recipe for a delicious soup that will incorporate several of the veggies in your box this week! 

~Rae

¼ olive oil, plus more as needed

1 medium onion, diced

4 medium carrots, peeled + diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 garlic cloves, very thinly shaved or minced

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup red wine

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (or the equivalent amount of chopped fresh tomato)

1 qt chicken stock

1 parmesan rind

½ lb fresh, crusty whole grain bread, torn into ½” pieces

1 large bunch swiss chard, stemmed + roughly chopped

1 (15 oz) can butter beans, rinsed + drained

garnishes: red pepper flakes, chopped parsley, freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Let sauté for about 8 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the garlic and let cook for another minute or so.

Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Let cook and caramelize for about 2 minutes. Pour in the red wine. Simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and parmesan rind.

Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom with a generous amount of olive oil. Add the torn bread and toast until golden and crispy, stirring often. Season with a pinch of salt.

Stir the swiss chard and butter beans into the soup and heat through. When you’re ready to serve, stir in the bread. Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Serve the soup with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a good amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese, and parsley over top.

Recipe: Kombu Celery

Image from Bon Appetit

from Bon Appetit

5 celery stalks, strings removed, cut into 3x½-inch sticks

1 tablespoon furikake

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Toss celery, furikake, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a small bowl to coat. Chill uncovered 30 minutes to let flavors meld. Serve topped with sesame seeds.

Recipe: Cream Of Celery Soup

from Epicurious

1 chopped head of celery

1 chopped large waxy potato (try subbing in some of your parsnips!) 

1 chopped medium onion

1 stick unsalted butter

Salt

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh dill

1/2 cup heavy cream

Celery leaves

Olive oil

Flaky sea salt

Combine 1 chopped head of celery, 1 chopped large waxy potato, 1 chopped medium onion, and 1 stick unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with salt.

Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 8–10 minutes.

Add 3 cups low sodium chicken broth; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8–10 minutes. Purée in a blender with 1/4 cup fresh dill; strain. Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream. Serve soup topped with celery leaves, olive oil, and flaky sea salt.

Recipe: Braised Celery and Radicchio Salad With Perfect Roast Chicken

From Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables
Alice typically doesn't like celery but she LOVES this recipe, so trust us, you can't go wrong with this one!

Chicken
One 3-4lb chicken
1/2 lemon, very thinly sliced
3-4 big sprigs each of thyme and rosemary
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature

Salad
1 cup braised celery*, cooled and cut on an angle into 1/2in thick slices
1/2 medium head radicchio, cut into 1/2in wide ribbons
1 large handful flat-leaf parsley
1/4 red onion (you can sub in the shallot from your box)
1 lemon, halved
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1-2 cups torn croutons (make your own or use store bought)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
extra virgin olive oil

For The Chicken: Heat the oven to 400
With a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut along each side of the chicken's backbone to cut it out completely. Flip the chicken over breast side up and push down with the heel of your hand on the breastbone to allow the chicken to lie flat, like you're cracking open a hard-back book.

Arrange the lemon slices on a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan to cover the area that the chicken will be positioned on. Top with the herbs. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper and lay the chicken skin side up on top of the flavorings. Smear the butter on the surface.

Roast the chicken until the flesh on the thickest part of the thigh is very tender when poked with a knife, the juices don't come out pink, and/or the temperature of the thigh registers 170 degrees. This should take 40-50min.

When the chicken is done, transfer it to a platter or tray to cool. Carefully pour the chicken fat from the pan (reserve it for cooking potatoes later). Pluck off the lemon and herbs. Discard the herbs, but if the lemon slices are tasty, you can chop them and add to the salad. Add a few spoonfuls of water to the pan and scrape and stir to dissolve the cooked-on juices.

For The Salad: Put the celery, radicchio, parsley, and onion (and roasted lemon if using) into a big bowl and toss. Pour on the deglazed chicken roasting juices and squeeze the juice from half the lemon and toss again. Taste and season with pepper and salt if needed.

Add the croutons and grated cheese and toss again. Taste again, adjust the seasoning, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Cut the chicken into pieces and arrange on a platter. Serve the salad on the same platter or on another one. Serve on the warm side of room temperature.

*Braised Celery: Separate the stalks and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Add about 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup olive oil, a big pinch of salt, a few smashed garlic cloves, a pinch of dried chile flakes, and some thyme sprigs. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees until the celery is silky and tender.
A note from Alice: If you want to get crazy, reserve the olive oil that the celery braised in and use it to make a delicious aioli!

Recipe: Fresh Beans With Garam Masala

Adapted From Rancho Gordo

1/2 cup white onion, small diced
1/4 cup carrot, small diced
1/4 celery, small diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sweet potato, small diced
2 tbl. ghee or clarified butter
2 tbl. Garam Masala Spice Blend (available at most grocery stores)
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1-2 cups fresh shelled beans
1 tbl. lemon juice
Salt to taste

In a large pot or Dutch oven, sweat all of the vegetables in the ghee until translucent.
Add the Garam Masala and stir to combine.
Add the stock and beans and cook, covered, for at least 30min-1 hr, or until beans start to become creamy. Add the lemon juice and season with salt.
Serve over Basmati rice and garnish with goats yogurt, mint and cilantro