Classic Lyonaisse Salad

Recipe & Pic from The Kitchn

I'm not usually a fan of wilted greens but frisee can really stand up to the heat and this salad i scrumptious! If you've never gotten the hang of poaching eggs (ahem that's me) a fried egg is a fine substitute. You might also try mounding the dressed greens onto a bun before topping with an egg for a decadent sandwich!

~Rae

4 cups frisée lettuce (about 4 ounces), torn into large bite-size pieces

2 ounces thick bacon (about 1 piece) sliced against the grain into 1/4" pieces, OR 2 pieces regular sliced bacon, sliced similarly

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 large eggs, as fresh as possible

1 medium shallot, finely minced

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the frisée into a large mixing bowl.

Place a small skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon pieces, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Carefully remove from the pan from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel to drain and cool. Keep the pan and its rendered fat.

To poach the eggs, fill a saucepan with 4 inches of water and add the white vinegar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Break each egg into small bowl. With a slotted spoon, stir simmering water to create a whirlpool, then slide the first egg into a eye of the swirl. Using the back of the spoon, immediately push the solidifying whites around yolk, coaxing them to stay close to the yolk. Repeat with the second egg. Simmer the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes. Gently remove each egg with the slotted spoon and reserve in a bowl of warm water. Trim off any straggling pieces of cooked egg white.

Reheat the skillet with the rendered bacon fat over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the red wine vinegar and mustard and swirl to combine. Add the bacon pieces and swirl. Immediately pour the hot dressing over the greens and toss. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Divide the salad between two bowls and top each with a poached egg. Season the eggs with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

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.

Creamy Lemon Zucchini Pasta

Recipe & Pic from Bon Appetit

If you still have zukes leftover from last week and are having a ‘oh no, more zucchini, what do I do with all of this??’ moment, you might want to give this recipe a try!

2 lb. zucchini or summer squash (4–6)

1 large shallot or ½ small onion (try using one of your sweet onions!)

4 large garlic cloves

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 oz. spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, or other long pasta

1 lemon

½ oz. Parmesan, plus more for serving

½ cup (lightly packed) basil

½ cup heavy cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt heavily.

Meanwhile, place a clean kitchen towel in a large bowl (or on a large cutting board). Trim 2 lb. zucchini or summer squash (4–6), then grate on the large holes of a box grater directly into towel. Peel 1 large shallot and grate on the large holes of grater into towel. Peel 4 large garlic cloves and grate on the small holes of grater into towel.

Gather ends of towel together, then squeeze over bowl (or the sink) with all your might to extract water from the zucchini. Squeeze until it’s hard to get out any more liquid. You should have extracted about ⅔ cup zucchini liquid, just FYI; discard.

Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or very large skillet over medium-high. Add ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini mixture (unwrap the balled-up towel over the pot for easiest transfer) and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir to coat. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini mixture is jammy, thick, and starting to stick to bottom of pot, 15–20 minutes.

When the zucchini has been cooking 5–10 minutes, add 12 oz. spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, or other long pasta to pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Scoop out 2 cups pasta cooking liquid and set aside.

Meanwhile, juice 1 lemon into a small bowl. Grate ½ oz. Parmesan on the small holes of grater (you should have about ¼ cup; you can also use ¼ cup pre-grated Parmesan). Very coarsely tear or chop ½ cup (lightly packed) basil or mint leaves.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with zucchini—it’s okay if some water clings to it. Reduce heat to medium-low, add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid and ½ cup heavy cream, and stir to combine. Add cheese, pour another ½ cup pasta cooking liquid over top, and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs or a wooden spoon and add more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until a creamy sauce that coats pasta forms, 2–3 minutes.

Remove pasta from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper and add more lemon juice (you may want to add an additional 1 Tbsp.). Stir in most of the herbs.

Serve pasta topped with more grated Parmesan and remaining herbs.

Recipe: Ginger & Collard Fried Rice

2021 Week 23 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Soul: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes

Try adding some soul food flavor to a classic Asian dish with Collards! The greens are shallow-braised rather than being fully immersed in liquid, and the rice soaks up all of that nutrient-packed pot liquor!

1 bunch young collard greens (1⁄2 pound)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 extra-large chicken egg

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, smashed and very thinly sliced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

2 cups cooked white rice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño chile, very thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Fill a sink with cold water. Place a cutting board nearby. Stack 4 collard green leaves on top of each other. Remove the stems with a sharp knife, and trim 2 inches from the bottoms of each stem. Cut the stems into 1⁄8-inch pieces. Cut the leaves into 2-inch squares. Repeat with remaining leaves. Rinse the leaves and stems in cold water. Drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium. Break the egg into the pan, and cook 4 minutes, gently shaking the pan occasionally to ensure the egg does not stick. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Turn the egg, and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate, and keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the sauté pan over medium. Add the shallot, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is translucent. Add the collard leaves and stems to the pan; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar. Stir in the soy sauce and mirin. Stir in the rice, and cover. Simmer until the rice is heated through, about 2 minutes. Uncover and drizzle with sesame oil. Remove from heat, and let stand 2 minutes.

Transfer the fried rice to a serving bowl. Cut the fried egg into 1⁄8-inch-thick strips. Top the rice evenly with the egg strips. Garnish with the scallions, jalapeño slices, sesame seeds, lime wedges, and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Recipe: Black Futsu & Radicchio Salad

2021 Week 21 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From Eat Winter Vegetables

This recipe calls for Futsu but feel free to incorporate any variety of roasted winter squash that you like! Click on the recipe title above to link to the Eat Winter Vegetables website where you can watch a video on prepping this salad (as well as check out some other awesome cool-season recipes!)

For The Salad

1 small Black Futsu squash, ripe (this squash is ripe when tan/orange)

2-3 small heads of Treviso (or radicchio), washed

1 “grateable” chunk of Pecorino to yield about 2/3 cup grated

High-quality sea salt such as Jacobsen Salt or Maldon

Fresh black pepper

For the Citronette

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/3-1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, very gently and finely diced

1 clove garlic

4 anchovy fillets, packed in olive oil (for a vegetarian version of this dressing, sub ½ head roasted garlic for anchovy)

Salt

Prepare the citronette – Combine the minced shallot and lemon juice in a bowl, season very lightly with salt and set aside. Finely chop the anchovy and garlic until a paste forms, combine with lemon/shallot mixture. Gently whisk in olive oil until just combined. This can be prepared up to a week ahead.

Prepare the squash – Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds. Tightly wrap and refrigerate one half for another use or tomorrow’s salad. Cut the remaining half into two or three wedges and peel/cut away all skin from their exterior. Very carefully, slice the wedges very thinly (think the thickness of 4-5 sheets of notebook paper stacked). Season with salt very lightly in a bowl and set aside.

Compose the salad – Cut the Treviso/radicchio into thin strips and toss gently in a large bowl to separate. Gently “squeeze” the sliced squash to remove any excess moisture then add to the Treviso/radicchio bowl, mix gently and season lightly with salt and pepper. Liberally dress with the anchovy citronette and transfer to a serving dish. Grate Pecorino over the top (don’t be shy!) and finish with more cracked pepper.

Recipe: Winter Greens & Grains Gratin

2021 Week 21 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From A Sweet Spoonful

This recipe calls for kale but any greens will do so consider adding in the mizuna from your box for a bit of extra flavor! The millet is intended to cook most of the way in the gratin itself, so there is no need to pre-cook it.

Butter, for the pan

1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed and torn into large pieces

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, sliced into thin rounds

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ cup raw millet

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to salt the water

Freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon chile powder

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 1 ½ or 2-quart baking dish. Soak the millet in a bowl of warm water while you set out to prepare the other ingredients.

Boil a large pot of salted water, and add the kale. Cook until just softened, about 2-3 minutes. I did mine in two batches as all the kale wouldn’t all fit in our large pot. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the kale to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove from the cool water and, using your hands, squeeze as much water from the kale as possible and lay it out on good work surface. The kale tends to clump into balls when squeezed, so spend a few moments separating it and “declumping” it.

Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained kale and cooked shallots. Drain the millet completely and add that as well.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, salt, black pepper and chile powder. Pour the liquid over the kale mixture and stir well to combine. Turn out into the prepared baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the heat to 400 F and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted, the top is browned and the edges are bubbling. Allow to cool and set for 15 minutes before serving. Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Recipe: Basil Fried Rice

2021 Week 14 Newsletter

Recipe and Pic from Seonkyoung Longest

I LOVE Basil, and when I get to that point in the summer when I have had just about enough pesto and caprese salad (I know, is that even possible?) this is where I turn! This type of recipe typically calls for Thai Basil, but Italian Basil works just as well. If you don't have a shallot try subbing in some of the yellow onion from your box! 

~Rae

3 to 5 garlic cloves

1 to 5 Thai chili to your taste

1 medium shallot

2 tbsp oyster sauce (you can substitute withvegetarian oyster sauce)

1tbsp fish sauce (you can substitute with Thai light soy sauce)

1 tbsp palm sugar or honey

1/4 tsp black or white pepper

2 tbsp unsalted butter

12 oz 16/20 extra jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups day old cold jasmine rice

handful basil

Pound garlic and thai chili together in a mortar and pestle. This way the natural oil form chili and garlic will be release and will make the fried rice more fragrance. You could carefully smash with knife and chop if you don’t have mortar and pestle. Set aside. Slice shallot and set aside along with garlic and chili.

Mix oyster sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and pepper in a small mixing bowl, set aside.

Heat a large skillet or a wok over high heat until smoking. Add butter, garlic, chili shallot and shrimp. Stir fry everything and cook the shrimp 1 minute each side, then mix everything in the wok and push to a side of the wok.

Crack 2 eggs in the wok. Let the eggs cook a bit then scramble the eggs. When eggs are cooked but still silky, toss everything together.

Add cold rice and pour sauce mixture. Toss everything together until rice is coated evenly with the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss in basil and turn off the heat. Keep tossing until basil is well combined with the fried rice.

Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy when it’s hot!