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.

Curried Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad With Yogurt

Recipe & Pic from Dishing Up The Dirt

This dish might be called a salad, but it is substantial enough to stand alone as a full meal!

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small head of cauliflower, broken into florets

one 12-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1 cup goat milk yogurt (or yogurt of choice, cows milk or vegan yogurt will work fine too)

1/4 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup minced cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, oil, curry powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the cauliflower florets and chickpeas to the bowl and toss well. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast in the oven until well browned and tender. About 30 minutes. Toss the cauliflower and chickpeas halfway through cooking.

Spread a thin layer of yogurt onto a platter and top with the roasted veggies. Add the pistachios, raisins, and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

Frisee Salad With Broccoli & Pickled Grape Vinaigette

Recipe & Pic From Loam Agrinomics

It may be fall, but this recipe proves that salad season doesn't have to be over just yet!

pickled grapes

4 C red seedless grapes

1 T peppercorn

1 T fennel seed

1 T yellow mustard seed

2 T kosher salt

¼ C sugar, coconut sugar or honey

¾ C red wine vinegar

1 C water

vinaigrette

1/3 C grape pickling brine

½ – ¾ C olive oil

4 sprigs parsley

2 garlic cloves

1 ts Dijon mustard

1 ts kelp or dulse powder (optional)

salad and assembly

6–8 oz thick cut bacon, strips cut in half

1 head broccoli

1 head frisée, leaves torn

1 small head other lettuce such as little gem, bibb etc leaves torn

4 small carrots, shaved into ribbons

1 watermelon or other radish, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ C goat feta, preferably Blue Heron Farms

¼ C pepitas, toasted

1/3 C pickled grapes, cut in half

pickled grapes

Place grapes in a glass jar or heat safe container.

In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the pickle section ingredients and bring to a boil stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Carefully pour the hot liquid over the grapes and let sit for 1-2 hours at room temperature before transferring to the fridge. Pickles will keep for up to a month.

vinaigrette

To a blender, add pickling brine, parsley, garlic, mustard and kelp/dulse powder (if using).

With the motor running, pour in ½ cup olive oil and blend until creamy and combined.

Taste, and add up to ¼ cup more oil if the dressing is too punchy for your liking.

Add a pinch of salt (or more, to taste).

salad and assembly

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet over medium-low heat, cook your bacon WITHOUT stirring. After about 5-10 minutes when the bacon starts to look browned on the other side, flip your pieces. Cook until it looks deeply golden brown and crispy and transfer pieces to a paper towel. Reserve the bacon fat in your pan for the broccoli!

Cut broccoli into florets and then cut those in half lengthwise (or quarter lengthwise if some are a bit larger) to maximize caramelization. Add broccoli and a tablespoon of bacon fat (or olive oil if you’re not using bacon) to a sheet pan and toss to coat. Arrange the broccoli with as many cut sides down on the pan as possible and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are crispy and the bottoms are deeply browned where they were face down on the pan.

Put all your frisée and lettuces in a large bowl and toss with some (about 2T to ¼ cup depending on the size of your lettuce heads) salad dressing and top with roasted broccoli, shaved carrot, radish, feta, bacon, pepitas and pickled grapes. Drizzle more vinaigrette on top and serve.

Mexican Pickled Carrots

Recipe & Pic From A Fork’s Tale

This classic spicy and tangy condiment can be served along side tacos, faijitas, quesadillas, enchiladas and more!

1 bunch carrots

4 jalapeños

1 medium onion

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ cup water

1½ cup vinegar

5 bay leaves

1 teaspoon peppercorn

2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon salt

* you can alter the ratio of carrot, jalepeno, and carrot depending on your preference and whay you have on hand

In a stockpot, add 1 ½ cup vinegar, 1 ½ cup water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 5 garlic cloves, 5 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon peppercorn, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano. Bring to a boil.

Peel and slice carrots into ¼ inch coins or diagonal slices. Slice 1 onion into slivers. Slice 4 jalapeños . Reduce the brine in the stockpot to medium heat and add the carrots, onion, and jalapeños. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Allow to cool, then add to a glass jar with lid. You can eat immediately, but it is best to sit overnight (or longer) in the fridge to allow the full flavor to build.

County Fair Sausage & Pepper Sandwiches

Recipe & Pic Adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling

When I was a kid my dad and I would visit the county fair near my grandparent's farm every summer and we would never fail to test our stomach-endurance with spicy Italian sausage sandwiches and lemon shake-ups. This recipe is a twist on those beloved sandwiches- instead of spicy sausages and bell peppers you'll be using mild sausages and the spicy Hungarian Hot Wax peppers from your box!

~Rae

2 Tbsp. olive oil

10 Mild Italian Sausage links

Handfull of Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers, sliced

1/2 onion sliced

1 25 oz. jar marinara sauce

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 bay leaf

10 sandwich rolls optional

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and cooked through (15-20 mins).

Add remaining ingredients, stir, and cover. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 10-15 minutes or until peppers are tender-crisp.

Remove bay leaf before serving.

Serve in sandwich rolls OR as is.

Skirt Steak With Italian Salsa Verde

Recipe & Pic from NYT Cooking

It's getting chilly out but we still have sun so fire up that grill one more time before the rains come back!

1 ½ lbs skirt steak

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2)

2 tbs capers, drained and roughly chopped

½ tsp black pepper with more to taste

4 tbs chopped parsley

¼ cup pine nuts

lettuce

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

If necessary, cut the steak crosswise into large pieces that will fit into a shallow, nonreactive dish. Transfer the steaks to the dish. In a glass measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, scallions, capers, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Pour about ⅓ of the dressing (about ⅓ cup) over the steak and turn to coat both sides.

Add the parsley to the reserved dressing, stir, and set aside until ready to use. Cover and refrigerate the steak for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (If marinating the steak overnight, cover and refrigerate the reserved dressing.)

In a small sauté pan set over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, tossing often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Set the grill to medium-high heat, or heat a grill pan on the stovetop over medium-high. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and grill for 3 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with salt, and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

While the steak rests, arrange your lettuce in one layer on a large platter, leaving room on one side for the steak. Sprinkle the feta and pine nuts over the lettuce. Slice the steak crosswise into 3-inch pieces, then slice against the grain to cut the steak into wide strips. Arrange the sliced steak on the platter, then drizzle the reserved dressing over the lettuce and steak. Serve immediately.

Garlic Roasted Beet Dip

Recipe & Pic from Zen & Zaatar

This dip will really bring out the sweetness of your beets! Serve with pita or cucumber spears or spread on a wrap sandwich.

1 lb. beets

1 head garlic

¼ cup tahini

Juice of one lemon

½-1 tsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil (+more for serving)

2 tbsp water (as needed)

Preheat oven to 400F. Drizzle olive oil over washed and scrubbed beets, and cover with foil on a baking sheet. Cut the top off the head of garlic and drizzle with olive oil. Cover the garlic with foil as well. Bake beets for 45 mins - 1 hour, until tender.* Roast garlic for 40 mins - 1 hour, until caramelized, soft, and fragrant.

Place cooked beets and caramelized garlic in a food processor or high speed blender along with tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Process until smooth. Add water 1 tbsp at a time if too thick.

Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as needed. Serve alongside pita bread, crackers, or raw veggies. Drizzle with extra olive oil. Enjoy!

Moroccan Spiced Carrots With Lamb

Recipe & Pic from Dishing Up The Dirt

I share this carrot recipe every year because it is just so darn good and it's a great way to push carrots from a snack or side dish to a foundational part of a full meal. I recommend piling everything up on one big plate (garnish with some of your parsley) and serving with a bowl of pita or sliced crusty bread for scooping!

~Rae

1 bunch carrots, sliced in half lengthwise

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt and pepper

Lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 bunch of scallions, minced (white and light green parts only, reserve the tops for garnish)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

a few grinds black pepper

1 pound ground lamb (ground beef is a fine substitute!)

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain sheep's milk, goat's milk, or cow's milk yogurt

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the carrots with the oil, spices, salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly browned and tender. About 30 minutes. Toss the carrots halfway through cooking.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the pan, swirl to coat. Add the scallions, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and lamb. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is cooked through, 5-7 minutes.

Prepare the yogurt sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl.

Spread a thin layer of the yogurt sauce onto four plates, top with the carrots and then top with a few spoonfuls of the lamb mixture. Sprinkle with minced scallion tops and serve.

Recipe: Hasselback Potatoes With Garlic Confit

2021 Week 24 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic FRom Potato Goodness

The garlic confit portion of this recipe requires quite a few cloves, so if you have been saving up your heads from your CSA box this is a great way to make the most of your stash. Otherwise, feel free to leave the garlic confit out, and just brush your taters with a little garlic infused oil.

4-6 medium russet potatoes

Coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Garlic confit: (you will have some left over but can be used for other dishes)

½ cup light olive oil or neutral oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

A few sprigs thyme

Heat the oven to 425°F / 220ºC with a rack in the lower-middle position.

Make the garlic confit: Heat the oil and unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220º F. Reduce the heat to low, add the thyme sprigs and garlic, and cook until they are soft and lightly golden brown, 20-25 minutes. It should be lightly bubbling away but not spitting oil or smoking. Take the thyme out after 15 minutes or so (it will have given up all it’s flavor and just get dark). Make sure to keep the temperature below 260ºF or it can burn. Stir the garlic occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Set aside to cool.

Scrub the potatoes clean and pat them dry with a paper towel. Cut slits 1/8 inch to ¼-inch apart in the potato, stopping just above the bottom so that the slices stay connected. (Laying a wooden spoon or chopsticks next to the potato makes this easier. Cut straight down and stop when the knife hits the spoon).

Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish or cast iron skillet, cut side up. Brush the potatoes all over with the garlic oil, including the bottoms (don’t try to get oil in the slits yet). Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes.

At this point, the layers will begin to separate. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the potatoes again with the garlic oil — you can gently open the layers slightly if they’re still sticking together. Make sure to get the oil down into the space between the slices.

Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are starting to crisp on the edges. Remove the pan from the oven once more and tuck four or five roasted garlic cloves between the slits of each potato (every few leaves should get one). Return to the oven and bake another 10-20 minutes until the edges are crisp and brown and the center can be easily pierced with a paring knife).

Serve immediately while hot and crispy!

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: Thai Winter Squash Curry

2021 Week 24 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From Little Spice Jar

A flavorful and warming dish that will welcome any variety of winter squash that you might have on hand! Serve with basmati rice topped with crushed nuts, cilantro, and lime wedges.

1 tablespoons coconut oil (or any oil really)

1 large shallot, chopped (or onions or leeks)

2-2 ½ cups diced winter squash (about 1.5 pounds)

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2-3 tablespoons red curry paste

½ tablespoon yellow curry powder

1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk

¾ cup vegetables or chicken broth

2 teaspoons fish sauce (omit for vegans/vegetarians)

2 teaspoons sugar

Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots and saute them for 5-6 minutes or until they just begin to get golden. Add the squash and grated ginger, stir to coat with the oil.

Add the red curry paste, yellow curry powder and stir until all the squash is nicely coated. Continue to cook the curry paste for 2-3 minutes or until it's fragrant. Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Let the sauce come to a simmer before covering. Lower the heat and allow the squash to cook all the way through, about 12-18 minutes. You'll know it's done when you can easily pierce the squash with the tip of a knife.

Recipe: Parsnip & Leek Soup

2021 Week 24 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Simply Recipe

A recipe recommendation from one of our CSA members! She suggests subbing in chicken broth for the 2 extra cups of water and offering feta as an additional topping option. She shared that cauliflower works great to add in if you're a bit short on parsnips, and we think carrots would probably work well here too!

2 tablespoons butter

3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced lengthwise, cleaned, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups of sliced leeks)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 to 2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped

2 strips lemon zest, 1 x 2 inches each

1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt

4 cups chicken stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option)

2 cups water

2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley (reserve a little for garnish)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat butter in a 4 to 6 quart pot on medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, toss to coat with the butter. When the leeks are heated enough so they begin to sizzle in the pan, lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook until soft, but don't let the leeks brown.

Add the parsnips and olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the salt. Add the stock and water. Add the strips of lemon zest.

Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the parsnips are completely tender, at least 30 minutes.

After removing the zest and adding the parsley, purée by using an immersion blender or by working in batches with a stand-up blender. If using a standing blender, fill the bowl no more than halfway, hold the cover on the blender bowl, and start blending at the lowest speed. Return the puréed soup to the pot.

Stir in lemon juice and season with salt, if needed.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, a little olive oil, and chopped parsley or chives.

Recipe: Creamy Celeriac, Kohlrabi, & Fennel Soup

2021 Week 23 Newsletter

Recipe Adapted From Feasting At Home

A creamy, decadent tasting soup that incorporates 3 delicious cool-weather veggies! The parsley oil garnish is optional but if you have some celery leftover from last week, give it a try (or sub in cilantro!)

1 large fennel bulb, cored and diced ( about 1 ½ cups)

½ onion-diced ( 1 cup)

1–2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 grapefruit-sized celeriac- peeled and diced ( about 2 cups)

1-2 kohlrabi- peeled and diced

8 Cups Chicken or Veggie stock

¼ teaspoon white pepper

salt to taste

¼ cup creme fraise or sour cream for garnish ( optional)

Parsley oil -for garnish- ( optional)

1 Cup packed Italian parsley ( stems ok)

½ Cup olive oil

½ clove garlic

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large heavy bottom pot, saute diced onion in 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil, over medium high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add fennel. Turn heat to medium-low and saute until fennel begins to caramelize, stirring occasionally about 12 minutes. Add celeriac, kohlrabi, pepper and 8 cups chicken stock.

Turn heat to high, bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover, and continue simmering until celeriac and kohlrabi are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Using a blender, blend until smooth -in batches, only filling blender 1/2 full. (Remember when blending any hot liquid, cover the blender lid firmly with a kitchen town, and only fill blender 1/2 full, and start on the lowest speed, to prevent a blender explosion.)

Return to the pot. Warm before serving and adjust salt.

Garnish with a swirl of creme fraise or sour cream (optional) and a little drizzle of parsley oil.

Parsley Oil

Pulse all ingredients in a blender or food processor until combined.

Recipe: Twice Roasted Carrots With Honey & Almonds

2021 Week 23 Newsletter

Recipe from Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables, Pic from Alexandra Cooks

The perfect roasted carrots with just the right balance of sugar and acid. Try pairing with your favorite grain or roasted meat.

1½ to 2 pounds carrots, trimmed and peeled, but left whole

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or white balsamic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

Heat the oven to 475°F.

Spread the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle on a tablespoon or so of oil, and roll the carrots to coat them. Roast until they are very dark brown, even a bit burnt on the edges, but not fully tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Note: I am still without an oven, and my little Waring oven doesn’t really get above 400ºF, so the first roast for me takes about 30 to 45 minutes—just roast the carrots till they look nearly charred on all surfaces. Leave the oven on but reduce the temperature to 300°F.

When the carrots are cool enough to handle, cut them on a sharp angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar, season with salt and lots of pepper, and toss to coat. Let the carrots sit for 5 minutes to absorb the vinegar.

Spread them out on the baking sheet again, distribute the butter bits on top, and drizzle the honey or maple syrup over all. Roast until they are fully tender and the butter and honey are making a lovely mess, 5 to 7 minutes. Note: Again, because my oven is a little guy, this step takes longer—just cook until everything looks caramelized. Scrape everything into a serving bowl, taste, and adjust with more vinegar, salt, or pepper. Top with the almonds. Serve warm.

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: Five Spice Pumpkin Pie

2021 Week 23 Newsletter

Instead of writing it all out, this week I thought I'd link right to the Smitten Kitchen recipe we love to make in my house - pecan topping optional! You can click right on this text and it will take you there, or copy and paste the link below.

A quick google search will bring up directions to easily turn your own pie pumpkin into homemade pumpkin puree! We usually say that each pound of pumpkin yields about 1 cup of puree - and ya'll pumpkins are around 4lbs each (give or take). Hopefully that helps you decide how to use it!

-Alice

A note from Rae: Feel free to use the tried and true holy trinity of nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon, but if you want to mix things up a bit, sub in Chinese Five Spice Powder and wow your fellow diners with touches of anise and a subtle zing of Sichuan pepper! 2 or 3 tsps is usually just right.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/11/classic-pumpkin-pie-with-pecan-praline-sauce/

Recipe: Warm Radicchio, Cauliflower, & Apple Salad

2021 Week 22 Newsletter

Recipe from Lauren Feldman

Preheat Oven to 450°. Slice the Cauliflower vertically in 1” thick slices through the core so that it stays in large pieces. Oil a sheet pan and sprinkle with some sea salt. Lay down the cauliflower, drizzle with some more olive oil and sprinkle with some more salt. Roast in the hot oven for 20 or so minutes. The cauliflower should be cooked through but not mushy and should have some nice caramelization

While the cauliflower is roasting make the vinaigrette.

30 grams minced shallot

100 grams Apple Cider Vinegar

8 grams salt

Let the shallots macerate with the vinegar and salt for 10 minutes. I like to do it in a mason jar so that I can shake the dressing vigorously.

Then add:

15 grams Dijon or Coarse Mustard

20 gram honey

120 grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil Black Pepper to Taste Shake to blend.

Taste! The vinegar you use might be different from the one that I used! You may need more oil, honey, mustard or salt.

Char the radicchio. Chioggia radicchio is good for grilling or charring because the heads are generally dense like cabbage. But try another type if that’s what you have!

Take off the outer loose leaves. Don’t throw them away! You can use them for another salad. Cut the radicchio in half, through the core. Then, depending on the size, cut each half in 4 to 6 wedges, through the core so that they somewhat stay together in one piece.

Drizzle olive oil on the radicchio and sprinkle with some salt. Char on a hot cast iron skillet until lightly blackened. Flip over and do the other side. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Peel an apple that has bright acidity and firm flesh, like a pink lady. Slice into wedges, toss in a little butter or better yet, brown butter, and roast in the hot oven until cooked through-not too mushy!!

Rough chop the cauliflower and radicchio. Toss with the apples and some of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs (I used rye), dill and finishing salt. Delicious warm or at room temperature!

Recipe: Radicchio Pesto

2021 Week 22 Newsletter

Radicchio is tasty in so many preparations, but if you're new to this bitter veggie and need a gateway recipe, this is a great one to try (plus it is a lovely pink color)! Unlike a typical basil pesto, the radicchio is sautéed before pureeing and this (along with the fat, salt, and lemon) helps to temper its strong flavor. Try with pasta or on top of bruschetta!

~Rae

1 head radicchio, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic

½ an onion or shallot

¼ cup walnuts or pinenuts

½ cup olive oil

⅓ cup parmesan cheese

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sautee the radicchio and onion until soft and wilted then puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Taste and add salt and pepper.

Recipe: Beet & Fennel Soup

2021 Week 22 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Dishing Up The Dirt

A deliciously unique soup that will make the most of both your beets and fennel!

2 Tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 large fennel bulb, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

fat pinch of salt

3 large beets, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 1/2 cups water (plus more to thin if needed)

1 cup whole milk plain yogurt

fennel fronds for garnish

Heat the butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, fennel, fennel seeds and salt. Cook stirring occasionally until the veggies begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the beets and stir to coat. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the 2 1/2 cups of water and bring back up to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the beets are tender.

Carefully transfer the soup to a blender, add the yogurt and blend on high until completely smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm. (If the soup seems to thick add a little more water to thin to your desired consistency).