Recipe: Okonomiyaki: Japanese Cabbage Pancakes

from Food 52

Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sriracha, more or less to taste
Pancakes

5 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
3/4 cup (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
3/4 cup canola oil for frying (roughly 1 tablespoon per pancake, using more or less as needed)
1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 pinch bonito flakes (optional)

Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.

Warm a couple glugs of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds and/or bonito flakes on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce and a cold pilsner.

Recipe: Maple Roasted Carrots

from Bon Appetit

2 lb. medium carrots, tops trimmed to about ½", scrubbed

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugar

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Flaky sea salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 3 sheets of foil (you’ll need it!). Cut carrots on a diagonal into 3" pieces (halved or quartered lengthwise if large).

Spread out carrots on foil. Evenly top with butter, brown sugar, syrup, and red pepper flakes. Season with kosher salt and toss to combine.

Bake carrots, tossing every 20 minutes, until tender and browned around the edges, 50–60 minutes. Transfer to a platter (with syrup, if desired). Sprinkle with sea salt (if using).

Recipe: Sesame-Miso Potato Salad

adapted from A Common Table

Potatoes

2 lbs red potatoes, cut into ¾in cubes

1 tbs salt

2 tbs rice vinegar

Dressing

⅓ cup mayo

¼ cup greek yogurt

2-3 tbs white miso, at room temp

1 tsp sesame oil

1-2 tsp honey

¼ tsp salt, or more to taste

¼ tsp black pepper, or more to taste

To Assemble

4 large hard-boiled eggs

⅓ cup finely sliced scallions

⅓ cup coarsely chopped cilantro (optional) 

Place the potatoes and salt in a pot with enough cold water to cover them by one inch. bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until a fork slides through the potatoes without resistance, 7-8min.

Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the vinegar and toss gently with a spatula to combine. Let stand until the potatoes are cool, about 30min.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, yogurt, miso paste, sesame oil, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth. Using a spatula, gently fold the eggs into the potatoes, then fold in about two thirds of the dressing. If it is too dry for your taste, add the remaining dressing until it reaches your desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about one hour. Serve cold with scallions and cilantro on top. 

Recipe: Lamb Meatloaf With Tahini Sauce & Beet Relish

from Dishing Up The Dirt

Meatloaf

2 pounds ground lamb

1 medium sized red onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

1/4 finely chopped parsley

2 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

hefty pinch of salt

Tahini Sauce

1/3 cup well stirred tahini

1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley

pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

4-5 tablespoons water

Beet Relish 

2 medium sized beets, quartered

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an 10 x 5 inch loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the lamb, onion, parsley, garlic, eggs, tomato paste, spices and salt until well combined. Transfer the mixture to your prepared loaf pan. Place the loaf pan inside a high-sided baking dish. Carefully fill the baking dish with enough boiling water to rise halfway up the sides of the loaf pan (this is important as it will help keep the meat moist since lamb is on the leaner side). Bake until the loaf is golden brown and cooked through. About 1 hour and 10 minutes.

While the meatloaf is cooking prepare your tahini sauce. Combine the tahini, vinegar, garlic, parsley,  crushed red pepper flakes, salt and water. Whisk vigorously until smooth (this works great with an immersion blender). Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Prepare the beet relish by covering the quartered beets in a saucepan with enough water to cover them by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender. About 20 minutes. Drain the beets and when cool enough to handle roughly chop them into small pieces. Add the beets to a bowl and toss with the vinegar, oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Once the meatloaf is cooked, remove the pan from the water bath and leave it on the counter to cool down for about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid and fat from the loaf pan and then use a spatula or butter knife to loosen the loaf from the pan. Place the loaf on a cutting board and drizzle it with half of the tahini sauce. Then spoon over the beet relish and drizzle with additional sauce as desired. Slice and serve.

Recipe: Carrot Top Pesto

from Our Crew Member Allie!

Per Allie: “This can work for any greens really. I also like to switch around the nuts also to play with flavors (and what my pantry has)” 

1lb carrot tops (about 2 very full cups mashed down - sometimes the stems can be really woody, if this is the case, cut them higher up so its more leafy - it can mess with your food processor and creates a not so great texture) 

1/2 - 1 cup of oil ( I like to use a mix of olive oil and avocado oil - for me full olive oil is too strong)

2 -3 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 cup almonds (walnuts would also be good)

salt (to taste but probably 1 - 2 tsp depending on if your nuts are salted or not)

Add garlic, almonds, and greens to food processor. Turn on and drizzle in oil. After it starts to get pasty. Stop, mix and taste. Add salt and more oil as needed. Continue processing until it's smooth and everything is blended. Tastes delicious right out of the processor but even better after having a chance to mingle. Use for dressings, toss in pasta, spread on toast. Honestly it makes every dish a little happier!

Recipe: Beet Tostadas With Fried Eggs

adapted from Bon Appetit

This recipe requires some time with your stove but it's so unique that we couldn't resist including it this week! If you make this recipe let us know in the facebook group what you thought! 

1 lb. red beets (about 2 large or a few medium), peeled, cut into ¼" pieces

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder

1 tsp. crushed dried oregano, preferably Mexican

1 tsp. paprika

¾ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

2⅓ cups plus 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 large white onion, halved through root end, sliced ¼" thick 

6 medium serrano chiles or jalapenos, quartered lengthwise, leaving stems and seeds intact

6 6"-diameter corn tortillas

6 large eggs

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Toss beets, garlic, chile powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, pepper, 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ⅓ cup oil in a medium bowl until beets are coated. Scrape onto a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing every 15 minutes, until beets are tender and spices are very fragrant and smell slightly toasted, 35–45 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 cups oil in a large saucepan over high until oil bubbles immediately when the edge of a tortilla touches the surface. Carefully fry onion, adding a little bit at time to avoid too much spattering and reducing heat as needed, until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with chiles, about 5 minutes. Transfer to same baking sheet. 

Working one at a time, fry tortillas, turning once, until crisp, puffed in places, and deep golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tostadas to baking sheet.

Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Crack eggs into skillet, leaving space around each one, and cook until whites are set and edges are crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt.

Spoon beet mixture onto tostadas, dividing evenly, and top each with an egg, then fried onion, chiles, an salsa of your choice.

Recipe: Cabbage & Kale Slaw With Mustard Vinaigrette

from The Spruce Eats

For the Salad:

4 to 6 medium leaves kale (lacinato)

1/2 medium head cabbage (green)

1/4 cup walnuts (pecans, or slivered or sliced almonds)

Salt to taste (kosher)

Pepper to taste (freshly ground)

For the Dijon Mustard Dressing:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (grainy, or more, to taste)

1 clove garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1/3 cup olive oil (good quality extra virgin)

 Prepare the Salad

Toast the nuts, if desired. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake whole, chopped, or slivered nuts in a preheated 350 F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, checking and turning them frequently. Sliced almonds will take about half the time. Watch closely.

Cut the middle rib out of each lacinato kale leaf. Roll the leaves up into a tight roll and slice them chiffonade-style into thin strips. Put the strips of kale in a large bowl. You should have about 2 to 3 cups.

Cut the core out of the cabbage half and shred or chop the cabbage. Transfer the cabbage to the bowl with the kale.

Toss the chopped nuts with the kale and cabbage.

Prepare the Dressing

In a canning jar or bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, minced garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk or shake well. Add a dash of salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Dijon mustard vinaigrette over the salad. Toss the salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Serve with the extra dressing on the side.

Recipe: Roasted Carrots With Tahini Sauce

Serve over couscous with a dollop of greek yogurt and crispy chickpeas to turn this side into a meal! 

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp garlic powder

pinch of salt

2-3 tbsp water

1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean carrots well and trim most of the green, leaving some still visible. Cut carrots in half and place them on a roasting sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning them half way through.

Meanwhile, add all ingredients under tahini dressing to a blender and blend until smooth.

Remove carrots from oven, arrange on plate, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. 

Roasted Baby Beet Salad With Feta & Shallot Vinaigrette

From A Sweet Pea Chef

1 bunch baby beets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp shallots minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp parsley minced
1 tsp fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the baby beets, skin on, down on the baking sheet, with space surrounding each, if possible. Cover baking sheet with another sheet of aluminum foil. (You can bypass this step if you wish to individually wrap each beet, but this is kinda like wrapping them all together at once. Much easier.)
Bake beets in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all other ingredients (for the vinaigrette). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Once beets are tender, remove from oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, gently peel off beet skin using a sharp paring knife. Discard peel.
Slice each beet in about 1/4-inch slices. Arrange sliced beets on a plate. Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over the beets (you may not need to use it all). Sprinkle crumble feta over the plate.

Reeipe: Tumbleweed Farm's Favorite Kale Salad

From Dishing Up The Dirt

1 large bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite size pieces (remove some of the large tough stems)
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce or tamari)
1 tablespoon water (plus more to thin if needed)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
sea salt

In a large bowl use your hands to lightly massage the raw kale for a few seconds.

Using an immersion blender or small food processor puree the garlic, tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, coconut aminos, water and nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Pour half of the dressing into the bowl with the kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the diced avocado, toasted sesame seeds, pine nuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. Divide between plates and drizzle with additional dressing.

Recipe: Warm Lentils With Wilted Chard, Roasted Beets, & Goat Cheese

from Feasting At Home

3–4 beets ( enough for 2 people)

2 cups cooked lentils

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ a red onion- diced

3 garlic cloves- rough chopped

4 cups (packed) swiss chard or rainbow chard- chopped ( or sub baby spinach)

salt and pepper to taste

1–2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ cup goat cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Scrub and trim beets and cut into ½ inch slices or wedges. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until tender, about 25- 30 minutes.

If cooking lentils, place ¾ cup dried lentils in a small pot and cover with 3 inches of water and a pinch salt. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to a simmer, cook about 25-30 minutes or until tender but still hold their shape. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Turn heat  down to medium, add garlic and cook 2 more minutes, until golden and fragrant.

Lower heat to medium low. Add chard and gently wilt, just slightly, about 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 2 cups cooked lentils to the skillet, gently folding them in and warming. Season again with salt and pepper.

Add beets and splash with 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.  Let vinegar cook down for just a couple minutes so it’s not so acidic. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Taste again, if it tastes bland it most likely needs salt. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Za'atar Spiced Beet Dip with Goat Cheese & Hazelnuts

From Jerusalem by Yotal Ottelenghi
This is a simple dip, and delicious with pita, roasted veggies, and baked chickpeas. Halve the recipe if using a single bunch of beets

6 medium beets (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red chile, seeded and minced
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon za’atar
Salt
1/4 cup roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Warm bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.

Peel the beets, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile and yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and scallions on top and serve with bread.

Recipe: Anything Goes Green Sauce

A Farm Favorite

Think of this pesto-like sauce as a way to use up carrot tops, fennel fronds, radish greens, hearty greens, extra garlic, and other things lurking in your crisper. Your palate is the only limit!

1 cup packed greens and/or herbs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
1 large clove of garlic
2 tbs lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until the oil is emulsified and the sauce looks uniform.

Toss with pasta or roasted veggies, mix into mayo for sandwiches, stir a dollop into scrambled eggs, add a couple tsp to salad dressings, or incorporate into hummus to sneak some greens into the picky eaters in your family. Make in large batches and freeze!

Recipe: Any Greens Instant Pot Saag

This is a go-to recipe for us and several of our long-time members when there are a lot of greens that need to be used up at once!  You can incorporate your turnip greens, radish greens, komatsuna, curly kale, and just about any other leafy green veggie!

2 tablespoons ghee

2 onions, diced

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger

Spices

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne, adjust to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 pounds greens (spinach, mustard, turnip and radish greens, collards, kale, etc)

Pinch of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Ghee or butter, for serving

Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot and add the ghee. Once it melts, add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts and there’s enough room to add the mustard greens.

Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. Naturally release pressure. Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the contents of the pot (or pour the contents into a blender and then add the blended mixture back into the pot).

Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves. Serve with ghee.

Recipe: Lemon & Ginger Kale Chips

From Serious Eats

1 bunch (about 7 ounces) kale, rinsed and well dried
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set 2 oven racks at the centermost positions.

Trim the tough stems from the kale leaves. Cut larger leaves crosswise into 3- to 4-inch portions; smaller leaves can be baked as is. Put the kale in a large bowl, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the leaves, and toss well with your hands to evenly coat the leaves with oil. The curlier the leaves, the more you’ll want to use your fingers to rub a bit of oil into the nooks and crannies. Just a light gloss of oil is the goal; drizzle another teaspoon or two over if needed, but avoid excessive oil. Arrange the kale pieces on the prepared baking sheets, the leaves touching each other as little as possible.

Combine the lemon zest, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub the ingredients together well. (Be sure to do this at the last minute.) Sprinkle the salt mixture over the kale leaves.

Bake for 10 minutes. Switch the baking sheets and continue baking until the leaves are dry and rigid but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes longer. If some leaves at the outer edges of the baking sheets are ready earlier, transfer them to a wire rack and continue baking the remaining leaves for a few minutes.

Use a metal spatula to transfer the leaves to a wire rack to cool. Serve on a platter or in a broad shallow bowl. The kale chips are best on the day they are made but can be stored for up to 1 day in an airtight container.