Week 14

Food

arugula

green beans

fingerling potatoes

kale

sunflower

turnips

This week I enjoyed testing my newly learned TTL flash photography knowledge, and created a mysterious turnip photo. It reminds me of Harry Potter for some reason.

In terms of food, everything has been pretty basic, and I have been chomping away at the arugula.

Recipe

(May's Cooking Light)

Serves 4

salt 

pepper

ground fennel seeds

cumin

4 tsp olive oil, halved

16 oz beef tenderloin

1 cup arugula

1 bulb fennel

mayonnaise

crusty bread

1. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil in a pan. Add 1/4 to half of the herb mixture. Add thinly sliced fennel. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes.

2. Use the rest of the herb mixture to coat the beef tenderloin. Cook in a pan, roughly 4 minutes per side. Once done, let sit 10 minutes and then thinly slice.

3. On sliced bread, add 1 tsp of mayo (I made homemade out of lemon juice, salt, 1 egg, and canola oil), 1/4 of the cooked fennel, 1/4 of the arugula, and 1/4 of the beef. YUMMY!

Week 12

Food

carrots

green bell peppers

string beans

swiss chard

yellow squash 

Week 11

Food

eggs

onions

mixed greens

potatoes

string beans

yellow squash

Recipe

I was excited, and slightly nervous, to use my fresh eggs to make a salad dressing. Happily, it tasted great and I felt just fine. Not sure of the safety protocol...

Caesar salad

1 clove garlic

5 anchovy fillets, although I subbed anchovy paste

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 fresh egg yolk

1/4 cup grated fresh parm cheese

1/4 EVOO

salt and pepper

lettuce

1. Place crushed garlic and anchovies (paste) in a bowl with the lemon juice. Whisk with a fork, add egg yolk, and beat together. Add cheese and then EVOO, constantly beating together. Add salt and pepper and more lemon juice if needed.

2. Toss evenly over lettuce

Week 10

 

    

Food

Eggs

Garlic

Lettuce mix

Red Onion

String Beans

Zucchini

No fancy cooking this week...just simple salads, etc.

Weeks 8 & 9

Week 8

I can't locate photos...my upcoming vacation must have been on my mind. But, I made two delicious arugula dishes.

Week 9

I was out of town enjoying the beach, and nibbling on Eastern Shore corn, lopes, and peaches. I also got to eat some veggies from my mom's garden: tomatoes, cukes, and zucchini. 

Recipes

Arugula salad

Made a dressing with fresh squeezed lemons and some olive oil. So delicious!

My favorite homemade pizza!

1 package Betty Crocker pizza dough mix

8 oz mozzarella cheese (I use shredded lowfat)

2 oz sliced arugula (or baby spinach)

3 oz sliced prosciutto

1/4 cups chopped walnuts

2 oz shredded parmigiano reggiano cheese

1. Heat over to 450

2. Prepare dough and place in warm place

3. Prepare items for assembly

4. Spray pizza pan and spread dough

5. Add mozz, arugula, prosciutto, walnuts, reggiano

6. Bake 16 minutes and cool for 5-10 before serving

Week 7

Food

Collard greens

Fava beans

Kohlrabi

Lettuce?

Red onions

Zucchini

Recipes

We had us a feast! We made a salad with the lettuce and red onions. 

I lovingly prepared the fava beans: I shelled them, boiled them for 30 seconds, and then shelled them again. I tossed the with salt, pepper, and sesame seeds. So much work.

Meanwhile, Sarah prepared the crowd pleaser. I hope she can post the recipe; I don't have it. But, it involved kohlrabi in a creamy sauce...and here it is:

Kohlrabi in Herb Cream Sauce

serves 4

1 kg (2 1/4 lb) kohlrabi

2 litres (3 1/2 pints) water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

50 g (2 oz) butter

salt

generous pinch of sugar

scant 150 ml (1/4 pint) vegetable stock

5 tablespoons creme fraiche (we used yogurt, and ignored any curdling)

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1. Wash the kohlrabi under lukewarm running water. Cut off the tender inner leaves and keep them to one side. Peel the kohlrabi, remove any woody parts, cut into quarters and then into fairly thick sticks.

2. Bring the water to the boil with the lemon juice. Place the kohlrabi in a sieve and suspend it in the boiling water. Blanch the kohlrabi for 5 minutes, rinse in cold water and drain it thoroughly.

3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and braise the kohlrabi, stirring frequently. Add salt to taste, the sugar and stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Chop the kohlrabi leaves and mix them into the herbs.

4. Stir the creme fraiche (yogurt) and herbs into the kohlrabi.

Jeremy grilled up meat and fake meat for the main course, and the zucchini too. 

Week 6

Food

Cabbage

Carrots

Kale

Parsley

Peas

String beans

Recipes

Really Week 6 is over, but it was good. De-lish. My two favorite dishes were spicy green beans with garlic and my very modified version of spaghetti alla carbonara. I also roasted the kale again, but at a lower temp and for less time. It just dissolved in my mouth.

Spicy green beans with garlic (from Emeril Lagasse, 2001)

Ingredients

1/4 cup clarified butter (I just stuck my non-clarified onto the skillet)

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I just minced mine)

2 small green peppers, stems and seeds removed, minced 

2 t turmeric 

2 t ground cumin

1/8 t cayenne

1 lb green beans, tough ends removed

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 t salt

3 T sesame seeds (I did not add these)

1. In a large saute pan, heat butter over medium-high. 

2. Add garlic, peppers, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, and cook, stirring until the garlic begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. 

3. Add the green beans, water, salt, and stir well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. 

5. Add the sesame seeds and cook uncovered, stirring, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Modified spaghetti alla carbonara

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti (I don't do spaghetti, so I used whatever noodles I had on hand...probably penne)

2 t olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, trimmed of fat and diced (I didn't have any on hand, so I used lots of de-thawed frozen shrimp instead)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 large egg

2 large egg whites

2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until they turn golden. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute. Add white wine and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, whisk egg, egg whites, cheese, and parsley. Season with pepper.

4. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add the egg mixture and the shrimp to the pasta. On a low heat, toss the pasta until the eggs are creamy, 30-40 seconds; do not overcook. Add more pepper, and serve. 

Week 5

Food
Carrots
Garlic scapes YUM!
Lettuce
Peas
Rainbow chard
Turnips

Recipes
It seems like we received more food than that? At any rate, I cooked up the garlic scapes Wednesday night, per Sarah and Jeremy per the chef at the goods pick up. I cut them up, disgarding the top soft part. I cooked them in a hot pan with some olive oil for a couple minutes, and then added salt, pepper, and 1 T of balsamic vinegar. I served it over pasta, and with a salad made of my fresh veggies. Next time I would stick to the pesto, just because that is SO SO good, or use this as more of a side dish.

Week 4

Food

Beets

Broccoli raab

Green onions

Lettuce

Oregano

Peas

Recipes

Week 5 is almost here; I bet I am forgetting some of the goods I received last week. I cooked up the broccoli raab, which is not related to broccoli and which is quite popular in Hong Kong. I served it with pasta in a spicy sauce, and a salad made with some of the CSA veggies. Other than that, I added ingredients to a pulled chicken in salsa verde crockpot dish. 

Wilted broccoli raab 

Rinse broccoli raab and trim off bottom of stem

Cut stalks across

Place in pan with heated olive oil and garlic

Cook 3-5 minutes

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes

(Next time I would cook the stemmy pieces longer than the leafier pieces.)

Week 3

Food

Garlic scapes

Kale

Lettuce

Pea sprouts

Radishes

Rhubarb

Recipes

Our garlic scapes came with a recipe for pesto, which I made on Wednesday night. I served it with pasta and a fresh lettuce salad that was garnished with the radishes and pea sprouts. I tried to make roasted kale, but made burnt to a crisp kale instead. Oh well...the delicious pesto made up for it. 

Garlic scape pesto

1 cup chopped garlic scapes

1/3 cup walnuts

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated

1/2 cup EVOO

coarse salt and pepper, to taste.

Blend everything but the olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Slowly drizzle in the oil with the motor running, and blend until emulsified and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Roasted kale

4 cups packed kale

1 T EVOO

1 t sea salt.

Heat the oven to 375. Wash and trim kale (remove tough stems by folding in half like a book and cutting off). Toss with EVOO. Roast 5 minutes. Turn kale over. Roast 7-10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. 

**My kale was burnt. I didn't have too much to work with, so perhaps that was my first problem. Also, Sarah pointed out that maybe the veggie share kale isn't as tough as grocery store kale. I would cut the oven temp next time.**

Week 2

Food

beets

arugula

cilantro

iris flower

leeks
lettuce

Beets! They taste like the earth to me, which means I am learning to like them. I do love how bright they look when you cut them open, and how the beet juice stains your cutting board. I was busy, so I made simple salads out of the food.

Cilantro! One of my new favorites, if doused in fresh lime juice.

Week 1

Food

radishes

lettuce

rhubarb

spinach

Recipe

My grandparents and aunt and uncle visited the weekend after Memorial Day. I wanted to have some special food on hand. In addition to making my family's favorite brownies and hitting up the Cheese Importers, I decided to make a strawberry-rhubarb jelly concoction for toast or with cheese and crackers. I read through several cookbooks and chose a simpler recipe from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins. I modified it to the following:

5 large stalks of rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

2 cups hulled, halved strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, until the rhubarb is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove any foam that forms on the surface.

2. Remove the vanilla bean and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate. It will keep for two days.

Yields approximately 2 cups

Notes

Rhubarb, which grew untouched and uncooked by me in the backyard of my last home in Boulder, seemed daunting to use. But it is easy. Cut off all leaves, as they are inedible. Trim a bit off the top and bottom of the stalk. Peel off strands from the bottom of the stalk with a knife by simply pulling upwards. 

Welcome

Finally, after over six years of putting it off, I have signed up for a summer vegetable share in a local CSA (community supported agriculture). Community Roots is an innovative version; instead of my veggies being grown on a local farm, they are grown in a suburban neighborhood setting. Front and back yards in Boulder's Martin Acres neighborhood have been converted into vegetable gardens. Participation in Community Roots varies from offering your yard, joining the CSA, volunteering, and more. I joined this CSA because my friend Sarah, a Martian Acres homeowner, wanted to split her share with someone, and I was eager to accept the push into community agriculture. Yay for growing things and eating them!

Welcome to this blog that will document my CSA experience. I hope to include lists of the food, photographs, and recipes.