Monday, July 13, 2009

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. 


Monday, July 6, 2009

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.