Sautéed chicken with kohlrabi and peas CSA Share Week 3

This recipe makes use of the garlic scapes, chives, kohlrabi and shell peas in my sharebox. For the sake of time, I’ve abandoned the mise en place approach I usually follow and used the time the chicken requires to cook to prepare the other ingredients. I had planned to make something with chicken thighs in my freezer, so I placed them in the refrigerator the day before to thaw. With a little forethought and working without distraction, this dish can be on the table in 20 minutes, and you will also have time to assemble a simple side salad (perhaps a beet salad if you cooked your beets the day before.)

Serves 4

Ingredients
4-6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 garlic scapes
1/2 -3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock as needed
1-2 Tbsp fresh chives
1 large or two medium kohlrabi
1 cup fresh peas
salt and pepper

Procedure
Using paper towels, pat dry the chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil on medium high in a nonstick skillet. Add the chicken. While the chicken is browning, chop the garlic scapes and chives, then add to the pan. Turn the chicken and add ¼ cup of the chicken stock.

While the chicken continues to cook, peel the kohlrabi, cut it into quarters, and then slice thinly. Add the kohlrabi slices to the chicken. Shake the pan to ensure the kohlrabi is in contact with the bottom of the pan. You may also need to add a little more stock at this time.

While the chicken and kohlrabi continue to cook, shell the peas. Add the peas to the pan. You may also need to add a little more stock at this time. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the chicken juices are clear and the Kohlrabi is tender. Check for seasoning and serve.

About Kohlrabi. Kohlrabi is part of the cabbage family. The part we eat is the bulbous stalk, although the leaves are also edible. It is crisp and mild in flavor.

Kitchen Notes: In my recipes, the amount of fresh vegetables noted in the ingredients list is a guideline. If you are using frozen peas, you can easily measure 1 cup exactly. When using the produce from your sharebox, you may have 2/3 cup peas or 1-1/2 cup peas. Whatever you have will work.

Beet Greens with Raisins and Nuts Over Soft Polenta, CSA Sharebox Week 3

Greens such as beet greens, spinach, chard, sorrel, kale and others are among the first and very abundant types of produce available in the spring, so I find them in my sharebox regularly. That means coming up with a variety of recipes for enjoying them.

Four servings

Ingredients
For the Polenta
1 Tbsp butter
4 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup hard or semi soft cheese such as a Wensleydale or a Farmhouse Jack
salt to taste

For the Greens
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes to soften)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (or other nuts, such as hazelnuts, chopped)
1 pound beet greens (washed and stems removed)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and black pepper

To make the polenta, bring the water and butter to a boil and slowly add the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and stir and cook until the polenta is very thick and leaves the sides of the pan. Add the cheese, and check for seasoning.

To prepare the greens, fry the nuts until they begin to turn a golden color. Add the beet greens and garlic, turning quickly just until the greens wilt. Drain and add the raisins. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on top of the polenta.

Composed Beet Salad, CSA Sharebox Week 3

In a recent post, I used the leaves from my beets in a mixed greens stir fry but I saved the beet roots for later. The following recipe for a beet salad is beautiful when composed on a large serving platter or individual plates. The beets glisten like jewels, and their earthy sweetness is balanced by the tartness of the dressing and the saltiness of the other ingredients.

Four servings

Ingredients
2 pounds beet roots
1 clove of garlic
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil
4-6 cups mixed leafy and peppery lettuces
12 Pitted and halved calamata olives
a wedge of parmesan cheese

Procedure

Cook the beet by placing them in a covered baking dish with some water. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes for small beets to an hour or longer for large ones. Once the beets are tender, place them in a bowl of cold water. Then you can remove the skins. Quarter the beets and set aside while you make the dressing. ( That step can be done the day before)

Make the dressing. Using a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic clove with the salt until you have a paste. Add the lemon juice and then the oil, whisking continuously. Pour this dressing over the beets and place in the refrigerator for an hour. When you are ready to serve, arrange lettuce on a large serving platter, then distribute the beets and their dressing on top. Scatter the olives around and finally, using a vegetable peeler, shave strips of parmasan cheese evenly over the salad.

About Beets: Beet roots provide many important nutrients including folate, manganese, potassium, fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, tryptophan, iron, copper, and phosphorus. A cup of cooked beets is about 75 calories and has about 3 grams of fiber. Learn more about beets

Lowfat Buttermilk Scones for Strawberry Shortcake

I mentioned the incredible strawberries we received this week by special order. I prefer a biscuit- type of shortcake over sponge cake or angle food cake. Here's a quick and easy and lowfat recipe that I made for a potluck on Friday night.

Makes about 10 individual shortcakes.

Ingredients
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg beaten
1 cup buttermilk
3-1/2 Tbsp melted butter
additional sugar

Procedure
Preheat the over to 400 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Combine the dry ingredients. Combine the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together gently until you have a springy sticky batter. Use an ice cream scoop to drop the batter into mounds on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm with strawberries and whipped cream.

Curried Goat Stew with Herbed Rice, CSA Sharebox Week 2

No, a goat did not come in the share box this week. But the next best thing: While waiting for my husband at Home Depot this weekend, I walked over to the North Atherton farmers market set up in the parking lot. The first stall was selling goat meat (I know their web site does not mention goats, but it's them). I had to try it.

This Jamaican-inspired recipe also makes use of the green onions, cauliflower, and herbs I received in my weekly share. The key to tender goat is cooking it at a low temperature.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound cubed goat meat (or you can use pork or lamb)
1Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onions
1-1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 cup sweet potato or yam, cubed
1 cup cauliflower, separated into florets
1 cup basmati rice
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp each, minced fresh herb: cilantro, dill, mint


Procedure
Combine the goat meat with the curry power, red pepper flakes, garlic, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Ensure each piece of meat is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven on medium-low heat and then add the meat, browning on all sides. Remove the meat to a dish and set aside, then cook the onions and celery until tender. Return the meat to the pot along with the stock and bay leaf. Simmer covered on low for an hour.

After an hour add the sweet potatoes and cook for 15 more minutes.

Now is a good time to cook the rice. To 1 cup of rice add 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt, bring to a boil, cover and lower the temperature to low. When the rice is done, fluff with a fork, then finish with the butter and herbs.

After the sweet potatoes have been cooking for about 15 minutes, add the cauliflower. Cook for another 10-15 minutes until everything is fork-tender. Serve with the rice.

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Naana who told me how she misses goat meat, a common ingredient in her native country Ghana.

Why did the ram run over the cliff?
Answer: ...He didn't see the ewe turn.

Mixed Spring Greens Sauté, CSA Sharebox Week 2

This week’s share box brings more lettuce, green onions, sorrel, beets with their greens still attached, kale, snap peas, snow peas, kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, my herb bouquet and a special order: 4 quarts of incredible strawberries.

I always triage my produce as soon as it comes home: I plan to cook the items in the order of most perishable to least. That means I need to use the greens first: beet greens (saving the beet roots for later), sorrel and kale. This mixed greens sauté can be served over pierogies, rice or other cooked grains, noodles, mashed potatoes, or polenta. Whatever base you choose, start preparing it first.

Serves 2, easily doubled

Ingredients
4–5 cups mixed greens (I used sorrel, beet greens, and kale, but Swiss chard and spinach would also work)
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup green onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup finely chopped Canadian bacon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/8 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and add the olive oil, onions, garlic, nuts, and bacon. Stir occasionally and check to see that everything is browning nicely.

Prepare the greens by removing any tough stems and rinsing the leaves thoroughly in cold water. Kale needs a little more cooking time, so keep it separated from the sorrel and beet greens. Set aside the cleaned greens, but don’t dry them, the little amount of water that clings to them will be used in the cooking.

Add the kale first and allow it to wilt before adding the other greens. The greens will dramatically reducing their volume as they cook. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir and cook the greens for about 5 minutes, then serve while the color is still bright.

About kale: although a leafy green, kale is actually a member of the cabbage family. It is high in vitamins A, C, and K. Learn more about kale

Rhubarb Muffins, CSA Sharebox Week 1

As I mentioned in my previous post, my CSA sharebox this week contains rhubarb. With heartfelt thanks to “Florence Dusty” who inspired this recipe. These muffins are a good source of dietary fiber, and an easy way to enjoy rhubarb during its short season. I enjoy these for breakfast.

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients
2-1/2 cups flour (I used a mix of white whole wheat, whole wheat, and barley flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup canola oil
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups rhubarb
½ cup toasted nuts ( almonds work nicely)

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 375 and line your muffin tin with cupcake papers.

Combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Combine the wet ingredients: buttermilk, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. The batter will be thick.
Chop the rhubarb and the nuts, then fold into the batter.
Distribute the batter evenly into the cups (they will be full) and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and cool. Enjoy. These muffins will only keep for a few days unless you freeze or refrigerate them.

Kitchen Notes
Buttermilk is a wonderful baking ingredient, but inconvenient to keep on hand in liquid form unless you bake a lot. I suggest a dry cultured buttermilk product that you can purchase in the grocery store (usually on the shelf with the other baking ingredients and powdered or evaporated milk). This product keeps in the refrigerator for a long time. If you use powdered buttermilk in a recipe, add it with the dry ingredients, then remember to add the appropriate amount of water with the liquid ingredients.

About Rhubarb: Rhubarb looks like weird red celery. Although used as a fruit, Rhubarb is botanically a vegetable, related to sorrel. Generally the stalks are considered too sour to eat raw. Rhubarb is high in calcium, potassium, and thiamine.

Quinoa Tabouli, CSA Sharebox Week 1

My first summer CSA share box from Groundwork Farms arrived this week with a beautiful bouquet of fresh herbs, lots of lettuce, green onions, rhubarb, and a bit of asparagus. So many possibilities, but the herbs call me first.

You can make this by placing all the green ingredients in a food processor, but where's the fun in that? Time to take my Wusthof chef's knife out for a walk.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh cilantro (or parsley)
1 cup fresh mint
1 cup green onions
1/4 cup fresh chives
1 clove garlic
1 small cucumber
6 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
1 cup quinoa
1-1/2 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Prepare the Quinoa: Rinse and drain the quinoa under cold water several times to remove the saponins, then place the quinoa in a saucepan on medium heat. Before adding the 1-1/2 Cup water, allow the quinoa to dry and toast slightly. Then add the water. Bring to a simmer. Put the lid on, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 20 minutes.

Prepare the herbs: While the quinoa is cooking, chop the herbs, green onions, and garlic very finely and combine in a large bowl. Partially peel and seed the cucumber and chop into tiny dice. Add this to the herbs. Add the lemon juice and olive oil to the herb mixture.

Assemble the salad: Once the Quinoa is cooked, fluff with a fork and allow it to cool. Stir in the cumin and coriander. Then add the seasoned quinoa to the herb mixture. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

About Quinoa: Quinoa is a nutritious ancient grain that is a complete protein. Use it in place of bulgur wheat or rice in salads and pilafs. For more nutrition information visit http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142