Broccoli, Apple and Pecan Salad

Today's recipe is an easy-to-make salad that's attractive, refreshing, and a great way to use one of early spring's most nutritious vegetables - broccoli.

I like to steam or blanch my broccoli for a minute to lock in that bright green color.  It also keeps a little better in the fridge when blanched.  But you can skip this step if you prefer.

Broccoli, Apple and Pecan Salad is dressed with a lemony vinaigrette dressing.  I like to use preserved lemons for this dressing.  But if you don't have preserved lemons, you can use Eureka or Meyer lemons and grate a little peel onto the salad with a microplane grate (or not).  You can even use orange, if you prefer.



For about 4 side dish servings:

1/2 lb. broccoli
1 large Pink Lady or Fuji apple
1/4 C chopped toasted pecans
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing (see below)
Salt and pepper to taste

1.  To blanch the broccoli:  Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it aside in the sink.  Trim the bottom end and tough outer skin on the stem of the broccoli.  Cut into medium to large florets.  Place florets in the basket of a steamer with water on the bottom.  Cover.  Bring to a boil and steam for a minute or so, until florets are bright green but the broccoli still has its crunch.  Remove from heat.  Drain, then put broccoli florets into the ice water bath to stop the cooking and set the bright green color.  When cooled, drain the broccoli well and chop into small pieces.

2.  Cut the apple in quarters lengthwise.  Remove the core.  Cut each quarter into thirds or quarters lengthwise, then cut crosswise into small pieces.

3.  Place chopped broccoli and chopped apple in a large bowl.  Add the pecans.  Toss with Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve or chill in the fridge until ready to serve.  Will keep in fridge for 2-3 days.

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

1 t finely minced preserved lemon peel
2-3 T olive oil
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 t agave syrup, simple syrup or 1/2 t honey

Mix all ingredients together until well-blended.  Use half or more of this recipe to dress the salad.  If you don't have preserved lemons, use 1 t fresh squeezed lemon juice and grate a little lemon peel over the salad before tossing.

I like to use a lot of freshly grated black pepper in this salad.

Today's bounty included:

From County Line Harvest South:  Baby red beets, radishes, purple scallions, purple curly kale, and mixed mustard greens;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Broccoli, white turnips, Chantenay carrots, space spinach, cilantro, cabbage, onions, potatoes, and Tuscan kale; and

From K and K Ranch;  Navel oranges and Murcott honey tangerines.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce makes so many things taste better.  I like it slathered on almost any meat:  chicken, pork, lamb and beef.  It's great on noodles.  It's a terrific base for a salad dressing, just thin is down with a little more oil and vinegar.  And of course, it's wonderful on vegetables, especially broccoli.  Best of all, peanut sauce is easy to make and keeps in the fridge for weeks.  So, you can make it ahead of time and mix up some extra for future use.

The recipe below makes about a cup of peanut sauce.  Feel free to double it.  I like to start with chunky peanut butter, but if you prefer plain, be sure to chop up extra peanuts for garnish.  If you use a natural peanut butter with no sugar or salt added, you might want to add a bit of salt and agave syrup or other sweetener.  But if you start with one of the more processed national brands, you may want to taste it before adding any salt or sweetener, as these products tend to already have both.

Because peanut butter usually sticks to whatever measuring device you use, I like to mix my peanut sauce in a 2-cup measuring cup.  You can measure out 1/3 C peanut butter, then pour the rice vinegar over the peanut butter to bring the total amount in the measuring cup to 2/3 C.  Add the other ingredients right into the measuring cup and stir until well combined.

For the peanut sauce:

1/3 C peanut butter
1/3 C rice vinegar
1 clove young garlic, minced
2 T minced fresh ginger (or more to taste)
2 T sesame oil
2-3 T canola oil
2-3 T soy sauce (or more to taste)
1-2 t agave syrup, optional
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2-3 T crushed peanuts (or more to taste)
salt to taste

1.  Measure the peanut butter, rice vinegar, young garlic, ginger, sesame oil, canola oil, and soy sauce into a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl.  Stir until well combined.

2.  Taste peanut sauce and add agave syrup, salt, red pepper flakes, and crushed peanuts, if desired.  If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it by stirring in a little water, rice vinegar, or even pineapple juice.

3.  Set aside while you prepare the broccoli, or refrigerate for later use.

Prepare the broccoli:

1 T canola oil
2 C chopped broccoli florets
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips, optional
peanut sauce, as prepared above
1-2 T crushed peanuts for garnish

1.  Heat oil in a wok or a skillet over medium-high heat.

2.  Add the broccoli and the pepper strips.  Stir-fry until crisp-tender.

3.  Turn down the heat and add 1/2 C peanut sauce.  Stir to coat.

4.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Sprinkle with crushed peanuts.  Serve.

Stir-fried broccoli with peanut sauce makes an excellent side dish all by itself.  It can also be a delicious main course served over rice or some other grain.

Today's bounty included:

From Sage Mountain Farm:  Patty pan squash, ruby red grapefruit, garlic, purple scallions, red Russian kale, arugula, chioggia beets, and bull's blood beets;

From JR Organics:  romaine and strawberries;

From Jaime Farms:  broccoli, orange carrots, radishes, and mustard greens;

From Sweet Tree Farms:  pluots and white donut peaches;

From Silver Lake Farms:  rosemary, mint, and thyme.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Creamy, Cheesy Polenta with Creamy, Cheesy Vegetable "Ragu"

Polenta, or corn meal mush, is true comfort food. It's soft and warm and a great base for many wonderful toppings, both savory and sweet. It's easy to prepare, too. You simply pour corn meal into boiling liquid and stir. You can use yellow or white meal and any level of coarseness from finely ground to extra coarse. Of course, the better and fresher the meal, the tastier your final product.

I like cooking up corn meal for breakfast, adding some butter, maple sugar, and salt to the boiling water and serving it with more butter, maple syrup, and milk.

Today's recipe is a savory rendition of polenta made with broth instead of water. But you can use water, if you don't have any broth. I've added freshly grated parmesan cheese and paired the polenta with a creamy and cheesy vegetable "ragu."

I put "ragu" in quotation marks because the Italians consider ragu to be a tomato-based meat sauce, and there's neither meat nor tomatoes in my topping. Nevertheless, it's thick and rich and loaded with tasty vegetables from today's CSA box.

You might want to make (or start) the vegetable ragu first, as it can sit while you cook up the polenta. Polenta hardens as it cools and may reach a point at which it will be difficult or impossible to turn it back into a creamy mush. However, polenta is often allowed to firm up and then cut into pieces. So you can serve it this way, if you prefer.

Creamy, Cheesy Vegetable Ragu

1 T butter or olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2-3 C broccoli florets
4 C chopped kale
1 C cream or whole evaporated milk
1-2 T sherry wine, optional
1/2 - 1 C finely grated parmesam cheese, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the butter or heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute, covered, until the onions are translucent.

2. Add the carrots and shiitake and continue to cook covered for 3-5 minutes, until the carrots are not quite tender.

3. Add the broccoli and kale and continue to cook covered until the broccoli and kale turn bright green and the kale has become soft, about 2-4 minutes. The vegetables should exude some moisture while cooking, but if the pan is too dry, you can add 2-4 T water or broth.

4. Add the cream and the sherry. Turn up the heat to medium. Remove the cover and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half.

5. Add the cheese and stir until the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can reduce the sauce even more if you'd like it to be thicker. When it's the desired thickness, cover the pan and turn off the heat.

Creamy, Cheesy Polenta

1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 t salt
4 C broth of water
1 C corn meal
1 C finely grated parmesan cheese, or to taste
more salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the butter, olive oil, salt and broth or water into a medium saucepan and bring the water to a rolling boil.

2. Gently add the corn meal, stirring constantly to break up any lumps.

3. Turn the heat to low or medium-low and stir constantly until the polenta begins to thicken. Then lower the heat and cook the polenta, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes.

4. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese until melted and combined.

5. Turn off the heat and stir in more salt, if needed, and lots of black and white pepper to taste. Although you don't have to stir constantly, stir regularly until the polenta reaches the desired thickness, such as when it holds its shape spooned onto a plate or bowl.

To assemble: Re-heat the vegetable ragu, if necessary. Spoon the polenta onto a plate and top with the vegetable ragu. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

If you'd like, you can add a sprig of rosemary to the polenta as it cooks. Take it out before serving.

Today's bounty included:

From Underwood Family Farms: Artichokes, green cabbage, green kale, turnips, purple carrots, broccoli, butter lettuce, spinach, and escarole;

From Weiser Family Farms: Parsnips, French Fingerling potatoes, and rutabagas;

From Jaime Farms: Cauliflower, celery, red beets, Persian cucumbers,carrots, zucchini, red romaine, oregano, marjoram, tomatoes, and eggs;

From Rancho Santa Cecilia: Zutano avocado.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Fusilli with Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Here's what Farmer John had for us at the Beachwood pick-up this week:

Broccoli
Celery
Carrots (beautiful slender carrots with their tops)
Shallots
Arugula
Red spicy mustard greens
Chicoria
Cilantro
Tat soi
Baby bok choy
Red leaf lettuce
Radishes

We had more rain today; and hail, too! It felt like a good day for something hearty to eat. Pasta, especially whole wheat pasta, is a great start to a healthy and hearty meal. I love pasta because the combinations are endless. You can be creative by tossing your favorite seasonal ingredients with your favorite pasta. Here's a quick and easy recipe for a tasty winter dish.

Fusilli with Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

2-3 cloves garlic (or more to taste)
1/3 C olive oil
3 C chopped broccoli (chopped as described below)
1/2 C water
scant 1/4 t hot red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
1/2 C chopped tightly packed sun-dried tomatoes*
1/3 C grated Parmiggiano cheese + more for serving
1 lb dried whole wheat fusilli (or other pasta if you prefer)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Fill a large pot with 4 qts water. Cover and bring to a boil.

2. Chop the garlic or slice it thinly, whatever you prefer.

3. Chop the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces. Include the stems, but if they're thick, peel them first. Slice the stems 1/4" thick and chop into halves or quarters if the stem is thick.

4. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and cook the garlic over medium-high heat until golden, about 1 minute.

5. Add the chopped broccoli, water, and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes. Then uncover and continue cooking until broccoli is tender and nearly all of the water has evaporated, about 7-8 minutes. [If the water evaporates too quickly, you can add a little pasta water.]

6. While the broccoli is cooking, cook the pasta as directed on the package.

7. When the broccoli is tender and most of the water has evaporated, lower the heat and add the sun-dried tomatoes and the grated cheese. Stir to incorporate the cheese.

8. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 C cooking water. If the broccoli mixture is too thick, add a little of the pasta water, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

9. Add the drained pasta to the mixture and toss until combined. Remove from heat and serve with additional grated cheese.

Serves 4-5 as a generous main course, 8 or more as a side dish.

*Sun-dried tomatoes are a wonderful way to sneak a taste of summer into a winter dish. They're easy to make when tomatoes are plentiful. Pack them in oil and they'll keep all year. If you don't have any sun-dried tomatoes from your own garden, the Beachwood Market sells Christopher Ranch sun-dried tomatoes in oil from Gilroy, CA as well as Sonoma brand. And if you don't know how to make sun-dried tomatoes, we'll be offering a class this summer.

Omnivores may want to add cooked and crumbled Italian sausage to their Fusilli with Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes. Saute 1/2 lb bulk sausage (sweet or hot, your taste), drain, crumble, and add at Step 7 with the sun-dried tomatoes and cheese.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Beachwood Canyon - what's in the box? + recipe

Pick-up #1 - Beachwood Canyon

The first round of veggie pick-ups at our second location - Beachwood Canyon - kicked off Tuesday in the pouring rain. It was chaotic and fun - so much positive energy. Farmer John arrived with the harvest, which Spencer, John and Laura helped distribute to shareholders. Thanks Team! Farmer John and Alex (pictured above), who owns the Beachwood Market, talked local veggies for a while. Will we see some synergy there? Visit the Beachwood Market and find out! And while you're in there, check out the Bonterra organic wine (Cabernet Sauvignon) from Mendocino County http://www.bonterra.com. Their website is gorgeous.

Here's what Farmer John had for us this week:

red oak leaf lettuce
wildfire lettuce
mizuna (lovely mild mustard for adding to salads)
cilantro
radishes
green garlic
celery
broccoli
carrots
baby bok choy (great for stir frying)
tatsoi (Chinese spinach - also great for stir frying)

And Shelley (also pictured above), our very own cooking consultant, has this quick and easy recipe for us this week. She says:

Broccoli is a great thing to eat because it's chock full of vitamins and minerals. Broccoli makes a simple side dish steamed or microwaved until just tender. It's even better tossed in olive oil and roasted in a hot oven. Here's a different way to use broccoli as the main ingredient in a tasty salad.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

3 C broccoli florets* broken or cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 C toasted cashews or almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 C raisins
1-2 T finely chopped red onion
2 small oranges, peeled and seeded
4 T mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

1. I like to blanch the broccoli florets but this step is optional. To blanch the broccoli, bring a pot of water to a boil. Have another pot with ice water set aside. Toss the florets into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Scoop out the florets with a long-handled sieve and toss them immediately into the ice water until cool. Drain.

2. Cut the peeled and seeded oranges into chunks, collecting any juice that oozes out. You'll get juicier orange pieces if you cut the orange as opposed to breaking it into segments. Cutting around the membrane that separates the segments will result in the juiciest pieces.

3. Mix the broccoli with the nuts, raisins, red onion, and orange pieces.

3. Stir a few tablespoons of the collected orange juice into the mayonnaise to make it pourable. Pour this mixture over the salad and toss until it's lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This salad is equally delicious with a vinaigrette dressing instead of mayonnaise, so feel free to substitute your favorite mixture of olive oil and a light vinegar such as rice vinegar, if you'd prefer. Don't forget to stir in a little of the orange juice into the vinaigrette if you go that route.

*A floret is the flower part of the broccoli with just a small amount of the stem. You can use the broccoli stems in this salad, but they'll be more tender if they're peeled and blanched.

What's in the box? Celery Soup

Pick-up #3

celery
carrots
broccoli
garlic
romaine lettuce
red leaf lettuce
thai basil
purslane
mint
dandelion
tomatoes
cilantro
baby spinach
japanese cucumbers

Celery Soup recipe from Beat (my husband):


1. chop 1 onion
3 cloves garlic

2. saute above for 10 min medium heat, then kill the heat with 2 glasses of white wine

3. add 8 cups of water and bring to a boil

4 while boiling, chop 1 big celery
3 potatoes (dice them)
3 tomatoes, peeled and cut in quarters (drop the tomatoes into boiling water for a matter of seconds before taking them out to make it easier to peel them) you could also add the 3 carrots (sliced) and the broccoli (chopped)

5 add chopped veggies to boiling water, add salt and pepper

6 reduce to a simmer for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, if too thick, add water. if too liquid,. reduce

bon appetit!! and have a wonderful weekend.

tara

Our First CSA Recipe

October 14, 2009

From CSA'er Treven:

Hi Tara,

Here are a couple of recipes. These recipes were created from improvising dishes w/ the goal of using as many of the vegetables as I could from the CSA box. They're informal and hopefully clear enough for people to follow.

VEGETABLE AND BEAN SOUP

for the soup base:

2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
salt and pepper to taste
1 x 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
4-6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

vegetable additions - whatever you have on hand (or remove whatever you dislike) but these were mostly from the CSA box week #1:

3-4 celery stalks chopped
2-3 carrots peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic (unpeeled - you can fish them out later)
1-2 cups of broccoli, chopped
2 x 15 oz cans of beans, rinse and drained (kidney, cannelini, black, or mix)
1-2 cups of chopped spinach
1 bunch of chopped purslane

Directions:

1. heat 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil in a heavy stock pot on medium heat

2. once oil is heated, add minced onions, minced carrots, minced celery, salt and pepper and cook until softened about 5-7 mins

3. add bay leaf and fennel seeds and cook another 1-2 minutes; usually, until fragrant

4. add the canned diced tomatoes and chicken or vegetable broth, bring to a boil

5. add chopped vegetables: onion, celery, carrots, garlic, broccoli,
beans, and if needed, more salt and pepper; bring to boil (if the soup
seems too chunky, you can add more broth or water)

6. once it starts to boil, turn heat to low and let simmer, covered
for 20-30 mins (or until all the vegetables are tender and cooked
through)

7. towards the end, add spinach and purslane, cook for another 5 mins.
again, if needed, add more salt and pepper to taste

When you find the bay leaf, remove and toss it. For the cloves of garlic, if you are a garlic fan, you can squeeze whatever is left of the garlic out of the skin and smear on toast or mix into the soup.

To make this a meal in itself: add 1/2 to 1 cup cooked barley or brown rice to each bowl before serving

other options, if you have it on hand:
* add other types hearty vegetables: corn, potatoes, parsnip, zucchini, or squash in step 5
* in step 7, add 2-3 tablespoons of minced parsley


SPINACH, BEET, WALNUT AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

1 cooked beet
goat cheese to taste
baby spinach
your favorite balsamic vinaigrette (I like Trader Joe's balsamic dressing but you can make your own or use whatever you have)

to boil beets
1. trim leaves of beets, leaving 1 inch attached
2. bring water to boil, salt the water
3. add beet, lower the heat, and simmer for 30-45 minute, until knife tender
4. remove from water, let cool until you can handle it
5. peel beet - should be easy to remove after cooked

prepare salad - in proportions to your liking:
combine a few pieces of chopped beets, handful of spinach, some goat cheese, and a few pieces of walnuts; toss with vinaigrette; and serve.

Thanks,
Treven