Oven Roasted Whole Cauliflower

Are you looking for a super simple side dish for Thanksgiving?  This oven roasted cauliflower recipe may be just the thing.  It's delicious and dramatic, and it couldn't be easier.

Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F.  Remove the outer leaves and cut out the tough core of the cauliflower.  Wash the cauliflower and pat it dry.  Rub it with a generous amount (2-3 T) of olive oil.  [If you prefer, you can brush it on.]  Sprinkle it generously with salt (about 1/2-1 t) and pepper (1/4 t or to taste).  Place it on a cookie sheet or in a shallow-sided roasting pan and roast it for about an 60-90 minutes until it's tender when pierced with a fork and golden brown on the outside.

You can stop right there and you have a simple and beautiful side dish, but I like to remove the cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle it generously with smoked paprika.  Then I return it to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.  If you want to get even fancier, you can make a simple sauce to serve with the roasted cauliflower.  I like this one:

4 cloves finely chopped garlic
4-6 T capers, drained
1 stick butter

Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until the butter is melted and the garlic is just beginning to color, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and serve with roasted cauliflower.

You can roast a head of garlic while the cauliflower is in the oven.  It should only take about 20 minutes.  Then you can substitute roasted garlic for the finely chopped garlic.  Chopped parsley makes a nice garnish.

Today's bounty included:

From Jaime Farms:  Cauliflower and red and green peppers;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Rainbow chard, winter squash, strawberries, dill, and cilantro;

From K & K Ranch:  Pick Lady apples and grapes;

From Maggie's Farm:  Garden salad mix, spicy salad mix, and tatsoi;

From Weiser Family Farm:  Potatoes and beets;

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

Enjoy!

Shelley

Chiles en Nogada

I just came back from San Miguel de Allende in Central Mexico where I enjoyed a classic seasonal Mexican dish called Chiles en Nogada.  Chiles en Nogada are roasted poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo, covered with a rich and creamy pureed walnut sauce, and garnished with parsley and pomegranate seeds.  The red pomegranate seeds and the fresh green parsley leaves against the creamy white sauce are said to symbolize the red, green and white of the Mexican flag.

Chiles en Nogada are often served cold or at room temperature, but personally, I prefer this dish warm.  It's a little bit of a production to make.  Fortunately, you can roast the peppers and make the picadillo ahead of time.  That way, you simply have to make the walnut sauce and assemble the dish.

Picadillo is a sweet-savory filling that's used in tacos and tamales as well as these stuffed peppers; and there are probably hundreds of recipes for picadillo.  It's typically made with ground meat, onions, garlic, raisins or currents, nuts, olives or capers, and spices.  I made my picadillo with ground lamb, but you can use ground beef or pork, shredded meat, or even tofu, if you prefer.

To roast the peppers:

On a gas stove with an open flame, lay the peppers across the burner in direct contact with the flame.  Turn the peppers as the skin blisters.  When completely charred, put the peppers in a bowl or paper bag until cool enough to handle.  Then rub or peel off the charred skin.

You can roast peppers on a barbeque grill or in a hot oven instead.  Follow the same steps as above, turning the peppers as the skins blisters and chars.  Cool before peeling.

Make a 2-3 inch lengthwise slit in each pepper and carefully remove the seeds without tearing the peppers.  Set aside or refrigerate for later use.

To make the picadillo (for 2-3 medium poblano peppers):

1 T olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 C finely chopped onion
1/2 lb ground lamb (or beef)
1/2 medium Fuji apple cut in 1/4" dice
1-2 T chopped golden raisins
1 T chopped slivered almonds
1-2 T sliced olives (black or green)
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t ground cumin
pinch ground cloves
1 T tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat olive oil in 10" skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and onions and saute until translucent.

2.  Add ground lamb and continue cooking, breaking the lamb into crumbles as it cooks.

3.  Stir in the diced apple, raisins, almonds, and olives and continue cooking until the lamb is nearly done.

4.  Stir in the spices and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Use immediately to stuff the roasted poblanos or cool, cover and refrigerate for later use.

To make the nogada sauce:

1/2 C roasted walnut halves and pieces
1/2 C milk
1/2 - 3/4 cream
1-2 T sherry
salt to taste
pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley for garnish

1.  Pour boiling water to cover over the walnuts.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.  Drain.  Rub walnuts in a dish towel to remove their brown, papery skins.

2.  Soak skinned walnuts in 1/2 C milk for 1 hour.  Drain.

3.  Put walnuts and cream in a blender and blend on a low speed until the walnuts are pureed into the cream to make a sauce.  Be careful not to over-process to turn the cream into butter.

4.  Pour from blender into a small saucepan.  Stir in sherry.  Season with salt.

5.  Just before you're ready to assemble the dish, heat the sauce, whisking constantly.  If desired, you can reduce the sauce over medium-low heat to desired thickness.  Some people like to add a little cream cheese or goat cheese to the sauce for flavor.  Stir the cheese in while your heating the sauce and make sure it's fully melted and mixed into the sauce.

To assemble Chiles en Nogada:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.  Stuff the roasted poblanos with picadillo and place in a shallow baking dish or on a baking sheet.  Cover with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

3.  Heat nogada sauce.

4.  Place a heated stuffed pepper on a plate.  Cover with the warm nogada sauce.  Garnish generously with pomegranate seeds and fresh parsley.

Today's bounty included:

From Jaime Farms:  Green leaf lettuce, kale, cabbage, beets, and celery;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Leeks, tomatoes, green beans, winter squash, carrots, chard, mixed peppers, basil, and dill;

From K and K Ranch:  Grapes and pomegranates; and

From Silver Lake Farms:  Oregano and thyme.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Fresh Garbanzo Bean Bruschetta

I love garbanzo beans.  Two of my favorite salads include garbanzos and hummus is one of my go to recipes for an easy and versatile dip.  Since I learned to pressure can, I've been canning my own garbanzos from dried organic beans.  But I never had fresh garbanzo beans until today, and what a delicious surprise they are!

It turns out fresh garbanzo beans are more akin to fresh fava beans or fresh peas than to their canned cousins.  When I took the beans home, I thought I was going to make hummus.  But after experimenting with different methods of cooking, most resulting in beautiful, bright green, and slightly nutty-flavored morsels, I just didn't have the heart to mask the delicate sweetness of the fresh garbanzos by adding too many strong flavors.  Hence today's recipe for Fresh Garbanzo Bean Bruschetta.

Before getting to today's recipe, I thought I'd share the results of my cooking experiments.  I started by pulling the pods off the stalks and composting the stalks and leaves.  I hear tell you can make a tea from the dried leaves, but I didn't try it myself.

Most recipes call for cooking garbanzos in their pods.  I suspect this is because it's easier to shell the beans once the pods are softened by the cooking process.  However, I shelled some raw beans and boiled them in a small amount of salted water in a covered pan for 3-4 minutes and they were delicious.  As were the pan juices which I saved to add to soup stock.

Boiling garbanzo beans in their pods causes the pods to soak up some of the boiling liquid making them messier to peel, so steaming the beans over boiling water is a better alternative if you don't want to bother shelling the raw beans.  However, removing the pods of cooked beans is only slightly less work than shelling the raw beans.


I also sauteed the beans in their pods in a hot skillet with a little olive oil.  I cooked them until they were lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring periodically.  I allowed the beans to cool slightly, sprinkled them with salt and ate them like edamame, sliding them out of their pods.  They didn't slide quite as easily as edamame, but they were also delicious.

Finally, I microwaved some beans in their pods.  I zapped them in 30 second intervals and thought they were best after 90 seconds.  However, I didn't care for the microwaved beans.  While it was clearly the easiest and quickest way to cook the beans, they were noticeably less sweet and more starchy in taste and texture.  Personally, I wouldn't recommend microwaving fresh garbanzo beans.

By the way, you can eat raw garbanzos.  They're a bit crunchier than cooked, but they have a lovely sweetness.

To make Fresh Garbanzo Bean Bruschetta:

2 C fresh garbanzo beans in their pods
1 T olive oil, divided
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6-8 thin slices crusty whole-grain bread*
1 clove garlic, optional

*such as Mark Stambler's miche

1.  Wash and dry the garbanzo beans in their pods.

2.  Heat 1 t  olive oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the beans and saute, stirring occasionally, until the pods are browned.  Remove from the pan.  Cool until you can touch the beans to remove their pods.

3.  Mash the beans with a sturdy folk or a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse paste.  Stir 1 t olive oil into the bean paste.  Season with sea salt (or other fine salt) and freshly ground pepper.  Set aside/

4.  In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 t olive oil and "grill" the bread until crisp and lightly browned on both sides.  If you'd like, slice an end off the garlic clove and rub the clove lightly on one side of the crisped bread.

5.  Spread the garbanzo paste on the crisped bread and serve.

Today's bounty included:

From Drake Family Farm:  Chevre;

From Jaime Farms:  Romaine lettuce, rainbow chard, and eggplant;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Fresh garbanzo beans, mixed peppers, cilantro, and Albion strawberries;

From Sage Mountain Farm:  Summer squash, red Russian kale, arugula, dried garlic, yellow onions, and heirloom cherry tomatoes;

From Shear Rock Farms:  Heirloom tomatoes;

From Sweet Tree Farms:  White peaches and green plums; and

From Weiser Family Farms:  La ratte potatoes.

Have a delicious Labor Day!

Shelley

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a wonderful cold soup that's full of the flavors of late summer.  Most gazpachos are made with red tomatoes, but there are recipes made with yellow tomatoes, green tomatoes, or no tomatoes at all.  This recipe is a traditional one made with ripe red tomatoes.

There are myriad ways to season gazpacho, and you may want to take liberties with this recipe.  Please do.  But be sure to use the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find.  Today's box contains many good choices between the beautiful heirlooms and even the cherries.

Some folks like to peel their tomatoes for gazpacho.  Personally, I find it unnecessary.  While tomato peels can become bitter when cooked, gazpacho isn't cooked, and the tomato peels give the soup some texture.  However, if you're striving for a smoother product, peeled tomatoes are more likely to provide that.

I use a blender, as opposed to a food processor, for gazpacho.  But either device is fine.  Just be sure to mix carefully to achieve your desired level of smoothness (or crunchiness).  It takes less than a minute to mix it up in a blender.

You'll be tempted to eat your gazpacho as soon as it's mixed up, but resist temptation if you can.  Gazpacho is better chilled (though not ice cold), and best when it sits in the fridge overnight.  Serve it straight, or garnish with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and chopped parsley or basil, or drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Gazpacho

1 lb ripe red tomatoes, chopped
1/2 C chopped, peeled and seeded cucumber
1/3 C chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C chopped sweet or red onion
3/4 C tomato juice
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t balsamic vinegar (the sweeter and thicker, the better)
1-2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T fresh parsley leaves
salt and pepper to taste

1.  In the beaker of a blender, put the chopped tomatoes in first.  Then add the cucumber, red bell pepper, onion, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic, lemon juice and parsley.

2.  Blend for about 10-20 seconds.  Check consistency, and blend more until desired consistency is reached.  If you'd like a thinner soup, add a little more tomato juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste/

3.  Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  Serve cold or cool.  Garnish as desired.

Today's bounty included:

From Jaime Farms:  Red leaf lettuce, kale, basil, and parsley;

From Jimenez Family Farm:  Romanesco squash, green beans, and tomatoes;

From Sage Mountain Farm:  Heirloom cherry tomatoes, baby leeks, salad mix, and arugula;

From Shear Rock Farms:  Heirloom tomatoes;

From Sweet Tree Farms:  Yellow nectarines and dino egg pluots;

Weiser Family Farms:  Melons, small sweet peppers, and beets.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Fusilli with Italian Sausage, Zucchini, Kale and Carrots

What a special treat to get locally-made artisan sausage in today's CSA box! And this sausage is truly special. It was made just two weeks ago from a locally-raised sow bred from award-winning stock. The sausage is very fresh, and pretty lean as sausage goes. You can really taste the pork in this finely-balanced and subtly-spiced product.

This recipe uses several of the vegetables in today's box as well as the sausage to make a delicious pasta entree. You can use either the sweet Italian or the hot Italian sausage, or you can omit the sausage entirely if you prefer. You'll still end up with a flavorful dish.

1 lb Italian sausage
1-2 T olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1-2 zucchini, washed and sliced
4-6 oz kale, washed and chopped
1 lb fusilli pasta
1/2-2/3 C pasta cooking water
1/2 C heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese, optional

1. Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized chucks (or smaller), until done. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside.

2. If necessary, heat a little more oil in the skillet. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the sliced carrots to the skillet. Turn down the heat, cover, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice.

4. Add the zucchini, cover again, and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring once or twice.

5. Add the kale, cover again and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the kale just wilts. Turn off the heat.

6. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet. [You can do everything up to this point ahead of time if you wish. Cool the skillet and its contents and refrigerate until you're ready to cook the pasta.]

7. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fusilli. Cook according to directions. [You can substitute spaghetti, linguini, fettuccini, or practically any pasta shape you prefer.]

8. Just before the pasta is done cooking, turn the heat on again under the sausage and vegetable mixture.

9. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 C of pasta water.

10. Add 1/2 C pasta cooking water and 1/2 C heavy cream to the skillet with the sausage and vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

11. Add the cooked, drained pasta, and stir to combine with the sausage and vegetable mixture. Stir constantly as the liquid begins to reduce, becomes very thick, and sticks to the pasta. Add a little more pasta water if necessary.

12. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Today's bounty included:

Sausage from Nancee Siebert's sow prepared by Fryer's Meats and distributed by Jennie Cook;

French fingerling potatoes from Weiser Family Farms;

From Sage Mountain Farm: organic siberian kale, red sails lettuce, spinach, and radishes;

From JR Organics: organic celery, chard, and red leaf lettuce;

From Jaime Farms: Cauliflower, free-range eggs, hot-house zucchini, carrots, and cilantro; and

From Rancho Santa Cecilia: Navel oranges.

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

Kati's Frittata

Missing Shelley's Friday recipes?

Shelley is traveling around South East Asia (lucky lady) so the wonderful Kati Stazer sent us this recipe.

Kati, an LAUSD schoolteacher, was one of my first customers at the Silverlake farmers' market. She loves sweet pea flowers. Thank you so much Kati for all your support and encouragement over the years. You are an amazing lady.

Here is Kati's recipe:

Hi Tara,

Here's a recipe for a thick Italian omelet using chard or kale, full of vegetables, herbs and cheese. Unlike many other egg dishes, frittatas can be made ahead and reheated or served cold or at room temperature. This dish reheats in the microwave and can keep in the refrigerator, in a tightly sealed container, for up to one week. By cutting back on the amount of cheese used, you have a lower-fat version.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. butter or butter substitute
1 medium-sized onion, peeled
1 tsp. salt
2 or more large stalks of ruby chard or kale
2 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled and thinly sliced
1-2 tsp. dried rosemary crumbled
1/2 tsp. dried sage
2 tsp. fresh minced garlic
8 large eggs
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup finely diced Gruyere cheese

1. Remove and mince chard or kale leaves and cut stems in 1/2 inch long pieces. Place leaves and stems in separate containers and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add butter, and when melted, toss in onions. Cook, stirring frequently over medium heat until they just begin to brown, at least 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low, add 1/2 tsp. salt and cover skillet. Cook about 15 minutes more, or until onions are soft.

3. Stir in potatoes and herbs. Cover and cook about 10 minutes, stirring intermittently, or until potato slices are tender.

4. Add chard or kale stems and saute about 2 minutes more. Stir in chard or kale leaves and garlic and cook another minute, or until leaves are wilted but still bright green. Remove pan from heat.

5. Break eggs into large bowl, add remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and beat well with a whisk. Add vegetables, black pepper to taste and cheese. Stir until evenly distributed. Clean and dry skillet and return to burner over medium heat. Preheat broiler.

6. When skillet is hot again, add remaining olive oil, wait about 30 seconds, and swirl to cover pan. Pour in vegetable-egg mixture and cook undisturbed over medium heat, 3 to 4 minutes, or until bottom of eggs have firmed.

7. Transfer skillet to broiler, and broil about 3 minutes, or until frittata is firm in center. Remove from broiler, and run knife around edges to loosen frittata. Slide or invert onto large, round plate, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature cut into wedges.

Here is the bounty list from 2/10:

From Sage Mountain Farm: loose leaf greens such as Red Russian Kale, spinach, mustard greens.

From Rancho Santa Cecilia: Bacon avocados, Satsuma Mandarins

Japanese Turnips, Golden Beets, Napa Cabbage, Navel oranges, Round Carrots, Purple Kale, Red Leaf Lettuce, Escarole, Butternut squash, Brussels Sprouts, Arugula and Mizuna from Underwood Family Farms.

And from Weiser Family Farms: Watermelon radishes, parsnips, Red Thumb potatoes, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, DeCicco Broccoli.

Enjoy!

Baba Ghanouj

I love eggplant. It's shiny blackish purple skin and curvaceous shape are enticing enough. But its delicate flavor and super creamy texture make it a wonderfully versatile vegetable.

Eggplant is delicious simply sliced and grilled, then brushed with a little balsamic vinaigrette. Prepared this way, it makes a great veggie sandwich with some roasted red pepper, red onion, a little arugula and goat cheese. Eggplant is great in stews such as Ratatouille as well as in layered casseroles such as Eggplant Parmesan and Moussaka.

Today's recipe for Baba Ghanouj is a delicious and easy eggplant and tahini dip. It's wonderful served with fresh pita bread or chips. You can also eat it in a sandwich. Try spreading a thick layer of Baba Ghanouj on whole wheat bread or in a pita pocket. Add sliced tomato, a few cucumber slices, thinly sliced red onion, and some microgreens or sprouts for a tasty meal.

Baba Ghanouj

1 1 lb eggplant
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped and pounded to a coarse paste
4-5 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
2-3 T tahini (sesame paste)
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 t salt, or to taste
1/4 t pepper, or to taste
2-4 T chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Using the tines of a fork, prick the skin of eggplant in a couple of places. Place on a baking sheet and roast the whole eggplant in the oven until it is very soft. About 45 minutes. Set aside to cool. [If you're firing up the grill, roasting the eggplant on the grill is a delicious alternative.]

3. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, cut it in half and scoop out the soft flesh into a bowl. Compost the peel.

4. In a food processor, or with a fork, mash the eggplant until smooth. If you prefer to have your eggplant a little chunky, that's fine, too.

5. Stir in (or process in) all of the remaining ingredients. Stir until well-combined and smooth.

6. Adjust the seasoning. Add more lemon juice ir tahini, if you prefer. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

I like to use a food mill for step 3 as it grinds the eggplant to a coarse texture, but food mills aren't common kitchen utensils anymore. If you have one, do try it with this recipe.

Using roasted garlic instead of fresh garlic is a nice way to mellow out the strong garlic flavor of this dish. Sometimes I like to add some smoked paprika, too.

You can find tahini in the Middle Eastern section of most markets. If yours doesn't carry it, there are dozens of little Armenian markets in Hollywood and Glendale that are very likely to carry tahini.

Today's bounty included:

From Underwood Family Farms: blackberries, Valencia oranges, romaine, red leaf lettuce, carrots, Cherokee heirloom tomatoes, Hass avocados, yellow wax beans, eggplant, bi-color corn, and Blue Lake green beans.

From Sage Mountain Farm: Roma tomatoes, mixed heirloom tomatoes, green scallions, Russian kale, and cucumber.

From Sweet Tree Farm: Nectarines and pluots.

From Weiser Family Farms: French Fingerling potatoes.

And from Silver Lake Farms: Basil, arugula, and mustard microgreens.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Spaghetti alla Checca

I was inspired today by the fabulous basil microgreens from Silver Lake Farms and the amazing assortment of tomatoes in our box. Spaghetti alla Checca is a simple and delicious way to use late summer's abundance of tomatoes. This dish is made with just a few ingredients, so use the very best olive oil, garlic, basil, tomatoes, and pasta you can find. I used red tomatoes, but you can use any color fresh, ripe tomatoes.

Spaghetti works well in this dish, but you can substitute many other pasta shapes. Farfalle work nicely, as do linguine and angel hair.

Spaghetti alla Checca

Assemble the following ingredients:

1 lb dry spaghetti
4-6 T extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb fresh tomatoes, chopped
handful of basil microgreens or 1/4 C fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper
grated parmesan cheese, optional

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti 1 minute less than the package directions indicate.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic and slightly golden. [If the pasta isn't done yet, turn off the heat until the pasta is ready. Turn the heat on again before adding the pasta in Step 4 below.]

3. Just before draining the pasta, remove about 1/2 C of the pasta cooking water and set it aside.

4. Drain the pasta and add it and the pasta water to the skillet with the garlic. Cook on medium heat until, stirring to coat the pasta, until the water is gone. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir to distribute.

5. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in the basil microgreens or chopped fresh basil. Garnish with microgreens and serve warm or at room temperature.

Today's bounty included:

From Underwood Family Farms: yellow and green sweet bell peppers, red and green leaf lettuce, Japanese turnips, mizuna, bok choy, sharlyn and ambrosia melons, avocado, zucchini, Cherokee tomatoes, garlic, and collard greens.

From Sage Mountain Farm: Easter radishes, patty pan squash, heirloom tomatoes, and Swiss chard.

From Sweet Tree Farms: Peaches, pluots, and heirloom tomatoes.

And from Silver Lake Farms: Basil and mustard microgreens and sweet green sherry tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Pappa di Pomodoro

There are so many delicious ways to combine tomatoes and bread; and Pappa di Pomodoro, or Tuscan tomato soup, is one of them. This soup is so easy to make and it's a great way to use tasty summer tomatoes and stale bread. A hearty wheat bread, like Mark Stambler's pagnol loaves, do best in this recipe. Avoid any bread that's too soft or spongy. If you don't have any stale bread, coarsely chop up fresh bread into cubes and toast in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
4 C chopped red tomatoes
4 T chopped fresh basil
3-4 C vegetable or chicken stock
3-4 C cubed stales bread
2-4 T grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot and saute the garlic until golden and aromatic, being careful not to burn the garlic.

2. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

3. Add the bread. Bring to boil. Turn down the heat and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.

4. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil before serving.

Today's bounty included the following:

From Underwood Family Farms: Bi-color corn, green bell peppers, purple bell peppers, Hungarian bell peppers, bok choy, mizuna, yellow seedless watermelon, cucumbers, and summer squash.

From Sage Mountain Farm: Asian heirloom radishes, purple scallions, organic garlic, yellow carrots, arugula, broccoli florets, and zucchini.

From Sweet Tree Farms: nectarines, peaches, and heirloom tomatoes.

Also, goat cheese from Drake Family Farms and arugula and mustard microgreens from Silver Lake Farms.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Fava Bean Puree

What a delight to find that great harbinger of spring - fresh fava beans - in our CSA box today! I could hardly contain my excitement, as it's been nearly a year since I enjoyed the wonderful recipe I'm sharing with you today.

Fresh fava beans require a little prep work, but they're well worth the effort. Your time and energy will be rewarded with a delicious and beautiful puree that you can serve as a dip, spread on crostini or crackers, or thin slightly (with stock) and use as a sauce for grilled shrimp, scallops, or tofu.

Fava Bean Puree

2 C shelled fava beans
1-2 cloves minced garlic
4-6 T olive oil
1/2 C water
1/2 - 1 t salt, or to taste
1/4 t pepper, or to taste

1. Remove the fava beans from their pods. Compost the pods. Measure out about 2 C shelled favas (removed from their pods).

2. Prepare an ice water bath by filling a large bowl half way with ice and covering the ice with cold water. Set aside.

3. Fill a stock pot with water about 2/3 full. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the shelled fava beans and cook (blanch) for about 2-3 minutes. Drain the beans, discarding the water, and immediately add the drained beans to the ice water bath, which will loosen their tough outer shell and lock in a beautiful bright green color.

4. When the beans have cooled, drain off the water, and slip the beans out of their tough outer shell. Compost the outer shells.

5. Heat 4 T of olive oil in a large skillet with a cover. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and very slightly golden, about 1 minute (do not burn the garlic).

6. Add the blanched fava beans. Stir to coat with the oil. Add 1/2 t salt. Stir again.

7. Add the water and cook over medium heat, partially covered, until the water is evaporated, about 10 minutes, and the beans are just tender. If necessary, add more water so the favas do not burn (or turn down the heat). Add a little more olive oil if desired.

8. Cool to room temperature. Then puree in a food processor (or with an immersion blender) until pureed. Season with more salt, if desired and 1/4 t pepper, or to taste.

Freshly grated lemon zest or freshly grated parmesan cheese are nice flavor additions to this puree, but it's delicious just the way it is.

Here's what was in today's box:

From Underwood Family Farms: tatsoi, Japanese turnips, artichokes, iceberg lettuce, Texas sweet onions, purple carrots, and Easter radishes.

From Sage Mountain Farm: Bloomsdale heirloom spinach, Chioggia beets, Red Fire lettuce, purple scallions, baby purple carrots, Tuscan kale, broccolini, and cilantro.

Rancho Santa Cecilia provided Golden Nugget mandarins.

We had anabolic favas from the Metabolic Studio.

And Silver Lake Farms provided radish and mustard microgreens.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Rutabaga Butternut Stovetop Tajine

Here's another rutabaga recipe you might enjoy. It's a wonderful Moroccan-spiced vegetable stew called a tajine. Traditionally, a tajine is a stew made in a special clay pot also called a tajine. The pot is a beautiful round baking dish with a tall conical lid. I love making slow-cooked stews in my tajine, but they bake for several hours. Here's a delicious stovetop adaptation that takes less than half the time of a traditional tajine.

Prepare the spice mixture:

1 t cumin seeds
1 t coriander seeds
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 t salt

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat until aromative and lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Cool, then grind in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle. Stir in cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

2-3 T olive oil
1 C chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C carrots chopped in about 3/4-inch chunks
2 ribs celery chopped in about 1/2-inch chunks
2 C rutabaga chopped in 3/4-inch cubes
2 C butternut squash chopped in 3/4-inch cubes
Peel from 1/2 orange, pith removed
2 C water
1 C canned garbanzo beans
1 t agave syrup
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet or saucepan with a lid. Add onions and garlic. Stir to coat with oil. Add spice mixture and cook until onions are translucent, but do no brown.

2. Add carrot, celery, rutabaga, and butternut squash. Stir to coat with spices.

3. Coarsely chop orange peel and add it to the pot with 2C water. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down slightly and cook on a medium simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.

4. Add the garbanzo beans and agave syrup. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very tender and the liquid has cooked off enough to make a very thick sauce, about another 15-20 minutes.

5. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve over couscous or rice.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Green Chile Pork Stew

I picked up my CSA box yesterday along with my pork package from Silver Lake Farms' pig share program. This week's box had just about everything I needed to make a fabulous green chile pork stew!

I cut my stewing pork (about 3 lbs) into about 1-inch chunks and browned them in a little olive oil. While they were browning, I chopped some onion, carrots, parsnips, celery, and 1 clove of garlic. I sauteed the veggies and garlic in a big stew pot, using a little more oil. Then I added the browned pork, a large can of green chile sauce, a can of water, a bay leaf, a little salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. I simmered this stew on very low heat, covered for the first hour and partially covered for the second hour.

When the meat was barely tender, I added big chunks of potatoes and finished cooking until the meat was completely tender (another 30-45 minutes). I'm taking this stew to a holiday pot-luck this evening.

I like to make my own green chile sauce from scratch, fire-roasting green anaheim chiles (plus 1-2 serranos for heat), then peeling, pureeing, and cooking the anaheims with the serranos, garlic, cumin, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a little epazote, too. This sauce freezes well. But I didn't have any home-made sauce, so I used a can. Either way, it's a hearty and delicious meal.

Enjoy!

Shelley

Reconnecting with CSA

I'm all bundled up in my husband's giant bright red alpine weather coat, jeans filthy from this morning's job, wet from the rain. Merry Elkins, whom I haven't seen in nearly a decade (since my PR days) discovers the CSA pick-up point and asks "what's this?". OMG! It's YOU! Small world... I think Merry's joining the CSA. Cool! Funny how paths cross in life...

Later, Jodi shows me pictures of a gorgeous salad she'd made at her brother's last month. The salad was tossed with arugula flowers. She'd sent the pics to her pal, Alice Waters, who understands the beauty in such things. Alice is coming to LA on Saturday for a book-signing BTW. She is signing copies of her new book "In the Green Kitchen" at Lost & Found.

Here's what Farmer John had for us at the Beachwood Canyon pick-up today: (Thank you for taking all those bags of soil away!) You rock!

oranges (yay!)
arugula (strip the stems of leaves, flowers are edible too)
curly mustard greens (pictured above)
radishes
russian kale
green chard (see previous post for recipe)
chamomile (dry the flowers in a paper bag)
butter lettuce (peeps are loving this!)
red and golden beets
baby bok choy
wild celery
turnips (try steaming them)

Here's a recipe from Lauren at Nuttri-Savvy.

Hi Tara,
Hope the info. I sent was helpful (Calcium, Magnesium, Vit D for healthy bones). My husband - an 'intuitive chef' came up with this recipe and it's healthy & green:

Mizuna & Chard saute
(Serves 6)

1 bunch of mizuna
1 bunch of green chard
1 young garlic clove minced
1.5 TBS olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 medium turnip shredded

In a large pot saute young garlic in 1 TBS olive oil, add mizuna and chard and cook until just tender. In a processor, shred turnip. Add cider and a half TBS of olive oil. Plate mizuna and chard with shredded turnip mixture on top. Enjoy a healthy, delicious serving of leafy greens.

Nutritional info: cal 70, fat 3.5g, sodium 350mg. carb 7g, fiber 3g, protein 3g

Sincerely,

Lauren O'Connor, MS, RD
Registered Dietitian


Thank you Lauren,

Tara

Beachwood Canyon CSA pick-up & Panade Recipe

Vollies John and Laura with CSA shareholder Fran at the Beachwood Canyon pick-up.








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

turnips (pictured left)
arugula
Russian Kale
red & golden beets
curly mustard (pictured below)
japanese cucumbers
celery
adolescent romaine (red & green)
fresh garlic
mint
butter lettuce

Meanwhile, Mars, who happens to be launching a unique neighborhood school in Beachwood Canyon, sent in this amazing recipe for Panade - a savory bread casserole.

Make Panade with greens (kale, mustard, beet tops, turnip tops) and bread - even if it's old, stale bread - it doesn't matter. Mars brought some Panade to the CSA pick-up for us to taste and it was DELICIOUS. Here's her recipe, dapted from Judy Rodgers’s recipe from The Zuni Café.

Panada - a savory casserole

Choose a 2 quart soufflé dish or cast iron dutch oven, The size will be a gauge as to how much bread etc you will need.

2-3- thinly sliced yellow onions
mushrooms of all kinds
Garlic cloves peeled, as many as you like
ham
Salt
1 lb green Swiss Chard, thick ribs removed, or any bitter green (kale, mustard or beet green) cut into ribbons
Day old chewy bread (not sandwich bread) cut into cubes-enough to fill your casserole
Big box of chicken stock or vegetable broth
Fontina or Gruyere or swiss cheese coarsely grated (2 cups loosely packed) or more!

HEAT ¼ cup of the olive oil, add the onions and garlic, cook 3 minutes, stir and repeat.

When golden, add garlic, reduce heat to low with a few pinches of salt.

Stew, stir occasionally -- 15 minutes. Onions should not be mushy. Remove from pan.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees so as to cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.
Heat oven to 250 degrees so as to cook 2 hours 45 minutes.

In same large pan as you cooked the onions, wilt the chard with a drizzle of water and oil. Add a few pinches of salt.
3-4 minutes. It will taste bitter—ignore that. Toss in the bread with few T of olive oil and some stock.
Arrange layers of bread and greens with handfuls of cheese and a grind of pepper. Place cheese on top.

Bring the stock to a simmer and taste of salt.
Add stock to dish, nearly to the brim (1 inch below) Wait till it is absorbed.

BAKING THE PANADE
Cover the top with parchment paper then loosely wrap the top and sides with foil--With dull sides out.
Place a piece of foil on the floor to catch the inevitable drips.
It will rise a little, lifting the foil with it.
The top should be pale golden in the center and slightly darker on the edges.
Not really necessary but you can finish by uncovering the panade and raise temp to 375 for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown.

Excellent the next day. Great for freezing.

Thank you Mars! tara

Easy Sauteed Tat Soi

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

Carrots
Heart-Shaped Cabbage
Turnips
Broccoli
Radishes
Baby Bok Choy
Green Shallot
Tat Soi
Arugula
Red Oak Leaf Lettuce

I'm delighted that tat soi makes a regular appearance in the CSA box. It's a lovely green that can be used many ways. Tat soi is also known as Asian spinach because it tastes a lot like spinach and can be used in many of the same ways as spinach. I like to saute tat soi in a small amount of olive oil with garlic and pine nuts. Here's a super quick recipe for tat soi:

Easy Sauteed Tat Soi

1 bunch tat soi
1-2 T olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced or chopped
1 T toasted pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash tat soi well in cold water. Shake off excess water, but do not dry.

2. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat.

3. Add garlic and saute until golden.

4. Add tat soi. Stir to coat lightly with oil. Reduce heat and cover until tat soi is wilted, stirring occasionally.

5. If there's excess water in the skillet, uncover and cook off water.

6. Add toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2

Enjoy!

Shelley

Silverlake - Jan 29 pick-up

Thank you for all the good vibes re: the Sunset Magazine article. In Sharon Cohoon's follow up story at http://freshdirt.sunset.com/, she offers a link to the www.urbanfarmingadvocates.org website, where you can help change the law.

As I mention on my home page, it is illegal to grow flowers and fruit in residential gardens in the City of LA and sell them off-site, at farmers' markets for example. This makes no sense given that vegetables may legally be grown for sale.

It's been 7 months since the Food & Flowers Freedom Act came into being but the City hasn't made any changes yet. I think they need to hear from you. See Urban Farming Advocates for more details. If you've already written, thank you.

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

celery
broccoli
carrots
radishes
fresh garlic
mizuna (lovely mild mustard eaten raw)
red romaine lettuce
green romaine lettuce
italian parsley
baby bok choy
arugula aka rocket
green curly mustard (bit spicier than mizuna)

Try this week's recipe from cooking consultant, Shelley Marks. She says:

There's almost nothing better to do with fresh crispy romaine than make a Caesar salad. Though there are many versions, a classic Caesar is both simple and elegant; and once you assemble the ingredients, it's easy to make. I like using roasted garlic for its milder and and more subtle flavor. Roasted garlic keeps well in the refrigerator for a week or longer, so roast up a few heads of garlic at a time. Whatever you don't use immediately can be used in dips and sauces or spread on toast for a savory treat.

Classic Caesar Salad

2 heads romaine (one red, one green)
6 anchovy fillets
2 cloves roasted garlic*
1/2 inch piece green garlic bulb or 1 small clove fresh garlic
1 t prepared dijon mustard
2 t Worcestershire sauce (pronounced "whouster" in England)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 coddled egg yolk** (substitute 1/2 C whipping cream if you prefer not to use an egg)
1/2 C olive oil
1 C croutons***
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse romaine well and dry well in a salad spinner or on towels. Break into bite-sized pieces. Toss the cores in the compost. You should have about 7-8 C loosely packed leaves.

2. Combine anchovy fillets, roasted garlic, green garlic, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, coddled egg yolk, and a pinch of salt in a food processor work bowl. Pulse to combine.

3. With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube in a thin stream until the dressing thickens.

4. Pour dressing over prepared greens. Add croutons and grated cheese. Toss well.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*To roast garlic, trim the top, rub lightly with olive oil, place on a baking sheet in a hot (400 degree) oven for 30-35 minutes until soft. Peel each clove before using.

**A coddled egg is not a raw egg, but it's barely cooked. Bacteria can grow in damaged eggs, so use the freshest egg and avoid any that are dirty or damaged. If you're lucky enough to have a friend or neighbor who has chickens you might be able to get a really fresh egg. To coddle the egg, place the egg in its shell in a heat-proof cup or bowl. Bring 2 C of water to a boil. Pour water over egg to cover and let sit for 3 minutes (or longer if desired). Crack open egg and discard the white or save it for another use. Place yolk in the work bowl and proceed with the recipe.

***You can use store-bought croutons, but it's easy to make your own. Heat 2 T canola oil and 1 T olive oil in a skillet. Cut your favorite bread into cubes and toss in the hot oil to coat. Turn down the heat and toss the cubes every few minutes until well-browned, about 20 minutes.

Have a great weekend and see you soon!

Tara

What's in the Box? + recipe

Pick-up #3 - Silverlake

Skies are blue today but with so many farmers' markets rained out last week, it was a super tough week for Farmer John. Rain saves the water bill but it can be a mixed blessing for small farmers like John. This is why your support, your investment as a shareholder at the top of the season is so valued, and why CSA's are so crucial to small scale farming. I know I've said it before but I have to say it again: Thank You shareholders for supporting this CSA!

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

There was a lot in the box. Mostly because it had to be harvested, and had to find a home. After the list, read on for Shelley's recipe this week.

Green curly mustard (top pic)
celery
Mizuna (bottom pic)
Radishes
Red oak leaf lettuce
green oak leaf lettuce
wildfire lettuce
fresh green / young garlic
baby bok choy (middle pic)
tatsoi
Negi long Japanese onion
carrots
Italian parsley

Shelley Marks - our very own cooking consultant suggests:

Radishes are such a beautiful vegetable, bright red on the outside and white on the inside with a spicy and juicy crunch. I love to throw them into a mixed seasonal salad or eat them with a thick slice of dark whole wheat bread and butter. Here's a different way to use radishes that's easy and fun.

Quick Pickled Radishes

1 bunch radishes
2 C white vinegar
1/2 C white sugar
2 generous tablespoons pickling spice mix
1 large clove of garlic, smashed

1. Wash the radishes and remove the leaves, leaving about a 1/2" piece of stem on each radish.

2. Cut the radishes in half length-wise getting a piece of the stem on each half, if possible.

3. Arrange the radishes in a single layer in a shallow glass, ceramic, or other non-reactive dish that's just big enough to hold them.

4. Stir all the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

5. Remove from the heat and pour over the radishes.

6. Wrap tightly with clingfilm and set aside at room temperature.

7. The radishes will be done when the liquid has cooled to room temperature. Strain and serve. If you'd like to save these for later, refrigerate the radishes in the pickling liquid and strain before serving.

If you happen to have a sprig or two of wild fennel, adding it to the pickling mixture gives the radishes a more complex flavor. If you love fennel, but don't have any fresh sprigs, you can substitute 1 T of dried fennel seeds.

Don't worry about the white sugar in this recipe. It's in the pickling liquid which is not consumed. If anyone would like to experiment substituting agave syrup or honey for the white sugar, be sure to use a little less, and let me know how it turns out.

Enjoy!!

Shelley

Tara says: Radish leaves are edible. Stir fry them with the tatsoi, baby bok choy, mustard greens and Negi onions.

Squash recipe

From Heather: thank you Heather!

Squash recipe:

Clean Squash
Cut off stem and bottom nub
In food processor grate as if you would a potato ( skin and all) to make shreds like hash browns

1. You can place on a hot skillet and brown for " hashbrown squash"

2. Add breadcrumbs ( or masa) until squash gets sticky stays in a patty form and bake or brown on both sides (add garlic and onions) and you have instant veggie burgers.

3. Place the grated squash in a dutch oven or slow cooker with veggie broth and other veggies. Cook about 3 hours - use a hand mixer to blend and you have butternut squash soup. Make sure the ratio is more grated squash to less broth. The squash will sweat out some of the moisture.

4. In breads/cookies cut down on the liquid and some of the flour and an extra bit of sugar and substitute the grated squash - it makes everything moist!

Heather

What's in the box?

November 13, 2009

Pick-up # 6

This week Farmer John had:

1 bunch of nettles - very good for asthma, respiratory system, arthritis, joint pain, calming effect on mind and body. Contains iron and tons of micro-nutrients. Spencer says: "Soaking nettles in water or cooking will remove the stinging quality from the plant, which allows them to be handled and eaten without incidence of stinging." Thank you Spencer!!! See below for how to prepare nettles.

1 romaine lettuce
1 butternut squash
1 celery
1 bunch of beets (see below for Bree's beet roasting instructions - Thank you Bree!)
1 bunch of fresh green shallots
frizee lettuce
dandelion
broccoli
dry garlic

OK. Nettles: sautee with beet greens, dandelion leaves, garlic and fresh green shallots. sprinkle pomegranate seeds just before serving - also roasted almond slivers. Nettles are SO good for you! You could also make a tea with them. Put them in a teapot, add boiling water, steep for a bit and drink it up! Nettles grow wild in my garden. I also feed my plants with nettle tea.

Bree's beets: wash, cut off the tap root, don't worry about peeling them, cut off the greens and keep these for sauteeing (see above) wrap each beet with double layer of tin foil, roast in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.