W3/Meal 1: OPA! Greek-inspired squash blossoms

This was a side dish, not a meal. I didn't have time to make an elaborate dinner but I wanted to use those squash blossoms while they were still fresh and firm.

Esther-- one of my CSA's admininstrators-- verbally gave me a recipe for easy stuffed squash blossoms when I picked them up.

The first step was to thoroughly wash and dry them.

She suggested I stuff them with a soft cheese --ricotta, for example-- but I had some terrific feta on hand and used that instead, cutting it into small cubes and filling each blossom. I also included a pinch of fresh oregano inside each one.

Next I dipped each blossom in a bowl of one beaten egg, soaking them thoroughly and twisting the top a bit to "seal them".

I then rolled them in a bowl with a mixture of white flour, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper.

I fried the blossoms in a very shallow amount of olive oil (just enough to coat the pan) until they turned golden brown, turning them several times.

The final-- and most important!-- touch was giving each blossom a generous squeeze of lemon juice, giving it that distinct and bright Greek flavor.

Verdict: AWESOME. But I mean... when you stuff something with cheese and then fry it... what's not to love?

Second share! June 28

Even more bountiful than the first, this one could barely be contained in two tote bags. When I expressed my delight to one of the administrators, she said, "Ooooh, we're just getting started!"

Evidently I'm easy to impress.

The full share:

Endearingly bumpy carrots:

Red onions:

Amazing squash blossoms:

Kale:

Oregano:

Fatty-fat zucchini:

Some stanky garlic:

And of course, the namesake of my blog... beets! They are HUGE. Seriously. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.


There was also something called epazote but it kinda smelled like ass. I'm not entirely convinced I'll want to plan a meal around it.

One step at a time.

W2/Meal 2: Baja tacos

One time,while enjoying a snack from the Endless Summer truck, my husband said to me: "You never really appreciate a radish until it's the only thing on your taco."

So zen, so true.

The radish is a rather unsung vegetable. I can't even call it an unsung hero. When is a radish heroic? When are you ever like, "Holy crap this is the best radish ever! This radish SAVED MY LIFE!"...?

But there are instances when its satisfying crunch and subtle bite can be an efficient combination for one single condiment. I can't think of a better one besides the baja taco. (Well, I can't really think of any other instances. But I'm new at this.)

Time to fire up my amazing, life-changing (one might even say 'heroic') electric grill and give those radishes a stage to sing on.


Baja Fish Tacos

The recipe was adapted from this one, with some slight modifications.

Ingredients:
2 lb mahi-mahi
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp lime juice
5 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 minced garlic clove
Salt, to taste
8 flour tortillas, 8 inches in diameter

Directions:
1] Cut the mahi-mahi into 16 equal slices.
2] Combine the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and salt. Coat the mahi-mahi with the marinade.
3] Grill the fish on the first side over direct heat until the flesh is firm and well-marked, about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and grill until cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more.
4] Grill the tortillas until they have light grill marks and are heated through, about 15 seconds on the first side. Turn the tortillas and grill them until they just start to bubble, another 15 seconds.
5] Center 2 pieces of grilled fish on each tortilla, and top with your choice of condiments. Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, fold in half, and serve immediately.

***

I halved the recipe and used fresh halibut in lieu of mahi-mahi. Any thick steak of white fish would work, like swordfish, cod, or sea bass. I only used a splash of olive oil for the marinade and I tossed the fish slices and the marinade together in one bowl.

For the toppings, I used radish (of course!), sliced avocado, red onion, and plain greek yogurt. Naturally, I served the tacos alongside brown rice and pinto beans.

(As an aside, I highly recommend using plain yogurt instead of low-fat sour cream. It has the same tang, a thicker consistency, and the added health benefits of our good buddies, probiotics.)

Verdict: Sweet Lord, I could eat this every day. A perfect summer meal. All the pleasure of a good Mexican fiesta, without the boated belly that inevitably follows eating a burrito the size of your head. Seeing as how this meal was inspired by the radish: Radish, you're a goddamn hero.

W2/Meal 1: Penne with Vodka Sauce

I recently took a trip to Italy where I learned, among other things, that there is nothing wrong with eating pasta every single day. Or pizza every day. Or pasta and pizza.

Having taken a fancy to such gluttony, my husband and I made it exactly one week before declaring an emergency Pasta Night. The craving was out of control. I hadn't used much of my romaine and I still had a garlic scape left, so I looked for a recipe that could incorporate the scape and would pair nicely with a fresh ceasar salad. And had a sauce that was pink! And could be spotted with chunks of buffalo mozzerella! And would be served by a smiley Roman named Paolo and immediately followed by gelato and limoncello! VIVA LA DOLCE VIDA!

This recipe fit most of the bill. I've never actually made sauce from scratch so I was pretty pumped about it:



Penne with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:
Salt
One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) with their liquid
1 pound penne
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil for finishing the sauce, if you like
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing if you like

Directions:
Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Pour the tomatoes and their liquid into the work bowl of a food processor. Using quick on/off pulses, process the tomatoes just until they are finely chopped. (Longer processing will aerate the tomatoes, turning them pink.)

Stir the penne into the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, until the garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Lower the work bowl with the tomatoes close to the skillet and carefully — they will splatter — slide the tomatoes into the pan. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and generously with crushed red pepper, and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer, and simmer until the pasta is ready.

Just before the pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespoons butter or oil, if using, and swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and red pepper if necessary. Sprinkle the parsley over the pasta and boil until the sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta.

Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the cheese over the pasta, and toss to mix. Serve immediately, passing additional cheese if you like.

***

I added a finely diced garlic scape to the sauce in lieu of some of the garlic cloves. That was a nice twist. The instructions seemed to warn against over-processing the tomatoes (the sauce will turn pink! like it's supposed to! look out!) so I erred on the side of a rough chop. Shame-- the tomatoes never quite blended with the oil and, although the sauce tasted delicious, the separation was unappealing. Also, I used whole wheat penne which seemed to overpower the light sauce.

The romaine in the Caesar was outrageous, though. How can lettuce be so good?

Verdict: A few missteps, but it was still a treat. The craving was totally conquered and I feel confident that I can eventually learn to make a great pasta sauce. Sadly, no complimentary limoncello appeared at the end of the meal. Lame.

W1/Meal 2: Chicken Marsala with Sage

So much sage, so few ideas of what to do with it.

Turns out that sage gets a lot of roles in recipes that star roasted turkey. And I have neither the time nor the air conditioning to cook a turkey right now.

This recipe sounded promising and delicious, and way less time-consuming than Thanksgiving-In-June:



Chicken Marsala with Sage

Ingredients:
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, each halved horizontally
All purpose flour
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup imported dry Marsala
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
Fresh sage leaves

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dust with flour; shake off excess. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped sage; sauté 1 minute. Add half of chicken. Sauté until brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken. Tent chicken with foil. Add Marsala and broth to skillet; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; spoon over chicken. Garnish with sage leaves.

***

I halved the recipe and used a little less butter. Speaking of which, though... when that sage was frying in the pan of butter... WOAH. My apartment smelled ridiculous. Someone should make a Sage Butter scented candle.


Moving on, I made one big mistake: I simmered the sauce instead of boiling it, so it never fully reduced. I tacked on about 5 minutes of boiling at the end to try to compensate, but it was still thin and threw off my timing.

For the sides, I improvised:

Smashed Potatoes with Chopped Garlic Scapes
I boiled a pound of creamer potatoes for about 25-30 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, I tossed in a handful (maybe about 1/4 cup?) of chopped garlic scapes to soften them. Then I drained everything, added a hunk of butter and a splash of milk, and smashed away. Actually, my husband did. That's a good job for the menfolk, the smashing. These turned out amazing.

Sauteed Kale
... I just put some kale in a little frying pan with olive oil and a generous splash of marsala. I didn't give it quite enough time and had to use a high heat to soften the kale, which ended up giving some leaves an unsightly brown crisp. (Hey, full disclosure here.) I would've been better off with at least 20 minutes on low heat. Still, pretty tasty.

The verdict: A lot of work (and dishes) for a flavorful but unremarkable meal. Seemed kinda Olive Garden-y. Nothing gives chicken that savory, crispy finish like a good sauté , but it's not something I would cook often, given the effort required and the copious amount of butter. As for the sage, it was a fine performance as a supporting role. I'd definitely like to reprise the duet with the butter, if only to make my apartment smell that way again.

W1/Meal 1: Spinach & Garlic Scapes Pasta

Those garlic scapes were so crazy-looking that I felt compelled to tackle them first. The more of my fresh produce I can incorporate into one meal, the better, so I was happy to find this recipe:



Spinach & Garlic Scapes Pasta

Ingredients:
2 cups spinach, rinsed & dried
1/2 cup chopped garlic scape
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 lb pasta, of your choice

Directions:
1] Place spinach, garlic scapes and parmesan in a food processor and pulse until mixture is chunky.
2] With machine running, pour in olive oil.
3] Process until mixture is smooth.
4] Add butter& seasonings to taste.
5] Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on package until al dente.
6] If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water and mix well.
7] Drain pasta, place in serving dishes and top with sauce.

Serves four.

***

I halved the recipe and used gluten-free rotini, omitted the butter, and added an extra handful or two of spinach. I also added cherry tomatoes to brighten the earthy flavor and some cannellini beans for sneaky protein. Then I topped it off with some grated pecorino romano, which I'm pretty sure I could eat a bowl of on the side.

Perfection.

The verdict: Incredibly easy with a delicate but satisfying flavor. The scapes provided enough garlicky bite without overwhelming the fresh, green taste of the spinach. This meal was gone in about three minutes. Success!

First share! June 14, 2010

Here are the items of my first share, in all their crispy green glory.

First, we have the lovely kale:

Garlic scapes:


Romaine so fresh it tasted unfamiliar:


Ravishing radishes:


Spinach:


... and a bonus herb, sage:


... there was a bunch of cilantro, too, but anyone who knows me understands I am NOT A FAN of that vile herb and I pawned it off on a coworker instead.

(As part of my duty as a self-appointed Cilantro Educator, I'd like to take a minute to pass on this interesting article that at the same time validates my opposition and suggests I learn to suck it up. Thanks to Adriana for sending it my way.)

An obligatory hello! and welcome!

I'm Lauren. Loving wife, daughter, sister and Facebook friend. I live in Brooklyn by way of Detroit. I'm a professional graphic designer, a newbie blogger and a retired poet. My skills include over-sharing and lying quietly in the sun for extended periods of time.

Like most living things with a will to survive, I like food. I like to read about it and talk about it, but I especially enjoy eating it. I'm good with my hands and at following directions, so it makes sense that I would be interested in cooking. I just haven't had a chance to do much of that yet.

I like to blame that on the fact that I've never not had a full-time job since I graduated. Lack of time has always trumped motivation. The college cooking method of Thaw and Reheat was replaced with the slightly more involved-- and satisfying-- Food Assembly Method, requiring a protein, some veggies and some sauce, tossed in a bowl over pasta or rice. Things got interesting when Trader Joe's came into the picture. My meals felt complete and moderately healthy.

But in recent years, I've started to appreciate food on a deeper level. Like many others, I'm increasingly aware of and concerned about the health risks of processed food and the questionable ethics of industrialized farming. But moreover, I find that as my tastes have developed, so has my desire to be closer to my food and be involved with my meals on a more intimate level-- knowing where each of my ingredients came from, how they taste, and what to do with them.

It's a craft and I like to be crafty.

So I've joined a fantastic CSA. I figure: what better way to learn to be a proficient cook then to let the ingredients themselves inspire me? Every two weeks I'll pick up my share of fresh (and sometimes exotic) produce and challenge myself to find and execute recipes that incorporate all of it. And in case anyone else finds this journey nearly as interesting as I do, I'm going to do my best to document my experiences.

Grab your tea towels, kids. Things are about to get messy.