Crock- Pot Cabbage Soup

A great recipe for all your CSA cabbage and carrots

in one large crock pot, put:
1 small head of cabbage, chopped into small pieces (approx 1 inch squares)
1 small to medium sized onion, finely chopped
3 small carrots (or 1 normal sized carrot) chopped
1/3 cup barley, rinsed (optional)
1/3 cup red lentils, rinsed (optional)

Spices:
2 tsp paprika
1 tbs turmeric
4 tsp garlic pungent garlic powder (if your garlic powder is milder, add more or put in chopped fresh garlic. I use the powdered because its easier)
black pepper to taste

Fill to the top with tap water. Place lid on top. Turn the crock pot on low and let it cook!
(I cooked it on low from 3 PM until 1 PM the next day. and it was a great lunch).

salt to taste before eating. Also tastes great with a bit of grated cheddar mixed in to the individual servings.
enjoy!

Hearty Vegetarian Crockpot Stew... Or, What to Do With Languishing Share Leftovers

I came home from five days in California and found myself confronted by chilly, windy weather and two weeks' worth of leftover share vegetables on their way to rotting in my crisper drawer. So I made a hearty vegetarian stew. Take that, turnips.

Note #1: If you've never tried seitan before, you can find it in most organic/hippie food stores. It's only $4 or $5 for an 8 oz package.  It is made of wheat-gluten and is a great meat substitute as it has a hearty taste and texture and tons of protein.

Note #2: You can also add any number of other vegetables, such as greens, squash or tomatoes. This is just what I had on hand.

Ingredients:

 - 1 package chicken-style seitan, shredded

 - 1 onion, diced

 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

 - 6 cups vegetable broth (I used mushroom flavored "better than boullion")

 - 3 potatoes, cubed

 - 1/4 head cabbage, shredded

 - 2 ears corn, diced

 - 3 carrots, sliced

 - 3 turnips, cubed

 -  3 stalks celery, sliced

 - Seasoning: salt, pepper, dried mustard, oregano & paprika, to taste

 - 1/4 cup soy sauce

 - 4 TB cornstarch blended with 4 TB cold water

What You Do:

- Warm olive oil in a pan. Cook seitan for a few minutes until brown.

- Combine all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. 

 - You can add more cornstarch or flour if you want a thicker stew; just blend it first in a separate container with equal parts cold water before adding to the stew. Also, the stew will get thicker as it cools.

 - Serve with shredded parmesan cheese on top and thick, crusty bread.  Enjoy!

Slaw that you actually want to eat

By Chefs Michael Romano & Kenny Callaghan. New York Times 2002.

Dressing
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon celery seed
7 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise

Slaw
2 pounds green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, quartered, seeded, and sliced
1 small sweet white onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 Granny Smith apple, grated with skin on

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients thoroughly.

The slaw can be served immediately, but it is much better, more melded and tender, if allowed to stand and tossed occasionally for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

For a very limp slaw, refrigerate several hours or overnight.

sesame purple cabbage

cross posted to two heads of lettuce
a great quick and easy dish that serves many people

1/3 cup raw sesame seeds
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 head purple cabbage chopped
3 tbsp teriyaki or soy sauce
2 pinches brown or white sugar- only if using soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh or ground ginger- optional
1 pkg defrosted frozen spinach- optional

the key is toasting the sesame seeds properly. Have your cabbage washed and chopped and on hand.

In a chicken fryer or in a large pot place the oil and the sesame seeds. Turn the flame on medium to low. stir the sesame seedsconstantly till they SLIGHTLY turn beige. the difference between burnt sesame and toasted sesame is very slight- so better err on the side of underdone. Basically, as soon as you hear about 2 seeds pop IMMEDIATELY add the cabbage and stir. add the rest of the ingredients. stir till cabbage is soft but not mushy/limp.

enjoy hot, room temperature or cold.

tastes great on top of quinoa