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MS now food blogs at potlucker.blogspot.com

see you there!

rice with greens

(a super quick recipe for busy students who just got a huge volume of collard greens in their CSA)

this is what you call a studying friendly recipe: you do minimal work and let it sit.



Ingredients:
1.5 cups uncooked rice

• my favorite is a wild rice mixture, such as the kind sold at Trader Joes or the bulk goods section of fairway
• if you dont have wild rice, try a short grain brown rice. After that, any brown rice will do.
  
• Feel free to make it 1 cup rice, 1/2 cup lentils (red or brown. brown are more filling. red give it a more porridge-like homey texture).
  

4-7 cups chopped greens. Bok Choy is great, but any green will do. You can add more to taste.
soy sauce
dash of olive oil
optional- chopped onions and/or garlic. feel free to use the jarred chopped garlic.



about the proportions:

the recipe is very flexible in regards to the rice to greens ratio. The ratio you select depends on if you want an even rice to greens mixture or if you want rice with a touch of greens ( a 3:1 rice to greens ratio once cooked). Keep in mind that the greens will shrink to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of their original size once cook.

Instructions:

• place rice and/or lentils in a large soup pot. add appropriate amount of water or vegetable stock, but be on the generous side.
  
• add the dash of olive oil.
• turn the rice on high. when it starts to boil, turn it down to a simmer
• wash and chop the greens. coarsely chopped is best
• when the water is almost entirely absorbed into the rice, place the greens on top of the rice. DO NOT STIR. cover with the lid (basically, you are allowing the greens to steam while the rice still cooks)
• when both the rice and the greens are cooked (yes, you will have to open the pot and poke the rice for a sec to figure this out), add 2-4 dashes of soy sauce to taste, and stir.

enjoy! tastes great alone, with yogurt, with almost any cheese.

zucchini with thyme

a super simple recipe. great for serving a large crowd or for when you are running short on time.

Ingredients:

• zucchini
• olive oil
• sea salt or kosher salt
• fresh black pepper
• dried thyme

Notes on the recipe:

• use a large skillet. a non-stick or cast iron is great. the main thing is that you want a large cooking surface, not a narrow pot.
• IMPORTANT NOTE: this is a quick recipe. It is best to cook the zucchini when all pieces can sit on the bottom of the pan easily. If you have a lot of zucchini it is best to cook it in batches rather than all at once. It will take only a tiny amount more time, and is well worth it.

Instructions:

• chop the zucchini into 1/2 inch to 1/3 inch thick semi circles
• heat the oil in the skiller
  
• flick one zucchini slice onto the heated oil. if it starts to sizzle and blister, you know its ready. dont put the zucchini on when the heat is too low.
  
• add all the zucchini and start stirring around. you can cook the zucchini till its super dark and carmelized, or cook it for a short time until the outside has a golden blistered look.
  
• add about 1-2 tsp of kosher salt. this draws out moisture from the zucchini helping it cook faster.
  
• add a generous amount of dried thyme (approx 1 tbsp per medium sized zucchini is a good estimate).
• add the fresh black pepper.
  
• you're done!

Variations:

• add chopped bell peppers towards the end. cook them until they are just slight wilted
• add cooked butter beans along with the black pepper

Celery, Quinoa, Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

equipment:

• 1 large soup pot
• 1 immersion blender (you can do it with a regular blender, but its such a pain...)
• 1 pyrex bowl
• 1 microwave
  

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of celery from the CSA (this is about 2/3 the size of the bunch you would get in a store)
• 2 medium onions
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, to taste
  
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa.
  
• 1/3 lb jerusalem artichokes
• vegetable broth (if you dont have, add a dash of cumin and turmeric (translate: about 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp of each per 2 cups of water).
• olive oil for sauteing
• salt and pepper to taste
• thyme (dry is fine)
  
• sage (fresh or well ground. dont use any big dry leaves).
• yogurt or cheese- optional
  

Notes: in short, the recipe uses 1/2 the celery and 1/2 the artichokes you got today. feel free to double.

Instructions:

• place the quinoa in the pyrex bowl with a touch more than 2 cups of water. place a lid or plate on top of the pyrex bowl and microwave it for 20 minutes on high. (NOTE- if the quinoa is not pre-rinsed, you will need to rinse it ahead of time. Other note to self- this is why you should always buy pre-rinsed quinoa. final note- this is a great way to cook quinoa).
  
• wash the jerusalem artichokes well. chop em small.
  
• heat olive oil in the bottom of the pot. add the jerusalem artichokes and start to saute.
  
• chop the onions small and add them to the pot.
• chop the garlic and add it to the pot.
  
• chop the celery. feel free to include the leaves.
  
• when the onions are translucent and the jerusalem artichokes look cooked, add the celery. stir.
• when the celery looks slightly wilted, add the quinoa.
• add the thyme & sage
• add enough vegetable broth so that it covers the mixture by about 2 inches.
  
• let it simmer
• puree with the immersion blender. if you want it thinner, add more broth and let the mixture simmer again.
  
• serve hot or cold. great with a dollop of yogurt on top. or some grated cheese.
  

Celery Basics

Some ideas with what to do with celery:

Raw
plain or with dips such as hummus, tahini, peanut butter, almond butter, labane, are all great.

In Soups
If you plan on keeping it around for a soup stock, you can freeze the stalks and keep it in a well sealed ziplock. This will take away the crunch from the celery, but this wont matter for a soup.

The Leaves
make a great garnish. You can eat them in salad, or mix them into a tabouleh.

Fun Ideas
here is a recipe for a Chinese tofu celery salad from Mark Bitman:
recipe
video

and of course, you can make it into a unique soup with quinoa and jerusalem artichokes!

Jerusalem Artichoke Basics

Jerusalem Artichokes are neither from Jerusalem nor an artichoke. They are the root of a beutiful tall yellow flower that looks like a sunflower. The root has a texture like a potato, but with a fun nutty twist.


some basic ways to prepare a jerusalem artichoke:
(be sure to clean them well before cooking)

1. roast them in the oven. chop them up the way you like your roasted potatoes. a touch a olive oil, salt, and pepper is great. The more adventurous can add twists like rosemary. or roast it in combination with other root vegetables (see here for some ideas)

2. simmer/saute
Chop them the way you like your pan sauteed potatoes. Place them in a pot with a lid. add vegetable broth enough to barely cover them. let them simmer. when the broth has boiled for about 6 minutes, remove the lid and let the liquid evaporate so that they can start sauteing in the pan. You may want to add a touch of oil in the last step to help with the saute.
variations: add chopped onions and/or garlic to the pot.

no vegetable broth? no problem.
While this doesnt work for every recipe, the main goal of the broth here is to give the chokes something a little more flavorful than plain water to simmer in. Some quick substitutes include:

• adding a dash of cumin and turmeric (translate: about 1/4 to 1/2 a tsp of each per 2 cups of water). amazing how cumin can make a broth taste meaty.
• adding 1 tsp of soy sauce per 2 cups of water
• adding a touch of miso paste
• adding star anise
  

keeping herbs fresh

Don't want them to wilt in your fridge?
Soon after you bring them home:

• wash them
• shake them dry
• wrap them in a paper towel or wash cloth
• place in a sealed tupperware
• place in fridge

now you can use them to sprinkle on so many dishes, and they can last for two or more week

Herb Quiche

Summer rolls around and CSA shares overflow weekly with large bunches of herbs. One trick to using your herbs is to remember that they are by and large just as nutritious as any other leafy green (some are more nutritious that some greens). So count them as the new exciting vegetable in your diet!

Herb Quiche/Fritata
Yes, this recipe can be done in a conventional quiche crust, but is also delicious crustless.


Equipment
This recipe is for a 9x13 pyrex baking dish. but the same mixture could be spread thinner in a larger lasanga pan, or cut in half and make it in a smaller square dish or a pie pan. I used the 9x13 because I had a lot of herbs to cook with and was bringing it to a pot luck.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of milk or 1/3 cup of yogurt
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard (optional)
• one plum or beefsteak tomato for slicing thin (option, but very pretty)
• 10 eggs (this can be made entirely with egg whites or with a combo. You will need ~14 whites. If you want to reduce the overall amount of eggs, you can use more yogurt, and decrease the total amount of eggs up to 25%)~4 stalks scalions or one very small red onion finely chopped. (if you have extra time you could saute a red or white onion) (the onions of any sort are optional, but if you dont use them you should make it up w more herbs for more volume and more seasoning)
• 1 tbsp crushed garlic, or 5 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 - 2/3 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar, but mozarella, jack, munster, swiss, etc all work fine). also optional.
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Herbs:

• You want a total of 2- 3 cups of herbs. more if you want a "veggies with a touch of eggs & milk" effect, a little less to get a fritata/standard quich effect.)
• I used: 1 & 2/3 cups dill, 1 & 1/3 cup parsley, and whatever basil leaves I had around

herbs to consider:

• dill
• parsley
• basil
• chives
• (Im a huge cilantro fan, but havent tried it in this dish. If you do, let us know how it works)
  

herbs to skip:

• rosemary (small amounts of sauteed rosemary is fine. but dont try and use it like a green)
• mint
• basically anything you wouldnt want to eat a large amount of in a salad
  

Directions

• preheat the oven to 375 F
• wash the herbs and let them dry in a collander, salad spinner, or by wrapping them and patting them in a clean hand towel
• chop the herbs finely, including the stems.
• whisk eggs and milk or yogurt into a mixing bowl.
  
• add the mustard, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and wisk
• add the herbs, and mix.
• grease the baking pan (unless youre using a crust)
• add the mixture to the pan and spread it out evenly
• slice your tomato very thinly, and place the rounds ontop of the mixture.
  
• bake in oven until it is golden brown around the edges (time will depend on the depth of your dish. Took ~30 min in my oven, but could easily be +/- 10 minutes in yours.

Short Cuts:

• skip the mixing bowl and whisk eggs directly into the pyrex along with all the other whisking ingredients. then add the herbs in and mix.
  
• if you're not sure how much egg you want, place all the herbs into the baking tray. start whisking 3 eggs with the rest of the whisking mixture, and pour that over the eggs. Add one whisked egg at a time until you get the consistency you want.
• NOTE- these short cuts will ruin any crust.
  

No Joke: Make Cheese in Your Microwave

It is stupid easy to make paneer or queso fresco style cheese in just minutes in your microwave. The milk we get from the farm is perfect for this because while it is pasteurized, it isn't ULTRA-High pasteurized. That process makes most store bought milk have a longer shelf life, but it screws with the proteins in the milk that you want to hang together when making cheese. To learn more about why this recipe works, check out this post. Now my batch didn't look anything like ricotta and I went back and made another two cups of milk (using my entire quart) into cheese because the yield was so small, but is sure was tasty on bread with a little olive oil and free thyme this morning for breakfast!

2 cups whole milk (not ultra-high pastuerized)
2 table sppons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients into a microwaveable measuring cup or other container. Heat on high for 2-4 minutes, until the edges look bubbly and foamy. If you have a thermometer, you want the temp between 165-180 degrees. You should see a clump in the middle of white stuff and some clear liquid around the side. Just like Miss Muffett, sitting on her tuffett, you now have curds and whey. Give the mixture a quick stir.
Now set a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with 2 or 3 paper towels.
Take a slotted spoon and fish out those curds! Try and get them all. You can pour the liquid through the paper towel, but it will make the draining process really sloooooow. Use a separate strainer if you have one.
Let the curds hang out for about 5 minutes until they're done dripping.

That's it! You made cheese!
Save your whey, that yellow-ish liquid you have left over. This stuff is a great substitute for almost anything where milk is called for. I'm using mine for biscuits. Come on. You can make biscuits. They're easy for someone who can make their own cheese!

pics:
vhttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2733/4374486252_8198619ca5.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4374486510_a9f596d50d.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/4373732533_5f76b3d676.jpg

Thanks Emily Kagan Trenchard for this and the Russian Picnic recipes!

Russian Picnic

Not sure what to eat? Recovering from a night on the town? Preparing for the night on the town? Can't cook anything for difficult than a boiled egg? This is the meal/snack for you.

1 loaf of good rye bread
2 eggs per person you're feeding
pickled beets
1 small onion
light vinegar (white, rice, chamagne, etc.)
1 teaspoon sugar
butter (for the bread, if you like)

OK, the bread and beats need no prep work, so just put those on the table.
Take a small onion and cut it in half longways. Save half for later.
Take your onion dome and peel it. Now lay it flat on a cutting board and slice the thin crescents. Put the onions in a small dish and add enough vinegar to cover them. Add the sugar and stir. Let these hang out to pickle for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Bring a small pot of water to that barely quivering stage where its just on the verge of boiling. Lower your eggs into the water gently so they don't crack. Let them hang out for about 10 minutes.
Take the eggs out of the hot watter and run them immediately under cold water. This will stop the cooking process and make the eggs easier to peel.
Not assemble yourself a slice of buttered rye with some pickled beets, pickled onions and hard boiled egg!

To turn this in to breakfast add coffeee.
To turn this in to a snack, add beer.
To turn this in to dinner, add vodka.

cream of parsnip soup- without any cream

Winter CSAs come with so many parsnips. And while I love a good caramelized, roasted parsnip, there are only so many roasted vegetables I can eat in a week. Thats why I was so excited to find out that parsnips make a great creamy/starchy texture when used as a soup base, much like potatoes.

This recipe is very flexible, and you can substitute about 1/2 the parsnips for turnips, and replace some or all of the parsnips for potatoes, but I love the savory taste the parsnips give.


equipment:

• immersion blender/stick blender
• large soup pot
  

The recipe:

• 3-4 large parsnips, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 cups milk or soy milk
• 1-2 cups vegetable broth or water (if you are using water, you will need 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, and be generous with the other spicing)
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbs dried sage (or 4-6 fresh sage leaves)
• 1 tbs dried dill (or a few sprigs of fresh)
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• olive oil or butter for sauteing

optional:
can add more parsnip for a thicker texture, or some turnip, potato or carrots.
another variant is to put in greens, such as collards, chard, kale, or spinach (fresh or frozen). You can put in a little or as whole huge bunch of greens. I've even put in some frozen peas at points. If you put in the greens, the soup will have the look and texture of a pea soup, as opposed to a cream of potato soup. Both are delicious, just have different tastes and textures.

Directions:

• heat the butter or oil in a large soup pot
• saute the onions in the bottom of the pot until they are soft & translucent.
• add the rosemary and stir
  
• add the parsnips (and other root veggies if you are using them)
• after the parsnips soften a bit and are coated will in the oil
• add the rest of the spices
  
• add the greens and/or peas if you are using them
• add the water or veggie broth so that it covers the veggies (if you are adding greens, it only needs to cover the parsnips- the greens will steam on their own)
• when the parsnips are very soft, turn off the flame and add the milk or soy milk. Add more for a thinner soup, less for a much thicker one.
• use the immersion blender to liquefy the soup.
• return the soup to the flame for a few minutes to let it simmer with the milk.
  
• salt before serving. enjoy!
  

It's cold out. Eat more.

Thanks to Emily Kagan for this original recipe. Eat hearty, folks.

Leftover Chinese Chicken Salad



This is a great way to use up leftover chicken and some stray veggies you might have hanging out in your fridge.
Makes enough to feed 3-4 people

For the Salad
1 small head of cabbage (green or purple) shredded
1.5 cups of cooked chicken, skin and bones removed, chopped, torn or otherwise made into bite-sized pieces
4 small carrots, shredded (optional)
1/3 cup slivered almonds or cashews or peanuts (whatever you want, feel free to add more)
2 snack cup of mandrine oranges or pineapple chunks (save the juice!)
1 green onion, chopped (optional)

For the Dressing
6 tablespoons sesame oil (you can use olive oil if you don't have sesame)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (or champagne vinegar or some other sweet, light-colored vinegar)
2 tablespoons soy sauce OR 1 tablespoon miso paste
Juice from the fruit cups

Put all the stuff for the salad in a bowl. Put all the dressing ingredients into a large measuring cup EXCEPT the oil. Mix thoroughly. While churning the vinegar and soy and stuff with a fork, drizzle in the oil. Adjust the dressing for your taste. Don't worry if the oil separates back out. Stir it again and quickly dress the salad to your liking (you may have extra dressing).

Other things to add:
Crumbled up uncooked top ramen noodles
Chow mein noodles
Edamame (soy) beans
fried wonton wrapper slices
shredded pork
fresh orange or tangerine slices
Diced celery
Sesame seeds
Wasabi peas

Crock- Pot Lentil/Pea Soup

The easiest way to have a great hot meal when you have no time due to finals.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb red lentils (ie. 1/2 of those goya bags)
1/2 lb yellow split peas (ie. 1/2 of those goya bags)
(note- you can make this entirely with peas, or entirely with lentils, or some other proportions).
1/3 cup barley (for thickening. If you dont want to buy a whole bag of barley for the recipe, dice 2 small potatoes)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 normal sized carrot, chopped (or 3 small CSA carrots)
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
fresh ground black pepper
1 bay leaf- optional

rinse the peas, lentils and barley thoroughly to remove the dust that sometimes settles. This can take 2-4 rinses.

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot, fill the pot to the top with water.

Let it cook overnight on low. (or turn it on before you head off to school and come home to a great dinner).

I have never overcooked this recipe, so dont worry about leaving it on for too long so long as it has enough liquid. (I once let it cook for 24 hours).

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!

Inter-Blog

Check out this blog by FLS and Stein Alum Dereck Denckla '97.

http://thegreenest.net

Good stuff.

Roasted Root Veggie Stew: a Blueprint

Here's a versatile, all-purpose stew recipe for your root veggies:
http://straightfromthefarm.net/2009/01/21/roasted-root-vegetable-stew/

The Soup Blueprint

1. Heat your fat (oil or butter or lard) in a large soup pot
2. Sauté any combination of garlic and onions (add more of whichever you like)
3. Add pinches of salt and pepper with each addition of ingredients in order to build your flavor
4. Add any combination of vegetables and continue sautéing
5. Add your dried herbs and spices and continue sautéing
6. Add your stock, at least enough to let the vegetables swim freely
7. Bring to a boil
8. If you want any pastas or grains, add them now (be very generous with your stock if using these)
9. Reduce to a simmer and cook until everything’s soft and happy – usually about 30 minutes
10. Add fresh herbs during the last ten minutes of cooking
11. Blend if you want a smooth soup and/or add cream if you want
12. Taste and season with more salt and pepper
13. Taste again!
14. If you wanted meat in there somewhere, depending on if it’s cooked or raw, add it in either step two (to brown beef), eight (to cook chicken), or ten (for cooked anything)

It'll taste great, be super healthy, and freeze well. Happy Stewing!

Thanks to Sharon Mack for sending in this link!

Delivery 11/4

All right everyone - it's root time! Go Roots!

1 lb Greens
1.5 lb Carrot
1.5 lb Beets
4 Radish
3 Leeks
5 Turnip
1 lb Potato

(see, I was rooting for the Roots...)

Green Tomatoes

I have to admit, I didn't take any green tomatoes the first week they arrived. I had no interest in pickling them or frying them, and didn't know what else to do with them.

but as it turns out, they're a fantastic addition to the savory roasted vegetables at the bottom of the post.

10/28 Delivery

Cardoon, you left my heart in Venice
Cardoon, you're great in salad with lettuce

1 lb Greens
1 lb Green Tomato
1 Brussel Sprout
1 lb Carrot
2 Cardoon (artichoke thistle)
1 lb Beets
2 Garlic

Cardoons?

I must admit, I dont think I've ever seen a Cardoon. (That will change tomorrow)

Here is one idea for what to do with them from www.thekitchn.com

other suggestions very welcome!