FRESH Recipes and Thoughts

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Linda Vought 7/30/12

 

I am very impressed with your co-op. The veg. are nice and very good. Hoping to do this next year. This is the first year L&M was involved. Very nice portions just enough to last us all week with no waste

 

Mary Ellen 7/27/12

I found this recipe for an old summer classic, but with a healthy twist (much less oil) and less time standing over a hot pot. The vegetables don’t get too mushy and still retain lots of flavor.

 

Roasted Ratatouille

1 medium (or 2 small) eggplant

1-2 zucchini

1-2 yellow squash

1 onion or bunch leeks

bunch basil

28 oz can whole or diced tomatoes with juice

olive oil

salt

pepper

 

Directions:

Cube eggplant, chop zucchini and squash into bite sized chunks, dice onion or slice leeks. Toss veggies with olive oil to lightly coat, and put in single layer on 2-3 baking trays. Roast in 500* oven for 10 minutes, stirring veggies halfway thru. Transfer veggies to sauce pot, adding chopped basil and can of tomatoes, chopped roughly if using whole. Season with salt and pepper. Heat thru, and simmer for 10 minutes to integrate veggies and tomatoes. Serve with shaved parmesan, if desired. Great in a bowl as is, or over rice or pasta. Even better the next day!

 

Mandy Ray 7/24/12

I made the following with just beets and carrots and it was a big hit in our house, but I supposed you could use any roasting vegetables.

 

Balsamic-Dressed Roasted Veggies -

2-3lbs of fresh roasting vegetables: beets, radishes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli (any combination)

1/2c fresh orange juice

1/4c balsamic vinger

1TBS sugar

1 star anise (or 1tsp of anise seed)

1/2tsp salt

1/8tsp ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub and trim vegetables: peel carrots prior to roasting, but do not peel beets. Wrap vegetables in foil. Bake at 400° for 1hr until tender. Cool to room temperature. Peel beets and chop vegetables as desired. Combine all other ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 1/3cup (about 10min). Discard anise. Combine sauce and ingredients, tossing to coat. Yield: 8 servings (1 serving = 1/2c)

 

 

Mandy Ray 7/24/12

Veggie Cassoulet 

 

2TBS olive oil -

2 med zucchini, chopped

2 lrgstalks of swiss chard, chopped

1 onion chopped

1/4tsp salt

1/4tsp ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, sliced or minced

1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes, drained

2 cans (15oz) cannellini beans (drained, but save 1/4c of liquid)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 dried bay leaves

16oz ground Italian sausage (optional)

1/4c mozzarella cheese (optional)

2TBS grated or shredded parmesan cheese

loaf of crusty bread.

 

Heat oven to 400°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook zucchini, chard, onion, salt and pepper until soft (~8min). Mix in garlic and cook, stirring, another minute. Set aside. Cook Italian sausage in skillet (if desired). Combine veggies, meat, tomatoes, beans,1/4c of bean liquid, thyme, and bay leaves in a 2-qt baking dish. Bake until golden, about 30min. Remove bay leaves and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese (if desired). Serve warm with chunks of toasted bread.

 

Jennifer 7/3/12

The chard quiche was a hit with us! Another vegetable we’ve never eaten before joining this CSA.

 

Our current new favorite is grilled beets. Very easy to do, and very tasty. Just slice the beets 1/4 to 1/2″ thick, lightly coat with olive oil and then add salt/pepper/garlic salt to taste. Grill on medium for a few minutes and then let sit covered for about 5 minutes. They’ll get nice and soft, then cut into chunks and enjoy.

 

Tonya-6/24/12

Ginger Dill Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

Ginger, peeled (about the size of a ping pong ball)

1/2 bunch of dill, removed from larger stem

2 dates, pitted

1/8 c balsamic vinegar

1/3 c grape seed oil (or any oil of your choice)

1 tsp lecithin (its ok if you don’t add lecithin – it’s acting as an emulsifier. Just shake well before using if not used)

water as necessary.

 

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and mix well adding water as necessary until you like the consistency.

 

Comment:

Sandy Calabro: 6/24/12

 

Its week two of my first time participating and i’m loving it already!! i have one suggestion – last week it was great to get the list of what was in our bag. is it at all possible for you to continue to do that each week? i never bought, ate, or cooked some of the greens in last weeks bag and without the listing would have had to do some research to figure out what they were (boc choy and the swiss chard). Thanks

 

FRESH Staff-6/21/12

Braised Beet Green Recipe Ingredients

1. 1 pound beet greens (beet tops)
2. 1 small onion, chopped fine
3. 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
4. salt and pepper
5. flavorful vinegar

Directions

1. Cut greens off about 1 inch above the beet. Wash and remove any heavy center ribs.   (Hold a few stems in one hand, tear greens away from stems with the other hand.)  Tear into pieces or cut into strips.
2. Heat oil or butter in large skillet. Add chopped onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add greens to onions, stir to coat with oil, and lightly salt and pepper. When greens wilt down, add 1/4 cup water or broth. Cover and cook until tender–the time will depend on the age of the greens: a minute or two for very young greens, 5 minutes or more for older, tougher ones. Taste to test. Uncover and cook for a minute or two to evaporate moisture.
3. Serve warm, with a cruet of flavorful vinegar.

 

Deborah Donovan-6/18/12

 

That Spring Asian Noodle Salad was GREAT!

I added some chopped up cucumber and diced red pepper that I had in fridge. Today for lunch added Tofu (that great kind that Fiddleheads has, which is made in Middletown).

Only thing about the dressing is, it is kind of high fat / calorie.Did not use all of it on the salad but saved some for something else. It really does not need that much dressing.

 

Cyndi Whipple-6/17/12

I made this salad for my husband for Fathers Day. It was delicious!

 

Orange and Radish Salad

Ingredients

5-6 oz. of radishes -sliced very thin

2 Oranges with the peel and pith removed and sliced into sections with a serrated knife.

1/2 of a red onion – sliced thin

2Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. fig infused vinegar

Natural sea salt (to taste)

Fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Mix and refrigerate for about an hour to meld favors The vinegar is found in the vinegar section of Stop and Shop Enjoy

 

Clare Sanders-6/16/12

 

Three of my friends and I got together to buy a full share – and we are so excited that it has finally started.

 

Thursday night we sauteed some of the rainbow chard and beet greens, threw in some garlic & spices, a can of black beans and some diced tomatoes, and served it all over some brown rice. A little goat yogurt and Bragg’s liquid aminos to top it all off. Fresh, local, fast – and our first experiment in cooking with what Connecticut’s soil is offering here and now. Huge thanks to those who are putting in the work to grow this delicious and beautiful food.

 

Asian Noodle Salad-Submitted by Genevieve Caron 6/13/12

Serves 4

Salad Ingredients

½ pound ( 8 ounces soba noodles)

½ cup cilantro leaves

½ cup snap peas

¾ cup carrots, diced small

½ cup thinly sliced green onions

1 cup bok choy sliced length wise into long strips

 

Dressing Ingredients

 

¼ cup peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
¼ cup sesame oil
½ cup rice wine vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
A pinch of red chili flakes (only if you want!)

 

Directions

Cook Asian noodles as per instructions on package. When done, rinse under cool water in a colander

and set aside. In a blender, place all dressing ingredients and blend well until smooth but still some
texture. (You can also blend all of it with a fork in a bowl, by adding one ingredient at a time. You may
need to first soften the peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds. The dressing will be a little
chunkier, but still delicious.)

In a large bowl mix cilantro and all vegetables together well, add the soba noodles and toss until well
mixed. Then slowly pour dressing over the noodles and vegetables, a little at a time, tossing gently in
between until all dressing is poured and the noodles are well dressed. Enjoy as a great lunch or for
dinner with salmon or chicken mixed in!

 

Orecchiette With Tomato Sauce and Kale

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Winter Squash Pizza Night!!!!

1. In a large bowl gently mix the warm water, yeast and sugar/ honey until frothy and creamy for about 1-2 minutes.
2. Let stand for 1 minute for activation of the yeast. In a separate large mixing bowl combine the flour and salt. Mix well.
3. Slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, mixing well until a soft dough forms.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until very smooth and elastic adding more flour as needed, about 8-10 minutes.

1. While the dough is rising, prepare the toppings for your pizzas. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and place both pieces cut-side down on a baking sheet.
3. Roast in the oven until soft and spreadable, approximately 40 minutes.
4. When cooled slightly, scoop out into a medium-sized bowl. Add garlic and about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well.
5. Once the dough has risen, divide in half. Roll out each half into 12-inch pizzas using a rolling pin or stretching out with hands on a clean, floured counter top.
6. Using spatulas, slide the crusts onto well floured pans (with corn flour if desired). Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
7. Spread about 1 tablespoon olive oil onto each pizza dough. Divide the squash-garlic mixture in half and spread onto each pizza dough using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle ½ cup kale onto each dough and top with thyme and salt to taste.
8. Bake pizzas for about 15-20 minutes until crust is brown and crisp.