Fall Basket - 8 November 2008

Basket items: Spinach, red leaf lettuce, head of cauliflower, arugula, red onions, yellow onions, apples, grapes, a bouquet garnit: basil, thyme, dill.

Saturday

Pomegranate juice - made two different ways. The glass in the front was made by blending the pomegranate rubies and adding grapefruit juice to it. The glass in the back was made by putting the pomegranate rubies through the juicer and then adding grapefruit juice. The juicer rendered far more juice than the blender.

Sunday

To use up some spinach, I made a spinach and herb risotto for an afternoon lunch (we're still in our jammies!), which went well with a red leaf lettuce and spinach salad with carrots. I had to add Armand in the photo because the risotto matched his pajamas. Imagine my delight when my son actually enjoyed this! NO protests whatsoever — in fact he heartily ate it up. Truly a successful recipe!

For the herbs, I used tarragon from my herb garden and a bit of basil from this week's basket. For the wine, I used what I had in my cupboard, a Night Owl chardonnay. It was pretty yummy. Maybe I'll have a glass along with leftover risotto for dinner (I should have started drinking at lunch. Of course, that may have stunted my efforts at writing my senior paper — or enhanced it!)

Spinach & Herb Risotto

For the spinach & herb pesto

• 3/4 cup densely packed stemmed spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup mixed flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, and tarragon leaves
• 1/4 cup chicken stock, as needed

For the risotto

• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock; more if needed
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Salt to taste
• 2 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Put the spinach and herbs in a food processor or a blender. Process, adding a little stock to loosen if needed, until well combined. The pesto should resemble a very thick soup. Set aside.
2. Bring the stock to a boil; reduce to a simmer. In a medium, heavy-gauge saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Stir in the rice, toasting just until it starts to sizzle and pop, about 1 min. It should not color. Add the onion, stirring constantly, and cook until translucent, 1 to 2 min. Stir in the wine.
3. When almost all the liquid has disappeared, after about 1 min., add just enough hot stock to cover the rice. Lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer; stir occasionally. When the stock is almost gone, again add enough stock to cover the rice, along with a pinch of salt. Check the risotto every 3 or 4 min., giving an occasional stir to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan, adding just enough stock to cover the rice when the liquid has almost disappeared.
4. Continue this way until the rice is just al dente, about 20 min. total cooking time. Bite into a grain; you should see a white pin-dot in the center. Take the risotto off the heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Stir in half of the herb pesto (freeze the rest for another time) and the cheese. Stir vigorously for a few seconds. The risotto should be moist and creamy, not runny. Add more stock to loosen the risotto if you like, and more salt to taste, if needed. Serve immediately.

Monday

I decided it was time to use up the cauliflower we had, so I used a recipe provided on the Abundant Harvest newsletter. Except I didn't have garlic and didn't slice and toast almonds, so it was more like Roasted Cauliflower instead — but it was really good! Never before had I tried cauliflower cooked, and I was pleased with the results. So was Armand. He particularly enjoyed the charred bits.

Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic with Toasted Almonds

• 1 head cauliflower trimmed and separated into florets
• 1 head garlic, separated into unpeeled cloves, pointed ends trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Postition a rack in upper third of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
2. Place the cauliflower and garlic cloves on a large rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, cumin and pepper. Drizzle the seasoned oil over cauliflower and garlic. Toss to coat.
3. Spread the vegetables in a single layer and roast until the cauliflower is tender and lightly charred, about 25 minutes.
4. Let cool slightly, then using your fingers, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a large bowl, discarding skins. Add the roasted cauliflower and almonds to the garlic and toss.

Tuesday

This was a quick and easy recipe I put whipped up all on my own. I must say, Abundant Harvest has really got me back into the kitchen. With the weather going colder each evening, it's been fun to try new soups and stews.

Chicken with bok choy soup
Chicken sauteed in olive oil and placed in a bowl

• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 baby bok choy stalks, chopped
  
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 3 cups broth

1. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger continuing to saute for about 2 to 4 minutes longer.
2. Add in the broth and heat through, then stir in bok choy and carrots.

Wednesday

To use up the other half of the chicken purchased for the bok choy soup, I found this Martha Stewart recipe to try. However, I couldn't find okra anywhere. I should have just used green beans, and next time I will. Still, it was a satisfying stew.


Chicken and sausage gumbo

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen cut okra
• 8 ounces smoked (precooked) andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 inch thick
• 1 rotisserie chicken (about 2 1/2 pounds), skin and bones removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)

1. In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add 4 cups water; stir in okra and sausage. Bring to a boil. Stir in shredded chicken, and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; if desired, serve with cornbread.

Fall Basket - 1 November 2008

Bakset items: 1 head of cauliflower; 1 head of red leaf lettuce; 1 bunch of spinach; potatoes; bok choy; 2 pears; 5 carrots; leeks; grapes; 5 persimmons; 2 yellow onions; 2 red onions.

Sunday

My sister, Emily, picked up my basket for me since Armand and I were out of town for Halloween festivities.

Tuesday

At lunch I had a radish sandwich on whole-wheat English muffins with a salad consisting of romaine, carrots, and radishes from Abundant Harvest and tomatoes from the store.

Dinner included more of the same salad from lunch and cod with leeks and cherry tomatoes from a recipe I saw in the May/June 2003 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. Maybe using lime instead of lemon (or lime juice with lemon zest) would be even tastier!

Cod With Leeks and Tomatoes
• 2 medium leeks, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced, rinsed well, and patted dry
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 3 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 4 cod fillets, each 6-8 ounces and 3/4- to 1 inch thick

1. Preheat oven to 450º. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss together leeks, lemon juice, oil, lemon zest, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover with foil and bake until leeks just begin to soften, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove baking dish from oven. Add tomatoes, and toss to combine. Season both sides of cod fillets with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; place on top of vegetables.
3. Cover the dish and bake until the fish is opaque throughout, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Wednesday

Salad: red leaf lettuce, cucumber, carrot, scallion. Potatoes sautéed in butter with yellow and red onions, a dash of rosemary and 1 teaspoon of time.

Fall Basket - 25 October 2008

Basket items: 4 pommegranites, arugala, white radishes, red radishes, cilantro, 1 head of romaine lettuce, 3 small cucumers, 1 bunch of dark grapes, 2 pears, 1 sweet potato, and 2 yams.

Sunday

For dinner we had romaine and carrot salad in addition to stir fry on top of organic brown rice from Abundant Harvest.

Monday

Armand had a pear in addition to his breakfast waffles and a pear in his lunch.

Tuesday

For dinner we had sautéed green beans with shallots and marinated chicken covered with tarragon and parsley, plus my first time eating arugula.
(Made for delicious lunch leftovers the next day!)

Arugula Salad
I added feta cheese to this recipe and it complimented the bitterness of the arugula quite well.

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups (about 4 ounces) baby arugula
• 1 small red onion, halved and cut into paper-thin half-moons

Put lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until emulsified. Add arugula and onion; toss.

Wednesday

This was a cookbook that I couldn't resist when going through a spate of homesickness for my childhood hometown, Bamberg. Zwiebelsuppe was one of the first recipes I tried and, being a firm onion fan and ecstatic onion soup fan, fell immediately in love with this recipe.

Zwiebelsuppe

• A generous 1 pound of onions
• 3-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 apple
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 4 cups hot meat stock
• 1/2 cup lager
• Salt and white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed marjoram
• Bunch of fresh chives, snipped

1. Peel, halve, and slice the onions.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the onions in it until translucent.
3. Peel, quarter, and core the apple. Slice it thinly. Stir the apple into the sauteed onion, allow to sweat for a few minutes, then sprinkle over flour.
4. Add the stock and beer, season to taste with salt, pepper, and marjoram, and simmer over a medium heat for about 2 minutes.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle the soup with snipped chives and grated Emmenthal, or croutons.
   

Cucumber Salad With Radish and Dill
This was pretty yummy — crisp and fresh and flavorful. It would be a perfect summer salad.

• 1 English cucumber or 3 Kirby cucumbers, halved lenghwise, seeded, thinly sliced
• 4 large radishes (about 6 ounces), thinly sliced
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 6 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, plus more sprigs, torn, for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with the flat side of a large knife
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Put cucumber, radish, and lemon zest in a medium bowl, and add cheese.
2. Whisk together lemon juice, vinegar, dill, sugar, and garlic in another medium bowl, whisking until sugar has dissolved; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified.
3. Add vinaigrette to cucumber mixture; toss well. Garnish with dill. Discard garlic clove before serving. Refrigerate salad in an airtight container up to 1 hour.

Fall Basket - 18 October 2008

Basket items: 1 kohlrabi; 2 pomegranates; 3 small onions; 1 small red onion; 5 roma tomatoes; dill weed; radishes; baby bok choi; 1 melon; 2 pears; 5 carrots; green beans.

Saturday

When we excitedly examined our Abundant Harvest basket, Armand was very excited to get baby bok choy, but decided to eat half of the melon at breakfast instead.

At lunch I was delighted to sprinkle fresh dill over whipped cream cheese on a slice of bread, topped with tomato slices and more dill with some kosher salt and a few twists of pepper. With some leftover wax beans, it was a great lunch.

Sunday

Armand had a pear at breakfast.

For dinner we had salad that included romaine lettuce and red bell peppers from a previous basket, and a carrot, radishes and tomatoes from this week's basket.

We also had green beans from last week's basket cooked like the wax beans, but with shallots added.

Tuesday

Armand had a pear with his organic Abundant Harvest mush for breakfast.

At dinner we had a veggie platter to use up some radishes, carrots and a tomato from this week's basket, a red bell pepper from last week's basket, and store-bought celery.

Wednesday

For lunch I packed some leftover salad.

Thursday

Armand had two plums from last week's basket with his breakfast.

Items I didn't use: 1 kohlrabi; 2 pomegranates; 3 small onions; 1 small red onion; baby bok choy; green beans.

Starting to notice my organic intake

Upside Down Plum Cake

This is a recipe from a Martha Stewart Food magazine (month, year). I enjoyed it the first time I made it and thought it would be a good way to use up some plums. It was also a great dessert to share with my friend Carlos who I hadn't seen in nearly one year.

• 3 medium plums, sliced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/3 (?) cups flour
• 1/ baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 4 tablespoons butter in pan and place in oven until melted. Pull out of the oven and stir in brown sugar, then layer plums on the mixture.
2. Sift dry ingredients.
3. Cream butter with sugar. Then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture; 1/2 of the milk; 1/3 of the flour; 1/2 of the milk; and final 1/3 of the flour. Pour over plums and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a plate.

Garlic Sautéd Wax Beans
For the first time in my life I was introduced to these white string beans. They were a bit lemony - a delightful surprise.





• Wax beans
• Butter
• Crushed garlic cloves
• Parsley, minced

1. Steam or boil the beans for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the garlic, cooking for a minute. Add in the beans and sauté for a minute before adding the parsley. Cook for a minute more than shift to a serving plate.