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.