I’m jumping back into the CSA Show and Tell Game! It’s been fun to read what other bloggers (Food for Thought, Tinkering with Dinner and Our Half Box among others) create with the vegetables and fruit from their CSA shares.
I subscribed to the half-share this year. So here goes my week, along with ideas for how I plan to use the produce I haven’t prepared yet:
Green beans
Healthier Tuna Noodle Casserole
(Recipe from Eating Well-I substituted fresh green beans for the peas.)
Last week I ate a vegan diet to swing myself back into balance after weeks of overindulgence. I just felt that I was veering too far away from the fruit and vegetable group, and my stomach confirmed that. I don’t ever eat according to diets.
The vegan diet was supposed to be two weeks long. One week was interesting, but at the end of it, another week seemed like privation. So I’m back to eating everything in moderation, feeling satisfied and happy, but with a heavier dose of vegetables and fruits.
The cold weather seemed to beg a steaming casserole with a crunchy top, just like they love in the frozen Midwest. This one is light on vegetables, but heavy on comfort. It’s also perfect for warming up the house with the oven.
Komatsuna
Komatsuna with macerated anchovy, olive oil, lime and parmesan
Chef Rachel O’Kaine left a comment on Facebook suggesting the above dressing for leftover cabbage, inspired by her new home in Italy. I also found a recipe for dandelion tips and anchovies in The Silver Spoon. So I decided to use my komatsuna greens in this way. Rachel suggests letting the leaves soak in the dressing for a little while. I left mine alone for an hour or so. It was delicious–like a dressed down Caesar salad.
I used two anchovy filets, which I macerated in olive oil and the juice of one whole lemon. I mixed these and then dressed two bunches of komatsuna (I also had one from the extras box.) At the last minute, I sprinkled with parmigiano-reggiano.
Bok Choy
Miso Soup with Greens
(Recipe from Mark Bittman’s Bitten.)
I’ll add the bok choy to this basic miso soup, which I’ve been craving. You can build upon this recipe, adding your komatsuna, other greens like spinach, or mushrooms.
Other ideas:
* Hearty miso soup-This one is from a few years ago.
* Restaurant style bok-choy with shrimp-This is a recipe from Tinkering with Dinner which I look forward to trying.
Breakfast Radishes
Green beans and sliced radishes, tossed with lemon, olive oil and salt
That’s it. Simple. I only used half of the green beans in the casserole, so this is how I plan to use the rest.
Other ideas:
* Easy fish tacos-Pan fry some tilapia. Season fish with salt and lime juice. Top with sliced radishes, cilantro and some more lime or salsa verde.
Eggplant, green peppers plus sad plum tomatoes from last week
Ratatouille
I was inspired by Food for Thought’s meditative post on the dish. Ratatouille can be enjoyed hot or cold. I ate mine hot with some warm crusty bread on the side. It’s often served as a side for meat.
I followed the recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. I topped it with black olives and the remaining withering leaves from the basil plant outside. Here is a basic recipe for ratatouille by James Beard.
My plum tomatoes from last week never quite seemed to ripen. The tomatoes were picked early before the cold weather arrived. They were soft but not very flavorful, so I figured they’d be better cooked than raw. I added those to the stew.
Other ideas:
* Eggplant caponata- This variation of ratatouille is from Italy. It’s more of a warm-weather dish, since it’s served at room temperature. I love this dish because it made me appreciate capers and olives in a way I never have before.
* Almond crusted eggplant with goat cheese and honey sauce-I haven’t tried this one yet, but it sounds delicious. I also wanted a chance to promote my cousin’s new food blog, In Love with Bananas. Mercedes often helps me bring my grandiose ideas to completion. One example–I could not have completed my Farm to Table dinner last summer without her cooking talent or recipe ideas.
Green Peppers
Vegetarian Chili
I used the third green pepper in a tried and true vegetarian chili recipe from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. I’ve been using this recipe for years. Even meat-lovers who are skeptical of meatless chili enjoy this one. I add around a cup more of tomato juice because the recipe tends to be dry.
Other ideas:
* Ratatouille (see above)
Canistel
Canistel Custard
(Recipe by the Rare Fruit Council)
Once they are ripe, I’m excited to try the canistel custard recipe from one of the old Redland Organics CSA newsletters. I will top with cinnamon. (Update: Here’s how it turned out.)
