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Author: mo

  • Vegetable Broth from Leek Greens

    We are asked all the time; can I do anything with leek tops? Yes! Make some homemade vegetable broth! It is so easy to make and far superior tasting to anything you can buy. Making broth at home takes an hour or so and just a few minutes hands on time and lucky you, you are in a CSA so you most likely have everything you need to make at least 2 quarts of broth almost every week!

    Soups, risotto, grain dishes, stews, braising dishes all will taste brighter and more interesting with homemade broth.

    This is a photo from last weeks haul. I knew I wanted to make broth with all those beautiful green tops and trimming; leek tops, carrot tops, kale stems and lettuce heart.

    Here are the leeks trimmed.

    You’ll want to wash the green leek tops really well and save the white leek body for another use. 

    I cut the tops up so the dirt will fall out and put them in the sink with lots of water and swish them around really well.

    Cut up everything else you are using and wash them separately from the leek tops, the leek tops are really dirty but everything else you can wash together.

    There are no rules here, use what to have and what you like; potato peels, apple cores, seeds and guts from butternut squash, peels from beets or kohlrabi, anything–really try anything you have. I’ve never made broth and thought, oh, that didn’t work…. I will say, when you have leeks you almost don’t need anything else. They are that flavorful on their own.

    Cover the prepared leek and vegetable tops and scraps with water, just barely cover them, and add some salt and pepper and maybe a bay leaf or some herbs if you like and bring it to a boil. Boil it medium hard for 5 minutes or so then lower it to a strong simmer for about an hour. Make sure the vegetables stay covered with water, but not too much you don’t want to water it down.

    All the vegetable scraps and peels are mostly water and will break down after cooking for an hour or so and it will smell great when it is done. Taste it as you go add salt and pepper if needed. It is really interesting at first it will taste like mud, like ewww… you will think, this isn’t going to work. After a half hour or so you will start to taste each vegetable and think; I don’t know, is this going to be good?… and after an hour or so it will taste round and full and really flavorful and you will wonder how you ever used store bought broth out of a box.

    When it’s done let it cool and strain it and store it for a week in the refrigerator or freeze it.

    Make some risotto or minestrone soup and enjoy. I’m sure you will be happy with your efforts.

    Mo

     

     

  • Roasted Green Chile Charro Beans

    I was raised calling this dish Charro (cowboy) beans. This is a wonderful complex brothy variation of chili using roasted green chiles vs. classic red-tomato laden, chili.

    This one pot-big batch, robust dish can be made in a pot on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a crockpot. A whole pound of roasted green chilies add so much flavor combined with the beans makes a magic broth. You can add tomatoes and meat if you like. It is endlessly adaptable to all sorts off toppings and side dishes. But the star and co-star here are the green chiles and beans.

    All you need are a few ingredients and some time. You can make this quickly with canned beans but it won’t be nearly as delicious as if you make it with dried beans. I like to use either pinto or yellow eye beans. Start by soaking the beans for at least a couple hours if you can. If you don’t have time just give it more cooking time. The beans will cook eventually.

    I used;

    • 1 pound of dry beans (sub 3 cans of beans if not using dry) soaked if possible. I soaked mine overnight.
    • 1 pound of any variety of roasted chiles defrosted peeled and chopped. I used mild Anaheim.
    • Optional pint jar of tomatoes, I had some canned tomatoes from this summers You-pick tomatoes at the Farm. I bet lots of you have summer tomatoes in your pantry or freezer too! You can use store bought canned tomatoes of course.
    • 1 shallot or onion or leek chopped
    • a couple bay leaves, salt and pepper
    • Optional-bacon, ham, chorizo I didn’t use it and didn’t miss it at all.
    • 5 cups of water or stock. I always use water but some people like to use stock.
    • 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil. I forgot to put it in the photo but I always put some oil, or even butter (sounds weird but it is delicious) when I cook beans if I am not using meat. The fat makes the beans creamier and sometimes the beans foam up when cooking and it keeps the foam down….and fat=yum.

    Here are my soaked beans drained and rinsed and vegetables chopped, tomatoes, 5 cups of water and bay leaves.

    I dumped everything into my ancient crockpot with some salt and oil.

    Put the lid on (mine doesn’t fit right because I broke the original decades ago) and set it on high for about 5 hours. 8-10 hours or overnight on low.

    If you are using an Instant Pot follow the directions it comes with for making beans. I think it takes about 30 minutes on high under pressure and use the natural release, but check with your Instant pot directions to be sure. If you are making these on the stove top just keep checking after 2-3 hours until they are done to your liking.

    The house smelling great is usually the best way to tell when the dish is done, but do test your beans and don’t count on the time I’ve given. It’s just a guide. Taste if you need more salt (you will).

    This will make several servings and keeps well in the refrigerator for a week. I look forward to making some breakfast burritos and fajitas with some of these Charro bean leftovers this week. You can freeze any extras too. The beans are a little mushy when you freeze them but still just as tasty. I like to use frozen leftovers for refried bean dishes, like tostadas.

    Happy New Year All.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

  • Shaved Apple Kale Salad

    This seemingly simple kale salad has been on the menu at Oak at Fourteenth restaurant for over a decade. I think it is because it is a perfect balance of salty-tart-sweet-crunchy-and a little bit of spice.

    The chef-partner Steven Redzikowski has shared the recipe in local magazines and on social media several times. I have used his recipe and made it dozens of times and it is truly a restaurant quality salad if you don’t stray too far from the suggested portions and ingredients. I’ll copy the recipe below and put my comments in paratheses.

    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
    • 2 cups thinly sliced kale (any kale works, just slice it thinly)
    • 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
    • 1/4 cup roughly chopped candied almonds (you can use any candied nut (I use honey roasted peanuts sometimes) or even seeded granola if you can’t eat nuts. The sweetness from the candied nuts adds a much needed balance to the tartness in the salad. If you aren’t using candied nuts or granola add a little honey or agave or some other sweetener.)
    • 1 apple-sweet not tart apple (slice it very-very thinly-you want a thin slice of apple in every bite)
    • About 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
    • About 1/4 tsp. pepper
    • Ichimi togarashi* or red pepper flakes (*available the Asian area of the grocery store. You can use any red pepper flakes but the togarashi is really nice mild finely ground spice. The spice is a nice balance to the tartness of the apples.)

    • Whisk together oil, zest, cheese and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

    • Add kale, apple and almonds, then toss to coat.(Really-really-really toss this salad. I use my hands to tumble it in the bowl to make sure every single nook-and-cranny of the kale and apples are coated with the dressing and the candy coating from the nuts is ‘melting’ a bit to become one with the salad.)

    • Season with salt, pepper, and ichimi togarashi and pile it high on a serving dish.

    Like I said, don’t stray too far from the suggested amounts or ingredients. The beauty of this salad is the clean simplicity and balance; kale, apple, nut, salty and a hint of spice in every bite. Thanks for the recipe Steve, Chef’s kiss.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Seed (and Nut) Crusted Delicata

    This time of year I can’t get enough roasted winter squash.

    We celebrated Hanukkah this weekend I made these cute little seeded delicata rings and they were gobbled up as fast as the latkes! Everyone loved them!

    These are super easy to make.

    Preheat your oven to 400F. Cut two delicata squash (that’s how many fit on my sheet pan) into 3/4 inch rings and scoop out the seeds and rub them really well with olive oil and salt and pepper. I used garlic too, I don’t think I would use garlic again.

    In a food processor I added;

    • 3 tablespoons of turbinado sugar (you can use any sugar you like, coconut or maple would be nice here if you have it, or just brown sugar would work too.)
    • 1/4 cup almonds (use what you like, or just use all seeds)
    • 1/4 cup sesame seeds. I used white and black.
    • You could add cinnamon or herbs, I didn’t but I will next time.

    Pulse all that in the food processor until it is like sand then press one side of the oiled squash into the seed mix and arrange on a baking tray seed side up.

    I baked these for about 1/2 hour covered and uncovered for another 10 minutes. I covered the tray with another tray so they wouldn’t dry out and so the sugar in the crust wouldn’t get too dark. I wasn’t sure what would happen. I’d never made these before so I was cautious.

    You could roast them uncovered and they would be more caramelized and crunchy than mine were.

    I also roasted a couple delicata “boats” while the oven was hot and added the last bit of the nut/seed/’sand’ mix to the hollow of the squash. Yum.

    I will be making this again and again. It was easy and very very tasty everyone love them.

    Mo

     

     

     

  • Lemon Garlic Bok Choy

    Bok Choy! It’s not just for stir fries and Asian dishes!

    Bok Choy is a brassica and is related to broccoli, cabbage, kale and Brussels sprouts so when life gives me Bok Choy and I don’t want a stir fry, I cook Bok Choy like broccoli or kale or, prepare it raw like cabbage in a slaw.

    Probably everyone has prepared kale or Brussels sprouts by heating olive oil in a pan, add garlic, salt and pepper-add vegetables and sauté until done to your liking-squirt some lemon on it and you’re done. Super happy right?

    Let’s cook our Bok Choy like that, sort of channeling sauteed lemon garlic broccoli, (except I didn’t have any garlic how do I not have garlic? :-/ I used a shallot).

    I wanted my Bok Choy to be reminiscent of  broccoli so I left the stalks long and chopped the shallot like I would garlic.

    Heat a pan to medium high add some olive oil and the shallot (or garlic).

    Then I added the Bok Choy and some salt and pepper. It looks like a lot but it cooks down.

    Let that sear for 3 or 4 minutes, don’t mess with them, then turn them with some tongs.

    Let them sear on that side for another 3 or 4 minutes (don’t fuss with them) and turn again until they are done to your liking. If some of the pieces get done before the others move them to a plate until the rest are done.

    When they are all cooked through plate them and give them a squeeze of lemon and little more salt and pepper and voila. Lovely side dish.

    The different textures of the stalk and the leaf of the Bok Choy are really nicely contrasted in this method of cooking. It really is very reminiscent of broccoli  prepared this way.

    One of the challenges of being a CSA member is thinking outside the box with your weekly bounty, when you do, the reward is the joy and satisfaction of a simple delightful satisfying dish.

    Have a great week.

    Mo

  • Honeynut Squash

    This week we have a fun novel offering, Honeynut squash!

    Below is a photo of some Honeynuts with their bigger cousins, a couple of Butternut squash.

    Honeynuts are not small butternuts they are hybrids developed from butternut and buttercup squash. They are about the size of a medium/large sweet potato (about one pound) and much sweeter and more creamy and dense than a butternut. You don’t need to peel Honeynuts the skins are edible. If you don’t like to eat squash skin, still leave the skin on, it serves as a handy ‘bowl’ so you can easily scoop the tasty flesh out.

    When roasted, Honeynuts have a caramel malty rich flavor. The flesh is smooth and tender without any of the stringiness you get from larger squashes. They’re the perfect personal or two person-size squash and are absolutely delicious.

    Roast these much like any winter squash; Preheat your oven to 425F, Wash the Honeynut and cut them in half and remove the seeds, rub them all over with olive oil, salt and pepper.

    I roasted some of these cut side up and some cut side down to see if I liked one way more then the other. Up and down were both great. I have no preference other than if you want to put something in the cavity like syrup (the cut side up ones I put a little maple syrup in the cavity) or nuts or cheese-roast them up.

    Cook these  for 30-40 minutes, start checking to see if they are done at 30 minutes by sticking a sharp knife into one. If they aren’t tender, check again ever 10 minutes until they are done.

    Have fun with these little treats. They are one of my favorite crops we have had this year.

    Mo

     

     

     

  • Melted Leeks

    Melted leeks are a delicious side dish and a great addition to big holiday meals. A small portion of leeks packs a big flavor punch when added to heavier dishes like mashed potatoes and dressing.

    Melted leeks are super simple to make (recipe at the bottom) and can be made ahead and reheated or served at room temperature, so perfect for holiday meals! You can serve them alone, as a side dish, with your turkey or ham, macaroni and cheese, lasagna. Just a spoonful will add a nice pop to your holiday dishes, kind of how cranberry sauce adds a little zing.

    I topped some mashed potatoes with melted leeks and sage brown butter, it really elevated plain mashed potatoes. You could do the same with dressing. I didn’t mix the leeks in because some people/kids might not want leeks but you could mix them in if you like. Plus, I kind of like how it looks.

    Below photo is a simple appetizer-melted leeks and cheese on small bite size pieces of buttered toast. Sort of a deconstructed French onion soup. This would travel really well if you need to bring an snack or appetizer to a friends house.

    Melted leeks are simple and fast to make. You’ll need;

    • 3 or 4 large leeks
    • 3 tablespoons of butter
    • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
    • a splash of water, broth or white wine
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Clean your leeks and slice them into rounds.

    Add the leeks and the rest of the ingredients to a pan and cook on a medium low heat with the lid on for 20-30 minutes.

    You don’t want them to brown, just collapse and ‘melt’.

    Taste the leeks and see if you want them softer or if they need more salt or pepper. Depending on what you are eating these with you dress them up further and add a splash of cream or some parmesan cheese, maybe lemon zest?

    Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I can’t wait to use some of my CSA bounty in our Thanksgiving Feast. Leeks will be somewhere on our menu. Hope they make it on yours too.

    Have a great week.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Citrus Glazed Hakurei Turnips

    One of the most cooked and loved recipes on the Red Wagon blog is Miso Maple Turnips.  Here is very similar dish but this has an easy to make sauce that is has a bright citrus essence rather than a deep warm miso note of the older recipe. Try both!

    So fast and simple. You need.

    • 1 bunch of turnips washed and I cut mine into 1/8ths.
    • 3 tablespoons of butter
    • about 1/2 cup of orange juice. I had ‘cutie’ mandarins and used three and didn’t quite have a half cup. I went with that. As always adjust as needed.
    • Olive oil and salt, pepper for roasting the turnips (and delicata).
    • Optional toppings like red pepper flakes, nuts or peel from the citrus.

    To roast the turnips preheat the oven to 400F, mine took about 25 minutes to roast. I had extra room on my baking tray so I roasted a delicata squash on the other half of the tray because you can never had too many roasted vegetables in your life!

    Juice the citrus and put that and the butter into a pan to melt and reduce the liquid to thicken while the turnips are roasting.

    Check the turnips after 25 minutes, they are done when they are turning brown and tender when you poke them with a fork or sharp knife. Take them out of the oven and add them to the pan with the citrus butter and let all that simmer together until the sauce thickens.

    It looks like I’m making candy. Don’t worry. It’s not too sweet it just sticks to the turnips as it gets thick.

    That is it. A lovely dish to go with just about anything. This time of year I think about the holidays and food, a lot. This would be a really nice dish to go with any holiday food. It is light and bright and you could easily make it ahead and warm it up before serving or even serve it at room temperature.

    What are you doing with your turnips? Let us know in the comments.

    Have a great week.

    Mo

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • 2 Winter Squash Recipes; Queso and a Smoothie

    One thing is certain when you join a Winter CSA; You will be getting (eating!) lots of winter squash.

    Often times when you roast a squash for a dish at home you will have leftovers, sometimes LOTS of leftover, like I did last week. I had about 2 1/2 quarts roasted squash and no plan for using any. Not a problem! I really love to have cooked squash and vegetables at the ready so I can easily make vegetable forward dishes by just grabbing a few ingredients that are already cooked and throwing them together. Soup and chili are two of my go-to’s.

    We had friends over this weekend and I wanted a quick snack and I really wanted something decadent and cheesy. I looked in the refrigerator and saw the pumpkin puree I made earlier and remembered this macaroni and cheese recipe.  I made that recipe and left out the sage and pasta and added some roasted poblano chilis I had in the freezer. I’ll post the recipe modifications at the end of this post.

    This was good and so quick and easy because I had the roasted squash and poblanos all cooked and ready. We had leftover queso and ate it the next day with roasted potatoes, sausage and eggs for another easy delicious meal.

    Another use for the extra squash is making smoothies. Squash/pumpkin smoothies feel healthier to me than fruit heavy smoothies and homemade roasted squash is soooooo much less expensive than buying fruit.

    I usually double this and save the second portion for the next day.

    • 1 ripe banana, frozen , if not frozen you might want to add a handful of ice cubes to the smoothie
    • 1 cup squash or pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 teaspoon spice like cinnamon, ginger or mix spice
    • 1 cup milk of choice
    • 2 pitted dates, or more, depending on how sweet you want it. optional
    • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, optional
    • handful of nuts, optional

    Throw it in a blender and let it rip. I like to top it with granola. Creamylicious.

    Here is the Queso recipe with the modifications.

    • 1 cup of cooked pumpkin/squash. If you don’t have any cooked pumpkin or squash here is a ‘how to’ post from a few years ago.
    • salt and pepper
    • 4 tablespoons butter
    • 4 tablespoons flour gluten free is fine
    • 2 cups milk any kind
    • 1 to 1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded – I used cheddar
    • roasted poblano chilies, optional
    • squeeze of one or two limes to taste
    1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium cook until the butter is bubbling and it has turned golden brown.
    2. Mix in the flour and let simmer until it returns to a light golden brown.
    3. Add the milk and simmer until it thickens and add cheese to melt.
    4. Add roasted poblanos if using.

    I hope you enjoy the abundant squash we have as much as I do. Have a great week.

    Mo

    PS I also made a couple little pumpkin pies. Winter Luxury Pumpkins ROCK. I LOVE that they taste like pumpkin and aren’t very sweet. I think some squash are too sweet for pie, which sounds counter intuitive I know.

  • Why I Love Winter CSA

    I love Summer at the Farm, it is always crazy. Some years more than others, but we can always count on crazy. We can also count on things slowing down in the Fall. Somehow we make it across the finish line of our regular season CSA, we breathe a sigh of relief that Summer is over (phew, we did it!) and low and behold, Winter CSA is here (yay) and I LOVE everything about it!

    I love that almost all of you Winter CSA members are repeat and loyal Red Wagon CSA’ers. Many of you have been with us since day one. You are familiar and as excited about the Winter vegetables as I am!

    I love the winter vegetables, pumpkins and all the root crops. Winter greens are so special too, they seem like a miracle to me, how something so beautiful can grow and thrive this time of year and be so delicious.

    In the summer I don’t want to turn on the oven. I make a ton of salads and grill almost everything I cook, which is fine but I am ready for something different. Cool weather means I get  to turn the oven on and deeply slow roast vegetables and bake casseroles and pies.

    I love to slow cook some beans when it cools off and add whatever vegetables I have from CSA that week. , it’s one of my favorite meals.

    This morning was a little chilly and I was baking bread. While the oven was on I took the opportunity to roast some vegetables, my first winter luxury pie pumpkin and a baby butternut squash this season!

    I also roasted a few beets.

    I have no specific plans for any of these roasted vegetables, but I feel rich knowing I can quickly throw together some delicious meals now that the main ingredient is prepped waiting for need and  inspiration.

    It’s great to have you here with us for the next 14 weeks. Let’s have some fun in the kitchen and enjoy some delicious Winter food.

    Mo