CSA week 20

Another cold Saturday at the farmer's market today, but with a constant drizzle to boot. There were a number of vendors out, nonetheless, and plenty of local produce. Jennifer said that Orchard Pond's plants have done well - except some of the thinner, younger crops. They are welcoming several people over the next few weeks to work on the farm. I heard there are great plans to prepare the worm castings and rainwater collection.


In this week's share:

• carrots
• baby radishes
• turnips
• rutabagas
• collard greens

Radishes Fowl Point Zero

The smaller CSA share this week and our earlier salad extravaganza  left us with only a few items remaining to cook. I had bought a whole chicken thinking to roast it with sage and red potatoes. That felt a little uninspired, so I decided to check the fridge. Pulling open my veggie drawer, I found a large bunch of OPO radishes, some turnips, and a number of carrots. 


We've come to love both radishes and turnips. In fact, the other day, we all set upon a sliced raw turnip: crunchy and spicy with just a hint of sweetness. Both remind us of horseradish - another favorite. Then it struck me: Horseradish roasted chicken. It sounded quirky but worth trying.


The Method


If you don't have the luxury of homemade horseradish grown in Midwestern soils (thanks, Dad), you will want to a) buy a horseradish root and make some, or b) purchase really good jar. You could brine the chicken in advance, but I prepared this without doing so.

• 1  roaster chicken
• 3-5 turnips, sliced in half/quarters if large
• 1 bunch of radishes
  
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• several new, red potatoes
• 2 TB horseradish, ground
• 2 TB butter, melted
• Salt and pepper
• 2 TB real maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Place the turnips and radishes in a plastic bag.
4. Season the turnips and radishes with salt and pepper.
5. Add the horseradish and melted butter to the bag. Mix to coat the vegetables well.
6. Stuff the chick with the turnip and radishes. Set breast-up into a roasting pan. (I use one with a rack, adding 2 C of water, so that I can make gravy.)
7. Turn the bag inside-out and rub the chicken with the horseradish butter.
8. Place the remaining vegetables around the chicken. 
9. Season the outside of the chicken with a little salt and pepper.
10. Drizzle with maple syrup.
11. Roast until done, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. (Check the water level to ensure it doesn't dry out completely.)

The Results

As with several of our previous radish meals, this was scrumptious. The chicken was moist, buttery, and sweet - with just a hint of the spiciness from the horseradish. Roasted vegetables are always delicious. They held up well to the peppery flavor of the dish. The resulting gravy, however, made by adding a few tablespoons of flour and water blended together with the pan set over high burners on the stove, was the star! It had an ambrosial aroma and taste - piquant, yet creamy, blended with a touch of maple syrup. On the side, OPO mustard greens, turnip, tops, and kale.

Enwraptured: The Filling Tale of Two Dishes and a Salad

Buffalo. Junior Chef #1 asked me to make buffalo recently. Yes, our junior chefs are experienced and relatively adventurous eaters, so this request didn't catch me too much by surprise. We bought a pound of grass-fed ground buffalo, and I began to think about how best to prepare it. An obvious choice: Buffalo Empanadas. (Only obvious if you know that I've been planning to make empanadas for a couple of weeks, and thought to substitute buffalo for ground beef.)


But there were gorgeous oyster mushrooms on offer at the farmers' market this week. I had to buy a pound. While they would keep a couple of days in the fridge, I decided to make the for dinner, too. The question was, how?


We tend to overbuy food for the holidays. Generally, most of our families join us here for the week of Christmas. And to feed the multitudes, we make sure the pantry, fridge, and freezer are well-stocked. I had intended to make a couple of pots of blackbean and turkey chills to feed the ravenous throngs, but we had more than enough other food. The turkey remained unused in the freezer. Then there were the leftover crepes from our Gateau de Crepes, which have set atop several other items in the freezer - longing to be used. 


A vision. Turkey and oyster mushrooms wrapped and baked in crepes - a savory, mild counterpoint to the spicy empanadas.


... and a salad from the lovely OPO offerings this week.


It was the best of menus.


The Method (Buffalo Empanadas)


Every culture has its version of travel-friendly food.  While living in Africa and traveling through southeast Asia, I sample many interesting items - perhaps most interesting was "mbewa pan ndodo." (A quick Google search of the individual words will reveal more than you'd like to know about that culinary treat.)


The empanada takes various names and forms around the world. But the notion of stuffing breads with meats is familiar. Think of burritos and sandwiches. The calzone takes this to a larger scale. Alternate starchy coverings give us sushi/sashimi, the corndog, and meat-filled crepes in the night markets (pasar malam) of Malaysia. 


Here, I offer spicy buffalo in a crispy, buttery pastry.


The Crust

• 2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 stick butter, chilled and cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 egg
• ice water (about 1/4-1/2 C)
• 2 egg whites (reserve for filling the empanadas)

1. Mix the flour and salt.
2. Cut in the butter using a fork or pastry knife  until the consistency is like cornmeal
3. Beat together the egg, vinegar, and 1/4 C of ice water.
4. Mix the liquids with the flour and butter until the dough just begins to hold together. (It should be very flaky and loose.)
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and press it into a mound. (Add a bit of ice water if it's too dry.)
6. Knead the dough quickly and gently. You want it to just hold together.
7. Press the dough into a disk-shape about 1/2" thick.
8. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1+ hours. (This allows the butter to firm up and the gluten in the dough to relax.)

The Filling (while the dough is chilling)

• 1# ground buffalo
• 2 TB canola oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped finely
• 1 tsp Adobo seasoning
• 1 TB tomato paste

1. Saute the onions and garlic in the oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
2. Add the ground buffalo and cook thoroughly.
3. Stir in the chipotles, Adobo, and tomato paste.
4. Simmer 5 minutes.

Creating the Empanadas

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Remove the dough from the fridge. 
3. Roll the dough until it is about 1/8" thick.
4. Cut out circles of dough about 5-6" in diameter. 
5. Brush one half of each circle with beaten egg whites.
6. Add 2-3 TBs of filling.
7. Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges using a fork.
8. Brush with egg white.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.

The Method (Turkey and Oyster Mushroom Crepes)

Crepes freeze very well, so we used what was on hand along with a few newly-made. They are simple to make from scratch - and quick, apart from the one hour rest period for the fresh batter.


The Crepes

1. Whisk together until smooth: 3/4 C flour, pinch of salt, 1 C skim milk, 1 egg, and 1 egg white.
2. Chill covered for one hour.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high.
4. Spray with cooking spray.
5. Remove the pan from the direct heat.
6. Tilt the pan toward you. (Far end from the handle is higher.) 
7. Pour about 1/4 C batter into the far end of the pan.
8. Tilt the pan until the batter covers the bottom. (This should be a thin layer with a lacy appearance around the edges.
9. Cook 1 minute.
10. When the underside is lightly browned, flip the crepe.
11. Cook 30 seconds.
12. Remove to a plate. 

(If you choose to freeze crepes, separate them with waxed paper.)

The Filling

The filling was more involved, but still uncomplicated.

• 1 TB butter
• 1/2 C onion, thinly sliced
• 4-5 C oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 TB flour
• 1 1/2 C chicken broth
• 2 TB sherry
• Salt and pepper
• 1# ground turkey
• 1/4 C Grana padano cheese, grated (Parmesan or Asiago would substitute.)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Brown the turkey in a pan with a little butter. Set aside until you fill the crepes.
3. Saute the onion in butter over medium heat until softened.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Cook until mushroom release their juices, 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle flour over the mushroom mixture and cook for 1 minute.
6. Slowly add the broth and sherry.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Return mixture to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce thickens. (But don't overcook the mushrooms; they should retain some firmness.)
9. Remove from heat.
10. Reserve 1/2 C of the sauce.
11. Stir the cooked turkey into the mushroom sauce.
12. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
13. Add 1/3 - 1/2 C of the turkey and mushroom mixture to the center of a crepe.
14. Fold one side over the mixture, and pull it tight against the filling with your fingers - holding the filling tightly under the flap.
15. Fold the second side over the first to create a sealed "tube" containing the filling.
16. Place the filled crepes in the baking dish with their seams on the bottom. 
17. Cover the crepes with the reserved mushrooms.
18. Sprinkle with cheese.
19. Bake for 15 minutes.

The Results


We savored this meal in three courses beginning with a crepe apiece. These were soft and creamy with a meaty, earthy flavor from the mushrooms. The turkey contributed a firmness that offered nice contrast.

The salad was an inspired creation from our CSA share - and definitely worth a few notes here. We placed a small head of loose-leaf lettuce (variety?) on each plate. We then sprinkled chopped arugula around and over the lettuce. Next came layers of grated carrots, raw turnips, and radishes. We added sprigs of shunkigu (edible chrysanthemum) and a dressing concocted by Senior Chef #2, which was purposefully sweet to balance the strong spicy and bitter flavors of the greens. (Brown and yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, canola oil, garlic powder, and brown sugar)

We concluded with the empanadas. Dense, crunchy, and full of hot, peppery meat! They were entirely different from the crepes in almost every way. (I would roll the dough more thinly next time, and add a bit more fat to the buffalo meat.)


The meal, divided in three parts, was thus enjoyed by us one and all.


(Although there is plenty of both for a second meal.)

CSA Week 19

Mary and Jennifer, from Orchard Pond Organics, were distributing our CSA shares in bone-chilling, finger-numbing cold yesterday. At 10 a.m., it was only 25 degrees here in northern Florida. There were a few other vendors out, too, including Ben from Manatee Mushrooms who was selling gorgeous oyster mushrooms. (He will be at the market in coming weeks with shitakes as the weather grows warmer.)


Mary and I talked about how the recent weather extremes were affecting their efforts. October and November saw an historical heat wave that took its toll on new plantings. That was followed a few weeks ago by daily rain - leading to the third wettest December on record. This kept them out of the field. Now we are experiencing some of the coldest days and nights in recent decades. At a minimum, this slows growth; at worst, it damages or kills plants. Difficult days for farmers - and requiring patience among those who support local agriculture.


Our share this week was, therefore, understandably light. Mary anticipates it will continue to be so for another couple of weeks. But she hopes to see increasing yields in the near-term. In addition, they will have OPO broilers for sale. 

• Shungiku (the small greens, which went unidentified last week)
• Lettuce
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Radishes
• eggs
• oyster mushrooms (from Manatee Mushrooms)

CSA Week 18

After forgetting to collect our CSA share last week, we were determined to arrive early at the farmers' market today. Lydia was kind enough to reward this effort with a few turnips she had harvested yesterday. Yay! Thank you! In addition, we received:

• mustard greens
• arugula
• radishes
• carrots
• eggs (the OPO hens are laying well)
• fennel (hmmm, fish perhaps?)
• kale
• small green chile

I also bought this incredibly large cabbage from my favorite grower. Take a guess at its weight...

7 pounds, 12.7 ounces

I'll use half to make haluski this week, and half for stuffed cabbage leaves.

Radishes 3.0

Well, somehow I failed to report on a third way to prepare red radishes, which has further ensconced these as a family favorite. I stumbled upon this recipe in the the Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash (p. 241).


The Method

1. Prepare a marinade of the following:
• 2 TB soy sauce
• 2 TB white vinegar
• 1 TB sugar
• 2 TB sesame oil
2. Add up to 4 C of thinly sliced radishes.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

The Results
We ate these with homemade chili. They would be wonderful by themselves, too.


The sesame oil makes the difference. It has almost a creamy, nutty flavor and complements the crunch and spice of the radishes.


We have leftover radishes from Christmas Even hors d'oeuvres that I have marinating now in the fridge. Yum!

Just between Us

We’ve known each other long enough for me now to entrust you with my very favorite way to prepare chicken. I learned the general approach from my mom, and have developed my own version.


First, I recommend that you buy a whole chicken (hen, fryer, or roaster is fine) rather than pay the per-pound premium for pre-cut. With a sharp knife and a bit of patience, you can save yourself $1-$2 – plus relearn some high school biology.
Second, you need to inherit as I did (or buy) a large cast iron skillet for this recipe to work. I am fortunate to own three of various sizes. This dish uses the largest – a 13-14” behemoth weighting close to 10 pounds.


Third, it is best to use a charcoal grill – although I have made it in a gas grill and in the oven.


The Method

• One whole chicken, cut into serving pieces (I would suggest halving the breasts width-wise.)
• 4 limes
• 1 head of garlic, separated into peeled cloves
• Seasoning – I prefer Penzey’s Southwest or Northwoods Fire spice mixes, and have made my own versions of this. I use 3-4 TBs.

1. Put the juice, garlic cloves, and seasoning in a gallon ziploc bag. Squish to blend. You can add the lime rinds, too.
2. Add the chicken pieces.
3. Shake and turn the bag to coat all of the pieces.
4. Allow marinade to set for at least an hour – 3-4 if possible.
5. Prepare the grill as you would normally – with a pile of ~30 briquettes.
6. After the grill is hot and ready for cooking, remove the chicken to a deep cast iron skillet skin-side down.
7. Place the garlic cloves (and limes) on top of the chicken.
8. Set the skillet on the grill screen directly over the coals.
9. Close the grill for 45 minutes.
10. Open the grill and use tongs to reposition the chicken pieces. (Turn once the skin has browned.)
• NOTE: the skillet will fill with juices from the chicken and marinade during the first hour of cooking. I’ve always left these to cook off, although you could remove them. They help to caramelize the skin and flavor the meat, however; so I would leave them.
11. Cook for another 20-30 minutes after turning. (The chicken will be done before you flip it, but I like to have it brown on all sides.)

The Results
We eat this 3-4 times per month. The chicken absorbs the marinade and develops an almost-chewy caramelized texture on the outside. The best portions, in my opinion, are the back and wings. These don’t have much meat, but do become especially flavorful.
We served this with brown rice and OPO greens (steamed with radishes). [You can see the brown crispies from the skillet to the right – these include chunks of now-roasted garlic. Heaven!]


I don’t recommend using a juice or marinade with much sugar in it, as these tend to burn over such a high heat and long cooking time. For example, I have had difficulties in substituting orange juice for the limes.


You owe me one.

The Roots of Happiness

I’m several days behind in blogging. We had the good fortune to host both families this past week. Nearly everyone joined us, and those who didn’t received plenty of food updates via text and email messages.
The week opened with the weather finally turning cooler and the holiday approaching, it was time for the quintessential winter dish: pot roast. Fortunately, there were plenty of root vegetables during the past two week’s OPO shares to add. And the general busyness of the season made this a perfect crock-pot dinner, which we shared with one set of parents who had driven down from Illinois.
The Method

• One chuck/pot roast
• Assorted root vegetables, roughly chopped (I used OPO carrots, rutabagas, and radishes, along with celery.)
• Seasoned flour – I used salt, pepper, thyme, and cayenne pepper.

1. Bring the roast to approx. room temperature.
2. Dredge the roast in seasoned flour.
3. Heat 2 TB oil and 2 TB butter over a high burner.
4. Brown the roast on all sides. Remove to a plate.
5. Leaving the fat in the pan, lightly brown the vegetables.
6. Add the vegetables to the crock-pot.
7. Add 1/2 C red wine.
8. Stick 4 cloves into a whole, small, peeled onion; place in the crock-pot.
9. Add 2 bay leaves.
10. Place the roast on top of the vegetables.
11. Cook on low for 10-12 hours. (In all honesty, it wasn’t done after 6 hours on high, so we allow it to cook on low until the next evening – about 25 hours.)

The Results
This is a very low-commitment dish. It takes only 15-20 minutes to prepare; then you simply allow the crock-pot to do its magic. We served this with brown rice. A fine meal.

CSA Week 15

A cold, wet week and even more miserable Saturday morning, but the OPO folks were waiting for us at the farmers' market. The weather has kept them out of the field for the past several days. But, I learned, they did finally mow down the okra. (Hooray!)

This week's share offers some deeply-colored vegetables: perfect items for cooking warm dishes. Beautiful, aren't they?

• collards
• kale
• carrots
• turnip greens
• radishes
• broccoli leaves and heads
• eggs

CSA Week 14

Our first CSA session is drawing to a close. Orchard Pond Organics is in its second year of operation, and is doing well I understand. They are looking ahead to the winter season. Mary reports they will have: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, rutabagas, and lettuce. The March of the Greens will be unrelenting, but I may release myself from the "new recipe" requirement. We are very excited for the Brussels sprouts - a favorite here.

Registration is open. $400 for a full share, $224 for a half.

OPO's hens are now laying, so they are providing the eggs themselves. The partnerships with Red Bridge (beef) and Sweet Grass Dairy are continuing. Oh, and they have honey, bread, and preserves on offer, too.

Week 14 saw a nice mixture of root vegetables and greens.

• Bok choy
• Rutabagas
• carrrots
• arugula
• radishes
• other greens (I failed to take a picture)
• We also bought Red Bridge ground beef and a ribeye, along with two cheeses from Sweet Grass: a gouda and "Lumberjack" (a salty-tangy  cheese, a bit like a really good feta).

Sliders, Grinders, and Chips

As I mentioned a few weeks back, Orchard Pond Organics has partnered with local farms to provide grass-fed beef of varying cuts and cheeses. Junior Chef #1 decided that we should make "sliders" for dinner. This sounded like a terrific idea - any excuse to eat 3+ burgers at one sitting. But then came the wrinkle: not only were we to make ground beef sliders, but "bratger" sliders, too. I figured we should go all the way and make homemade potato chips, too. At some point, I figure the fat molecules glide over one another and straight through your body - never having a real chance at being absorbed. Then again, I'm an optimist.


So we purchased 2# of Red Bridge ground beef along with our CSA share, then headed to the grocery store to buy pork, potatoes, and buns. I settled on a 3# nice Boston Butt, and decided to make breakfast sausage from half and bratgers from the other half.


The Method (Bratgers)
My first attempt at bratwurst burgers (bratgers) resulted in an overly-spiced sausage mix, and struggles with grinding the meat. After a quick Google search, I discovered that placing the seasoned meat in the freezer for a half-hour before grinding might address the latter problem. As for the seasoning, I decided to make do on my own.

1. Cube 1# pork (1/2 - 1# pieces is fine).
2. 3-4 slices salt pork, roughly chopped
3. Create a brat spice mixture:
• 1 tsp white pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1/2 tsp allspice (I didn't have nutmeg, or I would have used that)
• 1 tsp sage, ground/rubbed
• 1/4 tsp coriander, ground
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
4. Combine the meat and spices throughly.
5. Place in freezer for 1/2 hour.
6. Grind.

The Method (Sliders)
There's not much of a story to tell about preparing the beef sliders. I added a little salt and pepper, a shake of garlic powder, and 1 TB of horseradish to 1# of meat.
I prepared 5 small patties from both the bratger and beef mixtures.

1. Melt 2 TB butter on a griddle
2. Add 1 onion, thickly sliced.
3. Place the patties among the onions. Flatten with your spatula.

We added blue cheese to a few of the beef sliders after flipping.
The Method (Chips)
If you don't own a mandolin, making homemade potato chips gives you the perfect excuse to buy one. They are not terribly expensive, and make the preparation of thinly-sliced veggies a snap. They consist of a sharp V-shaped blade set into a plastic or stainless steel surface. A hand guard allows you to work the food quickly across the blade without losing a finger. Some are adjustable to enable you to prepare julienne cuts, or to vary the thickness of the slices.


We used russet potatoes and produced the thinnest slices possible (.75 MM).


We fried these in 375 degree oil for 6-8 minutes per batch. (Don't overcrowd them.) We salted them lightly after draining on newspaper.


The Results
What is there not to love? Topped with the grilled onions, a little mustard, and a dab of pickle relish, sliders are tiny packets of finger-licking goodness. Better yet, we have leftovers - so they'll join us for another meal very soon. Sadly, none of the chips made it - in fact, none lasted but a few moments after hitting the newspaper. Starches receive no quarter here.


The bratger seasoning was a marked improvement over the original version. And, yes, slightly freezing the meat made all the difference: it ground easily and didn't bind up or become gummy in the grinder.

CSA Week 13

Fewer greens in this week's share than previously. We did receive a bunch of beautiful carrots. In addition, there was:

• mustard greens
• bok choy
• arugula 
• red radishes (gorgeous - sandwiches on the menu!)

Somehow we missed taking a picture again. Trust me, everything looks very tasty!

Mac cheese and greens

The combination of mac and cheese with greens has become a personal favorite. Comfort food pure and simple. This is a simple cover version of the original. I did add a little brown sugar and OPO radishes to the greens for variety - and, yes, peas in the mac and cheese (always peas).

Seafood Boil

While this seafood boil doesn't involve any of the delicious produce we receive from Orchard Pond Organics, it is a favorite of friend and family alike. It's so easy, in fact, that I generally feel guilty for accepting any credit: Florida fresh seafood makes this dish what it is - Outstanding! (Admittedly, having access to high-quality seafood is also a luxury. The selection below cost $75 here plus $25 more of the other ingredients. I know it would be much more expensive in other locations.)
To be fair, it also is not a boil but rather a "seafood steam." It requires little effort, but does work best if you stage the items as described.
The Method
Purchase a very large steamer pot. (I use a stainless steel pot, which holds 3...maybe 4 gallons.)  You also need something to keep the food off the bottom of the pot during cooking. I use a folding steamer basket.  This works well in pots of varying diameters.

1. Buy an assortment of seafood items (and accompaniments). Here is a typical list, serving 6 adults and 2 children:
   
   • 2-3# large wild shrimp (in the shell)
   • 1 doz. clams
   • 1 bag of mussels
   • 8 medium stone crab claws (in season)
   • 8 Alaskan King crab legs (these can be "steamed" in the microwave - thank you, Alton Brown, for saving me space in the pot).
   • 4 ears of corn (in the husk)
   • 6-8 new red potatoes, washed but unpeeled
   • 1-2# sausage (I use turkey kielbasa, andouille, and/or linguisa.)
   • 1 large onion, quartered
   • 1 box (bag) Zatarain's Crab Boil (I have made my own several times with equally good effect.)
   • Two bottles of good, dark beer (I generally use Sam Adams or Bass. I would not use a porter or other high-sugar content beer, as it may burn or impart too strong-a-flavor to the seafood.)
   • You will also want a measure of good, unsalted butter, ketchup and horseradish (or just buy cocktail sauce), lemons, crab crackers (for the shells), napkins, and several large platters.
   
   
2. A word of advice: you will be working inside a steaming pot during several steps. Be careful.
3. First, place the spice packet into the pot and cover with the beer.
4. Set the steamer basket on top. (You can also use a plate or pie tin set upon a ramekin, etc.)
5. Shuck the corn - setting aside the husks for later. Add the potatoes.
6. Bring pot to a boil. (Keep at a high boil throughout.) Cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add the quartered onion and sausages.
8. Cover with the corn husks.
9. Cook another 10 minutes. 
10. Add the stone crab claws (and King Crab, if not microwaving). Cook 5 minutes.
11. Add the shrimp and clams.
12. Squeeze the juice of two lemons over the shrimp. Leave the lemon rinds in the pot. Cook until the shrimp just begin to turn pink (about 5 minutes).
13. Add the mussels.
14. Cook another 5-10 minutes, or until the mollusks open completely.
15. Seek assistance of 2-3 friends to remove pot from stove. It will be heavy!
16. Remove the items to several platters for serving.

The Results

Unadulterated seafood bliss. The beer imparts a little flavor, mainly to the corn and potatoes.  I set ramekins of melted butter (with a little lemon juiced added) around the table, along with homemade cocktail sauce. Everyone fends for themselves - although the Junior Chefs generally need some help with cracking the crab.
You can keep leftovers from this. The mussels reheat well within a day or two; toss them with some pasta, Parmesan, and a little butter. Shrimp...well, there are plenty of ways to eat those. [Does anyone else's Blackberry leave lines in your photos?]

Four corners and layers of flavor

It's odd that I was in the mood for chicken. We eat little red meat and have chicken (or pork or seafood) for most meals. But chicken sounded perfect this weekend. Then there were the greens... Knowing that I have bags of fresh greens in the fridge led me to think about a variation on my fish + greens = goodness recipe in October.

I should confess that I also love crispy chicken skin, so cooking by steaming in a packet wasn't very appealing. Instead I decided to roast the chicken. How then to incorporate the greens? Certainly, they could be sauteed and stuffed in the bird, or perhaps laid underneath during cooking. I opted for the latter.

The Method (Marinade)

1. Combine:
   
   
   • 1 TB dried rosemary
   • 1 tsp ground black pepper
   • 1 tsp salt
   • juice from three oranges
   • juice from one lemon
   • 1/2 tsp mango powder
   
   
   
2. Marinate chicken pieces for 2-3 hours.

The Method (Greens)

1. Render chicken skin. (You should have 3-4 TBs of fat.)
2. Add 5-6 white radishes (peeled), 1 large carrot (roughly chopped), 1 large onion (roughly chopped).
3. Add 2 TBs garlic, minced
4. Add 1 TB ginger, minced
5. Sautee until vegetables begin to brown.
6. Add 5-6 C greens, roughly chopped (I used mustard greens and bok choy).
7. Cook until the greens are wilted and almost tender.

The Method (Chicken)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat oil in a deep skillet until smoking hot.
3. Brown the chicken on all sides. (Don't crowd the pan. The pieces will brown faster. I split one chicken into two batches.)
4. In a roasting pan, layer in order:
• the wilted greens and veggies
• a thick layer of cooked brown rice
• the chicken pieces
5. Drizzle the remaining marinade over the chicken.
6. Looking ahead to dessert, I partially cored and placed an apple in each corner of the roasting pan. I set a pat of butter inside the top of each apple.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken is done. (I use a convection oven, which shortens the cooking time a bit.)

The Results

Everything was incredibly moist. The greens, much to my surprise, did not dry out at all. A few grains of rice around the edge of the pan were crispy. Orange infused the entire dish...but was not overwhelming. Rosemary was the most pronounced scent and flavor, but - again- not distractingly so. The apples absorbed the mix of flavors - bit of cinnamon would have been fine.

Next time, I would perhaps flip on the broiler for the last few minutes to crisp the chicken skin a bit more.  This would work well with fish (if it is firm fleshed and/or oily like salmon), beef, or pork. The addition of carrots was fine but not necessary, while the onions and radishes contributed to the overall flavor of the greens.

CSA Week 10

A week of travel for work and plenty of activity at home has kept me away from cooking and the blog. Our week ten CSA share contained the usual suspects and a couple of less frequent items:

• an array of greens (mustard, bok choy, mabuna)
  
• salad greens
• okra (hmmm...should I hope for a heavy frost?)
• white radishes
• broccoli
  

I wasn't even in town to collect them from the farmers' market, but my kitchen staff obliged. Alas, we have no picture.

We spent the week eating simple salads dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Junior Chef #1 has become quite proficient at preparing the dressing - in part because he likes the word "emulsify." We added thinly sliced radishes, too. There was some complaint that this precluded the creation of radish sandwiches. Epiphany becomes legacy.

Homemayo and a secret ingredient

Everyone has a "life list" - a lifelong to-do agenda. Then there is the short term list of impulse-type items - let's call this the "near list". You probably have a very different list than I do. Mine includes making mayonnaise from scratch - call it, "Homemayo."

After a day of building a clubhouse for the Junior Chefs (weekend three of the project), I didn't have the energy for a major cooking session. A ready-made meal seemed just right...and something easy to dress up with a few homemade additions.

The Method (Mayonnaise)

1. Bring two egg yolks to room temperature.
2. Add these to a food processor (you can do this by hand, too)
3. Add 1/2 tsp ground mustard and 1/2 tsp salt
4. Blend on med-high for 1 minute
5. Add 2 TBs lemon juice, blend 10 seconds
6. Very slowly add 1 C oil (I used Smart Balance oil blend - olive, soy, and canola).
7. Very slowly.
8. After you add about 1/2 of the oil, it will begin to thicken.
9. Continue blending and add the remainder of the oil. You can add more if you like - up to 1 1/2 C total - but there is a point at which the mayo will "break."

The Method (Ginger Greens)

1. Bring 2 C of chicken broth to a boil.
2. Add the secret "ingreenient" - a 1-inch square piece of fresh ginger.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add 1# greens, roughly chopped (I used turnip greens).
5. Simmer until the greens wilt (2-3 minutes).
6. Add 1 C carrots, penny-sliced.
7. Add 3 white radishes, penny-sliced.
8. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
9. Simmer another 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
10. Drain the greens, return to the pot, add 1-2 TBs of butter and saute for 3-4 minutes.

The Result

We had a low-key dinner of chicken strips, french fries and baked beans. We mixed some of the mayo with fresh basil and some with horseradish. Both were tasty as dips. Homemade mayo has a very different consistency and flavor than store-bought.  I've made it before, and was again reminded that this is a super-simple recipe; there's little or no reason to buy mayo at the supermarket - especially if you have locally-raised organic eggs.

Everyone agreed the greens were delicious. The ginger was understated but effective - so subtle in fact that it stumped the very experienced panel of diners we assembled for tonight's meal (and for nearly all meals at our house). The ginger and radishes were off-set by the sweetness of the carrots. Two members of the panel asked for seconds...alas, the greens were no more.

CSA Week 8

The heat has continued to take a toll on Orchard Pond. Nonetheless, we received a large share. Two new items, white radishes and salad greens, appeared.

• Okra (last week was so busy we didn't cook the red okra; I'll combine both in a curry)
• Salad greens (lunch today?)
• Turnip greens
• Basil
• Mustard greens (stuffed pork shoulder, along with the turnip greens?)
• White radishes
• Baby arugula

Requisite Chuck shot (she ate the salad greens):

That's how we casserole

Friday night. Long week. Paper plates are the order of the night, but what to make? Thinking ahead, I'd known that a comfort-food dish would be appreciated by Senior and Junior Chefs alike. Last night I completed most of the prep work with this ham, greens, and potato casserole. A recipe from the Victory Garden Cookbook served as the foundation for this version. I added caesar salad with homemade dressing (ala Broccoli Forest) to the meal. 


The Method (Casserole)

1. Roughly chop 1-2# of greens. (I used OPO collards and mustard leaves; any variety would work)
2. Steam-boil the greens with the third and final smoked ham hock left from previous dishes.
3. Cook and cool 3-4 large russet potatoes. (I microwaved them. This would be a perfect use of leftover baked potatoes.)
4. Roughly chop 2 large onions. (Onions always do a number of my eyes. This prompted many suggestions from the rest of the kitchen staff about how to avoid the tears. Does chewing gum really work?)
5. Dice 1/2# of cooked ham.
6. Saute the onions with 3 TBs of butter. As they become lightly browned, add the ham and heat through. Set aside.
7. After the greens are cooked, drain and saute with 1-2 TBs of butter until they "dry out."
8. Slice the potatoes into 1/4" thick rounds.
9. Grease a baking dish.
10. Place a layer of potato slices and cover with the onions and ham.
11. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
12. Spread the greens in a layer.
13. Place final layer of potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.

At this point the dish could be baked, but I thought it would be helpful to add a binder. Time for a Bechamel Sauce. This sounds more impressive than it really is. 

1. Melt 3 TBs butter in a sauce pan.
2. Slowly whisk in 3 TBs of flour.
3. Cook for several minutes (I let it brown very lightly.)
4. Slowly whisk in 2 C of cold milk.

I then decided to enrich the sauce with 2 egg yolks and a bit more milk (in the absence of cream).

1. Slowly whisk a few table spoons of the hot sauce into the egg yolks beaten with 1/2 C of milk. You want to temper the eggs so they do not curdle the sauce.
2. Once the eggs are hot and blended with approximately an equal volume of sauce, drizzle the remaining hot sauce into the bowl - wisking continuously.
3. After the sauce is fully incorporated, return the mixture to the pot and bring to a boil.
4. Season to taste. I added a pinch of thyme to give it a bit more depth.
5. Pour the sauce over the casserole. (It will be fairly thick, and will not work itself too far into the dish, so I helped it along with a spoon and a shake.
6. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

The Method (Caesar Salad)

This is a very simple dressing.

1. Whisk together 1 TB each of minced garlic, horseradish, Worchester Sauce, and brown mustard.
2. Blend in 1-2 TBs of lemon juice.
3. Incorporate 4-6 TBs of good olive oil.
4. Whisk in one fresh, raw egg. The dressing change into a light-colored, creamy mixture.
5. Toss with good salad greens (and alfalfa sprouts, if you like). Eat immediately.

The Results

First, let me say that each of the several pictures I took of this meal looked horrible. I have little talent (or time) for professional or even decent photography to support this blog. 


Here are two of the less-awful shots. 


The addition of the enriched bechamel sauce was a success. It didn't do much to bind the casserole layers, but it gave an overall creaminess to the entire dish that worked very well. The potatoes were still firm and absorbed the many flavors. The greens were mellow and slightly salty/smoky...or maybe that was the ham. At this point, I was eating so quickly I may have gotten confused. Delicious. The tangy, spicy caesar dressing stood up well against this hearty dish. 


There will be at least one more meal from this casserole. I may even try to freeze it. 

Carrots, Corn, and Chiles - Turkey Burritos

We've always enjoyed a good burrito. Nothing fancy. Just a simple combination of ingredients in a tasty wrap. Over the years, we eaten primarily bean burritos, then beef, then chicken, then mixtures of any or all of these. We've made the burrito shells by hand, bought traditional varieties from Mexican groceries, and tried the low carb-high fiber wraps that have become so popular.


Tonight's Burrito Story begins with four Anaheim chilies. I was perusing the produce section and saw a large basket of chilies. Wouldn't they be perfect roasted?

This is a simple process. Remove the grate covering the burner on your gas stove. Hold the chilies directly in the flame until the skins pops, crackles, and blisters its way to a coal black. Cool. Remove the skins by gently scraping the chilies with a knife edge. Chop. Toss with a tiny bit of oil and salt. Refrigerate until needed.


Next decision. What should the filling be? I turned to an old favorite - ground turkey. Then turned my attention to the fridge.


The Method

1. Saute chopped onion, red pepper, and the green chilies until they soften.
2. Add 1# ground turkey. 
3. Add oregano, black pepper, cumin, salt & pepper, and any other seasonings you like.
4. When the turkey has browned, add 1 can of unsalted corn. (Fresh would also be great.)
5. Simmer to meld the flavors.

We lined each whole wheat burrito shell with refried beans (canned and made especially tasty by the efforts of a certain young cook in the family - who would have imagined mustard and horseradish could improve upon the original, but they were quite delicious!). 

Shredded cheddar cheese formed the second layer. I like to use it to melt-secure the burrito filling to the beans. 

The Turkey filling comes third. Then a little guacamole. Drizzle of good salsa...and...

Shredded OPO carrots. We love shredded carrots for the sweetness and crunch they add.

The Result

The roasted chilies were an excellent addition, and paired nicely with the sweet corn and carrots. Moreover, Familiar favorites - even when updated - don't last long on our table. It was, therefore, not surprising that mealtime passed in relative quiet.

Depending upon the day the parents may have had, this could be viewed as the perfect accompaniment. But, as it happens, we enjoyed yet another OPO cucumber and tomato salad - tossed with a bit of olive oil and red wine vinegar.