Celery Root Slaw

I once again find myself turning to Jack Bishop in my time of vegetative need. When you get a celery root in your CSA bag you sometimes need some inspiration. Luckily, Jack is usually there for me. This recipe comes from his superb 'Vegetables Every Day' book which I have mentioned countless times on this site.

I wish I hadn't been in a hurry yesterday so that I could produce a photo of the very dirty, very ugly (but very delicious!) celery root I used in this recipe. You probably waltz past its ugliness in the grocery store where it is relegated to obscure status, drying out by the horseradish and taro root (if your grocery store even bothers to carry them!). Fortunately, our farm pops one in our bag as a surprise every now and then and they *are* fun to cook with.

This salad took me all of 6 minutes or so to make last night as a side to go with roasted potatoes and buffalo burgers. Give it a try - you won't be disappointed. I will note here that the recipe does require a food processor (or good knife skills and a LOT of patience). I used to think it was too fussy to mess around with the other blades on the processor but now that I've worked the shredder into the rotation, I don't give it a second thought.

Celery Root and Apple Slaw
Adapted from Jack Bishop's Vegetables Every Day
Serves 6 as a side

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (Bishop calls for lemon juice, but I didn't have any, hence the 'adaptation')
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves or 1.5 tsp minced fresh tarragon leaves (it was cold and rainy and I didn't feel like going outside to find parsley, so I didn't add any fresh herbs. Dish was still great, though undoubtedly could have been even better with the herbs!)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 medium celery root
1 medium Granny Smith apple

Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a bowl. Whisk in the oil until the dressing is smooth. Whisk in the yogurt and herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut a thin slice from either end of the celery root. Place the root on a cutting board and cut around the root with a paring knife to remove the skin as if removing the peel and pith from an orange to expose the flesh. Cut the peeled celery root into chunks that will fit in the feed tube of a food processor. Quarter and core the apple, but do not peel.

Shred the celery root and apple in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk. Place the shredded celery and apple in the bowl with the dressing and toss well with your hands until all is well coated. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours and serve chilled.

Technicolor tacos

When I am confronted with too many vegetables to come up with an easy, cohesive meal (and that is rather frequently), I tend towards the 'how much can I use in one recipe' solution. Tortillas in all of their glorious forms tend to help in this kind of situation.

You've got tostadas and tacos (though it's very hard to find tostadas without partially hydrogenated oils in them anymore - let me know if you do! Sadly, Whole Foods have stopped carrying the 'Bearitos' brand, which were pretty darn wholesome), and flour tortillas in various sizes and grains. You can jam them full of any sort of vegetable (or meat if you wish) and some beans and call it a meal.

This particular recipe is more of a method...a way to get lots of veggies into one place and then into your belly. I use whatever I have on hand at home that will go well together and cram it all into a tortilla and call it dinner. But really, it's better than that. It's a go-to meal that requires little forethought, just a fridge with some vegetables in it and whatever tinned beans you have on hand. It comes together to deliver a tasty meal that is nourishing.

Technicolor Tacos

Serves 2

4-6 tortillas (flour hold up better)

1/2 can tinned refried beans with green chiles

2 tsp vegetable oil

1 lb sturdy greens (I used beet greens, but chard, kale, collards, etc will work)

tomatoes, sliced

cabbage, sliced

tomatillos, diced

onions, sliced

peppers, sliced

radishes, diced

(or *any* combination of vegetables you have on hand that would take well to Mexican flavors)

Wash greens thoroughly. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large skillet. Add greens and cook over medium high heat until they wilt and drastically reduce in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat 1 tsp oil in the same skillet. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add peppers and saute a further 3-5 minutes until all veggies are soft.

Heat beans over a flame or in the microwave until bubbly. Heat tortillas in microwave (about 10-15 seconds). Put veggies in containers and let people assemble their own tacos as they see fit. Repeat as needed.

ALL of these ingredients are optional. Nearly any combination will work. Add some cheese on top if you wish. Or salsa. Or guac. Or sour cream. Do whatever you want and don't be limited by my suggestions above. It's an easy, no fuss way to get a healthy dinner on the table.

Bean and tomato salad with honey vinaigrette

Have I mentioned Rancho Gordo in any of my posts yet? Let me take that opportunity now. RANCHO. GORDO. They are an heirloom bean producer out of Northern California, and if you like beans, they deserve your attention.



They produce myriad beans, many of which you've never heard of, such as the Ayocote Morado beans in the photo above. One thing that is unique about their beans (aside from the diversity of their offerings) is that they are fresh. I know that isn't intuitive, as they are dried beans, but they are fresh in the sense that when you get them, they haven't been sitting in a warehouse for a year or two (or on a supermarket shelf for that length of time). They cook quicker and are, in my opinion, superior tasting to any other beans I've had. I've tried about 6 different varieties, and a testament to the love I have for all that I've tried is the 23 lb box of beans I currently await from the UPS guy.


I love beans. They are simple, hearty and nourishing. The are not at all a hassle to cook from scratch, and you can bubble up a good sized batch and freeze whatever you don't eat with pleasing results. They can be used a million different ways, and generally they cost next to nothing, somewhat fancy heirlooms aside. The dried beans in my local Whole Foods bulk bin start at $.99/lb.



You're starting to get the theme throughout recent postings that I have a LOT of tomato and basil plants, and that I get green beans from the farm nearly every week. Well, I don't like to eat them the same way every time, so I'm constantly scouring recipe books for ideas and inspiration. Fortunately, there seems to be no limit to the number of books I can check out from my local library, so the ideas keep coming.


I have found quite a few very inspiring recipes in the newest book from the folks at Eating Well. I've never subscribed to their magazine, but I need to rethink that, as every cookbook of theirs I own or have borrowed from the library has been particularly good. Their latest offering Eating Well In Season: The Farmer's Market Cookbook is fairly conducive to the produce that I receive from our local CSA each week.

This next recipe uses (Rancho Gordo!) dried beans, fresh green beans, tomatoes AND basil, so it's an ideal staple for the summer months!

Bean and tomato salad with honey vinaigrette
Adapted from Eating Well In Season
Serves 8 as a side dish

1 1/4 c dried beans, preferably heirloom (I used Ayocote Morado from Rancho Gordo)
Bay leaf or epazote
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c red onion, minced
1/4 c cider vinegar
4 tsp wildflower honey
1 tsp peanut or canola oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 in. pieces
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 lb medium or large mixed tomatoes, multiple colors, chopped
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Pick over dried beans for stones or debris, rinse them, then place in a stockpot, cover with 3 inches of water and soak at room temperature for 2 hours or up to overnight.

Bring beans and bay leaf/epazote to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer very gently until tender, 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the age and freshness of your beans. Check the level of the liquid regularly. If it drops below the beans, add one cup (or more as needed) hot water. When the beans are tender, remove from heat and drain.

Combine the beans, the salt, onion, vinegar, honey, oil and pepper in a large bowl. Stir, cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Pat dry and add to the marinated beans. Stir in tomatoes and basil. Taste seasoning and adjust as necessary.

**Note: I often cook more dried beans than called for then freeze the extra in some of the pot liquor when done so that I can grab them on a day I don't want to cook. They freeze beautifully.

Panzanella

A little bread never hurt anyone. Heck, even a little white bread never hurt anyone...however there's never a LITTLE bit of bread around this house. It's either all or nothing.

That's how I ended up making panzanella a few days ago with (hard to believe) leftover baguette and the freshest ingredients on earth, plucked from my back garden just before assembling the salad.

This salad takes very little time to assemble. Just a bit of chopping and perhaps toasting (or grilling?) if your bread isn't stale enough. You could omit the green beans and substitute something else if you didn't want to go to the trouble of filling a pot to blanch them. Any way you look at it, it's an easy, no heat, low fuss dinner.

Panzanella

Serves 4

Pint (or more) cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 or 2 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

8 oz green beans, blanched

3/4 c fresh mozzarella, cubed

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 day old baguette, white or whole grain, toasted or grilled if not dried out

1 garlic clove

1 medium cucumber, seeded, quartered and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 c very thinly sliced red onion

1/4 c (or more) thinly sliced basil

Basil flowers, for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Halve garlic clove. Rub cut side of garlic on toasted bread. Cut bread into bite sized chunks. Set aside.

Combine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl or a jar. Drizzle in oil and whisk or add oil, put a lid on the jar and shake vigorously.

Put tomatoes, cucumber, onion bread and basil in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over and toss well to combine. Divide among four plates and garnish with basil flowers.

Did I mention that we had garlic bread as a side? Like I said...it's all or nothing...

Sauteed wax beans with tomatoes and basil

I am cooking and eating vegetables at rates previously unknown to man. Another Tuesday has arrived and another CSA pickup has occurred. This is our first week for corn and melons (wahoo!). I don't know if the photo above looks like a lot or a little to you, but that's what we got for a 'single' share this week. There are two people in my household. Though we entertain a lot, it still only makes a dent in our weekly share, so we just eat veggies left right and center.

Generally, I like to use the corn the day we get it because it's just SO DANG GOOD, but I wasn't up for shucking and consuming five ears of corn Tuesday night (though now I can't remember why?), so I thought I'd attack squash (I still hadn't finished last week's squash - more on that recipe in a few days) and the yellow wax beans that came in this bag. I had cherry tomatoes from the back garden that needed using, so that along with a few fresh herbs and a bit of onion made up the dish.

We grilled a bit of salmon as our main protein (about 8 oz for the two of us - I'm working on making meat a side dish rather than a main) and I fixed a fussy squash dish that was worth every bit of hassle - will share that with you later - then fixed a little off the cuff veggie medley as our other vegetable melange for the evening.

Sauteed wax beans with tomatoes and basil

Serves 2-3 as a side

1/2 lb yellow wax beans (or green if that's what you've got), parboiled for 2 min, cooled to stop the cooking and sliced into 1 in pieces

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

1/2 onion (any color), sliced

1 tbsp basil, cut in a chiffonade (or chopped, or torn up, or however you want)

1 tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pan with the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until soft, but with no color. Add the parboiled beans and saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and toss; cook for 1 minute. Taste, add seasoning as you like, sprinkle basil on top and serve immediately.

Other fresh herbs would work here - chives and tarragon come to mind as good choices. Use whatever is freshest that's available to you!

Grilled Eggplant with Cherry Tomato and Cilantro Vinaigrette

After some major pruning last week, I discovered I had several eggplant ready for harvest in the back garden. I get so excited to garden, I sometimes don't think about what I will do with all of the veggies I've planted when it's time to harvest. I don't think I have *ever* purchased an eggplant in the store, but I have gotten them from the farm for the last several years. But I always have to go searching for something to do with them when they show up in my produce bag.

'Perfect Vegetables' to the rescue. This cookbook is put out by the wonderful people at Cook's Illustrated. Every cookbook of theirs that I've tried as well as every recipe from the magazine have always been successful, and that's obviously because of their methods. They test the heck out of every recipe before publishing. So it takes the guesswork out for you and me. That said, whenever I don't have a specific ingredient on hand, I will change a recipe to accommodate what I do have in the house versus going out to the grocery store to buy a shallot or something.

Faced with the two globe eggplant from out back (wear gloves when you harvest eggplant - OUCH!) and the Japanese eggplant from the farm, I wanted to find something that would be so good that I would eat it all (and use them all up at once). For that I was willing to take a few extra steps to get it right.

I also have a constant stream of cherry tomatoes at the ready; every time I pick one, ten new ripe tomatoes appear in its place. The herbs were also no problem as I've got them growing absolutely everywhere. So this dish was local and sustainable in the extreme and that's the cooking that is the most fun for me.

Grilled Eggplant with Cherry Tomato and Cilantro Vinaigrette

adapted from Perfect Vegetables by the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine

Serves 4-6 as a side dish

1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, each tomato quartered (about 1c)
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 small red onion, sliced (PV specified 1 shallot, minced)
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons lemon juice (PV specified lime)
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 recipe grilled eggplant (see below)

Mix tomatoes, salt, cayenne, onion, cilantro, lemon juice and oil together in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature until the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.

Transfer grilled eggplant to a platter. Pour the vinaigrette over the grilled eggplant and serve immediately.

Grilled Eggplant

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh thyme or oregano leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-3 small to medium eggplant (about 2 lbs), ends trimmed, cut crosswise into rounds

Combine oil, garlic, herb, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Place the eggplant on a platter and brush both sides with the oil mixture.

Grill the eggplant over a medium-hot fire, turning once, until both sides are marked with dark stripes, 8-10 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

*some people insist upon salting eggplant to reduce bitterness. If you use really fresh eggplant, there will be nothing bitter about it!

Vegetables in Thai Red Curry

I recently received a complimentary issue of Vegetarian Times in the mail and browsed through it with excitement about the recipes therein. As I mentioned, I have been recently accosted with veggie abundance via my CSA and have been trying to use as many veggies as possible in everything I cook. There was a section on 'The Zen Kitchen' and cooking the Tassajara way (which means nothing to me because I only read the recipes - so I'll have to go back and read about it) where I found a recipe for 'Vegetables in Thai Red Curry' that I realized could be used as a method rather than strictly a recipe.

I've listed my version here, however you could either go to their website or buy the magazine (it's on page 63 of the September issue) to get their exact recipe or you could just use whatever veggies you have at your house that might be good in a curry sauce. And let's be honest - what *isn't* good slathered in curry sauce??

Vegetables in Thai Red Curry

Adapted from Vegetarian Times Magazine

Serves 4

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets

5 or 6 small carrots, cut into chunks

1 sweet bell pepper, any color, sliced into strips

1 large zucchini, cut into chunks or rounds

1 tbsp canola oil

1-2 tbsp Thai red curry paste, or to taste (I use the Thai Kitchen brand)

1 14oz can light coconut milk

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbs tamari or soy sauce

20-30 fresh Thai basil leaves

Place cut zucchini in a colander and sprinkle two teaspoons kosher salt over it and toss. Leave to stand for 30 minutes. Wipe salt and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside until ready to use. You can skip this step, but honestly I think it's worth the trouble. It let's the zucchini release all of its moisture and you can brown it a bit and give it better flavor.

Blanch cauliflower for 3 minutes in a pot of boiling, salted water. Remove with a strainer and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Repeat with carrots in same pot of water. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes until nicely browned in spots. Add carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes further then remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 1tbsp curry paste with a few tbsps of coconut milk. Stir together until the paste dissolves into the milk. In a wide saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, curry slurry, sugar, tamari and 1/2 cup water. If it is not spicy enough for your taste, make another slurry with a bit of water and add it to the sauce.

Add vegetables and 1/2 of basil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with the rest of the basil. Serve over some type of grain (I used whole wheat couscous).

Yellow summer squash and shrimp whole wheat couscous

It's very suddenly become the season of abundance. Well, perhaps not suddenly, but I very recently spent three weeks in winter in the southern hemisphere which has thrown off my internal calendar completely.

I picked up our weekly produce share from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) the other night and had to heave the bag into the car. We get a single share, which theoretically is enough for 2-3 omnivores or 1-2 vegetarians. I would agree with the omnivore statement if you eat a LOT of vegetables. Which we've been doing more and more of since we 'joined' the farm.

It's also suddenly the season of massive, shocking quantities of summer squash. In the last week, I've made squash bread, squash cake with cream cheese frosting (yum), roasted squash and the dish I'll share with you below that I made last night. I still have enough for grilled squash as a side with dinner tonight, and a really nice summer squash gratin that I will make this weekend. By God, I hope that covers the squash. I still have a lot of other veg in that bag to eat.



I picked up a cookbook I have called 'A Passion For Vegetables' by Paul Gayler. It was a gift from a friend in London and I haven't used it nearly as much as I should have. Paging through, I found a recipe for 'Yellow Courgette and Prawn Couscous with Preserved Lemon and Olives'. Inspiration enough, I got down to business.




Courgettes (zucchini) were no problem - I have dozens of them stuffed into every crevasse of the refrigerator. But I didn't have preserved lemons, or a red chili, or sultanas. The last thing I can bear to do during the summer when I have so many veggies around I'm about to go mental is go to the store and buy additional things just to make a recipe work. So, I had to figure out how to make it fabulous with what I had on hand.



I did have an overabundance of green beans and fresh picked cherry tomatoes (harvested from my garden plot just prior to starting dinner). Also, while I love leftovers and not having to think what to make for lunch, I didn't need 8 servings, so I sort of halved much of the recipe and nearly doubled the veggies (because it's healther and I have so dang many of them!). So here's what I made:

Yellow summer squash and shrimp whole wheat couscous with lemon dressing
adapted from A Passion for Vegetables by Paul Gayler

Serves 4

4 servings of cooked whole wheat couscous (follow the directions on the box)

1 tablespoon olive oil (more if needed)

12 medium shrimp

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced into rounds

1.5c chopped green beans, blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes

1 c cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons of blanched, slivered almonds

8 black olives, diced

1 red chili, deseeded and sliced (optional)

1 tsp chopped fresh mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing:

2 oz olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp chopped fresh mint or Italian parsley

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the sliced squash to the hot pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes and and chili and saute for a further 2 minutes. Add shrimp and saute until pink and nearly cooked. Add remaining ingredients (including cooked couscous) and toss to warm through.

Whisk dressing ingredients together and season to taste. Pour over couscous mixture, toss and serve warm. If you're serving it to my husband, make some garlic bread to go with it.

Green madness

Three weeks on holiday and I come back to a garden that is totally unrecognizable. Did someone put crack in the water? The large planter out back had some small, tidy tomato plants, some herbs, greens and beans. I came back to a forest of green broken only by the smattering of tomato blossoms and the occasional marigold peeking through. I have enough epazote to supply Rick Bayless' restaurants until year end. (In fact, I whacked a bunch of it out and took it to my favorite local restaurant where it's in their walk in until the chef can figure out how to use it).

Who knew what three weeks could do??

I went over to my community garden plot prepared for the worst, or so I thought. I literally couldn't recognize my plot when I arrived. Nor could I figure out what had happened to all of the vegetables. I couldn't see them for the weeds. This is the challenge of the first year in the plot that was previously abandoned. Three weeks of rain and untamed growth made it scary enough that I considered giving up then and there.

But salvation came in the form of little boys (and their mom!). The garden leader's boys to be more specific. Just my luck that they wanted to start a weeding business to suppliment their allowance. I became their first customer right there on the spot. It's got to be the best $12 I've ever spent. Those kids should be charging more; it must have taken them all weekend!

Once they were done, I was able to see what was going on underneath and it's all very exciting. Winter squashes, eggplant, loads of different (still green) tomatoes, herbs, greens and beans galore. And the bees are busy pollinating everything, bless them. I even found a few errant strawberries and popped them in my mouth, dirt and all. There's nothing better than a sun warmed strawberry straight off of the vine! So I'll need to go back to weeding every few days. Also, being mid-July, it's time to plant my fall crops of lettuces, onions and cruciferous veg. Heaven knows I could use the distraction after coming home from a really great vacation and being faced with sitting behind a desk for 10 hours a day.

Here's to the joys and challenges of nurturing plants. And eating them!

STEAK!

I know I've mentioned before that about 70% of my meals (or maybe even more?) are vegetarian. By choice. It's not even a conscious choice most times anymore; it's just how we eat. But sometimes, we really enjoy meat. Today is a special occasion, so I've taken a buffalo filet mignon out of the freezer to have for dinner. (It's nearly 9 oz, which is plenty for two people). I mention this because I want to share with you the miraculous secret of how we cook lean and fancy steaks in this house.

We do not grill them.

We pan sear them on the stove then pop them into a really, really, hot oven. Then we let them rest before we tuck in. Trust me on this. Try it once with a filet mignon and then thank me later.

Filet Mignon
Serves 2 (if you're not a big meat eater!)

1 8-10 oz cut of filet mignon (beef or bison)
Salt and pepper to taste
Any other herbs or spices you might want on your meat, though I like to keep it simple

Remove your steak from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to cook it. Preheat the oven to 450 or 500 degrees (depending on what else might be roasting away in there and how hot your oven gets). Heat a small, oven proof skillet* over medium high heat (or high, if the flames aren't licking over the sides of the pan) with a very small amount of oil in it (1tsp if it is non stick, more if it's not). Really heat it. Get it smokin' hot.

Liberally season one side of your steak with salt and pepper, then use tongs to place the steak seasoned side down into your skillet. Leave it be fore three minutes. Don't touch. Don't peek. Leave it alone. Season the side facing up while you're waiting. After three minutes, flip the steak over and throw the whole thing, pan and all into the preheated oven. Roast for 8 minutes (for medium/medium rare** For bison, reduce cooking time about 2 minutes).

Remove from the oven, set the steak on a plate and tent with aluminum foil and leave it alone for 10 minutes. Really. Leave it ALONE! This lets the juices redistribute back into the steak. I've tried it both ways and it's worth the wait.

Remove foil, eat and be amazed. Best served with crispy roasted potatoes and a green veg or salad.

*An oven proof pan has metal handle(s) that are 'oven safe' up to a certain temperature. If you don't have one, put a lightly oiled Pyrex dish or other oven safe baking dish into the oven when you preheat it so that when you transfer the steak into that vessel in the oven, the pan is plenty hot and will do the job more or less the same way.

**I am of the opinion that meat cooked past medium pretty much isn't worth eating. Especially filet. But if you insist, leave it in longer. If you like it more rare, take it out a few minutes earlier. I would always err on the side of rare...

Strawberries

Tragically, the rains over the past few days wiped out the strawberries at our CSA this week. No (backbreaking) strawberry picking this year. I really am disappointed. I don't think I've ever tasted better strawberries than the ones I ate warm off the vine up at the farm. Until yesterday.

Yesterday, I ate the first ripe strawberry off the vine of my strawberry plants that I have been tending to for the last month or so. I meant to take a picture, but it made it to my mouth before the camera made it into my hand. Sorry about that. Can't wait for a few more to turn that gorgeous red so I can eat them sun warmed right in the garden. YUM.

Growth

That's a photo of a butternut squash seedling pushing its little self out of the earth. It's a pretty neat thing to watch over a few days.

I can't express what a pleasure it has been to learn to grow vegetables, herbs and flowers from seed. Last summer I started small with a few seedlings and some container gardening. This year, I've gone full bore with a Denver Urban Gardens allotment a few blocks from home that I've split with neighbors, as well as the large (3'x9') raised bed I have out back.

I'm growing a variety of veggies and herbs, but the focus was to grow things we don't already get through our CSA, or things we get from them that we could always eat more of (let's just say that we're not growing extra cabbage).

I've planted the following in the big garden:

Radishes (which I've already pulled, eaten, and planted something else in their place)

Tomatoes (8 varieties!)

Peppers (5 kinds)
Tomatillos (thanks for the seedlings, my good neighbors!)

Pickling cukes

Armenian cukes

Broccoli rabe

Broccoli

Persian Garden Cress

Strawberries

Butternut squash

Hokkiado squash

Beetberry (this should be interesting!)

Beans (three types including one soup bean!)

Okra (this is something of an experiment!)

Kale

'Little Caesar' lettuce

Weirdly, I could go on, but I just realized how long this list is already. Anyway, a few things I did from seedlings, but the rest I did from seeds. Every day that I go visit to weed or water, things look different. I kneel down to pull a weed or check a plant, and suddenly realize how alive the garden is. There are bees buzzing around all of the flowers, ladybugs crawling around, weeds growing at a rate so fast you can nearly see them get bigger...it's amazing.

If you've never cared for a plant from the moment you place it into the earth and give it a bit of water, you should try it. It's interesting and satisfying. If nothing else, it will give you a significantly greater appreciation for the labor that goes into producing the food that you eat.

Radish

I just had to share this with you. I grew this radish from seed in the raised bed in my back garden. I planted it on March 19th and harvested it in late April. It took some water, some TLC (like covering it when it snowed and on cold nights) and some patience. It was two bites...and it was perfection. Gardening is really cool.

Cookbook note

A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen: Easy Seasonal Dishes for Family and Friends by Jack Bishop

My review

Rating: 4 of 5 stars

At least one dinner this week will come from this book. Probably a red curry spring vegetable stir fry. The cookbook is arranged seasonally, which I'm always a big fan of. The spring section is perhaps the least inspiring to me (though I couldn't pinpoint why), but there are a few really good recipes in there (roasted asparagus with egg on feta toast - yum!). Overall this is a really good cook book (though not as good as Vegetables Every Day). Recipes are fairly easy, use fresh, seasonal ingredients and can serve as inspiration for your own modifications.


View all of my reviews...

Curry in a hurry

I sometimes forget how easy it is to put together a curry dish. All you really need is a can of coconut milk and some curry paste. Add some meat and/or veggies and voila, you've got dinner.

I had some cooked butternut squash and a random assortment of veggies piled up in the fridge, so that's what I will list in my recipe, but keep in mind, you could use nearly anything in here, just adjust cooking times accordingly. You want the vegetables to retain some texture and character, but you don't want them raw. I waited until nearly the last moment to add the green onions to ensure their flavor was very fresh and they were still crunchy.

I served this over quick barley, though you could use any grain. Whole wheat cous cous or brown rice would be particularly good here.

Springtime curry

1 tablespoon olive, peanut or canola oil (not extra virgin, please)
1 medium/large yellow onion, cut in a large dice
3 medium carrots
1.5 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal, dark green tops composted/discarded
1 can regular or light coconut milk
1/2 cup stock or broth (chicken or veggie)
2 tablespoons prepared green curry paste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
12 large shrimp (optional)

Heat a very large skillet and the oil over medium high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrot and butternut squash and sautee until vegetables are softened somewhat, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger (if you wish) and curry paste and sautee while stirring for 90 seconds until blended. Add coconut milk and broth and stir. Reduce heat slightly and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Bring heat back up to medium, add green onions and shrimp and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve over rice or another grain. Serves 4 (ish).

As I mentioned, use whatever you've got on hand. Diced potatoes would do well here, as would most root veggies. Halved cherry tomatoes added at the same as the green onion would brighten things up. You could switch it entirely in the summer using summer squashes, fresh spinich, green beans and the like. If you want more heat, add a diced fresh chile or some dried chili flakes. The possibilities are endless. The results will be yummy!

Glazed radishes

Last night I was too lazy to make anything very complicated, so to accompany our mostly from-the-freezer dinner, I made some glazed radishes. It isn't always easy or intuitive to eat seasonally, what with strawberries and asparagus basically available all year long in your local store. However, radishes are no-brainer spring crop. Cooking them isn't something most people think of though.

If you think radishes are too spicy, or even if you don't like them at all, definitely give them a shot cooked. Here's a very easy recipe for glazed radishes.

Glazed Radishes
Adapted from Vegetables Everyday by Jack Bishop
Serves 2

1 bunch radishes (any color is fine)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/3 cup stock or broth
generous splash of white wine
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Trim greens from the radishes and compost (or discard if you must). Clean the radishes and slice in half or in quarters for large (golf ball sized) radishes. Heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add red onion and saute 3-5 minutes until quite soft and it loses some of its color. Add the radishes and stir to coat with the butter (add more butter if need be).

Add stock and white wine, reduce heat slightly and put a tight fitting lid on your pot. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring heat back up to medium and reduce remaining liquid for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve as a side to any wonderful springtime dinner.

Recipe can be easily doubled.

All I can hope for at this point is that the radishes I planted in the raised bed before all this freaky spring snow came out of nowhere decide to sprout in the next few days of warmth, or I'm back to the spring gardening drawing board (and to more supermarket shopping - ugh).

Bon appetit!

Springtime risotto

It was 82 degrees yesterday. Blazing sunshine, singing birds, leaves budding on the trees, grass green on the lawns (well, not so much our lawn). I was inspired to cook something very spring-ish. Given the temperature, I'm surprised I wanted to fire up the cooktop, but I had the ingredients on hand for a yummy spring risotto, so I went ahead and did it.

Green screams spring, so some fresh zucchini was in order. We can't get proper, fresh peas in Colorado (or at least not quickly enough to use them before they lose their sweetness), so I dug some frozen peas out of the icebox, as well as some frozen fava beans as I haven't seen fresh in my market yet.

A moment on fava beans. Despite the fact that they are EXTREMELY labor intensive to cook fresh, they are worth it. You can find a zillion recipes on the web, but I would pick up a vegetable cookbook from the library such as Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop and experiment with the recipes therein. Or, be lazy and buy them frozen, or just order them anytime you see them on the menu in a restaurant in the springtime. They are delicious and different and extremely fleeting. Enjoy them in their short and delectable season.

I had a handful of shrimp in the freezer and some grains in the pantry. I decided to use barley for a change and a little healthful kick. There's always butter and parmesan in the fridge and stock in the pantry, so I was set to cook. I made enough for 2-3 servings.

I followed the typical risotto methodology. I put about 6 cups of chicken (or vegetable) broth on the back burner over low heat. I melted a knob of butter over medium heat and lightly sauteed two small cut up zucchini for about 8 minutes then removed with a slotted spoon. Next, I sauteed the thawed shrimp (about 4 per person will do) in the same non-stick pan until pink and cooked through, then removed with the same slotted spoon.

I diced a small onion and put it in the same pan with a little oil. After it softened over low heat (took about 5 min), I raised the heat back to medium and added 3/4 cup of rinsed barley. I let it toast over the heat for about 3 minutes, then added 1/3 cup of dry Vermouth (or white wine or whatever you feel like/have on hand). Stirring with some frequency, I waited for the vermouth to cook in.

Once the vermouth is in, it's risotto time. Add broth, one cup (or large ladleful) at a time and stir it in/then stir occasionally until it is absorbed. Do this again and again (for about 30 minutes) until the grain has released its starch and become creamy. Start tasting after 30 minutes and continue to add liquid until it reaches your desired consistency. I keep the kettle full of water (it's electric) so I can add water if I run out of broth.

I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it's not. You don't have to stand directly over the stove the entire time (though you do need to be close by). You can have a conversation with guests and do this 30 minute part through the end. And there's great satisfaction to making something slowly, bringing it along by hand and having an amazing result. Try it once. Just try it!

Once you've hit creamy and delicious, add the sauteed zucchini and shrimp, the thawed peas and fava beans (or whatever veg you're in the mood for) and sautee/warm through for 2-3 min. Then, remove the pan from heat, add a knob of butter and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, stir it in, then put on a lid and wait for 2 minutes. Lift the lid, give it another stir and serve immediately, garnished with a bit more cheese or fresh herbs (chives would be great here) if you wish.

Voila and yum!

Italian...and local

So I've read two books set on Italy in the past week and I have a hankering for a bit of Italy in my tummy (since I won't be there any time soon). Tonight we're going to try the quietly touted Osteria Marco in Larimer Square. I'm really looking forward to it and to quenching the Italian craving that's been eating at me. Looks like they're fairly casual, which is what I'm in the mood for tonight. They make many of their cheeses in house and they also locally (and where possible organically) source many of their ingredients. Well...except for the imported Italian meats (YUM - guilty pleasure!).

I'm always more willing to give a business my hard earned cash when they in turn support local farmers and food artisans. Not to mention I think that it shows a deep appreciation for food and very often a deep commitment to the environment. I'm ahead of myself on Osteria Marco, but certainly there are a lot of restaurants in Denver that are making the extra effort. Two I think of immediately are Black Pearl and Gaia over in Platt Park. Black Pearl does it's best to buy sustainably raised meats and fish and also buy locally when possible. Gaia goes even further and grows many of their vegetables and herbs in their back yard, bakes their own bread (well, one of the owners also owns Pajama Baking Co which provides their bread), gets eggs from a smaller producer in Boulder and they're even taking a stab at growing grapes to make wine. Can't wait to see how that turns out.

Want more local food in your life? Check out these websites to learn more or find a farm in your area:

http://localharvest.org/

http://monroefarm.com/ (this is the CSA I belong to. Great eggs and great veggies!)

http://100milediet.org/


Another website I *have* to mention is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. My brother introduced me to it back when we actually had an aquarium in Denver. Remember Ocean Journey? And now a restaurant chain owns it...well anyway. This website can help you to make sustainable seafood choices when you eat, which is more important than you might realize. More on that later - that's a subject best explored on its own.

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Will report back on Osteria Marco soon.