Recipes for CSA Week 8

Vietnamese-style Napa Cabbage and Chicken Salad
Tzatziki
Fennel and Torpedo Onion Salad (with Fish)
Grilled Summer Squash and Tropea Onion Kabobs (with Tzatziki)
Napa Cabbage and Tropea Onion Green Pancakes
Grated Carrot Salad with Tropea Onion Greens

Vietnamese-style Napa Cabbage and Chicken Salad

This is a Vietnamese-inspired salad that is spicy, sweet, and delicious. You can omit the chicken and add more/other grated veggies. You can use Napa, Savoy or green cabbage though it’s particularly good with Napa though it doesn’t hold up as long.

Serves 4

2 Serrano or 1 jalapeño chili, seeded (unless you like more heat) finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small Tropea onion (or half a large one), thinly sliced
5 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups grated carrots (on large holes of box grater), more or less
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Cilantro and/or mint, chopped

In a large salad bowl mix the chilies with everything except the cabbage, carrot and chicken. Let sit for a few minutes and make sure sugar dissolves. Add the veggies and chicken. Mix well, adjust seasoning and stir in cilantro or mint.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki improves most anything, in this case chickpeas and tomatoes.

This cool, creamy Greek side/spread/dip is one of my all time favorite foods. I pile it on toasted bread and I add it to pita or regular sandwiches. I eat it with boiled potatoes or thinly sliced broiled beef and sometimes I dollop it on toasted baguettes (sliced the length of the loaf) after I’ve rubbed the bread with garlic and layered with tomatoes and sprinkled with salt.

You can invert the ratio of cucumber to yogurt or change it in any way you want just taste and be sure it has plenty of garlic, salt and acidity. And when I don’t have dill I use cilantro, basil, parsley oregano–not authentic but all delicious!

1-2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeds scooped out and fairly finely chopped
1 1/2-2 cups Greek yogurt or plain whole milk yogurt strained in cheese cloth of 2-3 hours to remove the whey and make it dense and richer (or much less–see headnote)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dill (or cilantro, oregano, basil or parsley–see headnote)
1 tablespoon white wine, cider or champagne vinegar (or lemon juice)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Scooping out the cucumber’s seeds may seem silly but you want to remove as much moisture as possible for this dish and keep the firm-fleshed part. Sprinkle with a little salt and set in a strainer over a bowl and let drain for 20 minutes if you have the time.

Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill for at least an hour if you can. It keeps well for about 3 days and gets a bit stronger (from the garlic) as it sits.

Fennel and Torpedo Onion Salad (with Fish)

If you have any fennel left from last week, make this. I tend to neglect my fennel since it keeps better than most things this time of year so I’ll be making this, this week. This salad is a perfect accompaniment to some very simply grilled or pan-fried fish of your choosing.

2 small-medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved and sliced as thinly as you can (see note at the top of the post)
1 Tropea onion, trimmed, halved and sliced as thinly as you can and some of the green, thinly sliced
1-2 carrots, cut into matchsticks or julienned (if you have a mandolin, use it)
2 ounces feta
2 teaspoons capers (optional), chopped up a bit
Juice of 1 lemon
Good olive oil
Salt and pepper

If you are sensitive to the bite of raw onions you can soak the sliced onions in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes and then drain well and pat dry and then proceed. The soak reduces the bite quite a bit and gives the onions an extra nice crunch.

Put the sliced vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and optional capers. Taste and adjust seasoning remembering that the feta will add saltiness. Add feta, gently toss and taste again.

Grilled Summer Squash and Tropea Onion Kabobs (with Tzatziki)

This is a simple a lovely combination. If you want to add cubes of beef or chicken or tofu by all means do so. If you don’t have a grill you can also broil these, with our without skewering the veggies, turning often to ensure somewhat even cooking.

The above tzatziki is a lovely accompaniment to the sweet, smoky vegetables.

about 4-5 kabobs

2 Tropea onions (or more), trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch squares/chunks, more or less
2-3 summer squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely chopped parsley and oregano or other herbs of your choice
Squeeze of lemon juice

In a small bowl mix a little olive oil with the herbs, lemon juice and plenty of salt and pepper. Taste the marinade. It should be bright and salty.

Toss the vegetables in the marinade and let sit for 15 minutes, if you can. Thread the vegetables onto skewers and grill, turning occasionally, until beginning to char and the vegetables are tender but not soft.

Serve with tzatziki and good, crusty bread or a bean or grain salad.

Napa Cabbage Pancakes with Tropea Onions and their Greens

I typically make these with savoy or regular green cabbage but they are tender and lovely with Napa cabbage as well and the Tropea Onion greens make a great substitute for the typical scallions.

Makes 12- 14 pancakes

4 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 – 11/2 teaspoon sea salt (it takes a lot of salt—taste the first pancake you make and add more salt to the remaining batter if they’re a little blah tasting)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
about 5-6 cups Napa cabbage, very finely sliced (you can also pulse wedges in the food processor briefly but you don’t want it too fine or the batter will get watery and not be as good)
1-2 Tropea onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (greens and all)
Sunflower, olive, coconut or peanut oil for frying
1-2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Sauce:

Scant ½ cup mayonnaise (store bought is just fine)
Scant 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha or other chili sauce (or less if you don’t like much heat)

Whisk the first set of ingredients together for your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage and onions.

Warm a couple glugs of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce.

Grated Carrot Salad with Tropea Onion Greens and Toasted Sunflower Seeds

I make a variety of carrot salads. They add bright and fresh flavors year-round. Carrot salads are the perfect foil for the cook-with-what-you-have approach. Cumin, coriander, chili flakes, serrano chilies, lemon, lime (juice and zest), rice vinegar, parsley, mint, cilantro, tarragon, and basil are all wonderful complements to the carrots. Toasted nuts and seeds of many kinds are good too.

You can add cooked white beans to this salad for a more robust version. Make a little extra dressing and you have a great lunch or light supper.

With a simple frittata and a piece of good bread, this makes a lovely dinner.

Serves 6-8 as a side

3/4 – 1 cup sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds) (this may seem like a lot but use it all if you can–it really makes the dish)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt
6 medium carrots, grated
3 tablespoons very thinly sliced onion tops/greens

Dressing:

3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus possibly more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, a generous amount, to taste though
about 3 tablespoons good olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Toss the sunflower seeds with a teaspoon or two of oil and several pinches of salt and roast on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, turning frequently, until they are crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.

Place the grated carrots in a serving bowl. To make the dressing whisk together the lemon juice, salt, pepper and oil. Pour the dressing over the carrots and mix well. Sprinkle with the chives and the seeds, mix again, and adjust seasoning and serve.