CSA News: Week 4- June 22 to June 27

This Week’s Share

Share Notes

• Beets: Your beets this week come with their beautiful crisp green attached, and you may use these as you would chard in salad and sautés.

Recipes

Beet Recipes

Roasted Beet Crostini
From Eating Well in Season by Jessie Price

Note: This is a tasty and colorful starter for entertaining or just fixing up for a pre-dinner delight. Note that you will end up with some left over cooked beets that you can you use in a side dish or salad, or any other way you please.

1 bunch beets with greens attached
16 1/2-inch thick slices baguette, preferably whole-grain cut on the diagonal
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoons salt
4 ounces creamy goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400˚F. Trim green from beets, reserving stems and greens. Place the beets in a baking pan, cover with foil and roast until very tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the beets. Uncover and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F. While the beets cool, arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, turning the slices over once halfway through, until toasted but not browned, about 14 minutes. Thinly slice the beet green stems and finely chop the leaves; keep the stems and leaves separate. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the greens, vinegar and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and remove from heat. Peel the cooled beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place 3/4 cup beet pieces, goat cheese and pepper in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth (reserve the remaining beets for another use). To assemble crostini, spread about 2 tablespoons beet-cheese spread on each slice of toasted baguette and top with sautéed greens. Makes 16 crostini.

Roasted Beet and Spinach Salad
By Whole Foods Market, www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes

Note: You’ll find that many different cheeses go well with sweet, roasted beets. Try using crumbled goat cheese, Gorgonzola or feta cheese as alternatives.

1 pound beets, stems trimmed (reserve greens for using in another dish)
1-2 tablespoon scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 to 4 cups spinach leaves
1/4 pound crumbled Roquefort cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash beets then wrap in parchment-lined aluminum foil and roast in center of oven until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool, then peel and halve (or quarter depending on size). Meanwhile, whisk together scallions, lemon juice and mustard. Whisk in oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper. Add beets and toss gently to coat. Arrange spinach on a large platter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beets to plates, arranging them on top of the spinach. Top with cheese, drizzle lightly with some of the remaining dressing and serve, with more dressing on the side, if you like. Serves 4 to 6.

Broccoli Recipe

Pasta with Garlicky Broccoli
From Fine Cooking In Season

3-6 cups broccoli florets (really you can decide how much broccoli you want in your pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (you can also decide how garlicky you want this dish)
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 package of pasta
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, use if you have a lemon on hand)
Parmesan, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta to the large pot once it’s at a rapid boil. While the large pot is heating up bring a medium size pot with a few centimeters of water to a slow boil for steaming. Steam the broccoli until just tender, 2-4 minutes. Then sauté the steamed broccoli in a large pan with chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Chop the sautéed mixture more if you prefer a smaller size for mixing with your pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain and return to the pot or a large bowl for mixing (reserve a small amount of the pasta water for mixing). Add the broccoli sauté mixture to the pasta, along with a little of the pasta water, lemon zest (if using), and lots of Parmesan. Enjoy on it’s own, or with a fresh green salad.

Hakurei Turnip Recipes

Lebanese Pickled Turnips
From Eating Local by Janet Fletcher

Pickling mixture:
1 3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher/pickling/sea salt
1 clove garlic, halved
1 small dried red chile (optional)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar

For the pickles:
1 pound Hakurei Turnips, green removed (greens can be saved for later use if desired)
1 small red beet (peeled)

To make the picking mixture combine the water, salt, garlic, and chile in a small saucepan. Set over moderate heat and stir until the salt dissolves. Set aside to cool. When cool, stir in the vinegar.

Scrub the turnips well and quarter them through the stem end (or cut into sixths if larger). Cut the beet into approximately the same size pieces as the turnips. Pack the vegetables into a clean 1-quart jar. Pour the pickling mixture over them, tucking the garlic halves and chile down into the jar. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week before tasting. The pickled turnips will keep at least for 2 weeks or longer.

Turnip and Turnip Green Soup
From Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

1/2 yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 bunch Hakurei Turnips with greens (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
1 small piece prosciutto or smoked bacon (leave out for vegetarian)
4 cups rich chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Peel and thinly slice the onion and garlic. Put in a nonreactive pot with the olive oil and butter and 1 tablespoon of water and stew over medium-low heat, covered, until they are soft and translucent. Trim off the stems and greens form the turnips and reserve the greens. There is no need to peel the turnips. Trim off their roots, slice he turnips thin and add them to the pot. Stew them for a few minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the bay leaf, thyme, proscuitto or bacon, stock, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 1/2 hour. Wash the turnip greens and cut them into 1/2-inch wide strips and stir them into the soup. Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes or so, until the greens are soft and tender. Garnish the soup with a few curls of shaved Parmesan.

Parsley Recipe

Chimichurri Sauce
Recipe by Michael Chiarello, foodnetwork.com

Note: This blend of fresh herbs and spices is a classic Argentinean meat marinade and condiment. It can be used and served in any number of ways, but traditionally is paired with grilled meats.

1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the parsley, bay leaves, garlic, paprika, oregano, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Put the sauce in a glass or plastic container, using as needed. Chimichurri will last for up to 1 month, refrigerated. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
(see below in Spinach Recipes)

Scallion Recipe

Shrimp a la Fein
From the Court of Two Sisters

Note: This recipe is incredibly delicious and very quick and easy. It makes a great 15 minute meal when served over couscous.

1/2 lb medium raw shrimp
2 strips of bacon
3-4 scallions
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt, pepper and paprika to taste
1 tablespoon butter
Tabasco
Worcestershire Sauce

Dice bacon and sauté in a skillet until half cooked. Pour off excess fat. Lower flame. Add butter, peeled raw shrimp, scallions (chopped fine), and season and to taste with salt and pepper. When the shrimp are turning pink, add lemon juice and 2-5 dashes each of Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce. Serve over couscous, quinoa, or pasta if desired.

Spinach Recipes

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
From www.allrecipes.com

Note: This recipe calls for 2 pounds spinach. Your Family Share this week includes 1 pound (Individual Share include 1/2 pound), but you can supplement spinach with the beet greens and turnips greens from your share this week to make the 2^nd pound of greens. It’s a great way to use the greens from those roots and tastes just as delicious, if not better.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough (found in the freezer department of the grocery store)
1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9×9 inch square baking pan.

Then heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to sauté until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, ricotta, and feta. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.

Roasted Beet and Spinach Salad
(see above in Beet Recipes)