CSA News: Week 9- July 26 to August 1

This Week’s Share

Recipes

Bean Recipes

Green Beans with Sauteed Mushrooms
From The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker & Ethan Becker

1 pound green beans (can also use yellow if you’d like), trimmed and halved if desired
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
2 tablespoon minced onion
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Steam the beans until tender, about 10 minutes. While the beans are steaming heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and onions and cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the steamed beans to the skillet along with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the mixture well to heat the beans through, then serve.

Carrot Recipe

Lemony Minted Carrot Salad
From Fresh from the Garden Cookbook by Ann Lovejoy

Note: You can also make this salad using cilantro in place of the parsley, and thyme or tarragon for the mint.

For the salad:
2 cups carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1/2 Torpedo onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup parsley leaves

For the Lemon Mint Dressing:
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

To prepare the Lemon Mint Dressing, combine the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, mint, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake well to emulsify, and set aside. In a serving bowl, combine the carrots, raisins, red onion, walnuts, and parsley. Toss gently with the dressing and serve.

Cucumber Recipes

Cucumber and Avocado Soup
Adapted from Fresh from the Garden Cookbook by Ann Lovejoy

2 ripe avocados
4 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 to 2 cups buttermilk
1/2 to 1 cup vegetables broth (optional, for thinning the soup)
1 carrot, grated (for garnish)

Combine the avocados, cucumber, salt, thyme, and 1 cup of the buttermilk in a blender or food processor. Pulse to chop, then blend or puree until the soup is the desired consistency. Add the remaining buttermilk (or vegetable broth) if you prefer a thinner soup. Pour into shallow bowl, garnish with grated carrot, and serve.

Lettuce Recipe

Greek Salad
From The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker & Ethan Becker

Note: This recipe is easily halved for less servings.

For the salad:
2 heads of romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
8 cherry tomatoes or tomato wedges (optional)
1/2 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
1/2 Torpedo red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cucumber, peeled (if desired) and sliced
8-12 Kalamata olives, pitted
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
1-2 carrots, sliced
1 2-ounce can anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and halved lengthwise

For the dressing:
6-7 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely minced finely
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Then whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

Potato Recipes

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte
Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2001

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
12 ounces summer squash (can be zucchini and/or patty pan type) cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Set aside 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend.

Layer 1/6 of potatoes in concentric circles in bottom of 1 prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Layer 1/4 of squash in concentric circles atop potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Repeat with 1/6 of potatoes, then 1/4 of squash and 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Top with 1/6 of potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture and press gently to flatten. Repeat procedure with second cake pan and remaining potatoes, squash, oil, and cheese mixture.

Cover pans with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until tortes begin to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and chill. Rewarm, covered with foil, in 350°F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.) Cut each torte into wedges. Sprinkle wedges with 1/4 cup green onions; serve. Makes 8 servings

Summer Squash Recipes

Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta with Summer Squash Sauté
From Eating Well, www.eatingwell.com

2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup water
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 small summer squash (can be zucchini and/or patty pan type), halved lengthwise and sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Combine 2 1/2 cups broth and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and pepper until smooth. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very thick and no longer grainy, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in Gorgonzola; remove the polenta from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in zucchini and squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften and brown in places, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat. Stir in the remaining 1 cup broth and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the vegetables are tender, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in basil; serve the sauté over the polenta. Make it a meal: Serve with crusty garlic bread and a garden salad.

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte
(see above in Potato Recipes)