Author: Judi

Sept 20, 2016

Greetings!

Fall is just around the corner, so it’s time to start thinking about those lovely autumn greens and hearty root vegetables.

This week we are getting both kale and collards. Time for a nice kale and collard pesto! This recipe makes a cold, no-cook sauce that’s great on pasta, potatoes, rice, poultry, fish – anything!

KALE AND COLLARD GREENS PESTO

1 small bunch collard greens, stems removed

1 small bunch kale, stems removed

Kosher salt

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1½ ounces grated Parmesan (about ½ cup)

1 cup olive oil

½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts

1 Tbs finely grated lemon zest

1 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook the collard greens and kale in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and tender, about 45 seconds.
2. Transfer to a bowl of ice water (this will stop the cooking and help lock in the color). Drain; squeezing out as much liquid as possible (to avoid a watery sauce).
3. Coarsely chop the greens and place in a food processor.
4. Add garlic, Parmesan, oil, peanuts, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Process on low speed until a coarse but well-blended mixture forms (a little texture is good).
5. Season with salt and plenty of pepper.

HELPFUL HINT: This pesto can be made one day ahead. Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the pesto, and refrigerate.

I hope you enjoy this easy recipe. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

August 30, 2016

Hi Everybody!

Fall is creeping up on us. In addition to the fabulous tomatoes, a summer delight, this week we are getting broccoli! It’s a great cruciferous vegetable, low in calories and big in taste. I think a nice simple broccoli recipe is in order.

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH ASIAGO CHEESE

1 1/2 pounds (about 1 large bunch) broccoli, stalks trimmed to 2 inches below crowns

3 TBS olive oil

1 cup grated Asiago cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Cut each crown of broccoli lengthwise into 4 spears.
3. Place broccoli in large bowl; toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer broccoli to large rimmed baking sheet.
5. Add grated Asiago cheese to same bowl.
6. Roast broccoli until it is crisp-tender and the stalks begin to brown, about 25 minutes.
7. Return broccoli to the bowl with the cheese. Using tongs, toss to coat.

That’s it! Simple, no?

I will be away for the next two weeks. Will miss you all and will see you again on Tuesday, September 18th.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

August 23, 2016

Hi Everybody,

We are entering tomato heaven! Lots of beautiful ripe tomatoes coming in this week’s share.

Since tomatoes have a limited shelf life, a recipe that uses a lot of tomatoes is a good one, I think.

This recipe is for a deep dish tomato pie, adapted from a Food Network recipe. Don’t be put off by the number of ingredients. Your actual work time will only be about 30 minutes.

DEEP DISH TOMATO PIE

August 16, 2016

Alright – tomato season is here!

If you want to capture this finest flavor of summer and be able to enjoy it all winter, try this simple recipe for a tomato sauce that will freeze beautifully for six months.

QUICK FREEZER TOMATO SAUCE

6 pounds (approximately 8) heirloom  tomatoes

1 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1½ tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp Kosher salt

4 basil sprigs, leaves left on stems

Kosher salt, to taste

1. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, cut an “X” across the top of each tomato. Prepare an ice bath in a bowl and set it next to the stove.

2. Working in batches, submerge each tomato in the boiling water for approximately 30-45 seconds, until the skin around the cut starts to pull back from the flesh. Immediately transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath and allow to cool for a moment. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and discard. Roughly chop the tomatoes, removing the cores and any tough pieces that remain, and discard.

3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the garlic to become fragrant but careful not to burn the pepper flakes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt and basil to the pot, stirring to combine. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring often to prevent burning.

5. After 1 hour, remove and discard the basil. Continue cooking the sauce over medium heat.

6. When the sauce reaches your desired thickness, season with salt to taste.

7. Serve immediately, or allow to cool and transfer to quart containers and freeze for up to 6 months.

NOTE: This method of boiling and chilling the tomatoes is easiest if you do one tomato at a time.

HELPFUL HINT: An easy way to peel garlic is to lay the whole clove on the counter or cutting board and lay the side of a broad knife on top of it. Make a fist and smash the knife. The skin will come right off the garlic.

That’s it. Stay cool and hydrated and have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

August 9, 2016

Hi Everybody,

Still summer out there, so I’m continuing to concentrate on cold dishes that will refresh you and keep you healthy at the same time. Today’s recipe is a spicy one. New research shows that an active ingredient in spicy foods, capsaicin, can boost metabolism, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation. Try it!

THAI SHRIMP SALAD

2 TBS lime juice

4 tsp fish sauce

August 2, 2016

Hi everybody!

The heat has broken, at least temporarily, and has now been replaced by rain, rain, rain! No complaints, though. We need the rain.

Today’s recipe will use more of all those summer squashes we’ve been getting, along with some of our other veggies. It’s easy to make, and there’s no cooking!

SUMMER SQUASH FETTUCCINE WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

July 26, 2016

Hello Everyone,

I’m about medium well now. I am fully cooked, and I suppose you are as well. The last thing we all feel like doing is cooking. So, in view of the fact that the first tomato delivery is this week, and also that even more summer squash is arriving, I have a cold recipe for you that includes those fabulous Sungold cherry tomatoes.

COLD ZUCCHINI LASAGNA

Farmer cheese

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Zucchini

Cherry tomatoes

Basil

1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
2. Season farmer cheese with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
3. Layer 2 strips of zucchini (side by side) with cheese, sliced tomatoes, and basil.
4. Repeat; ending with zucchini.
5. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper and basil.

Easy, right?

HELPFUL HINT: Here’s a quick way to cut cherry tomatoes in half:

You’ll need two lids from plastic containers. Lay one lid on the counter top side down, so it forms a little tray. Load the tray up with the tomatoes (just one layer!). Then place the other lid over the tomatoes, top side up. Press gently on the top lid (just enough to hold everything in place) and run a serrated knife through the tomatoes once, cutting from side to side. Voila’! Halved tomatoes!

Let’s all strip down to our underwear and sit in front of the air conditioner while enjoying our cold lasagna. Hope you enjoy it.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

July 19, 2016

Greetings, All,

When it’s this hot and sticky, I really don’t feel like doing anything. Not ANYTHING! Certainly not turning on the oven to make dinner. No – when the heat and humidity are this high, I want to make something cool and light.

Here’s a basic frittata recipe that you can modify to include whatever you have in the fridge. So versatile! The version in the recipe is made with ham, zucchini and Gruyere cheese. But, tonight I’m making one for Artie with turkey bacon, scallions and Monterrey Pepper Jack cheese. I’ll serve it with a green salad and fresh fruit for dessert. I think he’ll like it.

HAM, GRUYERE AND ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped sliced deli ham (5 ounces)
2 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons (2 cups)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese (1 1/2 ounces)

1. In a 10-inch  nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add ham and zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook about 5 minutes.

2. Add eggs and cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook, undisturbed, until edges are set, about 2 minutes.

3. Cover skillet and continue cooking until top of frittata is just set, 10 to 13 minutes (You can also put the skillet in a preheated 425 degree oven – ugh! – or under the broiler). Invert or slide frittata onto a plate and cut into 6 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

HELPFUL HINT: Tired of crying every time you chop an onion? Just put the onion into the freezer for EXACTLY 15 minutes, no longer. You won’t be crying when you chop it!

Bless you, Willis Carrier, inventor of modern air conditioning!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Stay cool, and enjoy!

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

July 12, 2016

Welcome to Week 6.

I feel as if I have sweated buckets in the past week. I hope you have been finding a way to stay cool and comfortable.

This week’s recipe was created by the great Thomas Keller, owner of French Laundry and Per Se, two of the finest restaurants around. Of course, you are free to make it look any way you like. As you probably already know, we eat with our eyes. Presentation is at least half the battle. My nephew, who is 35 years old and will not eat lettuce, likes to have some cut up cucumbers and tomatoes with his dinner. I always volunteer for that job, and have never cut the vegetables the same way twice. I have done great extravaganzas of heart-shaped veggies, and spears arranged around a central circle – you get the idea. So much fun!

So here’s the recipe. It uses more than one of the items we’re getting this week. I hope you like it.

THOMAS KELLER’S RATATOUILLE RECIPE
Slightly adapted from Thomas Keller

Ingredients:
½ red pepper, seeds and ribs removed
½ yellow pepper, seeds and ribs removed
½ orange pepper, seeds and ribs removed
5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1½ tsp. minced garlic (or more to taste), divided
½ yellow onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)
1 28-oz. can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, seeded and chopped, juices reserved (or 3 to 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, juices reserved)
2 sprigs fresh thyme (plus 1 extra sprig for sprinkling)
1 sprig Italian parsley
1 small bay leaf
1 zucchini (about 7 to 8 oz.), sliced in 1/16-inch rounds
1 Japanese eggplant (7 to 8 oz), sliced in 1/16-inch rounds
1 yellow summer squash (7 to 8 oz.), sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
4 to 5 Roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/16-inch rounds
1 to 2 tsp. aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees . Place the peppers cut-side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Roast until their skins loosen and begin to brown slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop finely.

2. Combine 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. garlic, and the onion in an 8-inch cast iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet), over low heat until very soft but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, their juices, 2 sprigs thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Simmer over medium-low heat until very little liquid remains, about 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to brown.

3. Add the peppers and simmer for a couple of minutes to soften them. Season to taste with salt and discard herbs. Reserve 1 to 2TBS of the mixture for the vinaigrette, leaving the rest in the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.

4. Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Starting from the outer edge of the pan and working your way in, arrange alternating slices of zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash, and Roma tomatoes. Allow the slices to overlap so that about ¼-inch of each slice is exposed. Repeat until the pan is filled.

5. Sprinkle the pan with the remaining garlic and the leaves from the remaining sprig of thyme. Drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. Cover the pan with foil and seal well. Bake until the vegetables are tender, about 2 hours. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more. If the pan has accumulated any excess liquid after baking, carefully drain it off.

7. To make the vinaigrette, combine the reserved tomato and pepper mixture with the remaining 1 TBS olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle around plate and serve hot.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

HELPFUL HINTS:
Look for vegetables that are similar in size, which makes arranging them in the pan easier and more uniform.
You can, if you like, puree the tomato and pepper mixture with the balsamic in a blender to create a smoother vinaigrette. You can also omit the vinaigrette altogether and simply drizzle each plate or serving with a few drops of balsamic.
When serving, use a cake spatula for lifting the veggies out of the pan and plating.
If you have any leftover veggie slices that didn’t fit in the pan, use them in a frittata or vegetable stir-fry.

I know his recipe may seem daunting, but it really is simple. Give yourself time and some patience, and it will really pay off. Enjoy!

Have a delicious week.

Best,

Judi

July 5, 2016

Hi Everyone!

We are now entering the dog days of summer. This week’s forecast is hot, hot, hot! So, I think something nice and light is in order. This recipe is both easy and delicious.

PASTA WITH SUMMER SQUASH SAUCE

2 to 3 medium zucchini or summer squash
2 TBS butter
2 TBS olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 dash nutmeg, or to taste
1 pound pasta or gnocchi
Parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While it comes up to temperature, grate the zucchini using the large holes on a box grater.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt butter into the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the grated squash and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add a dash of ground nutmeg to taste.
4. As the squash mixture cooks, cook the pasta or gnocchi al dente, then use a slotted spoon to scoop it from the water directly into the sauté pan with the squash.
5. Cook for another minute or so in the pan, then serve.
6. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese or with a splash of good olive oil.

HELPFUL HINT: the pasta can be cooked ahead. If you have one of those spiral cutters, you can make the squash into “noodles”, which will look pretty fancy and will actually cook more quickly.

Try to stay cool, which won’t be easy this week. Enjoy the veggies and

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi