In the Garden: May 2013

I have one little spot yet to fill but most of the garden is now in the ground.

This year's crop includes:

• 1 San Marzano Roma tomato
• 2 Roma tomato
• 2 Martino Roma Heirloom
• 1 tomatillo
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 green bean
• 8 basil
• 6 kale
• 1 Alpine strawberry
• 1 regular strawberry

I am hoping I get to try my hand at making salsa verde with the tomatillo and jalapeno.

Of course, lots of basil to hopefully make lots of pesto to freeze to use throughout the year.

And then some of the usual suspects for a summer garden. No lettuce this year, since we get a steady supply from the CSA box. Same for the summer squash. 

Nearby, the apricot tree is doing well. The apricots are closing in on their full size but they are still green. We got it trimmed earlier this year and we were told that the trim might cause a smaller crop but that doesn't seem to be the case.  It's still a big tree (despite being advertised as a dwarf) and it because of that it tends to shadow one end of one of the beds. Last year, the zucchini was in that shady spot and I got one zucchini out of it. This year, I put the Alpine strawberry in a pot in the shady spot so I can move into full sun if I need to.

Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl

Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, has never been too high on the list of veggies that we just love to eat. But we tend to get waves of it in our box and I try to figure out tasty ways to use it up. So I've been trying different recipes that make the most of our bok choy and here's where I currently stand.

This recipe was inspired by a Sunset magazine recipe that caught my eye. The first time I made it, though, I wrote down a number of improvements to upgrade the recipe. So what follows is my current version of the recipe after making it a handful of times.

It's becoming our "go to" recipe for bok choy and it's a great weeknight Asian noodle bowl experience.

Bok Choy and Tofu Noodle Bowl

Ingredients: (Serves 2- 4)

• 2 pkg. Udon noodles - or substitute another Asian noodle
• 1 pkg. baked flavored tofu - there are many to choose from
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic - minced
• 4-5 baby bok choy - coarsely chopped
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. Sriracha sauce
• 2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
• Ginger powder - a few shakes - or use 1 tbsp. of the real thing, minced
• cooking oil

Directions:

Clean the bok choy. There are lots of places in bok choy for dirt and small critters so give it a thorough washing. Coarsely chop discarding the bases.

Cut the tofu into rectangles.

In a bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and Sririacha. Stir to mix.

Bring a pot of water to boil and add the udon noodles. Now, I got packaged udon noodle in the refrigerated section of my grocery store. Even though I picked up the "original" flavor package, it still came with the seasoning envelope. These things are scary. The first two ingredients are sugar and salt. And then there's a whole host of ingredients that breaks the Michael Pollan rule to not eat stuff your grandmother would not recognize. Instead cook the noodles in a water/broth mix and toss in some soy sauce and/or Sriracha to give the noodles some flavor. Cook the noodles for a few minutes and drain in a colander.

While the water comes to a boil, chop those green onions.

In a large skillet or wok, heat the cooking oil. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute. Add the ginger, bok choy, and tofu and cook for a few minutes. Add the broth mixture and cook until heated.

Divide the noodles among the bowls. Add the bok choy/tofu mixture. Spoon in the sauce from the skillet or wok. Sprinkle green onions on top and serve.

Shrimp and White Bean Salad with Harissa Dressing

As I find recipes in magazines and newspapers I cut them out and tape them into a spiral notebook. I have three or four such notebooks full of taped recipes. There are way more recipes that I've never tried than ones I've done. Sometimes I go through one of the notebooks and tear out some of the recipes that I know I will never get to freeing up space for newer recipes.

It was during one of these reviews that I stumbled upon a Sunset recipe that I had I cut out and taped into a notebook. As I skimmed it, I knew that I had most of the ingredients on hand and I could substitute the rest.

This turned out to to be a great starting point for a quick and tasty weeknight meal with lot of substitution options.

Let's start with the dressing for the salad. There will be leftover dressing so figure out another use for it.

Harissa Dressing:

• 2-4 Tbsp. Harissa - I had some Harissa in the pantry but if you don't, you could use Rooster sauce or Chili Garlic Sauce from Huy Yong Foods (I keep both of these always stocked in my fridge)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix together in a bowl and set aside to let the flavors marry.


Salad:

• 1-2 cups of greens - the original recipe called for an arugula and parsley mix. I used half of a bag of Trader Joe's mixed baby greens which featured baby kale, chard, and spinach. Be creative and use your favorite greens.
• 1 can of Cannellini beans. Drained and rinsed.
• 1 celery stalk, sliced on the 45 degree angle
• 1 thawed 12 oz bag of shrimp, deveined with shells and tails off. Safeway has a new brand of American farmed shrimp under the Open Nature label.

Cook the shrimp in a hot skillet with butter and olive oil mix until done. Toss in cracked pepper and a few pinches of salt. Lower heat when shrimp are done and add drained beans.

Make a bed of greens and add the sliced celery. Top with the shrimp and bean mixture. Spoon the harissa dressing over the top.

This is a super easy and tasty weeknight dinner. This recipe feeds two people. If you need to feed more, double the salad recipe but not the dressing.

Weeknight White Bean, Sausage, and Kale Soup

The CSA box arrives very early on Friday mornings and I usually go out and retrieve it as a part of my morning routine. This last Friday, I brought the box in and took a quick look at the contents before heading off to work. I noticed the Lacinato kale sitting on top and for some reason my mind went right to soup. Now, that's because Lacinato kale has a thicker leaf and it needs more time than other greens to break down. Letting it simmer in a soup is an excellent way to soften the kale leaves.

We were introduced to Lacinato kale through the box. At first, I was not a big fan. But over the years I've learned that to appreciate it and have adjusted my cooking methods to deal with the thick leaves that resemble dinosaur skin giving it the nickname "Dino" kale. The best ways to prepare Lacinto kale:

• Blanch the leaves in hot, salted water prior to preparation
• Let the simmer in broth for a soup for awhile
• Use an acid, like lemon juice, to break down the membranes. 

So on the way home from work, I stopped off at my local Trader Joe's and picked up veggie broth, a can of white beans, their "sausage-less" Italian sausage, and some good bread.

When I got home I unpacked the box and found that one of the suggested recipes was very much what I was planning. But my version was going to be the weeknight version.

While the broth was heating up, I stemmed the kale, cut it up into smaller strips, and added it to the stock. I added into the broth a bay leaf, a clove of minced garlic, a generous amount of black pepper, and a shake of red pepper flakes. Then I put in a few shakes of same various herbs.

The TJ's sausage is not the most appealing at first glance. But I sliced it up and browned it nicely in a small skillet. I wanted a crispy outside to stand up in the soup.

I added in some sliced carrots that were also in the box and the drained beans.

All of the remaining ingredient were added to the soup and I let it heat up. A green salad (lettuce, radishes, and avocado from the box) and bread were prepared to accompany the soup which went over well after a hectic week of work.

Here's my iPhone shot of the leftover soup that became my lunch on Saturday.

Butternut Squash Backlog

We've been getting a butternut squash each week in our CSA box for the last number of weeks. I am being very creative in the places that I store them in the pantry. Thankfully, they keep for awhile.

With some friends coming over for dinner recently, I saw an opportunity to use up the largest of the herd. I would make a butternut squash risotto. I looked online to see if there were any interesting variations. When I found this recipe (which I adapted below), I was reminded of the small container of saffron that was given to me over the holidays also sitting in the pantry.

Now, saffron is not absolutely essential to the recipe. It is the most expensive spice in the world since it must be hand harvested. But the good news is that a little goes a long way. On Amazon you can find some small amounts of saffron for less than $20 and you will get 3 - 4 uses out of it.

But the saffron elevates the typical butternut squash risotto to another level. The saffron imparts a subtle flavor but it also gives the risotto an exotic shade of light yellow.

A drizzle of truffle oil over the bowls just prior to serving gives the dish a heady aroma.

Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups of broth, preferably homemade
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon saffron threads
• salt and pepper
• truffle oil (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400
• Peel, seed and cube the butternut squash
• Place on a cookie sheet covered with foil, toss with oil, salt, and pepper and roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until tender (can be done the day before)
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and saute the shallots on medium low for 10 minutes until shallots are translucent but not browned
• Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter
• Add the white wine and cook for a few minutes, stirring often
• Add the butternut squash
• Add a cup or two of heated stock, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a some fresh black pepper
• Continue adding stock as the previous batch gets absorbed, stirring often
• Add the saffron and squash about halfway through along with the next batch of stock
• Continue until rice is cooked but still al dente - 20 - 30 minutes
• Stir in cheese, turn off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes
• Optional: Serve in bowls and drizzle with truffle oil 

Serves 6.

Apple Cranberry Muffins

A pound of fresh cranberries were a part of this week's box. I popped one into my mouth and got the full dose of that cranberry tartness. I was also taken back to my childhood Thanksgiving meals where a gelatinous can of cranberry sauce was opened and sliced.

I got online and did some researching. Fresh cranberries can be frozen and will keep for up to nine months. Because of its tartness, it is often combined with other, sweeter fruits when making breads or muffins. Because we had a number of apples, I decided to go for this recipe.

This made a dozen muffins and two small loafs of bread. That I stuck in the freezer for the holidays.

Apple Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 large apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cranberry juice
• 1/2 - 1/3 cup finely chopped cranberries
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract (yes, 3. Not a typo)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine apples, sugar (2 tbsp.), and cinnamon and set aside.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• Combine eggs, oil, cranberry juice, cranberries, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
• Slowly pour the egg/oil mixture into the flour mixture stirring until fully mixed together
• Grease the muffin pans
• Fill about 1/3 of pan with the batter and then spoon a tablespoon of apples into the batter. 
• Make another pass with the batter covering the apples and filling up the muffins about 2/3 full.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes

Banana Bread

We always buy a bunch of bananas to include in the lunch bag for work. Sometimes, though, other fruits get selected for lunch instead.  After a number of days, those slightly green bananas are now spotted, brown, and tired. This recipe is for those bananas. If you have at least 3 over-ripe bananas then you should be thinking about bread instead of tossing them.

I was recently in that position with 5 bananas going brown on me. So I turned to my basic banana bread recipe.

The best thing about banana bread is that it's meant to be shared. I like to use a mini-loaf pan (like this one) because there is usually no waste involved. They are the perfect size to share with co-workers or neighbors without overwhelming them. Plus, I think the small size keeps it from drying out.

This is a basic recipe and it's a good one to try out with your own personal variations. Some links below give some additional ideas.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3-5 bananas (over-ripe with some browning on the peel)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• pinch cloves
• 1 1/2 cup flour

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350
• In a large bowl, smash peeled bananas into chunks
• Add butter and continue to mash
• Add seasonings, vanilla, sugar, eggs, and baking soda mix together
• Add flour and mix
• Ladle the batter into your bread pans
• Cooking time will depend on the loaf pan size. I used a pan with 8 mini-loaves and it was about 45 minutes. Larger loaf pans make take 50 minutes or more. Use a toothpick to test for doneness (it should come out clean).
• When done, remove from oven and let cool

Inspiration:

Smitten Kitchen's Banana Bread

Simply Recipes Banana Bread

Food Network's Banana Bread