When the CSA Gives You Tomatoes...

Here's the thing, it has been no secret in this blog that I really enjoy all fruit and veg. Yet, this weeks take home from our local CSA questioned my inner cook. As the summer draws to a close, the farmers market and CSA have been offering the most diverse and colorful produce to date. Simply beautiful. Simply delicious.


This weeks shopping list for week 12:

Cantaloupe
Peaches
Grape Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Beefsteak tomatoes
Pink heirloom tomatoes
Radishes
Cauliflower
Peppers
Carrots


This week marked the third distribution of our canning share. We opted to split an add on to our fruit and veggies with our friends for the season. The canning offers ALOT of veg in 5 installments. In July we received a crate of basil and at the beginning of August, we received a crate of Kirby cucumbers. It appears that the purpose of this share is to preserve food for the winter months. We had given our basil to a friend to enjoy when we were in the Cape and the cucumbers got pickled by another friend who created delish pickles that currently line my shelves. This food sharing is part of why I love cooking in our community so much. Fun times.

This week as you can tell by the list above, tomatoes were king. They were everywhere at the farmers market and the CSA. As an added bonus, our third distribution of the canning share awaited us. Saturday morning, amidst a steady summer morning rain, a massive crate filled with "paste tomatoes" was split between our 2 households. I got them home, laid them out on the counter and the journey of creating our first fresh tomato basil sauce began.

Please note, this is very similar to the sauce I shared a few months ago. However, that recipe was a quicker sauce that utilized canned tomatoes. The difference, these tomatoes are fresh from the vine. Mmm...Enjoy!

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

40 tomatoes, (beefsteak and plum)
3 small onions, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of super fine sugar


1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2) While bringing water to a boil, fill your kitchen sink (after scrubbing it clean) with cold tap water.
3) Working in batches, place 4-6 tomatoes into the boiling water (do not crowd) at a time and let float for about 1 minute.
4) As you pull out your tomatoes, place them into your water bath. Repeat and continue until all tomatoes are cooling in your water bath.





5) Pull the skins away from the flesh of the fruit and place in a bowl. Discard all skins.
6) Cut each tomato in half and cut out the seeds and stems. Place into a bowl. Continue this step until you have cut up and seeded all of your tomatoes.
7) Heat oil in the bottom of your pot and sauté garlic, onions and tomato paste together for about 4-6 minutes until onions are sweated and tomato paste is absorbed.
8) Add tomatoes to the onion/garlic mixture, add salt and pepper, basil, oregano, sugar. Cover and walk away.


9) Stir every 30 minutes for about 2 hours.
10) After 2 hours, uncover and let the tomatoes reduce and break down to about half.


Tips:
* If some of the tomatoes aren't breaking down as much as you may like after the first 2 hours, use your immersion hand blender to bring your sauce together.
* Be careful to not over salt during the first hour or two. I promise that the flavors will concentrate and build.

4 hours after our sauce journey began, I was left with 3 beautiful quarts of what I felt was red gold. This tomato basil sauce had the freshest and most vibrant flavored throughout. Another silly experiment ended with a feeling of pride and joy. I loved every moment of this process. Every week that CSA continues, it solidifies the fact that we will rejoin next year. Loving so much of what the season, the soil and my kitchen have to offer.

Please, love one another and happy eating!!!

Location:Brooklyn, New York

Have Guac, Will Travel.

What a crazy start to August this has been. I have run around so much that I haven't had a chance to write this week, so here I am. The days fly by so quickly that I find myself wishing the clock would stop or slow. I must admit though, this summer in particular has taught me more about how to slow down and take it in. I am getting the hang of it, but am a work in progress. More time is being taken for me to cultivate, rejuvenate and explore. It feels great. The kitchen has been a home base for more exploration this summer, but this weeks recipe is an old standby that I haven't prepared in about 5 years. See, time does fly!

The recipe I am sharing is for guacamole. It is a twist on Alton Brown's well received recipe, but with a few omissions and alterations. It is his method of coating the avocados in lime juice prior to mashing that I feel really makes all the difference. That is a trick I will keep in my arsenal. Another tip, is to make sure to also work with the most ripe produce you can find. It helps when you mash.


Ingredients

9 hass avocados, scooped
3 limes, juiced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt


Directions

1) In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat.
2) Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.
3) Using a potato masher add the salt and mash.
4) Fold in the onions, cilantro, and garlic.
5) Add reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve with your favorite chips or as we did, along side some tacos!

Tip:
* Use the largest bowl that you can find for mashing. This will give great surface area to mash away.
* Taste as you go. Flavors build and build and you don't want any one flavor to overpower.


This particular batch made exactly enough to fill these two containers pictured above. I recommend these containers in all sizes in your Tupperware drawer/closet. They stack and store great. Not to mention, you don't have to worry about getting your "good" containers back at nights end when bringing items to someones home. Win win.


Although this batch produced ALOT of guac, it still wasn't enough. 13 people were at the mexican themed backyard party that I made this recipe for. Yet, i witnessed grown adults scraping the side of the bowl to ensure that every morsel was consumed of the green stuff. That made me happy, but I may need 15 avocados next time. Oh yes, a great rule of thumb for guacamole is to figure between 1/2-1 avocado per guest if they are very hungry! These guests most definitely were.

Happy eating to one and all!!!

Location:Brooklyn, NYC

Road Tripping with the Family

Truth be told, I was not raised in a house where healthy food was king. I remember many meals saturated with frozen pizza or kids cuisines and take out. Healthy snacks were also not readily available, but what fun were carrots or fruit anyway? So, when I was delegated to be the one to prepare for our 3 day/2 night trip to Cape Cod, I was a little too excited to go back to my snacking roots and pack up some road food for our 6 hour drive.
List of goodies:
Plums
Good and Plenty
Vitamin Water
Kind bar-pomegranate almond
Luna Bar-chocolate dipped coconut
Cookies and Cream CHEX Mix
Twizzlers
Baked Sugar Snap Peas
Iced Coffee and Munchkins (picked up 1/2 way through our journey)




As I write this list, I am quickly realizing that my road snacks as a 29 year old are drastically different than of a 9 year old. I may have thrown caution to the wind and indulged in some munchkins and CHEX mix, but a younger me would have chased that with a regular coke and thrown in a bag of chips. All good things, but I would live to regret it, making it less enjoyable. This was a weekend away however, a weekend of indulgence, but my conscience still reigns in my mind.
One of our must haves on this trip according to Doug's niece was a sweet treat at The Ice Cream Smuggler. The Ice Cream Smuggler is an institution located on the Cape where on any given day, a rotation of 50+ ice cream and yogurt flavors are available for consumption. Absolutely worth the detour if you aren't near by if not just for the experience.
I would say that my flavor choices in ice cream are pretty predictable. Whenever I indulge in full fat ice cream, you can be sure that one of three things will be in that cup. You will either find something coffee flavored, minty or with cookies or chips throughout. Luckily, on my first trip to the Smuggler, I was able to get a few of these items within my two scoops. My first scoop was a bright green mint cookies and cream that they had named "grasshopper". My second scoop was called "peppermint stick", a flavor reminiscent of the signature ice cream I used to share with my father at Peppermint Park in NYC. Wonderful memories shared there, but it is now a Dunkin Donuts. Clearly there was a minty theme for me that afternoon, but a summer afternoon for me demands flavors that are refreshing and full of fun. My choices had both. The rose hued peppermint ice cream was smooth and creamy with flecks of crushed up peppermint stick candy throughout. Grasshopper was a crisp mint ice cream with huge hunks of dark chocolate cookies throughout like little mud tracks.




The Smuggler's ice creams were all hand scooped by what looked like high school kids working hard at their summer jobs. You have to love that! This group of girls were full of joy, infectiously positive and sweet. All traits that were similar to the product they were selling. I left their happy in the reality that this is what a small town ice cream shop should be. It felt like home with just the right amount of kitsch thrown in. I look forward to going back again one day.
Although I am not a lover of seafood, Doug is. I am slowly allowing seafood into my life, but for now crab is the only item that i would order off a menu. For our second evening in the Cape, we ventured to a seafood shack situated within a marina in Dennis, MA. At Sesuit Harbor Cafe pictured below, there were absolutely no frills. It is a family owned and operated restaurant overlooking the harbor. I loved the vibe because it wasn't phony. They were offering good food in a great location.








Sesuit had a great atmosphere. All seating was outdoors at picnic tables dotted along the inlet. 3 young female servers ran around shouting out numbers for orders to coordinate with patrons who had grabbed a seat after paying. Finding seats was an art and took patience. The environment and feeling of this place was perfect, we felt comfortable and free. There was an hour wait in line just to get our order in, but the blow was lessened when we learned that we were able to hang in line with a clear plastic glass of Sauvignon Blanc in hand. I may have forgotten to mention that the restaurant was also BYO. Score!




We had gotten a heads up that a quaint little liquor/wine shop was just down the road from the marina, so prior to getting to the restaurant I was able to purchase the perfect New Zealand wine to round out our meal.




No surprise, I opted for a garden salad with grilled chicken at dinner while Doug indulged in raw oysters. He enjoyed the flavor, depth, and texture of these little buggers, but found that each consisted of some shard of shell. Bummer. However, the pictures I took say it all. Good food, beautiful scenery and amazing company made this a truly memorable dinner in Massachusetts.








I have found that there is something insanely rejuvenating about traveling outside of the boroughs of New York City. On this trip in particular, the crisp dry air and abundance of kind folks mixed with a slower pace made for a wonderful 3 day weekend. Throw my future husband into the drivers seat of a rental car and the furry kids in the back seat with me, and you have a recipe for a great time. This experience reaffirmed to me that road trips are really about spending quality time reconnecting with the road while in the presence of those you love most. Oh yea! Let us not forget, road trips are also great ways to nurture your cravings too! Happy Eating to all!

Location:Brooklyn,NYC

A Versatile Summer Treat

So many delicious veggies this week and so little time to indulge. This weeks crop definitely reenforced my passion for home cooking in some great ways. I truly think that I am getting the hang of this!

Week 7

Kohlrabi
Arugula
String-beans
Basil
Celery
Green cabbage or Napa Cabbage
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Zucchini or pattypan squash
Raspberries


The moment we got our share home on Saturday, I immediately knew that the arugula and basil would best be utilized in one of my favorite sauces, pesto. Traditionally, pesto is a purée of pine nuts and basil that is brought together by olive oil in a food processor or blender. It can be as diverse as it is delicious. This "sauce" takes no cooking and can be a hot summer nights best friend and your recipe arsenal's deadliest weapon. Since I had a few different ingredients on hand, the recipe shared below was created from a few seasonal items that I mixed with items I had on hand. The result was nothing short of a delicious summer staple.


Basil-Arugula-Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups basil leaves
2 cups arugula leaves
1 1/2 cups of walnuts
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grates
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil (add or omit as needed)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions

1) Place arugula, pesto, garlic, and walnuts in work bowl of your food processor.
2) Cover. Pulse 10-15 times to incorporate all ingredients.
3) Open the food processor and scrape the side of the work bowl.
4) Add in 4 peeled garlic cloves, lemon zest and 1/2 cup of the oil. Replace cover.
5) Put the food processor in ON function and let it mix and purée for about 30 seconds.
6) Pour the remaining olive oil into work bowl through the tube on top to get the consistency that you desire.
7) Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
8) Remove to bowl or airtight container. Will stay for up to a week in your refrigerator or in the freezer 6 months.


Tips:

*Please, get creative! I have made this recipe with different greens, like ramps and parsley. I have also enjoyed making a less expensive pesto by interchanging nuts. This recipe calls for pine nuts usually, but I used walnuts. I have heard that pistachios can add different flare too.
* Use this recipe to top your favorite protein, stuff your own homemade ravioli, slather on crusty bread or mixed into your favorite pasta.
* Always make extra! This particular recipe when followed made enough to top two dinner portions of chicken and left about a pint for the freezer.

This weekend, Doug and I will be road tripping to Cape Cod with our two furry friends. That will mean that we will miss our CSA pick up and therefore won't have our week 8 list or recipes out for the next post. I do however look forward to bringing you all some great tips and picks from the road. Cape Cod does have hold some great food treasures that we can't wait to experience. More to come...

Until than, have a super weekend and happy eating!!!

Location:Brooklyn,United States

Cool as a Cucumber

Here we are, about 1/2 way through the month of July. Temperatures have finally cooled off this week after battling 90's and above since the end of June. As the temps fluctuate and the sticky months settle in, I am working on taking baby steps away from the stove in hopes that I will cool off in the process. Summer leaves me with less of an appetite, as well as a hunger for things that are refreshing. Salads, cold soups and sandwiches come to mind. Yummy!

CSA crop:

Kohlrabi
String beans
Zucchini
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Pattypan squash
Cilantro
Yellow plums
Raspberries...some were massive! (see below)


On the warmest days of this summer this far, I found myself so exhausted and overheated that cooking the meal I had planned out for the week was the furthest thing from my mind. My schedule has also changed a bit in recent weeks due to some sad personal news I received. So, the changes to my schedule have made meal planning a bit difficult to predict. Although this has nothing to do with food, I want to let you in a bit more.

My knee had been bothering me for a few weeks after my runs, so I finally went to see an orthopedist to see what was going on and figure out how to fix it. With no easy fix available, he gave me the devastating news that I would have to hang up my running shoes as a result of damage done to my knee. He added the info that I also suffered from a genetic issue that my dad had dealt with. Instead, I can only do things like ride a bike or use an elliptical machine. No lunging, squatting, kneeling, running, stairs-nothing. I was a zombie for a few days trying to figure out where to put the energy that my running used up. I know, it could be way worse. However, it is the end of an error for me. I have lost a piece of me for sure. I was one with the road. I was one with my dad. Now, it is me and a few hundred strangers sweating together. That is where the gym comes in. New York Sports Club is where I will continue to maintain my sanity. Well, there and my kitchen.

Now, we move toward the meat (or veg in this case) of this weeks posting. As mentioned earlier, I enjoy cooler and lighter fare this time of year. Something thrown on the barbecue is best accompanied by a slaw, pasta/quinoa salad, or this weeks warm weather side. Two of the star ingredients are straight from the farm (CSA).


Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

2 pints of grape tomatoes, quartered
6 cucumbers (Kirby size), peeled,halved and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Chop all ingredients and toss with all liquid ingredients.
Salt and pepper to taste.

A splurge in my house depends on the moment. This week, the splurge was beef. We threw a fresh garlic, lime and cilantro marinated flank steak on the charcoal grill this on Sunday. Alongside this mass of meat, we served our tomato and cucumber salad. Add some flour tortillas, and we had a summer soft taco that was just as beautiful as it was filling.

Have a great week and happy eating!!!

Location:Brooklyn, New York

The heat is on...

This week proved to feel a bit off balance. 2 days of work, 1 day off, 2 days of work. It was Independence Day Wednesday, but this year was different. We didn't participate in any cook outs, we didn't indulge in hamburgers or hot dogs. Instead, I opted for a good long work out and lazed on the couch for most of the holiday. What is more American than channel surfing on the sofa on a day off? A few days prior to the holiday marked our 5th CSA pick up of the 22 week cycle.

CSA Shopping List:

Sugar snap peas
Bok Choy
Dil
Broccoli
Onions
Potatoes
Raspberries


Since the holiday broke up the week in an odd way, the meal planning unfortunately took a back seat. So, when Thursday night rolled around, I noticed that the vegetable drawer still held an assortment of some green veg that had lasted the week. With my wheels turning and my belly empty, I tossed together a quick, delicious and nutritious summer veggie and pork stir fry. The best part? I pulled this off in under 30 with items in the fridge and pantry.

Quick Summertime Pork Stir Fry

I pound of trimmed pork loin, cut into 1 inch strips
1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
1 bunch of baby bok Choy, halved
1/2 cup shell peas
1 lb of sugar snap peas
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 can of baby corn, cut in thirds
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon of fresh garlic, grated
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp Veg or olive oil
1/2 cup chicken (or veg) stock
Sesame seeds for garnish

1) Place pork, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, and a dash of teriyaki sauce into a bowl and combine. Set aside.
2) Warm large skillet over medium heat and brown your pork. Cook 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove pork from pan and set aside.
3) Add stock to pan and using a wooden spoon scrape bottom of pan to deglaze. Add broccoli and cover. Cook for 3 minutes.
4) Next, add snow peas and bok choy to broccoli and add soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Cover and cook another 3 minutes.
5) Uncover and add corn, chestnuts, and peas. Stir to combine.
6) Add your cooked pork back to your pan. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes or until all is warmed through. Veggies should still be a vibrant green and crisp.
7) Serve over your favorite rice or noodle. Top with sesame seeds.


Tip:
* although I didn't have any onions on hand, I usually try to throw in a sliced onion or a bunch of scallion. If using an onion, put in when deglazing the pan after cooking and removing your pork.

Stay cool out there and happy eating!!!

Location:Brooklyn, New York

Roasting the Harvest

Hooray, summer is here! For a regular 9-5 working lady like myself, this usually doesn't change much in my life other than my wardrobe and need for extra SPF. All of that said, the summer of 2012 has already changed for the better with the addition of The Greene Harvest CSA to my household as detailed on this blog in the past few weeks. An added bonus of this summer is that our wedding is taking place in 5 months! With the warm weather here to stay and the wedding dress all ready for me to slip on, the focus for the next few months will be on health, love, and happiness. All good things.

This weeks take home from the CSA didn't offer any newbies other than parsley. Yet, it was a great crop nonetheless in my eyes. Here are the root veggies that we got. Please note the awesome twisted carrot. I love this stuff!


As a side note, turnips were never a staple on my produce shopping list until now. This was the 2nd week that we were graced with white baby turnips. They are a root vegetable that have a very distinct flavor all their own. Yet another example of enjoying what the season and farmers offer. I enjoy tasting new things and falling in love.

List:

Turnips
Carrots
Shell peas
Snap peas
Italian parsley
Rappini
Cherries

Roasted Baby Turnips and Carrots

1 bunch white baby turnips, scrubbed and left whole
1 bunch of carrots, scrubbed and cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place your cleaned and chopped root vegetables into your roasting pan.

Sprinkle your olive oil over with veg and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes until fork tender a bit of brown shows.



Serving Tip:

Serve along side your favorite protein or make a meatless meal by serving along side some nutty quinoa or cous cous. The first time that we made this, we ate it as a snack at room temperature. Roasted veggies are so versatile, sweet and nutty.

Although this weeks recipe isn't mind blowing or inventive, sometimes simple can be just what you need. Boring and healthy can be a great balance to some of the richer foods we indulge in throughout the seasons. Another great find at the CSA. I have fallen for turnips!

Happy Independence Day and happy eating to all! Be safe.

Location:Brooklyn, New York