Tuesday July 20, 2010

Greetings CSA Members,

This week I am focusing on recipes! And the new addition to our goat family – Lulu!

Enjoy your share this week! Take care – Justine

Green Beans Storage

Store unwashed beans in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Rinse green beans under cold water. To preserve nutrients and flavor during cooking, trim or cut green beans after they have been cooked. Leave the beans whole, or slice or julienne them.

Green Bean Salad with Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan in Lemon Dressing

1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 pound green beans

1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (about 1/2 cup)

Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron)

over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant. (Be careful not to overtoast them, as they will burn very quickly once toasted.) Immediately transfer the nuts to a dish to cool.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and salt; cook until tender but still firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the beans to a colander in the sink and run cold water over them. Trim the beans if necessary.

Toss the beans and walnuts in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil until well combined. Pour this mixture over the beans and toss until well coated. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or to individual plates. Scatter the Parmesan shavings on top.

Rosemary asserts its presence with the sharp scent of pinewoods. Used with restraint, it’s a wonderful herb for crusty breads, soups, marinades, roasted vegetables, fish, and stews. Add it fresh or dried to dishes (but put into a cheesecloth pouch for easy removal if used dried).

Rosemary Lemonade (Farmer John’s Cookbook)

Rosemary adds a lovely herbal note to homemade lemonade. For an extra summery kick, garnish each serving with a sprig of fresh lemon balm or mint. Serves 2 to 4

4 cups water

6 sprigs (each about 5 inches long) fresh rosemary

3/4 cup sugar (or more, to taste)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 large lemons)

Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot, and then reduce the heat so that the water barely simmers. Add the rosemary sprigs; cover and steep the rosemary for 45 minutes. Remove the pot from heat and remove the rosemary sprigs. (If necessary, strain the mixture to remove loose leaves.) Add the sugar; stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Put the lemon juice into a large plastic or glass container and add the cooled rosemary syrup; stir until well combined. Taste the lemonade and sweeten it with additional sugar if desired.

Refrigerate until cold.

Tomatoes Storage

If your tomatoes smell fragrant and yield slightly when squeezed, they are ready to use. If not, store them for a few days at room temperature until they are ripe.

If serving tomatoes raw or lightly cooked, give them a quick rinse and slice, chop, or cut them into chunks as desired. To remove the skin, score a small X in the bottom of each tomato and place into a pot of boiling water (or, pour boiling water over the X’s); the skin will loosen and peel back slightly.

Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto (Farmer John’s Cookbook)

2 pre-roasted tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato

2–3 cloves garlic, peeled, halved

3 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh whole basil leaves

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and oil in a blender and process until just combined. Add a handful of basil and process again briefly; continue adding the basil in small amounts until all is combined.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This week in your share, you will most likely find:

Beets, Rosemary or Cilantro, Lettuce, Zucchini/Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Carrots, and some combination of the following: Potatoes, Corn, Green Beans, Tomatoes 

Cantaloupe, Arugula, and Prosciutto Salad (Martha Stewart)

1/4 cup champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1/2 cup vegetable oil or vegetable-olive oil blend

1 tablespoon minced mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, chives, and parsley)

8 ounces fresh arugula, rinsed and spun dry

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cantaloupe, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into thin wedges 6 to 8 thin slices prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces

In a mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. While continuously whisking, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until completely incorporated. Whisk in the herbs, and set aside while you prepare the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the arugula and red onion. Drizzle in 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Add more vinaigrette to taste, if desired, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

Arrange the cantaloupe wedges on a large serving plate, top with the arugula salad and the prosciutto. Serve immediately.

Orange, Roasted Beet, and Arugula Salad (Martha Stewart)

1 large beet

2 navel oranges

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb arugula, washed well and dried

5 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap beet tightly in parchment paper-lined aluminum foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cook until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 45 to 50 minutes. When cool enough to handle, rub off skins, using paper towels to keep your hands from staining. Cut into wedges.

Meanwhile, prepare oranges; Slice off both ends of each with a paring knife. Cut away the peel and white pith, following the curve of the fruit. Holding the fruit over a bowl, cut along membranes to release whole segments. Squeeze juice from membranes into another bowl, and add any accumulated juice from the segments.

Add oil, vinegar, and mustard to orange juice; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add arugula, and toss to coat with dressing. Divide arugula among four plates. Top with beet wedges, orange segments, and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Shortbread (Gourmet)

3/4 sticks (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

Garnish: small rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter generously a 9-inch cake pan or grease lightly 1 9-inch round shortbread mold.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat butter and honey with sugar until light and fluffy. In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped or dried rosemary. Beat flour mixture into butter mixture until just combined.

On a lightly floured surface knead dough about 8 times, or until it just comes together. With floured hands press dough evenly into pan or mold. If using cake pan score dough into 8 wedges with floured tines of a fork and with flat sides of tines press edges decoratively. Press small rosemary sprigs on top.

Bake shortbread in middle of oven 20 to 30 minutes, or until pale golden, and let stand in pan for 10 minutes. While shortbread is still warm, loosen edges from pan with a small knife and invert onto your hand covered with a kitchen towel. Invert shortbread onto a cutting board and cut halfway through round along score marks. Cool shortbread on a rack.