The Dirty Little Secret of Salad Dressings

Make your own salad dressing. It will be hard to ever buy dressing again. Why not spend the money you saved on chocolate instead? Dressings are great to have on hand, prepared and ready to go for the salads and veggies you make with your weekly CSA. We make a big batch and refill our old bottles. Dressings can also be used to marinate vegetables for grilling, broiling, or baking. The possibilities are endless, and for more dirty little secrets keep reading.

They are simple, but here are a few tips.

• Blend your oils if you plan on refrigerating your dressing- olive oil is great for flavor but will congeal, vegetable oil is less expensive and will not.

• Experiment with types of vinegars- apple cider, balsamic, rice, and red wine. Apple Cider vinegar is sweeter and works well with beets, rice vinegar goes well with cucumbers and asian dishes. Balsamic is great on the barbecue. Use white balsamic if you don't want to discolor your food.

• Use a blender or a Cuisinart. I start with a little red onion and then add the wet ingredients, herbs, etc...

• Experiment with different herbs- follow your nose. Smell them and ask yourself "Does this go with asparagus, carrots, fennel, etc...?" Hint: same herbs and vegetables you would find together in a soup go well as a marinade for broiling, sautéing, baking, grilling, and enjoying raw.

• Try adding a tablespoon of dijon mustard- it adds body

• Citrus (since we live in citrus paradise let's use it)- a few squeezes of lemon, orange, or grapefruit is perfect. Zest will change your life.

• Enough salt and cracked pepper finishes your dressing

• The secret ingredient- nobody wants to talk about this dirty little secret- you need to add a little sweetener to balance the vinegar. Try honey, cane sugar, or agave. Sweeten to taste.

Recipes:

French Lemon Vinaigrette

Lemons, Dijon mustard, oil, honey, salt & pepper to taste, (dill optional)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic, oil, onion, 1 clove of raw garlic, herbs of Provence, sugar, salt, pepper to taste

Your own green goddess

Apple cider vinegar, oil, fresh greens- cilantro, parsley, or arugula, lemon, sugar, salt & pepper to taste (avocado optional)

Feta or Blue Cheese Dressing-

1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup sour cream

3/4 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese (about 3 ounces) plus additional to taste if desired

Summer Cobb Salad

I used the last of the CSA lettuce for a lite and delicious dinner salad:

You need:
Couple heads of romaine, red, or whatever lettuce you have
Blue cheese
Chicken breasts (2)
Turkey bacon
Tomatoes (2 seeded & diced)
Avocados (2 diced)

For the dressing:
1 shallot finely chopped
1/4 cup of balsamic
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Combine & mix oil in slowly

Cook your bacon how you like it ( low& slow)
Pound your chicken breast to about 1/2 inch thickness
Salt & pepper those bad boys
Put a tbsp of olive oil in skillet
Cook til done in skillet (bout 3 minutes per side on medium high heat)

Arrange your greens first, then make beautiful lines of bacon,
chicken, blue cheese, avocado & tomato. Serve dressing on the side.

Posted by Mister Gardner

Early Spring Greens with Pixie Tangerine and Arugula Flowers

Spicy and tart with the soft texture of young greens, this is the taste of early spring. Arugula flowers open when the plant is going to seed. At this stage, we move from the bottom of the plant to the tops. The leaves become tougher and bold, but the blooms are perfect balance of both nutty and spicy. Enjoy it in combination with local tangerines, chevre and a little dash of Ojai olive oil and balsamic dressing.

Lettuce Soup

I've been avoiding lettuce soup because it just seems sort of iffy as a concept, but our fellow CSAer Celia posted on her Facebook page about making a great lettuce soup and effectively convinced me to try it. It's surprisingly delicious and an easy way to make quick work of getting through the lettuce bounty. I've reposted the recipe below. Try it!

- Christiana

1 cup chopped onions, scallions, and/or shallots
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup diced (1/3 inch) peeled potato
8 cups coarsely chopped lettuce leaves including ribs (3/4 lb)
3 cups water

Full of Folate

   

    Can you identify this leafy green? 

     Early November brings us goodies in the box that may all look the same to the average eye.  Some of us are hard pressed to tell chard from kale from spinach from collards.  All the above in the same share- farmers have a deep concern for your colon and a folly for folatio.

     Well, according to John, not all leafy greens look the same. They certainly don't taste the same; but you could probably get away with cooking them in a similar way.  John's favorite is a quick sauté in coconut oil, grated orange zest, & sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds (gomasio if you prefer). Eat everyday for the next 3 months.  When it really starts to get mundane add red chili flakes to spice things up, use creative pet names like: Hot under the Collard.

     To their credit, these leafy ladies all got something you want.  They share an abundance of folate, and folate is all the rave these days.  You can't even get a pap smear at child bearing age without a hasty recommendation to increase intake of folic acid. Maybe I'm naive, maybe its because I'm a part of a CSA with a promise of more leafy greens than I ever imagined, but is it possible to already be getting enough of this vitamin? I  balk at supplements and haven't developed a taste for chalky organ meat. Calf's liver is synonymous with childhood nights alone at the dinner table while everybody else gets to watch the Muppet Show. I'd prefer a season of identifying mystery greens and laboring over different ways to enjoy them than either alternative.  Would it help to think of your box as one giant supplement?

     If you're looking for few good ideas on how to cook your goods, come to the Fall Harvest CSA potluck November 21st at Rio Gozo Farm. John will give a greens tour and demonstrate how to prepare them. 

In the meanwhile, here's a list of fun folate facts:

World's Healthiest Foods ranked as quality sources of: folate
Food	Serving Size	Cals	Amount (mcg)	DV (%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
Romaine lettuce	2 cup	15.7	151.98	38.0	43.6	excellent
Spinach, boiled	1 cup	41.4	262.80	65.7	28.6	excellent
Asparagus, boiled	1 cup	43.2	262.80	65.7	27.4	excellent
Turnip greens, cooked	1 cup	28.8	170.50	42.6	26.6	excellent
Mustard greens, boiled	1 cup	21.0	102.76	25.7	22.0	excellent
Calf's liver, braised	4 oz-wt	187.1	860.70	215.2	20.7	excellent
Parsley, fresh	2 tbs	2.7	11.40	2.9	19.0	good
Kelp (sea vegetable)	0.25 cup	8.6	36.00	9.0	18.8	very good
Collard greens, boiled	1 cup	49.4	176.70	44.2	16.1	excellent
Broccoli, steamed	1 cup	43.7	93.91	23.5	9.7	excellent
Cauliflower, boiled	1 cup	28.5	54.56	13.6	8.6	excellent
Beets, Boiled	1 cup	74.8	136.00	34.0	8.2	excellent
Celery, raw	1 cup	19.2	33.60	8.4	7.9	very good
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	229.7	357.98	89.5	7.0	excellent
Brussel sprouts, boiled	1 cup	60.8	93.60	23.4	6.9	very good
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	234.3	294.12	73.5	5.6	very good
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	227.0	255.94	64.0	5.1	very good
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked	1 cup	269.0	282.08	70.5	4.7	very good
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	224.8	229.39	57.3	4.6	very good
Summer squash, cooked, slices	1 cup	36.0	36.18	9.0	4.5	very good
Cucumbers, slices, with peel	1 cup	13.5	13.52	3.4	4.5	good
Navy beans, cooked	1 cup	258.4	254.62	63.7	4.4	very good
Papaya	1 each	118.6	115.52	28.9	4.4	very good
Green beans, boiled	1 cup	43.8	41.63	10.4	4.3	very good
Cabbage, shredded, boiled	1 cup	33.0	30.00	7.5	4.1	very good
Fennel, raw, sliced	1 cup	27.0	23.50	5.9	3.9	very good
Bell peppers, red, raw, slices	1 cup	24.8	20.24	5.1	3.7	very good
Leeks, boiled	0.50 cup	16.1	12.64	3.2	3.5	good
Green peas, boiled	1 cup	134.4	101.28	25.3	3.4	very good
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	216.2	156.23	39.1	3.3	good
Winter squash, baked, cubes	1 cup	80.0	57.40	14.3	3.2	good
Tomato, ripe	1 cup	37.8	27.00	6.8	3.2	good
Oranges	1 each	61.6	39.69	9.9	2.9	good
Crimini mushrooms, raw	5 oz-wt	31.2	19.85	5.0	2.9	good
Strawberries	1 cup	43.2	25.49	6.4	2.7	good
Flaxseeds	2 tbs	95.3	53.86	13.5	2.5	good
Split peas, cooked	1 cup	231.3	127.20	31.8	2.5	good
Raspberries	1 cup	60.3	31.98	8.0	2.4	good
Eggplant, cooked, cubes	1 cup	27.7	14.26	3.6	2.3	good
Onions, raw	1 cup	60.8	30.40	7.6	2.3	good
Cantaloupe, cubes	1 cup	56.0	27.20	6.8	2.2	good
Kale, boiled	1 cup	36.4	17.29	4.3	2.1	good
Swiss chard, boiled	1 cup	35.0	15.05	3.8	1.9	good
Corn, yellow, cooked	1 cup	177.1	76.10	19.0	1.9	good
Peanuts, raw	0.25 cup	207.0	87.53	21.9	1.9	good
Grapefruit	0.50 each	36.9	15.01	3.8	1.8	good
Sunflower seeds, raw	0.25 cup	205.2	81.86	20.5	1.8	good
Avocado, slices	1 cup	235.1	90.37	22.6	1.7	good
Carrots, raw	1 cup	52.5	17.08	4.3	1.5	good

World's Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%