Chines Cabbage Stir-Fry

Chinese Cabbage is back! Something about the crispness of veggies in a stir fry is pure joy. This is a great way to use your carrots and sugar beets too.

Here's a classic from Gourmet, 1997 posted on this blog originally by Cristiana Thomas. Don't worry so much that you don't have daikon, make do with regular radishes or substitute the sugar beets from the share.

GINGERED VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

3 tbsp. 2 tbsp. 1 tsp. 1 tsp. 1 tsp. 1/4 lb. 2 tbsp. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 1/2 lb. 2 lg. cloves 2 tsp.

chicken broth Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry sugar cornstarch salt fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded vegetable oil carrots (about 3 medium), cut into julienne strips daikon (an Asian radish), cut into julienne strips (about 2 cups) chinese cabbage, sliced thin (about 4 cups) garlic, minced minced peeled fresh ginger root

In a bowl stir together broth, rice wine or Sherry, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined will. Cut mushroom caps into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Heat a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil and heat until it just begins to smoke. Stir-fry carrots 3 minutes. Add daikon (or sugar beets) and stir-fry vegetables 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cabbage, garlic, and ginger root and stir-fry 2 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender. Stir broth mixture and add to vegetables. Stir-fry vegetables 1 minute. Serves 6.

Tail End of Turnips

Turnip, Carrot & Rutabaga Soup

Making a winter soup at the beginning of spring?  YUUUUUP.

You need:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1  chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 -3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced peeled turnips
2 cups diced peeled rutabagas
2 cups diced peeled peeled russet potatoes
2 cups sliced carrot
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 boxes vegetable broth or chicken broth

Warm up your pot with the oil at medium, add the leek, celery and garlic and saute til soft, about 5 minutes.  Add everything except 1 box of stock.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes, til everything is tender.  Blend half with an immersion blender that your mom got you for Christmas, then add the rest of the stock and bring back to a bubble.  Add salt & pepper, eat with crusty bread and some salad! 

Hells yeah.

Shaved Roots

Roasted Carrots with Thyme

These carrots are candy. We roast them for 15-20 minutes covered in our smallest Le Creuset with a little bit of thyme and lemon zest. The secret is to use a delicious, high quality olive oil. There are a lot of options in our area and you can find a few bottles at the Farmers' Markets or We Olive.

Locavore's Confetti Slaw

Confetti Slaw    

1 c. grated green cabbage

1 c. grated purple cabbage

1/2 c. grated carrots

1/4 c. minced onion

1/8 c. dill pickle relish

2 tbls. fresh cilantro

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/8 c rice vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and enjoy the stunning beauty of this dish as well as the summer fresh flavor!

Cabbage Mash-up by Mister Gardner

Ingredients:

2 lbs of cabbage. (quartered, cored, sliced thin crosswise)

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups carrots grated and peeled (white & orange!)

about 4 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 -1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Put cabbage, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl and toss to coat the cabbage.

Cover the bowl.  

Wait about 30 minutes, then toss cabbage again. Cover the bowl and wait another 30 minutes.

Drain the cabbage. (you can do this ahead of time, just put the cabbage in the fridge and do something else for a while like take the kids for a walk, play scrabble, write a blog)  

Add carrots, green onions and mayonnaise. 

Toss to coat. 

 Serve.  

Eat.  

Use salt and pepper if you want it.

Roasted Winter Roots

Ingredients:

• - 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• - Winter squash or yams, scrubbed,
  peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 4 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal or 8-12 smaller carrots left whole
• - 4 large turnips, peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 2-4 beets, cubed
• - 3 Tbs. wildflower honey
• - Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• - 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• - 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 
  

Directions: Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

1. Preheat an oven to 425ºF. Using 2 Tbs. of the melted butter, grease a roasting pan just large enough to hold the vegetables comfortably.
2. Roast the beets in a separate baking dish to prevent discoloring the other vegetables. Arrange the squash or yams, carrots and turnips in the prepared pan. Toss the vegetables with the remaining 6 Tbs. melted butter, then drizzle with the honey. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the lemon juice and raisins.
3. Roast the vegetables, turning twice (or as often as needed so as not to burn the top), until tender, about 1 hour.
4. Using 2 large spoons, gently transfer the vegetables to a warmed platter combining the beets carefully and minimally. Serve hot.

Serving Tip: If desired, before serving the roasted vegetables, stir them with a wooden spoon to break them up and mash them together for a homey, comforting side dish.

Thanksgiving Feast

Maple Roasted Winter Squash with Kale and Blue Cheese

3 cups peeled and cubed squash

5 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp maple syrup

Pinch of Cayenne

Blue Cheese

salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Drizzle oil the cookie sheets

Peel and cube the winter squash (1 inch squares)

De-rib and cut kale into bite size pieces

Put the squash on one cookie sheet, drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with salt and a pinch of cayenne. Bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes

Spread the kale on the other remaining cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, bake for 10 minutes until roasted but not crunchy

Combine in a bowl and add crumbled blue cheese. Serve warm or cold.

Here are more of our favorite Thanksgiving ideas from CSA members in 2011.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Thyme

Ingredients:

- 2 lb. brussels sprouts

- 5 oz. bacon, diced

- 4 shallots, finely chopped

- 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

- 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 cups chicken or turkey stock

- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter

- 3 Tbs. olive oil

- 3 tsp. salt

- 5 oz. bacon, free of nitrates and preservatives

Preparation:

1. Cut or pull off any dry outer leaves from the brussels sprouts. Trim away any brown spots and slice off the dry stem end. Cut the brussels sprouts into quarters. Set aside.



2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Pour off the fat in the pan and discard. 

Although I leave a little.

3. Return the pan to medium heat, add the shallots and thyme and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot mixture to the bowl with the bacon. Pour 1/4 cup of the stock into the pan and, using a wooden spoon, stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Pour the stock over the bacon mixture.

4. 

Using paper towels, wipe out the pan and place over medium-high heat. Melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and salt and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the brussels sprouts begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir again, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in 1/4 cup of the stock. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed, until the brussels sprouts are soft, about 15 minutes more. Add the bacon mixture and any remaining stock and stir to incorporate.

5. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Time: About an hour

Sauteed Winter Greens

Ingredients:

- Any winter greens you have - Collards, Kale, Escarole, etc.. .Any, or preferably all.

- Garlic, minced

- 1 large lemon

- good salt and pepper

- 4 to 8 tablespoons of olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash and separate the greens from their stems. Break into the size you like to eat and place in a bowl. Add 1/2 the oil on top for about 15 minutes.

2. When you are about ready to serve dinner, heat the remaining oil on med. high to high in a good saute or cast iron pan. Add the garlic and flash sear for under a minute (don't let the garlic brown).

3. Begin to add the greens by their thickness Collards first, because they are the heartiest, then the kale, then the rest. Saute each batch for just a bit. You want to wilt them slightly.

4. When you are almost done, add squeeze of lemon (optional) [ginger and a touch of soy is nice too], salt and pepper and cook for about 30 more seconds. Don't over cook, remember they greens will continue to cook once the heat is off. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Yield: approximately 2 per head of greens

Time: 15 minutes

Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

Ingredients:

• - 8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• - 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed,
  peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 4 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced on the diagonal or 8-12 smaller carrots left whole
• - 4 large parsnips, peeled and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick
• - 3 Tbs. wildflower honey
• - Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• - 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• - 1/2 cup golden raisins
• (I sometimes add squash such as butternut, peeled and cubed)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 425ºF. Using 2 Tbs. of the melted butter, grease a roasting pan just large enough to hold the vegetables comfortably.

2. Arrange the sweet potatoes, carrots and parsnips in the prepared pan. Toss the vegetables with the remaining 6 Tbs. melted butter, then drizzle with the honey. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the lemon juice and raisins.

3. Roast the vegetables, turning twice (or as often as needed so as not to burn the top), until tender, about 1 hour.

4. Using 2 large spoons, gently transfer the vegetables to a warmed platter. Serve hot.

Yield: 8+

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serving Tip: If desired, before serving the roasted vegetables, stir them with a wooden spoon to break them up and mash them together for a homey, comforting side dish.

Apple Pie with Thyme and Wild Honey

Ingredients:

• - 3 Golden Delicious, Gala or Fuji apples (or a combination), peeled and cored (about 1¼ pounds)
• - 3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored (about 1½ pounds)
• - ½ cup wild honey
• - 12 thyme branches
• - ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), cut into small pieces
• - 2 tablespoons instant tapioca
• - 1/3 cup brown sugar
• - ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• - ¼ teaspoon salt
• - Flour, for dusting
• - Dough for 2 9-inch pie crusts
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice Golden Delicious apples and 3 Granny Smith apples into sixths.
• 2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, bring ¼ cup honey to a boil. Let simmer about 2 minutes, until honey is caramelized. Add 3 thyme branches, preferably tied up. Arrange half the apples in a single layer in skillet. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons butter over apples. Cook apples, turning, until well caramelized on all sides (but not cooked through), about 8 minutes. Scrape apples and honey mixture into a bowl. Add tapioca and toss to combine. Repeat cooking process with remaining honey, thyme, butter and sliced apples. Add second batch of apples to bowl; combine. Discard all thyme branches.
• 3. Thinly slice remaining Granny Smith apple and add it to bowl. Stir in sugar, ginger and salt.
• 4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out both crusts to 12-inch circles. Place one crust in 9-inch pie plate. Scrape apple filling into crust and top with remaining crust. Pinch edges to seal. With a knife, slice 4 vents in top of crust. Or you can use cookie cutters to make a decorative lattice. I use butterflies.
• 5. Place pie on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet.Bake for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until crust is dark golden and apples are tender when pricked with a fork, about 45 minutes more. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Yield: One 9-inch pie, 8 servings.

......................................................................................

Daryl Peveto

L U C E O I M A G E S

West Coast / California

+1 267 882 8378

darylpeveto@luceoimages.com

Juice Season

We've been wearing green at the farm lately in honor of St. Patrick's Day; after all, green is the business of vegetable farmers. With leafy greens still dominating the CSA and root veggies like carrots and beets making a comeback, we've officially entered juice season. Ok, it's no Hallmark holiday, but in honor of Spring, we're going orange- literally. It's embarrassing, but more than 3 cups of carrot juice in a day can create a benign condition called Carotenemia that colors the skin pigment on the palms and feet orange. We're not worried; it is not permanent- only cosmetically displeasing (way better than radiating green).

During juice season it's customary to dust off or find yourself a juicer. It shouldn't be hard; all of us have either sold or acquired one at some point at a garage sale. The juicer was invented with CSA in mind. Members who juice their greens not only increase overall health, but also their CSA longevity. Some Rio Gozo Farm members have a "Day Before the Next Delivery" juicing spree- a great way to finish up anything left over from the week in one glass. I'm going to add "Do you have a juicer?" to the CSA application as a prerequisite to the program. If you're a heavy juicer you probably have a strong opinion of your favorite type of machine for very well thought out reasons; some of us juice newbies would benefit from a little Juicing 101.

Here's a quick lesson from BestJuicers.com

There are three types of juicers: Masticating, Centrifugal, & Triturating.

1. The Masticating machine operates at a slower speed. It chews the fibers and breaks up the cells of vegetables and fruits. This gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. The Champion is a masticating juicer. It also is more versatile because in addition to extracting juices, the unit homogenizes making baby foods, sauces, nut butters, banana ice creams and fruit sorbets.

2. The Centrifugal machine first grinds the fruit and vegetables then pushes them through the strainer by spinning at a very high rpm (similar to your washing machine on the spin cycle). This method usually yields a little more volume of juice. The Omega 1000 & 4000 and Juiceman II are centrifugal machines.

3. The Triturating (twin gear) machine, which turns at a slower rpm, has a two step process. The first step crushes the fruits and vegetables, while the second step presses the juice. This process gives you more fiber, enzymes, vitamins and trace minerals. These juicers also have magnetic and bio-ceramic technology that slows down the oxidation process, which is good if you want to make and store your juice. .These juicers are excellent for juicing leafy greens, wheatgrass, sprouts, root vegetables like beets and carrots and most water dense (non-pulpy) fruits. Juicing time is longer with twin gear juicers due to the slower juicing process which gives you a higher quality juice.

Now that you've got your juicer ready to go, take a look at this link to a few carrot juicing recipes.

http://www.carrotjuice.com/

Indulge in a 4th glass of vitamin A and enjoy the Spring veggies.

Sláinte!

Carrot Love

This is what carrots do in the dark when nobody is looking.

Happy Valentines Day

to you carrot lovers.

Carrot Love

No everyone loves carrots, but I was especially happy to have them reappear in the shares. Carrots are versatile, they keep for ages in the crisper, and they are healthy. What's not to love?

The ancient Greek word for carrot is philon, and is related to the word for love, philia. Modern carrots are derived from a wild white root called Queen Anne's Lace. They are an Afgan native that has become the most widely consumed taproot crop in America.

To get the most nutrition out of your carrot, use it unpeeled, since the nutrients tend to concentrate in and near the skin. The tops are also edible, but only when fresh and young. The leaves can be used like parsley, but be sure to discard the tough stems.

We don't have to try hard to get through the carrots in our house, but in case you do, there is a recipe for carrot slaw below. It would be divine on lunch sandwiches!

Stolen wholesale from Put a Lid on It

3 sterilized pint jars, lids and rings
4 cups matchstick carrots (this is how to easily cut beautiful matchsticks with no waste)
2 cups julienne onion
3 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 Tbsp. fine salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
16 oz. white wine vinegar

Toss carrots, onion, spices and salt. Bring vinegar to a boil. Pack veg into jars and fill with vinegar. Process for 10 minutes. (Follow all standard canning procedures- you can learn about them here.)

To consume, drain slaw and toss in extra virgin olive oil. Spoon generously onto your favorite deli sandwich.

Nantes Carrot Stew

Never mind that September is usually the hottest month in Ojai, and never mind that the leaves don't turn much, and the storms don't roll through, and the air does not get that unmistakable flavor of autumn until much much later in the year (if it happens at all). Labor Day has passed, and in my book that means the start of fall, regardless of the weather.

To celebrate fall, one must have carrot stew. Keller calls for Nantes, and while those certainly would be ideal, I wouldn't let having delicious carrots of other varieties be an impediment to trying this recipe. Delicious is delicious, and Keller knows how to bring out the best in so many flavors, carrots especially. I love how simple and elegant this recipe is, while still feeling hearty. Welcome fall.

From Ad Hoc.

2 pounds sweet carrots, preferably Nantes

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

4 to 6 tablespoons (2 to 3 ounces) unsalted butter

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons dry sherry or Madeira

1 cup fresh carrot juice

Large pinch of Yellow Curry Powder (page 336) or Madras curry powder

Nantes carrots, which Tucker Taylor grows in the French Laundry garden, are a long cylindrical variety that’s about the same diameter from end to end. Cut into oblique shapes or lengthwise into what we call icicles, they’re small enough to stew quickly in carrot juice with a splash of sherry or Madeira and a sachet of coriander and caraway seeds, and they’re finished with a touch of curry powder. Combined with Asparagus Coins, they make a vivid dish, great with a flaky white fish such as cod or bass. They’d also be excellent with a rack of lamb or Cornish game hens. These can be cooked a day ahead, cooled in the liquid, and refrigerated. If you have a juicer, make your own carrot juice. The sauce will be thicker because of the natural starches in the juice, which store-bought carrot juice often lacks.

Peel the carrots and cut them into oblique shapes.

Make a sachet of the coriander and caraway seeds by wrapping them in a piece of cheesecloth and tying it with kitchen twine.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the carrots begin to give off their juices, about 7 minutes. Lower the heat as necessary to keep the carrots from browning. Add the sherry and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot juice, curry powder, and sachet and cook, swirling the pan, for 2 more minutes, or until the carrots are just tender. (The carrots can be cooled and refrigerated in the liquid overnight.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to a bowl. Discard the sachet.

Simmer the carrot juice until reduced to a light glaze. Whisk in the remaining 2 to 4 tablespoons of butter, depending on your preference, 1 tablespoon at a time. Season to taste with salt, add the carrots, and swirl to glaze the carrots. Transfer to a serving bowl. SERVES 6