The Riverside Food Co-op wishes you and yours a festive holiday season, filled with love and sharing. We wish you good food, strong community and good health for the New Year.
Fox Farm
Lemons
Gaytan Family Farm
Beets
Broccoli
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Carrots
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Celery
Huerta del Valle
Eggplant
Gless Ranch
Cara Cara Oranges
Avocados
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Soup weather is always a good reason to have a great recipe on hand. This recipe suggests leaving the rice or pasta out of the soup, adding it to individual bowls because it will soak up all the broth in the refrigerator as a leftover. Adding the cheese rind is also a good tip. Makes a very flavorful broth.
Leek and Spinach Soup
From Food 52. Serves 8 to 10.
Ingredients
6 to 8 leeks
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 cups cooked rice or pasta
5 ounces spinach, pulsed in food processor until it resembles roughly chopped parsley
Freshly grated Edam, Gouda or Parmigiano Reggiano
Lemon (optional)
Directions
Thinly slice all of the leeks and place in a large bowl filled with cold water. Let stand for five minutes to allow any dirt to settle to the bottom.
Place butter and olive oil in large soup pot over low heat. Scoop out leeks from bowl of water and place in pot—any water clinging to the leeks is just fine. Season with a big pinch of salt. Cover pan and cook for ten minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking over low to medium-low heat for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until leeks are soft and have shrunk down considerably. The leeks shouldn't begin to brown or get caramelized; they should be soft and giving up lots of liquid.
Add cheese rind (if you have one) and 6 cups of the chicken stock. Let simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Add remaining chicken stock if necessary. (If your leeks are big and/or you've used 8 of them, you might need the extra 2 cups.)
At this point, you have a few options. If you're making the soup for a crowd, you can add all of the spinach to the pot at once. (If not, you might want to keep the spinach separate—it quickly loses its bright green hue once it enters the broth.) If you're making a small batch of soup, just heat a small amount of broth in a separate pot with however much spinach you like.
Add cooked rice or pasta to individual soup bowls. Ladle leek broth overtop. Pass salt, pepper, cheese, and lemon on the side. Serve with crusty bread.
We eat a LOT of broccoli at our house. This is an interesting change for our favorite green. It would be great on top of a bowl of ramen.
Ramen Hood's Fried Broccoli
From the LA Times. Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients
Sauce
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes, more to taste
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and chile flakes and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring once or twice. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. This makes about 3/4 cup sauce, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; the sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks, refrigerated.
Fried Broccoli
Oil for frying
1 pound broccoli, cut into florets (save the stems for another use)
About 1/4 cup prepared sauce, more if desired
Thinly sliced green onion, for garnish
Directions
Fill a large pot with enough oil to come up about 4 inches and heat the oil until it reaches 375 degrees. Fry the broccoli in small batches until the pieces are a light brown color, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain the pieces well and repeat until all of the broccoli is fried.
Place the broccoli in a bowl and sprinkle over the sauce, tossing the broccoli to coat. Drain the pieces and place on a platter, garnishing with the green onion. Serve immediately.
Hearty Bean and Kale Soup
From the LA Times. Serves 8 to 10.
Ingredients
1/2 pound dried Great Northern beans
Water
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small bunch kale, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 boiling potato, diced
1 small bunch Swiss chard, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Place beans in large saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain beans well and return to saucepan. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, 1 hour 30 minutes, reserving liquid. Transfer half beans to food processor or blender and puree. Reserve remaining whole beans.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and saute 5 minutes. Stir in kale, potato, pureed beans and enough reserved bean cooking liquid and water to make 6 cups. Heat over medium heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes.
Add chard, tomato, garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until chard is tender and flavors are well blended, at least 1 hour, adding additional bean liquid if soup is too thick. (Soup should be quite thick.)
Stir in reserved whole beans and simmer until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. (Can be cooled and refrigerated overnight.)
Ladle into heated soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Pass olive oil to top soup with, if desired.
This is an exciting blend of flavors and uses both the broccoli florets and stems.
Broccoli Salad with Cheddar and Warm Bacon
From Poole’s: Recipes from a Modern Diner cookbook. Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/4 pounds), ends trimmed
½ cup pecan halves
4 ounces bacon, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 green onions, white and light green parts only, chopped
Black pepper
1 cup halved red seedless grapes
4 ounces aged white cheddar, sliced thin and crumbled
Directions
Bring a large pot of generously salted (use about 1/2 cup kosher salt) water to a boil. Set up an ice bath next to the stove and generously salt (about 1/4 cup kosher salt) that water as well.
Cut the broccoli stems from the heads; slice the florets into small pieces, each about 1-inch long. Peel the stems with a peeler and cut each stem in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Add broccoli to the boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds; transfer to the ice water to shock the broccoli and stop the cooking. Drain broccoli in a colander, then set aside (still in the colander) to drain completely.
In a large dry skillet, toast pecans over medium heat until they smell nutty, about 1 minute; remove pecans and set aside. Return skillet to medium heat and add bacon and oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon has rendered its fat and is crispy, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low and whisk in mustard and vinegar. Add green onions and pecans and season generously with black pepper.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli and grapes. Pour the contents of the skillet into the bowl and toss to combine; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the cheddar and toss right before serving.
Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter and Lime
From SmittenKitchen blog, adapted from Bon Appetit. Serves 3 to 4 as side dish.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower (about 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter
1/4 cup (30 grams) hulled pumpkin seeds (sold as pepitas) (see note above)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste
Juice of half a lime (about 1 tablespoon)
Handful chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or chives
Directions
Heat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with just over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle the sheet with salt and pepper. Trim cauliflower and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet, then drizzle with remaining scant 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until underside is deeply browned. Carefully flip pieces and roast until dark brown and crisp on second side, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
While cauliflower roasts, in a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then reduce heat to medium-low and add pumpkin seeds. Stirring the whole time, cook until butter becomes light brown and smells toasty, about 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then add lime juice and season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
Arrange cauliflower on a serving platter and drizzle with dressing. Serve topped with herbs.
If you need a powerful burst of healthy, try this salad bursting with superfoods. Tasty, too!
Colorful Beet Salad with Carrot, Quinoa & Spinach
From Cookie and Kate.com. Serves 2 as a main, and 4 as a side.
Ingredients
Salad
½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 cup frozen organic edamame
⅓ cup slivered almonds or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
1 medium raw beet, peeled
1 medium-to-large carrot (or 1 additional medium beet), peeled
2 cups packed baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped
1 avocado, cubed
Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or cilantro
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup or agave nectar
½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, to taste
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
To cook the edamame: Bring a pot of water to boil, then add the frozen edamame and cook just until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
To toast the almonds or pepitas: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds or pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.
To prepare the beet(s) and/or carrot: First of all, feel free to just chop them as finely as possible using a sharp chef's knife OR grate them on a box grater. If you have a spiralizer, you can spiralize them using blade C, then chop the ribbons into small pieces using a sharp chef's knife. If you have a mandoline and julienne peeler (this is a pain), use the mandoline to julienne the beet and use a julienne peeler to julienne the carrot, then chop the ribbons into small pieces using a sharp chef's knife.
To prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk together all of the ingredients until emulsified.
To assemble the salad: In your large serving bowl, combine the toasted almonds/pepitas, cooked edamame, prepared beet(s) and/or carrot, roughly chopped spinach/arugula (see note above about leftovers), cubed avocado and cooked quinoa.
Finally, drizzle dressing over the mixture (you might not need all of it) and gently toss to combine. You'll end up with a pink salad if you toss it really well! Season to taste with salt (up to an additional ¼ teaspoon) and black pepper. Serve.
We live in a part of the world where we can have eggplant in December. Make the most of it!
Baba Ganoush
From Food52. Makes about 1 ½ cups dip.
Ingredients
5 medium sized eggplants (I used graffiti eggplant)
2 tablespoons lemon juice + the zest of 1/2 of a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
5 leaves of basil, chopped
salt + pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted (optional)
a pinch of toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
Place the wire rack in your over close to the boiler, and pre-heat the broiler on it's highest setting. Score the eggplants all around and then place them on a baking sheet directly under the broiler. Broil the eggplants for about 45 minutes - 1 hour, turning over half way through. You want them to be totally charred on the outside, and soft on the inside. When they are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
Once the eggplant has cooled, open them up and scoop out the insides into a colander using a spoon. Allow some of the water to drain and then transfer to a bowl.
Mix the eggplant with the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, garlic, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish sesame seeds, and serve with pita chips or crudités.
Cauliflower with Bagna Cauda
From the LA Times. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
Kosher salt (for salting the water and seasoning the cauliflower)
1 head cauliflower
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or enough to coat the pan
Warm bagna cauda (see related recipe below)
Chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
1 lemon for zesting
Directions
Bring to a boil a pot of salted water large enough to fit the cauliflower. While the water is heating, trim about an inch of the core from the cauliflower and remove any large leaves, leaving the smaller ones intact. Through the core, cut the cauliflower into 6 wedges.
Add the cauliflower to the pot and cook just until slightly tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and place it in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove and pat dry. Season each piece with a pinch of salt and pepper, or to taste.
Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the cauliflower pieces and sear them on each of the two cut sides until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter.
Spoon some of the warm bagna cauda over the cauliflower, placing the rest in a bowl to serve on the side. Garnish the cauliflower with chopped parsley. Using a lemon zester, zest strands of lemon over the cauliflower.
Bagna Cauda
By Nancy Silverton
Ingredients
10 anchovy fillets, cleaned (and rinsed if salt-packed) and finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch lemon zest strips
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the anchovy, garlic, butter, oil and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and hold in a warm place.