We have some lovely fruit in this box with the advantage of a connection to the RUSD Food Hub to be able to supplement what is just Riverside produce. We have times of the year that we have very little fruit. That is why you will see a sticker on your apple. The law requires that food be traceable. Food safety should be important to all of us.
I am reading Always Home by Fanny Singer, a memoir of growing up with her mom, Alice Waters, the owner of Chez Panisse. I am seeing that influence in the recipes I have chosen. Hope you are inspired to relax, enjoy your food, and maybe have a glass of wine.
The Grove
Avocado
RUSD Food Hub
Gala Apples
Apricot
Sweet Corn
Huerta del Valle
Red Beets
Fox Farm
Gold Nugget Tangerines
Gaytan Family Farm
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Spinach
Italian Squash
Radish
We have red beets from Huerta del Valle farmer training program. The co-op is proud to the beginning farmers just across the bridge in Jurupa. A shout out to Arthur and his team!
Not a member yet? Why not? Click here to join the co-op at $100 for full membership. Be a member and a co-owner, bringing the power of economic independence to Riverside. Members can subscribe to our crop box too! $30/month with delivery available for $7.50/month. You benefit, your community benefits, and our partner farms and growers benefit.
I love beets. I have shared several recipes for my favorites: Red Beet Hummus; Red Beet, Red Cabbage, Red Onion Salad; and just roasted beets with garlic, sliced in green salad with fried goat cheese rounds and beet greens. Here is a new one.
Roasted Red Beets with Greens
From Food52. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 bunch red beet with greens
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)
pink Himalayan salt
1 tablespoon lime juice (1/2 lime)
2-3 tablespoons water
Directions
Cut off the beet leaves and put on the side, wash the beets and wrap them loosely together in foil.
Put wrapped beets on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven on 375 F for 30-35 minutes (depend on the beet size). Let the beets cool enough to handle, peel and slice them.
Wash and slice the green leaves 2 inches long.
In the frying pan heat coconut oil add ginger for 10-15 second, add 2 Tbsp. water and beats leaves, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Add salt and sliced roast beets, cover and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
Before serving add lime juice.
Here is another roasted beet salad from the cookbook that first taught me to roast beets. A true revelation that became THE way I cook beets. Mostly I roast them wrapped in foil, in a pan to catch any drippings. TIP: roast extra garlic when cooking the beets. It is great spread on good bread, as a sandwich spread, or added to salad dressings.
Roasted Beet, Asparagus and Garlic Salad
From the New Vegetarian Epicure. Serves 3 to 4.
Ingredients
1 bunch red beets
½ head of garlic
1 bunch asparagus
1/8 cup + 1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbs. minced onion
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Directions
Trim the beets, leaving an inch of stems, and scrub them well. Break the garlic ino individual cloves, but don’t peel them. Put the beets in a glass baking dish and scatter the garlic cloves around them. Add about ½ cup water and cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil. Cook them in a 400 degree oven about 1 hour, until perfectly tender.
Meanwhile wash the asparagus stalks and trim off any tough ends. Drizzle them with a Tbs. olive oil. Roll them in the olive oil on a baking sheet until they are well coated. Spread them out and sprinkle with salt. Set aside until the beets are ready. When the beets are tender, allow them to cool slightly so you can handle them, then peel and cut them into wedges or slices.
At the same time, raise the oven temperature to 450 and roast the asparagus for 15-20 minutes until tender but not browned.
Squeeze the soft, cooked garlic cloves into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the remaining olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, minced onion, salt and pepper and whisk together thoroughly.
Add 2 Tbs. of the dressing to the beets and also to the asparagus. Toss gently to coat and leave the vegetables to marinate for a few hours.
Just before serving, arrange the beets and asparagus on individual plates in random patterns. Don’t toss them together. Serve at room temperature.
Marinated Cauliflower
From Food52. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 cup sugar
pinch white pepper
Directions
Cut or break cauliflower up into florets and put in a bowl which has an airtight lid.
Bring remaining ingredients to a boil over medium high heat. Pour over cauliflower. Cover bowl and let sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours, shaking or stirring occasionally, before refrigerating.
Refrigerate overnight before serving.
If radishes have too much bite for you or your kids, try roasting them. They are so mellow, you might want to pair with red onion, bleu cheese or other strong flavors.
Roasted Radishes
From Food 52
Ingredients
1 bunch fat red round radishes, trimmed, very large ones halved/quartered, if desired
olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for serving
small handful fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
some thin sliced red onion
sea salt
fresh cracked black pepper
crusty baguette
blue cheese, if desired
Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place radishes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter butter pieces over. Strip thyme leaves off stems and sprinkle over the radishes. Season with salt and give everything a good toss.
Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until radishes are wrinkly. If your radishes are small or skinny, watch them carefully, so as not to overcook them.
Midway through cooking, give the pan a shake.
Let cool slightly. Slice radishes into fat rounds. Place on a serving dish, drizzle with olive oil and dress with thin slices of butter. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and, if you like, some black pepper, too. Scatter red onion slices over the radishes. Serve with crumbled blue cheese or with hunks of crusty baguette and additional butter, salt and thyme.