How can anyone not love springtime? Well, maybe except for hay fever and lots of sneezing. Produce is so spectacular right now, it is easy to find good ways to use it.
Uncommon Good
Lettuce Mix
Unity Farms
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Huerta del Valle
Lettuce
Gaytan Family Farm
Cabbage
Onion Bag
Beets
Potatoes - Red
Zucchini - Green
Corona Farm
Strawberries
RFC Add-in
Pomelos
Lemons
Limes
Kaffir Lime Leaves (at our distribution site)
Click here to go to Spotlight on Spice for ideas on how to use them.
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! $27/month with delivery available for $7.50/month. You benefit, your community benefits, and our partner farms and growers benefit.
Here is a different salad. It feels quite fancy, and the textures are lovely together.
Romaine and Sugar Snaps with Pecans
From Bon Appetit, April 2017. Serves 8.
Ingredients
2 cups raw pecans, separated
3 cups sugar snap peas
large head of Romaine
Fresh peas or thinly sliced celery pieces
Directions
Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Toss ½ cup pecans with 1 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter and ¼ tsp. kosher salt on a small rimmed baking sheet. Soread 1 ½ cups pecans on another small rimmed baking sheet and toast both, tossing once until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 10 minutes for salt roasted pecasn, and 12-14 minutes for dry pecans. Let cool.
Process dry pecans in a food processor until smooth, about 5 minutes. Mix 1/3 cup of the pecan butter in a large bowl with 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and ½ tsp. hones. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Cook 3 cups sugar snap peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let cool; drain. Remove strings, slice pods crosswise on a diagonal into varying lengths.
Add 3 Romaine hearts, leaves separated and peas or celery to dressing in bowl and toss to coat.
Transfer salad to a platter and top with salt-roasted pecans.
Brown Butter Radishes
TheKtchn.com. Serves 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients
4 small bunches radishes (about 2 pounds total), tops removed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Juice of 1/2 medium lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Directions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 450°F.
Toss the radishes with the oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and arrange them cut-side down. Roast until the bottoms have browned a little and they are crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is toasty-brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the radishes and lemon juice, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with a couple of pinches of flaky sea salt and serve.
Cauliflower grilled cheese? Oh how fun! Everyone loves grilled cheese, right?
Cauliflower Grilled Cheese
From Delish.com. Makes 3-4 sandwiches.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, (to make about 4 cups processed cauliflower)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. finely grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 c. shredded white Cheddar
Directions
Cut cauliflower into florets. Process cauliflower florets in a food processor until the texture resembles rice. Alternatively, you can grate the cauliflower.
In a medium bowl, combine processed cauliflower, eggs, Parmesan and oregano. Mix until evenly combined then season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray then scoop the cauliflower mixture into a small patty on one side of the pan. Repeat to form a second patty on the other side. (These are your “bread” slices.) Press down on both pieces with a spatula and cook until golden underneath, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook until the other sides are golden, about 3 minutes more.
Top one cauliflower slice with cheese then place the other cauliflower slice on top. Cook until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes more per side. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
We are about to enter avocado season. Here is a recipe for simple avocado dressing for your salad. One avocado will dress four salads.
Everyday Avocado Dressing
From Food 52. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 medium ripe avocado
Juice of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Place the flesh of the avocado in a blender (or small bowl if using an immersion blender). Add the juice of the lemon(s), salt, and pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few good dashes of pepper). Add about a 1/4 cup of water at this point, and then blend until smooth. Gradually add another tablespoon of water (or lemon juice) at a time until it reaches your desired dressing consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Use right away, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you are looking for something different to do with strawberries, try roasting! These are good to just eat, over ice cream, or in yogurt. The balsamic vinegar really bumps up the strawberry flavor.
Roasted Strawberries
From 101 Cookbooks, Supernatural Everyday. Makes about 1/2 cup/5 oz./140 g. Prep time 5 minutes
Ingredients
8 ounces / 225 g small to medium strawberries, hulled
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon port wine
A few drops balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C with a rack in the middle of the oven.
It is important to use a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish for this recipe--you don't want the juices running off the sheet onto the floor of your oven. If you are using a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper.
Cut each strawberry in half. If your strawberries are on the large side, cut them into quarters or sixths. Add the berries to a mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, and salt. Pour this over the strawberries and very gently toss to coat the berries. Arrange the strawberries in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast for about 40 minutes, just long enough for the berry juices to thicken, but not long enough for the juices to burn. Watch the edges of the pan in particular.
While still warm, scrape the berries and juices from the pan into a small bowl. Stir in the port and balsamic vinegar. Use immediately or let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Cauliflower hummus is an easy thing to pull together when you have roasted cauliflower on hand. I have been in the habit of roasting a number of vegetables at the same time, especially on crop box day. Pop your roasted cauliflower into the blender, follow directions, and you have a tasty dip for celery, carrots, broccoli, or pita.
Cauliflower Hummus
From Sunset Magazine. Makes about 2 cups.
Ingredients
1/2 head cauliflower (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.) trimmed and cut into 2” florets (about 4 cups)
4 1/2 tbsp. police oil
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 tbsp tahini
Directions
Preheat oven to 450. Put cauliflower florets in a large bowl and add 1 1/2 tsp.oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, the cumin, chile flakes and garlic. Toss to coat thoroughly.
Spread florets on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once, until florets are cooked through, and a little crispy, 18 - 20 minutes. Let cool.
Put 1/2 cup water in a blender with roasted cauliflower and garlic, lemon juice, remaining 3 tbsp. oil, the tahini, and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp. salt. Blend, adding more water if needed, up to 1/4 cup. Scrape sides and blend until you have a creamy puree, about 4 minutes. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, if needed.
Serve with a pinch of smoked paprika on top.