The fruit in this box is exciting. I have not gone to the farmers markets lately, and miss the fresh fruit available from our local farms. Strawberries, mandarins, and cantaloupe will liven up my menus.
The Grove
Avocado
RUSD Food Hub
Cantaloupe
Baker Potatoes
Dates
Jumbo Yellow Onions
Fox Farm
Mandarin
Blessed Farm
Green Beans
Gaytan Family Farm
Fennel
Leek
Carrots
Strawberries
Swiss Chard
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Cantaloupe is always a favorite. But…sometimes one is not as sweet as you would like, here are ways to fix it. You can sprinkle a little sugar or other sweetener, toss it, taste. Add more if needed. Just a pinch of Salt rubbed across a slice brings out the melon flavor. A squeeze of lemon or lime juice adds a kick of flavor. I hope these tricks are not needed, but seems as if there is at least one a year that needs help.
This simple green bean recipe with things you likely have in the kitchen might just become a favorite!
Penelope Casa’s Garlic Green Beans
From Food52. Serves 4.
Ingredients
3/4 pound fresh green beans
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
Coarse salt
Directions
Snap off the tops of the beans. Melt the butter in a skillet, add the beans, and cook them over a medium to medium-high flame, stirring, until they begin to brown.
Lower the flame, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until the beans are the desired tenderness, stirring occasionally.
Mix in the crushed garlic, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.
We have both leeks and Swiss chard. These two pair well. Crostatas are a way to an impressive dinner. You can use homemade or store-bought crust. Laying some pecans or walnuts that are finely crushed on the crust before adding the veggies moves this up to gourmet status. The same process can hold a fruit filling for dessert.
Swiss Chard, Leek, Herb, and Ricotta Crostata
Adapted from Six Seasons. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
1 bunch Swiss chard, dried ends trimmed
Extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1-2 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, cleaned well, and cut crosswise into ¼” half moons
½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese, I prefer whole milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup light packed fresh herbs
(a mix of dill, cilantro, parsley, mint, or basil)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 eggs
Directions
If the chard stems are tender, saute them along with the leaves. If they are thicker, cut the rib off the leafy part, then cut them crosswise into then slices. Rinse the stems well and pat dry. Stack a few of the leaves on top of one another, roll them into a “cigar” shape, slice them into wide ribbons, and repeat. Rinse the leaves, and pat dry.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast the garlic to a golden brown, about 5 minutes. Careful not to burn! Add the chard stems, leeks and chile flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the chard stems are soft, and the leeks are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the chard leaves. If they will not all fit, add a few handfuls at a time, and move them with tongs until wilted. Add a splash of water and cover the pan. Cook until the leaves are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, uncover, raise the heat and boil it off.
Transfer the vegetables to a bowl to cool. Meanwhile put the ricotta, Parmesan, herbs, lemon zest and eggs in a bowl and stir to blend well.
Add the cooked chard, and fold together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about a 15” square. Move it carefully to the baking sheet, letting the sides drape over the sides.
Pile the ricotta-chard filling into the middle of the dough and gently spread it in an even layer to within about 3” of the edge. You should have a about a 9” round of filling. Gently fold the border of the dough up and over the filling, pleating loosely as you work your way around. You do not need perfection!
Bake until the dough is nicely browned, on the underside and the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully slide it onto a rack and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Fennel is also in this crop box. I have posted recipes using raw fennel in salads, and other dishes, but perhaps this is a method you have not tried.
Bruschetta with Caramelized Fennel and Onion
From The New Vegetarian Epicure
Ingredients
Equal amounts of yellow onion and trimmed white fennel bulbs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
Salt to taste
¼ -½ cup sliced Kalamata olives
¼ cup white wine, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Crusty bread
Directions
Peel the onion(s), quarter them lengthwise, and then slice them thickly. Trim and clean the fennel bulbs, and slice them to a similar size
In a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and fennel, salt it lightly, and cook over medium heat stirring often, until the vegetables are a beautiful golden brown. This may take 45 minutes to an hour.
Stir in the Kalamata olives and the white wine. Continue stirring until the wine is completely absorbed. Taste and correct the season with salt or pepper, if needed.
Meanwhile slice the bread about ½” thick. If it’s a large loaf, cut the slices down to about 2” x 3”. Toast the slices in a 400 degree oven or on a grill until they are crisp and golden brown on both sides. Brush them lightly with olive oil.
Spoon the hot mixture onto the toasts, and serve at once.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you please.
Elise Bauer of SimplyRecipes.com says:
“Fennel is a wonderfully versatile vegetable. It resembles a peeled onion bulb that someone has pressed between their hands so it’s no longer round, with a green celery-like stalk and dill-ish fronds. It has the cool crunch of celery with a strong note of licorice when you take a bite. It is lovely sliced thin and served with Parmesan in a salad, luscious and filling in a cheesy gratin, and absolutely delicious roasted.”
Another fennel recipe, this one simpler, that can be a good introduction to fennel. Roasting lessens the licorice flavor, and makes a great side to roasted fish, chicken or seafood.
Roasted Fennel Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 40 minutes. Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
2 fennel bulbs (thick base of stalk), stalks cut off, bulbs halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise in 1-inch thick wedges
2 tablespoons (or more) of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons (or more) balsamic vinegar
Directions
Toss fennel wedges with olive oil and balsamic: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the fennel wedges in a bowl and toss them with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, just enough to coat them. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, again just enough to coat.
Roast the fennel: Line a roasting pan or baking dish Silpat or aluminum foil brushed with olive oil. Arrange the fennel wedges on the pan and roast them at 400°F (205°C) for 40 minutes or until the fennel wedges are cooked through and beginning to caramelize at the edges.
Freestyle Frittata
From Marilyn Morris, one of RFC's earliest Member-Owners.
Ingredients
The Essentials:
8 eggs
½ cup milk
3/4 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
The Variables (cook ahead in frittata pan):
olive oil
½ cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 leek, chopped in rounds and rinsed
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
Your choice of veggies to add (they must be cooked before the egg mixture is added):
1 bunch chopped asparagus
1-2 cups chopped greens (swiss chard, kale, beet greens, etc.)
Cooked and sliced red potatoes (cook separately)
Other veggies as desired (zucchini, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
Grated cheese (optional)
Directions
1. Boil red potatoes, if using. Chop or slice when cooked and set aside.
2. Mix the eggs and milk together and set aside.
3. Saute the onions, leek, garlic, and pepper in the frittata pan. (Pan should be 10-12” well-seasoned cast iron, or non-stick.)
4. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Add asparagus, chopped greens, or other veggies to pan and cook until done. Add cooked chopped potatoes if using.
6. Pour egg/milk mix into pan. Make sure it covers all veggies. Cook on stovetop until edges begin to brown and pull away from sided of the pan, approximately 5-7 minutes.
7. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for approximately 16 minutes until egg mixture is set.