Looking at the nice bowl of veggies again this weekend.  What to do with those lovely small tomatoes, besides chop them into a salad?  Here's a favorite recipe from Sonoma Diet Cookbook, that tops small tomatoes with whole wheat bread crumbs and fresh herbs.  I can stand over the pan after I remove them from the oven and eat about half of them in one fell swoop!  Let me know if anybody tries to do the same with the tomatillos.  I've never tried that...

Sometimes, simple is best!

If you grabbed the Napa cabbage last week but are puzzled what to do with it, this post is for you.  Yes, Napa cabbage is different than a traditional American garden cabbage, so it calls for a different dressing if you want to eat it raw.  I never use it for cole slaw, personally.  I just chop it up finely on a cutting board, toss with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and a handful of peanuts.  That's the simplest, crunchiest use for it.  If you have some lovely fresh cilantro on hand, chop up a few tablespoons and add it, as well.

I'd be remiss if I didn't add some beet recipes, given the bounty of this unusual veggie that inspires passionate views.  Either you love beets, or you hate them.  There's no in-between!  If you haven't learned to love them yet try one or both of these suggestions:

Take your beets, trim off any spots, but don't peel.  Cut into quarters or eighths, depending on size.  Cover with water and boil (turn heat low once it comes to a boil), for about an hour. When they are done, let them cool enough to handle.  Peel them at this time. Then slice or julienne (cut into matchsticks), whichever you prefer.  Two sauces to try (from the Jane Brody cookbook):

Mustard sauce: beat with a whisk:  2T lemon juice, 2T Dijon mustard, 1T cider vinegar, 1T oil, 1 tsp sugar. Season with some fresh dill, fresh parsley, and cracked black pepper a salt to taste.  About 1 T of each herb if it's fresh, or about 1 tsp if it's dried.  Top the beets with enough sauce to your taste.  Refrigerate for at least an hour. This is enough sauce for about a pound of cooked beets.  

Horseradish sauce: beat with a whisk:  1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 T drained bottled horseradish, 1/4 tsp caraway seed, salt to taste.  Top the cooked beets with enough sauce to your taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.  This is a larger portion of sauce, enough for a couple pounds of cooked beets.
 


 

Answer to your prayers, Nick.  Here's one of my favorite kohlrabi recipes from Jane Brody's book.
Sorry I don't have a nice picture to go with it, like your cabbage recipe.  It doesn't look pretty, but it tastes great!

  

 

If you're tired of cole slaw, sauerkraut or borscht...

I really enjoy working through CSA problems in the kitchen.  One of my constants is what to do with an abundance of certain vegetables.  If you're fortunate enough to catch me during pick-up, you may here me muttering to myself !

I've been searching for a good cabbage recipe for a few years.  I recently came across this recipe for roasted cabbage: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-roasted-cabbage-with-bacon-recipes-from-the-kitchn-105338

Roasted in the oven, the cabbage takes on the delicious braised flavor of Brussels sprouts that I've come to love.  Vegetarians can omit the bacon without significant loss, although you might want to increase the olive oil amount.  As the author suggests, I served it over pasta.  I didn't try to get the girls to eat it, but to my surprise Hannah preferred this to the alternate veggie dish I made.  Score!

When the cabbages start piling up, I'd encourage folks to give this recipe a try.  Now if only I kind find something to do with all those kohlrabi...

Cucumber Soup and Zucchini Bread on the Menu!

It's Thursday, and I always get excited to receive a new veggie delivery from our Norwich Farms CSA.  I must confess, though, that I still have cucumbers, squash and cabbage left from last week, and I suspect that others are experiencing the same thing. So, here are two recipes using cucucmbers and squash.  Both are found in my favorite classic cookbook--Jane Brody's Good Food Book, originally published in 1985.  You can still find used copies for $2-3+shipping, at Barnes & Noble's website, or at a used book sale at a local library. It's my main recipe source over the years because the ingredient lists contain less butter, sugar, and white flour than recipes in other classic cookbooks.

As an alternative, the simplest and yummiest way to prepare zucchini that I have found is to slice it thinly, and add it to a skillet with a tablespoon or two of hot olive oil (depends on the size of your skillet and the size of your squash), turning several times until it browns lightly.  Season with salt, pepper, a bit of your favorite vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or a packet of True Lemon or True Lime. You can also sprinkle on grated parmesan or romano cheese after you remove it from the heat.  I know a lot of restaurants put a coating of egg and bread crumbs on zucchini before frying it, but to me, the plainer method of cooking allows the flavor of the squash to shine through.