Ribollita

Ribollita is one our member’s favorite way to use tuscan kale. What better way to eat it tahn to slather with bread and parmesan?

Ingredients

• 1 loaf ciabatta bread

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large red onion chopped

• 2 celery stalks chopped

• 2 to 3 carrots peeled and chopped

• Kosher salt

• 6 garlic cloves finely chopped

• 28 oz canned whole San Marzano tomatoes (or any whole canned tomatoes you like)

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 15- oz cans cannellini beans drained and well rinsed

• 1 inch Parmesan rind

• 2 thyme sprigs

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp dry oregano

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

• 1 lb kale, thick stems and veins removed, chopped

• grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

• Tear the bread into large pieces and put it on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and toss to make sure the bread is coated. Spread the bread in one layer on the sheet pan. Bake in the heated oven for about 10 minutes or until somewhat toasted and golden brown.

• In a large cooking pot, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, celery and carrots. Sprinkle a little kosher salt. Lower the heat to medium and cook, tossing regularly, until softened. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, tossing regularly (do not let the garlic brown).

• Add the tomatoes, white wine and broth. Cook over medium heat for little bit, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon.

• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, combine about 1/2 cup of the brothy tomato mixture and 1 cup of the cannelini beans. Puree.

• To the pot with the tomato mixture, add the parmesan rind, fresh thyme, bay leaf, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir to combine. Let simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.

• Now add the white beans (both the whole and pureed beans) and fresh kale (stir to make sure the kale is submerged in the soup) to the cooking pot. Let the kale cook for a few minutes. Add 1/2 of the toasted ciabatta bread and stir. Let simmer a little bit longer until the kale has fully cooked and the bread has softened and absorbed some fo the liquid (see notes).

• Remove from the heat. Remove what is left of the Parmesan rind, bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Top the soup with a bit more of the toasted bread. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan, if you like. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Cake

From one of our CSA members:

I absolutely adore strawberry season, and this is the perfect use of this week's strawberries! Best served with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream :) Fresh Strawberry Cake

Modestly adapted from Martha Stewart Living (June 2005), via Karen Tannenbaum

Servings: One 9-inch cake, 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup milk (low-fat is fine)

• About ¾ pound strawberries, hulled and halved

INSTRUCTIONS

•Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or 9-inch round cake pan).

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be thick.)

• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down, so that they completely cover the batter (the recipe calls for approximately ¾ pound of strawberries; use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.

• Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

• Cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.

• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

Pork with Garlic Scapes

One of our member’s favorite ways to eat garlic scapes adapted from the Woks of Life family food blog. Garlic scapes retain their bite and are enhanced with the various condiments and wok fire. Delicious! 

Ingredients

For the pork & marinade:

• 8 ounces pork belly

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons water

• 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine

• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the rest of the dish:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

• 5 dried chili peppers

• 1 teaspoon ginger (finely julienned)

• 1 medium carrot (julienned)

• 10 ounces garlic scapes (cut into 2-inch pieces)

• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine

• 1/3 cup chicken stock or water

• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper (or to taste)

• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce (or to taste)

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon water)

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, add the pork, cornstarch, water, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and vegetable oil. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.

• Place the wok over high heat until it is just starting to smoke. Spread 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok. Spread the pork on the wok in one layer, and sear for 1 minute on each side. Remove the pork from the wok, and set aside. (For more tips on searing meat, see Judy’s post on how to keep food from sticking to your wok.)

• Add ½ tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the dried chilies, ginger, carrots, and garlic scapes. Stir-fry over medium high heat for 1 minute to give the scapes a good sear. Add the Shaoxing wine. Continue to stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

• Add the chicken stock or water, and increase the heat to high. Push everything into the middle of the wok, cover, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the cover and stir the vegetables around the super hot perimeter of the wok to create some wok hei.

• Next, add the cooked pork and its juices, along with the ground white pepper, sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry at high heat for another 20 seconds. Give it a taste and re-season according to your own taste.

• Add the cornstarch slurry, being sure to pour it directly into the standing liquid, and stir-fry for another 15 seconds. Transfer to a serving plate. Served with steamed rice.

The 5 best ideas I tried with my share vegetables this year

From CSA member Ruth!

Idea #1: The Vegetables: Tomatoes/basil

The Gist:

Baked in the oven, tomatoes collapse and get a little bit jammy but don’t totally fall apart. Toasted bread cubes soak up some of the extra juices. The recipe says plum tomatoes, but any summer tomatoes will work.

The Recipe: Scalloped Tomatoes

Where to find it

Idea #2: The Vegetables: Zucchini/garlic

The Gist:

This is like zucchini bread, but a little bit more eggy. The inside is peppered with exciting flavorful bits like olives and pickled jalapenos. You can eat it hot out of the oven right after you’ve made it, and then go back to snack on it out of the fridge the next day.

The Recipe: Australian Zucchini Slice

Where to find it

Idea #3: The Vegetables: Corn/Eggplant

The Gist:

If you make polenta using fresh corn instead of dry corn, you get something very different - sweeter, softer. The addition of feta instead of the usual parmesan and the eggplant sauce on top work together to fill out the flavor. Eating this feels decadent. 

The Recipe: Sweet Corn Polenta

Where to find it: It’s in Ottolenghi’s book from 2010, Plenty, but also here

Idea #4: The Vegetables: Sweet PotatO

The Gist:

The sweet potatoes cook two ways: first in the oven, covered, to steam in their own juices; then, still in the oven, uncovered, so they roast and caramelize. A creme fraiche, maple syrup, and soy sauce dressing compliments the taste of the potato, as do the scallions, chili flakes, and peanuts on top. We’re not all fans of sweet potatoes, but it’s hard not to like this version of them.

The Recipe: Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Creme Fraiche

Where to find it: It’s in Nik Sharma’s book from 2020, The Flavor Equation, but also here

Idea #5:  Vegetables: Butternut Squash/Onions

The Gist:

The neck of the squash goes right into the pot with the other vegetables, while the bulb of the squash roasts first with a little bit of sage tucked inside. Brown butter and crispy sage leaves add more layers of flavor. Like most soups, it tastes even better the next day.

The Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup with Brown Butter, Sage, & Nutmeg Creme Fraiche

Where to find it

Simply Sautéed Swiss Chard

Colorful rainbow chard is one of the vibrant greens we see frequently coming from Windflower Farm. One of the best ways to prepare it is simply sautéed with oil, salt & pepper, but incorporating a few other CSA items makes this especially delicious! Member Elisabeth Stuveras has modified a recipe she found on Simply Recipes to make the most of her share. She recommends it as a light lunch or dinner with scrambled eggs on the side

Simply Sautéed Swiss Chard

• CSA Swiss chard

• CSA Onion

• CSA Garlic scapes

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• CSA Eggs (scrambled and on the side)

Rinse the chard, then tear or cut the leaves away from the stalks. Cut the stalks into 1/2-inch pieces and separately cut the leaves into 1-inch wide strips.

Thinly slice garlic scapes and dice onion. Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, then add garlic scapes, onion, and crushed red pepper. Cook until fragrant.

Add the chopped Swiss chard stalks. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Then add the chopped chard leaves, tossing with the oil & aromatics. Cook 3-4 more minutes, turning chard frequently to wilt and cook it consistently.