Week 26 October 4th/5th

About the recipes..

Each week our intention is to provide recipes that will encourage you to explore the contents of your CSA box.  One of the great things, as well as one of the bigger challenges, about a CSA share is learning how to adapt recipes and meals to incorporate as much of your CSA as possible and avoid trips to the store!  It’s important to be flexible and to see outside of the box.  No pun intended.  If the recipe calls for green bell peppers and you only have red, by all means use the red!  A change like that won’t irrevocable change a recipe.  That’s one of the great things that cooking has over baking.  Substitutions in baking generally spell disaster.

The recipes that we include come from a great many sources.  If they are from a website or blog the title is generally linked to the original post.  That way you can simply click the link in order to see photos or other info on the site.  The most important thing of all is that you are able to enjoy your CSA and use every bit of it!  If there is a particular item that you aren’t crazy about or you don’t know what to do with please let us know and we will be happy to offer suggestions.  Another great resource is friends and family.  Ask aunts and cousins and neighbors how they use different ingredients.  Most assuredly, you will find some keepers that way!

As you can see, our CSA member Becky Manners makes great use of her CSA box each week and has become quite creative in the kitchen. Happy cooking!

Becky's eggplantman.

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We are looking forward to seeing many of you this Thursday evening at the Melwood Screening Room!  Drinks and appetizers will be served from 6-7pm and the film will begin at 7pm.  All for a $10 donation to Grow Pittsburgh.

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THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

Tuesday ~1/3# spinach, Nu Way Farm, CF ~ French breakfast radish bunch, Nu Way Farm, CF ~ 1/3# Vates kale, Nu Way Farm, CF ~1.5# green tomatoes, Matthew’s Farm ~ small butternut squash,Pucker Brush Farm, CNG or Clarion River Organics, OG ~ 3# Joanthan apples, Kistaco Farm ~ 1.5# Russian banana fingerlings, Clarion River Organics, OG ~ sweet peppers, Golden Harvest Farm, CF or Crighton’s Farm

Wednesday ~1/3# spinach, Nu Way Farm, CF ~ French breakfast radish bunch, Nu Way Farm, CF ~ mizuna/frisee mix Goose Creek Gardens, CNG or Vates kale, Nu Way Farm, CF ~ 3# Joanthan apples, Dawson’s Orchards ~1.5# green tomatoes, Matthew’s Farm ~ sweet peppers, Crighton’s Farm ~ butternut squash, Clarion River Organics, OG ~ 1.5# russet potatoes, Weeping Willow Farm, CF

OG- Certified Organic                                                              CNG- Certified Natural Grown                                                   CF- Chemical Free

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Roasted Radishes

from Leite’s Culinaria

1 pound radishes, such as icicle, French, or Easter egg-colored radishes (about 2 bunches)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Leaves from 3 or 4 fresh thyme sprigs (about 1 tablespoon), plus more for garnish (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Lop the tops off the radishes, leaving about 1/2 inch of the green stem attached, if desired. Rinse the radishes well.

3. Place the radishes on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large ovenproof skillet or two. Drizzle with the melted butter and olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and thyme, if desired, and toss to coat.

4. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the radishes are tender but still slightly crunchy (red radishes will turn pale pink in color, lighter radishes may turn a pale gold). Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with fresh thyme, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Galette

from Food52.com by lorinarlock

Lorinarlock’s butternut squash galette may just be our go-to first course for autumn dinner parties from now on. Rustic yet full of nuance, it coaxes sweetness from the winter squash and roasted garlic, complementing them with the right blend of salty creamy cheese, fragrant thyme and a delicate, buttery crust we’re sure to adapt to many other recipes. There’s no excess here: a touch of semolina gives the crust a sandy crunch, and the modest layer of ricotta and roasted garlic serves as a subtle, creamy bed for the melting squash. – A&M

I love butternut squash in any form, but it takes a lot of work to cut so I don’t cook with it nearly enough. When I do, it has to be a special recipe. This one is worth it. I’ve served this as an appetizer and as a main course. It could travel well for holiday potlucks. – lorinarlock

Serves 4 to 6

Pastry:

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup semolina flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 10 cloves, garlic whole and unpeeled
• 1/2 cup fresh ricotta
• 1 cup grated fontina
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

To make the dough: Put the flour, semolina, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse to form a mixture that looks like small peas. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough sticks together (to test, remove the top and gather the dough in your fingers. If it sticks together without crumbling, it’s ready). Add the ice water while pulsing, until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix. Transfer to a lightly floured board and shape the dough into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the filling: Cut the squash into two pieces to separate the rounder part from the narrower section. Peel the entire squash, cut both parts in half and remove any seeds. Cut all four pieces into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Put in a large bowl and add the olive oil, chopped garlic and thyme. Toss to coat evenly. Spread out on one of the prepared baking sheets. Set the bowl aside. Sprinkle the squash with the salt and pepper. Put the garlic on the baking sheet and bake until the squash and garlic are tender, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out the dough into a large circle about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to parchment paper–lined baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use.

When the garlic is cool enough to handle, peel and put in the reserved bowl. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the ricotta.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and spread the garlic-cheese mixture over the top, leaving a 1-inch border. Spread the squash over the garlic-cheese mixture and fold the edges toward the center of the galette. Sprinkle the fontina over the center of the galette. Sprinkle the edges of the crust with the parmesan and bake until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

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Be sure to check out the week 21 Fried Green Tomatoes with Milk Gravy Recipe.

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Spinach and Potato Breakfast Hash

makes 2 large or 4 small servings

1 green bell pepper, diced into medium chunks

1 medium yellow onion, diced into medium chunks

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes (russet or new potatoes will also be great), cut into bite-size chunks

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

6 ounces sausage, cooked and sliced (I used vegetarian chipotle sausage) (pork or chicken sausage would also be great)

1 heaping teaspoon fennel seeds

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups baby spinach leaves

2 to 4 eggs, fried to desired doneness

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.  Place diced potatoes on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Bake potatoes for 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through.  Poke the potato chunks with a fork, if they’re tender they’re done.

While potatoes are baking, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat. (Wait!  Now would be a great time to cook your sausage if it’s raw.  Cook through and remove from the pan, then follow the next steps).  Add the diced peppers and onions and cook until browned and broken down, about 6 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper as it cooks.  Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute more.  Remove from pan and place in a bowl to the side.

When potatoes are done roasting, remove from the oven.

Return the pan you cooked the onions and peppers in to a medium flame.  Add the sliced, cooked sausage  and potatoes.  Pan fry until the sausage and potatoes have crispy bits on them. Add the fennel seeds.  Stir.   Add the onion and pepper mixture and fold to incorporate.  Remove from the flame and add spinach leaves.  Toss to incorporate and wilt the leaves.

Transfer the hash to a serving dish.  Season with salt and pepper as necessary.  Fry as many eggs and you’d like and serve over hash.

This has will last for up to 4 days in the fridge.  It’s also really delicious mixed with black beans and salsa for dinner.  With tortillas and cheese… amazing.

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