Notes from Nikki-Soup It's What's for Dinner

I am so happy to once again be able to share CSA member Nikki Graham's amazing recipes for items included in your share (or from the farmstand). It is a sign that CSA season is just around the corner. In fact, CSA members should be on the look out for an email about a "soft" opening next week and the official start of the season either June 6th or June 8th, depending on your pick up day.

Soup: It's What's for Dinner (and Dessert)

I am so excited to be writing my first recipes of the season! A visit to Inverbrook this past Friday provided all the inspiration I needed to get back into the kitchen, despite our hectic spring schedule. We loaded our market bags with asparagus, spinach, mint, rhubarb, and eggs. I hope you enjoy the following two soup recipes made with our Inverbrook bounty: one savory, and one sweet. We indulged in both on the same night. It was a soup soiree!


Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
3-4 Tbsp good quality, extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 small-medium shallots, sliced
Red pepper flakes to taste
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 bunches asparagus, woody ends snapped off and discarded, tops snapped off and reserved, stalks snapped or sliced into 1.5-2 inch pieces
4-6 C chicken or vegetable broth (more if you want a thinner soup, less for a thicker version)
3 large handfuls fresh spinach leaves, washed well
Generous splash of cream or half-and-half (optional)
Shaved parmesan for garnishing (you can also finish each bowl with a drizzle of good quality olive oil or a dollop of creme fraiche)


1. Saute the garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Add the asparagus stalks, and saute until the stalks brighten and the shallots have softened.
3. Add the broth, turn up the heat, and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer until the asparagus is tender, but still has color (about 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks).
5. Meanwhile, saute the asparagus tops in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, and a dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper until just barely tender. Set aside.
6. Turn off the heat, and add in the spinach, stirring to incorporate and wilt.
7. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.
8. Add in the cream or half-and-half (if using), taste, and adjust the seasoning.
9. Ladle into bowls, topping each bowl with the parmesan (or other aforementioned garnishes), and some of the sauteed asparagus tops.
10. Serve with crusty french bread if desired, and enjoy!

Serves 6-8


Raspberry Rhubarb Soup
(I found this recipe on marthastewart.com, and adjusted the amounts to my liking. The ingredients are virtually the same though. I also cooked and prepared the dish a bit differently. My version is below. Here is the link to the original version: http://www.marthastewart.com/257834/chilled-rhubarb-and-raspberry-soup?czone=food%2Fproduce-guide-cnt%2Fspring-produce-recipes)


Ingredients
12 oz. fresh raspberries (plus more for garnish), rinsed
8-10 stalks fresh rhubarb, trimmed and sliced
1/2 C raw sugar
1/2 of a vanilla bean, sliced open
4 C water
Mint sprigs for garnish
Vanilla ice cream (optional)


1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, and water in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the rhubarb is very tender.
3. Turn off the heat, and add the raspberries.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
5. Taste and add more sugar if you wish.
6. Chill the soup for several hours or overnight.
7. Serve in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; a sprig of mint; and a few fresh, whole raspberries.
Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Notes from Nikki--4 great recipes

A big thank you to Nikki, who despite her busy fall schedule has still managed to put together some amazing recipes made from recent share vegetables.
Potato Leek Soup

Admittedly, I do miss those summer nights of yore, but I also love cooking up a pot of soup on a chilly fall evening. The following recipe is for a very simple potato leek soup. I used bacon in the mix, but feel free to nix that. A glug of olive oil will also do. Also, I used the red-skinned potatoes from last week's share, un-peeled, but any variety of potatoes will work just fine, even a mixture. You can't really mess this soup up. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/3 lb of bacon, diced
3-5 leeks (depending on their size and your taste for them. I say, don't be shy. ;-)), white and light green parts only, sliced (make sure to wash out the grit after you slice them)
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
About 12 small-medium potatoes, quartered
1-2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
4-6 C chicken or veggie stock
1-2 C whole milk
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until fat is rendered.
Add in the leeks, sauteing until softened and fragrant.
Toss in the garlic and saute briefly.
Add the potatoes and thyme, stirring to combine and coat the potatoes.
Pour in the stock and turn up the heat to bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Smash the potatoes using a potato masher (or the back of your spoon).
Add in the milk, sea salt, and pepper.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup just a bit to incorporate everything. (This step is optional. Feel free to leave the soup alone of you want it more chunky and rustic).
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with shredded cheese and a bit of parsley, and serve.




Sweet Potato, Black Bean Quesadillas

I brought these to a potluck yesterday and they were gone before I could even get a slice. Luckily I got to taste and sample them during the cooking process. ;-)
The following recipe makes 4 large quesadillas, which I then sliced into eighths like a pizza. Perfect for a party. Feel free to cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd or a family dinner (or, if your family eats as much as mine does, keep the recipe as is ;-)).

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, roasted in a 400 degree oven until soft, skinned, and mashed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
Glug of olive oil
A couple of generous pinches of mexican oregano
2-3 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tsp ancho or chipotle chili powder (just the ground peppers, not a "chili powder" mix)
Sea salt
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 lbs (or so) cooked, shredded chicken breast tenders (I simply cooked these over medium heat in some olive oil. Another option would be to use leftover roasted chicken or omit the chicken altogether)
8 large, flour tortillas
3 C shredded cheddar or jack cheese (or a combination of both)
1 bunch cilantro (minus the stems below the leaves), chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened and fragrant.
Add in the cumin, smoked paprika, ground chili, and sea salt.
Toss in the black beans, stirring to incorporate.
Saute a bit longer, allowing the flavors to meld.
Kill the heat.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Set aside.
Spread about 1/4 of the sweet potato mash onto one of the tortillas.
Top this with about 1/4 of the bean mixture and 1/4 of the shredded chicken.
Sprinkle cilantro over the chicken (don't be shy) and then top the cilantro with about 3/4 C of shredded cheese.
Place another tortilla over top of the cheese and bake in the oven until the tortilla starts to brown in spots and the cheese is all melty and yummy.
Repeat the above steps until you have assembled and baked 4 large quesadillas.
Slice the quesadillas with a pizza slicer and serve.

Enjoy!



Green Beans and Zesty Tomatoes

This is a very simple recipe that will showcase those lovely little green and yellow haricot verts especially, but any of the green beans from your Inverbrook share will do, really. Also, any and all of the tomatoes from your share will work. This a sure fire recipe, really hard to mess up. I happened to serve this with meatloaf and mashed potatoes as you will see in the photo. It's so versatile, it will make a lovely side dish for any number of main dishes, or a beautiful lunch all on it's own. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1-2 lbs or so green beans, stem end snapped off
1-2 large cloves of garlic
Glug of olive oil
1-2 tsp lemon zest
About 1 C or so fresh tomatoes, chopped
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Shaved parmesan for topping

Instructions

Saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
Toss in the lemon zest and beans, stirring to combine.
Cover and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, until the beans are just barely tender (this will happen within 5-10 minutes, tops, so check very frequently).
Uncover and toss in the tomatoes, sea salt, and pepper.
Saute very briefly, just until heated through.
Turn off the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve topped with a few shavings of parmesan.

Arugula, Edamame Pesto

This stuff is so yummy, I simply can't stop eating it. I have put it on chicken, eggs, bread, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Seriously, I have an addiction, and I really don't even care that much for arugula. :-) Anyway, the following recipe makes a vat of this stuff, but it stores really well, so have at it (or, feel free to cut the recipe in half). I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Ingredients

1 lb frozen, shelled edamame beans thawed (1 lb of fresh cooked edamame or fava beans would also work)
1/4-1/3 C olive oil
2-3 large handfuls arugula, washed and torn
1/3-1/2 C shredded parmesan
1-2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 large lemon (add in some zest too, if you like the flavor)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Add in some water to thin, if necessary.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Spread on any number of things (or just eat it plain, by the spoonful) and enjoy!

This Week's Share-more arugula and winter squash

This week's share once again features winter squash (the last week for a while) and arugula. Nikki has provided a great simple recipe for the winter squash and if all those bags of arugula are piling up in your refrigerator--I have a solution--Pesto! Click here for a simple arugula pesto recipe that pairs perfectly with salmon. What could be more delicious of a meal of baked salmon with arugula pesto, roasted potatoes, and green beans.

Now for Nikki's simple but delicious squash recipe:

Roasted Maple Rosemary Squash

The squash has been fantastic this year! I don't like to mess with it too much. Just a few ingredients to enhance its tremendous flavor. I am also a huge fan of roasting squash. I roast it before I do anything to it, whether I puree it, chop it up to add to a dish, or blend it into a soup. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for roasted squash as much as we did. I served this along side roasted chicken and green beans with shallots and applewood smoked bacon. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 medium-large, orange-fleshed winter squash (acorn, ambercup, carnival, or gold nugget will all work, as well as other varieties), halved and seeded
4 pats of butter (about 1/2 Tbsp or so)
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh, chopped rosemary leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Roast squash until just tender and pierce-able.
Pierce the squash in several places with a fork.
Top each half with a pat of butter, a Tbsp of maple syrup, a sprinkling of rosemary, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper.
Return to the oven and roast until golden and caramelized.
Allow to cool slightly, halve or quarter (depending on the size of your squash or the appetite of the folks who will be eating it ;-)), and serve (make sure to pour some of the sauce that spilled onto the pan back on top of each serving).

Enjoy!

P.S. The squash we used from Inverbrook (the orange-fleshed, orange-skinned variety from last week's share) had a skin that was completely edible after roasting. Some folks in my family still decided to scrape the flesh from the skin and leave the skin behind. I ate every last bit of skin and flesh. So good.

Notes from Nikki-Roasted Red Potatoes and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Roasted Red Potatoes, Vidalia Onions, and Green Peppers
This dish is a cousin of the more common "Home Fries". It is super easy to make... roasted in the oven, rather than fried in a pan. A crowd pleaser, for certain. We ate this with fried eggs as a breakfast-for-dinner treat.

Ingredients

3 pints new red potatoes, quartered
1 large vidalia onion, sliced
1-2 large, or 3-4 small green bell peppers, sliced
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Handful of chopped, fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Combine the potatoes, onion, garlic, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large casserole dish.
Roast, tossing occasionally until the potatoes are firm tender.
Toss in the peppers and roast just a bit longer until the peppers are firm tender and roasted just enough.
Remove from oven, top with parsley, and serve.

Enjoy!

Serves 6
Sliced Heirloom Tomoatoes with Rosemary Maple Balsamic Drizzle and Smoked Sea Salt

Ingredients

Sliced heirloom tomatoes

3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 clove of garlic, smashed
1 long sprig rosemary, leaves only
Pinch of fresh ground pepper

Smoked finishing sea salt

Instructions

Process the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, rosemary leaves, and pepper in a food processor until emulsified.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Drizzle this magical mixture over the sliced tomatoes and top with smoked finishing salt.
Serve.
(Try not to fight over the drippings leftover on the plate. ;-))

Notes From Nikki--Roasted Fingerlings and Haricot Vert and Mushroom and Perpetual Spinach Risotto

Two More Great Recipes from Nikki:

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Haricot Verts with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Ingredients

2-3 pints whole fingerling potatoes
1-2 quarts haricot verts, stem sides snapped off
2 glugs olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Glug olive oil
Small, sweet, yellow onion (or half of a medium onion) minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Generous splash of white wine
Handful of fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped + a sprig for garnish
1/4-1/3 C half and half or cream
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Toss the potatoes in a glug of olive oil and a bit of sea salt and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven until tender. This should take about 25-30 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
Toss the haricot verts in a glug of olive oil and a bit of sea salt and pepper, and roast in the oven along with the potatoes, keeping in mind that the potatoes will take longer to cook. Put the beans in for approximately the last 5-10 minutes of potato roasting time. The beans should still have a snap when you take them out of the oven. They roast very quickly.

While the potatoes and beans are roasting, saute the onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat until softened.
Add in the wine and simmer, reducing by at least half.
Season with sea salt and pepper and throw in the tarragon, stirring to combine.
Add in the half and half, stirring and simmering just a bit longer.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Once the potatoes and beans are finished roasting, nestle the potatoes on a bed of the beans.
Drizzle with the tarragon cream sauce and garnish with a sprig of tarragon.

Serve and Enjoy!


Mushroom and Perpetual Spinach Risotto

Ingredients

2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small-medium yellow onion chopped (I suggest going for a milder, sweeter version)
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. stemmed and chopped mushrooms (I used a combination of crimini, oyster, and shitake)
2 bunches Inverbrook perpetual spinach, stemmed and chopped (any variety of spinach or chard would also work)
2-3 Tbsp finely chopped, fresh oregano
2-3 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/3 C white wine
About 3 C Arborio rice (I used a 17.6 oz package from Trader Joe's)
6 cups chicken or veggie stock
4-6 oz. grated or shredded parmesan + more for passing at the table
Generous splash of half and half or cream
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Using a decent sized soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until the onions are softened a bit.
Add in the oregano and thyme and stir to combine.
Toss in the mushrooms and saute briefly until the mushrooms just start to release their juices.
Add in the perpetual spinach and saute until just wilted.
Add the wine to the pot, and simmer until reduced by about a third.
Add the rice and stir until well-coated.
Add in a cup of the stock and stir. Continue to stir occasionally until the stock is significantly absorbed/evaporated.
Repeat this step until you have used up all the stock and/or the rice is firm tender (al dente).
Add in the half and half and the parmesan, stirring until well incorporated.
Add in sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Serve garnished with a sprig of parsley.

Enjoy!

Notes From Nikki-Watermelon Skewers and more

Watermelon Skewers
With a little of Claire's mint and this summer's bounty of watermelon (including Inverbrook's ;-)), you'll be able to whip this up in no time. I give full credit to a friend of mine, Kirsten, for introducing me to this dish years ago. It is always well received. Perfect for a potluck or picnic.

Ingredients

One watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks and threaded onto skewers
A generous handful or two of mint (depending on the size of your melon), minced
1-2 Tbsp (or more) honey (depending on the sweetness of your melon)
Juice of 1 small lime
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Toss together the mint, honey, lime, and sea salt (or throw everything in a food processor and give it a whirl).
Spoon this mixture over the skewers and serve.

Enjoy!

Squash Puree
I don't know how many of you picked up the delightful white, winter squash that Claire's neighbor offered up last week when you picked up your Inverbrook share, but if you did, and you are still wondering what in the world to do with it, I came up with the following dish that I absolutely loved. It was creamy and sweet, and served as breakfast, believe it or not, for many a morning this past week. Give it a try. Any winter squash will work, really. A hot meal on a summer morning isn't exactly in season, I realize, but somehow it fits. Trust me.

Ingredients

2-3 white winter squash (or other winter squash), roasted in a 400 degree oven until very tender, then cooled, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 C chicken or vegetable broth (or water)
Glug olive oil (or a pad of butter), plus a drizzle for topping
1-2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus an extra sprig for garnish
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Chopped toasted almonds (optional)
Crumbled feta (optional)


Salad with Crispy Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Avocado Dressing

What a treat it was to get salad greens again in August! Check out this recipe that uses the greens, zucchini, and tomatoes from your Inverbrook share.

Ingredients

One large summer squash, quartered and sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 medium large tomatoes, chopped

1 bag lettuce mix

1 ripe avocado, pit and skin removed
2 Tbsp lime juice
Handful of chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic, smashed
2-3 Tbsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp sour cream
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Crisp the zucchini in the olive oil, in a frying pan over medium heat, in one layer (working in batches, if necessary), turning once, until nicely browned on both sides. Set aside.
Process the avocado, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, chives, olive oil, sour cream, sea salt, and pepper until smooth (add a bit of water if it is too thick). Taste and adjust accordingly.
Toss the salad greens with as much of the dressing as is desired.
Top with the tomatoes and zucchini and serve.

Enjoy!

Notes from Nikki--three great recipes

Below are three recipes, all super well-recieved in this house. :-)

Cheers~
Nikki


Haricot Verts, Chinese Style

French beans meet asian flavor in this lively dish. Incredibly simple to make, my family devoured it, literally licking the sauce off their plates. I served this dish aside grilled pork chops. It would work nicely alongside grilled tofu or tempeh as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

2 quarts haricot verts, stems snipped off
Glug extra virgin olive oil
Glug toasted sesame oil
Generous splash mirin (Sweet, Japanese cooking wine... optional, although the flavor is spectacular. Mirin is sold at Giant in the ethnic food aisle.)
1-2 Tbsp honey or agave (I was generous here, although I know not everyone shares my love of sweetness.)
Pinch crushed red pepper (more if you want more heat)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2-3 Tbsp tamari or shoyu
8 oz. oyster and/or shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (any mix of exotic mushrooms will work here, heck, even crimini mushrooms will work)

Instructions

Using a large skillet or wok, saute the garlic and ginger in the oils over medium heat until fragrant.
Add in the crushed red pepper, sauteing briefly.
Add the mirin, reducing ever so slightly, followed immediately by the honey and tamari or shoyu.
Swirl until well combined.
Add in the mushrooms, sauteing briefly until they just start to release their juices.
Toss in the beans, cover, and steam until the beans are crisp tender.
Give the pan a shake periodically and remove the lid once in a while to give everything a good tossing.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Enjoy!
Serves 6-8 as a side dish


Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Gratin

A bright, summery dish. Perfect fare for an outdoor, picnic dinner.

Ingredients

4-6 medium tomatoes, chopped and drained slightly (just enough to avoid the gratin becoming more like a soup. ;-) I used a medley of orange and red tomato varieties... gorgeous!)
2-3 medium zucchini, sliced
Fresh corn kernels cut from 6-8 ears very lightly roasted corn (thawed, frozen corn would work too, about 3 C or so)
Glug extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Large handful fresh basil leaves
1/2-3/4 C shredded parmesan (or more if you like it on the cheesier side)
1/2-3/4 C fresh bread crumbs (1-2 slices of dry, toasted bread run through the food processor, along with the parmesan, will do the trick)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Combine the corn, zucchini, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
Spread the mixture into a large, deep baking dish.
Lay the basil leaves in a single layer over top of the corn and zucchini mixture.
Spread the tomatoes over top of the basil.
Combine the parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the tomatoes.
Bake in the oven until just heated through and you see the first signs of bubbling. The cheese on top should be melted and browned a bit.
Allow to cool a bit and serve.
This dish is also delicious served at room temperature.

Enjoy~
Serves 6-8 generously as a side dish


Kale Chips

The ever popular kale chip... we make these almost every week. My kids love these! Really and truly LOVE them! We have even experimented using perpetual spinach and chard in lieu of kale, with decent results. The perpetual spinach and chard don't crisp up quite as nicely, but still work well enough. We have also experimented with a medley of spices (curry powder, cumin/paprika/chili powder/garlic powder, etc.), but like the simple salt/pepper/garlic powder described below the most. Whatever you decide to use, use very little of it. Go easy. I have ruined more than my fair share of these chips using too much salt and spice.
We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste (again, go easy here... it's amazing how little salt is really needed, and too much is NOT a good thing ;-})
Dash garlic powder
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed, leaves torn into chip-sized pieces, and spun dry (it is of utmost importance that the leaves be pretty dry, otherwise they won't crisp up well in the oven)
Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350.
Toss the kale in the oil, sea salt, and garlic powder.
Spread the kale in a single layer (no leaves should be on top of other leaves) on a baking sheet (you may need two, depending on the size of your bunch of kale and your baking sheet).
Bake until toasted (the edges of the chips will be darker and crisper). There is a fine line between perfectly toasted, crispy chips, and burnt, terrible tasting chips. I have burnt these one too many times, which is why I suggest checking them every 2-3 minutes. They usually take a good 10-15 minutes to crisp up nicely. Taste one to be sure, before you pull them out.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Enjoy!

Notes from Nikki--what to do with all those greens

Wondering what to do with all those cooking greens? :-) Here are a few ideas that we have enjoyed this season. I hope you do too!

Perpetual Spinach Pie


Ingredients

1 bunch perpetual spinach, tough stems removed, finely chopped (kale or chard would also work)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C whole milk
1 Tbsp dijon mustard (Optional... as it turned out, I didn't have this on hand. I include it here, because, in my mind, it would have been really good with a bit o' mustardy goodness)
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Approximately 1/2-3/4 C grated baby swiss (or more if you want it cheesier)
Couple shakes red pepper flakes (optional)


9" round pie crust, pre-made and ready to use


Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.
Combine the spinach, garlic, eggs, milk, mustard (if using), sea salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
Top the pie with the cheese and a shake of red pepper flakes (if using).
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the center is set and the top has browned a bit (if the center is set and you still don't have a brown top, you can always turn on the broiler for a minute or two to finish it off).
Allow the pie to cool a bit once you remove it from the oven, then dig in!


Enjoy!


Chard and Perpetual Spinach Casserole


Once again, Heidi provides the backdrop for this recipe. I use her basic casserole recipe, swapping ingredients for what I have on hand, regularly. You can find her original recipe here: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/mushroom-casserole-recipe.html . I almost always double (or triple) her list of ingredients to feed my hungry tribe, and have used an incredible variety veggies, meats, and herbs, in addition to the brown rice/cheese base. It's a great all-around recipe for that sort of thing. Below you'll find my latest go around with it. Feel free to double it if you have a lot of mouths to feed (I doubled it and just used a deeper baking dish). Azia snapped a super close-up shot of the finished casserole.

Ingredients

1 bunch chard, tough stems removed, finely chopped (feel free to use a food processor)
1 bunch perpetual spinach, tough stems removed, finely chopped
3 eggs, whisked
8 oz. cottage cheese (I always use the full fat variety for best flavor. Feel free to experiment with a lower fat version.)
8 oz. sour cream (Again, use the full fat variety for best flavor, or experiment with a lower fat version.)
1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbsp finely chopped chives (I use kitchen shears to snip them into little bits)
3 C cooked brown rice (I used Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, zapped in the microwave)
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375.
Combine the eggs, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Add in the rice, 1/3 of the cheese, garlic, chives, chard, perpetual spinach, sea salt and pepper.
Spread a little olive oil into a large baking dish.
Pour the mixture into the dish, top with the remainder of the cheese, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until hot, slightly puffed, and golden (if the top starts to get too brown, you can tent it with foil, removing for last 5-10 minutes).

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Rotelli with Perpetual Spinach Cream Sauce


Ingredients

1 lb whole wheat Rotelle (or other spiral pasta)
1-1.5 C half and half
1.5-2 lbs. chicken tenders (you could also substitute the chicken with chunks of cubed tofu or tempeh, or just leave it out altogether)
2 bunches perpetual spinach, tough stems removed, finely chopped (chard would work well here too, or a mixture of the two)
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1/3-1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese plus more for sprinkling at the table
Glug of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil the pasta in. (Once your pasta water is boiling, add in the pasta and some sea salt and cook until al dente. The timing can be tricky, however when I made this meal and started the water boiling first, the pasta finished just slightly before the sauce and it worked out perfectly.)
Cook the chicken tenders (if using) over medium heat in the olive oil in a large skillet, seasoning with sea salt and pepper and working in batches, until cooked through. As the chicken finishes, set aside on a plate.
Using the same skillet, add the garlic and saute over medium heat until fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Add in the perpetual spinach (and/or chard) and saute until bright green and softened.
Add in the lemon zest, stirring to combine.
Add in the half and half and simmer gently for a few minutes, stirring to prevent scorching.
Add in the parmesan, stirring until it melts into the sauce.
Break the chicken into bite sized pieces with your fingers and add into the sauce, along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.
Add in sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta, toss to coat, and serve.

Enjoy!

Notes From Nikki-some great ideas for all those greens

I thought I would start off this week's "Notes From Nikki" (which she actually sent to me last week) with a photo of Nikki (middle), her youngest daughter (Nikki has four beautiful children), and her foodie friend Heidi Swanson author of Super Natural Cooking (the picture is from Heidi's blog). I cannot tell you how blessed I feel to have Nikki's amazing recipes, the resource of her friend Heidi's blog, and the fantastic photos taking by her oldest daughter Azia. Enjoy Nikki's cooking ideas.

p.s. if you are all out of spinach, I am sure you could substitute the perpetual spinach or chard

Spinach Curry

This must be a great year for spinach! There seems to be loads of it everywhere I go. Yum!
Below is a recipe for a spinach curry that my family really enjoyed. I hope you do too. Unfortunately, Azia accidentally deleted the photo she took of her plate. :-( I'm sure you can envision it though. Think deep, dark, earthy green. Gorgeous~

Ingredients
A glug of olive oil
3 garlic scapes, minced (garlic cloves are fine too)
1 large leek (white part only), thinly sliced (a chopped onion would be fine here too, I just needed to use up a leek I had in the fridge)
1 Tbl fresh ginger, peeled and minced
I 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes (with juice)
1/2 -1 Tbl garam masala (I happen to LOVE this spice blend, so I went for closer to 1 Tbl (perhaps more). I would suggest starting with 1/2 Tbl and adjusting from there. You could also substitute your favorite curry powder for the garam masala and leave out the turmeric, or use less garam masala (1/2-1 tsp) and add in a tsp or two of cumin and coriander to lessen the clove, cinnamon, and cardamon flavor.)
1 tsp turmeric
1 15 oz. can coconut milk (NOT the light version)
2 1/2 - 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken cut into bite-sized chunks (swap out chicken for chickpeas or paneer (Indian cheese) for a vegan or vegetarian version of this dish)
2 bags Inverbrook Spinach (about 1- 1 1/2 lbs), finely chopped (I used the food processor to save myself the trouble)
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

About 6 C cooked brown rice (I love Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, in a pinch. I just empty all three bags that are in the one box into a glass bowl with a lid and nuke it in the microwave for about 7-8 minutes, stirring in between.)

I dollop of sour cream, plain whole milk yogurt, or creme fraiche to top each serving (optional, although, this is one of my favorite aspects of the dish)
Cilantro sprigs as garnish

Instructions
Saute the garlic scapes, leek, and ginger in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and softened a bit.
Add in the tomatoes, garam masala, and turmeric (or whatever combination of spices you come up with), stirring to combine everything.
Allow this mixture to simmer for a few minutes so the flavors can meld.
Add in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Allow to simmer for a few more minutes.
Add in the chicken and spinach and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the spinach is deep, dark, and earthy green, about 20 minutes.
Add in sea salt and pepper to taste (garam masala generally has black pepper in it, so you may want to go easy at first and then adjust accordingly).

Serve over brown rice, topped with a dollop of sour cream, plain yogurt, or creme fraiche, and a sprig or two of cilantro.

Serves 6-8


Orange Sesame Salad

Greens, Greens, Greens! My body is loving all this roughage!
Below is another salad recipe that my kids, in particular, really enjoyed.
I hope you'll give it a try too.

Ingredients

3 Tbl olive oil
2 Tbl toasted sesame oil
2-3 Tbl rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1-2 Tbl honey (agave works nicely too)
1 tsp fresh peeled, minced ginger
1-2 Tbl tamari or shoyu

1 bag Inverbrook lettuce mix or spicy greens mix (or a combination of both), washed, spun dry, and torn into manageable pieces
Orange segments from 2-3 oranges, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbl toasted sesame seeds
Avocado chunks (optional)
Chives or scallions, snipped into little pieces with kitchen shears, to taste (optional... I recommend adding these only if you're NOT using the spicy greens)
A handful of chopped cilantro leaves (again, I recommend using this WITHOUT the spicy greens)

Give the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, and tamari a whirl in the food processor, or whisk together by hand, until well combined. Taste and adjust.

Toss the greens with the oranges, sesame seeds, avocado (if using), chives (if using), and cilantro (if using).

Drizzle with as much of the dressing as you like, toss gently one more time, and serve.

Enjoy!

Incidentally, the dressing for this salad goes beautifully with Claire's Asian turnips and radishes too. Also, the 2nd photo is simply a plate of spicy salad greens drizzled with the aforementioned dressing, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and topped with a fried egg. Lunch!

A Note from Nikki--Arugula, Pork Chops, Grapes, and Blue Cheese

Nikki continues to amaze me with her creative recipe ideas. Check out her latest thoughts on how to "deal" with arugula.

Note from Nikki:

In all honesty, I haven't always been a huge fan of arugula. In fact, if it wasn't for our Inverbrook farm share, I would probably have just continued to snub it. One of the many reasons that I love being an Inverbrook member is that it exposes me to bounties of produce that I would otherwise not come across or pay attention to in the grocery store, and forces me to expand my repertoire and get creative.
Below, you'll find a recipe for arugula that is sure to please.

Grilled Pork Chops, Arugula, Grapes, and Blue Cheese
(By the way, you can skip the pork, add in some of Claire's salad greens, toss on some toasted nuts, and make it a hearty salad)

Ingredients

Thick, boneless pork chops seasoned with sea salt and fresh ground pepper (I grilled 9 of them and had a few leftover for my family of 6. They came in packages of 3 from Trader Joe's)

Bunch of grapes, halved
Bag of Claire's fresh picked arugula, tough stems removed, washed and spun dry
Blue cheese, crumbled or made into small pieces (I used a mild, soft blue cheese that just barely melted against the heat of the pork. Beautiful.)

1/4 C good quality, cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil (adjust to taste)
2-3 TBL white wine vinegar (adjust to taste)
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Prepare a medium hot grill.

While the grill is heating up, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add the olive oil in a slow steady stream as you continue to whisk until you have an emulsion. Set aside.

Grill the chops for approximately 5-7 minutes on each side. They cook fast and leaving them on the grill for too long will make them tough. They should be just barely pink in the center and still juicy.

While the chops are on the grill, toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. (Any leftover vinaigrette will keep in the fridge nicely.)

Place some of the dressed arugula on a plate, top with a small handful of grapes, some blue cheese bits, and then the pork chop. Add a grape, a bit of cheese, and a piece of arugula to the top of the chop to make it look pretty and DIG IN.

Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Enjoying the Snow Day

I must say it is breathtakingly beautiful today, so bright and sunny. However, the deep snow and still dangerous road conditions make it yet another day for inside activities. Thanks to Lisa at Earth Mama 101 blog I have discovered the Garden Mama craft blog filled with inspirational photos and instructions--perfect activities for a day like today when children are home from school. And for those who perfer to read or cook, you have to check out this fun post from Gherkins and Tomatoes filled with poetry,photos, recipes and the writer's reflections about being snowed in. Enjoy the snow, the sunshine, and another forced break from the routine.

An Exciting Week for Mainstream Media

This has been one of those week's full of pinch yourself moments. I try to stay on top of major events--but since the beginning of the year I have been consumed in accounting work, farm meetings, and the process of ordering seeds--luckily others have clued to me into to some rather exciting developments regarding healthy eating. First off I totally missed Michael Pollan on the Oprah show--that is HUGE! In fact until midnight tonight Oprah has a special deal with amazon in which you can order Food Inc for just $9.99. (Thank you Yvonne)

Then during the State of the Union Address the President announces that Michelle Obama will be leading a campaign against obesity. Michelle has already done lots to promote the importance of eating local fruits and vegetables. Finally one of my favorite celebrity chefs--Jamie Oliver is launching a new Food Revolution Campaign, promoting health eating in America's school. This campaign includes a new show that will air on ABC in March. Click here to watch the trailer . A big thank you to Mary Bigham for cluing me into this new television show.

In honor of all this healthy eating and Jamie Oliver's campaign--I want to remind you that you Inverbrook Farm can be your source of healthy, humanely raised local meats (and vegetables when in season) and provide you with some appropriate recipes. This rather frigged weather is perfect for cooking up a pastured chicken or perhaps making some chilly with Dr. Elkins delicious bully beef. Both items along with eggs and angus burger are available in the distribution shed. You are welcome to contact me if you need directions or further instructions for purchasing these products.

The Mighty Micro Green!

This next month or two represents one of the leanest times of year as far as local produce is concerned. The storage vegetables begin to dwindle, and it is still too early for fresh greens from the field. Enter the mighty microgreen--the perfect saviour for the winter produce doldrums. Full of taste, color and nutrients--these amazing little greens pack a powerful punch--click here to read about their nutrition value.

If you do not have impetus to grow these hard to find tiny greens yourself (or if you do click here to learn how to grow at home or check out this pdf from Johnny's Selected Seeds)--no worries, this is just one of the many wonderful products you can order through the Lancaster Farm Fresh buying club. You too can get your microgreens delivered to the farm every Tuesday-- in fact Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative farmer Sam Fisher has plans to grow microgreens year round.

Microgreens are fantastic on sandwiches, as a garnish on meats and fish, in tuna or salmon salads, and the list goes on. My new favorite winter weather remedy is a salad of microgreens, avocado, and an Inverbrook Farm hard boiled egg. Click here for a microgreen salad recipe Microgreens with Curry Vinaigrette .

A Fan of Food History

I love reading about food history, hence the plug for Full Moon Feast in the previous post. This time of year is particularly rich with all the traditions surrounding the myriad of December/Winter Solstice holidays. I just discovered an interesting blog by Aussie Janet Clarkson The Old Foodie. Janet has written a book on the history of pies and also contributed a piece to a book about eating humans, yes that's right, there is a book on cannibal cooking traditions. A little less grusome, and much more appropriate for the upcoming holiday season is her collection of vintage Christmas recipes. For a food history/culture blog not so tied to the British Commonwealth check out Gherkins and Tomatoes by Virginian Cynthia Bertelsen. Click here to read her take on turkey soup--just in case you still have a little turkey left over. Enjoy the historical inspiration.

Turkey Time!

Early this morning we gathered up the turkeys and took them to the processor so they will be ready for pick up at the farm later on today. If you have pre-ordered your turkey from Inverbrook (pre-orders only) you have several options for pick up:

1. From 3-6PM in the kitchen of the large stone house, the last house before the barn. If you are coming down the paved tree lined driveway (the one with the Inverbrook Farm sign at the end of it, you simple follow the paved part--it will curve around to the right and take you past the door to the kitchen.

2. If you are picking up an order from lancaster farm fresh and/or want to purchase greens from the farm you can drive up to the distribution shed. YOU MUST LET ME KNOW SO I CAN PUT YOUR TURKEY IN THE REFRIGERATOR UP IN THE DISTRIBUTION SHED. You can pick up turkeys from 3-6PM today or basically all day tomorrow. This will be a self serve process, that is why I need to know ahead of time.

3. Finally you can pick up your turkey in the same location at option 1 but on Wednesday from 10AM-2PM.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call 610-563-3116 or e-mail claire@inverbrook.com

If you are looking for cooking guidance Fine Cooking is a great source of video instruction and recipe ideas. For some tips about the nuance to cooking a pasture raised turkey click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

An Admirer of Arugula

The little bit of warmth and recent sunshine has added longevity to the fall season greens (available at the farm on Tuesdays 8:30AM till dark, along with Lancaster Farm Fresh 4 Season Harvest drop off ), so I have been enjoying one of my personal favorites this time of year--Arugula. The wet cool weather tempers arugula's heat potential, and the resulting nutty, slightly hot, complex flavor pairs perfectly with sweet fall fruit like apples, pears, cranberries and my personal favorite asian pears. In fact I am going to make an asian pear/pine nut/arugula salad for the Kennett Farmers Market community potluck--I just have to decide on a cheese-shaved parmesan, chevre, blue cheese crumbled on top--the combinations are limitless.

Speaking of the combo of arugula,fruit and cheese click here for a great Brie, apple, arugula sandwhich recipe.

On the last day of the famers market Martha Pisano (of Highland Sheep Cheese fame) and I had a conversation about cooking chip steak and serving it over a bed of arugula, the warm meat slightly wilting the greens, yum. This reminded me of one of my favorite arugula recipes that my sister brought back from some trendy restaurant in NYC, basically it was flank steak cooked in a balsamic and shallot reduction. I could not find the exact recipe, but this is close. I suggest adding shallots to the vinaigrette using grass-fed beef to make it all the more flavorful. Enjoy!

Flank Steak and Arugula With Warm Balsamic Vinaigrette
The Washington Post, August 10, 2005

Flank steak is usually marinated, then broiled or grilled. This quick version dispenses with a marinade and cooks the meat in a skillet. Making it that way creates pan juices, which are deglazed with balsamic vinaigrette, pulling the dish together. Serve on a bed of peppery arugula and top with curls of Parmesan cheese.

Leftovers are great the next day on a crusty roll with a touch of mayonnaise (keep the vinaigrette separate until lunchtime to keep the roll from becoming soggy).

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds flank steak
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 12 ounces arugula leaves, tough stems discarded, washed and torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
• (4 to 6 ounces) A large chunk of Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:
Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, tilting the pan to coat the bottom with oil. Season the steak with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Place meat in the skillet and cook until the underside is well browned, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the meat from burning, about 6 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is browned, about 6 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a carving board to rest while making the vinaigrette. Set the skillet aside.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk the vinegar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup oil. Return the skillet to high heat, pour in the vinaigrette, and scrape up any browned bits in the skillet with a wooden spatula (don't let the vinaigrette reduce). Remove from the heat.

Divide the arugula among individual plates. Holding the knife at a 45-degree angle, slice the steak across the grain into thin slices. Place overlapping slices of the steak over the arugula. Whisk any meat juices into the vinaigrette, and spoon the vinaigrette over the steak and arugula.

Using a vegetable peeler, shave a generous amount of Parmesan cheese onto the meat and greens. Serve immediately.

Recipe Source:
Adapted from "The Carefree Cook," by Rick Rodgers (Broadway Books, 2003).

370 calories, 28g fat, 6g saturated fat, 44mg cholesterol, 278mg sodium, 4g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, n/a sugar, 25g protein.

Plan a Local Thanksgiving

Over the next couple of weeks I encourage you to keep checking up on both the Inverbrook Farm Blog and the Kennett Square Farmers Market Blog which will be filled with tips, recipes, and more about making your Thanksgiving meal a true celebration of our local bounty. It makes sense to start with the focal point of the traditional meal--the Turkey. We are proud to offer own Inverbrook pastured raise turkeys (see pictures).

Unfortunately most of our large turkeys are spoken for, we do however have a handful of smaller turkeys yet unclaimed--probably in the 9-12lb range. The size our of turkeys is always a guess, and quite frankly, providing the focal point of your very special holiday meal gives me a bit of an ulcer. Our type of small scale natural farming lets nature dictate size, so as long as you can be flexible with the size of your turkey, we are happy to provide the very special bird. Our turkeys sell for $3.20 a pound and will be available the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. You can place an order request by e-mail claire@inverbrook.com. After you place an order I will follow up with pick up details. The wonderful weblog CCDwell recently posted a feature on sourcing local turkeys--so if you want a bigger bird or go all out a get a heritage breed--the have all local sources listed.


Turkeys are also available through the Lancaster Farm Fresh Buy Coop we will be hosting here at Inverbrook. To read more about the wonderful local organic coop click here to read an article that appeared in Grid magazine. To find out more about signing up for the 4 Season Harvest please read the previous post.

Yesterday's New York Times Food and Dining section featured a debate about what people like better-- the turkey or the sides. Perhaps the pictures I have included in the post will not do much to swing the debate towards the turkey. Although the turkey might not win in the looks department, our humanely raised poultry certainly tastes good, and you can be rest assured have a happy life until the end. Click here for the link to their dining blog about the subject. Besides the debate, this week's food and dining section featured some great recipes including this one for Dry-Brined Turkey, enjoy!

Another Sunchoke Recipe

Hi Folks, just in case you still have a few sunchokes rolling around in your refrigerator, I thought you might enjoy this recent recipe from one of my favorite food blogs Chocolate and Zucchini.

Final Share--Roots for Roasting

All the root vegetables in this final share lend themselves well to roasting. Click here for Roasted Medley of Winter Roots-- you could replace the parsnips with either daikon radish or sweet potatoes. Roasted root vegetables are the perfect compliment to roast chicken--also available at the farm.
Click here to read CCDwell's blog post about roasting up one our chickens.

This Week's Share--Sunchokes and the World Series

I apologize for the late posting but the beautiful weather and this baseball watching has been a bit of a distraction, not to mention much shorter days. Anyway, way to go Phillies!!!! Maybe its all those organic vegetables they have been eating, click here to watch MVP Ryan Howard's visit to the White House Garden.

This week's share includes a tuber you might not be familiar with--the sunchoke, otherwise known as the jerusalem artichoke. Click here to read a great blog posting on this curious little carbohydrate, just a warning sunchokes have the unfortunately side effect of making one a little gaseous. From the website eat the seasons the low down on Sunchokes:


Sunchoke (Jersualem artichoke) look a bit like a knobbly pink-skinned ginger root and have a sweet, nutty flavor, reminiscent of water chestnuts. Although not widely used (perhaps because of its awkward appearance or anti-social effects - see NUTRITION), they are an inexpensive and versatile food that can be used both raw and cooked and make a delicious soup.

HISTORY
The sunchoke is native to North America. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain introduced them to Europe after coming across them at Cape Cod in 1605.

BIOLOGY
The sunchoke plant (Helianthus tuberosus) is related to the sunflower and produces edible tubers. It is hardy and grows readily in cold climates.

NUTRITION
Sunchokes are very rich in inulin, a carbohydrate linked with good intestinal health due to its prebiotic (bacteria promoting) properties. These health benefits come at a price; the food can have a potent wind-producing effect.

Sunchokes also contain vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium and are a very good source of iron.

TIPS
BUYING
Roots should be free from soft spots, wrinkles or sprouting. Knobbles and uneveness are unavoidable (and not indicative of quality), but smoother, rounder artichokes are easier to prepare.

STORING
Sunchokes will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

PREPARING
Like potatoes, sunchoke can be served with or without the skin - scrub clean and leave it on for maximum nutritional benefit.

Cook as you would potatoes - roast, sauté, bake, boil or steam. If peeling or cutting, drop pieces into water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Unlike potatoes, sunchokes can also be used raw (e.g. in salads) or lightly stir-fried.

OTHER STUFF
Sunchokes are used in the industrial production of fructose, which is derived from the inulin content of the vegetable. Click here for a fingerling and sunchoke warm salad, yum!