Paisley Farm CSA blog

As always our members continue to inspire even us with new recipes or variations on ideas they see using their shares. Thank you Dave for the shout out, post and recipe! We’re posting it here, but check out Dave’s blog, with other great recipes and dialogue here, at Dave’s Kitchen.

Sausage Stuffed Kohlrabi

2 medium size kohlrabi, stalks removed
Greens from 1 Kohlrabi, trimmed of stems and chopped
2 Tbl olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ lb turkey sausage (casings removed if using links)
½  cup white rice
1-1/4 cup chicken stock
salt & pepper

1 Tbl dry bread crumbs
1 Tbl butter, chopped into small pieces

Cut off the bottom & top of each kohlrabi. With a melon baller, ice cream scoop, or sharp-edged spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving a ¼ to ½ inch shell. Rub the inside of each shell with a pinch of salt. Chop the scooped-out pulp and reserve.

Place the kohlrabi atop a rack or steamer in a large pot with an inch or two of water in the bottom. Steam until the kohlrabi are soft enough to be easily poked through with the tip of a sharp knife, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil until fragrant. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the turkey sausage and sautee until browned, 10 mintues, stirring occasionally and breaking it into small pieces with the edge of your spoon or spatula. Add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add ½ tsp salt and a generous amount of fresh-ground black pepper, then add the chopped greens. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes longer.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the rice is cooked through, approximately 12 minutes.

When the kohlrabi is cooked through, pour any accumulated juices into the sausage mixture and stir. Place kohlrabi onto a baking sheet. Fill each with the sausage mixture, mounding slightly on top. Cover with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes until topping is toasted. Serve atop remaining sausage mixture.

* Photo and Recipe courtesy of Dave, Brooklyn located CSA member, summer 2010. 

We have some pretty awesome members, who understand what local eating means and why support CSAs, markets and the like. Lucky for us, some are also incredible home chefs who make master pieces with the seasonal bounty. Thanks to Elizabeth and Brian at Brooklyn Supper  for the shout out and the great recipe. 

Elizabeth’s photography is also source for inspiration. Well done! Happy eating, keep up the good work as we keep up the good growing. 

Content and Image copyright Elizabeth Stark, Brooklyn Supper Blog, 2008-2010. 

” Thanks to the unyielding bounty of our awesome Paisley Farms CSA, we are replete with beets. As of Sunday, the Brooklyn Supper refrigerator contained three bunches of beets and two bunches of beet greens. I had tossed around several recipe ideas, such as beet jam, which seemed mysterious and interesting, or pickled beets, always a winner, but really I just wanted to enjoy unmediated beet-ness. Cue marinated beets. This simple recipe showcases summer beet flavor at its peak.

Remove from oven, uncover, and allow the beets to cool. The skins should peel off with relative ease. This process can vary, so just do your best. Then slice the beets to a 1/4″ thick moons, and toss with the vinegar in a large bowl. Let the beets sit a while so they can absorb the vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon diced rosemary and drizzle the olive oil sparingly. Adjust the salt and pepper levels. To serve, arrange the beets on a plate, and top with a twist of fresh pepper and a small sprig of rosemary, or over a green salad. I found that these were even better the next day. “

Our members eat so well! I’m always inspired how members are using ingredients as well as building on other culinary goodies. Thanks to Alison for sending me this great recipe made using our CSA share from last week (july 21)…and a big thanks to Katie from the MEx location for sharing! This is the original post from her blog Thanks again for spreading the Paisley Farm word! 

I guess this makes her “guest blogger number 1″…welcome! 

When our share including such a lot of fresh mint, I tried a number of things to use it – including a mint pesto I put over pasta and peas, and a variation on Mark Bittman’s cold cucumber soup from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. With those ideas and a new muddler for making mint lemonade, I used the whole bunch by the end of the week and felt as accomplished as if I had crossed four states in a covered wagon.

My roommate and I created this with the mint and cucumber from the Paisley Farm CSA. It was delicious with tortilla chips and a hit at a Fourth of July party.

Mix in one large bowl:

• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 1/4 c torn mint leaves (heaping cup is fine)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 16-oz container fresh strawberries, cleaned and diced
• 3 tbl white wine vinegar
• 1 bunch scallions, diced
• 1/8 tsp ground bhut pepper*
• Salt and pepper to taste.

*We didn’t have a fresh jalapeno around and in the spirit of experimentation, I used a small amount of ground bhut or “ghost” pepper that my friend Jay is selling at Brooklyn fairs and markets, and that I had in the cupboard.  (http://www.bhut-pepper.com/index.html)  Bhut Jolakia is from India and is referred to as the world’s hottest pepper.  A little goes a long way, but it’s got a nice smoky flavor that sneaks up on you.  I put in about 1/8 tsp of it to start and stirred it.  When serving it again later, I added a little more. 

I’m sure a mashed fresh jalapeno or any other dried chili powder would work just as well.

Summer time… the living and the cooking should be easy. I do not like to labor over a hot stove during the extra hot days we have been having…and I know a small NYC kitchen does not make that process any more fun… Here is the most care free and idiot proof way to cook fresh corn. 

1. Boil a large stock pot of salted water. 
2. Meanwhile, shuck your corn. 
3. Add corn to pot, cover and turn off heat. Allow to sit 15-20 minutes. I’ve left it much longer, and it has been fine. shhh.
4. Strain water, eat on cob or slice off into a bowl, making sure to scrap the ears with the back of your knife for the corn milk. VERY worthwhile step. 

Hey, while you’re in corn mode, why not make corn and basil cornbread, too?

Great Zucchini and Blueberry Bread! This sounds delicious and uses things from the shares in perfect timely combination. This would be great to freeze for a winter treat as well…

Big thanks to Kelly C. for sharing how she used this recipe with great results last week. Thanks to Tuesday as well for spreading the word on Kelly’s find! 

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Are you taking care of your basil plants? Having killed my fair share, I am being extra kind to my basil childrens this year. Here is a little more information on basil, a varied plant with many uses. Here are two ways to use Basil….

Taste: 

anise, orange and lilac classically. Other varieties might be more/less spicy. More/less bright, crisp and eucalyptus like. 

Usage: 

Primarily a finishing herb, keep bright and away from long cooking. Dried Basil pales in comparison to fresh, and is not personally recommended. 

Issues:

Fresh basil is ideal, but the life span is short. It also can become black or wilt easily. It does not combine well with acids which dampen the color considerably, especially with lapses in time.  

Preserve:

Fresh basil can be blanched and frozen, as can basil oil or basil paste. Sea salt will preserve basil as well, keeping the leaves in a dried state. Use frozen basil items in two to four months; dried in four to six months. 

 Spicy Basil Sauce

A sauce that is quick and relates to whatever proteins you might be grilling and serving during summer months. A little heat adds to the familiar basil flavor. Great with steak or red meats. 

• 1 cup chopped basil
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice 
• 2-3 smashed cloves garlic 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

Mix all ingredients. 

Basil Berry Cocktail 

Taking the garden to the bar 

• 2 big strawberries
• Simple syrup to taste 
• 3 basil leaves, Italian 
• 3 oz. Vodka (brand is your preferred choice)

Muddle strawberries, simple syrup and basil leaves in a glass with ice. Add vodka. Shake and strain into martini glass.

Here is a quick simple Caesar dressing for when vinegar or lemon juice dressing get old. No reason to not have options! 

1/4 to 1/3 cup mayonnaise (reg or low fat or vegan)

2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving if you like

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

sea salt, fresh ground pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each) 

Whisk everything together and toss greens with this when ready to serve. Sure, traditional recipes call for egg yolks and anchovies but this is quick and saves your (hopefully from the egg share, local!) eggs for poaching and scrambling.

With the shares in full swing, we hope you are cooking these goodies in the classic ways (olive oil and a skillet do simple wonders) but we also love to hear about bigger recipes that really let the local foods shine. Our vegetables love to be treated well. 

Here is a recipe from Amy, a member at the MEX location. Thank you for sharing! 

Risotto di Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

7 cups chicken stock

6 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

3 medium zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces

¼ cup parsley

freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium stock pot, then reduce heat to a low simmer.

Melt half the butter and the oil in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until golden but not brown.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste as it cooks.  Remove, cover and set aside zucchini.

Add remaining butter to the pot and stir in onions.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted and it starts to stick to the bottom and sides of the pot. As soon as the rice starts to stick, pour one ladle of the simmering stock into the pot, stirring continuously.  When the liquid is absorbed, pour another ladle full into the pot.  Continue pouring the stock by the ladle until the rice has absorbed it all.  You might have some stock left over, or you may need to supplement it with hot water.

When finished (you will be able to tell by the texture of the rice), turn off the heat and stir in parsley, then zucchini.  Serve immediately.

In your shares, under the greens and over the beans, there lie bulbous red and white little radishes, complete with their green feathery leaves intact. Some people will bite right into the radishes after a quick rinse in water and be on their merry eating way… others, like myself some days, still do not fully understand what to do with this crispy and at times pungent vegetable. 

From the mustard family, the radish is a root who’s name comes from “radix” meaning root in Latin. Though we leave the leaves on, to store radishes, it is best to remove the leaves and refrigerate in a bag until the next share (in other words, they last five to seven days.) Say you wait a few days and your radishes have become soft and give to pressure…. which will make for a pithy and not as crisp bite. Soak your washed and sliced radishes in ice water for a bit before using to bring the crisp texture back. 

Radishes find their way into salads mostly and are welcome additions to good lettuces, but you could also cook radishes if you desired. Cooking radishes makes them taste like turnips with more bite, but just as little color. The heat will make the colors more pastel. With sweet butter and salt, radishes become a charming snack or crudites. Placing that mixture on a fresh baguette works well. Taking this same idea, a tea sandwich can be crafted with sliced radishes, sweet butter, good salt, a bit of lemon zest and thin slices of a firm bread. Another radish option I saw in a vegetable cookbook I flipped though is below; and sounds good considering most things are better with cheese. 

Radish Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano (or a Dry Jack Cheese)

1 bunch radishes

fresh chives, chopped (1-2 tablespoons) 

olive oil 

1 to 3 ounces cheese

sea salt, fresh pepper

salad or radish greens to garnish or serve with if desired

* Wash and de-leave radishes. Pat mostly dry, and thinly slice. Place all ingredients *except* cheese in a bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat. 

*Top with grated cheese. Season and serve greens as well if doing so. 

I will also be pickling radishes this summer and will keep you all updated on how this works, if it works, and if it gives any more insight into what to do with radishes.

“I don’t know what it is… but I want it!”…. ahh, one of my favorite Jessica Simpson quotes…but it came to mind immediately when I found this recipe embedded in a sweet article from PA about local winter eating and the freeing nature of accepting season’s on natures’ terms.

Read the article here, or just try out the recipe below. Complete with nutritional information… this seems like a cool way to make beets into a dessert with an Indian flavor. It takes a while to make but appears to be a gorgeous and aromatic treat. A Halwa is basically a dense, sweet middle eastern dessert… some use carrots, some use grains, some use nuts… but you and me, my local seasonal eating friends, can use beets. Enjoy! 

Beet Halwa

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 pound beets, scrubbed and peeled

1 quart whole milk

1 cup sugar, or more to taste

4 green cardamom seeds

1/4 cup unsalted butter or ghee

Freshly grated nutmeg

Chopped cashews, sliced almonds, or both (optional)

1. Using a grater or a food processor, grate beets.

2. Combine milk, sugar, and cardamom in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a frying pan. When foaming subsides, add beets and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beets to milk and bring to a boil again. Continue briskly simmering, stirring frequently, until milk is mostly absorbed, but beets are still moist, about 1½ hours. (Mixture will continue to thicken off heat.) Remove cardamom.

4. Garnish with nutmeg and nuts, if using. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Per serving (based on 8): 246 calories, 5 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 34 grams sugar, 10 grams fat, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 94 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.