Week 2

Not sure why the Gator chard is called "Gator", but it sure tasted good. Sauteed with a little vegetable stock, soy sauce and olive oil, it was delicious. Did the spinach the same way, only added a touch of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds at the end.

I switched out the turnips for some micro greens - good sprinkled into anything from salads to a saute.
I must admit, the baby beets are still in the fridge. I have a recipe in mind, but need a run to the store to get all the ingredients.

Paid for the radishes because during the season, the best thing in the world are sliced radishes topping a buttered piece of crusty bread. Some people sprinkle with salt, but I eat mine straight.

Ahh, potatoes. My go to recipe calls for sliced onions, minced garlic and olive oil tossed with the potatoes, cleaned and cut into chunks. Sprinkle salt and pepper and put in a 300 degree oven. Tossing occasionally, after about an hour, turn the temp up to 450 for about 10-15 minutes. The potatoes will be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside....yummy....

Greens, Greens, Greens

 

Yikes, that's a whole lotta greens goin' on! As excited as I was to start eating fresh vegetables again, this list made me just a little hesitant. With a million things to do and more added every day, I was getting anxious just looking at this list, thinking, "too much green stuff to figure out - what happened to the juice - that was easy, just drink". Luckily, Joe was there with a couple of delicious recipes to make my life just a little easier. 

 

 In a beautiful new cooking space, he whipped up a chive pesto and a sorrel risotto...

The risotto was just amazing - and simple too. That is, if stirring at the stove for about a half and hour doesn't send you running to the phone to order in. For me, it was relaxing. All that stirring meant I was only doing one thing at a time, as opposed to the five that it seemed like I was doing all week.

The recipes can be found on The Garden of Ideas site.

I also used the sorrel in scrambled eggs, just add when the eggs are about half way done, cooking slowly. I love the Asian greens in salad - just a bit adds a real spicy kick to a basic salad. 

Happy cooking!!

They're Back!!!

Well, almost. About a week ago I got the email I've been waiting for since November -  the one announcing that the new share season at The Garden of Ideas will start in another month or so. Not only have I missed eating all that fresh and tasty bounty, but the visits to the farm as well. Ilsa and Joe are so welcoming, always there with a smile or tidbit of information on how to best prepare whatever is on the board for the week. Whenever I have the time, I will take a stroll through the gardens to see what is growing, read some poetry and check out what new sculptures have been installed. The place is a feast not just for the taste buds, but for all of my senses. 

I came to look forward to the challenge of my Thursday pick up. What would be in the fridge at the farm stand? Will I know what to do with it? Will my family eat it? When the season was over, I didn't quite know what to do with myself. I had to actually go to the store and buy stuff. I did still experiment a little over the winter, making one night a week "vegetarian night".

But I missed the adventure of trying garlic scapes, cucuzza, all types of microgreens and ground cherries - just to name a few of the types of produce that were new to me last year and favorites now. I've been collecting recipes in anticipation and have learned a few things about participating in a garden share:

1) Keep an open mind - the garden offers the opportunity to switch out what you don't want. Had I done that every time I was presented with something new, I never would have tried a bunch of things that are now staples.

2) Be realistic - Cauliflower, it just ain't gonna happen. Much as I tried last season, with soup and grilled and covered in cheese, my family was having none of it.

3) Have a steady supply of olive oil and garlic on hand. Most veggies can be prepared with these two ingredients and taste just wonderful - the beauty of fresh picked is that you really don't have to do much.

4) When available, buy the best quality you can. The taste really is better!!!

Having A Generator is a Wonderful Thing

We had another week without power, although this time we were prepared with a generator. Without Internet, another week went by without a post, but not without cooking. The smell of soup, stews and more soup filled the house for most of the week. My favorite was a great Moroccan soup with squash chickpeas and pumpkin seeds. It came from "Olive Trees and Honey", one of the best vegetarian cookbooks around, especially if you like to use spices from the middle east, Europe and Asia.

1/4 c oil
2 Leeks or Onions, chopped
8 cups vegetable stock or water
2 to 3 pounds squash (I used a combination of butternut and acorn - you can also use pumpkin), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
3 cups cooked chickpeas
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 to 4 TBSP brown sugar (to taste)
2 cinnamon sticks or 1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric or saffron thread
1/8 allspice or freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped parsley, cinantro. 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts or 1 cup sauteed mushrooms for garnish

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add leaks and saute about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until soft, about 50 minutes. If you used the cinnamon sticks, discard.

To serve, garnish with chosen ingredient.

More Goodies

Mmmm, maple syrup. Thanks to Joe and Ilsa, I now know just how good this sticky stuff is for you. A good source of Zinc and Manganese, it's antioxidant properties make it an excellent addition to your cabinet or fridge. For those who want more info, I found a lot of good stuff here.

And, given the recent cold spell, complete with snow, a big plate of pancakes sound perfect just about now. Another favorite is roasted pecans coated in maple syrup. Just like Lays they are, "you can't eat just one" delicious.

Pears - Bosc, Yali and Seckel. The Yali, a Chinese variety, is new to me. Small and pretty - can't wait to try them.

The Red Bok Choy is also pretty - other than the color, there is nothing new about this. Stir fry it is.

Ground Cherries - neither "ground" or "cherries", these things are still very strange - even after 2 weeks of them.

Seriously, do these look like cherries to you? I'm going to have to work on this.....

This week's share is the perfect example of the variety of fruits and vegetables I have been exposed to. Two kinds of peppers, three of apples, onions and potatoes. What a bounty!!!

I cooked the potatoes on the stove, starting with sauteing some garlic and onion in olive oil, then adding the potatoes, which were thinly sliced and some salt and pepper.  Mixing the varieties give a more complex taste to what is normally a very simple dish.

"Oh Honey...."

A cross between Macoun and Honeygold (which itself is a cross between Golden Delicious and Haralson), the Honeycrisp is now my new favorite apple. How fortunate to stop at The Garden of Ideas yesterday for some staples (onions and garlic) and find them there. These beauties are grown by Red Jacket Orchards, the same people that bring you the amazing juices, which are available at the farm all the time. If you haven't yet tried this sweet and luscious variety, get yourself one (or a dozen, which is what you will grab after one bite).

Today is the first day of the Fall share. For the two week break, I was busy cooking up the bounty that remained in my fridge after three weekends away. The chili I made for the Apple Cider press turned out great! But then again, how bad can chili be when it contains cocoa and Guiness?

The celeriac and cauliflower soup I tried was also tasty, and I loved my new hand blender - so much easier than ladling mush into the blender - and neater too.

Like soup, the stir fry is an easy way to get your veggies in and with only a wok to clean - worth all the work of the chopping. Heat wok - throw in oil - throw in onion and garlic - throw in veggies, in order of hardness (i.e., carrots first, cabbage last) - stir - add some soy sauce, mirin, wine - easy peasy.

Now, off to the farm for this week's share!

googootz!!

Measuring more than 2 feet long, this summer squash - Cucuzza (really long squash in Italian), brought the expected hoots and howls when I brought it down to the beach one summer night for grilling. Memories of countless "hen's nights" came back to many of the women and the men were unapologetic in their comments, a few even making comparisons with their own..........ha!

I had never heard, nor seen this veggie before - though it brings back many memories for those of Italian decent. A friend fondly remembered his childhood, running in for fried "goo-gootz" and eggplant sandwiches. No matter what he and his friends were doing outside, once the call came from his mother, they dropped whatever it was they were doing and rushed to the kitchen.

Fried, sauteed, stewed or stuffed - this one can be done in many ways. Since we were down at the beach, we simply brushed it with olive oil and put it on the grill. The flavor was subtly sweet. I do wish we didn't cook the whole thing that night, because I would love to have tried some other dishes.

Aw, goo-gootz!!!

Say Goodbye to Summer

 The last week of the summer share brings yet another new vegetable I want to try - the red noodle bean:

Gorgeous scarlet in color, texturally it looks like a pole bean. Also known as yard long or asparagus beans. They come from Southern China and I plan on stir-frying them with the Bok Choy I picked up as my choice for the week.

The Cauliflower is not very popular in my house - I am the only one who likes it. With my new hand held blender, I will try a soup and see how that goes over. I found one I can use with the Celeriac, so it will really be an adventure.

Now, off to find a good chili recipe for the weekends' Apple Cider Press up in New Hampshire..

Nice Dinner

Last nights dinner was sole with shallots, garlic, peppers and tomatoes in white wine. Happened upon some really fresh fish and the combination was lovely. Sauteed string beans and as usual, they were terrific. Served with cous cous, it was a satisfying meal. I have gotten so spoiled eating the vast variety of just picked vegetables. I know I will miss it come winter.

Luckily I have several more weeks with the fall share starting up. I finally broke down and bought one of those hand held blenders for soup making. Tried it out with the tomato soup I made last week and it was brilliant. No more having to mess up a blender - just stick it in the pot and swirl away.

Will try making acorn squash soup today. A great light meal with a good loaf of bread and a salad. 

The squash are here!!  Last week was Butternut - this week Acorn  - the big question is do I do a simple roast in the oven, a soup or a more complicated dish. To the cookbooks I go!

Took another eggplant - I love the purple ones with the white marks - creamy, delicate taste. I added it to my vegetarian lasagna - usually made with just spinach, and it was a big hit. The recipe I use started with the one on the box of noodles. Over the years, I have changed it somewhat - different kinds of cheese, meat vs spinach, low fat vs full fat. It's one of those dishes that is hard to do badly. Now, I usually just up the herbs and use lots of cheese for a very dense lasagna. I always make a big one, so there is plenty of left overs and I NEVER serve it on the same day I make it. That one day of rest allows all the flavors to meld and once reheated, gives out the full flavor of the dish.

More tomatoes - the variety is thrilling - each kind I try is like a surprise in my mouth - sweet, rich, tart, light - I never know until that first bite. I have been putting them on my favorite Wave Hill Bread for an extra special treat....

This week's beans are multi-colored - green, white, purple - I just wished they kept their color when cooked. I think I'll try something raw this week........

I Have Lost Count....

.....of what week this is. All I know is even at this late date, the corn was amazing. Again, a simple grilling outside resulted in sweet and tender kernels. What was left over, I added to a salad, along with the celery root - amazing looking things, aren't they?

Now that I am back from "Sugarland",  I am planning a stir fry with the Chinese cabbage, more celery root and green pepper - with either chicken or shrimp added for that all important protein.

A Trip To Sugarland

With a daughter who echews anything resembling "girly" stuff (except for getting her nails painted), birthdays mean choosing between "Star Wars", "Transformers", "Bey Blades" and "Cars". After a brief flirtation with the Smurfs, "Cars 2" won out.

Occasionally, we will watch "Cake Boss" on television. I am constantly amazed at both the creativity and engineering involved in constructing these monuments of sugary delight. She can't believe that the finished products are actually eatable. Ariana kept asking if we could go visit him and ask him to make her cake this year. I kept saying that he is too far away, to busy, too..... too. I decided to try to make the cake myself given my innocent enthusiasm in thinking, "I can do this!"

Luckily for me, William-Sonoma developed a line of character utensils for people just like me. Last year, we bought the pancake and cookie molds for StarWars. The recipe that come with each of the kits is excellent - I now use the pancake recipe all the time. This year, they came out with a Cars 2 cakelet pan. Eight little cakes representing various characters, incredibly detailed and surprisingly easy to use.

What was not so easy was the fondant. For the trial run, I used store bought fondant that comes in a big brick. I had a great time creating the characters - I felt like I was in art class with a bunch of clay. Mixing the colors, molding pieces, cutting just right - a couple hours of creativity was a nice break from the usual chores.

The cake part, not surprisingly, came out great. A simple vanilla cake, rich tasting - yummy. The fondant was another story. The cakes lost some of the detail once I added the fondant as it was too thick to get into every crevice. "Like rubber", said my supportive but honest husband. "Don't serve this to your guests", he warned. Well, did he expect me to make my own???? I had to agree, the store bought stuff tasted horrible.

So, the search began for a fondant recipe. Some of them just seemed too complicated for a total fondant novice like myself. I finally found one that used marshmallows as the main ingredient. "How hard could that be?", I thought. This from someone who once broke a wooden spoon while stirring up a batch of marshmallow rice crispy treats. I mixed as much as I could and then put it in the fridge to "set". Set it did - like a brick. Chipping it out of the bowl and into the garbage, I tried again, adding a little more water than the recipe called for.

Much better, though the details of each car was lost. Eight cars and a 15" round cake later, my shoulders and arms we sore from all the rolling and molding, but it still looked pretty good for a first attempt.

It's Soup Time

 Well, almost, but ever since Mark Bittman wrote his "Tomato" column in the New York Times Magazine, I have wanted to make the "Moroccan Style Tomato Soup with Chickpeas". Now that I have the exact amount of tomatoes, here goes:

Cook 1 chopped onion and 1 tablespoon each garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons each cumin, coriander and cinnamon; cook for 1 minute. Add 2 pounds chopped tomatoes, 2 cups stock and 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas. Simmer until saucy. Garnish: Parsley or cilantro.

"This is really good and I don't even like tomato soup" - Arny.

Thanks Mark!!!

Found it!!

Here is a great recipe for fresh plums - I combined them with some peaches - it's a simple dish that can handle almost any fruit combination.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 8 to 10 plums and peaches
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and combine. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter and combine with a pastry cutter or 2 forks until it reaches a crumble. Add the nuts.
3. Place the plums in the dish and top with the crumble. Dot with the remaining butter. Bake about 1 hour or until golden.

keeping up - weeks 9 and 10

Here we are, almost ready for another pick up and since we have been traveling off and on for the past two weeks, and are about to leave for yet another mini vacation, I am finding it hard to get through everything we have. Using my old standards, I have made countless plates of tomatoes with mozzerella and basil and roasted potatoes with onions and garlic.

I tried to grill the watermelon, cutting slices about an inch and a half think, brushing with olive oil and chopped onion. Interesting, not sure I would do it again though. Seriously, it tastes so much better just cold and juicy.

The plums are still in the fridge - gotta figure something out today - any ideas????

Week 9 - Choices, Choices

One of the things I like about the CSA is the ability to choose. If you don't care for an item, you can always switch it out for something more palatable. This week, a choice was one of our items - there were so many wonderful things, it took me awhile to figure it out. There were many greens, as well as cucumbers and juices I hadn't yet tried. I ended up with some string beans (Ariana's favorite) and a couple of lovely looking tomatoes.

As I write this, the corn is already gone. Two nights in a row - can't get enough!! This week's corn was a bit sweeter than last weeks, with larger kernels. Arny has been grilling it outside with the husk on - we love the taste and it is so much easier to shuck. The silk comes off right away and the leaves make a great holder.

One thing I've noticed about the potatoes we've been getting- the skins are so thin, delicate like fine paper. I wouldn't dare peel them (I rarely do that anyway), but rather enjoy the texture in whatever I end up making. To the cookbooks I go.....

Yummy Yummy Corn - the forgotten post

Not quite sure what happened last week - I wrote this out and then never posted it. This is what I get for leaving the computer in the middle of a post. In any event, here you go:

What can be better than fresh picked corn? We already devoured 3 ears last night and will finish them off this evening.

Fresh plums - small tasty little things. I found so many recipes, it will be hard to decide what to make, other than knowing it will definitely be dessert. (Turned out to be a plum and peach crumble - delicious!!)

Purslane is a new item for me - when I looked online, I found several articles on edible gardening, mentioned purslane as the weed you want to eat!! It is very high in alpha-linolenic acid, one of the  Omega 3 acids that are so good for you. The Garden of Ideas has two recipes on their blog. both which sound like a great accompaniment to any barbecue (added it to a salad - easy, peasy).

And the corn - yum!!!

Potato Salad - the tasty switch

The items in this week's share was the perfect opportunity to switch out the usual ingredients of my usual potato salad for ones I had on hand. I like my potatoes with the skin on, so the Rose Gold New Potatoes, young ones with very thin skin are the perfect choice for potato salad and a good change from the larger Yukon gold. A gentle scrub is all they need. Bravely, I lite the stove (and turned the air conditioner on!) and boiled the potatoes until just soft.


I cut them up, added some fennel (instead of celery) and basil (instead of parsley) and one Cippolini onion (instead of the usual yellow). While I usually add mayo to the recipe, I didn't have any, so I used Marie's Blue Cheese Dressing instead. Add the usual salt and pepper and I was done.

Reviews were very positive and I had to rely on them since personally, I don't like potato salad. I know, it's crazy, but there is just something about cold potatoes that turns me off. I did taste this when the potatoes were still slightly warm and I really liked the fresh delicate taste.

Today's dish will be some salsa for a party I am going to.....stay tuned....

Summer Share Week 7

This had to be one of the more fragrant selections - the fennel's enticing scent hitting as soon as I opened the fridge. I never made fennel before, so I'm not quite sure what I will do with it. Perhaps I'll follow the Garden of Idea's suggestion and roast it, but with the temperature over 100, not sure I want to turn on my oven!!

Another newbie is fresh apricots - I have always eaten the dried ones, but for some unknown reason have stayed away from the fresh. I'm thinkin' salsa and a tart - though that would require that pesky oven again.

Onions and potatoes will make a nice potato salad - oh wait, need to boil the potatoes...perhaps not.

The juice is the perfect antidote to the heat - a combination of apple and lemon - outrageously good!! Alone or mixed with sparkling water (or a little champagne), Joe's Summer Blend make these really hot days a little more bearable.

Stay cool everyone!! Drink lots of water...or Joe's Summer Blend!!

Note to Self

Kale chips - a deliciously, guilt free snack. So easy to make - rip Kale into little pieces, removing stem. Toss with a little oil and salt and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, or as long as it takes to get them crispy.

I first heard of kale chips while I was on a plane and watching some talk show with Gwyneth Paltrow pushing her cook book. Cook book???? since when did she cook? Not sure where I have been, but apparently she has a whole website now, extolling the virtues of vegetarian cooking.

I am always very suspicious of actors coming out with books telling us how to cook (or diet or exercise or get over depression, eating disorders, addictions, etc., etc., etc.). Frankly, I would much rather read what their personal chef, dietitian, trainer, doctor, (again, etc., etc., etc.) has to say, as they are the real experts. But they are also boring, or so the media would have us think, so they parade a bunch of famous people, who by virtue of the fact they are gorgeous, will sell the program better. It seems I am in the minority here, as billions of dollars each year go to these people and the companies that are behind them.

But, back to the kale chips. They were really good, so I set the out along with the cheese for some company. Nibbling a bit before my guests arrived, I checked myself in the mirror a few minutes before they were set to arrive. Yikes!!! tiny little green pieces everywhere!! Gargle, gargle, gargle.........

But I'm sure Gwyneth never has that problem, right???

Summer Share Week 6 - Berries!!!

 Raspberries, blueberries, not to mention peaches and cherries are all over. This is my favorite part of the year, when I munch away at the wonderful fruit in season. Of course, it started weeks ago with the strawberries, but now we have moved on.

My out of town guests are no strangers to picking fruit here in the U.S. During their last visit, I took them apple picking. This time, it was blueberries - 11 pounds worth!! A drive out to Jones Family Farm was a treat for all of us. The "berry ferry" took us out to the fields where we stayed for about an hour. The bushes were full of berries in all stages of ripeness. Following instructions to pick only the very dark blue ones, we filled container after container, dumping them into the large basket again and again.
Of course, we had to taste as we went along, though not so much that our fingers were blue.

 Once home, I found a recipe that could make a dent in the mounds of blueberries:

Found a nice one in the August issue of Food and Wine. With the berries the first of the season, they were a little tart, so we all found the recipe lacking a little sugar to compensate for that. Note to self: taste fruit and amend recipe accordingly.

I am making another dessert tonight, an Italian Blueberry "pizza", one of my favorite recipes. You can make this with any fruit.



1 1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup whipping cream
8 oz. mascarpone cheese (you can also use cream cheese)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
4 cups fruit

Crust:

Combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture looks like course crumbs. Press into 11-13" pizza pan. I used a large pie pan for this as I don't have a pizza pan. Bake in 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until crust is light brown. Cool completely.

Before serving, whip cream in mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Add cheese, sugar and lemon peel. Beat until fluffy.

Spread mixture on cool crust. Top with fruit of choice. For an added treat, shave chocolate on the top.

While you can make this ahead, it must be kept cold.

 Next up: Kale chips, Take 2.

The Visitors

The challenge when having house guests is making food that everyone will eat. Last night was a surprising success in that department. The goal was to use as much of my share as possible. I started with the Swiss chard. Never having made it before, I checked on line and in some cookbooks I have. In what is turning out to be a treasure trove of excellent recipes, I found a simple, yet interesting one in Olive Trees and Honey, a collection of vegetarian recipes from Jewish communities around the world. It is called Tunisian Braised Chard. As I was cooking for children, I left out the hot pepper.

2 pounds chard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic - I used the cloves from the fresh head I got last week.
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped. Again, I used the tomatoes from the share.
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Separate chard leaves from the stems. Cut the stems into 1/2 inch pieces and the leaves into 1 inch strips.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, then the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the card stems, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the leaves, red pepper if using and tomatoes and saute for 1 minute. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and salt.

With that done, I started on the pasta. I was planning on using the garlic scape pesto again and it didn't disappoint. Just excellent.

Finally, the fish. I made sole, using a basic onion, garlic, white wine base. Once done, I again tried the sorrel sauce. The sauce turned out more of a pesto consistency, but tasted good.

Everyone enjoyed.

Today our guests saw the Garden of Ideas for themselves. We spent a relaxing couple of hours there, first walking around and then just relaxing on a bench while the kids played in the sandbox, creating an entire ice cream factory out of sand. We went into the gallery there where we ran into Joe. After I told him about the sorrel, he suggested just sauteing it with oil and putting over pasta. Sounds good to me........

Summer Share Week 5

Sorrel, Swiss chard - luckily my friend Celine is arriving on Sunday and I will surely get a lesson in simple, delicious french cooking.

And, speaking of garlic - my garlic scape pesto came out so good, we are having it again tonight with some left over chicken.

The first time, we sauted shrimp and it was delicious and so simple. Just replace the usual basil with the garlic scapes and enjoy!!!

4th of July Fixings

This time of year, there were lots of 4th of July parties - a whole weekend full of them for us. There is always the dilemma of what dish to bring - something not too complicated that people will eat. While most people have a "party dish", something they make all the time that has been practiced many times, I did what I usually do - make something I have never made before and keep my fingers crossed. 

For two of the parties that were scheduled for the same day, I brought a watermelon salad - using the garlic scapes and scallions in place of the typical onions. I also added some mint, picked fresh from the beach. 

About a half of a seedless watermelon

garlic scapes

scallions

olive oil - a few tablespoons

mint

salt

pepper

feta cheese - 8 oz.

Mix. Yes, I know there are few quantities listed here, but really, most of it is to taste. This is a great dish for parties - easy and quick to make - really tasty in the hot summer. I divided the salad into two containers and I was ready to go.

For the last party, I thought I would try using the rhubarb we got last week (and I still had) in a dessert. I initially planned on making a chocolate cake, but changed to chocolate brownies, as I got turned off by the "sour milk" the cake recipe required. I found this recipe on the Food Network site, courtesy of Guy Fieri.

Mexican Rhubarb Chocolate Chunk brownies

For the rhubarb compote:

• 1 cup rhubarb, strings removed, cut in 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the brownie batter:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon New Mexico chile powder (not chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon dark rum
• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• Shortening spray, for baking dish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the rhubarb compote: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring rhubarb, water and sugar to a boil. When sugar is dissolved, lower heat to a simmer and cook until rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Puree in a blender until smooth, if necessary. The rhubarb should break down to a smooth compote.

To make the brownie batter: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, Chile powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In a clean microwavable glass bowl, melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate together in the microwave at 50 percent power or in a double boiler. Set aside. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, combining well. Add in the vanilla and rum. Stir the rhubarb into the chocolate mixture, then add to the batter. Mix until combined. Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and gently fold in the semisweet chocolate and walnuts. Do not over mix. Spray an 8 by 8 by 2-inch clear glass baking dish with shortening spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, then spray parchment. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Cut into squares and serve.

The only changes I made were to omit the chile powder (didn't have any) and walnuts (was bringing to a dinner party and was not sure about allergies). And, I used Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum instead of dark. The brownies came out very moist and smooth - not at all chunky as the name implies. The taste was a bit of a surprise - with the rhubarb, rum and cinnamon combination. Not sure kids would like them (they had cookies) - the adults sure did, served with a little vanilla ice cream.  Next time I make these, I will try using the chile powder.

Next up - garlic scape pesto!!!!!

Summer Share Week 4 - On the Road

One of the challenges with a CSA is having the time to use up all the produce you get. This week, it was a quick stop to pick up the week's take and then off to Newport to visit friends. Luckily, it was the perfect selection for travel - fresh strawberries and cherries, garlic scapes, arugula microgreens, tomatoes and juice.

The berries barely made it past the first day - heck, they barely made the trip up. Luckily, they were in the back seat, safe from my wanting little fingers. There is nothing like fresh strawberries!! We had the tomatoes with mozzarella and basil, with a little olive oil drizzled on top as part of a light lunch. The garlic scapes went in the potato salad along with a little of the arugula. They were also grilled all by themselves - yummy. The juice - a lovely mixture of apple and lemon was mixed with sparkling water for a perfect summer drink.

My project tomorrow will be to finally make the chocolate rhubarb cake for a 4th of July party - fingers crossed!

Summer Share Week 3

I finally picked up this weeks share, after the rain had stopped enough for me to get from the car to the stand and back again without getting totally drenched. About all I could do with them was to store them, as we were leaving for a weekend away.

Now that we are back, I have 4 days to use up all of this produce. We are having dinner at the beach tonight, so I think I will make a salad using the lettuce, pea shoots and beets. Yes, I chose the beets, primarily because of what they look like inside . They are Chioggia beets and look amazing. Thanks to the Garden of Ideas blog, not only do I get the history of this colorful beet, but a recipe for a chocolate - beet cake, which is about the only way I will be able to get my family to eat them!!

With Ariana off for the summer, I think we will be making this tomorrow...

Rain Rain Go Away

While waiting for it to stop raining long enough for me to get to the stand for this week's share, I figured I would make an omelet with some chopped garlic scapes, to be accompanied by the ever popular radish on french bread.

And no, that is not a mimosa, but some Apricot Stomp mixed with sparkling water. However, if this rain doesn't let up, I will move on to something stronger..

Putting This Week's Share to Good Use

The tomato topped bruschetta was great, even if we had to eat it inside, as the rain, thunder and lighting didn't let up until after dark. It would have been a little better had I not realized the bread was as close to the broiler as it was. In my opinion, a little charing adds just adds another level of flavor.

I also threw some chopped scapes into the sauteed shrimp, which was then served on a bed of lettuce. Turned into a perfect summer meal..

Saturday morning, a request for pancakes was made, so I thought I would utilize some of the half and half in place of the buttermilk I usually use in the batter. Luckily, I had all of the other ingredients on hand, so I didn't have to make any emergency trips to the store.  Topped with strawberries and some left over maple syrup, they made a delicious treat.

I usually make many more than we can eat, so the rest are comfortably in my freezer, ready to heat up the next time I hear "can I have pancakes?"

Saturday night was a beautiful one, so we made our way down to the beach to grill some burgers- a new bunch of  bruschetta made it down with us and was a bit hit..

We stopped at the Garden of Ideas on Sunday to replenish our supply of scapes - definitely want to try making the pesto. We ran into Joe and almost got ran over by Ilsa in the jeep, perhaps rushing home to finish Joe's Father's Day lunch? Slowly getting to know them, visiting with them a few minutes when we stop by, or running into them at the beach or the green market in town, has most definitely been an added bonus to our CSA membership.

I am always full of wonder every time I stop by the stand and take a few minutes to walk the property. Every week brings new blooms in the garden - it's like visiting for the first time. Except now, Ariana runs right to the rope swing and shyly looks around for Harlan......it is becoming as popular with her as it is with me.

Garlic Scapes???????? (Summer Share Week 2)

 I have to admit I was intrigued. A big garlic fan, these curly green stems with a sense of humor got me wondering. It seems the funny looking greenery have quite a following. People like me, who got them in a share package and were initially suspicious, were convinced of their deliciousness after trying them.

Garlic Scape pesto, dips and soups all sound appetizing. Today, I thought I would start simple, chopping a few into some cut up tomatoes and scallions for a topping for the bread I plan on grilling at the beach tonight.

It smells great and the combination of fresh tomatoes and subtle garlic is yummy. All I need now is for it to stop raining!!

The Taste Test

Earlier in the week, I bought some tomatoes - "vine ripened tomatoes", nicely attached to their vines. Having received 2 lovely farm grown specimens yesterday, I thought I would do a little taste test. The fact that I actually had this idea means I have made great progress in my ability, and even desire, to eat tomatoes. For those who have been reading this blog, my history with this "is it a fruit, is it a vegetable?", is fraught with cellophane packages of sickly and tasteless orbs.

 Here are the two specimens. One - watery, both in consistency and taste, the other - firm, tasty, with a real tomato taste. I tried a slice of each alone, and then with some fresh mozzarella. Arny walked in as I was experimenting and without knowing which one was which, pronounced the "vine ripened" one as tasteless as I had.

Which is which???

Oh the Excitement - Week 1 Summer Share

After a long week with no share, I was thrilled to be heading back to the Garden of Ideas today for the start of the summer season. And boy was it summer - 91 degrees on the thermometer!!

Cars filled the parking lot as this group is much larger than the spring share. Almost immediately, I ran into a friend who was there for the first time to pick up her allotment.

This week is filled with some familiar and welcome items. I chose the baby kale over the turnips, not because I have anything against them (ok, maybe a little - other than in soup, what do you do with them??), but I wanted to try making kale chips, which everyone tells me my daughter will love.

Tonight, the choice of salad greens is the only decision I will have to make as we will be making a meal of some leftover pizza. I'm just not sure I want to turn on the oven to heat it up. Luckily, everyone in my house likes cold pizza.....

Manga!!