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Luobo Radish & Carrot Soup

Made with luobo, carrot, onion, celery, tomato, and chicken broth.  15 minutes on Soup was a bit too long.

CSA 6

Farmer 5:

• broccoli
• cauliflower
• red chard
• watercress
• baby bok choy, 4

My 5:

• celery root
• carrots, 3
• arugula
• sugar snap peas
• parsnips, 3

Additional:

• tangerines, 2
• blood oranges, 3

Bean Soup

1 1/2 c mixed dried beans (old!) soaked ~24 hours

water to cover 1/2 inch (?)

cooked on bean/chili setting for 30 minutes

10 minute release

1/2 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

should have added bay leaf, pepper, garlic? salt

cooked on soup setting for 20 minutes

can't remember which release

German Style Red Cabbage

1 head red cabbage, shredded
2 apples, chopped
handful raisins
1 onion, chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 black pepper
3/4 c water

manual - 6 minutes

quick release

Forgot seasoning!! Next time, add bay leaf and allspice? cloves? 

Carrot, Red Chard Stem, and Burdock Refrigerator Pickles

A bit more sour that I like, but I'm still eating them ...

Carrots, red chard stems, and burdock root cut into thick matchsticks and blanched for a 2 minutes (probably could have used a little longer on the burdock)

Brine:

• 3/4 c water
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pickling spices
• 1 bay leaf

CSA 5

Farmer 5:

• beets, 4
• Tong Ho (chrysanthemum greens), handful
• Sher Li Hon (an Asian mustard), handful
• acorn squash, 2
• Luobo radish (Korean Daikon), 1

My 5:

• red potatoes, 6
• carrots, 3
• leeks, 2
• baby taro root, basket
• asparagus, 20 spears 

Additional:

• mango, 1
• tangerines, 3
• pineapple, 1
• ground beef, ~1 1/4 lbs

Gyro Tacos

Looking for something to do with the ground lamb defrosting in my fridge, I came across a recipe for gyros that looked really good (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2013/09/24/greek-gyro-recipe/).

However, since I don’t have a real food processor and I didn't want to buy pita bread with leftover flour tortillas in the fridge, I thought I’d see how the recipe worked as ground meat for soft tacos.

Result - good.  If it weren't for the fact that my bacon was applewood smoked (noticed too late - that sweet smoke taste came through), I'd say it was just like gyro meat.  A bit more salty than I like, but I expect regular gyro meat would be too these days.  Also, I used tzatziki cucumber dressing instead of real tzatziki sauce.  I expect with a better sauce it would have been perfect.

Adapted from Greek Lamb Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce.

4-6 tacos

1/2 pound ground lamb
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine
1/4 yellow onion, cut into chunks
1/2 clove garlic
1 1/2 oz sliced bacon, cut into pieces

Warm flour tortillas
Tzatziki Sauce
Tomato, coarsely chopped
Yellow onion, thinly sliced

1. Combine the ground lamb, salt, pepper and oregano leaves with your hands, mixing until all of the seasonings have been evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Chop the onion, garlic, and bacon together as fine as possible.

3. Add onion mixture to lamb and mix until evenly distributed.

4. Cook lamb mixture in skillet.  Drain.

A bit less sugar ...

For  2+ quarts

1 qt water with 1 reg tea + 2 decaf tea + 1 black cherry herbal bags 

microwaved 7+ minutes (water/pot colder so it took longer to get to almost boil??)
squeezed tea bags
1/4 c evaporated cane juice
added ice to hot tea

Nice strength.  Cherry noticeable but not too strong.  Still sweet, but just barely.

CSA 4

Farmer 5:

• burdock root, 1
• collard greens, handful
• broccoli, 2
• Chinese celery, sm handful
• Brussels sprouts, basket

My 5:

• beets, sm, basket
• butternut squash, 1
• turmeric root, 6
• red cabbage, 1
• arugula, 1 bag 

Additional:

• strawberries, basket
• tangerines, 3
• avocado, 1
• lamb stew meat, ~1 1/2 lbs

Today's tea

For  2+ quarts

microwave 1 qt water with 3 tea + 1 black cherry herbal bags 6 minutes
squeezed tea bags
heaping 1/3 c turbinado
added ice to hot tea

Nice strength.  Cherry noticeable but not too strong.  Still very sweet.

Cornbread

1 c whole grain cornmeal
1+ tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 egg
~1 tbsp sour cream & water to make 1/2 c
pat of butter

400 degrees - preheat oiled pan
swirl pat of butter in hot pan before adding batter

25 minutes

Good, but seemed to be missing a little something.  Just because no milk? Maybe needed a tad more salt? Is sea salt more "delicate?" more sour cream? Maybe tasting lack of oil?  I didn't use as much in the pan as usual.

Mom's Tea

2 cups of sugar per gallon of tea

Lentil, Sweet Potato, & Romaine Soup

Food photography - not my forte!

What to do with all that romaine lettuce?  Apparently you can use it just like any other green. So, soup using what's on hand ...

• 1 can Campbell's French onion soup + 1 can water (not sure why it was in the pantry, but since it was there it seemed good for a quick base)
• 1/2 cup green lentils
• 1 small sweet potato, diced small
• Outer leaves and towards-the-core parts of two heads romaine, chopped
• 1/2 can tomato sauce
• 1/2 c or so of leftover sauteed Brussels sprouts with red onion
• Some previously chopped celery and shredded carrots 

Cooked in crockpot on high for about 4 hours.  Probably would have been better to add the lettuce in later than at the first ... but I wanted a put-it-on-and-go-to-bed dish.  Next time, cook it on low so it gets done closer to breakfast! 

Made about 6 cups.

Crockpot Lamb Stew

Measurements are estimates:

• Oil
• 1 lb lamb stew meat
• chopped onion ~1 1/2 c
• minced roasted garlic, 1 tsp
• Worcester sauce
• beer -  splash
• salt   pepper   allspice    bay leaf
• 2 c chicken broth
• chopped carrots ~1 1/2 c
• chopped sweet potato
• chopped potatoes, 2 small red
• some chopped celery
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• a couple of radishes, chopped

Method:

1. brown the meat in 1T oil, set aside
2. add oil if needed and saute onion, garlic - salt & pepper, Worcester sauce
3. de-glaze pan with beer and broth
4. allspice, bay leaf (2 small)
5. add everything to crock pot

Started on low 30 min? - added water since I couldn't see liquid and switched to high 1-2 hrs - switched back to low.  Total cook time, just under 6 hours.

In retrospect - the extra water - and maybe some of the broth - was probably a mistake (have to check crock pot instructions to see if it's OK to start without liquid up to top of veggies).  Needs more seasoning.

Made a lot.  Almost twice the butternut squash stew.

Lamb and Butternut Squash Stew

How I made it this time - measurements are estimates:

• Oil
• 1 lb lamb stew meat
• chopped onion ~1 1/2 c
• minced roasted garlic, 1 tsp
• Worcester sauce, a couple of splashes
• beer - 1/2 bottle
• salt   pepper   allspice   poultry seasoning   bay leaf
• 1 c chicken broth
• chopped carrots ~1 1/2 c
• 1 butternut squash, peeled & diced 
• 1 can diced tomatoes

Method:

1. Brown the meat in 1T oil, set aside
2. Add oil if needed and saute onion, garlic - salt & pepper, Worcester sauce
3. De-glaze pan with beer and broth
4. Pinch of allspice, dash of poultry seasoning, bay leaf
5. Return meat to pan
6. Stir in carrots
7. Add tomatoes 
8. Stir in butternut squash

Cooked about 60-90 minutes.
Squash was a bit overcooked - should have added in later.  On the other hand, the dissolving squash makes for a nice thick stew. 

Broccoli Raab & Cauliflower Casserole

Using this as an inspiration ...

http://thehealthyfoodie.com/crispy-cheesy-baked-rice-casserole/

blanched cauliflower

blanched broccoli raab

1 3/4 c cooked brown rice

some cooked quinoa

2 eggs

1 1/2 oz mild shredded cheddar

Preheat cast iron skillet in oven @ 375.

Layer - rice on bottom, broccoli raab, cauliflower

Mix eggs, cheese, and quinoa and pour over veggies

Bake 30 minutes

Maybe needs more liquid with the quinoa in with the eggs?  Next time mix everything together?

CSA 3

Farmer 5:

·       red chard

·       broccoli

·       butternut squash

·       cabbage

·       romaine, 3 sm

My 5:

·       green onions, lg 4

·       sweet potatoes, 5

·       carrots, 4

·       red potatoes, 6

·       snap peas, basket

Additional from pickup:

·       mango, 1

·       strawberries, basket

·       tangerines, 3

CSA 2

Farmer 5:

·       spinach, handful

·       broccoli raab, handful

·       red chard, bunch

·       baby bok choy, 5

·       radishes, bunch less some

My 5:

·       carrots, 4

·       brussel sprouts, basketful

·       spaghetti squash, 1

·       acorn squash, 1

·       cauliflower, sm head

Additional from pickup:

·       grapefruit, 1

·       tangerines, 3 

From the store:

·       strawberries, quart

·       basil

·       mint

   

Winter 2014 CSA 1

Farmer 5:

• collards
• kale
• sweet potatoes, 5
• celery
• fennel

My 5:

• carrots, 4
• parsnips and rutabagas, 2 each
• pearl onions, basket
• cabbage
• leeks, 2

Additional:

• avocados, 2
• blood oranges, 8
• Meyer lemons, 4
• boneless rib-eye