mrsronweasley | FOODZ.

FOODZ.

So, I am in a food sort of mood - some of you may know this state as "hunger" - and recently, I've been ~inspired. By VEGGIES. Big T and I have been LOVING our farm share (I say this every time, but BEST. WEDDING GIFT. EVER. ♥___♥) and through it, we've done new things! New things with veggies!

We've already made bok choy (it was just like in a restaurant - DELICIOUS AND PERFECT; I'm still wicked proud of that), roasted beets and radishes (the result was alarmingly-colored, ngl), made fresh PESTO (D E L I C I O U S), as well as zucchini/summer squash/kousa ribbons (SO. GOOD. Holy crap) and sauteed arugula and spinach. Also, we've started putting garlic scapes into EVERY! SINGLE! DISH! (Garlic scapes are my new love. We are kind of obsessed. It's awesome.)

But - I want more ideas! And advice! What do YOU guys make with veggies? I'm a pretty decent cook, but I'm not, like, super-creative, and I'm looking for input. The veggies we've been getting so far have been: hakurei turnips (they are tiny turnips! SO CUTE!), arugula, spinach, MINT (what do you do with mint! HELP!), bok choy, radishes (we need help with those; I've always hated eating those things raw), beets, various lettuces, CHARD (SO EXCITED; HELP!), and, you know. Garlic scapes.

A lot of garlic scapes.

So, give me your recipes! Veggie recipes! Anything at all, we will take it. We are having an AWESOME VEGGIE SUMMER. We just need a few recipes to spice things up and move them along.

SHARE! WHILE MY STOMACH CONSUMES ITSELF B/C LUNCH TIME IS ALMOST HERE, BUT NOT HERE YET. *growls*

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Mint! Make your own tabbouleh (soak bulgur in boiling water, chop up tomatoes and mint and parsley, and add a bunch of olive oil and lemon juice and salt) - I eat it as a salad all the time during the summer. Or make mojitos and mint juleps - you could probably make a simple syrup with mint and have mojitos and mint juleps year round *___* Or I have a recipe for a vaguely Persian yellow split pea soup that's good with mint for garnish; I might have it typed up at home.

Mmmmm, I made some Awesome chard recently, and it was basically just garlic cooked in oil (scapes would probably do!), then adding a little water and Better than Bouillon to make an inch of broth in the bottom of the pot, adding a little bit of mango bbq sauce (any bbq sauce would do), and cooking the chard. NOM.

I might've gotten that recipe from this post about cooking with greens.

Mint is awesome in mango-ey or strawberry-y salads, but mostly I put it in mojitos *g*.

My friend that grew up in France introduced me to eating radishes with a little butter, salt, and pepper (and baguette). So weird, but good!

OMNOMNOM it sounds like you're making so many Good Things! :D

For the mint leaves, you could make summer rolls? I don't like eating straight mint myself, but those are very popular. Or you could make lots of mint juleps, yes.

Chard is great on pizza or with sausages. (Or with sausages on pizza?) Basically, any way you'd use spinach in cooking, you can use chard.

I am so bad about cooking fancy things with veggies and fruits, because I just end up wanting to eat them plain, om nom. I usually saute them with garlic and put them on pasta, mmmm, with fresh tomatoes and some kind of cheese.

LIZ. we are SO making mint juleps. tonight? maybe? Maybe tomorrow. But: MINT JULEPS.

How do you cook/use garlic scapes?

pretty much the same way you'd use scallions - they even kind of look like scallions. We saute them with EVERYTHING, or put them on salads, or throw them in to cook with crock pot chicken. They're YUMMY, and fun to look at!

http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink582.html

:D

So, randomly! This is my new favorite way to make green beans: http://www.justvegetablerecipes.com/printer/print-0037356.html

(Also, I think that website in general might be good for you.)

Oh, and for mint: put some fresh leaves in tea! Or dry them and crumble them in plain yogurt! Those are my two main mint ideas. Also, check out some Mediterranean/Middle Eastern recipes, they tend to be big on mint.

Edited 2010-07-01 17:19 (UTC)

I guess my problem with them, because I tried to use them, was I used too much of the stem, and it was woody. So I thought you needed to cook them first.

Ooooh! Why does that look complicated to me? And yet it isn't! I kind of want to try it, ngl, even though I have mixed feelings with regard to tabbouleh! YOU ARE SO FANCY-PANTS, MS. M! ♥

RADISHES. OMG, you are so lucky, because you get to try this recipe for the first time. (From Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone)

1 Tbs or so butter
scallions (or garlic scapes! or finely-chopped shallots or red onions, if you're out of the other things!)
scrubbed radishes (cut into generous bite-sized pieces, if necessary)
water
salt
pepper
washed & chopped radish greens, if tender and in good condition

Melt the butter in a saucepan, adding the sliced scallions. Saute for a minute.
Add the radishes & turnips. Stir over heat for a minute. Add salt & pepper.
Add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook uncovered.
(If you don't believe this will be tasty enough without adding anything else, just sip a spoonful of the cooking water after it's been cooking a minute or two. YUM, right?)
Cook until veggies are tender when pierced by a fork. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them in a bowl.
Add chopped greens to the pan if you're using them, cook long enough to reduce liquid to a more sauce-like consistency.
Pour sauce over veggies. Eat.

Oh, and if the turnips are small & still firm when you get them? For a snack or part of a salad, just scrub 'em and cut them up to eat with a little bleu cheese.

*invites myself over*

Ooooh! That sounds excellent! As do the MOJITOS, of course! :DDDDD

Hmm, those French really know what to do with their food. Must try! THANK YOU! :DDDDD

Oh, man, that looks...complicated and expensive. I'll stick with mojitos! \o/\o/\o/ And mint juleps! AWESOME. :DDDD

Oooh, that...intrigues me. HMMMM! I love mixing greens with sausage, so - YAY! Thank you!

CAN WE CAN WE CAN WE, THIS WEEKEND?

What T said! It's just a very refreshing way of adding garlicy flavor (we still use regular garlic in addition to it; we love our garlic and, apparently, are afraid of vampires) but ooooh, they are delicious!

PERFECT. DONE. :D

Ooooh, that - looks really, really good! Thank you! VEGGIES ARE AWESOME, AMIRITE? ♥

OH

MY

GOD

That sounds FABULOUS! THANK YOU!! ♥

And you can use mint leaves as decorations on cupcakes! Too cute!

This looks great and you can make it ahead for breakfast or lunch".

Oh god, this sausage and chard soup looks amazing.

Pizza crust + thin sliced tomatoes (I like cherry heirlooms, but that's probably because of the pretty colors) + arugula + cheese-of-your-choice = DELICIOUSNESS. I made this last night with a whole wheat Boboli and goat cheese, and almost ate the entire thing. :D

Clapshot! That's a food of my homeland, not what goes through everyone's mind when they hear the word.

1. peel and roughly chop equal amounts of potatoes and turnip.
2. par-boil the potato in a little salted water, then add the turnip to the pot and return to the heat.
3. once they're both cooked, drain off the water and beat the potato and turnip together with a little butter and ground white pepper.

So much better than plain mashed potatoes.

So I know you probably know all there is to know about BORSCHT, but you say "beets" and my mind immediately springs to the awesome borscht my host mom in KZ used to make in the summer, with the beet greens rough-chopped and tossed into the pot. It was definitely my favorite variation.

I didn't even know there was an English word for this dish, I've always thought "rotmos" was a peculiar Swedish food :-)

Yep, it's Orcadian, so was probably brought over by Scandinavian settlers. Further south people tend to add carrot in, but we're very resistant to that in Orkney.

Yay, farm shares! I love our CSA, though we share it with another family so we only get a box every other week. But that's OK, because our vegetable garden usually produces enough to make up for it. Mmmm, veggies.

Have you tried garlic scape pesto? Because it is delicious like nothing else. We made up a batch using this recipe and had it with some nice chicken sausage, and mmmmmsogood. For chard, we often make this, which is lovely and simple. Sautée chard and onions, add rosemary, and then golden raisins and pine nuts at the end!

Whoops! Ignore the part about "& turnips" -- I re-edited this from an adapted version of the recipe combining radishes & turnips, but frankly, it's much better w/just radishes. *g*

Oh yum. I got chard this week and have never cooked it. I know what I'm doing now, thanks!

...that second line in your comment there, Liz, I am sorry but it MADE ME THINK OF THE FRENCH FOREST PORN. SORRY.

Also I see everyone has beaten me to suggesting mojitos for the mint; the other thing we did last summer was used mint (it grows like mad in our garden) and almonds and feta to make pesto, it was nommmmmmmmm. And easier to get mint than basil, so.

oh god, that garlic scape pesto looks SO GOOD.

Oooooh! INTRIGUING! Thank you! Om nom nom, mashed veggies.

Ha! Yeah, I actually haaaaaaate cold borscht - a fact my mother still refuses to acknowledge in her heart. But I love the hot kind? :D? My mom makes the BEST winter borscht. Now I kind of REALLY want some. *___*

Hey, every other week is better than none! \o/ MMMM, VEGGIES, INDEED.

And oh MAN, that looks AMAZING. Both of these! I really want to try the chard recipe ESPECIALLY. Once I do, I will definitely let you know how it goes! :DDDD

Report back! :D

Considering I am all I AM THE MASTER OF VEGGIES all the time I was so slow to this party! LOL. I have now found a time when I want to procrastinate by getting excited about recipes!

Here are recipes I got from farmers at farmers markets these past few weeks. Such a smart idea, to help people know what to do with your yummy produce:

Various ideas for garlic scapes!
- Saute in olive oil until tender and crisp, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Chop finely and mix with bread crumbs, cheese and parsley as a stuffing for tomatoes and mushrooms
- Saute in olive oil with sun-dried tomatoes and olives as a pasta sauce
- Place scapes in foil, sprinkle liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper, bundle up and grill for 10 minutes or until soft and golden
- Chop finely and saute in butter, add to mashed potatoes with some sour cream or yogurt
- Spinach & scape pesto (Pulse 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/2 cup chopped garlic scapes, and 1/4 cup grated parmesan or other hard cheese in a blender/food processor. While machine is running, add 1/4 cup olive oil until smooth. Add 2 tbsp butter, salt and pepper to taste.)

Radishes!

Potato and radish salad: scrub, cube and boil 1 lb potatoes until just tender, then drain the stock water. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp walnut/hazelnut/sesame oil, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, 2 tsp coarse grain mustard, 1 tsp honey and salt and pepper. Let sit for about an hour. Thinly slice 1 bunch of radishes, and anything else (such as chopped chives, scallions or dill). Chill and enjoy!

Eggplants!

Vij's Eggplant, Tomato and Green Onion Curry:
Wash 1 bunch green onions. Chop white parts 1/4 inch long and green parts 3/4 long. Combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 2 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp chili powder in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 eggplant (skin left on) cut into 1-inch cubes, green onions, and 2 cups chopped tomatoes. In a shallow pan, heat 1/2 cup oil on medium then pour in curry mixture. Saute for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and let simmer another 10 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Turn of and stir more. Remove lid so eggplant doesn't get mushy. Enjoy!

Zucchini & Eggplants!

Stuffed eggplant ratatouille:
Place 2 medium eggplants, cut in half, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or brushed with oil), skin side up. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes or until soft to touch. Remove, cool. Turn over and gently press in centre of eggplants to create a cavity for the stuffing. Season cavity with salt and pepper. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and saute 1 diced onion, 1 tbsp minced garlic and 2 diced bell peppers briefly until fragrant. Mix in 1 diced japanese eggplant, 1 diced green zucchini, 1 diced yellow zucchini, 1 diced large tomato, 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary. Season with salt nad pepper and cook until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove. Spoon the veggie mix into each eggplant half. Top each stuffed eggplant with 1/4 cup of grated asiago cheese and place in 400F oven for 10 minutes.

Some recipes from my friend's awesome cookbook focused on South-Eastern Canada (NE USA) local (and vegan, but you wouldn't notice it) eating:

Superhero spinach dip:
In a processor/blender, combine 2 cups tightly packed spinach, 1 1/2 cups cooked/canned white beans (baby lima, cannellini, navy, great white northern), 2 tbsp flax seed or olive oil, 1-2 medium garlic cloves (or SCAPES!), 1/2 tsp sea salt and 2 tbsp of water. Add more water until desired consistency. Makes 2 cups, keeps in the fridge up to 1 week.

Tomato chard bake:
In a 9x13" glass baking pan, place 2 chopped onions, 3-5 cloves of garlic, 3 cups chopped tomatoes, 1 cup liquid (from tomatoes or water), and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Bake for 30 minutes at 375F. Pull out of over and fold in 6 packed cups of chopped swiss chard (about 1 bunch), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp sea salt and pepper. Make sure as much of the chard as possible is under the liquid. Bake for another 30 minutes or more, until the onions are soft.

Swiss chard tomato frittata:
Wash 1 lb swiss chard, remove and discard large stems, and finely chop leaves. In a large skillet, saute 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 cup chopped onion in 1 tsp of olive oil for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add the chard, stir, cover, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove and drain if juicy. In a large bowl mix 6 egg whites, 2 whole eggs, 3 tbsp chopped basil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper until blended. Stir in the sauteed chard. Coat the bottom of the skillet with 1 tsp of oil and return to medium heat. When hot, pour in the egg mixture and arrange 1 tomato, sliced, on top. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes until the edges are firm and the bottom is golden and beginning to brown. Place a large, flat place or pizza pan over the skillet and flip the skillet over so that the frittata falls onto the plate. Slide it back into the skkiller and cook for about 5 minutes until the eggs are fully cooked. Add parmesan when serving.

Stuffed swiss chard rolls: (I have made these and they are ASTOUNDING)
Remove stems from 12 large swiss chard leaves. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
MUSHROOM FILLING: Saute 1 cup chopped onions and 4 minced cloves of garlic in 1 tsp olive oil for 3 minutes. Add 1 chopped stalk of celery and 1/2 tsp dried marjoram, cover, and cook on medium heat for 5-10 mins until softened. Stir in 1 cup sliced mushrooms, 1 tbsp dry sherry, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp dried dill, and a pinch of thyme. Simmer until mushrooms are tender. Remove and stir in 1 cup cooked bulgur, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 2 tbsp currants and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice.
CHEESE FILLING: Saute 2 minced leeks in 1 tsp olive oil for 2 minutes. Springkle with a dash of salt, cover, and cook for 5-10 minutes until tender, stirring often. Remove from the heat. Add 3 minced scallions, 3 cups of cottage cheese, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil and salt and pepper.
Coat a 9x12" nonreactive baking dish with oil/spray. Cover the bottom with 2 large sliced tomatoes. Set aside. Place about 1/4 cup of filling in the centre of each swiss chard leaf. Fold the sides towards the centre and then roll it up from the stem end. Place the rolls, seam side down, in the baking dish. Pour 1 cup tomato juice over them. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350F, until heated through. Serve with some pan juices spooned on top.

Heart Beets:
Scrub a large beet and peel over any imperfections. Leave the skin on, unless not organic. Slice the beet in 1/4" slices. Using a heart-shaped (or other) cookie cutter, punch as many heart beets as you can. In a small bowl, mix 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp liquid sweetener (like honey, maple syrup or agave nectar), 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Place the beets on a baking tray and drizzle with the glaze. Bake for 40 minutes at 375, until mostly soft. Serve warm or cold, as a side, or in a salad (especially with walnuts and caramelized onions or sliced green onions).

Beets are also great grated into a salad (one of my favourites: grate a shitload of beets and carrots, toss with apple cider vinegar, sunflower/olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of sugar)

And your mint! Yummm. I suggest adding to smoothies. Or make a mint tea (be sure to crush the leaves against the side of the mug/teapot with a spoon to release the flavour). OR if it's too hot, make a really super-minty tea, let it cool, and add it to lemonade/other alcoholic bevvies. LIFECHANGING. Also: mojitos? I'm weird but I like mint in salad too. It's also good with dill and yogurt to have with things like potatoes or fish.

I also unearthed this awesome recipe from a new cookbook and I am DYING TO TRY IT! Peppermint crisps (cookies):
Whisk together 3 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tbsp minced fresh mint leaves, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp sea salt in a large bowl. Add 2/3 cup sunflower oil, 3 tbsp applesauce, 2 tbsp water, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 8 drops peppermint essential oil. Mix just until flour is absorbed. Add another tbsp of water if needed for consistency. Roll into walnut-sized balls and place on 2 lightly oiled baking sheets. Press lightly on each ball with the bottom of a glass, to about 1/4" thickness. Sprinkle with sugar. Make for 13 minutes at 325F, just until they don't look shiny and the bottoms are golden. Makes 30.

PS I just read in my gardening book that you HAVE to cut the garlic scapes off your garlic plants to make the actual garlic bulb grow! Shit, I am going to come home from the farm tomorrow with 30 garlic scapes... LOL! I will be needing these recipes too!!

[pps the length of these comments makes me look a huge nerd... ummmmm haha but this was actually way more fun than the actual work i was supposed to be doing!]

...dude. I fucking LOVE YOU.

*_____________________________________*

VEGGIES <33333333333333

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FOODZ.

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