CSA Box #2

CSA Box #2 included the following: beets, turnips, scallions, parsley, tarragon, basil, dill, mustard greens, pac choi, lettuce, & rainbow chard. Check out the recipes below to use with the vegetables in your box!

Grated Beet Salad

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Pinch of sugar
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound red beets, peeled and grated
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and a large pinch each of salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine. Gradually whisk in oil. Add beets, carrots, basil, and parsley. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Making Green, Grain-Free Wraps with Mustard Greens

Use large leafy greens in place of tortillas and wraps to enclose your favorite sandwich filling. Not only are they gluten-free, fat-free and virtually calorie-free, but they look cool and add a lot of character to even the most common ingredients.

Here’s a rundown on rolling your own.

1. Choose a green. Sturdy-leafed greens like mustard greens, collards, kale and chard are ideal. Select a bunch with large leaves to give you the most leeway when wrapping.

2. Prepare the leaves. Rinse the leaves and remove the stems. If the ribs of your greens are very thick you’ll want to remove the toughest part by making a V-shaped cut around them.

3. Blanch the leaves. If you prefer your greens raw you can skip this step, otherwise bring a large pot filled two-thirds with water to a boil. Add the leaves 3 or 4 at a time and boil until they are tender but not falling apart, about 3 minutes for chard and 5 to 6 minutes for kale and collards. Remove with tongs and place in a bowl of cold water. Repeat with remaining leaves.

4. Dry and store. When cool, remove the greens from the water and arrange them on a sheet pan between layers of paper towel. You can use the wraps immediately, or refrigerate them between fresh layers of paper towel for up to 2 days.

5. Ready to roll! Place a leaf on a work surface. If you like, overlap it with another leaf to make a larger wrapper. Place your filling ingredients on one side of the wrap, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Fold the ends in and then roll the leaf up burrito-style. Cut in half if you like and enjoy!

Outstanding Fillings

You can use almost any sandwich filling in your wraps, although at least one spread-like ingredient such hummus or cream cheese will help the rolls hold together better. Additionally, you’ll find it easiest to roll raw veggies up if they’re finely chopped or shredded. Here are some flavorful combinations.

Mexican-Style: Mashed avocado, black beans and salsa.

Smoked Salmon: Whipped cream cheese or white bean dip, slices of smoked salmon, dill and capers.

Mediterranean Egg Salad: Egg salad, diced tomato and sliced olives.

Savory Quinoa: Cooled quinoa, diced red onion, walnuts and raisins tossed with tahini.

Hummus and Veggies: Hummus, shredded carrot, shredded beet and sprouts.

Shepard’s Salad: Crumbled feta or goat cheese, finely diced tomato, finely diced cucumber, sliced olives and chopped parsley.

Garlic Snap Peas Ingredients:
	2 cups fresh sugar snap peas 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/8 teaspoon salt dash ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions:
	1. Prepare snap peas by cutting off the tips on each end of the pods. 2. Preheat oil in a wok or medium skillet over medium/high heat. 3. Saute snap peas in oil with salt and black pepper for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, tossing often, until peas are cooked, but still crispy. The pods should begin to get a few dark brown scorched spots developing on them when they're done. Add minced garlic, toss a bit more, then I'mmediately pour the snap peas out onto a serving platter. If you keep the garlic in too long it could burn and get bitter on you, so don't leave it in the hot pan for any longer than about 10 seconds.

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Feta & Parsley

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (5 scallions)
1.5  cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and medium-diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem
2 cups medium-diced feta (8 ounces)

Directions

Pour 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and 1 teaspoon of salt, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and open (they'll have little curly tails). Drain, place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.*

In a large bowl, combine the scallions, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt* and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the quinoa and mix well. Carefully fold in the feta and taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold.

Stuffed Chard Leaves

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (8-ounce) jar Chard leaves, rinsed and drained
2 lemons, juiced

Directions

To make the filling, coat a large saute pan with 1/4 cup of the oil and place over medium heat. Add the onion and lemon zest and stir until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the pine nuts and rice, saute for 2 minutes, stirring to coat. Pour in just 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and lower the heat. Simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 10 minutes. Scrape the parboiled rice mixture into a bowl and add the dill and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. Now on to the Chard leaves.

Bring a big pot of water to a simmer. Blanch the Chard leaves in the hot water for 2-3 minutes until pliable. Drain then trim the stems and any hard veins from the leaves. Pat dry with paper towels.

To assemble the dolmades, lay a Chard leaf on a work surface, shiny-side down. Put 2 tablespoons of the rice filling near the stem end of the leaf. Fold the stem end over the filling, then fold both sides toward the middle, and roll up into a cigar – it should be snug but not overly tight because the rice will swell once it is fully cooked. Squeeze lightly in the palm of your hand to secure the roll. Repeat with remaining Chard leaves and filling.

Place the stuffed chard leaves in a large Dutch oven or wide deep skillet, seam-side down in a single layer. Pour the remaining cup of broth, remaining olive oil, and the lemon juice over the stuffed chard leaves, the liquid should reach halfway up the rolls, add some water if necessary. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm, at room temperature or cool.

Turnips

Sautéed Turnips and Greens
Cook peeled and cut-up turnips and sliced garlic in olive oil in a large skillet until tender. Add the turnip greens and cook until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Roasted Turnips With Ginger
Peel and cut turnips into wedges. Toss with sliced fresh ginger, canola oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with honey and roast at 400° F until tender.

Mashed Turnips With Crispy Bacon
Simmer peeled and cut-up turnips in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash with butter, salt, and pepper. Fold in crumbled cooked bacon and chopped chives; top with shaved Parmesan.

Creamy Leek and Turnip Soup
Cook thinly sliced leeks in butter in a large saucepan until soft. Add peeled and cut-up turnips and enough chicken broth to cover. Simmer until very tender. Puree until smooth, adding water or broth as necessary to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 2 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• 2 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup small-dice red onion
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 cup small-dice tart apple, such as Braeburn, Granny Smith, or Gravenstein
• 2/3 cup small-dice celery (from about 2 medium celery stalks)
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Rub the chicken on both sides with the olive oil and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, about 45 to 50 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken from the baking sheet to a cutting board and let it rest until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the onion and vinegar in a small, nonreactive bowl and set aside.
3. When the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bone, discarding the skin, cartilage, and fat. Tear the meat into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl (you should have about 4 cups).
4. Add the onion-vinegar mixture and the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and stir to evenly combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour.