Author Archives: Ryan B.

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 medium head of cauliflower (about 1¾ pounds)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
3 ounces slab or thick-cut bacon, chopped
6 dried japones chiles, chiles de árbol, or other red chiles
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns or ½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
3 scallions, dark-green and white parts separated, thinly sliced
1 serrano chile, sliced
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
¼ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts
Kosher salt
Steamed white rice (for serving)

Directions

Stir wine, cornstarch, and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce in a medium bowl; set marinade aside.

Stir vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and remaining 2 tsp. soy sauce in a small bowl; set sauce aside.

Remove leaves and cut cauliflower into medium florets. Trim woody end of stalk and discard, then cut stalk into ½”-thick pieces. Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a wok or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook cauliflower, tossing occasionally, until browned in places and beginning to soften, 7–9 minutes. Give reserved marinade a stir to reincorporate cornstarch and add cauliflower to bowl; toss to coat. Toss occasionally while you cook the bacon.

Reduce heat to medium. Cook bacon and remaining 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in wok, stirring often, until bacon is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add dried chiles and peppercorns and cook, tossing, just until fragrant (be careful not to burn), about 30 seconds. Transfer bacon, chiles, and peppercorns to a plate, leaving bacon drippings behind.

Return cauliflower to wok with a slotted spoon; discard excess marinade. Cook cauliflower, tossing occasionally, until charred in spots and crisp-tender (short of scorching it, don’t worry about letting it go pretty dark), 8–10 minutes. Add scallion whites, serrano chile, ginger, garlic, and peanuts and cook, tossing often, until sauce is fragrant and cauliflower is tender, about 2 minutes. Add bacon mixture and cook, tossing, just until sauce coats cauliflower, about 1 minute; season with salt.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with scallion greens. Serve with rice alongside.

Source

Bon Appetit

CSA Pickup: Week 18

Posted on September 24, 2017 by Ryan B.

Here are the harvest possibilities for this week…

Pop Corn
- Popping Directions
- Storage Techniques
  1. Hang Ears to Dry: Pull the husks back from the ears, to expose the popcorn kernels. Hang ears in a cool, dry place for at least 3-4 weeks. Before putting them away, remove a few kernels, and see if they pop properly. If not, they are not yet dry.
  
  2. Slow dry in the oven: Heat oven to 200 degrees. Pull back and remove the husks. Place ears in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven overnight, leaving the door ajar. Leaving the door ajar is important, to allow moisture to escape, and so it doesn’t get too hot. Remove from the oven, and hang ears in a cool, dry place for 1-2 weeks. Try popping a few kernels before storing them, to assure they are dry.
Peppers (Hot, Bell, and Sweet Lunchbox)
Eggplant
Cut Greens ( Kale, Mizuna, Collards, and Arugula)
Winter Squash (Limited)
Broccoli (Limited)
Cauliflower (Limited)
Potatoes (Limited)
Leeks
Sweet Potatoes
PYO Flowers (Anything in Bloom: Snapdragons, Sunflowers, and Zinnias)

Things to remember…

Monday is fish pickup.
Extras are Monday and Wednesday evenings after 7 pm.

Items on sale at distribution include…

Honey from the Moose Hill Community Farm Hives
Pasture raised beef from the Trustees of the Reservation ( Ribeye, Sirloin, Ground Beef, and Short Rib)
Spices from Organic Green Kitchen
Moose Hill Community Farm Cookbooks

For those of you who enjoy potlucks, we will be having the end of the season potluck on Sunday October 1st from Noon to 2pm. Bring your favorite dish, preferably one that incorporates some of our vegetables. Interested parties should RSVP by Friday September 29th. Send RSVP to [email protected].

Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes), peeled and chopped into a 1/2-inch dice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup full- or lowfat buttermilk (or, you can make your own)
1 All-Butter, Really Flaky Pie Crust (a half recipe will yield a single crust), prebaked (instructions below)
Whipped cream, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Pour 1 1/2 inches of water into a 3-quart stock part with a strainer basket suspended over it and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, cover and steam until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Place the steamed sweet potatoes in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Mash them into a smooth puree with a fork or potato masher (though I suspect that a potato ricer would also do a great job). You should have 1 1/4 cups puree; discard any excess (by topping with a pat of butter, sprinkling with salt and making yourself a most-excellent snack). Add the butter, lemon juice if using, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula after each addition.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a whisk, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until they’re a creamy lemon-yellow color, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the egg mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir until the eggs are thoroughly incorporated and the filling is a consistent bright orange color. Add the flour a little at a time, stirring after each addition until thoroughly incorporated. Add the buttermilk and again stir until smooth and even.

With a cleaned whisk (or electric hand mixer), whisk the egg whites to soft peaks in a clean, dry bowl. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the sweet potato-buttermilk mixture until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into the prebaked crust and bake on the middle rack of the oven until the center is firm and set, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely on a rack. Serve at room temperature (or cold from the fridge; you can cover it with plastic wrap before chilling) with a dollop of whipped cream.

To pre-bake your pie crust, choose a method: “Proper” method — Lay a sheet of aluminum foil over the dough and carefully scatter pie weights, dried beans or pennies over it. Bake on the middle rick of your oven at 325°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and the foil, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes more.

Deb’s “Cheater” method — Freeze your rolled-out pie shell for 20 to 30 minutes until solid. Press a piece of buttered foil, buttered side down, very frozen shell and blind bake it at 325°F for 20 minutes, then carefully pull back the foil, press any part of the crust that has bubbled up gently back with the back of a spoon, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, and bake for 10 minutes more.

Source

Smitten Kitchen

CSA Pickup: Week 17

Posted on September 17, 2017 by Ryan B.

Here are the harvest possibilities for this week…

Melons (Limited)
Tomatoes (Limited)
Peppers (Hot, Bell, and Sweet Lunchbox)
Eggplant
Cut Greens ( Kale, Mizuna, Collards, and Arugula)
Squash (Limited Summer and Winter)
Cucumbers (Limited)
Broccoli
Cauliflower (Limited)
Potatoes
Leeks
Sweet Potatoes
PYO Flowers (Anything in Bloom: Snapdragons, Sunflowers, and Zinnias)

Things to remember…

Monday is fish pickup.
Extras are Monday and Wednesday evenings after 7 pm.

Items on sale at distribution include…

Honey from the Moose Hill Community Farm Hives
Pasture raised beef from the Trustees of the Reservation ( Ribeye, Sirloin, Ground Beef, and Short Rib)
Spices from Organic Green Kitchen
Moose Hill Community Farm Cookbooks

Couscous And Feta Stuffed Peppers

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup couscous
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers, mixed colors
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place peppers upright in a baking dish and roast them for 15 minutes or so, until they soften, then remove them from the oven until the filling is ready. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source

Smitten Kitchen

CSA Pickup: Week 16

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Ryan B.

Here are the harvest possibilities for this week…

Melons ( Watermelon and Cantaloupe)
Tomatoes (Limited)
Peppers ( Hot, Bell, and Sweet Lunchbox)
Eggplant
Cut Greens ( Kale, Mizuna, Spinach, and Arugula)
Lettuce
Squash ( Summer and Winter)
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cauliflower (Limited)
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Cabbage
Corn (Limited)
PYO Flowers (Anything in Bloom: Snapdragons, Sunflowers, and Zinnias)

Things to remember…

Monday is fish pickup.
Extras are Monday and Wednesday evenings after 7 pm.

Items on sale at distribution include…

Honey from the Moose Hill Community Farm Hives
Pasture raised beef from the Trustees of the Reservation ( Ribeye, Sirloin, Ground Beef, and Short Rib)
Spices from Organic Green Kitchen
Moose Hill Community Farm Cookbooks

Warm Butternut Squash And Chickpea Salad

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

For salad:

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice (I skip this)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

For tahini dressing:

1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.

Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You will probably need to add more water to thin it out.

To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.

Do ahead: Molly says this salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge, that you should hold a little of the dressing on the side and that it can be reheated in the microwave. I, for one, have never had any leftovers.

Source

Smitten Kitchen

Black Rice And Broccoli With Almonds

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

1 cup black rice
1 pound broccoli, cut into small florets, stems peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

In a heavy-bottomed medium pot, bring rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss broccoli and garlic with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast, stirring once, until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and reserve garlic; transfer broccoli to bowl with rice.

Remove garlic from skins. Place in a small bowl; mash. Whisk in mustard, vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over salad. Add almonds, parsley, and scallions; toss. Season with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Source

Martha Stewart

CSA Pickup: Week 15

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Ryan B.

Here are the harvest possibilities for this week…

Melons ( Watermelon and Cantaloupe)
Tomatoes
Peppers ( Hot, Bell, and Sweet Lunchbox)
Eggplant
Cut Greens ( Kale, Mizuna, Spinach, and Arugula)
Lettuce
Squash ( Summer and Winter)
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Potatoes
Cabbage
Corn
Beans ( Green and Dragon Tongue)
PYO Flowers (Anything in Bloom: Snapdragons, Sunflowers, and Zinnias)
PYO Cherry Tomatoes

Things to remember…

Five Buck Bucket of tomatoes are still available, though likely the last week offered.
Monday is fish pickup.
Extras are Monday and Wednesday evenings after 7 pm.

Items on sale at distribution include…

Honey from the Moose Hill Community Farm Hives
Pasture raised beef from the Trustees of the Reservation ( Ribeye, Sirloin, Ground Beef, and Short Rib)
Spices from Organic Green Kitchen
Moose Hill Community Farm Cookbooks

Mango Slaw With Cashews And Mint

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Ryan B.

Ingredients

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and julienned
1 to 1 1/4 pounds Napa cabbage, halved and sliced very thinly
1 red pepper, julienned
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, from about two limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons oil of your choice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (or omit this and whisk in a chili paste to taste)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Instructions

Toss mangoes, cabbage, pepper and onion in a large bowl. Whisk lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt and red pepper in a smaller bowl and pour over slaw. You can either serve this immediately or leave the flavors to muddle for an hour in the fridge. Before serving, toss with mint leaves and sprinkle with cashews.

About your mango: This salad will work with almost any variety or ripeness of mango, whether sour or sweet. Use the one you can get, or that you enjoy the most. In general, a firmish not overly ripe mango (unlike the very ripe, sweet one I used) holds up best but all will be delicious in this salad.

Source

Smitten Kitchen