Week 15 Boxletter

Leeks are one of my favorite veggies.  You probably think I say that a lot about every new vegetable that comes along.  You probably wouldn’t be wrong.  The thing is, when you eat seasonally and rarely go to the grocery store for vegetables, every new vegetable coming into season really IS exciting.  I haven’t had leeks since sometime this spring and with soup season upon us, leeks are a welcome arrival!  You can use them wherever you’d use an onion and most times I like them better than an onion.  Stick with eating locally and in season and you too will get strangely excited about vegetables! 

-Liz

Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts and Parmesan

The other week in the midst of our last cabbage stretch a member picking up her share was questioning what in the heck to do with all this cabbage! Myself and another member both, without pause, said “Roast it”.  This is just one option, but honestly you could do without any toppings other than just a finish with salt and pepper.  I often give it a couple shakes of soy or liquid aminos.  You can even do this in a cast iron pan and throw it on the grill.  Add some chunks of leeks in with the cabbage for some extra excitement!  Roasted cabbage is delicious, different, economical and is great as a side or you can even serve it along some brown rice, throw an egg on top and you’re done. 

1 medium-large head cabbage

7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Scant 1/2 cup walnut halves and pieces

1 large or 2 smaller garlic cloves

1 large lemon

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Grated parmesan, to taste

Heat oven to 475ºF. Remove any damaged outer leaves of cabbage and cut it into 8 (for small ones) to 12 (for a large one) wedges. Coat a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange cabbage wedges in one layer, drizzling or brushing them with 2 more tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until charred underneath (don’t panic if you see a few thin black edges; they’re going to taste amazing). Use a spatula to flip each piece over and roast for 5 more minutes, until the edges of the cabbage are dark brown.

Meanwhile, while cabbage roasts, place nuts on a smaller tray or baking dish and roast them next to the cabbage for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and scatter them, still hot, onto a cutting board and coarsely chop them. Scoop into a bowl and finely grate the zest of half a lemon and all of the garlic over it. Add remaning 3 tablespoons olive oil to walnuts, a few pinches of salt and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. If you’ve got a couple minutes to let it all infuse as it cools, let it rest. When ready, squeeze the juice of half your lemon in and stir to combine. Adjust flavors to taste, adding more lemon if needed; you want this dressing to be robust.

When the cabbage comes out of the oven, spoon the walnut dressing over the wedges. Grate parmesan all over, to taste. Serve immediately, while piping hot. There will be no leftovers.

Adapted from Six Seasons/Smitten Kitchen

Corn and Leek Bisque

It’s a soup.  It’s just a soup with a fancy name, but still just a soup. Don’t be intimidated.  While this is considered a ‘bisque’ because it’s a smooth, creamy puree of vegetables it takes every ounce of my self control to not add a bunch more crap in here and make it a full blown chowder!  If you’ve ever seen me make soup, and luckily that honor is saved for my better half, it’s not pretty.  I start with a basic recipe, like the one below, and then start pulling all kinds of things out of the fridge.  Suddenly a simple and austere pot of soup for two with maybe leftovers for lunch becomes a giant vat of stew ready to feed an army!  What am I getting at here?  Don’t let this recipe limit you.  If you want to throw some chunks of potato in there, do it.  Some broccoli or cauliflower florets? Go for it.  Heck, pureeing with the cauliflower would let you cut down on the cream and still leave you with a creamy soup!  Bam@!

4 tbsp Butter

2 cups Leeks, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only

4-6 Ears of corn, kernels removed

1 Bay leaf

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper (optional)

3 cups Chicken stock

2 cups Heavy cream

Micro-greens, optional for garnish

Avocado, optional for garnish

Cilantro, optional for garnish

jalapeños, optional for garnish

Tomatoes optional for garnish

In a dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and saute until tender.

Add corn, bay leaf and garlic and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Pour chicken stock over the corn and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf.  Pour the soup into a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth.

Return the soup to the pot and add the heavy cream. Continually stir over low heat until cream is fully incorporated.

Adjust seasoning as needed, garnish with micro-greens, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño or tomatoes and serve.

Adapted from the Modern Proper

Taqueria Style Pickled Carrots

I have been making these for years.  If you’ve never put pickled carrots in a taco, you don’t even know what you’re missing.  You can up the spicy by adding more jalapenos, or make it more fun by adding small cauliflower florets.  While these are great in tacos, they are equally at home on a sandwich or in a salad or just straight out of the jar. 

2 lbs large carrots, peeled and cut into ¼” coins, on the diagonal if you’re fancy

2 large jalapeños

1/2 white onion medium, peeled, cut in half and sliced thin

5 cloves garlic smashed

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp vegetable oil

6 bay leaves whole

10 black peppercorns

2 tsp dried oregano, Mexican preferred

1 tsp salt

Cut the stems off jalapeños and slice thin on diagonal. Set aside.

In a large stock pot add the garlic, vinegar, water, oil, bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, salt. Bring to a boil and add the carrots, onion and jalapeños. Lower heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Allow to cool completely and store vegetables and cooking liquid in clean, sterile glass containers with lid. (This recipe fills about 4 pints or comparable containers.) If more liquid is needed to cover add equal parts water and white vinegar. Keep refrigerated.

Fine to eat after 3 hours, best if pickled for at least a day or two. Will keep refrigerated for 6 months or more. 

*Feeling fancy and want to water bath can them?  You can! Just make sure your vinegar is 5% acid and process pints and half pints for 15 minutes.