I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to do a work share at Loon Organics, a CSA just outside of Hutch.(aka Hutchinson, Minnesota)  In exchange for a little hard work and sweat, I receive an entire box full of delicious, organic vegetables every week. The gratification I experience from working outside is something I get to take with me as well. I am challenging myself to use the entire contents of each box. This takes a bit of planning, preparation, and research. Until this week, I had never used a garlic scape. I didn’t know of the existence of a Japanese salad turnip, and I had never truly considered the value in properly storing my produce. I have a cookbook from Featherstone CSA near Rushford, Minnesota. This book contains storing techniques, recipes, and other useful information about a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. I have linked the ingredients in this week’s recipe to their website for storage techniques. I would recommend picking up your own copy of Tastes from Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Farm Cookbook.

This is a recipe from Loon’s first week newsletter. Its combination of Swiss Chard and garlic scapes makes for a healthy, satisfying, head bobbing good meal. You can always add a grilled chicken breast to please the carnivores at your table. It was prepared entirely in my Flameware Skillet.

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos
1 bunch of Swiss chard, thick lower stems removed (or sub spinach for chard)
1 1/2 tbl. oil or bacon drippings
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch garlic scapes, finely chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth Salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) Queso Fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese
Salsa for serving

Slice the chard into 1/2-inch ribbons. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion then cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. To the onions add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Stir for about 20 seconds until you are hit with the aroma of the garlic then immediately add the broth or water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the greens. Adjust the heat to medium-low then cover the skillet. Cook until the greens are almost tender.
For Swiss chard this will be about 5 minutes. Spinach only takes about 2 minutes. Uncover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-high then cook until the juices have reduced significantly and merely glaze the greens. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it. Serve with the corn tortillas, crumbled fresh cheese, and salsa.

(ed note)  This one’s from Abby who runs the Borealis Yarn Shops in St. Paul MN. Fabulous materials for serious knitters.  Now let’s see about some serious eating!

1/8 cup vinegar (any type, I usually use white)
1 sprig fresh Rosemary
4-6 cloves garlic
2.5-4lb whole chicken

Fill the well of your ‘beer can’ Chicken roaster with 1/8 cup vinegar, 1/8 cup water. Rinse Chicken. Place over well. Cut off the bottom of your garlic cloves. Don’t bother to remove the paper around the cloves. Push the cloves and the Rosemary down the Chicken neck. Place in oven, set oven at 350 degrees, walk away. Chicken will be ready in 2 hours (2.5 lbs ) or 3 hours (4lb).

Tom ‘invented’ this one a few years ago.  It’s a good reason to to make extra mashed potatoes every time.  A hearty lunch soup or light supper. This is one idea you can kind of mess around and try things.

In a saucepan, add some chopped onion, maybe a bit of garlic, and saute in some butter or olive oil until the onions start to go transparent.  Cube up some ham or bacon and add and saute that a bit.  There’s little rocket science here. A bit of smoky flavor is good.

Add at least a couple of cups of leftover mashed potatoes.  Add water (Betsy) or milk (Tom) to thin to a nice chowder consistency.

Once it starts to heat, you can add corn, broccoli or other veggies.  Be creative.  Salt and Pepper if necessary to taste.

A little corn bread or no knead bread to go with and you’ll take the chill off a cold fall or winter day.

Enjoy!

Betsy generally sautes about 1/2 lb of andouille or spicy italian sausage first to add some meat.

This time  Betsy did the stovetop work in 2 flameware Tagine pots, and finished with a short oven baking in a cazuela.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. dried red chile flakes
1/3 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy cream
8 oz. dried penne, cooked and drained
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

In a large heavy-based sauté pan, (ceramic flameware works great) heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. (Saute meat if using-set aside).  Add more oil, then the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, oregano and chile flakes.

Add the broth and vodka to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by about half. Lower the heat slightly, add the cream and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the cooked penne to the pan, and toss to coat. Add the Parmigiano and toss over low heat just until the flavors meld and the pasta is heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Sprinkle with chopped parsely, if using, and serve immediately.  Can bake or broil to brown the top.

From Fine Cooking Magazine
by Mark Scarbrough, Bruce Weinstein