Tim Cooks: Tangy Lemon-Caper Dip

Inspiration:
A desire for a dip for our CSA veggies, and a recipe found in Better Homes and Gardens.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces light sour cream
• 1/2 cup yogurt, low-fat plain
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained and finely-chopped
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill (or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely-shredded lemon peel
• lemon peel and dill for garnish
  
• Assorted vegetable dippers (such as peeled baby carrots, zucchini slices, pea pods, yellow summer squash sticks, and/or red sweet pepper strips)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, yogurt, capers, the 2 teaspoons snipped dill, and the 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel.
2. To serve, garnish with additional lemon peel and additional fresh dill or thyme. Serve with dippers.

Recipe Notes:
Nutritional Info (Per serving): Calories: 32, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 36mg, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Total Fat: 2g, Carbs: 2g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Protein: 1g. Exchanges: Fat: 0.5

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Kohlrabi Ham Bake

Inspiration:
Kohlrabi from our CSA and a modified version of this recipe from the blog Simply Recipes, originally from Russian, German, & Polish Food & Cooking.
Ingredients:

• 1.5 Tbsp butter
• 2 kohlrabi, peeled and diced
• 8 ounces thick ham, diced
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Pinch of mace (can substitute ground nutmeg)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the diced kohlrabi and gently cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Beat the egg yolk, and whisk in the heavy cream, flour, mace, salt and pepper until well combined.
3. Place half of the cooked kohlrabi on the bottom of an oven-proof casserole dish. Layer on the diced ham and parsley. Top with the remaining kohlrabi. Pour the sauce ingredients over the kohlrabi and ham.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

Notes:
Yummy. I would make this recipe again if we get more kohlrabi from our CSA. It's pretty rich, so I suggest serving it with a green salad.

Tim's Rating: 9/10
("Tastes like Scalloped Potatoes and Ham to me. I like it.")
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Turnips with Spinach, Hot Pepper and Garlic

Inspiration:
A recipe on our CSA's newsletter

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch turnips, tops removed, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 bunch spinach, trimmed, washed, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Toss turnip cubes in colander with salt. Let stand 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Pat dry turnip cubes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a very large skillet on moderately high heat. Add turnips and toss until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and chili flakes and sauté another minute or so.
   
4. Spread spinach over turnips, pressing down firmly. Cover and reduce head to low, cook 2 minutes. Toss, re-cover and cook until turnips are tender, 2 or 3 more minutes.
   
5. Transfer to a serving dish, add remaining oil and vinegar to taste. Serve.
   

Notes: This made enough for a side dish for 2-3 people. It's pretty tasty! I will be making this again the next time I get turnips from my CSA.

Tim's Rating: 8/10
Liz's Rating: 8/10

Katie's Strawberry Hand Pies

Inspiration:
Fresh strawberries from our CSA and Katie's famous recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 stick (1/2 c.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 in pieces
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 Tbsp cold buttermilk (whole milk with a dash of fresh lemon juice can be subbed)
• 1.5 c. fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
  
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  
• powdered sugar for dusting
  
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. In small bowl, combine vanilla and buttermilk, stir to combine and set aside.
2. In large bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest and whisk to combine.
3. Use pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into flour mixture until resembles course meal or just until all pieces are less than pea-sized.
4. Add buttermilk mixture and stir in until dough comes together.
5. Transfer dough to powdered sugar-dusted work surface and shape into flat disk.
6. Wrap disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment.
   
8. In medium bowl, combine strawberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice and set aside.
   
9. Turn dough out onto a powdered sugar-dusted work surface and cut pie dough in half (rewrap other half and place back in fridge to stay cold).
   
10. Roll one half of pie dough out about 1/8 in thickness. Using round pastry cutter (or trace knife around small plate), cut out about 5-6 inch rounds.
    
11. Place round onto baking sheet and place about 2-3 Tbsp strawberry mixture into center.
    
12. Using pastry brush dipped in a small amount of egg, brush the edge of half of the round.
    
13. Fold dry edge onto egg brushed half, forming semicircle shape, and press edges together to seal with the tines of a fork.
    
14. Brush the top of the pie with egg mixture and sprinkle with sugar.
    
15. Use a small knife to make a 1 inch slit in the top of the pie for steam to escape.
    
16. Repeat with remaining pastry dough.
    
17. Place in oven and bake until tops are beginning to turn golden brown, about 20 minutes.
    
18. Let cool on sheets for 7-10 mins and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Katie's Recipe Notes:
"A distant, better looking cousin of the turnover, the hand pie houses it's own portion of delicious fruit filling and top and bottom crust all in handy compact size. Perfect for sharing. Perfect for casual entertaining.

You can also make the dough in the bowl of a food processor, just be careful not to over process (30 secs should be enough to bring it together.) Pie dough may be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months if wrapped well."

My Notes: I halved Katie's recipe, and I got four from the half recipe. Katie, you've made another winner! This is my first time making pastry dough, and I had no idea what I was doing, so they aren't pretty, but they taste awesome!

Tim's Rating: 9/10
Liz's Rating: 9/10

Asparagus and Arugula Salad with Cannellini Beans and Balsamic Vinegar

Inspiration:
Arugula from our CSA, Tim's love for cannellini beans, and this recipe featured on Bridget's blog (originally from Cook's Illustrated).

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ medium red onion, sliced 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup)
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed of tough ends and cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces)
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (about 1½ cups)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, plus 2 teaspoons
• 14 ounces arugula (1 large bunch), washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 cups lightly packed)

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until beginning to smoke; stir in onion and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add asparagus, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook until asparagus is browned and tender-crisp, about 4 minutes, stirring once every minute. Off heat, stir in beans; transfer to large plate and cool 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 3 tablespoons oil, vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until combined. In large bowl, toss arugula with 2 tablespoons dressing and divide among salad plates. Toss asparagus mixture with remaining dressing, place a portion over arugula, and serve.

Recipe Notes:
Serves 4 to 6 as a first course or 2 to 3 as a main dish

My Notes:
This is a filling, delicious vegetarian meal. We had sliced leftover steak on the side, though, which was really good!

Tim's Rating: 9/10

Liz's Rating: 9/10

Shaking Beef with Pea Shoot Salad

Inspiration:
Sirloin steak from Batalden Farms, pea shoots from our CSA, and this recipe from Food and Wine


Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 medium onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 6 ounces baby pea shoots
  

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, toss the beef with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon of garlic, 2 teaspoons of sugar and the fish sauce; season with pepper. Let stand.
2. In a bowl, toss the onion and vinegar. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce with the olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a wok, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat until smoking. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; cook until golden, about 30 seconds. Add half of the meat and cook for 3 minutes without stirring; turn and cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate; cook the second batch. Return the meat to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
4. On a large platter, toss the pea shoots with the onion and the soy dressing. Spoon the beef on top and serve.

Suggested Beverage: A light, fruity Pinot Noir

Notes: The sirloin tasted so good. We loved it. The pea shoots, not so much. I don't think we're fans of pea shoots. The leaves taste good, but it's a lot of work to prepare and eat them. I will use this beef marinade and preparation again in the future, either to serve over mixed greens or brown rice.

So we're just rating the beef.

Tim's Rating: 10/10
Liz's Rating: 10/10

Linguine and Collard Greens with Bacon

Inspiration:
So I had collard greens from our CSA, and I was going to cook them "Brazilian style" (a Mark Bittman recipe) to go along with some pork burgers that my friend Helen and I picked up at the farmers market. Well luckily today at work I mentioned my dinner to her, and she told me that my "pork burgers" were actually breakfast sausage patties. Hmmm. I am glad I found out before I served Tim breakfast sausage on a bun with condiments. (Thanks Helen!) So I scrambled for a way to use up my collard greens and found this recipe from Gourmet.

Ingredients:

• 10 bacon slices (1/2 lb), chopped
• 3/4 cup pine nuts (1/4 lb)
• 1/4 lb shallots, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes (heaping teaspoon if you like spicy food, less if you don't)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 lb collard greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 lb dried whole wheat linguine
• 1 lb grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings, made with a vegetable peeler from a 6-to 8-oz wedge

Instructions:

1. Cook bacon in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon fat from pot. Add pine nuts to pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt.
2. Add shallots to pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add oil and half of collard greens and cook, stirring, until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Add remaining greens and salt and continue to cook, stirring, until greens are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes more. Add water and cover pot, then simmer greens, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 15 minutes.
3. While collard greens are simmering, cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
4. Drain linguine in a colander. Add drained linguine and tomatoes to pot with greens and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Season pasta with salt and pepper and serve topped with bacon, pine nuts, and cheese shavings.

Recipe Notes:
Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 50 min
Servings: Makes 4 to 6 main-course servings.

My Notes: The richness of the bacon, pine nuts and cheese pairs well with the bitterness of the collard greens. This is a different kind of recipe, but it's good!

Liz's Rating: 9/10
Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
("Well having bacon in it gives it an extra point. I really like it.")