Recipes for 1/14/10

Organic White Cauliflower – Coke Farm San Bautista, CA
Tightly packed florets create the head or “curd” as it is often referred to, the edible portion of the cauliflower.  As a member of the brassica family, cauliflower is healthy to eat and full of antioxidants.  It has a nice, delicate nutty flavor that absorbs flavors well from delicate herbs to curries.  They are also a great addition to crudite platters.

Organic Romaine Hearts – Coke Farm San Bautista, CA
Sweet, a little more tender, but still crisp!  Light green romaine hearts are what you get after you peel off the outer leaves of your conventional head of romaine lettuce.  I love to do a spin on conventional Caesar salads in that instead of just chopping up a head of romaine, I split it down the middle, leaving a good portion of the base still attached so all the leaves stay together.  Then I brush a little oil on the cut side and grill it until warm and caramelized.  Serving it grilled side up with homemade Caesar dressing and croutons makes for an amazing meal!

Organic Atwood Navel Oranges – Olson Organic Farm Lindsay, CA
If you haven’t yet tried these navels, you are in for a treat!  It is an absolute “foodgasm” as our owner, Steven Rosenberg would say.  Extremely juicy with incredible flavor – this is what an orange should taste like!

Organic Cilantro – Coke Farm San Bautista, CA
Also known as fresh coriander leaf and Chinese parsley, its unique tangy flavor pairs well with just about anything from vegetables to fish and poultry, to beef.  The pivotal flavor in salsas, cilantro also makes an incredible summer granita when paired with lime juice – a refreshing palate cleanser in between courses!  When you think cilantro, more often than not, you think of the wonderful food and flavors of Mexico, central and south America, but cilantro is also widely used in Asian cuisine, namely India, Thailand and China.

Organic Spaghetti Squash – Coke Farm San Bautista, CA
So aptly named for the luxurious strings that are easily removed once cooked, spaghetti squash has a rich and sweet squash flavor.  It is an excellent alternative to pasta and holds up well to meat and tomato based sauces, though it also tastes just as wonderful when tossed with a little herb butter and lemon juice.

Conventional Deep Purple Carrots – Weiser Family Farm Tehachapi, CA
The orange carrots we see and are familiar with today are relatively new to the world of food when compared to their ancestors.  Original carrot colors were anything but orange – purple, red, yellow and white were the dominating colors.  The orange carrots available today have been bred specifically for their high beta carotene content and sweet flavor.  Although not orange, this Deep Purple variety is still sweet and just like any other blue/purple food, these carrots are chock full of anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants).

The Vegetarian Basket also includes: Rockhill Creamery Belvedere Tomme (Richmond, UT)

The Omnivore Basket also includes: Rockhill Creamery Belvedere Tomme (Richmond, UT) and Canyon Meadows Ranch Ground Beef (Altamont, UT)

The Omnivore PLUS Basket also includes: Rockhill Creamery Belvedere Tomme (Richmond, UT) and Canyon Meadows Ranch Sirloin Steak (Altamont, UT)

Customers who opted for additional fruit will be receiving: Organic CCH Citrus Gold Nugget Tangerines/Mandarins (Riverside, CA)

~Organic certification is provided by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). CCOF has been helping to create and maintain extremely high standards in organic farming since 1973.~

Curried cauliflower
Not your typical yellow curry!  This dish is inspired by the warm spices of India.
serves 4-6

1 large red onion, diced small
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1 cup water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small jalepeno, thinly sliced
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium sized tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1. In a blender, puree half of the diced onion with the coriander and cumin seeds and 1/4 cup of the water.
2. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the remaining diced onion and the jalapeño slices. Cook the vegetables over moderately high heat, stirring a few times, until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Scrape in the onion puree from the blender. Pour 1/4 cup of the water into the blender; swirl it around, then pour it into the skillet. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion sauce begins to stick to the bottom of the skillet and turn brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of water, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the cauliflower and season with salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the diced tomato and the minced cilantro and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Serve with basmati rice.

Cauliflower “rice” with fried shallots and lemon
serves 4

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, diced small
1 head cauliflower, pulsed via food processor or grated so the texture resembles rice
juice and zest from ½ a meyer lemon
salt and pepper to taste
sweet paprika

1. Heat oil and butter in a heavy frying pan on medium.  Add shallots and cook while you prep the cauliflower.  Keep watch of the shallots, making sure they do not burn.
2. Cut the head of cauliflower in half.  Remove the leaves and most of the core, then cut into slices about ½ inch thick.  Place in a food processor and pulse until it resembles the texture of rice.  The cauliflower can also be grated on the large side of a hand grater in lieu of a food processor.
3. When the shallots are nicely browned, about 8-10 minutes, add the cauliflower and season to taste.  Turn the heat up to high and let the cauliflower cook, turning often until it’s lightly browned.  If you prefer a slight bite to the cauliflower, cook for about 4 ½ minutes.  If you prefer it to be tender, cook a little longer, checking after 7-8 minutes.
4. When the cauliflower is cooked to your liking, add the juice and zest of half of a meyer lemon and stir gently to combine.  Move to a serving plate and lightly dust with sweet paprika.  This is delicious when served with stir-fries, curries or stews.

Salad greens with candied nuts
serves 2-4

1 head romaine heart, chopped into bite sized pieces (or a bag of mixed greens)
¼ cup candied nuts-almonds, walnuts or pecans would be great for this (recipe below)
white balsamic vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Put the greens in a large bowl.  Drizzle about ¼ cup of the white balsamic vinaigrette around the edge of the bowl.  Season the salad lightly with salt and white pepper, then starting at the edges and working towards the center of the bowl, gently toss the salad until there is a light coating over everything.  Serve with the candied nuts sprinkled over the top.

For the candied nuts
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1lb walnut, pecan or almonds
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add walnuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated.
3. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

For the white balsamic vinaigrette
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 pinch salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the white balsamic vinegar, dijon, salt and white pepper.  Whisking quickly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until fully combined.  This can keep in your refrigerator for about a week.

Cilantro chimichurri sauce
A twist on traditional chimichurri sauce, this recipe incorporates cilantro into the mix and makes it perfect for marinating or saucing fish, meats and poultry.

½ cup firmly packed Italian flat leaf parsley leaves
½ cup firmly packed cilantro – you can use the cilantro stems
3-4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Finely chop the parsley, cilantro and oregano and place in a small bowl with the minced garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Stir in the olive oil and adjust seasoning to taste.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.  If chilled, return to room temperature before serving.  Best if used in two days or less.

Baked spaghetti squash with feta and nicoise olives
serves about 6

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons sliced nicoise olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

Shopping list...

Curried cauliflower

-1 large red onion
-1 jar Frontier Coriander Seeds
-1 jar Frontier Cumin Seeds
-1 bottle California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2008 Harvest
-1 small jalepeno
-1 head cauliflower (1 included in HALF shares and 2 included in FULL shares)
-1 medium sized tomato
-1 bunch fresh cilantro (1 bunch included in all shares)

Cauliflower “rice” with fried shallots and lemon

-1 bottle California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2008 Harvest
-1 package Plugra Unsalted Butter
-1 medium shallot
-1 head cauliflower (1 included in HALF shares and 2 included in FULL shares)
-1 meyer lemon
-1 container El Rey de la Vera Sweet Paprika

Salad greens with candied nuts

-1 head romaine heart (1 included in HALF shares and 2 included in FULL shares)
-1 package India Tree Dark Muscovado Sugar
-1 package Woodstock Farms Granulated Sugar
-1 container El Rey de la Vera Hot Smoked Paprika
-1 jar Red Ape Ground Cinnamon
-1lb walnut, pecan or almonds
-1 half dozen package Clifford Family Farm Eggs
-1 bottle California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2008 Harvest
-1 bottle Prelibato White Balsamic Vinegar
-1 jar Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard

Cilantro chimichurri sauce

-1 bunch Italian parsley
-1 bunch fresh cilantro (1 bunch included in all shares)
-1 bulb garlic
-1 bunch fresh oregano
-1 bottle California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2008 Harvest
-1 botle Tibvrtini White Wine Vinegar
-1 package Liberty Heights Fresh Red Chili Flakes

Baked spaghetti squash with feta and nicoise olives

-1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lb included in HALF shares and about 6lb included in FULL shares)
-1 bottle California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2008 Harvest
-1 onion
-1 bulb garlic
-about 4-6 roma tomatoes
-3/4 cup Rockhill Dessert Red Feta Cheese
-1/4 lb nicoise olives
-1 bunch fresh organic Basil