Author: steelwheelfarm

Recipe

Baked Squash Blossoms over Grass-Fed Beef Sofrito

By No Comments
Baked Squash Blossoms over Grass-Fed Beef Sofrito

  • Servings: 3-4
  • Difficulty: intermediate
  • Print

Baked Squash Blossoms

Part 1—The Sofrito

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 2 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 TBSP fresh rosemary or savory, chopped
  • 2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
  • 8 oz chopped tomatoes or can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 TBSP tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/2 tsp salt

To prepare the sofrito:

  1. Saute garlic in olive oil until browned. Add ground beef, salt and pepper and cook until no longer raw. Set aside.
  2. In a pot, salute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add herbs, tomatoes, tomato paste and heat until a near boil.
  3. Turn down hit to low, add red wine and let simmer while you prepare the squash.

Part 2—The Squash Blossoms

  • 12 fresh zucchini blossoms (keep the baby squash on there if there is one!)
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Flour (for dusting)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ¾ c breadcrumbs

To prepare the squash blossoms:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with foil or parchment and lightly coat with oil or use oil spray.
  2. Mix ricotta and herbs together, seasoning to taste after mixing.
  3. Spoon ricotta into small ziplog bag and cut the tip off (Think: DIY cake frosting bag)
  4. To stuff the blossoms, make a vertical slit from the base that is wide enough to reach inside and take the stamen out.
  5. Squeeze ricotta into blossom and fold flower over until closed
  6. Coat blossoms/squash in flour.
  7. Dip the blossom in the egg and then into breadcrumbs, covering well.
  8. Place on tray and bake for 15-25 minutes or until crispy baked and crispy

Part 3—The Assembly

  1. Add ground beef to tomato sauce and heat on med-high until hot
  2. Ladle surfeit into wide bowl or deep place
  3. Lay squash blossoms on top of the sofrito and top with parsley.
CSA members, Recipe

Italian Carrot Salad

By No Comments
Italian Carrot Salad
  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Italian Carrot Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Carrots
  • 1 cup turnip tops (we cut off about ¾ of the tops off our bunch this week)
  • 3 Tbsp T Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup Garbanzo Beans
  • 2 cloves of Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ½ cup sliced almonds

Directions

  1. Use a potato peeler or food processor (using the shredding disk) to shred the carrots into long, thin strips.
  2. In food processor, combine turnip tops, garlic and garbanzo beans and pulse until coarsely chopped.
  3. Add to bowl with carrots.
  4. To make the dressing, whisk the red wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar salt and pepper together.
  5. If your oil and vinegar are separating, add a small clump of the garbanzo mixture to the dressing. The added bulk will help to properly emulsify your dressing.
  6. Top with almonds
  7. Eat!

CSA members, Recipe

Carrot Pesto with Beet and Broccoli Pasta

By No Comments
Carrot Pesto with Beet and Broccoli Pasta

Carrot tops you say? Didn’t know you could eat them? Don’t know why you would want to eat them? Here’s why: The leaves of carrot are in fact edible and are highly nutritive. The dark green plant matter is rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. In fact, they are reported to contain six times the amount of vitamin C that is in the carrot root and are also a great source of vitamin K, potassium and calcium. The trick is, knowing what do do with them. To get started, we suggest something simple like a pesto!

Carrot Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

  • For the pesto:
    • 1 bunch of carrot tops
    • 1-3 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 cup walnuts
    • 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
    • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
    • Salt and pepper (to taste)
    • 2-4 TBSP olive oil (or more if you mixture is too dry)
  • For the pasta:
    • 4-5 small golden beets
    • 1 large head or three small heads of broccoli
    • Fresh linguini pasta (we used a red beet pasta)
    • Shredded parmesan cheese (to top)

Directions

  1. To make the pesto, blend carrot tops, garlic, cheese, walnuts, basil, oil and salt/pepper together in CuisinArt or similar blending contraption. Set aside
  2. Boil the beets in water until tender and skins peel off (about 20-30 minutes depending on size of beets)
  3. Sautée broccoli with oil, salt and pepper until softened (about 5-7 minutes)
  4. Coat pasta in pesto. Top with beets, broccoli and cheese.
  5. Eat!
CSA members, Recipe

Zucchini Fritters

By No Comments
Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Fritter

Ingredients

  • 2-3 medium zucchini, shredded (about 4 cups)
  • 1 heirloom tomato, diced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 cup flour (or coconut flour if you’re looking for a GF option)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Shred the zucchini using a box grater, food processor or juicer. If you use the grater or food processor, you will need to squeeze out all the moisture from the zucchini before you add the rest of the ingredients. If you use a juicer (as I did when making these the other night) you can skip the moisture-draining step. Note: when using the food processor, the zucchini will have more of a potato texture than a shredded texture. Both options work great!
  2. Sprinkle with the salt and toss well. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Add flour, egg and pepper. Stir to combine. Once mixed gently fold in tomato and cheese.
  4. Heat a large skillet (or griddle if you’re looking for a less greasy option) on medium-low heat.
  5. Pack a 1/4 cup measuring cup with the fritter mixture, pressing it down inside the cup. Turn the cup out onto the pan and flatten the zucchini until you get a patty.
  6. Cook on each side for 3-5 minutes or until nicely browned.
CSA members, Recipe

Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts (and peas!)

By No Comments
Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts (and peas!)

Chard

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches Swiss chard, roughly chopped 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup fresh peas, cut into 1 in pieces
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup raisins (red or golden or a mix of the two if you’re feeling fancy!)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

  1. In a large pan, sauté pine nuts, raisins and garlic in oil until lightly browned
  2. Add chard and peas into the pan.
  3. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tender.
  4. Pull lid back slightly, and tilt pan to pour off water.
  5. Stir in vinegar; season with salt and pepper.