vegetarian : Big Woods Farm CSA

Category : vegetarian

Gazpacho (cold tomato soup)

Posted September 6th 2011 under: recipes, soups, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: cucumbers, tomatoes

This recipe is modified from the cookbook “A Midwest Gardener’s Cookbook” by Marian Towne. The recipe can be altered to suite your taste or depending on what vegetables you actually have on hand.

1 large cucumber (peeled and seeded if very mature)
1 medium sweet onion
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped (optional)
1 hot pepper, such as jalapeño, with seeds removed
6 large ripe tomatoes
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Blend together all ingredients for 2 or 3 minutes, making sure that the garlic and pepper, especially, are well blended. Chill in refrigerator. Serve over several ice cubes (optional) in a bowl and garnish with crisp, seasoned croutons (also optional).

Serves 6

Zucchini pancakes

Posted August 29th 2011 under: recipes, side dishes, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: zucchini

This zucchini pancake recipe comes from Jan Search (via the website of our friends at Spring Hill Farm) with this note: “ I’m not a big fan of zucchini so I got creative. This is an adaptation of a Barefoot Contessa recipe I found online; I used organic whole wheat flour, added the cheese and almond meal. (Of course, the almonds and flour make a complete protein.)”

2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
2 tablespoons grated red onion
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Unsalted butter and olive oil
Almond meal (finely ground raw almonds)
2 tablespoons of gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Directions
Grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the 2 TBLS or more of almond meal.)

Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a paper towel; add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Posted August 29th 2011 under: main dishes, recipes, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: tomatoes

This is a nice tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes that can be used for pasta, eggplant Parmesan, gnochi, etc. David’s father made if for us last week and served it on eggplant parmesan – delicious!

2 lbs fresh ripe tomatoes
5 TBS butter
1 medium onion, cut up
Salt and black pepper, as needed

1. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for minute, remove, and slide of skins. Coarsely chop.

2. Meanwhile, saute onions in butter until translucent. Add tomatoes, and cook at a simmer until soft and 1/2 of liquid has boiled off. Add salt and black pepper as needed.

Quick Salad Slaw

Posted August 22nd 2011 under: recipes, salads, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: cabbage

Laurie’s mom uses any of the season’s crunchy veggies to make this slaw. Stored in an airtight bag, it keeps for several days, ready to eat at a moment’s notice.

Cabbage (green and/or red)

Broccoli (use the peeled stem too)

Kohlrabi

Carrots

Onions

Garlic

Parsley

Green or Red Pepper

Celery

Cucumber

Zucchini and/or Summer Squash

Fennel

Using the thin slicing blade on a food processor, process the cabbage, broccoli and fennel – place into large bowl.

Then with shredding blade, process carrots, cucumber, pepper, onion, zucchini, kohlrabi – add to bowl.

With chopping blade, process garlic, parsley, celery (young leaves and stems) – add to bowl.

Stir gently to mix and store in airtight bags in refrigerator. Dress at time of serving.

Pear Tart

Posted August 18th 2011 under: desserts, recipes, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: Pears

This recipe is adapted from “The Way to Cook” by Julia Child (Knopf, 1989). You can use any number of fruits for the tart, including pear, apple, peach, etc. The recipe calls for an apricot glaze, but any jam or jelly will work.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 recipe of pie pastry dough, enough to make a 10″ diameter disk of pastry dough
several apples or pears, cored and sliced. I do not peel the fruits.
apricot glaze or a jam or jelly
1 1/2 tsp sugar

Roll out the pastry dough into a 10″ diameter disk (larger is ok). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then put disk on the paper. Leaving a 1″ border of the disk free, prick the bottom of the dough all over at 1/4-inch intervals with the tines of a fork. Paint the fork-marked bottom with apricot glaze, and arrange the slices of fruit attractively on top (it’s nice to have a circle of overlapping slices). Then crimp the edges of the disk to hold in the fruit and glaze, and sprinkle the fruit with the sugar. Bake 30-40 minutes in the middle level of a preheated 450 degree oven, until the bottom of the pastry is crisp and brown. Paint the finished tart with apricot glaze.

Apricot Glaze:

Apricot glaze is what makes tarts shimmer. It is nothing but sieved apricot jam boiled wotn to the thread stage with a little sugar. If you make a double or triple amount, it will keep for months in the refrigerator.

For 1 cup:

1 cup apricot jam
3 TBS sugar
3 TBS dark rum (optional)

Push the jam through a sieve to remove pulp and skin. Blend it in a small saucepan with the sugar and optional rum, them bring it to a boil, stirring. Boil several minutes until the last drops to fall from the tip of a spoon are thick and sticky – 228 degrees on a candy thermometer. Use while still warm, or re-warm it; apply it with a pastry brush, with a table knife, or with the back of a spoon.

Feta-Walnut-Stuffed Cucumbers

Posted August 8th 2011 under: recipes, salads, side dishes, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: cucumbers

This is adapted from a recipe in The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Do without by Mollie Katzen (Hyperion Press). The author recommends serving for lunch, with soup, or as an appetizer or side dish for dinner.

1 cup walnuts

1 handful fresh parsley

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp minced or crushed garlic

1 tsp mild paprika (plus extra)

1/8 tsp cayenne

3 or 4 medium sized cucumbers

1. Combine the walnuts and parsely in a blend or food processor and pulverize to a powdery state with a series of pulses.

2. Add all the remaining ingredients except the cucumbers and puree until smooth.

3. Peel the cucumbers, if desired, and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds, making a cavity in the cucumbers. Fill the cavities with the feta-walnut mixture, patting it into place with a fork or spoon (or your hands). Use more or less filling for each, depending on the size of the cucumbers and how full you would like them.

4. Dust the tops lightly with a little extra paprika and serve cold or at room temperature. If you would like to serve them cold, place the filled cucumbers on a plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before serving. Don’t let them sit too much longer than that.

Yield: Serves four.

Iranian Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Posted August 8th 2011 under: recipes, salads, vegetarian
0 Comments | Tags: cucumbers, tomatoes

This is adapted from a recipe in the Iranian cookbook “New Food of Life,” by Najmieh Batmanglij, via the New York Times (Aug 9 2010). The salad emphasizes fresh herbs, tomatoes and cucumbers.

2 cucumbers, or 1 long Asian cucumber (long and ridged)

1 pound ripe tomatoes

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

1 garlic clove, mashed to a puree with 1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 scallions, chopped

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. If using non-bitter cucumbers (like an Asian or European cucumber), cut in 3/4-inch dice. If using regular cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds and discard. Cut the cucumbers into 3/4-inch dice. Place in a large bowl with the tomatoes.

2. Whisk together the lime juice, garlic, pepper and olive oil. Toss with the cucumbers and tomatoes. Add the remaining ingredients, and toss everything together thoroughly. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can make this a couple of hours ahead, but don’t salt or toss until you s

Big Woods Farm Basil Pesto

Posted August 2nd 2011 under: dressings & sauces, kid-approved, recipes, vegetarian
0 Comments |

Big Woods Basil Pesto makes 2 cups

(enough for 2 lbs of pasta)

This recipe works well as a topping for pasta or added to pizza or any Italian tomato sauce. We make batches during the height of summer and freeze in ice cube trays – when frozen, pop out the cubes and store in a plastic bag in the freezer.

2 cups fresh basil leaves

4 medium-size cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup walnut meats or pine nuts

1/2 cup best quality olive oil

1 cup freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated imported Romano cheese (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Process the basil, garlic, and walnuts (or pine nuts) in a food processor fitted with a steel blade – or in 2 batches in a blender – until finely chopped.

With the machine running, pour in the oil in a thin, steady stream.

Add the cheese, a big pinch of salt, and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine. Remove to a bowl and cover until ready to use.

Big Woods Farm CSA