Week 21 2011

This week you will find some new things.

Diakon Radishes (roasting radishes) About 2 inches in diameter and creamy white.
Red Kale
Green Kale
Mustard Greens
Pok Choi
Rosemary
Basil
Cherry Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Hot Peppers
Sweet Peppers
Eggplant


Vegetable of the Week: Daikon Radish
From our cookbook: although daikon radishes are actually members of the far-flung cabbage family, they look like white, overgrown carrots and taste like mild radishes. Unchecked, daikon radishes have been known to weigh in at 50 pounds.

Daikon Basics

Daikon is a variety of radish, but unlike the more usual salad radishes, needs a much longer growing time, and has a milder flavor. Most varieties are long, white roots, shaped very much like carrots. A few varieties are round like a turnip, and about 4 inches across. Daikon originates in Asia, and is most commonly used in east Asian cuisine. There are Asian recipes for Daikon, or it can be used similarly to other root vegetables in soups, stews, salads and stir-fries. A 3 ounce serving of fresh daikon is only 18 calories, but contains 34 percent of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C.

To store, wrap the unwashed root in a plastic bag and it will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. You can cut off what you need and return the rest to the refrigerator. It just needs scrubbing, not peeling. For longer storage, grate and dry, or slice thinly and pickle.

RECIPES


Daikon Radish and Kale Soup

http://caloriecount.about.com/daikon-radish-kale-soup-recipe-r629961

Kale Salad

12 oz kale
13 1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 quart boiling water
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1. Rinse Kale; tear leaves into about 1-inch pieces, discarding tough ribs and veins.
2. In a 5 to 6 quart pot over high heat, bring about 1 quart of water to boil. Add Kale and cook until slightly wilted,3 to 5 minutes. Drain
3. When cool, squeeze excess liquid from kale and place in bowl.
4. Combine soy sauce and oil and pour over kale. Serve at room temperature.

(Serves 6)

Miso soup with tofu and grated daikon

6 cups water
¼ cup miso (Soybean paste available at the Food Coop-I like red miso, my daughter likes golden)
½ cup firm tofu
½ cup grated Daikon
1/3 cup sliced green onion

Boil the water and miso until blended. Add the tofu and Daikon, cook briefly. Serve with green onion as garnish. (can add Tamari, fish sauce, Mirin--rice cooking wine, balsamic vinegar, or crumbled seaweed to taste)

Oven-Roasted Jerk Eggplant

Eggplant - two whole ones, stems removed, sliced vertically into 10 to 12 'fillets' (discard skinny end pieces that are mostly skin)
Jamaican Wet-Jerk Marinade - 1 1/2 to 2 cups (recipe below)

Breadcrumbs - 1 cup crisp, fine
Nutri-grain or other no-sugar-added corn or wheat flake cereal, 1/2 cup crushed
Flour - 1/4 cup unbleached white all-purpose
Nutritional Yeast - 1/4 cup
Paprika - 1 teaspoon
A touch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable Oil - 1 1/2 teaspoons
Eggs - 2 large, beaten
Cooking spray or olive oil spray

Place the sliced eggplant in cold salted water, weighting them down so they stay submerged. Soak for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain well, rinse, and pat dry.

Rub the Jamaican Wet-Jerk Marinade into the cut sides of the eggplant, making sure every surface is well coated. Place the jerk-rubbed eggplant in a non reactive container with a cover or in zippered freezer bags. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 450F. At the same time, place a baking sheet in the oven.

Remove the jerk-marinated eggplant from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

Combine the breadcrumbs, cereal flakes, flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, and salt and pepper in a large, shallow dish. Stir in the vegetable oil.

In a separate bowl, combine the beaten eggs and 1/4 cup water, preferably spring or filtered (vegans, use rice or soy milk, omitting the eggs and water). Set aside.

Line a tray with waxed paper. Working with one eggplant slice at a time, dip the eggplant into the crumb mixture, then into the egg mixture (or soy milk), then back into the crumbs. At this point, the eggplant slices will be rather huge and bristly with crumbs. (This is a somewhat messy process, especially when it comes to the egg-then-redip phase; you may have to assist with your fingertips, pressing the crumbs into any bald spots so the entire piece is coated with two layers of crumb and one of egg.) Place the crumbed piece on the prepared tray. Repeat the breading until all of the eggplant is coated.

Lower the oven temperature to 375‹F and remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Quickly but thoroughly spray it with cooking spray or oil (or give it a swipe with a paper-towel dipped in vegetable oil). Place the coated eggplant on the hot baking sheet. Bake until somewhat browned, 30-40 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully turn the slices. Return to the oven and bake until crisp and golden, about another 25 minutes. Serve hot.

The following recipe is rather long and involved, maybe most appropriate for a special occasion. For a simple way to prepare eggplant and many of the squash in your box, cut into 1/2 inch slices, brush with olive oil or butter and garlic, and grill on the barbeque.

From Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon.