Week 16 2012

Wow!!  Thank you for the much needed and greatly appreciated rain that fell over the area this weekend.  I know it was terrible for those that experienced the actual Hurricane, but for Southern Illinois Issac provided great relief to an awful drought.

We hope that everyone had a fantastic day and relaxing break from your labors.  We canned up several quarts of hot peppers. (recipe below- super easy!)


This week in your box:
Mustard
Kale
Garlic
Hot Pepper
Sweet Pepper
Basil
Snap Green Beans
Shelled Beans (Remove Beans from pod and cook- more information below)


Fresh shelling beans are one of the great treats of local eating. Shell them and cook them in soups or simply braised as a side dish—they have an extra creamy texture and wonderful clean but earthy flavor.  They cook in about 20-30 minutes so can be added to any dish.

Week 15 2012

This week your box has

Tomatoes
HOT peppers
Sweet peppers
Mustard
Chard
Garlic
Arugula
Sage
Parsley
Basil
Beans
Corn

Enjoy!
check out this great website that Kathy Ward sent me.  All sorts of yummy ideas.

http://www.vegkitchen.com/category/recipes/everyday-meals/sandwiches-and-wraps/

--

Hot and spicy salsa

• 5 Roma tomatoes -- (5 to 6)
• 3 fresh or pickled jalapenos, stems removed -- (3 to 4) (or more if you like it really spicy)
• 1/2 lg. Vidalia onion, quartered
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 Tbs white vinegar (or cider)
• 2 tsp salt (more if you like it saltier)
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• A sprig or two of cilantro if you like
• splash of lime juice or lemon juice
Mix all ingredients in a blender and pulse so it's still chunky but not too chunky. Pour into a medium saucepan and heat over medium about 15 minutes. It'll be pretty frothy. You can can this if you like (in a boiling water canner, process for 15 minutes). This also is great mixed with Velveeta mexican cheese, in cubes, that I put in a crockpot. I put in about a cup of salsa and it's like a queso dip that you can use with tortilla chips.
You can use any kind of chiles you want, but we use jalapenos or banana peppers, but my husband will slip in a couple of red chiles when I'm not looking (but we have so many of those that just 2 in the salsa doesn't use them all up).
From: Vikki, vikbill@gibralter.net
Posted By: Vikki, Via: Chile Head Mailing List
Post Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1999

What to do with Tomatillos??

Tomatillos (toe-ma-tee-ohs)

Tomatillos are also called "tomate verde" in Mexico (which means green tomato) and are considered a staple in Mexican cooking. Tomatillo is a member of the nightshade family, related to tomatoes. It now grows everywhere in the Western Hemisphere and is common in Texas gardens.

The fruit of the tomatillo is green and about the size of a large cherry tomato. The inside is white and meatier than a tomato. They grow to maturity inside of a husk. They can range in size from about an inch in diameter to the size of apricots. They are covered by a papery husk which may range from the pale green color of the fruit itself to a light grocery-bag brown. The husks are inedible and should be removed before use

Storing Tomatillos:

If you are not going to use them immediately, leave the husks intact, wrapped around the fruit like little paper bags.
Either store on the counter or in the refrigerator. They should never be stored in air-tight containers.
They will keep well for several weeks to a month. They may also be frozen whole or sliced.

Preparing Tomatillos:

Remove the husks before using, the husks are inedible. Tomatillos are very easy to cook with because they don't need to be peeled or seeded. Their texture is firm when raw, but soften when cooked. When growing your own fresh tomatillos, they are ready to harvest when the husks burst.
Rinse before using as the tomatillo is covered by a sticky substance. Do not peel the green skin.

Cooking Tomatillos:
Tomatillos can by very inconsistent in flavor, with some being sour and others tasting mild and sweet. If the tomatillos are to tart for your taste, try adding a little sugar to balance the taste.

Raw - Raw or uncooked tomatillos are often in Mexican sauces. They add a fresh citrus-like flavor.
Blanching - Blanching mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole tomatillos (husks removed and rinsed) and boil for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and crush or puree as directed in your recipe.
Fire Roasting - Roast under the broiler, with a propane torch, or over an open flame such as a grill. Make sure the heat is quite hot before roasting. If the heat is not hot enough, the tomatillos wil turn mushy before being charred. The charred or slightly blackened skins will enrich your sauces with a smoky flavor.
Dry Roasting - This will produce an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy fry pan (preferably a cast iron pan). Turn heat to low and roast for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa Recipe

Recipe Type: Appetizer, Salsa, Dips & Spreads, Tomatillos, Avocados, Chile Peppers
Yields: serves many
Prep time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
1/4 to 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper*
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup lightly-packed fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 large ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 cup minced onion
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice Coarse salt to taste

* You can adjust the amount of chile peppers according to your taste.

Preparation:

In a food processor, process tomatillos, chile peppers, garlic, and cilantro until coarsely chopped.

Pour tomatillo mixture into a bowl and stir in olive oil, diced avocado, and minced onion. Add lime juice and salt to taste.

Enjoy with your favorite chips! 

Storing Basil

Yummy Basil

Basil should always be stored dry to prevent the leaves from turning black. A warm-weather crop, fresh basil is also sensitive to cold temperatures. Basil that is to be used within five days should be wrapped in a dry paper towel and kept in an airtight container at about 50 degrees (you can wash it just before use).

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

(printer-friendly version)

I’d say this fits into the category of warm dinner salads, but you could serve it as a side dish to up to four people.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces mustard greens
• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
• 4-6 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Instructions

1. Remove any large stems from the greens and discard. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
2. In a deep pot or wok, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth until mostly faded to pink, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper and another tablespoon of broth and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the mustard greens, 2 tablespoons of broth, and cook, stirring, until greens are wilted but still bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the salt, if using. Remove greens and onions from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leaving any liquid in pan.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and agave or sugar to the liquid in the pan (if there is no liquid, add 2 tablespoons of broth). Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle the sauce over all.
4. Serve warm, with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s) | Cooking time: 15 minute(s)