Cream of the Crop Week 17: Winter Squash “Orzotto”

Winter Squash “Orzotto” 

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr           Servings: 4

One of my all time favorite meals is risotto. To me, it has all the best things a dish can offer: it’s comforting, nostalgic, hearty. One of those foods that nourishes your soul and body. But the likelihood of me making it on a weeknight is slim. It’s a time-consuming, arm-cramping labor of love. Enter orzo. It becomes the weeknight superhero that makes all my weeknight risotto dreams come true. The addition of roasted fall squash adds a little bit of fall coziness to the dish. Whether a quick Wednesday night dinner or the vegetarian special on the Thanksgiving table, it’s a guaranteed win for risotto lovers everywhere. 

 Ingredients: 

• 1 fall squash of your choosing (acorn, butternut, and kabocha work great here)
• ½ of an onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (sub ½ teaspoon dried)
• 1 cup of orzo
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• Parmesan cheese
• 
  

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. 
2. Cut your squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cover the halves in olive oil. Place cut-side down on a sheet pan and roast in the oven until fork-tender (about 30-40 minutes). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Once cooled enough, peel off the skin of the squash and cut into rough cubes. 
4. Add olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Once hot, add onion. Sauté until translucent, then add garlic and thyme sprigs. Continue to sauté for another minute or two. 
5. Add orzo and toast for 1 minute. Then add 2 cups of vegetable stock. 
6. Stir consistently for 2-3 minutes. This allows the starches of the pasta to release and thickens the stock. 
7. After 6 minutes, add the cooked squash to the pasta and continue to stir. It will begin to thicken rapidly and may stick to the bottom of the pot. If this happens, lower the temperature of the stove to low. 
8. Allow pasta to cook until time on package or until desired texture (approximately 8-10 minutes). By this point the squash should be mixed in completely and has formed a sauce-like texture. 
9. Remove thyme sprigs from the pot. 
10. Top with parmesan cheese (measured with the heart) and thyme leaves. And enjoy! 

Tip: This recipe works with loads of different vegetables besides squash. A version with leeks or even roasted carrots would be amazing! 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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Cream of the Crop Week 16: Beets!

 

Beets! Simple, easy, delicious, super healthy
by Miriam Meir

The only problem with beets is that they are so red! They are healthy. They are delicious. They don't need much aside of some lemon juice and salt, maybe a little olive oil. When you make them just with those ingredients, I recommend keeping the pieces larger - about 3x3".    
Beets make a great side dish for every meal. We usually have some on the table at dinner along with olives. You can also serve them with labneh or yogurt. 

Ingredients
4 beets
2 tbsp olive oil 
juice from 1 lemon
kosher salt to taste

optional additions: 
scallion
Aleppo pepper 
sumac
parsley
cilantro
lightly roasted and crushed coriander and cumin seeds
sliced almonds

Step 1. 
Preheat the oven to 350.  

Step 2.
Wrap each beet bulb in aluminum foil and place in the oven. Roast until a fork goes easily through the beets. This depends on the beets' size; it's usually around one hour.  

Step 3.
Cool and peel the beets with your hands - the skin will come of easily. I recommend wearing gloves for this step. Or reuse a plastic produce bag from the supermarket :) 

Step 4.
Cut the beets into 1x1" cubes. Mix with the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Ready! 
At this point you can mix in the add-ons. 


Tip
You can also boil the beets (in their skin) in water for one hour. The flavor is better preserved in the oven, though. 

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About Miriam
Miriam is a mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Her family's kitchen is broadly Mediterranean, and inspired by their heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

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As always, please visit our blog for recipes over the past dozen years, and send us your recipes if you find something that you really love and that utilizes our current distribution.

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Cream of the Crop Week 15: Stuffed Baby Eggplants

 

Stuffed Baby Eggplants
by Miriam Meir

Ingredients

As many baby eggplants as you've got
2 ripe tomatoes, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed and diced
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from one lemon
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
Fresh ground black pepper
 
Step 1. 
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a roasting pan (I line it with a baking sheet). 

Step 2.
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into 4, keeping the parts connected on the top.

Step 3.
Combine all other ingredients and mix well. 

Step 4.
Brush the insides of the eggplants with the mixture and place in the roasting pan.

Step 5.
Roast for 30-50 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplants, until they are soft and browned.

Tip
This will work with zucchini too! 
Any leftover filling? Mix with some labneh and serve with the eggplant. 

About Miriam
Miriam is a mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Her family's kitchen is broadly Mediterranean, and inspired by their heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

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As always, please visit our blog for recipes over the past dozen years, and send us your recipes if you find something that you really love and that utilizes our current distribution.

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Facebook

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Cream of the Crop Week 14: "Sick Day" Noodle Soup

"Sick Day" Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr 

A chill is in the air these days and, with that, a nasty cold found its way into my immune system. So, in honor of sick season, consider this my cure-all. It’s low effort, versatile, and tasty (even when your taste buds aren’t working quite right). Below is the ingredients I used to make it, but feel free to tweak the vegetables to include what you have. 

 Ingredients: 

2 zucchini 

1 yellow squash

3 carrots

1 onion

1 can of white beans

8 cups bouillon/stock

Protein of choice

Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Dice onion, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash. 
2. In a large pot, add  2 tablespoons of olive oil. Turn heat to medium and allow oil to heat through. 
3. Add carrots and onion and allow to begin to soften. 
4. When the onions have become translucent, add your squash and zucchini. Let this begin to caramelize. Turn heat up to medium-high if needed. This may take about 10 minutes. 
5. Once vegetables begin to caramelize, add 8 cups of stock or broth. I only had bouillion cubes, so I used those with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
6. Once simmering, add a can of drained and rinsed beans. I find white beans hide best in here (white beans, navy beans, chickpeas). 
7. Add your additional protein source. I’m a vegetarian, so I used tofu to keep this as simple as possible. You could also use cooked chicken, meatballs, or sausage. 
8. Allow this to simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. In the final 10-15 minutes, add pasta directly to the soup and cook for box recommended time. 

Tip: This recipe is also benefitted by the bountiful green onions and hot peppers that we've received this summer. These are both such easy vegetables to freeze as they don't require any blanching. Chop them up and store them in a freezer bag for the chilly months to come. My freezer is already stocked with more than I know I what to do with. 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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Cream of the Crop Week 12: Brown Butter Zucchini Bread

 Brown Butter Zucchini Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 1 hr 10min minutes

We have had an abundance of zucchini this summer. And while I love cooking with zucchini, sometimes I have a hard time coming up with new ways to eat it all. Enter moist, chocolatey, rich zucchini bread. I made this one with brown butter, which enhances the richness of the loaf, making it both a great dessert when paired with ice cream or a fun breakfast. The batter can be whipped together in under 15 minutes. Then, all you have to do is sit back and watch it bake. 

 Ingredients: 

• 2 zucchini
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips

1. Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, grate zucchini into large shreds using the large side of a box grater. Squeeze out any excess water into a separate bowl. 
3. Place a small pan over medium heat and add in ½ cup of butter. Let this melt and toast, occasionally stirring, for 4-5 minnutes. It will begin to foam and then turn golden brown. Once golden, remove from heat. 
4. Immediately transfer annd add browned butter to the bowl with the zucchini. Mix together and allow butter to come to room temperature. 
5. Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. 
6. Then add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine, careful not to overstir. Then add in chocolate and mix to combine evenly. 
7. Line a 9x5 loaf tin (or I used three small loaf tins) with parchment paper. Pour in the batter. 
8. Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes. The loaf is done when you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. 
9. Allow loaf to cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Tip: You can make this recipe with a load of different puréed/chopped/shredded fruits. I made a similar loaf bread with the peaches we had in this week's fruit share without the chocolate, and it was equally divine. This would be great with squash or pumpkin later in the year. If changing to another fruit, I recommend a total of 1 ½ cups of fruit total. 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 11: Honey Miso Eggplant

    

Recipe of the Week:  Honey Miso Eggplant

Honey Miso Eggplant  by Nandita Venkatesan This sweet and salty veg dish is great with rice or as a topping for a grilled veggie sandwich or your favorite burger. It's incredibly quick to make and is definitely part of my lunch time rotation. A coworker uses this sauce for salmon and I tried it out with eggplant with great success! Ingredients 1 medium eggplant ( or 2 smaller eggplants) 2-3 tsp honey 2-3 tsp white miso paste 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 a green chili 2 tsp grated ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 1 scallion chopped salt 1.5 tblspoons of oil Step 1.  Chop the eggplant into thin strips. Helpful tip: To reduce bitterness (especially if your eggplant is old), salt the eggplant wedges liberally and let them sit on a paper towel for 30 minutes. Then rinse them under water. Step 2. In a skillet, add oil, 1/2 a green chili, grated ginger, and minced garlic. Step 3. Add the eggplant in one layer and let cook for 3-5 minutes until browned. Flip the eggplants to roast on the other side. Step 4. Turn off the heat and add the miso paste, honey, and soy sauce. Toss the eggplant until fully covered. Feel free to add salt to taste - soy sauce will have salt in it as well.  Step 5. Plate the eggplant and add the chopped scallions on top. Feel free to add sesame seeds as well! If you're making a grilled veggie sandwich, this pairs great with grilled zucchini or a plain hummus.   About Nandita       A recent transplant to the UWS, Nandita enjoys getting involved in her neighborhood and getting outdoors. While she mostly makes Indian food, she loves making simplified versions of dishes that are easy to prepare on weekdays and incorporate local ingredients. Her go-tos are fun and tasty vegetable and lentil stews. Favorite dishes include rhubarb rice, aloo saag, cabbage kootu (a rich and thick cabbage, peas, and carrot stew).

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 10: Ribs with Chard

 

Recipe of the Week:  Ribs with Swiss Chard

Short Ribs with Chard by Miriam Meir This is a recipe from our Syrian side of the family.  Ingredients 2 large onions 5-6 celery ribs 4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp olive oil 2-3 lbs short ribs (I use flanken) 2 bunches chard - swiss or rainbow 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or one can) 1 tbsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, more to taste 2 cups basmati rice Step 1.  Preheat the oven to 300 F. Cut the meat into 2" cubes.  Step 2. Chop the onion, celery ribs and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot, and saute the onion and celery about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 additional minutes.  Step 3. Move the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the meat, saute it in the pan so that all pieces touch the oil for about a minute. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Step 4. Wash and coarsely chop the chard. Add to the pan 1 cup water and fold in the chard, chickpeas, salt, allspice and cinnamon.  Step 5. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1.5 hours. Serve with basmati rice or in a pita.  You can make the rice during this time: Thoroughly rinse 2 cups of rice, soak in 4 cups of water exactly 30 minutes Drain and reserve the water Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan with a good tight lid Add the rice with 2 tsp salt and mix carefully Add 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes over the lowest heat.  Tip:  We had leftovers for lunch the next day, along with leafy greens (collard greens here) quickly braised in some olive oil with finely diced garlic cloves, some salt and some Aleppo pepper.    About Miriam Miriam is a mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Her family's kitchen is broadly Mediterranean, and inspired by their heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

Cream of the Crop Week 9: Cowboy Caviar

 Cowboy Caviar

By: Margaux Pisciotta

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Cook Time: 10 minutes

Cowboy Caviar is a long-time favorite summer recipe. Combining the peak of summer produce with fiber-packed legumes and fresh herbs, it is a refreshing snack with chips or an easy topper for a salad. 

 Ingredients: 

• 1 container of Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 can Corn (or use frozen)
• 2 cans Black Beans
• 1 Jalapeño
• 1 Avocado
• ¼ cup Cilantro
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Cumin

Optional Ingredients:

• Cucumber
• Onion
• Dandelion Greens

1. Rinse black beans and corn in a colander until water runs clear. 
2. Dice tomatoes and jalapeño into 1 cm pieces (roughly the same size as the corn and beans). You have the option to add any other vegetables here that you want. Cucumber, onion, or dandelion greens can be a great addition. 
3. Chop cilantro finely. 
4. Mix all chopped vegetables and herbs together in a large bowl. Add cumin (Sourcery’s cumin is a wonderful choice), lime juice, and salt to taste. 
5. Add avocado just before serving to keep green. This salad keeps for multiple days, so I recommend keeping the avocado separate and just adding to the serving you’re eating. 
6. Serve with tortilla chips or over lettuce. 

Tip 1: Most greens can be preserved in the freezer for the future. To freeze, remove tough stems and fibers, chop if desired, and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water, drain, and cool. Package and allow to freeze. This is a great way to preserve greens for your soup-cooking self down the line. 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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