RECIPE: Easy Vegetable Soup

This soup is perfect when you have veggies in your fridge but CSA pickup day is tomorrow!  Throw it all in a pot and make a delicious and nutritious soup.

Ingredients:

- At least one onion, chopped (more are better)

- All your other CSA veggies chopped into bite-size pieces, including summer/winter squash, carrots, hearty greens, kohlrabi, cauliflower, celery, …

In a large pot, heat 4T olive oil on medium-high heat.  Add chopped onions (and carrots and celery, if using) and some salt and allow them to cook till light brown.  Add other vegetables that you think taste better browned, like squash, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and allow them to brown in the pot.  After they are brown, add at least 8 cups water, or more if the pot and amount of veggies will accommodate it. Add the rest of the veggies (like the hearty greens: kale, collard greens, etc).  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 30-60 minutes depending on size of veggies. Veggies will be tender when soup is done. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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RECIPE: Beet greens, sauteed in olive oil

INGREDIENTS

·       1 pound beet greens (2 large or 3 small bunches)

·       Salt

·       1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste

·       2 garlic cloves, minced

·       ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

·        Freshly ground pepper    

PREPARATION

1.   Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.

2.   Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve. 

Tip: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.

BEET GREENS, SAUTEED IN OLIVE OIL

Beet greens, sauteed in olive oil

·         1 pound beet greens (2 large or 3 small bunches)

·          Salt

·         1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste

·         2 garlic cloves, minced

·         ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

·          Freshly ground pepper
Lemon wedges (optional) for serving

o     PREPARATION

1.   Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.

2.   Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.

TIPS: Beets

Beet Storage:

To store beets, trim the leaves 2 inches from the root as soon as you get them home. The leaves will sap the moisture from the beet root. Do not trim the tail. Store the leaves in a separate plastic or paper bag and use within 2-3 days. The beets themselves should also be bagged and can be stored in the refrigerator crisper drawer 7 - 10 days.

Cooked or canned beets may be refrigerated up to one week.

Fresh cooked beets may also be frozen up to 10 months. Be sure to peel before freezing in airtight containers or baggies, leaving no air in the container. They may be frozen whole or in cut pieces.

Beet Tips:

Although beets can be eaten raw, they are generally boiled, baked, steamed, fried, grilled or otherwise cooked before eating. To retain nutrients and color, boil, bake or steam without peeling first. The skin will easily rub off under cold running water after they are cooked. To remove beet juice from fingers, rub with wet salt and lemon juice and then wash with soap and water. For cutting boards and plastic containers, use a bleach solution

Small, young beets are particularly tasty grated raw in salads. All types are delicious steamed or boiled. You can roast them at 400º F for 45 minutes; slice and top with goat cheese, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar for a quick and delicious side dish.

Or, you can toss grated beets with grated carrots, apples, oil and vinegar dressing.  A touch of plain yogurt makes for a wonderful color transformation.

The greens can be steamed, sautéd, and mixed with pasta with cheese.

 

 

RECIPE: General Vegetable Storage Tip

When you have whole vegetables, remove the stems and leaves before storing. They keep longer when stored separately. Beet and turnip greens are great sautéed. Celery and radish leaves are great in salads. Celery leaves also make a delicious pesto! Cilantro stems and roots make great broths and stir fries in Thai and Vietnamese recipes.

RECIPE: Saag Paneer

Difficulty level: Advanced

Usually, when this dish is ordered in restaurants, it is made with spinach, but it can also be made with a variety of dark leafy greens, including kale, collards, beet greens, and swiss chard.  If using greens with a tough stalk like collards or chard, make sure to strip the leaves and only sautee the greens, discarding the stems.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds dark leafy greens, finely chopped

2 Tbs ghee (clarified butter), or vegetable oil
8 oz of paneer or halloumi cheese, cut into 1 in. cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 in. piece of peeled ginger (use the edge of the bowl of a spoon to scrape away ginger skin while getting into those nooks and crannies), finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala spice
1/4 tsp turmeric
kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1. Heat a large saute pan over med-low heat.  Add the ghee or oil.

2. Toss in cheese cubes.  Fry while turning so all sides turn a nice golden brown.  Set aside on a plate.

3. When oil is hot, but not smoking, add onion and sautee, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until it starts to get soft.

4. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and a pinch of salt and sautee, stirring, until fragrant, a minute or two more.

5. Turn heat up to medium and add all your greens.  Cover and cook down, stirring occasionally until greens are completely wilted, about 5 minutes more.

6. Uncover and add heavy cream.  Simmer a few more minutes until mixture is a bit thickened.

7. Add toasted cheese cubes, stir, taste for salt and spice preference, stirring in some more garam masala if desired.

8. Serve with a pinch of grated nutmeg sprinkled over the top.

RECIPE: Millet and Greens Gratin

Difficulty Level: Intermediate

1 generous bunch dark greens

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1 to 1 1/4 cups cooked millet

3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)

1. Stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 changes of water. To blanch the greens, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt generously and add the greens. Blanch for 1 minute or until tender. Alternatively, steam the greens over 1 inch of boiling water for about 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Taking the greens up by the handful, squeeze hard to expel excess water. Chop medium-fine. You should have about 11/4 cups.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the herbs, greens, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir and toss in the pan for about a minute, until the mixture is nicely infused with the oil, garlic and herbs. Remove from the heat.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, egg yolk and milk. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper, the millet, the greens and the cheese and stir together until the mixture is well blended. Scrape into the oiled baking dish. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil on top.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until it is sizzling and set, and the top is just beginning to color. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes or longer before serving.

Submitted by Erin Hotchkiss

RECIPE: French Peasant Beets

4 to 6 beets with greens (I like a mixture of golden and red beets)

1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and dried

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white wine (Muscadet is my preference)

1/2 pound Bucheron (at room temperature), cut into 4 wedges (this is a French goat cheese available at most markets)

Crusty peasant-style bread (warmed in the oven)

1. Scrub and peel the beets. Remove the greens, wash and dry them, and chop coarsely. Set the greens aside in a large prep bowl. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch rounds.

2. Remove the ribs from the Swiss chard and coarsely chop the ribs. Toss the leaves and ribs into the bowl with the beet greens.

3. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté the shallot over medium heat until softened.

4.  Add the beet rounds to the shallot-butter mixture. Toss in a pinch of salt and crack some pepper over the beets. Reduce the heat and sauté the beets, turning to ensure even cooking, until the beets are beginning to glaze and become tender, about 15 minutes.

5. Add the beet greens, chard, and chard ribs and sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the wine and cover. Cook until the greens are wilted, adding 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Allow the liquid to be mostly absorbed into the greens. Adjust the seasonings.

6. Scoop the greens and beets into a shallow bowl. Serve with a generous wedge of Bucheron and some crusty bread. Crack a little bit of pepper over the entire dish.

RECIPE: Roasted Beets and Sautéed Beet Greens

Ingredients
1 bunch beets with greens
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped onion (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens, removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. (If you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted)

Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide easily through the largest beet.

When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for a minute. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook and stir until greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the greens as is, and the roasted beets sliced with either red-wine vinegar, or butter and salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Risotto with Beet Greens and Leeks

From Cooking Light, March 2001

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients:

5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large)

1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio or other short-grain rice

1/4 cup dry white wine

3 cups coarsely chopped beet greens

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

6 lemon wedges

Procedure:

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce heat to low; stir in greens. Add broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next portion (about 25 minutes). Stir in cheese and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.