Recipe: Korean Quick-Pickled Kohlrabi Salad

 

by Amy Wood   Too hot outside to turn your oven on? This perfect-for-summer slaw makes use of some of the most delicious items in your box, and it's fully adaptable to any veggies you might have on hand in your fridge. A spicy kick thanks to gochujang in the quick-pickling brine brings the heat in a salad that's refreshing and sweet in the middle of July.  This easy recipe makes use of the kohlrabi we received this week in the box, and further instructions for quick-pickling it are below.   Recipe Serves 1 as a main salad; serves 2-3 as a side dish Ingredients: 2 Korean quick-pickled kohlrabi (see instructions below) 1 carrot 1/2 large cucumber 5-6 leaves Swiss chard 2 T sesame oil 2 tsp sugar  sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish     Instructions: Slice carrot and cucumber into 2-inch matchsticks. Stack and roll Swiss chard into a tight roll, then slice cross-wise so you have fine shreds of greens.  Combine carrot, cucumber, and Swiss chard in a bowl, and massage with sesame oil and sugar until fully coated.  Strain quick-pickled kohlrabi and add to salad, mixing lightly.   Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds for garnish and consume immediately.  Tips and Tricks: Quick pickling is a great way to extend the shelf life of kohlrabi or any other crunchy vegetable.  Just follow the recipe below, substituting other vegetables for the kohlrabi if and as desired. Pickling Ingredients: 1/4 c rice vinegar 1/4 c water 1 teaspoon honey 1 teaspoon gochujang 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon light soy sauce dash of cayenne minced garlic salt minced ginger or dash of ginger powder Instructions: Slice kohlrabi (or vegetable of your choosing) into thin matchsticks. Place in sterilized glass jar.  Combine all pickling ingredients in a small saucepan, whisking until smooth, and bring to a vigorous boil for 15-20 seconds. Let cool slightly. Pour pickling brine over matchsticks in jar and let cool. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator until ready for use. Pickled kohlrabi will be good for about a week or longer. The longer it remains in the brine, the more flavorful (and spicy!) the pickles will become.

Recipe: Herb Spread/Vinaigrette

This is an incredibly versatile sauce that can be used to dress up almost any meal with a flavorful and colorful kick.  It also puts almost all of our fresh herbs to good use and is the simplest and most universal crowd pleaser your kitchen may ever produce!

 

Recommendations for Use

I use it most frequently as a salad dressing, sandwich spread, or cheese board dip.  But you could also use it at your next BBQ as a substitute for mayo, in an orzo/pasta salad, on chicken cutlets, as a pizza sauce…the options are endless!

Recipe

Makes approximately 1 quart - can be halved or doubled to adjust quantity accordingly Ingredients: 1 shallot, roughly chopped, or 3 tablespoons chopped yellow onion 2 cups fresh Basil leaves (remove stem)  1 bunch of Scallions 1 bunch of Flowering Thyme (remove stem) 2-3 stalks of Lemon Balm leaves (remove stem)  3-4 cloves fresh garlic 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes (optional) 1 cup olive oil (could also use avocado oil) 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar 2-3 tablespoons water (as required to achieve desired consistency) 2 teaspoon kosher salt Optional extras: Fresh ginger root, roughly chopped Lemon or Lime zest & juice Parsley, Cilantro, Mint Cumin

 

Instructions: Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a high powered blender, or food processor and blend for 60 seconds until very smooth. (Immersion blenders also work! Just likely need a bit of extra liquid.) If you prefer a thinner dressing you can incrementally add a tablespoon of water until you reach your desired consistency.  Thicker for sandwiches/hamburgers, thinner for salads. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Makes ~1quart. Serve immediately, refrigerate for 5-7 days, or freeze for 2-3 months. Tips and Tricks: Ice cube trays work great for freezing and molding small quantities of the herb vinaigrette; you can drop one or two in winter soups or risottos. Once molded, you can leave in tray or store in tight ziploc. Depending how frequently you plan to use the herb vinaigrette, you can also store it in quarter pint plastic take out round tupperwares in the freezer. This is helpful if you make the full 1 quart bulk batch, but want to space out usage throughout the season. Drying herbs: Remove herb leaves from their stems. Rinse and dry well. Place loose herb leaves in a paper bag for 1-3 weeks in a warm, dry spot in your kitchen. Check periodically to gauge if sufficiently dried out; you should then be able to crumble them with your hands into your chosen air-tight storage container for use throughout the year. You can speed this process up by using your oven at its lowest temp for 2-4hrs, with leaves evenly spaced on a baking sheet...that is if summer heat waves allow!  To give your herbs a longer shelf life in your fridge, remove the lower leaves from the stems, and place in an inch or two of fresh water. This works especially well for basil, mint, scallions, and lemon balm. Ensure some space between stems and leaves so air can circulate and mold doesn't grow.  Recipe submitted by: Lynsey McGarry

Recipe: Fall Ready Baked Apples

Fall Ready Baked Apples 

Even though we are mourning the end of summer, the comfort desserts of fall are right around the corner!
Ingredients:
4 red or golden apples, cored
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 chopped nuts (optional - pecans or peanuts are a favorite here)
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbs butter, diced plus additional for topping
Water
Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 375 degree 
2. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional nuts, and diced butter 
3. Place the 4 cored apples in a deep baking dish 
4. Fill each apple to the top with the filling and then top with additional pat of butter 
5. Place 1/4 cup of water in the bottom of the dish 
6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the apples are soft
7. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream 

Recipe submitted by: 

Madeleine Livingston

RECIPE: Grilled Corn Salsa

Grilled Corn Salsa

This salsa is a great way to use up late summer veggies - the spice level can be easily adjusted up and down. 

Ingredients: 

2 ears corn
1 green or red bell pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup cilantro
1 small jalapeño (optional)
1 tbs neutral oil, lard, or bacon grease (preferred)
1 tbs lime juice
1/4 salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Microwave the corn in the husk for approx. 3 min per ear 
2. Let the corn cool and remove from the husk 
3. Slice the kernels from the cob 
4. Heat the oil or fat in a large cast iron or stainless pan 
5. When the oil or fat is shimmering, add the corn kernels to the pan 
6. When the kernels are nicely browned, add half of the lime juice, salt and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more 
7. Remove the kernels from heat and add to a large bowl 
8. Slice the bell pepper into 1/4 in squares and add to the bowl 
9. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and add to the bowl 
10. Chop the parsley finely and add to the bowl 
11. If using, slice open the jalapeño, remove the seeds, cut into 1/8 cubes and add to the bowl 
12. Add the rest of the lime juice and toss the salsa 
13. Taste and adjust salt, as needed 

Recipe submitted by Madeleine Livingston

Recipe: Lemon Baba Ganoush

Lemon Baba Ganoush

This smokey, lemony side dish is great on top of crusty bread, paired with crisp summer veggies, or as a sandwich topping. 

Ingredients: 

1 large or 2 small to medium eggplant

Scant 1/4 cup tahini  

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon (More for extra lemon taste) 

2 Tbs fresh chopped parsley 

Salt

Lemon pepper

Olive oil 

Smoked Paprika (for garnish) 

Instructions:

• Cook the eggplant one of 3 ways: 
• Brush with olive oil and place on a grill place the lid on the grill, let the eggplant sit, turning periodically, until the skin is blackened and the eggplant is quite soft
• If you have a gas stove, cover your stovetop with tin foil to prevent spills, then brush the eggplant with olive oil, light your gas burner, char the eggplant over the burner, turning frequently, until the skin is charred and the eggplant is quite soft
• Preheat an oven to 450 degrees, slice the stems from the eggplant and then slice the eggplant lengthwise, brush the pieces with olive oil and place (sliced side down) on a baking sheet lined with tin foil or parchment paper, cook the eggplant for 30 to 40 minutes until the skin is quite dark and the eggplant quite soft
• When the eggplant is cooked, let the pieces cool until cool enough to handle
• Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant into a strainer, leaving the charred skin behind 
• Stir the cooked flesh and press a few times to get rid of any excess moisture, then place in a food processor 
• Add a bit of olive oil (approx 1 scant Tbs) and process in the food processor until the eggplant starts to break down 
• Add in the tahini and process until just incorporated  
• Add the garlic, lemon juice, parsley and lemon pepper and as you process, slowly add in the olive oil until the mixture has reached your desired consistency
• Salt to taste and serve sprinkled with paprika 

Recipe submitted by Madeleine Livingston

Recipe: Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

Recipe: Chilled Cantaloupe Soup 

Easily adjust the flavor profile of this cooling summer soup with your favorite flavorings

Ingredients: 1 cantaloupe
1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil OR 1/4 honey
1 Tbs lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil or mint for topping

Directions: 

1. Slice the cantaloupe open and scoop out the seeds 
2. Cut the flesh from the rind of the cantaloupe and cut into 1 inch cubes - add to a large bowl 
3. Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and either the olive oil (for a more savory profile) or honey (for a sweeter profile) to the bowl 
4. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth (if you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a standard blender or a food processor) 
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste 
6. Top with herbs and serve 

Recipe by Madeleine Livingston

Recipe: Cooling Cucumber Salad

Cooling Cucumber Salad

One of the easiest things to make with a heap of cucumbers and a fantastic accompaniment to burgers and other heavy meat dishes. 

Ingredients:

2 to 3 cucumbers (depending on size)

1 bunch radishes 

Fresh mint (any variety will work here)

Red wine vinegar 

Salt and pepper

Directions: 

1. Wash and dry the cucumbers and radishes 
2. Slice the cucumbers thinly (really as thin as you can comfortably cut them) and place directly into a bowl (ideally metal)
3. Slice the radishes from their leaves and slice thinly; add to bowl with cucumbers 
4. Dowse the mixture with 1 to 2 Tbs of red wine vinegar, add the salt and pepper to taste and mix the whole thing together 
5. Let sit for at least 10 min, in the refrigerator for extra cooling 
6. Tear the mint into small pieces or slice into strips
7. When the mixture is done sitting, add in the mint, toss again and serve immediately 

Submitted by Madeleine Livingston