Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 12: Kale and Potato Bourekas

 

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 12: Kale Bourekas

 

Ingredients

4 potatoes

1 bunch kale

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 package frozen puff pastry

1 egg (for eggwash)

Sesame seeds

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Optional: Aleppo pepper

 

Preparation

1.     Defrost puff pastry according to package instructions. Keep cold until you’re ready to start.

2.     Heat oven to 400 F.

3.     Peel potatoes, put in pot, cover with cold water, add ½ tbsp kosher salt, and boil until soft.

4.     Wash the kale, cut out the hard stems and chop. Place in medium bowl and add 2 tbsp olive oil, juice from 1 lemon, salt to taste. Massage the kale for a minute.  

5.     Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the boiling water and let air-dry on a plate.

6.     Dump the kale in the potato water and cook for a 3-4 minutes.

7.     Meanwhile, mash the potatoes in the bowl. Remove the kale from the waterwith a slotted spoon and add to the potatoes. Mix well. Taste and add salt, black pepper and Aleppo pepper (if using). Let cool.   

8.     Prepare your working area: cover two cookie sheets or sheet pans with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with water to wet your fingers.

9.     In a small bowl, beat the egg. Spread sesame seeds in another small bowl or deep plate.

10.   Roll out pastry to ~1/8’’ thickness. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, divide pastry into 4x4 inch squares.

11.   Pick up a square, dip your finger in the water bowl and wet the square’s borders. Place 2 tbsp of the kale-potato mixture in the middle of the square, then fold it over to create a rectangle. Close the sides well. Dip one side of the boureka in the egg, then in the sesame seeds, and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with all squares.

12.   Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Tips: 

Bourekas can be filled with anything from your box and beyond: you can use feta cheese, spinach, kale, mushrooms, ground lamb or beef, and any combination. Pre-cook any filling that won't be cooked through inside the oven (e.g. meat, potatoes). Make sure to cool and drain liquid and oil before putting the filling in the dough. 

If you chill the pastries in the fridge for 20 minutes before placing in the oven the result will be crispier! 

 

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 11: Bibimbap

 Bibimbap

                     By:  Jax Floyd & Kurt Flehinger

Bibimbap is a fantastic opportunity to use as many of the vegetables in our CSA boxes as you choose.  The key is to stir fry each of the vegetables separately so that they retain their individual flavor.  Once mixed, the sauce ties all of them together. And, if you have leftover cooked vegetables from a previous night, you can add those as well.  This recipe serves 4-6 but can be adjusted as you choose.

Sauce

1/4 C. Gochujang (sweet, spicy, fermented chili paste).

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. oil (can use olive oil or neutral vegetable oil)

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. Gochugaru (Korean chili powder)

Vegetables & Rice

6 cups steamed rice (can use white or brown)

Vegetable Oil

2 medium sized onions sliced

1 small bunch kale roughly chopped

2 large carrots cut into matchsticks

1 medium zucchini cut into matchsticks

1/2 pound mushrooms (white or cremini) thinly sliced

1/4 chopped garlic chives

Feel free to add/substitute any of the vegetables from your box. 

1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients until well combined in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2. Heat a wok or large, heavy frying pan over high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp. oil.  When hot, add onions and stir fry until soft but not browned.  Remove to a plate.

3. Add kale and a pinch of salt and sauté until soft.

4. Add carrots and sauté just until barely beginning to soften. Remove to plate.

5. Add zuchinni and sauté until just beginning to soften.  Remove to plate.

Note:  you may need to add additional oil if the pan gets too dry.

6. Heat a heavy cast iron dutch oven over high heat, add 2 Tbsp. oil and swirl to coat.  Pack the rice into the pan and allow to crisp.

7. Add mushrooms and sauté until they lose their water and soften.  Remove to plate.

8. When rice is crispy on the bottom remove pan from heat.  Place each of the vegetables in separate sections over the crisped rice.

9. Drizzle the sauce over the rice and vegetables.  

10. Sprinkle garlic chives over rice and vegetables.

11. Bring to table hot.  Using a spoon.  Turn the rice over and mix vegetables.  Serve immediately.

Note:  To make this dish more of a meal, you can fry one egg for each person and place it over the bibimbap.  Feel free to add/substitute any of the other vegetables in this week’s box (Red Shiso, Napa cabbage, Celery, Eggplant).  

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 8: Callaloo and Kefir Stew

 

Recipe of the Week:  Callaloo and Kefir Stew Callaloo and Kefir Stew  by Nandita Venkatesan This is an adaptation of one of my favorite dishes my mom would make called Keerai Mor Kootu - traditionally made with buttermilk and amaranth greens. Ingredients 3 -4 cups finely chopped callaloo and red shiso 1-1.5 cups kefir (use more if you like it tangier) 1/3 cup grated coconut ( I use Trader Joes unsweetened coconut chips and grind them to a powder in my coffee grinder) 1 green chili or 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder  4-5 dried curry leaves 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon cumin powder oil + salt to taste ( obviously tastes better if you use more :) ) cilantro to garnish Step 1.  Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a pot. Slice the green chili in half and let it spurt in the oil. Add the chopped callaloo and red shiso, turmeric, and a couple dashes of salt. Let cook for 4-5 minutes. Handy Tip: Cooking the greens with turmeric and salt will reduce the bitterness. Step 2. While the greens are cooking, blend the kefir, coconut, cumin powder, and - if you aren't using green chili- red chili powder. You can use a whisk or immersion blender until the mixture is smooth. Step 3. Once the greens are cooked, add the kefir and coconut mixture to the pot. You might need to add up to a half cup of water to thin the mixture out. Let it simmer for 3 mins and then turn off.  Step 4. In a small pan ( I use an egg pan), add 1/2 tablespoon of oil and heat on medium for 30 seconds. Add one mustard seed and  see if it splutters. If not, wait another 30 seconds. Add curry leaves and mustard seeds and wait for 30 seconds after they start to splutter for the spices to fully temper. Step 5. Once the spices are temper, add them to the stew as a garnish. You can also add additional salt to taste. I think this tastes best with brown rice and lightly sauteed okra!    Nandita Venkatesan       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).  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.   Instagram Facebook Website Click here if you have a recipe to share! Color Image Copyright © *2018* All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences    Color Image

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 7: Zucchini Bread

            Zucchini Bread

                                    By:  Kurt Flehinger & Joelle Floyd

This makes a delicious breakfast or dessert, sans guilt, since you’re eating your vegetables!  And it’s an easy way to make a dent in the large quantity of zucchini we all received.

1 large zucchini (approximately 2 cups) grated on the large holes of a box grater.

2/3 C. canola or other neutral oil

2 eggs

1/2 C. dark brown sugar (increase both sugars to 3/4 C. if you like your bread sweet)

1/2 C. white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 C. all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter a 9 x 5 loaf pan.
3. Combine thoroughly zucchini, oil, eggs, both sugars and vanilla in a large bowl.
4. Add flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices in another bowl and whisk together until well combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and fold just until combined.
6. Scrape batter into the loaf pan.
7. Bake in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes until a toothpick or other tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan.  Don’t cover the pan in order to retain the crunchy top!
9. When ready to serve, remove from pan and slice.

Note:  You can easily substitute grated carrot for some of the zucchini.  Just make sure that you grate 2 cups of vegetables.

About Kurt, Jami, Jax and Joelle:

     Kurt and Jami pretty much raised their two kids in their Upper West Side kitchen. On holidays and ordinary weekdays, Jax (a college junior) and Joelle (who is studying public health) are cooking up something, from sautéed kale with garlic and olive oil to homemade pizza to BBQ tacos.

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 6: Basil and Red Shiso Pesto Pasta With Corn

                        Basil and Red Shiso Pesto Pasta With Corn

                                By:  Kurt Flehinger & Joelle Floyd

                                                                        

Red Shiso combined with basil create a sweet, minty flavored sauce for pasta or gnocchi.  The corn adds a delicious sweet crunch.

1/2 c. packed basil leaves

1/2 c. packed red shiso leaves

3 cloves garlic

1/2 c. walnuts, pine nuts or cashews

Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

2 ears of corn

1 lb. Rigatoni or Farfalle

1. Boil a large pot of salted water.  When water boils add pasta and cook according to package directions.

2. While pasta boils, place basil, shiso leaves, garlic and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender and puree.  

3. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture comes together and is creamy.  

4. Add salt, pepper and grated cheese and process just until well blended.

5. Scrape pesto into a large bowl.

6. Once pasta is nearly cooked, remove 1/4 pasta cooking water, add to pesto and stir to loosen.

7. Remove corn from cob.

8. When pasta is cooked al dente, removed from heat, drain and add to bowl with pesto.  Add corn and stir well to combine. 

9. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Note:  We served this with simple roasted carrots from our CSA bundle!  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Clean and peel the carrots and slice in half lengthwise.  Place carrots in a bowl and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil.   Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Put carrots on roasting pan and roast for 1/2 hour.  Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley. By the time you prepare the pesto, the carrots will be done!

 

About Kurt, Jami, Jax and Joelle:

     Kurt and Jami pretty much raised their two kids in their Upper West Side kitchen. On holidays and ordinary weekdays, Jax (a college junior) and Joelle (who is studying public health) are cooking up something, from sautéed kale with garlic and olive oil to homemade pizza to BBQ tacos.