August 27, 2011

As summer comes to an end and families are gearing up to send their little ones back to school, I find myself resisting the change of season. Summer has flown by far too quickly! Although the fall brings other lovely and inspiring ingredients to cook with, it hasn’t quite got the gusto and bounty we find in summer. Fall has other qualities I love, like slow-cooked meals and cozy wool socks, and the smell of smoky chimneys, but I found myself lingering at the farmers market this past weekend, fawning over the peaches, berries, zucchini, stone fruit and other gorgeous fruits and vegetables I find only in summer. I long to stretch out the season and prepare more summer meals. My favorite thing is to sit around the table in the garden, with wine flowing and the sounds of loved ones laughing into the wee hours of the night, while everyone’s children are lined up resting in my bed. Here are a few recipes perfect for lingering in the garden and savoring with your loved ones, and some for back to school. I hope you enjoy all of them! Cheers, Ayda Robana www.omsweetmama.com PS - In this week’s menu you will find my recipe for a delicious courgette gratin - note that this recipe has creme fraiche, not included in your box. If you cannot find creme fraiche, you can easily substitute it with Mexican crema or even some sour cream loosened with a tablespoon of water. I encourage you to try it, as it has been a crowd-pleaser over the years and a great way for the non-veggie lovers to be converted. A few new products in the box this week:

Green Star 100% Certified Organic Ecstasy Tropical Iced Tea Blend Certified Organic Keemun Black full leaf tea is used as a base then infused with Certified Organic essence of passion fruit, mango and plum. A classic fruity tea perfect over ice. Try brewing in a French Press, then dilute to taste. Perfect to stretch out our summer days!

Holey Cow Cheese: From Central Coast Creamery, a new hand-crafted artisan cheese made from whole, pasteurized cow milk . This semi-soft cheese is filled with small round openings characteristic of a swiss cheese but with a smooth, creamy texture and a crisp and buttery finish. Brown Beech Mushrooms (Chris Milliken): From the Oyster Family, the easy to use mushrooms require no washing. Just slice off the base of the clump of mushrooms, and they will separate, ready to cook. Honey Roasted Almonds (Fat Uncle Farm): This week, we are featuring a new creation from Fat Uncle’s almond kitchen, a nice treat when the kids get back from the first day of school! (Or the kid in all of us!)

Enjoy this week’s Box!! Eat the Love! Jennifer Piette (Founder)

NB Couples will find a prime cut of beef in their boxes this week, but that only allowed for 2 cuts of meat overall. There is extra produce however, to make up for it!

AYDA’S BACK TO SCHOOL BOX | AUGUST 23RD, 2011

Roots Vegetables Fruit • Red Potatoes (Mike Dixon) • Garlic (Tutti Frutti)* • Red Candy Onions (The Garden Of) • Carrots (Cortez) • Shallots (Earthtrine)*

• Sungold Cherry Tomatoes (Fairview) • Zucchini (Roots) • Red Cabbage (Earthtrine) • Yellow Straightneck Squash (Roots) • Brown Beech Mushrooms (Milliken)

• Blackberries (Cortez) • Avocados (Fairview Gardens) • Gala Apples (Rancho Sta. Cecilia) • Yellow Peaches (Regier) • Figs (Earthtrine)*

Leafy Greens Extra Fruit ** Meat & Eggs • Red Summer Crisp Lettuce (Garden

Of...) • Rainbow Chard (Earthtrine)

• Cherry Tomatoes (Fairview Gardens) • Strawberries (Rancho Cortez) • Blueberries (Rancho Cortez) • Valencia Oranges (Somers) • Blackberries (Cortez)

• Chicken Wings (Dey Deys) • New York Steak (Dey Deys) • Kielbasa (Dey Deys)* • 1 dozen Dare to Dream Eggs*

Herbs Dairy Regional Specialty • Thyme (Earthtrine) • Tarragon (Earthtrine)*

• Butter (Organic Valley) • Holey Cow Cheese (Central Coast

Creamery)

• Strawberry Balsamic Jam (Bona Dea)

Juice Grain/ Pulse Nuts, Seeds or Dried Fruit • Orange Juice – Friends Ranch • Pie Shell (Simply Pies)

• Honey Roasted Almonds (Fat Uncle)

Fair Trade Catch of the Week ** New Customer/ Referral Gift • Ecstasy Ice Tea (Green Star) • Local Halibut (Kanaloa Seafood) • Bouquets (Garden Of…)

* Not included in the Couple’s Box ** This category is an ‘Add-on’ option. Please go to www.outoftheboxcollective.com if you are interested

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES!

• Grilled New York Strip with Tarragon Mustard & Red Summer Crisp Salad • Mushroom Tart and Rainbow Chard Salad • Asian-Style Barbecue Wings • Kielbasa & Beer, Roasted Red Potatoes, Braised Red Cabbage • Courgette Gratin • Pickled Onions • Tarragon Mustard • Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette • Halibut Tacos

GRILLED NY STRIP W/ TARRAGON MUSTARD • NY Strip steak • Salt • Pepper

Salt and pepper the steak and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the cut, and your preference as to the rareness of the meat. Be sure not to flip it too much on the grill, as that toughens the meat. When the steak is cooked to your preference, place it on a plate and cover with foil. Allow it to rest for 5-7 minutes so that it retains its juices. Serve with tarragon mustard and red summer crisp salad. Red roasted potatoes if you’re in the mood!

RED SUMMER CRISP SALAD • Red summer crisp lettuce • 1/4 cup pickled onions (see above) • Cherry tomatoes, halved • Tarragon mustard vinaigrette (see above)

Tear up lettuce leaves. Wash thoroughly in cold water and spin dry in a salad spinner.

ROASTED RED POTATOES

• Red potatoes • 3T olive oil • 2T melted butter • 3 cloves minced garlic • 1 t salt • 1/2 t pepper • 1/2 t paprika • Springs of thyme for garnish

Preheat oven to 450.

Quarter the potatoes, coat them in all of the ingredients and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes until potatoes are golden on the outside and cooked all the way through. You want to be sure to flip the potatoes halfway through cooking.

MUSHROOM TART Ingredients:

• Pie shell, thawed • 1T Olive oil • Brown Beech Mushrooms • 1 clove of garlic, minced • 2T freshly chopped thyme • 3 eggs • 1/3 cup whole milk or ricotta or sour cream • 1 cup grated holy cow cheese • 1/4 t pepper • 1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 400. In a non-stick frying pan, sauté mushrooms in 1 tablespoon olive oil with the minced garlic clove. Set mushrooms aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg with your choice of dairy (milk, ricotta or sour cream). Add all other ingredients (except mushrooms and 1/4 cup of the cheese) into the mixing bowl. Prick bottom of pastry crust with a fork and pour in the filling. Sprinkle mushrooms and the remaining cheese on top. Place the pie tin on a cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. This delicious mushroom tart can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It’s great at brunch with a green salad or my rainbow chard salad recipe below.

RAINBOW CHARD SALAD

Ingredients:

• Rainbow Chard • Shaved yellow carrot • Pepitas or a nut of your choice • Pickled Onions (see recipe below) • Tarragon Mustard Vinaigrette (see recipe below)

Remove most of the tough stalk from the rainbow chard and chop it. Wash thoroughly in cold water and spin dry in a salad spinner. Place the clean chard in a serving bowl and add the shaved carrot. Top with pepitas or other nuts along with pickled onions. Dress with tarragon mustard vinaigrette.

COURGETTE GRATIN

Ingredients:

• 5 thinly sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash • 3T butter • 1/2 cup grated Holey Cow cheese • 1/2 cup crème fraiche or sour cream • 1/2 cup bread crumbs • 1T freshly minced thyme • 1/4 t pepper • 1/2 t salt In an oven-safe 13x9 baking dish, rub bottom and sides with half of the butter. Line up the sliced zucchini and yellow squash in the dish. Top with crème fraiche and sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper.

Then sprinkle on the cheese, followed by the bread crumbs. Top with the remaining butter, which should be melted.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. This is delicious as a main served with a side salad or as an accompaniment to a protein. Yum!

KIELBASA & BEER Ingredients: • 1package of kielbasa • 2 x 12oz. bottles of your favorite dark beer • Dried bay leaf • 2 whole cloves garlic • 1 large shallot, chopped (opt., sub with some onion) • 1T honey • 1T olive oil

Bring beer, bay leaf, garlic and shallot to a boil. Cut the sausages in half, and drop in the boiling liquid. Cook for 10 minutes. Strain the kielbasa, discarding the poaching liquid. In a non-stick frying pan, heat up olive oil. Coat the kielbasa with the honey and pan sear until nice and golden brown.

Delish! You can serve this with roasted red potatoes and braised red cabbage.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE

• Red cabbage • 1 red onion • 1 apple • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar • 1T brown sugar • 1T olive oil • 1/2 t salt • 1/4 t pepper

Halve the cabbage and then thinly slice it. Thinly slice red onion and apple. In a heavy stock pot, heat up olive oil and toss in the red onion and sauté for a few minutes until it is softened. Add the apple and cook together for a few more minutes. Add red cabbage, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and allow it to cook down on medium heat for 20 minutes.

PICKLED ONIONS • 1 large red onion • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar • 1T brown sugar • 1 t salt

Thinly slice the red onion. Dissolve the sugar and the salt in the vinegar. Add the onions to the vinegar mixture and securely cover. This will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Prepare at least three hours before serving. It’s a great garnish or addition to many meals.

TARRAGON MUSTARD • 3T chopped tarragon • 2 cloves minced garlic • 2T whole grain mustard • 1 large finely minced shallot • Salt and pepper to taste

TARRAGON MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE • 1T tarragon mustard • 2T white wine vinegar • 1/3 cup good olive oil

ASIAN-STYLE BARBEQUE WINGS • Chicken wings • 2T ketchup • 1T black bean sauce • 1T brown sugar • 1T melted butter • 2T hoisin sauce • 1 t salt • 1/4 t pepper

Place chicken wings on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake in a 350 oven for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, mix together all the other ingredients. Coat the chicken wings in the marinade and grill them until they are crispy and golden. Note: If you do not have hoisin sauce or black bean sauce you can easily just increase the brown sugar to 2T, add 2T of soy sauce or Bragg’s, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Serve with rice and a salad.

HALIBUT TACOS • Halibut • Corn tortillas • Your favorite salsa • Shredded red cabbage • Pickled red onions • Diced avocado • 1T olive oil • Pinch salt and pepper

Season halibut fillet with salt and pepper. On medium-high heat, heat up olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Sear halibut so it is lightly golden on both sides, approximately 6 minutes per side. It should be cooked all the way through in the center. Set aside and warm up tortillas in a preheated 350 oven by placing them in a foil pouch for 3-5 minutes. Fill your tacos with the halibut, salsa, avocado, cabbage, and any other condiments you like. Top with pickled red onions.

Note: If you do not have tortillas, you can substitute with corn chips and make a halibut taco salad, or you can also use a lettuce or cabbage leaf as a wrap.