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February 19, 2011

The Latest… Hello rainy rainy Saturday! We even hit a bit of SLUSH on the road this morning coming back from Santa Barbara. So many beautiful things in this weeks box! Some you may have never worked with, see below for a few tips: Preserved Lemons: beautiful and salt cured. Typically only the rind is used. Test out the recipes below, we feature this lovely treat in a few of them. Cherimoya: Have you tasted this “custard-apple” fruit before? Such a delicious, albeit, moody fruit. Let it ripen at room temperature, but keep an eye on it. It ripens super fast. When it is ready to eat, it will have as much give as a ripe avocado. Too early and it'll taste like cotton balls, too late and it'll remind you of bubble gum. There are big black seeds inside, so look out. Other housekeeping things: We are testing the insulated box liners. Please return them with the boxes, cleaned. No nuts: We wanted to offer fresh ground fair-trade coffee this week, and it is a bit pricier than the other fair-trade offerings so we had to lose the nuts/ seeds/ dried fruit option. But only for this week! Enjoy the coffee! Maybe with some of last weeks chocolates? Big News!! We will be launching our next set of delivery areas very soon! Our new route will include Santa Monica, Venice, Brentwood and the Palisades. We will be starting this up late March. Please spread the word and help guarantee your westside buddies a spot on the van. This delivery area will fill up fast. OBC EVERYWHERE!

Enjoy the recipes, enjoy the love, Shaheda, your Market Maven

BOX CONTENTS Fruits and Veggies ROOTS Chili fingerling potatoes (Mike Dixon) Candy Onions (Roots) Leeks (Roots Farms) *Sweet Potatoes (Garcia Farms) Green Garlic (Domingo Farms) Carrots (Roots) VEGGIES Romanesco cauliflower (Givens) Green Kabocha (Roots) *Red Cabbage (Roots) Broccolini (Earthtrine) HERBS Syrian Marjoram (Earthtrine) Cilantro (Earthtrine) LEAFY GREENS Red Oak lettuce (Roots) Spring Mix (Shepherd Farms)

Rainbow Chard Leaves (Roots) FRUIT Blueberries (Chuy’s Berry Farm) Cherimoya (Rancho Santa Cecilia) Guava (Rancho Santa Cecilia) Valencia Oranges (Earthtrine) Tahoe Gold Tangerines (Friend’s) Lemons (Garcia) Meat & Eggs ! cut chicken (Healthy Family) *Ground Lamb (Healthy Family) Chuck roast (Rancho S. Julian) 1 dz Eggs (Lily’s) DAIRY: Unsalted Butter (Spring Hill Dairy) Sage Cheddar (Spring Hill Dairy)

Grain/ Pulse: Pie Crust (Simply Pies) Regional Specialty: Garlic Stuffed Olives (Fusano Olives) Fair Trade: Breakfast Blend Nicaraguan Coffee (Fair Trade) Conserve: Preserved Lemons (Hilltop & Canyon) Catch of the Week! Halibut Filet (Cadena)

* Not included in the Couples Boxes. We’ve included some substitutions in the recipes. Look out for them!

Sunday Morning Chuck Roast. Refreshing, l ight red cabbage slaw.

You might be able to guess why this recipe is titled as it is. It takes a bit of time to get really falling apart delicious. Can’t say I didn’t warn you! Ingredients: Pot roast

• Your lovely chuck roast • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • Cinnamon (optional) • 2 small onions, chopped • fingerling potatoes, left whole • small can of tomatoes

(unsalted, unflavored)- optional

• 2 tsp of Syrian marjoram- chopped

• 1 cup red wine, something you like (or broth)

• 1 cup chicken or beef broth. • 1/3 cup vinegar • " cup of garlic stuffed olives,

drained and cut in half. (optional)

Red Cabbage Slaw Cabbage- sliced thin 1 Carrot- grated handful of Cilantro- rough chopped 1 tsp sugar Salt to taste Rice wine or apple cider vinegar OR

COUPLES Chard Option How about a quick sautéed side of chard and leeks? Chard leaves- sliced thin 1 tsp Green garlic- chopped finely 1 cup of leeks- white/ light green parts only. Sliced into ~1/4 “ half moons. Salt/ pepper Splash of vinegar or lemon juice

Directions: Preheat oven to 300F. ! Meat Prep

Tenderly massage your chuck roast with salt, fresh ground pepper and cinnamon. Set aside at room temp. ! Veg Prep

For the Slaw, chop cabbage head in half and then slice thinly. Drop into a big bowl. Add the grated carrots and the cilantro. Add in the salt, sugar and vinegar. Mix everything together and taste. Adjust if needed. This slaw is great after it sits around for a little while. Crisp, refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to a slow cooked chuck roast. If you are having the Sauteed Chard side you will follow the directions below, but you won’t really want to cook it until you are ready to eat. Remember, with leeks, you need to thoroughly wash them, after you cut them into half moons. The dirt tends to get trapped between the rings. Submerge them on water and swish around a few times. For the sauté, start with a little oil and a hot pan. Add in the green garlic and leeks and keep moving them around to soften. If it gets too dry, add a little water. Season with salt and pepper. Add in the chopped chard leaves and sauté until wilted. Finish this side with a squeeze of lemon juice or some vinegar. ! Chuck Roast

In a heavy pot with a lid, heat up some oil. Use an oil with a high smoke point (canola or grapeseed are great options). Sear the chuck roast on all sides (about a minute on each side) until it has a lovely crust. Remove from pot and set onto a plate. Lower the heat. Add the chopped onions to the pot and soften. After they soften, add in the vinegar, the tomatoes, the wine and the broth. Place the roast back into this pot. The liquid should be about halfway on the roast. Cover the pot and forget about it for 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, check the roast, flip over and add in the fingerlings and olives, if using. Add more liquid if it looks dry. Continue roasting until the meat and potatoes are fork tender. It should be another 60-90 minutes. Remove the meat from the pot to rest. Fish out the fingerlings and olives. Skim off the excess fat from the top of the cooking liquid. If you’d like, you can reduce down the liquid to create a simple sauce for the roast. A little trick I use to thicken or round out a reduction is the following. Start with a softened pat of butter. Work about a tsp of flour into the butter to create a paste. Add this into the pan while reducing and it will thicken it, clump free and round out the taste. Blend if desired or leave as it. The leftovers of this meat are amazing in just about anything. Keep reading, I use it in the pasta recipe. ! To Serve

Serve roast, drizzled with the sauce. Side of potatoes and cabbage slaw or sautéed chard and leeks. Don’t forget the half full bottle of red wine!

Braised Moroccan Chicken. Showcasing hilltop & Canyon’s Preserved Lemons, Fusano’s garlic stuffed olives and a lot of love.

Mixed green salad, your way.

We have a couple very lovely items in this weeks box that just happen to pair superbly in the realm of Moroccan cooking. Coincidence?? FAIR WARNING: This recipe does benefit from marinating a couple hours or even overnight. I suggest eating this chicken, Moroccan-style, with your fingers, plucking olives from your plate to accompany the juicy bird. Ingredients: Chicken

• Your beautiful happy chicken pieces, patted dry, skin on, bone-in

• 1 green garlic stalk- chopped finely • Salt/ pepper • Big handful of Marjoram- chopped • Handful of cilantro- chopped • 1 tsp of cinnamon or allspice • 1 tsp. ground cumin • Pinch saffron threads (beautiful, but

definitely not a required ingredient) • Freshly ground black pepper • 3 onions- grated, squeezed dry. • An overflowing cup of garlic stuffed

green olives, drained • 1 preserved lemon, rind only,

quartered. Salad With such a flavorful main, just serve a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with a basic vinaigrette. I like to use a ratio of 3:1 of oil: acid. Salt, pepper, emulsify, taste, dress your greens,

Directions: ! Chicken Prep

Create a paste with the chopped garlic, marjoram, cilantro, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and saffron. Add in a little oil if needed. Toss the chicken pieces into this mixture. Toss to coat well. Cover the bowl and set aside for at least an hour at room temp or overnight in the fridge. ! Chicken braising

Place chicken pieces in a large heavy-bottomed casserole. Add onions and 2 cups of liquid (water, stock, white wine or some combination of). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep chicken moist.

Add olives and lemon quarters to casserole and cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes.

Remove chicken, olives, and lemon quarters from casserole with a slotted spoon and place on a platter; set aside, cover, and keep warm. Bring pan juices to a high boil and cook until a very thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes.

A little trick I use to thicken or round out a reduction is the following. Start with a softened pat of butter. Work about a teaspoon of flour into the butter to create a paste. Add this into the pan while reducing and it will thicken it, clump free and round out the taste. So sorry if you already read that trick in the chuck roast recipe! ! To Serve

Spoon sauce and olives over chicken to serve. Eat with your fingers! Couscous or quinoa would be a lovely addition to this meal. Don’t forget your salad!

The Soup you would end up with if your classic Italian Wedding Soup spent a long Weekend in Morocco.

Sauteed broccolini . Red Oak leaves.

Ingredients: Soup

• 1 lb ground lamb • ! cup breadcrumbs • 1 green garlic stalk,

finely chopped (white & green parts)

• 1 tsp of ground cumin • 1 tsp of ground

cinnamon • 1 tsp allspice • 1 egg • salt and pepper • 1 cup onion-

chopped • 1 carrot, grated • kabocha squash-

cubed* • Salt, pepper • 1 preserved lemon-

rind only, chopped • a little tomato paste • chicken or beef stock • Chard leaves • Chopped cilantro

and marjoram Vegetable Broccolini Salt " preserved lemon- rind only, chopped Salad Red Oak leaves Grated carrot Raisins (optional) Lemony dressing

Directions: ! Meatball prep

If the weather when you make this is anything like it is tonight, you will be thrilled with this dinner. Have you had “Italian Wedding Soup”? The lovely brothy soup that hearty vegetables and meatballs swim around in. Because we have ground lamb this week (and all of these other complimentary items), I thought it would be fun to spice up this traditional soup. To make the meatballs, mix up the first 8 ingredients until combined. If the mixture is too wet, add some more breadcrumbs. Form small meatballs, about 1” around, bigger or smaller depending on your mood. Heat up a little olive oil in a heavy pot with a lid. This is the pot we’ll be making the soup in, so plan accordingly. After the oil has heated up, brown the meatballs on all sides. You will need to do this in a few batches. The meatballs should not be cooked all the way through. Remove the browned meatballs and set on a plate. ! Soup stock

Saute the onion over low heat. We just want to soften the onion, not brown it. Add in the grated carrot (set a handful aside for the salad), the kabocha cubes, the lemon SLUDGE, tomato paste and the stock. DO NOT add the chard leaves yet. If you have a bay leaf, throw that in as well. A note on the kabocha: it’s a little tough to cut, so don’t be alarmed if you find yourself wrestling with the thing. Also, the skin on a kabocha is ugly…but super nutritious and edible after cooking. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Add water if it is too salty. Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes so the flavors combine. Add in the chard leaves. Add in the meatballs and simmer gently until cooked through. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and marjoram before serving. ! Salad

Combine salad ingredients and toss with the following dressing. Lemony Dressing: Make a vinaigrette with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. I use a 3:1 ratio of oil to acid. Shake until fully emulsified. Adjust to your preference. Dress salad right before eating. ! Broccolini

Saute broccolini quickly over high heat with the preserved lemon pieces and olive oil. You may need to add a tiny bit of water and cover for a few minutes to cook through. Remove lemon piece before eating. Morroccan Wedding Soup, Salad, Veggies- Dinner is served!

Whole-wheat pasta with drunken leeks, roasted romanesco cauliflower and leftover meat (lamb meatballs or chuck roast) .

Ingredients: Pasta night!

• Your favorite whole wheat dry pasta • Leeks- sliced into half moons • The crazy fractal romanesco • White wine • Salt & pepper • Pat of butter • cauliflower- florets • Leftover chuck roast meat • Freshly grated parmesan (optional)

Directions: This pasta dish is good, but a little fussy. Well, the only fussy part is the roasting of the Romanesco cauliflower. I just think it tastes so much better after roasting. Here goes: ! Romanesco Cauliflower:

Heat oven to 400F. Once the Romanesco is broken up into florets (this is really cool to see, such an amazing veg!) toss it with a little olive oil and salt. Roast in a single layer for about 20 minutes. ! Pasta

Boil, drain, set aside. Reserve about " cup of the starchy cooking water. ! Drunken leeks

In a skillet large enough to hold the entire meal, warm up some butter and olive oil. In case you haven’t worked with leeks before, I always like to remind people that these buggers are dirty! The grit gets trapped in between the rings, so they really need to be washed, submerged in water a few times after chopping. For this recipe we’ll just use the white and light green parts. After washing thoroughly, drain and add to the skillet to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Douse the leeks with white wine, about a cup (or if your leeks are going to be sober, just use broth or water). Reduce for a minute and then cover to cook for about 5 minutes. ! Bringing it all together

Toss the pasta and the reserved water into the pan with the leeks. Add in the leftover chuck roast pieces if you have any. Toss and warm through. Finally, add in the romanesco and finish with some grated parmesan. A great way to end this meal would be with a bowl full of tangerines and blueberries.

Kitchen Sink Quiche. Cheddar coated Sweet potato “fries”

mixed green salad As the name implies, this quiche can be made with lots of different things. From this weeks box, how about leeks, broccolini, green garlic? Or chard and grated carrots? Base your decision on what ingredients you have lurking around in your fridge. Don’t forget the basics! Beat your eggs really well, add a bit of milk or cream and don’t forget to season with salt and pepper. Bake as directed on the Simply Pies crust we have this week. I like to top with cheese and herbs during the last few minutes of baking. You still have sweet potatoes, right? How about baked “fries”? Ingredients:

Directions:

Sweet potatoes- scrubbed and sliced into “fry” wedges " cup all-purpose flour # tsp coarse salt # tsp ground pepper 2 egg whites grated cheddar or parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and then set aside. In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. In another shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water until combined. Dip the sweet potato first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then dip each wedge into the egg white mixture until coated. Transfer potato wedges onto the prepared baking sheet as you go. Bake potatoes until tender and crisp, about 25 minutes. Serve hot sprinkled with cheese and more salt.

Serve Quiche with a mixed green salad and sweet potato “fries” for a “Brunch for Dinner” evening.

Catch of the Week | Line-Caught Halibut, grilled with chimichurri

Ingredients:

• Halibut filets • 1/3 cup olive oil • 1/4 cup lemon juice • 1 tbls water • 1 tbls green garlic- chopped • 3/4 tsp hot red-pepper flakes • handful of cilantro- chopped

Directions: ! Chimichurri

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, water, green garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper until salt has dissolved. Stir in cilantro. Let chimichurri stand 20 minutes. ! Halibut

Pat fish dry, then brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat up grill pan or skillet. Add some oil. Cook Halibut until just cooked through. Serve fish drizzled with some of chimichurri. Serve remainder on the side.