Hi friends! It’s me again! This time with an entry for the CSA Super Extreme Ultimate Challenge! As you saw in Gwen’s post, last week we received a whole metric buttload of kale. The trouble is I don’t particularly like kale, and my husband has a hardwired aversion to all things new and leafy and green. What to do?

Scanning around the internet, I saw a Gourmet recipe for a Potato and Kale Galette that was awfully similar to a recipe in my repertoire called Potatoes Anna. I’m a big believer in having a few core recipes that can be modified to make a different dish. Adding kale to Potatoes Anna seemed like a prime candidate. I was hoping the potatoes would mellow out the harshness of the kale, and I figured that if you add enough garlic and Gruyere to anything it’s bound to be good.  Luckily, Gourmet was right on the money, and this dish even earned a “Mmmmmm!” from my veggie phobic hub.

You will need:

- 1 metric buttload of kale. To be more precise, about 4 good sized bunches, to cook down to about 1 cup. I used a variety of kales, and a little chard. I think any hearty green would hold up well in this dish.

- 2 medium Russet potatoes

- 2 cloves garlic, minced very fine

- 1 cup grated Gruyere (use a little less if you’re feeling health conscious)

- 1 tablespoon butter, melted

- salt and pepper

- olive oil

First, set your oven to 450 degrees. Then, wash and dry your greens well. Roll them up and chop them in a fine julienne. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, then add the kale and a heavy pinch of salt. You want to wilt the greens down well in this step, but the real cooking will happen in the oven. About 2 minutes before you pull the kale from the heat, add the garlic and cook briefly. Next, we need to remove some of the moisture from the kale. Place it in a fine strainer or on a bunch of paper towels and gently press the excess moisture out. You may want to chop the kale even finer at this point if it still seems really chunky.

Peel the potatoes and slice them very thin. Using a mandolin is best to get even pieces, but if you have to do it the old fashioned way, I’d aim for between an 1/8th and 1/16th of an inch. Brush the inside of a lidded, oven safe dish with some melted butter, then start placing the sliced potatoes in the bottom of the dish so they overlap slightly. Once you have one layer of potatoes complete, brush with a small amount of the butter, then sprinkle very lightly with salt, pepper, and Gruyere. Remember, go very light on the seasonings here, because they will add up over the layers. Then, sprinkle half of the cooked kale over the potatoes. Add another potato layer, season, then a kale layer, and one last potato layer without the cheese. Cover, and then place in the oven for 20 minutes. After the time is up, remove the cover, and then back in the oven for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the Gruyere to the top, and then 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes, so the potatoes and cheese can set a bit. Then, slice like you would a pie and serve!

Alright, here’s the first of my CSA veggie exploits! Sort of a play off of a classic gratin., using squash, potatoes and tomatoes for a fun twist. We ate it as an entree with a spinach salad, but I think it’ll work better as a side dish. On to the recipe…

Squash Medley Gratin
Serves 4 as a side dish

1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed
1 medium summer squash, ends trimmed
1 large patty pan squash, ends trimmed and quartered.
2 – 3 medium red potatoes
2 – 3 roma tomatoes
1 cup half and half
1 clove garlic, finely grated into pulp
1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh if you got it)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 -2 tbsp cold butter, cut into tiny cubes plus more for greasing the pan

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Butter a 13×9 or comparable sized casserole dish and set aside.

Its time to slice the veggies (so sharpen your chef’s knife, pull out your mandolin, or ideally… both). Start by slicing your tomatoes into 1/8 inch thick circles. Tomatoes are highly watery, so I suggest salting them gently on both sides and setting them aside while you prep the other veggies. Switch over to your mandolin, if you’re lucky enough to own one, and slice the potatoes, zucchini, summer squash, and patty pan squash into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Starting at one end of your casserole dish, arrange the slices with one vegetable per row, overlapping as you go. You’re attempting to create a striped pattern, which looks really elegant in the final product. Try to separate the squashes with the potatoes and the tomatoes to create variety in the overlapping textures. Work your way row by row until the entire casserole dish is covered. Top with salt and fresh ground pepper, the thyme, and the grated parmesan cheese. Dot with the tiny butter cubes. The combination of the butter and the cheese ensure lots of flavor and a golden brown top to our gratin.

In a small saucepan, combine the half and half and the garlic. You want the garlic to be as close to pulp as possible (I recommend grating it straight into the saucepan using your fine microplane grater/zester. Bring the liquid to a boil of medium-high heat, removing from heat immediately when it starts to foam up. The technique here is to dissolve the garlic into the half and half, offering a gentle garlicy flavor that more efficiently infuses the dish, unlike minced garlic that you’d only taste every few bites. You can also use this technique to make some killer mashed potatoes. The other benefit of this technique, is that the hot liquid helps the dish come to temperature faster in the oven, offering a quicker cooking time.

Gently pour the half and half over top of the casserole, taking care not to disrupt the veggies too much. If you’re using a smaller casserole dish, you might not need all of the half and half. You’re only looking for the liquid to barely come halfway up the vegetables. Pop this into the oven. This takes about 30-40 minutes to get nice and caramelized on top, and make sure you rotate your pan halfway through the cooking process to ensure even browning.

Mmm, delish. It was luscious and light all at the same time. Enjoy it, we definitely did!

I’m a big advocate for whisking up a super simple salad dressing rather than relying on the fatty, chemically bottled alternatives from the super market. I mean, seriously, it takes all of 3 minutes.   Typically I just rock a vinaigrette on some baby greens.  Tonight, however, I spotted a mixed container of mache and butter lettuce on the refrigerated shelf at Trader Joes, which made me a very happy lady.  If you’ve never tried mache, do it.  Do it now.  It’s tiny, sweet, tender and slightly nutty.  And for a lettuce as mild and gentle as mache, this called for a special dressing.

Yogurt Chive Dressing
yields about 1/2 cup of dressing

1/4 cup greek yogurt (I use Fage 0% greek yogurt)
1 small clove garlic, very finely minced
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped chives (I use my kitchen scissors for easy cutting)
1/4 tsp sugar or honey
large pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper

Whisk together all of the above ingredients in a large bowl.  Season and sweeten to taste, depending on how tart your yogurt and lemon juice are.  Add  4 cups loosely packed greens and gently toss to coat.  Serve as a delightfully light and simple side dish for chicken or fish, such as the breaded pan-fried chicken tenders pictured above.

Tonight, Firat and I were craving something simple and delicious. I’ve also been spending more time learning about Turkish dishes because I know he misses the flavors of home. I’ve been especially attached to the cookbook “Turquoise: A Chef’s travels in Turkey” by Greg and Lucy Malouf. It’s part travel memories, part photo-journal, mostly killer cookbook. What’s impressed me most about this book, is that the chefs have created recipes that replicate true Turkish flavors, while still using easy-to-find ingredients. So tonight I decided to make tomato pilaf, which has a special place in my heart, because it was the first Turkish dish Firat cooked for me when we started dating.

This recipe is crazy yum. It makes a spectacular side dish for 4 people, or, much like a risotto, can stand alone as well as a generous entree for 2. Its incredibly flavorful, considering most of the ingredients come out of your pantry. Here’s the Malouf’s recipe with just a couple tiny adjustments on my end.

Tomato Pilaf

1 cup basmati rice
3-4 very ripe roma tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped (don’t forget the trick of blanching tomatoes in boiling water for an easy peel job)
3/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
4 tbsp butter
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 sprig of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
Wash the rice in a bowl under cold running water. Work your fingers through it to loosen the starch off the rice. Once the water is clear, drain and set aside.

Pulse the tomatoes into a rough puree (like a salsa) in the food processor. You should get about 1 1/4 cups of tomato puree. Add enough stock to make 2 cups of liquid. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and keep at a low simmer.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallot and saute over medium-low heat until the shallots become soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, lemon zest, and thyme and stir to combine evenly (the tomato paste likes to be difficult here, so make sure there’s no lumps).

Add the rice to the pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly, allowing all the grains to be coated in the butter. Stir over medium heat for just a couple minutes, allowing the rice to toast. Pour in the simmering tomato stock and stir to combine. This should come to a boil almost immediately since you kept the liquid hot. Cover, and cook over the lowest heat setting for 15 minutes. The grains should be plumped up and the surface will be dented with little steam vent holes. Remove the pan from heat, then slide a clean, folded tea towel under the lid and leave it to stand for another 15-20 minutes. When ready to serve, fluff with a fork, and savor the yum.

This is a recipe from my charming cousin Constance who lives somewhere there’s actually seasons. The first time I tried it, she had made it as an entree for the feasting vegetarians at a family holiday dinner. The best part about the recipe is how flexible it is, but I was super impressed with how inexpensive and filling it was for a dinnertime meal for 2. She sent me her bare bones recipe and her blessing for experimentation and this is what it evolved into in my kitchen. Onto the recipe!

Constance’s Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked if you’re making it for the recipe)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, small dice
1 apple, peeled, small dice (i like fuji)
1 rib celery, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp brown sugar
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
1 cup grated colby jack cheese
1 egg, beaten

Preheat your oven to 350. If you don’t have pre-cooked rice, start by cooking it and set aside to cool.

Split your acorn squash in half (I prefer lengthwise, some people prefer horizontally). Scoop out the seeds and place facedown in a microwave safe dish with a few tbsps of water, and cover tightly with syran wrap. Microwave 10 – 12 minutes until the flesh is fork tender.

Very carefully, scoop out the flesh of the squash, leaving the skin intact. This is a delicate and very hot process! Mash up the flesh and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter until melted over medium-high heat. Saute together the onion, celery, and apples until they begin to soften and become translucent, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute an additional 2 minutes until the raw flavor cooks out. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the rice, the contents of the skillet, the flesh of the acorn squash, all the seasonings, almonds, raisins, breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Give this mixture a taste, and season accordingly. Then add the beaten egg and mix again. Make sure the mixture is not too hot or the cheese and egg will begin to cook too soon. Divide this mixture in half and fill the empty squash skins, then top with the remaining cheese.

30 minutes later… mmmm golden brown and delicious. The squash makes the filling rich and creamy and oh so tasty. ENJOY! And don’t forget to experiment to your tastes, this recipe is as forgiving as it is delicious! THANKS CONSTANCE!

Delicious, speedy appetizer for entertaining? Count me in.Firat’s artsy photo composition and framing?  Even better.

This is a simple dip or spread to serve with crackers, crostini, or crudité. I used it as a vegan alternative to cheese and crackers. It’s very easy to multiply for larger crowds and works as a nice alternative to your everyday go-to vegetarian-friendly hummus.

1 whole bulb of garlic
1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed

3 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, preferably the oil used for roasting the garlic.

Juice of half a lemon

2 tsp white balsamic vinegar (cider vin. or more lemon juice would work too)

1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the top 1/2 inch of the garlic bulb off, revealing as many cloves as possible. Place in an oven-safe dish and drizzle with the 3 TBSP of oil.  Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until cloves area soft, lightly browned, and easy to cut with a sharp knife.  (I always make extra bulbs at the same time, they’re good to use for a week if kept in the fridge in oil.)  If you’re short on time, I would mince up about 5 large cloves and saute gently in the olive oil over medium heat, just to take the raw taste out of it.  Be careful not to overbrown it with this method.

Now that your garlic is done, you’re ready to make the dip.  TRUE STORY.

Add all the ingrediants to a food processor or blender.  That’s right, everybody in the pool except the salt and pepper.  Pulse first, then blend until smooth.  The parsley turns the dip a lovely pale green color.  If you prefer the white color, then simply fold in  minced parlsey after blending, or be a punk and leave it out entirely.  As for salt, I recommend using a good quality finishing salt, such as maldon or gray salt.  Be sure to taste pre-salting.  Those bean canners can sometimes go overboard on the sodium.

So that’s it.  Garnish, serve, and lavish in the praise of your guests, you domestic yum goddess, you.

The ingredient list is fairly simple and is mostly things I have on hand. A medium sized spaghetti squash, a bunch a ripe roma or vine tomatoes, a medium onion, couple cloves of garlic, a bunch of fresh basil and some extra virgin olive oil.

First off, halve and clean your spaghetti squash. Discard all the seeds and fibers. It’ll look something like this:

Then stick them in a microwave safe container with about a half cup of water, cut side down please, and wrap it tightly with syran wrap. You want to trap all that good steam in there for super fast cooking.

Now nuke it in the microwave for a solid 13 minutes. I know that seems like a mightly long time for anything in the microwave, but it really steams it perfectly. If you’re weirded out by microwave radiation, feel free to roast the halves in the oven, but it takes 5 times as long and I don’t find much of a difference in taste or texture.

While the squash is happily steaming away, nows the time to whip up a quick fresh tomato sauce for it. Give your onion, tomato and garlic a good small dice. Start by sauteing your onions in some extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Give them about a 5 minute head start to get soft before adding the finely minced garlic. Once you can start to smell the garlic, add in all the diced tomatoes and juices. Like this. Be sure to stop and admire Firat’s fine tomato dicing. Oh and photography.

Give this a shimmy shake and let it cook down for 5-10 min on medium heat while the squash halves cool down a bit. Now’s a good time to add in your salt/pepper. Also, if my tomatoes arn’t beautifully in season, I’ll throw in a 1/2 tsp of sugar to help balance out the flavors.

Back to that squash. Those suckers are reeeeally hot, so be careful with this next step. When they’re cool enough to handle (or you’re impatient enough to grab one with a towel) carefully scrape out the strands of the squash with a fork. I like to do one side, then the other, before dumping all the strands from one half out into a bowl. I find it helps keep the strands as long and intact as possible.

Now the final step! Dump the faux spaghetti strands into your sauce and stir to coat evenly with the sauce. I throw in a handful of chopped basil and another swirl of your good extra virgin olive oil to finish it. Make sure to check your salt/pepper seasonings now, since the squash can be a little bland. And don’t forget to throw on some freshly grated parm cheese!

We served ours up tonight with some grilled chicken tenders to complete our light and delicious dinner!

Ok, it probably won’t replace pasta for everyone, but the squash retains a nice al dente bite to it that’s crisp and fresh without being chewy like pasta sometimes can. And its extremely versatile. It can hold up to any pasta sauce, like alfredo or pesto. Some nights we add small bites of fresh mozzarella to the fresh tomato sauce for a caprese style squash side dish. It can be served hot, like a pasta dish, or room temperature like a pasta salad. Any way you make it, I hope you guys enjoy this as much as we do!