Auntie Em's Kitchen, Catering and Local Organic Produce Delivery

Produce list for 1/23/12

2012-01-23T15:03:00.000-08:00

This weeks produce basket contains:

Black and yellow carrots
Leeks
Red torped onions
Cabbage
Kale
Broccoli
Fennel
Lettuce
Carnival squash
Mandarins
Naval oranges
Grapes
Beets

Enjoy!

Produce list for 1/16/12

2012-01-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

This week's produce baskets contain:

Yellow and black carrots
Pea tendrils
Kiwis
Oranges
Leeks
Red torpedo onions
Cabbage
Kale
Broccoli
Fennel
Carnival squash

Enjoy!

January 9th produce list

2012-01-08T23:23:00.000-08:00

the veggies this week include:

leeks
red torpedo onions
yukon gold potatoes
fennel
black, yellow, and orange carrots
green cabbage

enjoy!

Produce list for 1/3/12

2012-01-03T17:22:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, may you be blessed with health and wellness! This weeks produce will help:

potatoes
rutabagas
parsnips
nantes carrots
celery root
butternut squash
Chiogga beets
brussels
garlic
black grapes
clementines

Apologies on the late update, my technology went awry yesterday. I hope it wasn't a fulfillment of the Mayan calendar.

Produce list for 12/12/11

2011-12-11T23:51:00.000-08:00

Cabbage
Leeks
Kale
Asian Pears
Pink Lady apples
Fuji apples
Fennel
Red Torpedo onions
Potatoes
Oranges
Black Carrots
Sweet Market Carrots
Grapes

Produce for 11/5

2011-12-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

Here's the produce list for this week:

Carnival Squash
Leeks
Kale
Romaine Lettuce
Fennel
Red Torpedo Onions
Potatoes
Oranges
Pomegranates
Zucchini
Green Beans
Grapes

Enjoy!

Produce for 11/28/11

2011-11-28T08:02:00.001-08:00

Here's this weeks produce:

Pink Lady Apples
Fuji Apples
asian pears
pomegranates
red grapes
red curry squash
carrots
leeks
red torpedo onions
brown russet potatoes
kale
sugar snap peas
red bell peppers
fennel

Enjoy!

P.S. Apologies for missing the post last week, preparing for thanksgiving made my brain quite scattered. I will make sure that doesn't happen again. Happy cooking!

Produce list for 11/14/11

2011-11-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

This week's goodies:

fennel
green beans
red onions
butternut squash
red curry squash
potatoes
red leaf butter lettuce
black kale
shallots
turnips
pomegranate
Fuji apples
Pink Lady apples
persimmons

Enjoy!

Produce list for 11/7/11

2011-11-07T10:56:00.000-08:00

This week's produce boxes include:

leeks
carrots
red onions
green beans
red bell peppers
potatoes
turnips
beets
garlic
celery root
pomegranates
Pink Lady Apples
Fuji apples
red grapes

Enjoy!

Produce for Halloween 10/31

2011-10-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

Produce for this week includes

butternut squash
acorn squash
fennel
romaine
celery root
shallots
nante carrots
spinach
green cabbage
egg plant
san marzano tomatoes
pomegranates
grape tomatoes
pink lady apples
asian pears
grapes

Produce for 10/24

2011-10-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

Juallio peppers
Red bell peppers
Celery
Spaghetti squash
Russian Kale
Red butter lettuce
Shallots
San marzano
Asian pears
Fuji Apples
Pomegranates
Eggplant
Red Grapes

Produce list for 10/17

2011-10-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

This week's basket contains...

Cherry tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes
Red bell peppers
Lipstick peppers
Poblano peppers
Leeks
Corn
Red onions
Butternut squash
Acorn squash
Delicata squash
Scarlet royal grapes
Thompson (green) grapes
Fuji apples
Early Wonderful pomegranates
September Yummy pluot
Carrots
Fingerling potatoes

Produce list for 10/10

2011-10-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

This week's baskets contain:

Cucumbers
Corn
Spaghetti squash
Musquee de Provence squash
Delicata squash
Poblano pepper(4 inch long, deep green)
Red California peppers
Bell peppers
Jalapenos
Red onions
September Yummy pluots
Arctic Mist white nectarines
Last Tango yellow peaches
Scarlet Royal Grapes
Heirloom tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes

Bran Flax Muffins w Peach Jalapeno Preserves

2011-10-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Bran Flax Muffins

I had a little potluck at my sisters to attend on Saturday, and was craving something hearty and flavorful. These babies are fantastic, they are extremely heart healthy (no butter????) and are almost like carrot cake. I went straight from the recipe, but threw in an extra fresh ground cinnamon stick and ground cloves (i wanted to taste autumn). Next time I'm trying it out with extra applesnauce and some orange zest.

What to serve with them? cream cheese, butter, or...

Peach jalapeno preserves!

This was my first time making my own preserves and it is impressively easy. I used some mixed peppers I had left over from various CSA boxes.Not too hot, but I imagine it will increase in heat as it sits. Great flavor mix, and with the bran muffins I got some wide eyes and howls (of pleasure). This recipe is from Red Mommy Crafts' blogger, a new found friend.

"Peach Jalapeno Jelly

6 lbs. fresh peaches
3 fresh jalapenos, stems removed
2 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
6 cups sugar
2 packs dry pectin

Peel and de-pit peaches. Place peaches and jalapenos in food processor to puree. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Measure out 3 cups of peach mixture and heat to a boil. Be careful, it will splatter. Add 1 packet of pectin and bring to a boil for one minute. Add 3 cups of sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.

Makes 12 half pints"

Produce list for 10/3

2011-10-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Here is the list for this week:

Cucumbers
Leeks
Spaghetti squash
Butternut squash
Delicada squash
Poblano pepper(4 inch long, deep green)
Red California peppers
Bell peppers
Jalepenos
Yellow onions
October Yummy pluots
Arctic Mist white nectarines
Yellow peaches
Grapes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes

September 26th Produce List

2011-09-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

This week's baskets have the following goodies:

beets
carrots
German Butterball potatoes
bell peppers
heirloom tomatoes
chili peppers
basil bunches
mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes
cucumbers
leeks
Sharlyn melons
zucchini
squash
Arctic Mist White Nectarines
Autumn Flame Yellow Peaches
Angeleno Plums
Scarlet Royal Grapes

Enjoy!

Produce list for 9/19

2011-09-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

This weeks box includes...

Cherry tomatoes
Bell peppers
Red onions
Heirloom tomatoes*
Kabocha squash
De sapo melon
Garlic
Striped zucchini
Golden squash
Ronde nice squash
Purple basil
August Flame yellow peaches
White peaches
Angeles Plums

*Heirlooms Tomatoes are nearing the end of their day this season. We are trying to make sure that all tomatoes included are good for a few days, but they are coming from the farm increasingly ripe each week. Use your tomatoes sooner than later for best taste, texture, and citric pleasure.

September 13 produce list

2011-09-13T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Apologies for the late blog posting, I dropped the ball yesterday.

This week's list includes

Zucchini
Cucumbers
Red onions
Watermelon
Garlic
Corn
Fingerling potatoes
Suajillo chiles
Santa Fe Peppers
August Pearl white nectarines
Angeles Plums
August Flame yellow peaches
Grapes
Cherry tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes
Basil
Chives
Beets

Enjoy!

September 5 Produce List

2011-09-06T23:01:00.000-07:00

This weeks baskets contain...

Zucchini
Cucumbers
Fingerling potatoes
Watermelon
Zee Fire red grapes
Bell Peppers
Red onions
August Pearl white nectarines
Yellow nectarines
Flavor Rich Pluots
Hot peppers*
Lemons
Cherry tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes

*Investigation to the true name of peppers is in effect

Wild Mushroom Salad recipe

2011-08-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

There are so many things to do with mushrooms. This is a full flavored salad from none other than Heidi at 101 cookbooks, top notch, but the recipe is not as easy as it could be. I wanted to post this just to give an idea of mushroom compliments. I would love to hear other's ideas as well.

"Wild Mushroom Salad Recipe

Any type of mushroom can be used in this salad. Wipe off any dirt, twigs, or sand that may still be attached.

150 g (5 oz) assorted wild mushrooms
2 tablespoons stock
pinch of salt
pinch of white sugar - optional
3 tablespoons lime juice (you might use less)
2 tablespoons fish sauce (for veg: substitute a splash of soy sauce)
large pinch of roasted chili powder
4 shallots, sliced
handful of mixed mint and coriander leaves
2 tablespoons shredded pak chii farang (long-leaf coriander)
1 tablespoon chopped spring (green) onion
1 tablespoon ground roasted rice

Clean the mushrooms and cut into attractive slices. Heat stock in a small pan and add sugar and salt (if using). Add the mushrooms and simmer until cooked - the cooking time varies wildly, depending on the variety: pine mushrooms need to be simmered at least 10 minutes, while the delicate grey ghost mushroom takes mere moments. If using and assortment, add the mushrooms accordingly.

Remove from heat and season with lime juice, fish/(soy) sauce and chili powder; the salad should taste equally hot, sour and salty. Add shallots, herbs and spring onions. Serve sprinkled with ground roasted rice.

Serve with:

-a few sprigs of Thai basil
-sliced cabbage and cucumber"

August 29th Produce list

2011-08-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

This weeks produce boxes include...

Zucchini
Cucumber
Carrots
Bell peppers
Garlic
Summer Royal grapes
August Pearl White nectarines
Red Grape tomatoes
Dapple Dandy Pluots
Sugar Snap peas
Black kale
Heirloom tomatoes
Jalapenos
Thyme
Mixed wild mushrooms

Produce list for August 22nd

2011-08-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

This week the baskets contain...

yellow cherry tomatoes
mixed heirloom tomatoes
bell peppers
mixed carrots
zucchini
cucumbers
yellow onion
garlic*
fennel*
lettuce*
Dapple Dandy Pluots
Flavor Rich Pluots
Red Flame Grapes
Kay Pearl White Peaches
basil
parsley

Enjoy!

*These items may not be included due to delivery fluctuation

Produce list for Week of August 15th

2011-08-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

The produce baskets this week contain...

sun gold tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
snap peas
carrots
zucchini
lemon cucumbers
red onions
garlic
fennel
romaine lettuce
zee lady yellow peaches
dapple dandy pluot
flavor rich pluot
red flame grape
thyme bunches w lavender sprig
mixed mushrooms
cantaloupe

Recipe to come later today!

August 8th produce list

2011-08-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

This weeks baskets contain...

Zee Lady Yellow Peaches
Dapple Dandy Pluots
Friar Plums
Red Flame Grapes
Cantaloupe
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Leeks
Heirloom Tomatoes
Sungold Tomatoes
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Lemon Cucumbers
Carrots
Zucchini
Red Onions

Recipes to come. If any cooks have requests or suggestions for recipes please feel free to comment and share! We welcome your thoughts.

-Auntie Em's Produce Progenies

Produce for August 1st, Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini

2011-08-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Hello hungry friends,

This week's basket contains....

heirloom tomatoes
sun gold tomatoes
cucumbers
zucchini
lemon cucumbers
spring onions
brown onions
red leaf lettuce
snap peas
yellow plums
white nectarines
yellow peaches
red flame grapes
sugar queen melons

Here is an impressively easy recipe (once again from 101 cookbooks) for a quinoa salad that will work in almost any time of year. The great part of this salad is that many of the vegetables can be substituted for. Quinoa salad is a necessary staple to have in your mental cookbook arsenal. It can be served toasty, chilled, simple or deluxe. Quinoa salad can roll with the punches.

Tonight my sisters and parents are in town so we are ccooking up green onion rice pancakes topped with baby bok choy and broccoli rabe stir fry, the Quinoa salad (topped with fried egg), and an asian styled salad with red bell peppers, bean sprouts, sesame, edamame, and a spicy peanut dressing. We are going for a big production, and tonight the quinoa will shine.

Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini

This is great with crumbled feta. But it's also perfect with thinned-out, salted, plain yogurt. Also, for those of you who are fans of quinoa patties - I made patties out of the leftovers by combining a scant 3 cups of leftovers with 4 beaten eggs, and enough breadcrumbs to thicken things up a bit - 1/2 cup or so. Press with hands firmly into patties, then pan-fry, covered.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 teaspoons fine-grain sea salt
1 cup / 6.5 oz / 185 g quinoa, well rinsed and drained
2 cups water
1/4 cup / 1 oz / 30g dried currants
1 lemon
2 sm-med zucchini, grated on box grater
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

feta cheese, crumbled - as much or as little as you like

To make the quinoa, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add most of the green onions, a pinch of the salt, and cook until the onions soften, just a couple minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grains dry out and toast a bit, roughly another 3 minutes. Add the water, the currants, the remaining salt; bring to a boil. Dial back the heat and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is just cooked through- 15 minutes or so. Be mindful here, you don't want to overcook the quinoa, and have it go to mush.

While the quinoa is cooking zest the lemon, and squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into a small bowl.

When the quinoa is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the zucchini, lemon juice and zest, most of the sesame seeds, and most of the dill. Taste and adjust for salt.

Serve, turned out onto a platter, topped with crumbled feta, and the remaining green onions, sesame seeds, and dill.

Serves 6.

Adapted from the Lemon Quinoa with Currants, Dill, and Zucchini in Maria Speck's Ancient Grains for Modern Meals, published by Ten Speed Press, 2011.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 20 min

July 25th Produce list

2011-07-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

The impressively delicious produce boxes for this week include...

Strawberries
Spring onions
Romaine lettuce hearts
Green collards
Leeks
Heirloom melons
Yellow peaches
White nectarines
Yellow nectarines
Lemon cucumbers
Market cucumbers
Zucchini
Sun Gold Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Heirloom tomatoes
Opal basil

Our apologies for not including a printed list. The deliveries changed at the last minute, and we did not want to mislead the curious eater.

Please help us by returning the ice packs, we are running short in the summer weather. If you include your egg cartons in the bags we would like to recycle them.

Enjoy the freshness!

-Auntie Em's Produce Team

Skirt steak and Sun Gold Tomato salad

2011-07-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a great little salad idea, inspired by, but not limited to, the bloody mary lover. I snagged this from Smitten Kitchen, where you will find the full entry and other salad riffs. This recipe has a lot of potential as a sandwich on ciabatta. Grilled sunburst squash or thick slices of grilled red onion could substitute well for the steak as a vegetarian entree.

"Steak
2 1 1/2 pound skirt steaks
Kosher salt
4 teaspoons (packed) brown sugar, light or dark
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil (for brushing)

Salad
1 cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, divided
2 pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (from about 3 pints or 10 ounce containers)
1 cup chopped celery hearts (inner stalks and leaves; from 1 bunch)
1/2 cup chopped brined green olives plus 2 tablespoons olive brine
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare steaks: Arrange steaks on large rimmed sheet or cutting board. Mix 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, dark brown sugar, paprika, cayenne and freshly ground black pepper together in a dish. Rub all over steaks and let them marinate in this rub for 1 to 3 hours, covered in the refrigerator. Remove steaks from fridge 1 hour before you’re ready to cook them, to bring them to room temperature.

Prepare salad: Pour 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar over onions in the bottom of a large bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will temper the onion’s bite. Add tomatoes, celery and olives. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, reserved olive brine, horseradish, Worcestershire, pepper sauce and celery seeds in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until combined. Add to tomato salad and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until needed, and up to 4 hours in advance, if covered and refrigerated.

Cook steaks: Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high or a gas grill to the highest heat. Brush grill grates with oil. Grill steaks for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch thick slices, against the grain.

Alternately, cook the steaks inside: Heat a large cast-iron skillet on medium-high to high and coat bottom with oil. When oil begins to shimmer, place steak in skillet and do not move it for 5 minutes. Turn it once, and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare. Repeat with second steak. If your steaks are too large to cook in one piece, you may halve them to fit. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1/4-inch thick slices, against the grain."

July 18th Produce list

2011-07-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

This week's produce includes...

White peaches
White nectarines
Mango nectarines (ripe when yellow)
Heirloom melons
Leeks
Heirloom tomatoes
Sun God tomatoes
Red romaine lettuce
Cucumbers
Red onions
Sunburst squash
Zucchini

Enjoy the summer glory!

July 11th Produce list

2011-07-11T12:42:00.000-07:00

The boxes this week are fragrant and visually stunning, putting them together was quite rewarding. Enjoy.

The produce for July 11th-

purple basil
kale
cucumbers
heirloom cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
zucchini
sunburst squash
red onions
leeks
red jim yellow nectarines
candy pearl white nectarines
crimson glo pluots
yellow donut peaches

Zucchinni Ricotta Cheesecake

2011-07-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Here's another impressive feat from Mastermind Heidi at 101 Cookbooks. I tried this dill variation with palpable success and happiness. Tomorrow I am planning a pesto variation with some pine nuts and the purple basil from this week's box. I would love to hear ideas for some other successful creations. Feel free to share your thoughts.

"I threw together this zucchini-flecked ricotta cheesecake when I got home from the farmers' market the other day. The green and yellow squash skins along with a nice amount of chopped dill visually pepper the interior of this savory cake. I used just enough egg to hold things together, creating a simple batter made primarily of ricotta cheese but also flavored with a bit of garlic, shallots, lemon zest, and a few straggler ingredients I found lounging around the kitchen seeking higher purpose. Lighter and less egg-y than a quiche it takes a while to bake, but minimal time ahead of that. I suspect that along with a few sides, it would be a welcome addition to any picnic basket.

Keep in mind this is a ricotta based cheesecake - not one based on cream cheese. The texture is going to be different (and delicious) in its own right.

Zucchini Ricotta Cheesecake

To shred the zucchini use a box grater - most micro planes are too fine, you want shredded zucchini, not mush. Feel free to play around with the "add-in" ingredients - for example, use whatever chopped herbs you like. I had dill on hand, and I like how it tastes with summer squash, so dill it was. I suspect anything from chopped olives, sun-dried tomatoes, or chives, to spices, chopped spinach, or corn could work here. Also, when I have the time and inclination I'll drain the ricotta through cheesecloth to get even more moisture out of the cake, but to be honest, most times I won't bother. Lastly, I use a springform pan here, but you could use an equivalent baking dish or deep tart pan as well.

2 cups zucchini, unpeeled & grated
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs, well beaten
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 325F degrees, racks the middle. Butter/oil a 7-inch springform pan.

In a strainer, toss the shredded zucchini with the salt and let sit for ten minutes. Now aggressively squeeze and press out as much moisture as you can. Set aside.

In the meantime, combine the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, shallots, garlic, dill and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and continue mixing until well combined. Now stir in the shredded zucchini. Fill the springform pan with the ricotta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for sixty minutes. If there is any moisture left on top of the cake at this point, carefully use a bit of paper towel to dab it off. Now sprinkle with the goat cheese and return to the oven for another 20 -30 minutes or until the goat cheese is melted and the cake barely jiggles in the center (it will set up more as it cools).

At this point, if the cake is baked and set, but the top isn't quite golden, I'll zap it with the broiler (just about a minute) to get a bit more color on top. Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes, then release the cake from its pan. Cool completely, serve at room temperature drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a few sprigs of dill.

Serves 8."

Zucchini, Tomato, Onion, Ricotta Salata and Bread Salad

2011-07-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

Hello green eaters,

Due to the increasing heat, I have been hunting down cool dinner ideas. Grilled vegetables are a big hit, because they are good hot or cold, and make great left overs. Here is an incredible dish from Bistro Laurent Tourondel, including some of the best summer flavors. I love this cookbook for it's creative mixture of textures and flavors. Some of the ingredients are more challenging to find, but can be substituted for easily. Being fearless in the kitchen may be dangerous advice, but taking old recipe ideas and turning them into something new and interesting seems to be the most rewarding part of cooking. Do not be limited by these recipes, venture outside the charted cuisine.

From Bistro Laurent Tourondel-

" Summer Savory adds a lot of flavor to this grilled vegetable salad. It is native to the Mediterranean and has been used for centuries as a culinary herb to flavor meats, vegetables, and beans. The Romans considered savory a powerful aphrodisiac. It has a delicate flavor something like fresh thyme. Many specialty stores carry fresh summer savory, and it is also easy to grow in the garden. If you can't find it, try substituting fresh thyme or oregano instead."

Serves 6

Basil Oil
2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad
1/2 large sweet onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large red bell peper, cored, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large yellow zucchini, halved lengthwise
4 large heirloom tomatoes of mixed colors, cored and cut into large dice
1 loaf ciabatta bread (8-10)
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh summer savory (sub. options- thyme, oregano)
2 ounces ricotta salata (sub. options - relatively dry and sharp cheese, romano, pecorino, even feta)

Dressing
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup aged sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh summer savory
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

Make the Basil Oil
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the basil leaves for 15 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer the basil to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the leaves. Press the leaves b/w paper towels to remove excess water. Roughly chop the leaves.
In a blender, combine the chopped basil and oil. Puree 3-4 minutes or until smooth. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, line the sieve w a double layer of cheesecloth (helpful but not necessary). Scrape the basil puree into the strainer, let stand until the oil has drained into the bowl, discard the basil.

Grill the Vegetables
In a large bowl, toss the sweet onions and peppers w 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season w salt and pepper. Brush the zucchini with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on medium high w onions and peppers around zucchini, turning often until charred and softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from grille and cool down slightly. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Make the Dressing
In large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, savory, parsley, and garlic. Season w salt and pepper.

Marinate the Vegetables
Add the grilled vegetables and tomatoes to the bowl w the dressing. Season w salt and pepper and allow to marinate until desired at room temp.

Grille the Bread
Trim crust, cut into 1 inch thick slices. Brush each w olive oil. Grill over medium high heat turning once, until browned on both sides.

To assemble the Salad
Add the red onion and savory leaves to the marinated vegetables. Place a piece of toast in the middle of each plate. Divide the vegetable mixture evenly among the plates. shave the ricotta salata over the salad and drizzle w the basil oil. Serve immediately.

July 5th Produce list

2011-07-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

This weeks produce baskets contain...

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Garlic

Red onions

English peas

Broad beans

Heirloom tomatoes

Fingerling potatoes

Yellow Peaches

Apricots

Baby French Melons

Recipes to come tomorrow!

If you ordered eggs, please help us recycle by returning the container with your basket. We would appreciate it if you could return the ice packs that come with your produce. We are running short, and LA is getting rather toasty.

Thank you for eating locally!

-Auntie Em's Produce Team

Greens a plenty

2011-06-28T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello green eaters,

Earlier this week, my housemates and I came across a daunting problem, the plethora of hardy greens in our produce refrigerator ( a silly but beautiful sight for a mini fridge) from our CSA subscription. This week we have taken it as our personal crusade to find more creative ways to use our greens, outside of delicious greek salads. So far there have been products such as grilled tuna kale wraps(uncooked greens substitute for bread!), mustard green, heirloom tomato and pecorino omelets, and a grilled swiss chard, corn, and red cabbage salad.

Hardy greens such as kale, chard, mustard greens, and dandelion greens, like spinach are fantastic when cooked down a little bit. Garlic, lemon and olive oil do wonders, cooked or uncooked. When consulting Heidi's cookbook, I found her advice was similar, but the comment thread was even more exciting. Check it out. Tonight I will be trying out the traditional indian coconut gravy greens from "Sunshinemom". Here's a simple but delicious recipe from 101 Cookbooks to get you goin.

Happy cooking!

Garlicky Greens Recipe

If you are using spinach ignore the stem instructions below. With spinach I simply trim any long stems. Also, feel free to make this vegan and/or dairy-free by leaving out the Parmesan cheese. Toasted almonds or pine nuts are a great substitution (or addition).

1 large bunch of kale, chard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (opt)
crushed red pepper flakes

To de-stem each leaf of chard/kale, grab the main stalk in one hand and strip the leaf from the stem all the way up with the other. I then tear the big leaves into bite-sized pieces, but you can use a knife for this task if you prefer. Wash the greens in a big bowl (or sink) full of clean water, rinsing and swishing to rinse away any stubborn grit and dirt. Drain, rinse again, and set aside.

Hold off cooking the greens until just before eating. Then, in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add a couple big pinches of salt and the greens. They should hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir continuously until their color gets bright green, and they just barely start to collapse - two, three, maybe four minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much structure your greens have. Then, just thirty seconds before you anticipate pulling the skillet off of the heat, stir in the garlic. Saute a bit, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and add a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Taste, add a bit of salt if needed, and serve immediately if not sooner.

Serves 2- 3.

June 26 Produce list

2011-06-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

This week's produce basket contains:

Cucumbers
Zucchini
English peas
Fava beans
Broad beans
Rainbow Chard
Black Kale
Heirloom tomatoes
Fingerling potatoes
Yellow Peaches
White Nectarines
Donut Peaches
Plums

I have good recipes to come later in the next post.

Side note to subscribers- Please return the ice packs! We are running short and the weather is heating up.
If you ordered eggs, please help us recycle by returning the carton with your basket.

Thanks!

Happy Summer Eating

produce list for Week of June 20

2011-06-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Here's the produce list for the week of June 20

Zucchini
Cucumbers
Fresh Garlic
Red Onions
Leeks
Artichokes
Green Cabbage
Heirloom Tomatoes
Romano Beans
Fava Beans
Nectarines
Peaches

Elixir of Fresh Peas

2011-06-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

In accordance with the mounds of fresh peas this season, it may be time to step outside the hummus dip. Here is a recipe for Elixir of Fresh Peas, a recipe I enjoyed cool for a toasty summer evening last week. This dish is quite simple and can be served warm or cold, depending on the sky's cool June gloom or warming sun. This is an easy recipe to riff off of, peas support a huge variety of supplemental flavors.

I took this recipe from "Local Flavors" a cookbook by Deborah Madison designed for farmers' market cooking. She is a great author and includes a great info on variations and many vegetable families.

Elixir of Fresh Peas
Serves 4-6

1 bunch scallions or 2 small leeks, including 2 inches of the greens, thinly sliced
5 large parsley stems w leaves
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
1.5 lbs pod peas, bright green and moist looking
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh onion or young leek
1/2 teaspoon sugar
truffle oil(optional greatness)

1. Bring 1 quart water to a boil. As it's heating, add the scallions, parley and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add about 3 cups of pea pods as you shill them. Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes then strain.

2.Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the sliced onion. Cook over medium heat for about a minute then add 1/2 cup of the stock so that the onion stews without browning. After 4-5 minutes, add the peas, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Pour in 2+1/2 cups of the stock bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes.

3. Transfer the soup to a blender. Drape a towel over the lid and give a few short pulses to make sure it won't splatter. Then puree at high speed for 1 minute. Pour into small soup bowls and serve immediately(unless serving chilled) , adding a few drops of the truffle oil to each bowl.

For a little fancier (but equally lax prep) variation of a green pea soup, check out the legendary 101 cookbooks. Tremendous recipe, I'm always impressed by this site.

Happy Cooking!

Braised Romano Beans

2011-06-12T22:45:00.000-07:00

This recipe for braised romano beans, from the one and only Smitten Kitchen, is adapted from a New York Times article. The recipe is very unassuming, the author in fact admits to not recognizing romano beans before this recipe (like many of us). This dish is great for summer or fall, hot or cold.

Romano beans, elsewhere: Russ Parsons’s Braised Romano Beans with Cherry Tomatoes (Wednesday Chef), Zuni-braised Romano Beans (Swirling Notions) and Garlicky Romano Beans (Veggie Venture)

Braised Romano Beans
Adapted from Laura Sbrana via The NYTimes 08/12/08

Time: 1 1/2 hours

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced carrot
1 cup minced red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 cup peeled, crushed ripe tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, with their juices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds romano beans (flat green beans), ends trimmed (or fresh cranberry beans in their shells).

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet or a shallow three-quart saucepan. Add celery, carrot and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables barely begin to brown, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, a few minutes. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until mixture is well combined, about 5 minutes.

2. Add beans, setting them in pan all in one direction. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer. Baste beans, season with salt, reduce heat to low. Cook gently, partly covered, turning beans in sauce from time to time, until beans are very tender, about 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 6 servings.

June 13th produce list

2011-06-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
The past few cloudy days are looking up! This week's produce list has lots of good summery fruit to enjoy as the sun comes around this week.

This week the baskets include...
heirloom tomatoes
spring garlic
yellow sweet onions
zucchini
cucumbers
artichokes
romano beans
leeks
tulare cherries
sugar time yellow peaches
castlebrite apricots
zee fire yellow peaches

The beans may be a little unfamiliar, but do not fear! There are plenty of delicious ways to prepare fresh romano beans. I will share a tremendous recipe for braised romanos in the next post.

Happy Cooking,
The Auntie Ems Market Basket Team

June 6th produce list

2011-06-05T21:01:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

The weather this summer has been slow to heat up, in turn making it harder for all of the summer fruits and veggies to get ripe. But, finally, they are here! I think this produce list speaks for itself.

snap peas
fava beans
english peas
sunburst squash
zucchini
cucumbers
cabbage
spring garlic
red onions
kale
artichokes
first of the season tomatoes
tulare cherries
sugar time yellow peaches
castlebrite apricots
zee fire yellow nectarines

Happy Cooking,

The Auntie Ems Market Basket Team

Nectarine Gallette

2011-06-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

This recipe is so delicious and you can substitute any stone fruit! This recipe is from my favorite blog: smittenkitchen.com

Nectarine Galette
Adapted, loosely, from Alice Water’s Apricot Tart

Among the many air-headed things I did while making this (shrugged at the measurement suggestions, forgot to buy the amaretti cookies) I ended up making double the tart dough needed and using it all at once, resulting in a thicker-than-usual galette. A bad thing? Not if you really like your flaky crust. But I’ll tell you the recipe the way it was ought to be, with a little less heft. Double it if you wish.

Waters’ recipe includes some crushed amaretti cookies — small, macaroon-like almond biscuits — with the ground almond base, an addition I have no doubt would be fantastic. With no interest in ~~running~~ waddling back to the store for them, I swapped them with extra ground almonds, but if you’ve got them around, I am sure you’ll be glad you used them.

Finally, next time I’ll sprinkle some sliced almonds on top near the end of the baking time, to increase the almond-y flavor but you can skip this if you don’t wish to accent it.

Serves 8

Crust
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick or 3 ounces) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/2–inch pieces

Filling
1 tablespoon ground almonds
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon amaretti, pulverized — or — 1 extra tablespoon ground almonds plus an extra teaspoon sugar
10 ounces galette dough, rolled into a 14-inch circle and chilled
1 and 1/2 pounds ripe nectarines (about 4 large)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/4 sliced almonds (optional)
Peach or nectarine jam (optional)

Make the crust: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large, wide mixing bowl. Cut in six tablespoons of the butter with a pastry blender or two knives, mixing until the dough resembles coarse cornmeal. Dribble four tablespoons ice water over the mixture, using a rubber spatula to pull the mixture together. Gather the dough into a mound (either in the bowl or on a counter) and gently knead it together, for just a few seconds. If it’s not coming together, add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, until it does. Wrap dough in a flat disc in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

When you are ready to roll out the dough, take one disk and let it soften slightly so that it is malleable but still cold. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the disk into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour before using.

Make the galette: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a pizza stone, if you have one, on a lower rack. Toss the ground almonds, flour, one tablespoon of the sugar, and pulverized amaretti (or mix of extra ground almonds and sugar) together.

Remove the prerolled dough from the refrigerator or freezer and sprinkle the almond mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1 1/2 to 2-inch border uncoated. Cut nectarines in half, removing pits, then each half into thirds (you’ll get six wedges per nectarine). Arrange the fruit, skin-side-down, in concentric circles on the dough, making a single layer of snugly touching pieces, leaving the border bare. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the sugar evenly over the fruit.

While rotating the tart, fold the border of exposed dough up and over itself at regular intervals, crimping and pushing it up against the fruit. Pinch or trim off any excess dough. (Make sure there are no breaks that will let juices leak.) Brush the border with melted butter, and sprinkle it with two tablespoons sugar.

Bake in the lower third of the oven (preferably on a pizza stone) for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the crust is well browned and its edges are slightly caramelized. If you wish, sprinkle sliced almonds over the galette 15 minutes before the baking time ends, so they get toasty and extra-crisp. As soon as the galette is out of the oven, use a large metal spatula to slide it onto a cooling rack, to keep it from getting soggy. Let cool for 20 minutes. If you want to glaze the tart, brush the fruit lightly with a little warmed peach (or nectarine, if you have it) jam. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or with plain yogurt.

Do ahead: This galette keeps at room temperature for at least two days, and even longer in the fridge. The unbaked dough, wrapped in plastic, will keep in the freezer for a few weeks, the fridge for a day or more. Rolled-out dough may be frozen and used the next day.

Dorie Greenspan’s Cheating-on-Winter Pea Soup

2011-05-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tasty pea soup recipe from one of my favorite French cookbooks: Around My French Tables

Makes 4 servings

PREP: 25 minutes

TOTAL: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
8 ounces frozen peas (do not thaw)
4 cups (lightly packed) sliced romaine lettuce (1/2 of medium head)
Crème fraîche or sour cream
Crumbled cooked bacon

Preparation

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups broth; bring to boil. Stir in peas and lettuce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until peas are tender and flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to same saucepan and bring to simmer, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide soup among 4 bowls. Top with dollop of crème fraîche and/or bacon.

May 30 Produce List

2011-05-29T22:19:00.000-07:00

Good Morning and Happy Memorial day. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I’ve been meaning to post a wonderful pea soup recipe since you’ve been getting a lot of sweet spring peas, which will be up on the blog shortly. I’ll also post some stone fruit pie/gallete recipes.

red onions
spring garlic
snap peas
english peas
favas
artichokes
zucchini
sunburst squash
caulif
kale

peaches

nectarines

cherries

Happy Cooking,

The Auntie Ems Market Basket Team

Artichoke Recipe

2011-05-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

The NY Times posted a recipe on Friday for Artichokes with Israeli couscous which I buy in bulk from Superking markets (in Glassel Park). Before I share their recipe I wanted to tell you my favorite way to cook smaller artichokes (like the artichokes in the basket) is to trim off the sharp and tough end and almost cut down the stem. Then take off any hard outer leaves until the only leaves left are soft and green. Sliver the artichokes and put them in a bowl of lemon juice and water (so they don't brown- balsamic vinegar works well too). Do not discard water. Add artichokes to a pan with oil, garlic (dried or green), bay leaves, and hot pepper. Saute adding a little of the soaking water to soften the artichokes. Sautee until soft.

Here is the NY Times Recipe:

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lemon, juiced

3 medium artichokes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/3 cup slivered almonds

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/4 cup fregola or Israeli couscous

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces).

1. Put lemon juice and artichokes into a bowl of water. Discard the outer leaves of each artichoke. As you do so, and as you continue cleaning the artichokes, dip them into the lemon water. Trim away the dark skin from the base, and the bottom of the stem. Slice off the top third of each artichoke. Slice the artichokes in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, scoop out the hairy chokes inside, pulling out any purple leaves. Cut the artichokes into

1/2-inch-wide pieces.

2. Put the almonds in a saucepan over medium heat. Toss occasionally until golden. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Add 6 cups water to the saucepan

with 1/4 cup oil, 1 tablespoon salt, the garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil. Add the artichokes; lower the heat, cover, and simmer

until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove artichokes with a slotted spoon to a

large bowl.

4. Bring the cooking water to a boil, add the fregola or couscous, lower heat and simmer until tender, 8 to 12 minutes; drain. Add the fregola or couscous, almonds, mint, dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt

and the pepper to the bowl of artichokes. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with

2 tablespoons oil. Toss gently.

Yield: 6 servings.

May 2nd Produce List

2011-05-03T11:20:00.001-07:00

On Sunday I went to the farmer’s market to pick up the grapefruits for the baskets and was happily surprised to see a whole market stall full of cherries! They weren’t the sweetest but I’m so excited that the season is upon us. We’ve got a basket full of spring this week, enjoy!

collards

assorted grapefruit
red butter lettuce
loose savoy spinach
bunched broccoli
margoram and thyme bundle
strawberries
french breakfast radish
bunched nante carrots
basil
english shelling peas
fava beans

Happy Cooking,

The Auntie Em’s produce basket team

April 25 produce list

2011-04-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Fava Beans
English Shelling Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
Romaine Lettuce
Red Kale
Red Spring Onions
Oranges
Strawberries
Bloomsdale Spinach
Artichokes
Patipan Squash
Zucchini
Treat: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

April 18 Produce List

2011-04-17T14:17:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I just returned from a marvelous trip to Southern Oregon, the Applegate Valley to be specific, to visit a friend who is running a farm. We spent the whole week hiking on the property, looking at baby goats, pigs and lambs, and cooking humble yet delicious meals. I was extremely excited to see a ton of backwoodsy Oregonians hauling in pounds upon pounds of morel mushrooms. Unfortunately they were not selling to the public only to larger companies that were going to dry and sell the mushrooms to restaurants. I’m hoping that I can drive up to our mountains soon to find some of my very own. Mushrooms aside, here is the glorious spring produce list:

burgandy spring onions
fava beans
bloomsdale spinach
radishes
snap peas
red lettuce
spring garlic
english shelling peas
snap peas
artichokes
zucchini
strawberries
potatoes
carrots

Happy Cooking,

Giulia and Fabian, the Auntie Ems Market basket team

Fava Beans

2011-04-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

I have been astounded at the myriad of ways I have seen fava beans cooked in the last few weeks. In little Tokyo at the Lazy Ox Canteen I had them shelled sauteed with their outer shells on leaving a crispy caramelized outer layer to the beans. This last week in San Fransisco I saw them unshelled and deep fried which was utterly confusing to me because fava shells are so thick and fuzzy on the inside. Personally, I like my favas raw because that's how I grew up eating them. I really don't like double shelling them, so I try to find the most tender and most young favas around. If you don't mind a little bitterness to the bean, don't mind shelling them otherwise make sure that you blanch them first because it is WAY easier. Enjoy!

Smashed Pea and Fava Bean Bruschetta -Adapted from The Sated Plate Blog

1 pound English peas in the pods
1-1/2 pounds fava beans in the pods
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil
3-4 ounces fresh pecorino, such as Toscano Stagianato
juice of 1 medium lemon
2 cloves green garlic chopped or minced (depending on how large of a piece you want to be eating)

Directions

Shell peas and fava beans into separate bowls. In a small saucepan with a steamer basket, blanch fava beans for about three minutes. Rinse in cold water. Pinch one end to remove the bright green bean from its pale outer shell. Set aside. Finely grate pecorino cheese. Set cheese aside.

Using a good size mortar and pestle or a shallow baking dish and a potato masher, bash the peas with half the mint leaves and a pinch of sea salt. Add the fava beans a few at a time and crush. I wouldn't necessarily mash them like you would mashed potatoes, I would mash them until they are kind of crumbly and hold together.

Add a few tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for a lovely consistency and to really bring it all together. Mix in grated pecorino, the green garlic, and the lemon juice. At this point, taste the mixture. You want to balance the richness of the pecorino and olive oil with the freshness of the peas, beans and mint. Season with more salt and pepper, as needed.

This mixture would works best as a bruschetta- toast bread and add a dollop of the mixture to the bread. Top with the rest of the olive oil and mint leaves.

It would also work well tossed with pasta, pesto-style (add more cheese, olive oil, and lemon), or try adding a dollop atop grilled or broiled white fish.

Best served immediately. Do not make more than an hour in advance.

Produce List April 4

2011-04-04T16:15:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen our Easter To-Go menu check it out here: http://auntieemskitchen.com/holiday_easter.html
Here's the produce list for this week
romaine
collards
red thumb potatoes
flat leaf parsley
bloomsdale spinach
artichokes
black carrots
red cabbage
broccoli
leeks
fennel
strawberries
pink grapefruit

Smitten Kitchen's Spring Panzanella

2011-03-31T14:36:00.000-07:00

For the croutons:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 cups day-old bread, crust removed, cubed
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette:
Half a red onion, finely diced
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
Juice of half a lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

For the salad:
4 large leeks
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound asparagus (I also added some baby artichokes ends trimmed and outer leaves taken off)
1 19-ounce can of white beans (I used garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix the bread cubes with the garlic, olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss to coat well. Transfer bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.

Mix the red onion with the vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes before whisking in the remaining vinaigrette ingredients: olive oil and dijon. Set aside.

Cut off dark green tops of leeks and trim root ends. Halve each leek lengthwise to within 2 inches of root end. Rinse well under cold running water to wash away sand. Cover leeks with cold water in a 12-inch heavy skillet. Add salt and simmer leeks, uncovered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Without draining the cooking water (you will reuse it for the asparagus), transfer leeks to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then pat the leeks dry with paper towels. Break off tough ends of asparagus (and the artichokes) and cook it in the boiling water until crisp-tender, no more than three minutes if they’re pencil-thin, more if your asparagus is thicker. Transfer it to another bowl of ice water, drain and pat it dry.

Cut the leeks and the asparagus each into one-inch segments–the leeks will be especially slippery and prone to separating; hold firm and use a sharp knife! Place pieces in a large bowl and mix in beans and cooled parmesan croutons. Pour vinaigrette over and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

Soba with vegetables

2011-03-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients
Broth

10 cups vegetable broth (see recipe) or good-quality canned vegetable broth (such as Swanson)
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
3/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
2 lemongrass stalks, outer dark layers removed, all but bottom 4 inches cut off and discarded
2 6-inch strips dried kombu
2 teaspoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar

Garnishes

2 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled yams (red-skinned sweet potatoes)
5 ounces snow peas, trimmed
4 cups 1/2-inch-wide crosswise slices cored Napa cabbage
5 ounces slender carrots peeled, thinly sliced on diagonal
10 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
1 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup matchstick-size strips peeled fresh ginger
4 to 6 ounces semi-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (optional)
Sambal oelek (a spicy garlic-y sauce, usually if you order thai or vietnamese to-go they throw in a handful of packages, if you save them use those)
Tamari soy sauce

Broth
Bring broth and 3 cups water to simmer in large pot over medium heat. Add cilantro, mushrooms, sliced ginger, and lemongrass. Cover; simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 30 minutes. Rinse kombu; add to broth. Simmer 1 minute. Using tongs, remove kombu and mushrooms; discard kombu. Transfer mushrooms to work surface; cut off stems and discard. Cut each mushroom into 3 to 4 strips. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into another large pot; discard solids in strainer. Add tamari and rice vinegar to broth.

Garnishes
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook yams until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Using skimmer, transfer to medium bowl. Cook snow peas, cabbage, and carrots separately until crisp-tender (snow peas, 30 seconds; cabbage, 1 1/2 minutes; carrots, 2 minutes). Using kimmer, transfer vegetables to separate bowls. Reserve cooking liquid. DO AHEAD Vegetables can be cooked 2 hours ahead. Let vegetables and liquid stand at room temperature.

Bring cooking liquid to boil. Sprinkle with salt. Add noodles; cook until tender but still firm to bite, stirring often. Drain; rinse.Using tongs, divide noodles among bowls. Divide mushrooms, yams, snow peas, cabbage, and carrots among bowls, each in separate mound. Divide tofu, if using, among bowls. Ladle broth over and serve, passing sambal oelek and tamari separately. Meanwhile, bring vegetable broth to simmer. Add green onions and ginger strips. Season with salt and pepper.

March 21st: It's raining, a lot

2011-03-20T16:56:00.000-07:00

Is everyone alive and dry? This storm really took my garden and me by surprise. All I could think about on Sunday was that thousands of people were running the L.A. marathon in this weather. Luckily, I went to the farmers market yesterday to pick up the citrus. Tonight I’m making kind of excessive rendition of an all American favorite: short-rib grilled cheese sandwiches. But the rest of this week, I’m going light and cooking off the yam on the top of my fridge in a storm-worthy pot of veggie soba noodles, which I'll post next. There are a ton of great vegetables in the boxes this week and soups and stews are a great way to use them up:

romaine
cabbage
bunched yellow carrots
leeks
fennel
purple artichokes
snap peas
russian fingerling potatoes
golden beets
red kale
red chard
bloomsdale spinach
cilantro
turnips
collard greens
broccoli
red onions

oro blanco grapefruits

navel oranges

Happy Cooking,

The Auntie Ems Market Basket Staff

March 14 produce list

2011-03-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Spring is in the air. While I was at the market on Sunday picking up the citrus, I also picked up a HUGE bag of fava beans. They’re not in the baskets this week, but I imagine they will be soon. I can’t wait to share my recipes, most of which you don’t have to peel of their pesky outer shell. While winter vegetables are still abundant at the market, please enjoy the bounty of spring in the boxes as well. The artichokes are tender and fragrant and the peas are so sweet and crunchy. Here’s the list for this week:

snap peas

artichokes

leeks

fennel

parsley

romaine

cabbage

black night carrots

red thumb potatoes

parsnips

chiogga beets

assorted grapefruit (marsh and oro blanco)

navel oranges

Happy Cooking,

The Auntie Ems Market Basket Staff

Leek Bread Pudding Recipe

2011-03-06T21:54:00.000-08:00

I came across this savory bread pudding recipe last spring when my refrigerator was FULL of leeks. The recipe comes from smittenkitchen.com, one of my favorite food bloggers. In substitution/addition to the leeks I add some fennel because I like how the fennel caramelizes in the oven.

Makes one loaf. Double the recipe to fit in a 9×13 baking dish.

Serves 6 as a side dish

1 cup leeks in 1/2-inch thick slices, white and light green parts only, cleaned and rinsed
Kosher or coarse salt
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups 1-inch-cubed crustless brioche or Pullman loaf (I used a little less than one loaf)
2 teaspoons finely chopped chives
1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3 cups whole milk, heavy cream or half-and-half or a combination thereof
Freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded Comté, Emmanthaler or Swiss cheese

Place a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, drain excess water from leeks, and add to pan. Season with salt, and sauté until leeks begin to soften, about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are very soft, about 20 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While leeks are cooking, spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until dry and pale gold, about 15 to 20 minutes (my already-stale brioche took less time to brown), turning pan about halfway through. Transfer to a large bowl, leaving the oven on.

Add leeks, chives and thyme to the bowl of bread; toss well. In another large bowl, lightly whisk the egg and egg yolks, then whisk in milk or cream, a generous pinch of salt, pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons shredded cheese in bottom of a buttered 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Spread 1/2 of bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons cheese. Spread remaining bread mixture in pan, and sprinkle with another 1/4 cup cheese. Pour in enough milk mixture to cover bread, and gently press on bread so milk soaks in. Let rest 15 minutes.

Add remaining milk mixture, letting some bread cubes protrude. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until pudding is set and top is brown and bubbling, about 55 to 65 minutes. Serve hot or cold

March 7 Produce list

2011-03-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

View from Lake Piru off the 126 West

Hi Everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the sunny weather this weekend- I managed to get out for a hike in the mountains, which was lovely. This week we get our first taste of the shelling peas- great in pasta (with some pancetta, leaks and pecorino romano).

brussel sprouts
garlic
bunched carrots
black kale-also called dinosaur kale
savoy cabbage
romaine
leeks
fennel
artichokes
english peas
navel oranges
oro blanco grapefruit
clementines

Happy Cooking,
The Auntie Ems Produce Team

2/28

2011-03-01T06:53:00.001-08:00

Good morning,
I can’t believe it’s almost March! I was up in Watsonville this weekend, California’s artichoke, strawberry and spinach capital and I saw SO MANY artichokes and also, it snowed. Hope everyone stayed warm and dry this weekend. Here’s our list this week:

china rose radish
red kale
red romaine lettuce
rainbow swiss chard loose
fennel
red butter lettuce
nante carrots
loose spinach
artichokes
snap peas
onions
satsuma oranges
garlic
Treat: Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix: Add 2 tablespoons of mix to 1-cup hot milk,
mix well, add marshmallows, enjoy!

Love,
The Auntie Ems Produce Team

February 21 produce baskets

2011-02-21T10:21:00.000-08:00

Apple blossoms on the tree in front of my house (a little late to be flowering...)

Good Morning,
I hope everyone stayed dry this weekend. We have a GREAT box for you today, filled with so many springtime vegetables. Fruit is never great this time of year, so we apologize if we’re getting repetitive. That being said, the apples and oranges are quite sweet. Have a great week!

lavender and sage bundle-great to make hot tea with. Boil water and let it steep for a couple of minutes
fennel-sauté with some olive oil and butter, use in soups and stews or gratins
black kale-chop raw into salads, or sauté as a side dish. It benefits from being cooked a little longer than most greens
nantes carrots
red beets
celery root-peel like a carrot, and eat it raw in a salad or sautéed like potatoes
savoy cabbage
red leaf lettuce
leeks
mixed bag of mushrooms
artichokes-first of the season!!! lots of butter and mayo please.
broccoli
snap peas
navel oranges
Fuji Apples

Happy cooking,
The Auntie Ems Produce Team

wedding catered and designed by auntie em's

2011-02-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

old fashioned sodas for guests as they arrive

mac and cheese, meatloaf, fennel gratin

favors for the guests

cheese station

sun-dried tomato and goat cheese torte

pear tarts

private party in eaglerock, catered and designed by auntie em's

2011-02-20T22:00:00.000-08:00

dinner set up

lance

dessert display

cupcakes

dark chocolate cake with fresh strawberries-all dessert made in house at auntie em's

dispite the rainy night everything turned out beautifully

Feb. 14

2011-02-14T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Since it is Valentine’s Day, I’m going to share the brownie recipe I made: olive oil and coconut brownies as recently posted on the NY Times. They are ridiculously moist thanks to the olive oil (no butter to boot), a little less chocolaty than I had hoped, but overall pretty great. In other news, spring is coming. I picked up some delicate pea shoots at the market on Sunday, and several vendors have jumped the gun and already put out their asparagus. Just wait until I get my hands on the green garlic. Right now we’re seeing a lot of citrus, the ever-beautiful romanesco cauliflower, and PEAS!!! Here is the basket list for this week:

bloomsdale spinach
arugula
broccoli
parsley
sugar snap peas
delicata squash
red carrots
spanish onions
turnips
romanesco cauliflower
purple potatoes
onions
tangerines
oro blanco grapefruit

Love,

The Auntie Ems Produce Basket Staff

Slow Cooked Beans with Kale

2011-02-06T12:58:00.000-08:00

This is an easy and tasty recipe for a mid-week dinner.

Slow-Baked Beans With Kale

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Beans baked very slowly for several hours develop a creamy texture, while the liquid they cook in, which thickens to a syrup, acquires a caramelized flavor. The kale practically melts in this casserole, going from bitter to sweet. I love using lima beans in this dish because they’re so big and their texture is so luxurious.
1 bunch kale, stemmed and washed in two changes of water
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 2/3 cups white beans (3/4 pound) or dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for at least four hours and drained
1 6-ounce can tomato paste, dissolved in 1 cup water
3 cups additional water
A bouquet garni consisting of 4 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs and a bay leaf
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the kale. Blanch for two minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, squeeze out water and cut into ribbons. Set aside. (I blanch the kale to extract some of the bitterness, but you can skip this step if you wish).
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large ovenproof casserole. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the dissolved tomato paste, and bring to a simmer.
3. Add the drained beans, the remaining water, the bouquet garni, herbes de Provence and salt and pepper.. Stir in the kale, bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Bake three hours until the beans are tender and creamy. Taste and adjust salt.
4. Mix together the remaining olive oil and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the beans, and continue to bake another 30 minutes to an hour until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Remove from the heat and serve; or allow to cool slightly and serve.
Yield: Serves six.
Advance preparation: You can make this recipe through Step 3 and store it in the refrigerator up to four days ahead of serving. Top with the bread crumbs, and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until the beans are bubbling and the bread crumbs lightly browned.

Produce List and Happy February

2011-01-31T11:18:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone!

Happy February! We’ve decided to send out a flier this week to make sure that all of our customers are on the same page. We understand that the baskets sometimes seem a bit light on produce, especially fruit in the winter, but there are a few difficulties that we run into when trying to provide the most bountiful baskets possible. We only order seasonal produce from local farms. This means that even if apples are in season, if the local farm we frequently buy from doesn’t have ripe apples for a week due to unforeseen weather, field or health conditions, we don’t have apples for a week. We choose not to buy apples from other places, for example Washington state, because we think it goes against what we are trying to accomplish with our produce baskets. Furthermore, winter produce is a bit more expensive because the selection and quantity are more limited and are susceptible to unpredictable winter weather and conditions.

What we’re trying to say is, don’t despair! Spring is just around the corner and we will be filling the baskets with tender, lush vegetable and fruits in a month or two.

Here is the list of produce for this week:

fennel
rainbow chard
savoy cabbage
nantes carrot
celery root
marjoram
thyme
baby golden beets
baby black kale
leeks
snap peas
potatoes
broccoli
pears
oro blanco grapefruit
navel oranges

Unfortunately, this list is a one-time thing. So if you are interested in the produce list as well as delicious seasonal recipes visit our blog:

http://auntieemsproduce.blogspot.com/

Wishing you all the best,
The Auntie Em’s produce basket staff

Produce List Jan.23

2011-01-23T20:43:00.000-08:00

red romaine lettuce
bloomsdale spinach
flat leaf arsley
delicata squash
daikon radishes
carrots
breakfast radishes
new potatoes
navel oranges
pears
red russian kale
Leeks
tangerines
blood oranges
kiwi

Cranapple compote, great on oatmeal and granola!

A Diet for an Invaded Planet: Invasive Species by James Gorman

2011-01-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: John Tann

I read this really great article by James Gorman in the NY Times, pretty funny but very real, about a new sustainable food movement- along the same lines of veganism, eating locally, seasonally, etc.- centered around the consumption of invasive species. The invasive species diet focuses on eating non-native plants and animals that have literally invaded local ecosystems. In Seattle, for instance, the Himalayan Blackberry inhabits almost every single square inch of unplanted land (OK, an exaggeration, but seriously). While delicious, the aggressive blackberry makes it impossible for many plant species native to the Pacific Northwest to thrive, thus limiting plant diversity and more generally, biodiversity. So, what to do? Eat them- the blackberry was a bad example because people do eat them but they stick around anyways. In the case of the blackberry put on your thickest gardening gloves and rip them out!

Blackberries aside, the article shares the stories of several invasivores who are committed to slowing species invasion by eating such delicacies as Canadian geese, lion fish, starlings, wild mustard, deer, Bermuda grass, thistles and the like (YUM). Which actually leads me to a funny story: My friend's parents belong to a CSA in the Bay Area and one day they received a large bunch of spindly greens tagged as Agretti with the suggestion of making agretti spaghetti. When they googled agretti, they found out that their CSA had given them a close cousin to tumbleweed, which was most likely not something they were actually growing on their farm, but rather a weed. As it turned out, agretti spaghetti was quite delicious so give invasivorism a try... It may sound a little ridiculous, but trying to eat invasive species is a very sustainable, probably pretty healthy (especially if you are running around hunting pigeons), and literal way to get back to the original land.

Also, here's the tag line: “Eat for the environment. Eat locally. Eat wild meat. Eat for habitat. Eat invasive.”

Giulia

January 17 CSA box list

2011-01-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

Onions
Red Romaine
Bloomsdale Spinach
Heirloom baby beets
Carrots
Cilantro
Turnips
Arugula
Romanesco Cauliflower
Baby salad greens
The sweetest little tangerines
Red new potatoes

Curried Lentil Soup

2011-01-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

Auntie Ems makes an amazing curried lentil soup, but this is not it. In the most recent Bon Appetit I saw a recipe for a curried lentil soup and this also is not it. The great thing about soup (lentil or otherwise, but this theory works best with the chunkier varieties) is that you can add almost anything (within reason) to the recipe and it will only make it better. This type of soup is a great way to incorporate a lot of your winter vegetables like kale, chard, collards, fennel, potatoes, celery, and even celery root. So, keeping that in mind here is my recipe for curried lentil soup:

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 yellow onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
1-2 ribs of celery or 1 small celery root
optional: fennel
Salt and pepper
Spices: Curry, turmeric, cardomom, connamon, paprika, cayenne... etc.
12 oz canned tomatoes in juice (not in tomato puree)
1 QT chicken or vegetable stock
Up to 2 cups lentils (green, red, yellow brown- whatever you have)
1 bunch kale

Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large pot. Add 1 chopped yellow onion, 2 chopped carrots, 1 large or 2 smaller ribs of celery (or 1 small celery rootpeeled and chopped), you could also add 1 fennel bulb outer layers removed and chopped as well. Add about 1 tsp of salt and some ground pepper- I go light on the salt initially because even if I make the chicken or vegetable broth myself I never know how salty things are going to turn out. Sautee in the pot, stirring, on medium heat until soft, roughly 5 to 10 minutes. Then add your favorite curry spices; mine are cinnamon (1tsp), Curry (2 Tbsp or a little less), Cardamom (1tsp), Turmeric (1Tbsp), Paprika (1Tbsp), Cayenne pepper (1- 2 tsp), a dash of allspice, and a little ground coriander. I like my lentils spiced and spicy, so I probably added a little more of all of these things. Stir.

Then, add about 12 oz of canned tomatoes (chop them up a little) and their juice to the vegetables, stir to incorporate. Add a quart of vegetable or chicken stock to the pot and cook until simmering. Add up to two cups of rinsed lentils (I had red lentils sitting in my cupboard, but any color will do) to the pot, stir and heat until simmering. Reduce temperature and let simmer uncovered for up to 30 minutes or until lentils are mostly soft.

At this point I added a whole bunch of Red Kale (but chard, dinosaur kale, or collard greens will work as well) stems removed, and cut cross-wise into 1 inch strips. Stir and cook another 5 minutes or until kale has wilted. At this point you can also add things like steamed or boiled potatoes, chopped mushrooms, sausage, roasted squash, etc. Salt to taste.

I will warn you that this recipe makes a TON of lentils, probably enough for 8 large portions of soup. If you want to decrease the number of servings, I would keep the vegetable ratio the same and just add fewer lentils and less stock, but that's just because I love vegetables so much.

This is how mine turned out:

Happy eating!

-Giulia

greek kale salad

2011-01-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1. 1 3/4 pounds kale, large stems discarded (3/4 pound leaves)
2. 2 whole-wheat pita breads
3. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4. 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper
7. 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
8. 1/3 cup pitted Calamata olives, cut lengthwise into slivers
9. 2 ounces feta cheese, preferably French, crumbled (2/3 cup)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the kale leaves until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer the kale to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Fluff up the leaves, coarsely chop them and transfer to a large bowl.
Brush both sides of the pita breads with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Cut the pita into wedges.
In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Add the grape tomatoes, olives and crumbled feta to the kale and toss. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve the kale salad with the toasted pita wedges.

produce list for 1/10/11

2011-01-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

rainbow chard

leeks

fennel

celery root

red beets

cauliflower

cilantro

spinach

red leaf

delicata squash

potatoes

red cabbage

pears

oranges

produce list for 1/03/11

2011-01-03T14:34:00.001-08:00

Kale
Cabbage
Mandarins
Pears
Potatoes
Swiss chard
Beets
Leeks
Parsley
Kolrahbi
Parsnips
Turnips
Lettuce

produce list for 12/26/10

2010-12-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

asian pears
broccoli
romenesco cauliflower
butter lettuce
garlic
brussel sprouts
oranges
fingerling potatoes
butternut squash
onions
fingering potatoes

christina chan and william yang wedding catered by auntie em's

2010-12-07T18:37:00.000-08:00

The wedding was at the smogg shop in culver city.

Tray passed Appetizers:   
1. Mini Gourmet Hamburgers with Assorted Toppings
2. Mini Spicy Lamb Patties with Mint Chutney
3. Scallops Wrapped with Applewood Smoked Bacon with Horseradish Dipping Sauce
4. Spicy Pumpkin Soup in little shot glasses

Dinner
1. Grilled New York Steak with Mushrooms and Red Onions
2. Garlic and Lime Chicken 
3. Mac and Cheese with Spinach, Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes  Starch 1. Roasted Baby Potatoes with Fresh Herbs
4. Oven Roasted Seasonal Vegetables  Salad 1. Chinese Chicken Salad with Crispy Won Ton and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

decor on the buffet

BJ, one of Auntie Em's catering chefs

quality control!


bride and groom

produce list for 12/6/10

2010-12-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

broccoli
butternut squash
bunched carrots
golden beets
romaine lettuce
celery root
rainbow chard
italian parsley
savoy spinach
leeks
fennel

Ribollita Soup

2010-11-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

This is the perfect soup for a cold winter night. It also uses stale bread. So its a good way to make use out of your leftovers.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 stalk celery, diced
4 potatoes, diced
1 leek, sliced
1 quart cold water
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
1 head Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded
1 bunch kale, shredded
2 (15.5 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato puree
8 slices day-old bread

Directions

Place the olive oil in a deep pan and heat over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Mix in the carrots, thyme, celery, potatoes, zucchini, and leek. Stir and cook 5 minutes more. Pour in the hot water to cover the vegetables. Stir in the Swiss chard, Savoy cabbage, and kale. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 1 hour.
Place 1 can of beans in a blender or food processor bowl. Blend until smooth. Stir pureed beans into the vegetable mixture along with the second can of beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomato puree.
Prepare the soup by layering slices of bread with the vegetable mixture in a casserole or soup dish. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
To serve the soup, place in a pot, and reheat over medium heat. Serve hot.

produce list for 11/29/10

2010-11-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

peanut potatoes
nante carrots
watermelon radishes
fuyu persimmons
pomegranates
pink lady apples
fukumoto navel oranges
bok choy
butternut
daikon
cilantro
arugula
siberian kale
broccoli
red onions
baby spinach

produce list for 11/22/10

2010-11-21T16:13:00.000-08:00

potatoes
onions
rainbow chard
black kale
celery
red leaf lettuce
arugala
parsnips
carrots
fennel
pink lady apples
fuyu persimmons
asian pears
crimson grapes
brussel sprouts

produce list for 11/16/10

2010-11-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

rosemary
bag of mushrooms trumpet, white alba, oyster
bag baby arugula
celery
red leaf butter lettuce
rainbow swiss chard
fennel
parsnips
bunched baby carrots
french fingerling potatoes
asian pears
pink lady apples
pomagranites
fugi apples

produce list for 11/07/10

2010-11-07T06:30:00.000-08:00

butternut squash
delicata squash
leeks
dinosaur kale
red bell peppers
black arkansas apples
fugi apples
pomegranates
fuyu persimmons
thompson seedless grapes
asian pears
lettuce
rutabagas
purple potatoes

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese

2010-11-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese 
Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3 as a main

3/4 cup black or green lentils
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash or sugar pumpkin (1-inch cubes) (from about a 2-pounds squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika*
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups baby arugula  
1 cup soft crumbled goat cheese 
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss squash or pumpkin cubes with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika and salt. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and roast 20 minutes. Flip pieces and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Cool.

Meanwhile, soak lentils for 10 minutes in a small bowl, then drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and cool.
Combine lentils, pumpkin, any oil you can scrape from the baking sheet with arugula, half of the goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper and extra vinegar, if desired. Divide among plates and spinkle with remaining goat cheese.

produce list for 11/1/10

2010-11-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

rainbow chard
red leaf lettuce
red bell peppers
mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes
fennel
purple carrots
red beets
spinach
shallots
french fingerling potatoes
white garlic
spanish onions
fugi apples
pink lady apples
pomagaranites
crimson grapes
sweet potatoes

how to seed a pomaganite

2010-10-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Slice off both ends so it will stand up steadily. Score the husk into quarters. Submerge fruit and break apart in a bowl of water. They will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Discard membrane.

produce list for 10/25/10

2010-10-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

ambrosia melons
butternut squash
zucchini
green onions
leeks
green oak lettuce
celery root
savoy spinach
red beets
jalepenos
margoram
thyme
emerald pluots
pomeganates
fuji apples
crimson grapes

pumkin soup with chipolte cream and toasted pumpkin seeds

2010-10-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 medium pumpkin, about 4 pounds
1 tablespoon butter
2 slices bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves chopped garlic
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 cup, for garnish
1/4 cup orange juice
Large pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whole leaves flat-leaf parsley, as a garnish
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
pumpkin seeds from pumpkin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Halve the pumpkin from top to bottom and scoop out seeds and place it, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkin can be easily skewered, 45 to 60 minutes. Cool for about 20 minutes. Place the washed pumpkin seeds on a baking tray and sprinkle with a good sea salt and bake in the oven while baking the pumpkin for about 20 minutes or until crunchy.

With a spoon, scrape the pulp and reserve. Discard the skin. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the bacon is just turning golden, about 7 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock and simmer until the pumpkin falls apart, about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
In batches, puree the soup in a blender on high speed, 3 minutes per batch, until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh into a clean soup pot and add the cream, orange juice and nutmeg.
Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, correct the consistency with additional water or stock. Chop 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper. Whip 1 cup cream to soft peak. Stir peppers into cream. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Spoon dollop of chipotle cream into soup. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds.

pumpkin ravioli with sage brown butter

2010-10-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

Serves 4 to 6.

1 3-pound sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon shallots, chopped
Pinch of nutmeg
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds store-bought fresh pasta sheets
1 tablespoon semolina flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon freshly chopped sage leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a work surface, cut pumpkin in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil evenly over insides of pumpkin halves; rub 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar into each. Roast, cut-side down, until pumpkin is easily pierced with a paring knife, about 1 hour. Let cool.
When cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh with a spoon. You'll need 1 1/2 cups of purée. Transfer flesh to a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth; wring excess liquid into a bowl. Place flesh in the bowl of a food processor, along with egg, Parmesan, ricotta, shallot, and a pinch of nutmeg; process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Lay 1 pasta sheet on work surface. Place 1 tablespoon filling every 3 inches. Brush water around filling. Place another sheet on top, pressing around filling to seal. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut each ravioli into a 3-by-3-inch square. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets and filling. Transfer ravioli to a parchment-lined baking sheet sprinkled with semolina; freeze for at least 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add ravioli; cook until it just floats, 3 to 4 minutes.
In a large sauté pan, melt butter over high heat. Add sage; cook until butter begins to brown and sizzle, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; whisk in balsamic. Using a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to pan, tossing to combine. Serve immediately with cheese, if desired.

produce list for 10/18/10

2010-10-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

butternut squash
collard greens
cilantro
pumpkins
ambrosia melons
red bell peppers
delicata squash
garlic
mixed carrots
padron peppers
red thumb potatoes
spanish onions
parsnips
emerald pluot
fugi apples
thompson seedless grapes
pomegranates

produce list for 10/11/10

2010-10-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

pumpkins
red mustard greens
market moore cucumber
patty pan squash
diakon radish
purple basil
butter nut
acorn squash
heirloom tomatoes
black kale
celery
red beets
jalepenos
shallots
butter romaine lettuce
purple carrots
mixed heirloom cherry tomaotes
autumn snow white peach
flavor fall pluot
emerald pluot
crimson grapes
zucchini

red curry sqash and leek soup

2010-10-04T07:53:00.000-07:00

Red Curry Squash and Leek Soup
Ingredients, Serves 6
1 red curry squash
3 large leeks
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 shallot section
4 cups low sodium chicken/vegetable stock + 2 cups water
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (white or black)
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and fill the bottom inch of an oven-safe dish with water. Place squash halves in the dish and bake for 40 minutes.
As the squash is roasting, slice leeks into thin discs and rinse thoroughly as to remove all sand and dirt. Sautee leeks in butter and olive oil along with the minced shallot and 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, over low heat for about 30 minutes.
Remove thyme sprigs from leek mixture and discard. Pull the squash from the oven, remove skin, and add to leek mixture. Add stock, a few cups of water, about 1-2 tsp salt, ground nutmeg, fresh pepper and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
In batches, blend the soup in food processor or blender until smooth. Serve warm, garnished with freshly diced chives or greek yogurt and a slice of toasted bread.

the larder

2010-10-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

the end of summer/begining of fall is a great time to stock up your larder. there is such an overabundance of produce at the farmers markets for really good prices. you can pickle, preserve and freeze some of summers goodness for cold (ish) winter. pickling and preserving is a lost are, but its making a bit of a comeback. with so many backyard gardeners and home cooks it is becoming more popular. preserving and pickling your own fruits and vegetables gives you the opportunity to come up with your own flavor combinations. you can use a general pickling recipe, and make up your own combos.
here are some herb and vegetable combinations that work well.

eggplant and oregano
zucchini and mint
peppers and thyme
mushrooms and rosemary
cucumbers and red chili and garlic
tomatoes and basil
fennel and their tops
onions and thyme
green beans and bay leaves

produce list for 10/04/10

2010-10-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

delicata squash
red curry squash
sugar pumpkin
zucchini
heirloom cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
red torpedo onions
red mustard greens
bok choy
rhonda nice squash
black beauty eggplant
autumn flame yellow peach
arctic snow white nectarine
flavor fall pluot
red flame grapes

the end of summer

2010-10-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

chris and myself out for the night

sunset in malibu

well, that was it. our so. cal. summer has come to an end. i will miss- heirloom tomatoes, all the beautiful fruit dinners in the backyard with good friends, sipping wine on the back porch with my man, nina running in the sprinklers naked, flip flops, the beach and being a little tan. what i won't miss-ants, black widows, the dogs chasing every creature that wanders though the backyard on a hot summer night, ice cream melting before i can eat it, summer clothes, being so hot i can't sleep and air conditioning.
i am so excited to turn my raised beds and add all of the compost from my chickens poop and the veggie scraps from the restaurant! lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower, leeks and raddichio. i cant wait to start making soups and stew and curries again.
its a special time at the farmers markets right now because there is a mix of late summer veggies and fall veggies. there is a soup that i love to make this time of year-butternut squash and roasted tomato. i will post the recipe. it freezes well too, so its a nice way to use your end of summer tomatoes, which see to just keep coming and coming. now is also a perfect time (if you can handle a hot and steamy kitchen in this heat) to make and freeze tomato sauce to use though out the fall and winter. you can also pickle your extra cucumbers, beans, fennel and onions-anything that tasted good pickled. save the jars for the middle of winter for a pickley treat!
all four of my chickens are now laying eggs. they all lay brown eggs. i thought they were blue egg layers, but i guess not. it is really an amazing feeling walking down to the coop in the morning and getting the eggs and going back up and making scrambled eggs with toast and butter.
we are becoming more and more sustainable here at our house. we are now making enough compost for our gardens. this was a tough feat, because i use almost all of the veggie scraps from the restaurant, and all of the leaves that the trees shed in the yard as well as the chicken poop. i have finally figured out the right recipe. i poke around in the compost, watch the chickens rummage through it, and sometime just sit and stare at it with a cup of coffee. yes, it sounds a bit strange, but i have never had such a successful compost heap in my life. im very proud. here are some random photos from this summer.

nina and sammy, morning cuddles

a painting by my friends grandmother

popeye

cloth bought in little india

lucille

morning eggs

patio

sammy

squash blossoms

produce list for 9/27/10

2010-09-26T12:13:00.000-07:00

heirloom tomatoes
heirloom cherry tomatoes
strawberries
zucchini
cucumbers
red torpedo onions
red bell peppers
watermelon
black beauty eggplant
yellow squash
purple basil
fingerling potatoes
sweet september yellow peach
arctic snow white nectarine
october sun pluot
red flame grape
figs

please refrigerate everything in this weather so it stays good longer.

Suggested Dinner Menu Plan for the Week Using Your Produce

2010-09-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here is a suggested menu plan that I came up with using this weeks box of produce.

Lentil and Herb Stuffed Red Peppers with a Red Butter Lettuce and Strawberry Salad

Pasta with an Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sauce

Baked White Fish Marinated with Olive Oil, Balsamic, Oregano, Cherry Tomatoes served with a Lemon Cucumber and Feta Salad
Chicken and Pablano Chili Enchiladas served with Tomato and Onion Salad in a Pomegranate Dressing
Cous Cous topped with Curried Zucchini, Tomatoes, Onions, and Potatoes with a Cucumber Yogurt
Beef Ribs with a Honey Plum Barbecue Sauce and Corn on the Cob
Pork Loin with Roasted Grapes

produce list for 9/13/10

2010-09-11T09:08:00.000-07:00

Bi Color Corn
Heirloom Tomatoes
Lemon Cucumbers
Red Butter Lettuce
Pablano Chilis
Margoram and Thyme Bundle
Sweet Onions
Japanese Tomatoes
Zucchini
Straight Eight Cucumbers
Red Bell Peppers
Strawberries
Red Flame Grapes
Summer Flame Yellow Peach
October Sun Pluot
Elephant Heart Plum

produce list for 9/6/10

2010-09-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

strawberries
black cat plums
flavor rich pluots
summer flame peaches
red flame grapes
zucchini and assorted summer squash
red onions
watermelon
heirloom cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
cucumbers
purple basil
red bell peppers
eggplant

produce list for 8/23/10

2010-08-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

yellow wax beans
margoram and thyme
red butter lettuce
jalepenos
lemon cucumbers
leek
heirloom tomatoes
cherry tomato heilooms
cucumbers
zucchini
strawberries
bi colored corn
oh henry yellow peach
flavor rich pluot
flavor queen pluot
figs
grapes

Summer Succotash Salad

2010-08-16T11:35:00.000-07:00

I make this salad on nights when we will be grilling outdoors. That way you can grill the onions and the corn without having to take an extra step. I serve this salad as a side or scoop it onto a plate and top it with grilled chicken or fish. It is also wonderful on top of a big, fat juicy rib eye steak!

Summer Succotash Salad

1/2 small red onion, cut into 1 inch rings
1 cup cooked pink eyed or black eyed peas
2 heirloom tomatoes cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 ears corn in husks
1/2 small shallot, finely minced
6 purple basil leaves-hand torn
4 sprigs of dill-roughly chopped
1/8 cup chopped chives
1 tbs sherry vinegar
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
sea sald and pepper to taste

Prepare hot grill. Grill onion slice and corn with the husks on. Red onions are done when they are charred on both sides. Take the husks off the corn after they have been on the grill for 10 minutes. Finish them on the grill so they are a bit charred. Let onions and corn cool, and the cut onions into 1/4 inch dice and cut the kernels off the cobs.

Shaved Zucchini and Pine Nut Salad

2010-08-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 pounds medium zucchini, trimmed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Small wedge of Parmesan cheese

Whisk oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper in small bowl to blend. Set dressing aside.
Using vegetable peeler or V-slicer and working from top to bottom of each zucchini, slice zucchini into ribbons (about 1/16 inch thick). Place ribbons in large bowl. Add basil and nuts, then dressing; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using vegetable peeler, shave strips from Parmesan wedge over salad.

produce list for 8/16/10

2010-08-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

bi color corn
zucchini
cucumbers
leeks
garlic
cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
strawberries
butternut squash
purple basil
melons
padron peppers
ozette potatoes
mixed heirloom eggplant
sierra sweet onions
dapple dandy pluots
flavor rich pluots
o’ henry yellow peaches
red flame grapes

She Is A He

2010-08-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

Harriet was always bigger than the other girls. She was the leader of the pack. She was bossy, bitchy and the first one to come up to us when we went into the run. The other day she let out something that sounded like "woo woo". Chris ran into the house and said "did you here that? I think Harriet cock a doodle doo'd." "Really? Are you sure?" Sure enough, the next morning about 8:00 she let out a louder and more pronounced yell. Our initial thoughts were we would possibly keep "her" because she wasn't that loud, and it wasn't that early when she crowed. Through out the week the yells got earlier and louder! It was almost comical. She was definitely a he. I made phone calls to the farmers that we buy produce from to see if anybody was interested in a Bantam Silky rooster. Sure enough, Tutti Frutti Organic Farms knew a farm down the street from them that raised Bantams for their eggs. Harry got packed up into a box, taken to the farm and now lives happily ever after in a house full of hens.

produce list for 8/9

2010-08-08T14:29:00.001-07:00

pablono peppers
calico corn
straight eight cucumbers
heirloom tomatoes
heirloom cherry tomatoes
elephant garlic
purple basil
mixed carrots
melon
chianti red onions
mixed eggplants
summer fire yellow nectarine
dapple dandy pluot
red flame grapes

plum sorbet

2010-08-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

1-1/2 pounds black plums (about 5), pitted and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons kirsch

In a saucepan combine the plums, the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the plums are soft.
While the plums are cooking, in a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water, cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, stir in the kirsch. In a blender or food processor purée the plums with the kirsch syrup. Strain the purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, let it cool, and freeze it in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions.

produce list for 8/2

2010-08-03T10:55:00.001-07:00

heirloom cherry tomatoes
heirloom tomatoes
leeks
elephant garlic
green beans
mixed mushrooms
bay leaves
lemon verbena
market moore cucumber
ronde nice squash
zucchini
purple basil
red flame grapes
mellow yellow pluots-must be refrigerated
dapple dandy pluots
owen t. plums
blue kale
patty squash
black beauty eggplant
melon