Komatsuna with Miso Sauce

This year's Lancaster Farm Fresh csa started up last week.  Did a great strawberry rhubarb crisp, alas forgot to take pictures.  Also forgot to take pictures of the Komatsuna with Miso sauce, but it was terrific.

Zucchini Muffin Recipe

So many zucchini from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA I don't know quite what to do with it all.  Found a spiced muffin recipe we liked to use a zucchini.  The boy even likes them.











Zucchini Muffin Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• small bit of grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground clove
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 grated zucchini

In a mixer, combine eggs, sugar, oil and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.   Fold in the zucchini if you like it chunky, otherwise add it with the dry ingredients if you like it smooth.

Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 F, done when testing with a toothpick in center comes out clean.

Having some lemon basil from Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA leftover from the pesto recipe decided to try my hand at basil ice cream.  Turned out pretty well, but not as green hued as I thought it would be.

Lemon Basil Ice Cream Recipe

• 1 cup lemon basil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks

In a double boiler, bring the milk, cream, sugar and basil to high heat (170 degrees F) for ten to fifteen minutes to steep the flavor of the basil in the milk.  You can either blend in the basil, with a hand blender, or not depending on how strong a flavor you like.  Whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks to temper, and then whisk the yolks into the milk.  Cook at 170 degrees F for three minutes or until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Strain into a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap directly on the liquid to keep a skin from forming while you chill in the fridge for four to six hours.  

Strain while pouring into the ice cream maker.  I like to run it in my ice cream maker for thirty to thirty five minutes and eat right away.  You can let it set in the freezer if you like it firmer before eating.

2 Day Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

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2 Day Pickles

A bunch of pickling cucumbers arrived from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA.  Taking a look at some of the pickle recipes, canning and waiting two weeks for pickles sounded like too much work and wait.  So I thought I'd try my own two day recipe, and it turned out much better than I thought, with no cooking.

Two Day Pickle Recipe

For the pickling mixture:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp whole allspice
• 2 tbsp dill
• 2 tbsp mustard seed
• Add up to 1/2 cup water to cover pickles

Quarter the cucumbers and add to the pickling mixture.  Keep in the refrigerator, but don't taste them until at least two days have passed, preferably three or four because they might taste a little bitter.  

Lemon Basil Pesto stuffed Tomato Recipe

Lemon Basil Pesto stuffed tomatoes

Got a bunch of great Lemon Basil from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.  Usually I use pesto from a jar, but there was a lot of the lemon basil so I made a pesto, mixed it with orzo and fontina cheese and stuffed some tomatoes.

Lemon Basil Pesto Stuffed Tomato recipe

• 2 cups lemon basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup cubed fontina cheese
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 4 ripe tomatoes

Cook the orzo following directions, approximately seven or eight minutes.

While cooking, make the pesto, pulse the basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in the food processor six times.  Turn it on and pour in the olive oil until finely chopped and creamy.   Set aside.

Cut a hole in the top of the tomatoes and use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the inside of the tomatoes. 

When the orzo is done, mix together the orzo, pesto and cubed cheese.  Spoon the orzo into the tomatoes, drizzle the top with olive oil, and place remaining orzo and tomatoes covered in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes to chill.   Serve chilled tomatoes on reserved orzo.

Vegetarian Korean BBQ Tofu

I'm not Korean, and Korean BBQ is traditionally done with meat - so a slightly different take is to use tofu or mushrooms.  I prefer tofu, because I think it marinades better.  I don't think the K-BBQ marinade usually has ginger, but I like ginger on my tofu so I add it anyway.  Here's a way to use those scallions (instead of the traditional white onion) and red leaf lettuce, or romaine lettuce.

Vegetarian Korean BBQ Recipe

To make the marinade chop up finely with a knife, or in a food processor:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 scallions
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• small stub of ginger (optional)

Slice a block of extra firm tofu into 1/4-1/2 inch slabs, coat with marinade and store in either a shallow bowl or ziplock bag for up to 24 hours.  Make an extra portion of the marinade to serve alongside the tofu after cooking.

Wash and clean your red or romaine lettuce, keeping as much of the leaves as intact as possible.  You will use these as a "taco shell".

For your accompaniments you will want to steam up:

• rice
• julienned carrots
• julienned radish
• julienned zucchini
• kimchi, or a quick-pickled cabbage does well for us
• julienned pickled cucumber (1tbsp rice vinegar, 1tsp sugar, garlic) 

Heat your grill to medium low, otherwise I find the tofu sticks to the grates and breaks up.  I use a misto to oil the grates when I place them on and also the first turning so they don't stick.   With the lower heat, to get some char on the tofu you might have to leave it on 4-6 minutes a side for three or four flips.  

To eat, take a lettuce leaf, a spoonful of rice, a few vegetables, a tofu, and a splash of the marinade or other spicy hot sauce.   Repeat. 

Baked Kale Chips

We've made these baked kale chips a few times.  I think they are better the closer they get to igniting into flame in the oven - gives them a nice smokey taste.

Baked Kale Chip Recipe

• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped into 1-2 inch bites
• 2 tsp olive oil
• sea salt to taste
• chipotle powder (optional)

Heat oven to 375 F.  Wash and dry the kale.  With your hands put as little oil as possible on the kale to coat, and then lay out on baking sheets.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  If you are looking for a little extra kick, also sprinkle with chipotle powder.  Put sheets in oven and toss kale every 5 minutes in the oven.  When they feel dry and sound like dry leaves they are probably done.  Watch for smoke after 15-20 minutes, because they might catch fire if left in the oven too long.