As I mentioned when I first reported on our Week 4 haul, I took less than half of the produce because we were traveling to Pittsburgh for the wedding of my good friend, Sarah. The bride was exquisite, and all of her careful planning resulted in a fabulous weekend, including delectable brownie truffles in the hotel gift bag and tea sandwiches for the bridal party that were the perfect pre-ceremony lunch.
Davy and I started our trip to Pittsburgh with regular-sized sandwiches I made at home. They utilized the remaining arugula, along with some Idiazabel cheese and Hungarian salami my grandma had given us.
Prior to leaving Richmond, I finished up the kale, tuna, and white bean salad, and we made hoisin turkey burgers for dinner on Wednesday night. I had high hopes for the burgers, and while they were flavorful, they didn't stay together well on the grill, and we didn't end up eating the second round of them. Luckily, the grilled carrots, squash and broccoli turned out well (we just tossed them with olive oil and seasoning), and were a refreshing afternoon snack the following day.
I was on my own Sunday evening, and seized the opportunity to eat pasta with pesto. In addition, I made what has been my go-to salad for the past few weeks: lettuce, edamame, sunflower seeds, and Asian sesame dressing. It's simple, summery, and has a blend of textures and tastes that's been very appealing lately.
For once I'd had the foresight to prep the chard I wasn't going to use right away, and sauteed it with garlic halfway through the week. On Monday night, I chopped it and added it to risotto with spicy turkey sausage. The onion, pictured below, is also from our CSA, and it formed a great base for the dish. I neglected to take any photos of the finished product, but the risotto turned out beautifully.
My forgetfulness can probably be blamed on the extended recovery that was required after celebrating the union of two wonderful people. Congratulations, Sarah and Thomas!
Tonight is the beginning of the second round of produce, and I'm in surprisingly good shape considering the pounds of greens we got last week. I gave our radishes, bok choy, some broccoli rabe, and about half of our lettuce mix to my parents.
The highlight of last week, for me, was the container of beautiful strawberries we got in our share. We polished them off in just a couple days, and I put them in a salad for lunch one day. They added a welcome burst of flavor to the lettuce. The salad also included a medium-boiled egg, my first ever homemade, which came from one of my co-worker's chickens.
I've stressed this before, but fresh eggs taste so much better than grocery store eggs, especially if you're eating them on their own.
We had a large bunch of Asian greens, and I'm not sure what all of them were, but they were pretty.
I chopped them and Davy sauteed them with garlic and sesame chili oil. We sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on them after they'd wilted down.
Davy was having a rough week, so I decided to make one of his favorite Chinese take out meals to go with the greens, which is sweet and sour chicken. I used a recipe I found on How Sweet It Is, and it turned out very well. The chicken is crisp, tangy, and not greasy at all. We served the chicken over rice, and the recipe mentions making extra sauce, but we had the right amount. Next time I would consider adding some chili flakes to the sauce, or even some sriracha for a little kick.
before the sauce
finished product
The gigantic bunch of broccoli rabe was taunting me every time I opened the fridge, and on Thursday I decided to put it to good use. It's hard to tell from the picture, but this is an overwhelming mound of greens.
Mimicking one of the best pastas from Mamma Zu, I browned sausage without the casing (a spicy chicken and red wine variety from Trader Joe's) and blanched the broccoli rabe.
Once the sausage was ready, I added the greens, garlic, and rosemary, and let the broccoli rabe cook a little. Once it was warmed, I threw in cooked pasta - about half a pound of cavatappi - and stirred in tomato sauce and about a half cup of ricotta. Luckily I really enjoyed the pasta, because I ended up eating it three more times. It's a pleasant blend of flavors and textures; the ricotta makes it slightly creamy, the greens add a slight edge, and the sausage is spicy and savory.
When I went to Trader Joe's, I also purchased shelled pistachio pieces and their Light Champagne Vinaigrette in anticipation of a few weeks of salads. On Friday I used them with the salad mix, and they worked well together, not to mention they added some variety to my boring routine.
I wanted to change the normal sauteed kale routine, too, by making kale chips. I think I baked the pieces for too long, because they came out more brown than green, and the taste reminded me of pumpkin seeds. They were also very unattractive. Kale chips may have to be conquered this week, or the next time we get a bunch of kale.
On Monday, the only veggies left were the garlic scallions, peas, and kale. I'm not usually into peas, but I figured that these had to be better than what I'm used to since they're in season. I shelled them and dropped them in boiling water for about five minutes.
While they were in the pot, I toasted four thin slices of bread and sliced a hard-boiled egg. I spread a thin layer of pesto on the bread, followed by a layer of ricotta cheese. When the peas were done, I drained them, rinsed them in cold water, and pressed them into the ricotta. I topped everything on the plate with pepper and lemon juice, and admired my work. The meal was relatively simple to put together, and light but filling. It would be great for a hot night when cooking isn't very appealing, or if you needed something quick and healthy.
There aren't going to be any strawberries in Week 2 because of all of the rain and we still have some sauteed kale to finish in the fridge, but I'm eager to see what this week brings.
