Check out this article by Leslie Cole of the Oregonian about author Janet Fletcher’s new cookbook “Eating Local.” Janet had great things to say about CSA’s and the recipes included in the interview look terrific!

This is simple, fast and fabulous! We learned it from our friends at the Busy Corner Restaurant. They’re sadly out of business now, but the memory lives on with this dish.  The only trick is to start with the best ingredients you can find…

Farm fresh eggs
1 bunch of arugula
olive oil
smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste
Toasted buttered baguette on the side

Toss arugula with olive oil, salt & pepper and separate into individual bowls. Poach 2 eggs per person. Turn poached eggs on to top of arugula salad. Add a dash of paprika & serve with toast on the side.

This easy & versatile salad is loosely based on a recipe from the Fields of Greens cookbook. It can be made in advance and served warm, room temp or chilled. I make it for the farm lunch whenever we have lots of choi or napa cabbage. Works great on a picnic too.

16 oz buckwheat soba noodles

2-4 heads choi or napa cabbage, chopped

1/4-1/2 lb shitake mushrooms, sliced

1-2 jalapeno, chopped (add seeds too if you want more heat)

2T fresh ginger, grated

lots of garlic, green garlic, scapes or spring onions, diced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1T sesame seeds, toasted

2T peanut oil

2T mirin (sweet cooking sake)

2T dark sesame oil

3T soy sauce

Cook noodles. When the noodles are done make sure to drain them really well then put them in a big bowl. Add sesame oil & soy sauce to coat the noodles so they don’t stick together as they cool. Saute napa/choi including thick white stems in peanut oil. Add them to noodles. Saute mushrooms in peanut oil until tender, then add jalapeno, ginger & onion/garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Add these to noodles and toss cilantro & sesame seeds in too. Stir well. Check again for seasonings just before serving.

Now that the weather has gone back to winter?! my meals have reverted back to comfort food. Made some potato leek soup last night and it hit the spot. Served it with kale salad to satisfy my continuous cravings for greens.

Potato Leek Soup

1 to 1 1/2lbs potatoes, peeled and cut in half or quarters

3-4 leeks, white part thinly sliced. 

1/2 cup milk and/or cream

3T butter and/or olive oil

water or stock

salt and/or pepper

chives, thyme and/or parsley

Boil potatoes until tender. Save 2-3 cups of cooking water for soup. Mash the potatoes until smooth or put them through a ricer (use the finest screen on the ricer if you do it that way). Do not put potatoes in the food processor because they will be come gluey. Saute sliced leeks until tender and just starting to carmelize. Deglaze the leek pan with some white wine and puree it all in the food processor. Add pureed leeks to potato mash. Add milk and/or cream. Add potato cooking water or stock until the soup is the proper consistency – I like mine pretty thick. Put the soup back on the stove and reheat. Add salt & pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and enjoy!

If you are feeling overwhelmed with winter greens try this great idea for pesto from Katherine Deumling at her new blog Cook With What You Have…

Thought some of you might like this article about New York Chef Dan Barber. It includes 2 fabulous recipes  - one for kale salad that I like almost as much as my current favorite Tuscan with Pecorino (and lot of garlic & lemon). Both kale salad recipes call for Tuscan kale, but I actually prefer our Winterbor kale in them. Or try Redbor for a splash of color. They can both be made in advance and taste even better the next day. The other recipe in the article is for Creamy Rice with Parsnip Puree. Yum!

Wondering what to do with all that luscious and lovely basil in your basket? How about whipping up a batch of fresh pesto. Not only does it taste wonderful on everything it touches but it freezes beautifully. Just spoon any leftovers into ice cube trays. Freeze until firm, then seal tightly in a sip lock bag. Your pesto should stay nice and tasty for up to six months.

Enjoy!

Homemade Pesto
From the kitchen of Chef Tse

Makes about 1 cup

4 cups basil, packed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are well chopped. With processor running, slowly pour in oil until desired consistency is reached. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta, tossed with fresh vegetables, in vinaigrette or spread on toasted baguette slices.

About two cups of fresh corn cut off the cob

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) minced shallots or onion

About a pint of cherry tomatoes, whole

A few tablespoons of cooking oil

Salt and herbs to taste (Bittman’s recipe calls for tarragon; I used herbs de Provence; use your favorite.)

Sauté shallots or onions in oil about a minute

Add corn and tomatoes and continue to sauté over fairly high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring or shaking frequently

Season and serve

Variations:

I haven’t tried this yet, but grill corn on the cob first and then cut corn off the cob and proceed as above.

Consider adding small amount of red pepper flakes or minced chiles

It’s hard not to eat the carrots raw that we’ve been getting in our share. They’re so tender and sweet that I often eat a few on my way home from the farm. They also take prominent roles in fresh salads and quick stir-fries.

But if you want to try something new, check out my recipe for Carrot and Ginger Soup below. Not only is it healthy because there’s no cream, but it has a secret ingredient – orange juice. The acidity in the juice brightens the carrot flavor but doesn’t make the soup sweet. If it’s just way too hot to eat a warm soup, refrigerate it and serve it cold. Or you can even freeze it for up to 3 months.

Enjoy!

Carrot and Ginger Soup
From the kitchen of Chef Tse

Serves 6

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
4 cups or more chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup peeled minced ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
6 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and ginger and sauté until transparent. Add chicken stock and carrots. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Working in small batches, puree soup in a blender. Return soup to pot and set over medium heat. Add orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Thin with a little more chicken stock if soup is too thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into six bowls and top with yogurt or sour cream (or even crème fraîche if you’re feeling indulgent). Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and serve.

In “A Passion for Piedmont,” Matt Kramer uses a similar salsa verde for a wonderful anchovy appetizer.  However, the sauce is wonderful on its own with tomatoes, eggs, pasta, or whatever. – David Culpepper

1 small bunch of Italian (flat leaf) parsley, stems removed

2 to 4 cloves of garlic

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ teaspoon to a full teaspoon red pepper flakes

Mince (do not puree) parsley and garlic in food processor

Add oil, vinegar, and pepper flakes and process a few seconds to combine.