Butternut Squash with Onions & Pecans

Thanks to CSA member Nicole for sharing this link to a great recipe from allrecipes.com. She served this at Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit!
1 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 1/4 pounds butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Place pecans on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over low heat; add onion, and saute until very tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in squash, and cover. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender but still holds its shape, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in half the pecans and half the parsley. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and parsley to serve.

Easy Italian Kale, Olive & Sundried Tomato Saute

I just made this and thought I'd share since it's so simple and uses three of the veggies in your share this week.
Kale, Red Russian or Lacinato (aka Toscano, Dinosaur)
Bull's Blood Beet Greens
Green Garlic
Sundried Tomatoes (in olive oil, if dried then soak first)
Cured Kalamata Olives in olive oil
Pine Nuts
Olive Oil or Walnut Oil (or water)
Unrefined Sea Salt (like Celtic)
Heat oil in saute pan. Chop kale and beet greens into bite size pieces. Chop green garlic and add to greens into saute pan with sea salt and saute until wilted (if necessary add a little water to tenderize). Toss with sliced sundried tomatoes, pine nuts & olives. Great alone as side dish or served with a high protein grain called quinoa (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142.

Ayurvedic Mung Dhal Soup with Greens & Daikon Radish

1 cup mung dhal (split hulled mung beans)
1 cup white daikon radish, peeled, washed and diced into 1/2" cubes
1 cup chopped fresh greens, daikon leaves, turnip greens, spinach, kale or other
1/2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into juliennes
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon spice mix, your choice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
Rock salt to taste
Wash and drain the mung beans and allow them to dry out some. In a large pot, dry roast the mung beans, stirring constantly, for about 6-8 minutes. Add enough water to cook the beans, bring to a boil and cook until the beans are soft. Skim off any foam that collects on the water. When the beans are cooked, add as much water as you need to get the soup to the desired consistency--this soup can be enjoyed as a thick puree or as a thin liquid, whichever you prefer. Meanwhile steam the daikon until tender-crisp; then add to the cooked dhal along with the spinach, ginger, salt, lemon juice and spice mix. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
In another pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds when the ghee is hot and clear. Sauté the cumin seeds to release the flavor and aroma; then pour the ghee-spice mixture on the hot dhal. (Watch out, this sizzles). Stir, garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot either on its own or with boiled Basmati rice.

Pan Fried Daikon Medallions

Slice the daikon into 1/2 inch medallions. Heat a large frying pan to medium and add a little bit of sesame oil, just enough to cover the surface. Just before the oil starts to smoke, arrange the daikon slices in a single layer on the surface of the pan. Fry until they start to smoke slightly. The cooked surface should have dark brown marks, but not black. Flip'em. Wait for them to smoke slightly again. Remove from pan, and arrange on a paper towel to soak up a little oil (shouldn't be much). Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with a little salt.

Daikon Radish Pickles

1 1/2 cups chopped daikon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

In a mixing bowl, toss daikon with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until 1 to 2 tablespoons of water is released, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse daikon, removing as much salt as possible. Pat dry with a paper towel, and return to bowl. Stir in rice vinegar, black pepper and, if desired, sesame oil. Cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Daikon Salad

Julienne daikon into strips and soak in water for 30 minutes or longer to remove the bitterness. Then you add your favorite dressing for a salad.

Daikon Fritters

Shred roots on grater. Mix with beaten egg, flour, salt and pepper. Drop and flatten out a dollop into hot oil and turn once while browning both sides.

Raw Vegan Squash Pie

Recipe shared by CSA member Sherri Collins, raw food classes in the West Valley http://www.rawdazzle.com/ . Thank you Sherri!
Recipe originally from Living on Live Food, Alissa Cohen
Crust:

• 2 cups almonds
• 1/3 – ½ cup dates, pitted and soaked

Filling:

• 2 cups shredded butternut squash
• 1 cup dates
• ½ cup almonds (soaked) or sunflower seeds
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ cup
• water

Crust Preparation: Add all ingredients and blend until smooth. Pat down into a pie plate

For Filling: Mix shredded pumpkin or squash in a food processor for several minutes. Add other ingredients and blend until smooth. Place filling on top of pie crust. Best served chilled.

Butter Braised Turnips

adapted from "How To Cook Everything"

• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 Tbsp olive or other neutral oil
• 1 pound baby turnips, more or less, with the greens trimmed off (if the turnips you're dealing with are a little larger, cut them into quarters)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup white wine or broth
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
  Combine the butter and oil in a medium to large skillet that can later be covered; turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts, add the turnips and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, just a minute or two longer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, stir, and cover. Turn the heat to low and cook until the turnips are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the turnips are glazed and the liquid is syrupy, another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish, and serve.
  Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

Raw Kale Salad

• 1 large bunch Kale finely chopped
• 2 carrots shredded pint of grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup soaked pinenuts
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes soaked and chopped into bitty pieces
• 1 red onion cut into thin rings
• raw black olives
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil sea salt
• few dashes of Bragg's liquid aminos
  Mix all ingredients...set in fridge overnight. Enjoy the next day!!!

Wilted Kale Salad with Cranberries

If you’ve never had a raw kale salad, let me assure you that it does not taste like plain raw kale. A raw kale salad requires you to wilt the leaves so it takes on a milder taste that is easier on your digestion.

• 1 bunch of raw kale
• 1 t sea salt (unrefined Celtic or grey salt is best) give or take
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (other oils will work, but I like coconut because of the sweetness)
• 1 handful of raw cranberries (soaked in oil for a couple minutes to soften them up)
• 1 handful of raw pinenuts (or silvered almonds)

Chop the leaves so they are the right size to fit in your mouth. Place the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt so that the leaves are lightly coated. Now is the fun part. Press the leaves down and start to kneed them like you would do to bread. Pick them up and squeeze them to facilitate the process. After a couple minutes you will notice them turning a darker green color and taking on a slightly cooked texture. Once that happens you are ready to toss in the rest of the ingredients. If the coconut oil is hard, you may need to warm it up a bit by dipping the jar in hot water. Taste the salad and add more salt if needed. You’re salad should have a lightly salted but mostly sweet taste to it.

Red Russian Kale with Cranberries

• large bunche kale, any
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  Steam the kale until it is bright green. Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet, toast the pine nuts. Allow kale and pine nuts five minutes to cool, then toss together in a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and olive oil. Toss and serve

Butternut Squash Pie

For the filling:

• 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unrefined sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups roasted squash purée, packed (see below)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  Ccombine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in food processor, and process until smooth. Add squash purée, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine. Scrape filling into hot prebaked pie shell, and bake on pizza stone until filling is set 2/3 in from perimeter and center still jiggles, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream, candied squash and ginger relish if desired. Serve.

Squash Puree, Yields 3 cups

• 2 3 1/2- to 4-pound butternut squashes, scrubbed
• Grapeseed oil spray

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-by-15-inch rimmed sheetpan with aluminum foil, and spray with grapeseed oil. Trim off stem end, then cut through squashes horizontally where bulb begins. Reserve bulb for another use. Cut squash necks in two lengthwise. Slice into 1-inch sections and arrange on sheet pan. Bake, turning occasionally, until squash is tender and beginning to caramelize, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly, trim skin away with paring knife, and force flesh through food mill. Use immediately in pie or place in plastic container with lid, and refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Gourmet

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diced onion
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced celery
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced carrot
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• About 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, optional
• 1 1/2 cups Roasted Winter Squash recipe (below)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, optional
  To serve:
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, optional
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable broth and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.) Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Roasted Winter Squash:

• About 3 pounds butternut squash (preferably 1 large squash)
• Gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses
• 2 teaspoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows
  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown, pull the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage, sugar, vinegar (stand back so as not to get splattered), molasses and toasted spice rub. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well, then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny. Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
  Serving suggestions: Serve the puree on its own as a side dish for roast chicken, turkey, or pork; stir into polenta just before the end of cooking; use as a stuffing for ravioli; make into a soup; or use to flavor pastina. Or omit the sage, season with ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste, and use as a substitute for canned pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe. Yield: about 2 cups puree

Toasted Spice Rub:

• 1/4 cup fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup (1-ounce) pure California chili powder
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put mixture into a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze. Chef's notes: Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor. Taste your chili powder before adding and, if spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chilies are almost sweet, not hot.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash Gratin

• 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 cup organic quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. shallots
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 slice Italian bread
• salt and pepper to taste
  Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  If using pre-cut butternut squash, pierce the package a few times with a fork and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until squash is soft and tender. If using a whole squash, peel and cube it, then put in a ziploc plastic bag and seal. Then pierce a few times with a fork and microwave as directed above. Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve thoroughly (about 5 minutes) until water runs clear. This is very important, as quinoa has a bitter protective coating that can linger even after processing. Transfer squash and quinoa to a large (2 or 3-quart) pot. Add water and salt to pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa blooms into little spirals. Remove from heat and let rest.

from: http://healthycooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/quinoa_and_butternut_squash_gratin#ixzz0XoSUN1Im

Unripe Melon Pickles

firm, but not fully ripe cantaloupes or honeydew melon, about 2 pounds each
1 quart cold water
4 tablespoons salt
11/2 cups cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
3 sticks cinnamon, 2 inches long
1 tablespoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
21/2 cups boiling water
Halve the cantaloupes. Remove seeds, peel and cut into 1-inch squares. Mix cold water and salt. Pour over melon and allow to stand for 3 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices with boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cantaloupe with slotted spoon. Boil the syrup for 10 minutes. Add melon and simmer 40 to 50 minutes or until melon is transparent. Pour mixture into hot, boiled pint jars with 2-piece screw tops, filling to within 1/8-inch of top. Wipe rims of jars carefully and cover with lids. Put on screw bands and tighten as much as possible. Place jars in a large kettle and add enough boiling water to cover jars by 1 inch Boil 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes 4 pints. This recipe may be doubled.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and “Let’s Talk Food.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Also available for sale is a 4-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” For comments and information regarding today’s column, contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com

Cantaloupe with Black Pepper, Oil, & Vinegar

Recipe from the cookbook The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne says, "A melon salad is not a typical opening to a meal in Italy. I certainly didn't expect it when I Stayed at Le Frise, a guest farm in the mountains of northern Lombardy. . . Emma dresses chunks of melon with black pepper, vinegar and olive oil. She presents the melon on a bed of pale green curly endive and snips dark green chives over the salad at the last moment. Few things taste better with fresh goat cheese."

Half of a 2 1/2 to 3 pound ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed
Several pale green leaves from the center of a head of curly endive or other salad greens
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives or scallion tops
With a melon baller, scoop out 1-inch balls from the melon and place into a medium bowl. Line an 8-inch white serving plate with the endive greens.
Sprinkle the melon with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss with the olive oil, then the wine vinegar. Spoon onto greens, scatter the chives over the melon, and serve.

Herbed Baby Beets with Greens

bunch tiny beets
2 Tbs. oil
1 lemon juice only
1 green onion chopped
1/2 tsp. dill weed
Sea salt to taste
Wash beets and leaves and remove any inedible portion. Heat oil, lemon juice, onion, and herbs in a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. Add beets with leaves attached, and steam over medium heat. Check after 5 minutes, adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent burning. Cook a few minutes more, until beets are fork tender.
from http://www.wheelerbrookfarm.com/beets.html

Broccoli Leaves Recipes

These from Southshore Organics

Sauteed Broccoli Leaves
contributed by mahea hisgen
5 broccoli leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
3-4 T olive oil
pasta
Prepare pasta according to directions on package. Wash broccoli leaves and pat dry with paper towel. Remove stems from leaves and slice into strips. Sautee leaves with garlic and onions in olive oil. Toss with your choice of pasta and salt as desired.

Pureed Spinach and Broccoli Leaves
contributed by mahea hisgen
1/2 lb spinach
1/2 lb broccoli leaves
1/2 small onion, chopped
ginger, minced
3 T ghee (clarified butter), regular butter would work as well
Kauai sea salt to taste
turmeric, grated or turmeric powder
cumin
ground coriander
Puree the spinach with water and put in bowl. Puree broccoli leaves and put in same bowl. Fry the onion and ginger in the ghee or butter, adding salt, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Add purees to mixture one cup at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes on moderate heat. Turn heat down as low as possible and simmer for about 15 minutes or until almost dry.

Steamed Broccoli Leaves
contributed by alys martin
Wash broccoli leaves and remove stems. Lightly steam leaves until tender. Toss with butter or olive oil and sea salt.
We love these with pasta and tomatoes and parmesan!

Tightly Rolled Broccoli Leaves
contributed by laura king
1 lb broccoli leaves
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion (fine)
2 minced garlic cloves
vegetable broth
salt to taste
hot pepper to taste
Remove stems from broccoli greens. Wash and dry with paper towel. Stack 4-5 leaves together and roll up tightly. Cut across rolled greens, slicing thinly. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Saute garlic and onion in Dutch oven. Add broccoli greens and cook for 20 minutes or so, stirring frequently. Add additional broth if greens become dry. Add salt, peppers, cook 2 minutes.

ALL ABOUT RADISHES

• Visit this link for radish and radish tops recipes, preparation tips and nutritional info:
  http://www.greenearthinstitute.org/radishes.htm#Radish%20Recipe%20Tips
• Stir Fried Radish Tops & Greens Recipe: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/recipe-for-spicy-stir-fried-radish.html
• Radish Basil Pesto Sauce: http://low-carb-cooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/radish_basil_pesto_recipe