Local Box, 04.22.2009

Mmmm… Strawberries that really SMELL like strawberries! I tried to buy some at the grocery store recently, but they had no odor, so I passed. I can’t wait to taste these heavenly scented fruits!

The garlic scapes look like fun, but I’m not sure what I’ll do with them yet. How do you plan to use them?

Finally, cabbage + 90-degree weather = coleslaw, don’t you think? Looking forward to the first slaw of summer this week.

How do you plan to eat out of your Local Box this week?

Beet Salad

We found the most beautiful big, round, ruby-red beets in our Local Box last week. For dinner one evening, we roasted them, mixed with chopped Local Box onion and orange wedges, then tossed with a vinaigrette made from olive oil and fresh-squeezed orange juice. We added small handfuls of feta and almonds for protein, toasted some bread cubes, and called it dinner.

How did you eat your Local Box beets this week?

Local Box Lookout, week of 04.20.2009

Here’s what to expect in this week’s Local Box:

• Swiss chard
• cabbage
• herbs
• mushrooms
• spring onion
• garlic scapes
• carrots
• zucchini
• turnips
• berries

Local Box, 04.15.2009

Mmmm… a beautiful selection of bases (beets, zucchini, kohlrabi) and aromatics (oranges, onions, radishes) to choose from as we nourish our tax-sapped selves this week! I’m looking forward to a salad of roasted beets and orange wedges – and perhaps some radish slices, too. What have you got planned for this week’s Local Box?

Local Box Lookout, week of 04.13.2009

Here’s the forecast for next week’s Local Box:

• lettuce
• beets
• zucchini
• carrots
• kohlrabi
• oranges
• Swiss chard
• spring onion
• radish
• turnips

If you haven’t ordered your Local Box yet, you can still get in on the action at www.Greenling.com.

Carrot Slaw

Last night, I got a craving for that divine carrot salad they serve at Luby’s (“Chez Luby,” we call it). Fortunately, we had a lovely bunch of French carrots from our Greenling Local Box. Unfortunately, we also have the Luby’s cookbook. At Chez Luby, we learned, the carrot salad contains both canned pineapple (which we didn’t have on-hand) and powdered sugar (which just seems excessive). So I improvised. I mixed a bit of grapeseed-oil Vegenaise (LOVE this stuff), some Hellmann’s mayo, a handful of dried currants, one of chopped walnuts, and a sprinkling of salt with our grated carrots. It totally hit the spot.

How are you eating your Local Box carrots?

Local Box, 04.08.2009

Pasta Pasta

The recipe for spaghetti and swiss chard with garlic chips caught our eye when we first saw it in the Thanksgiving 2008 issue of Gourmet. With a substitution of green onions for onion, it was a great means for eating out of our Local Box, since it also incorporated two weeks’ worth of Swiss chard. We also substituted Barilla Plus linguine for the spaghetti. This pasta has a bit more body – and lots more nutritive value, too.

How did you eat last week’s Local Box Swiss chard?

Another Way with Kohlrabi

For dinner Friday evening, we tried this way with kohlrabi. Tasty and simple, it made a great side.

Kohlrabi and its Greens with Brown Butter

[adapted from The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman]

2 pounds kohlrabi with leaves

3 T unsalted butter

salt

• Trim stems and leaves from kohlrabi bulbs, reserving and chopping the best-looking leaves. Peel bulbs, halve, and then cut crosswise into thin slices.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. When it starts to brown, add the kohlrabi slices and leaves and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slices are browned and leaves are wilted, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add a little water, and cover, stirring occasionally, until slices are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add additional water if the pan seems dry.

How have you eaten your Local Box kohlrabi lately?

Local Box Lookout, week of 04.06.2009

Here’s what to expect from next week’s Local Box. Remember you can still order up a Local Box until Saturday – and possibly later, depending on your zip code. Check out Greenling.com for details.

• lettuce
• herbs
• tomato
• French carrots
• strawberries
• spinach
• Swiss chard
• spring onions
• radishes
• arugula