Today in the Box of Organics

[thoreau]

The great thing about this service from Farm Fresh to You - is that they provide recipes to go with this stuff. (I have no idea how to prepare Chard for instance, but they provide a recipe).

I can see a potato leek soup totally happening over the holiday weekend! I'm also going to try an orange sorbet in my ice cream maker.

I'm going to broil the brussels in olive oil, garlic and a sprinkle of cumin - and see if David will try them. Brussel sprouts are one of those vegetables that if they were boiled into submission when you were a child - you probably hate with a passion. But prepared right they can be little flavorgasm filled sprouts of yumminess. :)

So looking at the box ingredients below - anyone have a particularly delish recipe that uses some or a few of the ingredients? I'm going to give fennel one more try - before (like kale) adding it to the "no thank you!" list.

In this weeks' box:

- 3 lbs Navel oranges
- 2 lbs Bartlett Pears
- 1.5 lbs Loose Leeks
- 1.5 lbs Meyer Lemons
- 1 bunch Green Chard
- 1 lb. Fresh Brussel Sprouts
- 1.2 lb. Baby Mixed Lettuce
- 1 bulb Fennel

Comments

Chard makes me happy...

[cluebyfourgirl.livejournal.com]

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Baked-Polenta-with-Swiss-Chard-and-Cheese-107270

This is one of my favourite chard recipes.

[paulintoronto.livejournal.com]

Here is a recipe I make often, and serve to guests often, and usually people love it. Sometimes, they don't even know that they are eating Brussels Sprouts:

Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Ginger (from Eat More Weigh Less by Dean Ornish, recipe credited to Joyce Goldstein).

Trim 1 pound Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Place, flat side down, on a cutting board and cut the sprouts into very thin strips; you'll have about 3 cups. (Note: This is important and the secret to why this recipe works. By cutting them into thin strips, you allow them to cook quickly and stay green and flavorful.) Bring 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water to a simmer in a large saute pan. Add the sprouts, 1 tbs finely minced garlic, 1 tbs grated fresh gingerroot, and 1 ts grated lemon zest. Cook, uncovered, over high heat, stirring often, until the sprouts are tender-crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add more broth or water as needed. Stir in 1 1/2 ts anise seed and season with salt and pepper. (Makes 3 servings, each 86 calories and 1.1 grams fat)

[surewood31.livejournal.com]

When I was growing up they had Cabbage Patch kids, so I could not/would not eat cabbage. Brussel Sprouts looked like little cabbages so I immediately assumed they were the baby cabbage patch kids.

Now, I love brussel sprouts with butter and vinegar and oriental cabbage salad.

[winbear.livejournal.com]

The oranges, pears and baby mixed greens should go well with a lemon vinaigrette and maybe some walnuts and feta or similar crumbly cheese.

[cluebyfourgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, or blue cheese/stilon!

[42degrees.livejournal.com]

I've always loved brussel sprouts.

[qbear.livejournal.com]

My favorite way to cook Brussels sprouts is also the simplest, thanks to Ina Garten:

Toss sprouts in olive oil, with plenty of salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 375-400 for 30 to 40 minutes, until sprouts are a bit caramelized on the outside. Shake pan a few times during the cooking. They come out a bit crispy on the outside, tender inside and they taste great.

[jwg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like them that way. I cut them in half first and removed the stem end.

I also cook them by sauteing them in a big pan sometimes adding some mustard to the oil and pepper. I've also sometimes use a bit of balsamic vinegar, too.

[septimuswarren.livejournal.com]

The best use I know of for brussel sprouts is squirrel food. I've had them many many ways, and they all taste the same, like something overcooked and nasty. Sorry, baby.

Chard, oranges, lettuce... Hints from Spain

[gorkabear.livejournal.com]

Chard is Christmas food in the north of Spain. I eat it simply boiled like spinach (and it's part of my current diet). There's also a yummy way to eat it: once boiled and drained, prepare a large pan with a dash of olive oil, brown some bacon and garlic and stir in the boiled chard for 5-10 minutes. It's also the best way to "reheat" them.

Things to try with with oranges: remove skin and white cuticle, cut it into very thin slices, serve on a dish with the smallest expression of sprinkled sugar and olive oil (this is from Extremadura). If you have a bottle of Grand Marnier available, the same preparation with just a little of the liquor on top is flavorgasmic (and I hate that liquor on its own). And the weirdest of it all, yet unbelievable and yummy (it's from the region you were born): a base of lettuce, orange pieces and blue fish left overs (like sardines, tuna, mackerel). If you don't have leftovers, buy it canned and drain at maximum the liquids before using. Use just some salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dressing. The unctuous fish, the fresh and sweet orange and the balsamic vinegar make a great combination.

[urbear]

I'm one of those weird kids who always ate their vegetables, probably because Mom always did a good job with them. I particularly love her Brussels sprouts - roasted with a very light coating of olive oil and breadcrumbs.