(Whole) Roasted Cauliflower

The inspiration for this recipe came from an Eating Well recipe for the cauliflower, but prepared in the microwave. It would probably turn out fine that way but I know for a fact that the cauliflower we recently got from the CSA wouldn't have fit in my microwave(!) and for that reason (its outrageous size), I thought this recipe might just work fine in the oven. I was right, it was yummy and I suspect even better than the microwave version, although it took quite a bit longer to cook. The nice thing with either approach is that you can use just about any flavor profile you desire, and once you get the mixture stirred up and slathered on the vegetable, you are done! If roasting a whole head of cauliflower for an hour or more just isn't your thing, I suspect the same idea could be applied to small florets--tossed to coat with the mixture--and the result would be just as good!

1 head cauliflower

1 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbs prepared mustard (Dijon or other preferred variety)

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

Note: These amounts depend on the size of cauliflower head you have and your overall preference--if it's relatively small (<6 inches) you could probably halve the amounts; or if you have leftover, you can always use it as an alternative sandwich spread, etc.

As I mentioned, almost any flavorings can be used to suit your preference/pantry, such as:

• Curry powder/paste
• Salsa or green chiles
• Any type of fresh or dried herbs
• Miso
• Garlic
• Pesto
• Cajun
• Lemon-pepper
• Etc. Etc. Etc...

Simply stir the desired seasonings into the mayonnaise and spread it all over the outside of the cauliflower. The thickness of the coating will be dependent on your quantities--it doesn't have to be terribly thick, or completely coated--the mayonnaise essentially melts into the cauliflower to varying degrees. It is easiest to place the cauliflower into the dutch oven (or microwave-safe bowl) first and then coat with mayonnaise. Cover and cook at 400 degrees (check your pot's max oven temperature if necessary first!) for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the size of the vegetable and desired done-ness. I cooked mine (about 8 inch head) for about 50 minutes covered and then removed the lid for the last 10 minutes of cooking to help caramelize the coating just a bit. Serving was the trickiest part of this easy-to-prepare dish. We served it straight out of the pan after slicing the cauliflower with a long, sharp knife and removed the pieces with a fork.

Enjoy!

Spicy Creamed Greens with Roots

While I have to admit that mustard greens were probably the hardest for my family to adjust to, I have actually enjoyed cooking with them and experiencing the results. Last week, we made Saag Paneer (cousin to the ubiquitous Indian dish, Palak Paneer, but apparently Saag is traditionally made with a combination of mustard greens and spinach, whereas the palak is just spinach). It was super tasty and because of the strong curry spices, the bitterness of the mustard greens is quite muted. The same goes for this dish, which incorporates mustard into the sauce.

Spicy Creamed Greens with Roots

1 bunch mustard greens, trimmed and finely chopped

1 lb rutabagas or turnips, peeled and cubed

2 medium-sized potatoes, cubed (peeling is optional)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1-2 cups broth or water

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbs prepared mustard (Dijon, Honey or other style, or substitute 1 tsp dry mustard)

1 Tbs cider vinegar

1 Tbs sugar or honey (optional--depending if you want a slightly sweet, honey-mustard type sauce or not)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 2-3 Tbs oil in a large saucepan or skillet. Add, onions, potatoes and rutabagas/turnips and saute (stirring occasionally) over high heat for 8-10 minutes, until vegetables start to brown and get tender. Add 1 cup broth or water to the pan and quickly stir/scrape to deglaze the browned bits; cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes more, or until vegetables are fully cooked. Add chopped greens, stir and cover. Cook 3-5 minutes, until greens are wilted and vibrant. Meanwhile, whisk together sour cream, mustard, vinegar and honey (if using) in a small bowl. Reduce heat to low, add sour cream mixture, along with additional broth as needed to make a not-too-thick sauce for the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

**Make this a well-rounded meal by adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped ham or sausage if desired.

Mushroom-Kale or Spinach Souffle

A Moosewood Cookbook Inspired Recipe!

What you will need:

-a preheated oven to 350 degrees F.

-a lightly greased (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, whatever) deep dish

-6 free range eggs

-1/2 cup feta cheese

-1 cup extra sharp cheddar (you can use less, just eyeball it because the cheese portion can get a bit crazy)

-1/3 cup of parmesan

-1 small package of mushrooms, just the regular ol' kind

-1 yellow onion

-a big bunch of kale (I tried this because I had no spinach and it was yummy! but use spinach if you prefer)

-bit of olive oil

-salt

-peppa'

-1 tsp. nutmeg (this is KEY, though it sounds sort of gross, huh?)

-breadcrumbs (optional)

Step 1: steam your kale (or spinach) and saute your onions until soft, then add your mushrooms.

Once kale is done, be sure to drain it, getting as much moisture out as possible.

Step 2: Shred all of your cheese, besides the feta of course! Set a little bit of cheddar aside for topping.

Step 3: Put salt and pepper (as much as you like, really) in a large bowl. Also add your eggs to this and whisk around!

Step 4: Add in cheese, mix. Then add in veggies!

Step 5: Take your greased dish and pour all ingredients into it. (You can put a bit of bread crumbs at the bottom and top of it, if you desire) Add your extra cheese to the top and pop in the oven for 45 minutes to and hour, until your top is nicely browned.

Step 6: serve on top of a bed of greens or alone, or maybe with some roasted potatoes for an extra comforting meal? Enjoy!

*I've always wanted to try adding bacon into the mix*

It's worth a try, right?

Butternut Squash & Collard Greens Pasta with Pistachios and Brown Butter

1 lb dry pasta

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 cups cubed)

2 Tbs diced shallots or 1/4 cup diced onion

3 cloves garlic

4 cups packed baby greens, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon (or 3 Tbs white wine + 1 Tbs white wine vinegar)

3 Tbs butter

1/4 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles (substitute feta cheese or parmesan/romano shavings)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Smaller pasta like penne or bow-ties work best for this dish. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 Tbs olive oil and saute shallots or onions just until they start to wilt. Add cubed squash and cook over medium-high heat, turning frequently, until squash starts to brown and is cooked through. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add chopped greens and saute until wilted and bright green. Add lemon juice and pasta water and stir, scraping any browned bits from the pan, until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it starts to brown. Stir in pistachios and saute 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and toss into veggies. Toss in pasta and garnish with cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Spaghettini with Checca Sauce

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghettini or angel hair pasta
• 4 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 (12-ounce container) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree). Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Recommended by Betsy Buford 'Sooo good. Err on the side of too many tomatoes, or it could get onion-y'

Beet Hummus

Here's a recipe for beet hummus that I adapted it a bit - the original recipe link is at the bottom of the post. It turned out really good. Next time, I think I'll add a couple tablespoons of chopped cilantro in the last couple pulses of the food processor. Fresh mint would be nice, too.


Ingredients

* 1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*
* 4 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste
* 2 Tbsp lemon juice
* 2 small cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
* Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt
* Fresh ground pepper to taste

*To cook the beets - boil whole, scrubbed, unskinned beets (tops removed about 1/2 inch above the root) until tender. Drain the water and let them cool until you can handle them (or run under cold water), then slip the skins off with your hands. If you don't want red hands, use a paper towel to slip the skins off.

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to fully blend. Serve with pita chips, or with sliced cucumber or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Makes 2 cups.

Original recipe: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beet_hummus/

Simple, Comforting Stew: Spinach, Carrots and Rice

I bypassed this recipe because, by nature, I tend to look for recipes that are intriguing and innovative (through the use of various combinations of ingredients and flavors), but I had to remind myself that this is what I need more of: simple, quick dinner ideas that highlight CSA veggies!

The recipe comes from Mark Bittman (the King of simple, straightforward recipes) and he indicates you can add some heft to the meal by adding some meat (leftover roast chicken, etc.) and enhance the seasonings to suit your taste (dill, cilantro, cumin, etc. would be tasty).


1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup long-grain rice, like Basmati
Salt and pepper
1 pound fresh spinach, thick stems removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 cloves minced garlic, optional
2 tablespoons butter, optional

1. Combine carrots with 6 cups of water (or broth) in a saucepan and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and a large pinch of salt. When the mixture returns to the boil, add spinach, then adjust heat so that it simmers gently.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice and carrots are very tender, about 1/2 hour, and the mixture takes on the consistency of a thick stew. Stir in garlic or butter (if you're using either or both), and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.