CSA Share: Week 4

Yum! Minnesota's late spring is a thing of the past, and we are in the full throes of summer...at last. This week, we got a pretty full box (the poor farms are struggling to grow anything!) with: strawberries, cauliflower, cabbage (isn't that the cutest cabbage?),

fennel (love fennel), parsley, kale (lurking over on the left),


and some gorgeous ruby-red chard.

Here's a GREAT recipe featuring chard from Jeanne Lemlin's Simple Vegetarian Pleasures:

Baked Cheese Polenta with Swiss Chard

1 T olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
8-10 cups chopped Swiss chard, stems and leaves kept separate

The Polenta
Butter for greasing dish, plus 1 T
2 cups low-fat milk
1.5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cornmeal
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup sour cream

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over med. heat. add the garlic and cook 30 sec, then stir in the Swiss chard stems. Pour in a few T of water and cover the pan. Cook the stems 2 minutes. Remove the cover, then mix in the Swiss chard leaves. Cover the pan again and cook until the leaves wilt, about 3 minutes. Toss occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool, uncovered.
2. To make the polenta, preheat the oven to 400F.
3. Butter a 2-to 2.5-quart shallow baking dish and set it nearby. Combine the milk, water, and salt in a med saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and slowly drizzle in the cornmeal, whisking all the while with a wire whisk. Continue to cook and whisk the polenta until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes and tears away from the sides of the pan (5 min.). Whisk in 2 T of the Parmesan, the 1 T butter, and the mozzarella.
4. Spread half of the polenta in the baking dish. Spoon on the Swiss chard and distribute it evenly. Drop on small spoonfuls of the sour cream and spread it with the back of a spoon. Spoon on the remaining polenta and spread it out. Sprinkle on the remaining T of Parmesan.
5. Bake the polenta 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top and sizzling. Do not overcook it because you want to retain its creamy interior.

It's SO good.

Vegetarian Cookbooks: Jeanne Lemlin

I first discovered Jeanne Lemlin's cooking via the Food Network almost 10 years ago. She was preparing three different vegetarian dishes: a sweet potato/vegetable tian, couscous/spinach/pine nut casserole, and some yummy baked ziti. After trying all three dishes, Tony and I ran out and bought: Simple Vegetarian Pleasures immediately!

As Lemlin states in the forward to this book, her approach to cooking changed dramatically after the arrival of her son. She wanted to prepare delicious vegetarian fare, but no longer had the time and energy to spend hours in the kitchen every night. Thus the concept behind this cookbook, and her James Beard Award-winning Quick Vegetarian Pleasures was born (also on my bookshelf!).

I have yet to be disappointed in any of the recipes (she covers everything from breakfast to dessert) from this book. Here is a Lauren/Tony favorite:

Tortellini with Leeks and Cream

1 lb. frozen cheese tortellini
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2 large leeks, thick greens and roots removed, thoroughly washed and thinly sliced
(leeks are very sandy! slice in half lengthwise, and fan the layers under running water to clean)
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
salt/pepper


Sauté leeks in butter and olive oil over medium heat until soft (about 10 minutes). Stir frequently, and do not allow leeks to brown. Add cream, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare tortellini according to package directions. Drain, and toss with leek/cream mixture. Serve with cheese from Parma!

Pretty cinchy, and SO delicious! Also try this recipe for 10-minute chilaquiles.