CSA Share: Week 3

In the box this week:

1. Cabbage (going to make a totally delicious Pain au chou)
   
2. garlic scapes
3. green onions
4. mixed leaf lettuce
5. broccoli
6. snow peas

Pain au chou aka, cabbage loaf (from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison)

Butter and freshly grated Parmesan for the dish
1.5 lbs green or Savoy cabbage, sliced in 2-inch squares
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup creme fraiche or cream
2 T tomato paste
3 eggs
3 T finely chopped parsley or dill
Salt and freshly milled pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a gratin dish and coat the sides with the cheese. Boil the cabbage, uncovered, in salted water for 5 minutes, then drain. Rinse, then press out as much water as possible. Whisk the remaining ingredients until smooth, add the cabbage, and pour the miture into the dish. Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 50 minutes.

It sounds strange, but it's delicious!

Vegetarian Cookbooks: Part I can't remember

Deborah Madison grew up, gastronomically-speaking, at the same time that Alice Waters's school of thought was beginning to take the food world by storm: use locally-grown, in-season, and (hopefully) organically-grown food. It's better for the earth, it's better for your body, AND the food tastes better. She opened her acclaimed restaurant, Greens, in 1979, and has, most recently penned Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets, earning her another James Beard award (I have to get that book!).

She has also written my go-to "how can I cook that vegetable?" cookbook: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (James Beard award!). It's encyclopedic, like The Joy of Cooking, with different sections for different meal parts (soups, desserts, etc.), AND with an alphabetical listing of many, many vegetables, and how to prepare them in various ways. Want to know what to do with that kohlrabi? It's in there! Madison stresses uncomplicated, fresh cooking. The recipes are homey, delicious, and accessible. It's the perfect book for you farmers' markets shoppers and CSA farm members.

Here is a fantastic and simple recipe for spaghetti squash:



Spaghetti Squash with Gruyère and Parsley

1 large spaghetti squash (3 lbs.)
2-4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup Gruyère grated
1/4 cup parsley chopped with one garlic clove


Roast squash in 375 oven for an hour (or more or less), until the flesh yields easily to the touch (poke a few holes in it first!). Remove from oven, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. With a fork, scrape out the flesh---it will come off the skin in spaghetti-like strands. Mix with remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy!

Other ideas for spaghetti squash?:

1. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and cheese from Parma.
2. Prepare spaghetti squash aglio olio (saute garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil, toss, season with salt and pepper).
3. Serve in a frittata with ricotta cheese, or maybe something with a bit more tang.

For another great recipe from this cookbook, check out this post.