CSA - Week 7

The CSA shares are coming in strong. This week included: garlic, radishes, onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, red potatoes, green pepper, green tomato, yellow beans, corn, eggs, banana peppers, blackberries, and a carrot.

I made potato salad and a lovely green garden salad as well as the following recipes.

There really aren't too many recipes for green tomatoes out there. I found this salad recipe and was very pleased. Actually, I think any salad with a good dose of cheese and nuts is always tasty. I used feta cheese and peaches instead of blue cheese and nectarines, because that's what I had on hand.

Caramelized Green Tomato and Nectarine Green Salad
from danazia.wordpress.com

For the vinaigrette:
4 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons of finely chopped shallots
4 tablespoons of champagne vinegar or
white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
1 teaspoon of salt
Few cranks of black pepper

Put all the ingredients into a jar and put on the lid. (Important safety tip, make sure it is a tight fitting lid!) Shake it all up till well blended.

For the salad:
2 large nectarines or apples, cut into thin wedges
4 unripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon of sugar
½ teaspoon of salt
A few drizzles of olive oil
6 cups or so of mixed salad greens
1 cup of fresh basil leaves, shredded
½ cup or more of crumbled blue cheese
½ cup of chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts
Fresh cracked black pepper

In a medium bowl, toss the tomato and nectarines wedges with the sugar and the salt. Mix the salad greens and basil together. Arrange 6 salad plates with the greens. Heat up your favorite large skillet and add a few drizzles of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, lower the heat to medium and add the tomatoes and nectarines, laying them on their sides. Try not to crowd them in the skillet and cook, without disturbing them till them begin to brown. Flip them onto their other sides and caramelize that side too.

Working quickly, remove the tomatoes and nectarines from the skillet and arrange them artfully on the greens. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and hazelnuts and drizzle with the dressing. Crank a bit of pepper on top and serve immediately.

Green beans are not my favorite...I actually don't really like them at all. But this salad is so zesty that the green beans are masked so I gobble this up like candy.

Green Bean, Feta Cheese, and Kalamata Olive Salad
from The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook by Diana Schwarzbein

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally into
1-inch pieces and steamed until tender
½ thinly sliced red onion
2/3 c. pitted and diced Kalamata olives
2/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
¼ c. slivered fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil

Dijon Garlic Marinade
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 minced garlic cloves
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil

In a small bowl, using a fork, combine vinegar, garlic and black pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking until smooth and well blended. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

Combine all ingredients and mix with Dijon Garlic Marinade.

I have seen David Lebovitz's cookbook The Perfect Scoop mentioned all over the web. I borrowed a copy from the library and have tried several selections. He definitely is an ice cream master. This white chocolate ice cream is very rich and the blackberry swirl goes well. My only complaint is that the blackberries stay a little icy, so this is best served after sitting out for 10 minutes or so. Or if you're too impatient, stick it in the microwave for 10 seconds to start the melting process.

White Chocolate Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream
adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz via joelens.blogspot.com

8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons sugar

Put the chocolate pieces in a large bowl and and set a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer over the white chocolate. Stir until white chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth, then stir in the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator overnight for flavors to meld.

When ready to prepare the ice cream, combine the berries and sugar in a bowl and mash slightly; set aside. Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn account to the manufacturer's instructions. After the ice cream has churned, alternately place the ice cream and a couple tablespoons of the blackberry mixture into your freezer container. Freeze overnight for ice cream to ripen before enjoying.