June 27, 2019 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Swiss Chard!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Purple or Green Scallions: Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard (see below); Creamy Celtuce & Lettuce Soup with Brown Butter; Simple Sauteed Celtuce with Herbs; Swiss Chard & Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt; Kohlrabi Curry

Garlic Scapes: Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard (see below); Grilled Garlic Cilantro Chicken Skewers; Swiss Chard & Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt; Kohlrabi Curry

Red Boston Lettuce: Creamy Celtuce & Lettuce Soup with Brown Butter; Apple, Blue Cheese & Boston Lettuce Salad

Celtuce: Creamy Celtuce & Lettuce Soup with Brown Butter; Simple Sauteed Celtuce with Herbs

Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi Curry; Swiss Chard & Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt

Strawberries: Mini Grain-Free Angel Food Cakes with Lemon Cream and Juicy Strawberries;  Zabaglione with Strawberries; Strawberry Pretzel Dessert

Broccoli or Salad Cabbage: Kohlrabi Curry; Thai-Style Slaw (with or without chicken); Simplest Cabbage Slaw; Broccoli Pizza

Green or Italian Zucchini: My Special Zucchini Bread Recipe; Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini;  Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard (see below)

Cilantro: Grilled Garlic Cilantro Chicken Skewers; 91 Bold & Savory Cilantro Recipes; Thai-Style Slaw (with or without chicken)

Rainbow or Red Swiss Chard: Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon & Parmesan (see below); Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard (see below); Green Curry with Brown Rice Noodles & Swiss Chard;  Swiss Chard & Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt

Holy cow....we’re in the last week of June!  Now that we finally gave our crops the memo that it’s officially summer, things are growing!  The zucchini plants are packed with blossoms and now that we’re having some warmer days we anticipate the plants will start pumping out the fruit!  Get your zucchini recipes ready…you’ll need them very soon!  Do you have plans for the 4^th of July next week?  Whether you’re traveling or celebrating in your own back yard, don’t forget to incorporate your CSA box contents into the festivities.  If you’ll be out of town, pack your box and take it with you!  I’ve thrown a few recipe ideas into this week’s Cooking With the Box Plan that might work for your travels or 4^th of July picnics and potlucks.

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon & Parmesan

Lets start off with our featured vegetable of the week which is the colorful rainbow chard.  I have two simple recipes this week.  The first is for Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon & Parmesan (see below).  While chard is typically cooked, this salad features raw chard and it is delicious!  It’s made with simple ingredients and doesn’t take long to put together.  You want to add the dressing just before serving, so keep all the components separate until it’s time to eat.  You can use this as a side salad or make it the main feature.  It would also be good with grilled fish or roasted chicken added on top.  The other recipe is for Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard (see below).  The recipe calls for bacon, but you can omit it and use olive oil instead of the bacon and bacon fat.  I’ve eaten this dish both warm and cold and I think it’s good both ways!  I like it just as it is, but you can also add grated Parmesan on top if you like.

If you didn’t receive a box last week, you may be wondering what to do with celtuce and kohlrabi.  We published a feature article about these two unique vegetables last week on our blog.  Take a moment to read more about how to use these two vegetables and refer to last week’s “What’s In the Box” post for recipe suggestions.  I recommend using the kohlrabi to make the Kohlrabi Curry from last week or pair it with this week’s chard to make Swiss Chard & Lentil Soup with Herbed Kohlrabi Yogurt.  As for the celtuce, if you aren’t opposed to another soup suggestion, I’d recommend the Creamy Celtuce & Lettuce Soup with Brown Butter or  Simple Sauteed Celtuce with Herbs.  If you take me up on the celtuce soup suggestion, consider serving it with an Apple,Blue Cheese & Boston Lettuce Salad.  Use the outer lettuce leaves for the soup and the inner leaves to make the salad.

Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini
Photo from DamnDelicious.net

If you haven’t brushed off the grill yet to do some outdoor cooking, now is the time!  Try this recipe for Grilled Garlic Cilantro Chicken Skewers and pair it with Grilled Lemon Garlic Zucchini.  If you just aren’t sure what to use the cilantro for, check out this collection of 91 Bold & Savory Cilantro Recipes.  Surely there’s something in this collection that appeals to you!  The other suggestion I have, if you receive the salad cabbage this week, is to use it along with the cabbage to make Thai-Style Slaw (with or without chicken).  This is a refreshing, yet filling salad that can be made in advance and still taste good!  It’s easy to transport, delicious to eat, simple to make, and leftovers can be wrapped in rice paper wrappers to make spring rolls!

Looking for something to make with the kids?  Pizza?  Absolutely!  You can put anything on a pizza (or nearly anything), so why not Broccoli Pizza!  You could even make these on the grill! 

If you are traveling, be sure to turn your zucchini into this delicious recipe for My Special Zucchini Bread Recipe.  Slice it and take it with you on your travels.  You could also take all those strawberries with you as well!  Summer isn’t summer without a few strawberry desserts.  Here’s a recipe for Mini Grain-Free Angel Food Cakes with Lemon Cream and Juicy Strawberries.  I also recommend making Zabaglione with Strawberries.  Zabaglione is an Italian custard that is flavored with Marsala wine. It is thin and pourable, so you can drizzle it over (or drench it in) fresh strawberries!

Mini Grain-Free Angel Food Cakes with Lemon
Cream and Juicy Strawberries
Photo from HeartbeetKitchen.com

My final suggestion for strawberries this week takes me back to my Mennonite church carry-in days.  Check out this recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Dessert.  I’m not usually big on things that call for “Jell-O”  but everyone loves this recipe.  The combination of sweet and salty is delicious.

Ok, I think that wraps up this week’s cooking chat.  I hope you’re finding some inspiration from these articles and are enjoying the experience of it all!  If you’ve found some good recipes of your own, please share some of your favorites with us!  Have a good 4^th of July and I’ll see you next week!---Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Swiss Chard

Red Chard in the field.

Chard is a gorgeous leafy green with crinkly green leaves and bright, vivid rib-like stems in a variety of colors including red, yellow, orange, pink and white.  It is actually in the beet family and bears resemblance to beet greens, which may be used in place of chard in some applications.  While chard is most often considered a cooking green, the leaves are tender enough to also eat raw.  While less of a traditional use, you can use it in salads, such as in this week’s recipe for Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan and Breadcrumbs.  Chard has a taste similar to spinach, but it is more earthy & full-flavored.  Some describe it as having a “mineral flavor.”  Since minerals are what help give food it’s flavor, that means chard tastes really good!  It’s packed with nutrients including vitamins A, C & K, calcium, iron, magnesium and a variety of antioxidants and B vitamins.  Most of the time chard is referred to as “Swiss Chard.”  It really has nothing to do with Switerland, rather the origin of this term goes back to how this vegetable was identified in France many years ago.  Just know that Swiss chard and chard are the same thing.

Rainbow and Red Chard

In the Midwest, chard is available from early summer to late fall.  Unlike kale and collards, chard is not very frost tolerant.  Because of its long season of availability, you’ll see chard used in a variety of applications with both summer and fall/winter vegetables.  While there are many ways to use chard, some common ways include vegetable gratins, soups, or just simply sautéed in olive oil with garlic and a drizzle of vinegar. 

Chard pairs well with bacon, lentils, white beans, chickpeas, cream, cheese, black pepper, raisins, pine nuts, vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice.  It also goes well with fresh herbs (thyme, cilantro, basil), and other vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, winter squash).  You can eat both the leaves and the stems, although the stems require just a tad longer cooking time.  In addition to eating chard raw, you can also steam, sautè or stir-fry it.  When properly cooked, the leaves are tender and silky.  Take care to not overcook it! Store chard in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready for use.  

Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan & Breadcrumbs

Yield: 2-3 servings (as a main) or 4-5 servings (as a side)

1 bunch Swiss chard
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic or 1 garlic scape, finely minced
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Zest of one lemon
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Wash and dry the chard.  Separate the stems from the leaves.  Finely chop the stems and put into a large salad bowl.  Stack a few of the leaves on top of each other, then cut lengthwise into thirds.  Holding the stack together with one hand, cut horizontally across the leaves into ⅛ -inch strips.  Add the leaves to the salad bowl.
2. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic/garlic scapes and red pepper flakes (if using).  Sautè briefly, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.  Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and golden brown (about 5-10 minutes).  Be careful not to burn them!  Season with salt and a little black pepper, then remove from heat and cool.  
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice and Dijon mustard with a few pinches of salt.  Stir to combine, then slowly whisk in ½ cup of the olive oil.
4. Add lemon zest & Parmesan cheese to the bowl of chard.  Drizzle with ½-⅔ of the dressing, then toss gently until all of the components are nicely coated with the dressing.  Taste and add more dressing if you like.  Be careful not to get too much dressing or the greens will be soggy.  Toss in the toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately.  
5. Note:  If you are not going to be eating or serving the entire salad at one meal, store the greens, dressing, Parmesan cheese & breadcrumbs in separate containers.  Assemble and toss only the amount of greens you will be needing at one time.

This recipe was adapted from alexandracooks.com.  

Orzo Pasta with Chickpeas & Chard

Yield:  4-6 servings

8 oz dried orzo pasta (about 2 cups uncooked) 
½ pound bacon, cut into ⅛-inch wide pieces (optional) 
3-4 scallions 2-3 garlic scapes or garlic cloves, finely chopped 
Red pepper flakes, to taste 
2 cups zucchini, small dice 
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas/garbanzo beans 
1 bunch chard, stems and leaves separated
3-4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 
1 Tbsp stoneground mustard 
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice 
¼- ½ cup fresh basil 
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
Parmesan cheese (for serving), optional

1. Cook orzo pasta according to package instructions until al dente.  Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
2. Next, prepare the garlic and scallions.  Separate the bottom portion of the scallions from the green tops.  Thinly slice both the bottom portion as well as the green tops, but keep the tops separate from the lower portion.  Finely chop the garlic scapes and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet or sautè pan, over medium heat.  Add the bacon and fry until crisp and golden.  Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.  Drain off any excess bacon fat.  You want to leave about 4 Tbsp of bacon fat in the pan.  NOTE:  If you choose not to use the bacon, you can omit this step.  Replace the bacon fat with 4 Tbsp olive oil and proceed with the remainder of the recipe.
4. Next, add the garlic scapes and scallions (lower portion only) to the pan.  Sautè briefly, then add a pinch of red pepper flakes, zucchini, and chickpeas to the pan.  Sautè for 5-10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender and just slightly al dente.  
5. In a small bowl, mix together 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar with stoneground mustard.  Stir to combine, then pour in the skillet with the chard, zucchini, etc.  Chop the chard stems and add to the pan.  Make a stack with the chard leaves and slice them in half lengthwise, then horizontally into strips about ¼ inch wide.  Add chard leaves to the pan and season with salt and black pepper as well as ¼-⅓ cup pasta water.  Stir to combine and allow the chard to wilt down.  
6. Once the chard is wilted, add the orzo along with red wine vinegar and 2 Tbsp lemon juice.  Simmer for 3-5 minutes.  Add more pasta water if needed.  You want the orzo to shimmer, but you don’t want it to have a lot of liquid in the pan.  Remove from heat and stir in the basil and sliced scallion tops.  Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, balsamic vinegar and/or lemon juice as needed.
7. Serve warm topped with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

Recipe developed by Chef Andrea Yoder