Wednesday, September 20, 2023

September 21, 2023 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Leeks

 


Cooking With This Week's Box


Easy Chicken Fajitas
Photo from www.downshiftology.com
Sedona Yellow Onions:  

Porcelain Garlic:  

Orange Italian Frying Peppers:  

Jalapeño Peppers:  
Tomato and Cream Cheese Turnovers
Photo from www.food52.com
Pineapple-Jalapeño Popsicles 

Variety of Tomatoes:  

Orange Carrots:

Veggie Supreme Egg Bake
Photo from www.thekitchn.com
German Butterball Potatoes:   

Leeks:  
Creamed Leeks on Rustic Toast (See Below)
Potato & Leek Gratin (See Below)

Broccoli or Cauliflower or Broccoli Romanesco:  

Lemongrass:  

Fresh Lemongrass Tea
Photo from www.thewanderlustkitchen.com
Baby Arugula:  

Sauté Mix:  

Green Romaine Lettuce:  

Broccoli Raab:  

Crispy Chicken Milanese
Photo from www.coleycooks.com
This is it! We are in the final week of summer, and we only have 9 more CSA delivery weeks remaining!  We are excited to usher in a new season, along with a new set of seasonal vegetables. In the meantime, let’s talk about this week’s featured vegetable, Leeks! We have two simple leek recipes to share with you this week. The first is Creamed Leeks on Rustic Toast (See Below), a Deborah Madison recipe. She is famous for simple, yet tasty recipes and this one fits that bill!  The second one requires a bit more time, but it’s still pretty simple and straightforward, Potato & Leek Gratin (See Below).  This week’s German Butterball potatoes are a great variety to use for this recipe.

Looking to add more vegetables to your day? Don’t forget to start the day off right with vegetables for breakfast!  This week I included several recipes to include carrots in breakfast. This Mango Carrot Smoothie looks very refreshing and delicious. You could also use carrots in these Carrot Cake Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. Or, lastly, add shredded carrots to this Veggie Supreme Egg Bake!
French Onion & Apple Grilled Cheese
Photo from www.halfbakedharvest.com

If you’re looking for a classy dinner recipe, perhaps this Crispy Chicken Milanese with Tomato Arugula Salad will fill that need.  You could also try one of this week’s featured “onion” recipes. The first, French Onion & Apple Grilled Cheese is a keeper!  Or use some caramelized onions to make this Caramelized Onion, Pear & Bacon Pizza!

Tomato season has peaked and now the crop is starting to taper off. While we still have a chance, consider trying one of these recipes for Brown Butter Tomatoes or 

Ok, I’m going to sign off for this week, but rest assured that we’ll be back next week with more delicious recipes to go along with the lineup of fall vegetables!  We may even have a few winter squash to send your way!  Have a great week.

Andrea 

Vegetable Feature: Leeks

by Andrea Yoder

Leeks freshly cultivated in the field.
We continue our journey through the season with yet another selection from the allium family. This week leeks are the selection we’ll be enjoying from the allium family!  We plant them from seed in the greenhouse in late February. We then transplant them in the field early in the season, just after we transplant all of our storage onions.  They need more time to grow than onions, which have already been harvested. We typically wait until later in the fall to harvest leeks, but we have a very large crop this year!  It’s important to understand how leeks are grown as it directly affects how you prep them for use in your own kitchen.  Leeks have a long white shank that turns to more of a bluish green color as you reach the top of the leek. Throughout the growing process, dirt is hilled up on the leeks to cover the shank and block sunlight which keeps it white. As a result of this process, dirt may get between the many thin layers of the shank, which is the portion of the leek most often used. 

Crew harvesting leeks.
While you need to take care to carefully clean the entire leek, the upper portion may have a bit more dirt between the layers and may need a little more attention. I find it easiest to wash the exterior of the leek and then slice them. Place the chopped leeks in a sink of clean, cold water and swish them around to remove any dirt.  Remove the leeks from the water and place in a colander to drain. If there isn’t much dirt between the layers, you may also just place the sliced leeks in a colander and rinse them. If you’ve never cooked with leeks, it’s important to note that leeks are not “just another onion.”  While the flavor profiles are similar for all alliums, each one has its own distinct characteristics and qualities that set them apart. Leeks are much different than the chives and ramps we delivered early in the season or the Sierra Blanca white Spanish onions we delivered in early summer. Leeks are more mild and subtle in flavor. They are best cooked using more gentle methods such as braising, lightly sautéing, or cooking them into soups, sauces, and broths. When cooked using these more gentle methods, the texture of leeks becomes silky and tender.  Leeks have fewer sugars than onions, so they do not caramelize in the same way as an onion. When you are sautéing leeks, do so at a low to medium temperature just until they are soft. Do not try to brown them. 

Freshly washed leeks ready for CSA boxes!
Leeks pair well with many late summer and fall vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, celeriac, and other root vegetables such as parsnips and carrots. They are often incorporated into cream soups, gratins, and egg dishes such as quiche. A traditional use for leeks is to make Leek & Potato Soup, of which there are many variations. Many recipes utilizing leeks also include complementary ingredients such as white wine, lemon, cream, cheese, apples, walnuts, chicken, bacon, fish, and fresh herbs to name just a few ingredients. Leeks will keep for several weeks if stored in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in plastic. We hope you enjoy this delicate allium and appreciate the subtle way it adds flavor to your meals this week! 


Creamed Leeks on Rustic Toast

Yield: 2 servings

4 small or 2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 ½ Tbsp butter
Sea Salt, to taste
⅓ cup dry white wine
½ cup half-and-half or crème fraiche
2 tsp fresh tarragon, parsley and/or rosemary
¼ cup grated Parmesan, Gruyere, or crumbled goat cheese
2 slices rustic bread, toasted and lightly buttered
Freshly milled black pepper, to taste
  1. Wash the leeks well, but don’t dry them.  
  2. Melt the butter in a wide skillet, add the leeks, and toss with a little salt. Add the wine, cover, and cook over medium heat until the leeks are tender, about 20 minutes. 
  3. Add the cream and herbs and simmer until slightly thickened. Turn off the heat, stir in the cheese, then spoon the leeks over the toast. Add freshly ground black pepper and serve.
Recipe borrowed from Deborah Madison’s book, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.


Potato and Leek Gratin

Photo from www.smittenkitchen.com
Yield:  8 servings

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
2-2 ½ pounds gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1-2 medium to large leeks, halved, washed, cut into 1-inch segments
2 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
¾ cup coarsely grated Gruyere, Comte, or cheddar cheese
  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously butter an 8 x 12 inch or 3-quart baking dish.
  2. Arrange small stacks of sliced potatoes on an angle, slightly fanned, in different directions filling the pan loosely. Tuck leeks, halved side up, between potatoes around the pan. 
  3. In a medium saucepan, bring cream, 2 tsp salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, and thyme to a simmer, stirring to ensure the salt dissolves. Pour hot cream mixture evenly over the pan, trying to get every potato and leek coated. Cover pan tightly with foil, place on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, melt 2 remaining tablespoons of butter.  Add breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper to taste and mix to evenly coat.
  5. At 30 minutes, briefly remove the pan from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle top evenly with cheese, then scatter with buttered breadcrumbs. Return to the oven without foil for 45 minutes, until potatoes are totally tender, the top is browned, and the edges are bubbly.  
  6. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving ahead.
Recipe borrowed from www.smittenkitchen.com.
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