Harmony Valley Farm: edamame

This is a big week for sweet corn harvest, as well as green beans and edamame! We are also starting to see more tomatoes coming in, and it won’t be long until we have melons! But for this week we’re turning our focus to Edamame! These sweet beans are great to eat as a snack, or incorporate them into other preparations such as this week’s Asian Edamame Crunch Salad (See Below). I also included a recipe for Edamame with Spicy Garlic Sauce, in case you’d like more finger food.

This week I started sprinkling in some tomato recipes, but get ready because there will be many more tomatoes yet to come! For this week though, consider starting with this article for Our 59 Best Cherry Tomato Recipes for Summer and Beyond. While we don’t technically grow Cherry Tomatoes, you can substitute any of our smaller varieties when a recipe calls for them. Of course, you could pair them with some fresh sweet corn for this Sweet Corn Frittata with Cherry Tomato Compote.

As for the zucchini, I went looking for more dessert options for utilizing them and was pleasantly surprised to find some interesting things. Perhaps you want to try Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Brownies; Peanut Butter Zucchini Cake; Apple Zucchini Crumb Bars or Brown Butter Zucchini Carrot Cake!

I’m going to close out there for today but get ready! I’ll be back next week with more tomatoes, possibly some shelling beans, eggplant and maybe even a few melons!

Have a good week-----Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Edamame

by Andrea Yoder

Edamame (eh-dah-MAH-may) is a fresh soybean that has grown in popularity in the United States over the past few years but has been a part of Japanese and Chinese cuisine for much longer. True edamame intended for fresh eating is quite different than oil-seed soybeans and tofu beans most often grown to make tofu and other processed soy products. The edamame varieties we grow were developed specifically because they produce a sweet bean that doesn’t have a “beany” aftertaste and is the preferred variety in Japan and China for fresh eating. Seed varieties for tofu beans are typically much less expensive than varieties for fresh eating, thus in this country the edamame found in the frozen section, either in the pod or shelled, is likely a tofu bean with that “beany” aftertaste. We actually save our own seed, which still comes at a cost, but allows us to grow our preferred, clean tasting varieties.

Edamame resembles a small lima bean encased in a pod. The beans are sweet and tender and best eaten lightly cooked. Unlike sugar snap peas, edamame pods are not edible and should be discarded. Edamame is hard to shell when it’s raw. It is easiest to cook edamame in its pod first and then remove the beans from the pod. To cook edamame, rinse the pods thoroughly with cold water. Bring a pot of heavily salted water (salty like the sea) to a boil. Add the edamame and boil for about 3-4 minutes. You should see the pods change to a bright green color. Remove the edamame from the boiling water and immediately put them in ice water or run cold water over them to quickly cool them. After the beans are cooked you can easily squeeze the pod to pop the beans out, either into a bowl or directly into your mouth! Once you’ve removed them from the pods, they are ready to incorporate into a recipe or eat as a snack.

You can also roast edamame in their pods. There’s a basic recipe on our website, but basically you toss the edamame pods with oil and seasonings of your choice. Serve the beans whole with their pods still on. While you won’t eat the pod, you can use your teeth to pull the edamame out of the pod and in the process, you’ll pick up the seasoning on the outside of the pod!

Edamame is often eaten as a simple snack, but you can also incorporate it into vegetable or grain salads, stir-fry, fried rice, ramen bowls, steamed dumplings, or pot stickers to name just a few suggestions. They pair well with any combination of traditional Asian ingredients such as sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. They are also a nice, bright addition to brothy soups such as miso soup. If you follow the suggested method for boiling edamame before shelling them, the bean will already be fully cooked, so if you are adding edamame to a hot dish or recipe, do so at the end of the cooking.

You can store fresh or cooked edamame for up to a week in the refrigerator, but it is best to eat them soon for the sweetest flavor and best texture. If you want to preserve edamame for later use, simply follow the cooking procedure above, then freeze the beans either in their pods or remove them and freeze just the bean. It’s fun to pull something green out of the freezer in the winter to enjoy it as a snack or incorporate into a winter stir-fry or pan of fried rice.

Asian Edamame Crunch Salad

Photo from www.choosingchia.com

Yield: 4 servings

2 cups of shelled edamame

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup shredded purple cabbage

2 green onions, chopped

¼ cup roasted cashews, chopped

¼ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

Sesame Dressing:

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice

2 tsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp maple syrup

2 tsp grated ginger

Salt & black pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine edamame, quinoa, bell pepper, carrots, purple cabbage, green onions, cashews, and cilantro. Toss gently to combine.
Prepare the dressing by mixing olive oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, ginger, salt, and pepper together in a small cup or jar.
Pour the dressing onto the salad and mix together to combine and serve.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Recipe borrowed from www.choosingchia.com/asian-edamame-crunch-salad.

Wednesday, August 17, 2022

August 18, 2022 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Edamame

Cooking With This Week's Box

Photo from thecomfortofcooking.com

Red Onions:

Pickled Red Onions

Easy Tomato, Red Onion & Cucumber Salad

Orange Carrots:

Minestrone Soup

Moroccan Carrot & Chickpea Salad

Red or Gold Potatoes:

Breakfast Potato Nachos

Southwest Skillet Potatoes

Variety Bag of Tomatoes:

Panzanella Salad with Peaches and Corn

50 Best Fresh Tomato Recipes

Green Beans:

Summer Succotash Salad with Orzo Pasta

Pesto Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans

Edamame:

Cold Ramen Salad with Edamame & Broccoli (See Below)

Photo from joinuspullupachair.com

Fried Rice with Edamame & Corn

Sweet Corn:

Fresh Sweet Corn Pudding

Sweet Corn Oatmeal with Peaches

Jalapeño Pepper:

Pico de Gallo

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

Italian Frying Peppers:

Baked Western Omelet

Pepper Steak

Sugar Cube and Sweet Sarah Melon:

Cantaloupe and Black Pepper Granita

Cantaloupe with Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce

Cantaloupe Pie

Photo from cleanfoodcrush.com

Sun Jewel Melon:

Korean Melon Popsicle

3-Ingredient Korean Melon Ice Cream Bars

Chocolate Sprinkles Tomatoes:

Garlicky Parmesan Zucchini Bake

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Broccoli:

Beef Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Broccoli Fritters with Marinara

Green or Silver Slicer Cucumbers:

Cucumber Melon Salad

Mint Cucumber Melon Detox Water for Glowing Skin

Hello everyone!

Summer is coming in strong, as you can see by the contents of this week’s box! Not too long ago we transplanted our fall head lettuce crop and this week the last of our transplants are going to the field as we put out the escarole and radicchio for a late fall harvest. But before we return to leafy green salads, we still have a lot of delicious summer salads to enjoy! With this week’s featured vegetable, edamame, we’re featuring this recipe for a Cold Ramen Noodle Salad with Edamame and Broccoli (See Below). This is a pretty easy salad to put together, and one that could be a side dish or a main on its own if you add a little protein.

As for salads, I included several suggestions for salads utilizing this week’s produce. Check out the Summer Succotash Salad with Orzo Pasta from awhile back. It was well-received by members and is easy to make! This Panzanella Salad with Peaches and Corn also caught my eye. Panzanella is a wonderful way to eat tomatoes and other summer vegetables! Since we mentioned corn, I want to draw your attention to this week’s suggested recipes for Fresh Sweet Corn Pudding and Sweet Corn Oatmeal with Peaches. Ok, I have to admit both of these recipes are unusual, but I really think they’ll both be delicious. If anyone has a chance to try them within the next week, please post the results in the Facebook Group!

It’s a heavy melon week this week! What are you going to do with three different varieties? Well, you can just cut it up and eat it raw or you could check out some of this weeks recipes for things such as Cucumber Melon Salad and Mint Cucumber Melon Detox Water for Glowing Skin. I also thought this refreshing recipe for Cantaloupe and Black Pepper Granita sounded intriguing. Of course, you could jazz it up and turn it into dessert with this recipe for Cantaloupe with Ice Cream & Caramel Sauce or Cantaloupe Pie!

Alright, I’m going to wrap it up here. Is anyone wondering where the tomatillos and poblano peppers may be? Well, they are coming soon so get ready! We also have two more crops of corn, more beans and more edamame coming your way!

Have a great week—

Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Edamame

by Andrea Yoder

Edamame (eh-dah-MAH-may) is a fresh soybean that has grown in popularity in the United States over the past few years, but has been a part of Japanese and Chinese cuisine for much longer. True edamame intended for fresh eating is quite different than oil-seed soybeans and tofu beans most often grown to make tofu and other processed soy products. The edamame varieties we grow were developed specifically because they produce a sweet bean that doesn’t have a “beany” aftertaste and is the preferred variety in Japan and China for fresh eating. Seed varieties for tofu beans are typically much less expensive than varieties for fresh eating, thus in this country the edamame found in the frozen section, either in the pod or shelled, is likely a tofu bean with that “beany” aftertaste. We actually save our own seed, which still comes at a cost, but allows us to grow our preferred, clean tasting varieties.

You can also roast edamame in their pods. There’s a basic recipe on our website, but basically you toss the edamame pods with oil and seasonings of your choice. Serve the beans whole with their pods still on. While you won’t eat the pod, you can use your teeth to pull the edamame out of the pod and in the process you’ll pick up the seasoning on the outside of the pod!

Edamame is often eaten as a simple snack, but you can also incorporate it into vegetable or grain salads, stir-fry, fried rice, ramen bowls, steamed dumplings or pot stickers to name just a few suggestions. They pair well with any combination of traditional Asian ingredients such as sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. They are also a nice, bright addition to brothy soups such as a miso soup. If you follow the suggested method for boiling edamame before shelling them, the bean will already be fully cooked, so if you are adding edamame to a hot dish or recipe, do so at the end of the cooking.

You can store fresh or cooked edamame for up to a week in the refrigerator, but it is best to eat them soon for the sweetest flavor and best texture. If you want to preserve edamame for later use, simply follow the cooking procedure above, then freeze the beans either in their pods or remove them and freeze just the bean. It’s fun to pull something green out of the freezer in the winter to enjoy as a snack or incorporate into a winter stir-fry or pan of fried rice.

Cold Ramen Noodle Salad with Edamame & Broccoli

Photo from savoryonline.com

Yield: 4 servings

16 oz broccoli florets and or peeled stems

12 oz edamame pods, cooked & shelled

½ cup shredded carrots

1 small red onion, minced

10-12 oz ramen noodles (no seasoning packets)

3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1-2 limes

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large pot of salted water to a boil on high. Add the broccoli and cook until it is bright green and al dente (still with a slight crunch). Remove the broccoli from the water and put it in a colander. Run cold water over it to quickly cool it, then set aside to drain.
Use the same water you cooked the broccoli in to cook the ramen noodles. Bring the pot of water back to a boil, then add the ramen noodles and cook for about 4 minutes or until al dente. Drain the noodles and discard the water. Rinse with cold water to quickly cool them. Set aside to drain well.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the peanut butter and vinegar until smooth. Squeeze in 2 Tbsp juice from the lime(s). Whisk in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To the bowl with the dressing, add the drained noodles, broccoli, shelled edamame, carrots and minced red onion. Toss until all components are well coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking with additional salt, pepper and lime juice. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Recipe adapted from www.savoryonline.com.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

August 13, 2020 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Edamame!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Zoey Onions: Sweet & Spicy Zucchini Relish; Golden Beet Gazpacho; Open-Faced Bagel with Cream Cheese, Tomato,Onion and Fresh Basil; Cucumber & Tomato Salsa

Italian Garlic: Chinese Spice-Infused Fresh Soybeans (see below): Edamame Sesame Quinoa Salad (see below); Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Tomatoes; Golden Beet Gazpacho; Oven Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms; Cucumber & Tomato Salsa

Green and/or Italian Zucchini: Sweet & Spicy Zucchini Relish; Zucchini Spice Cake

Green and/or Silver Slicer Cucumbers: Quick & Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles; Golden Beet Gazpacho; Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad; Cucumber & Tomato Salsa

Collards: Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Tomatoes

Peter Wilcox or Molli Gold Potatoes: Oven Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms

SunOrange, Chocolate Sprinkles or Red Valentine Tomatoes: Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Tomatoes; Caprese Skewers; Caprese Breakfast Casserole

Large Tomatoes: Open-Faced Bagel with Cream Cheese, Tomato, Onion and Fresh Basil; Cucumber & Tomato Salsa; Caprese Breakfast Casserole

Sun Jewel Melons and/or Sweet Sarah and/or French Orange Melons: Wine Punch with Melon Ice Cubes; Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad; Pork Cutlets with Cantaloupe Salad

Jalapeno Pepper: Sweet & Spicy Zucchini Relish; Golden Beet Gazpacho; Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad; Cucumber & Tomato Salsa

Edamame: Chinese Spice-Infused Fresh Soybeans (see below); Edamame Sesame Quinoa Salad (see below)

Green Top Gold or Red Beets: Golden Beet Gazpacho; Beet Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

Welcome back to another week of cooking out of your CSA box! This week marks the halfway point in our CSA season and fall will be here before we know it! But for this week, lets continue to embrace summer and all of its goodness including this week’s featured vegetable—Edamame! Edamame, also known as fresh soybeans, makes a great snack. Take a little culinary trip to the Sichuan region of China this week by making Chinese Spice-Infused Fresh Soybeans (see below). Make sure you take time to cut the tips off of the edamame pods with kitchen shears before cooking them. This step ensures the spice-infused liquid will fully flavor the beans. The second recipe we’re featuring this week is a simple Edamame Sesame Quinoa Salad (see below). The beauty of this salad is its simplicity and it makes a great portable salad to take to work for lunch or on a picnic!

Sweet & Spicy Zucchini Relish
photo from cravesomethinghealthy.com

This week both the zucchini and cucumbers are really producing! We’re packing over two pounds of each in your boxes, so it’s time to get creative! This week you have enough zucchini to make Sweet & Spicy Zucchini Relish. This is a great condiment to use on hamburgers and hot dogs. You can also add it to deviled eggs, potato salad, tuna salad or sloppy joes. This recipe not only uses zucchini from your box, but also the onions and jalapeno. It yields 8 cups of relish, but doesn’t call for canning. Thus, it should be stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for several weeks. While you’re extending the shelf life of your vegetables with short-term preservation methods, you might as well make these Quick & Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles. The recipe calls for 2 pounds of cucumbers to yield 2 quart jars of pickles. Store them in the refrigerator and use them within about a month.

Tomatoes and basil are a natural combination, so you can’t go wrong with something as simple as an Open-Faced Bagel with Cream Cheese, Tomato, Onion and Fresh Basil to start off your day. You could also make these simple Caprese Skewers using the pint of small tomatoes in this week’s box. These are a great item to serve as an appetizer at a party, but since there aren’t too many gatherings taking place perhaps you could turn dinner into your own cocktail hour. In addition to these skewers, serve Beet Bruschetta with Goat Cheese or Golden Beet Gazpacho. Add a bowl of Cucumber & Tomato Salsa to serve with tortilla chips and wash it all down with Wine Punch with Melon Ice Cubes using this week’s Sun Jewel melons!

Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad
photo by Alex Lau for epicurious.com

Speaking of melons, I can’t say that I’ve used melons in a savory way very much. This week I challenged myself to find some savory ways to use melons and came upon this recipe for Cantaloupe and Cucumber Salad. This salad utilizes not only the melons in this week’s box, but also cucumbers and a little heat from a jalapeno. The fruit is drizzled with a light, spicy vinaigrette and is garnished with cilantro, mint and pumpkin seeds. The other savory recipe I found is for Pork Cutlets with Cantaloupe Salad. This recipe has kind of a Vietnamese influence and uses the melon in a marinade for the pork as well as in a salad to serve with the pork. The salad has lime juice, chiles, cilantro, fish sauce and is garnished with crushed peanuts.

Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Tomatoes
photo from theironyou.com

Farmer Richard says “Eat Your Greens,” so this week we’re sending collard greens your way! While collards are typically prepared with some kind of a pork product, there are many other non-pork ways to prepare collards. Check out this simple recipe for Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Tomatoes which uses garlic and small tomatoes to make a delicious, simple pasta dish.

Before we reach the bottom of the box, lets figure out what we’re going to make for Sunday brunch! I vote for Oven Roasted Potatoes and Mushrooms served with Caprese Breakfast Casserole. I know I’ve already suggested several other recipes using basil, but that’s because it’s summer and we should be using fresh basil in season! And lastly, to finish off this week’s Sunday brunch, why not make this Zucchini Spice Cake? Breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner….this cake is perfect for any time of the day.

That’s it! We’ve reached the bottom of another box. Next week we should have more sweet corn and hopefully watermelons! Of course there will also be more tomatoes and hopefully we’ll have more peppers to send your way as well. Take care and have an awesome week!—Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Edamame

By Chef Andrea

Fresh edamame pods

This week we’re featuring edamame, also known as fresh soybeans. If you’ve been in the midwest for any length of time, I’m sure you’ve seen a soybean field or two along your travels. While our soybean plants resemble the plants in those huge fields you may have passed by, our soybeans are much different. Fresh edamame are a special summer treat and, while they may be found in the frozen vegetable section at the grocery store, it is rare to find them in the fresh produce section. So consider yourself part of the lucky few who get to enjoy this special treat as part of your HVF CSA experience!

Edamame have been part of Japanese and Chinese cuisine for a long time, but have only recently become more popular in this country. True edamame intended for fresh eating is quite different than oil-seed soybeans and tofu beans most often grown to make tofu and other processed soy products. Richard specifically searched for the preferred edamame varieties grown for fresh eating in Japan and China because they produce a sweet bean that doesn’t have a “beany” aftertaste. Seed varieties for tofu beans are typically much less expensive than varieties for fresh eating, thus in this country the edamame found in the frozen section, either in the pod or shelled, is likely a tofu bean with that “beany” aftertaste. We actually save our own seed, which still comes at a cost, but allows us to grow our preferred, clean tasting varieties.

Shelled Edamame

Edamame resembles a small lima bean encased in a pod. The beans are sweet and tender and best eaten lightly cooked. Unlike sugar snap peas, edamame pods are not edible and should be discarded. Edamame is hard to shell when it’s raw. It is easiest to cook edamame in its pod first and then you can pop the beans from the pod. To cook edamame, rinse the pods thoroughly with cold water. Bring a pot of heavily salted water (salty like the sea) to a boil. Add the edamame and boil for about 3-4 minutes. You should see the pods change to a bright green color. Remove the edamame from the boiling water and immediately put them in ice water or run cold water over them to quickly cool them. After the beans are cooked you can easily squeeze the pod to pop the beans out, either into a bowl or directly into your mouth! Once you’ve removed them from the pods, they are ready to incorporate into a recipe or eat as a snack.

You can also roast edamame in their pods. There’s a basic recipe on our website, but basically you toss the edamame pods with oil and seasonings of your choice. Serve the beans whole with their pods still on. While you won’t eat the pod, you can use your teeth to pull the edamame out of the pod and in the process you’ll pick up the seasoning on the outside of the pod!

Fried Rice with Edamame and Corn (top) &
Roasted Edamame with Salt (bottom)

From year to year, the basic information about vegetables that needs to be included in a feature article doesn’t really change (ie what part is edible, to peel or not to peel, etc), but each year I push myself to dig a little deeper to learn something new about many vegetables I now consider familiar. This year through my research about edamame I learned an interesting tidbit that I had never come across. “Edamame” is actually the name for fresh soy beans in Japan. In Japanese culture edamame are typically prepared very simply by either boiling or steaming them and then serving them in the pod with a little salt. This year I learned that in China fresh soybeans are called “Mao Dou” and are prepared a little differently. The fresh soybeans are boiled in a spice-infused liquid and a small amount of the pods are trimmed off of each end of the soybean to allow the cooking liquid to bathe the beans while they are cooking. One source, thewoksoflife.com, encouraged readers to get creative with the ingredients used in the cooking liquid. You may choose to use dried chili peppers, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, white or black peppercorns, cumin seeds, scallions or star anise.

Cole Peanut-Sesame Noodles with Edamame and Cucumber

You can store fresh or cooked edamame for up to a week in the refrigerator, but it is best to eat them soon for the sweetest flavor and best texture. If you are want to preserve edamame for later use, simply follow the cooking procedure above, then freeze the beans either in their pods or remove them and freeze just the bean. It’s fun to pull something green out of the freezer in the winter to enjoy as a snack or incorporate into a winter stir-fry or pan of fried rice.

Edamame is often eaten as a simple snack, but you can also incorporate it into vegetable or grain salads, stir-fry, fried rice, steamed dumplings or pot stickers to name just a few suggestions. They pair well with any combination of traditional Asian ingredients such as sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. They are also a nice, bright addition to brothy soups such as a miso soup. If you follow the suggested method for boiling edamame before shelling them, the bean will already be fully cooked, so if you are adding edamame to a hot dish or recipe, do so at the end of the cooking.

Edamame Sesame Quinoa Salad

Photo from veggiechick.com

Yield: 6 servings (about 4 cups)

2 Tbsp black sesame seeds

½ cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup chopped onions

2 cups shelled edamame

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp maple syrup

¼ tsp ground ginger

2 tsp Sriracha

In a medium pot, add sesame seeds over medium high heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sesame seeds are starting to toast and become fragrant. Add quinoa and stir for 2-3 minutes until toasted. Then, carefully add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa has absorbed all moisture and is tender, about 20 minutes. (Note: if the quinoa is not tender when all the moisture has been absorbed, you may need to add a little more water to the pan) Remove from heat immediately, and spread over a baking sheet evenly to cool.
Next, to a large bowl, add shredded carrots, onions and edamame.
In a small bowl, add garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger and Sriracha. Stir with a whisk and transfer to the large bowl with vegetables. Add the cooled quinoa and stir. Serve.

Recipe borrowed from Christin McKamey at www.veggiechick.com.

Chinese Spice Infused Fresh Soybeans--"Edamame Beans, Our Way"

Photo from thewoksoflife.com

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound fresh or frozen edamame

3-4 cups water or enough to fully cover edamame in the cooking pot

1-½ Tbsp salt (to taste)

3 pieces star anise

1 Tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp whole peppercorns

3 cloves garlic

Prepare the edamame by trimming away both ends with kitchen shears. Take care not to cut the beans themselves. This step will allow the flavor to get inside the pods.
In a small pot, boil 3-4 cups water along with the salt, star anise, soy sauce, peppercorns and garlic. Once the water boils, turn down the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, turn up the heat, adding the edamame into the pot. Boil for 5-6 minutes without the lid. Drain and serve! These will keep well in the fridge in a Ziploc bag or covered bowl for about a week.

Recipe sourced from www.thewoksoflife.com. Don’t be afraid to customize the ingredients you use to infuse the cooking liquid. You may choose to add fresh ginger, dried chilies, cumin seeds, or any other spice of your choosing!

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

August 15, 2019 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Edamame!

Cooking With This Week's Box

Sierra Blanca White or Zoey Yellow Onions: Summer Squash Tart; Pork & Tomatillo Stew; Greek Cucumber Salad

Green and/or Italian Zucchini: Grilled Zucchini Hummus; Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce; Pork & Tomatillo Stew

Broccoli: Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below); Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Green and/or Silver Slicer Cucumbers: Sushi Salad (see below); Greek Cucumber Salad

Edamame: Sushi Salad (see below); Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below)

Italian Garlic: Yellow Split Pea & Kale Potato Curry; Eggplant Lasagna; Grilled Zucchini Hummus; Summer Squash Tart; Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce; Easy Marinated Cherry (grape) Tomatoes

Orange Carrots: Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below); Pork & Tomatillo Stew

Mountain Rose Potatoes: Yellow Split Pea & Kale Potato Curry; Pork & Tomatillo Stew

Green Bell or Orange Ukraine Peppers: Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below); Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce

Sunorange, Red Grape or Chocolate Sprinkles Tomatoes: Easy Marinated Cherry (grape) Tomatoes; Greek Cucumber Salad

Variety of Large Tomatoes: Yellow Split Pea & Kale Potato Curry; Greek Cucumber Salad

Eggplant: Burnt Eggplant with Zaatar Flatbread; Eggplant Lasagna

Tomatillos: Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce; Pork & Tomatillo Stew

Green Curly Kale: Sushi Salad (see below); Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below); Country Ham, Egg & Kale Breakfast Pizza; Eggplant Lasagna

Sun Jewel, French Orange, OR Sweet Sarah Melon: Just Eat It!

Welcome back to another week of cooking! I looked at the calendar earlier this week and realized we only have about 6 weeks of summer remaining before we hit the official First Day of Autumn! We still have a lot of good summer cooking to do before I’m ready to turn the page on another summer, so lets get busy! This week our featured vegetable is edamame. Before I came to Harmony Valley Farm, I had never had fresh edamame and didn’t realize how tender, sweet and delicious it can be! This week I have sourced two recipes that use edamame. The first recipe comes from alexandracooks.com and is for a Sushi Salad (see below). Now this salad doesn’t have any raw fish in it, although you could add it if you’d like. Rather, the base of this salad is short grain brown rice or you could use sushi rice. Both are short grain types of rice that are a little more sticky in nature with tender, chewy kernels. The dressing for this salad is based on miso and toasted sesame oil. Vegetables including cucumbers and edamame are piled on top of the rice along with chunks of avocado and some greens, which this week could be chopped kale. The dressing is drizzled over everything and then the salad is garnished with sesame seeds and nori seaweed. It’s all the components of a good vegetarian sushi roll, but without having to roll it! The second recipe is for a Thai Quinoa Bowl (see below) that I found on a new site, blissfulbasil.com. This is a main dish recipe that is built on a base of quinoa with a whole mess of vegetables piled on top! You can vary the vegetables depending on the season and what you have available. This week you can use edamame, broccoli, carrots, kale and peppers from the box. It also calls for beets, jicama and red cabbage. If you don’t have those vegetables, just substitute more of the others or use whatever you have! The protein in this dish is a spicy chile-garlic tofu. Add that to the bowl and drizzle everything with a nutty ginger dressing, garnish with fresh cilantro and roasted sunflower seeds. There is a lot going on in this bowl, both in nutrients and in flavors!

Yellow Split Pea & Kale Potato Curry
Photo from blissfulbasil.com

There are so many different ways you can use green curly kale. If you don’t use it all in one or both of the dishes I just described, consider using it to make this Yellow Split Pea & Kale Potato Curry. This is another recipe from blissfulbasil.com. I’m really glad I stumbled across this blog and I think it’s one I’ll be referencing more in the future because it’s full of really tasty vegetarian recipes. This dish features kale and potatoes as well as tomatoes, ginger, curry powder and turmeric. It’s a hearty vegetarian meal served with rice. The other recipe I’ve included this week for kale is for a Country Ham, Egg & Kale Breakfast Pizza. I told you there are a lot of things you can make with kale! Why not have it for breakfast!

Last week we featured eggplant and over the past week I’ve come across more eggplant recipes that look really tasty! Two of them made the cut for this week’s recommendations. The first is for Burnt Eggplant with Zaatar Flatbread. You don’t really burn the eggplant for this recipe, rather you roast it until the skin gets nice and roasty, toasty dark and the whole thing kind of collapses as the flesh gets soft and silky. You scoop the flesh out and combine it with a few ingredients to make a very rustic kind of dip or mixture you can eat scooped up with freshly made flatbread seasoned with zaatar, a middle eastern seasoning. The second recipe is for Eggplant Lasagna. This recipe resembles a traditional lasagna, but instead of using pasta to create layers, you use thin slices of eggplant! There is no meat in this recipe, although you could add it if you’d like. It does call for spinach, but you could use kale instead.

Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce

We just started picking tomatillos from our second crop this week, while we’re still picking from the first as well! They are nice and big right now and look gorgeous! Tomatillos are a fun vegetable/fruit to cook with. Of course you could make a traditional salsa verde, but if you’re interested in kicking it up a bit, I highly recommend this recipe for Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce. This is a great summer recipe that features a lot of different vegetables and it’s memorably delicious! I tested and published this recipe last summer and all winter I wished I had made an extra pan of these to put into the freezer! The tomatillo cream sauce is a breeze to make and you need little more than some fresh pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes to complete this dish. Leftovers are also excellent. My other longtime favorite recipe using tomatillos is this Pork & Tomatillo Stew. I made this stew back when I was cooking for the crew. I like to make this when tomatillos are fresh, but you can also make it in the winter with frozen tomatillos. Just remove the husk, wash & dry the tomatillos, then put them in a freezer bag and pop them into the freezer. Pull them out in the middle of the winter and make this hearty, delicious stew!

Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserold
Photo from gimmesomeoven.com

We’ve had a nice long run on broccoli this summer, but it’s soon to come to a close and then we’ll have a few weeks of a gap before the fall broccoli starts coming in. Ali, from gimmesomeoven.com featured this recipe for Healthier Broccoli Chicken Casserole on her blog this past week. It’s totally homemade—no canned cream of mushroom soup, but rather a creamy mushroom cheese sauce mixed with pasta, fresh broccoli and cooked chicken. This is a recipe that could be assembled in advance (like on the weekend), then pull it out and bake it off the day you want to eat it. Serve it with a little tomato or cucumber salad on the side and you’re set.

Zucchini isn’t going to be around forever, but the plants keep producing so we keep picking! A member sent us this recipe for Grilled Zucchini Hummus. This is made in the style of hummus, but without chickpeas! The flavor comes from grilling the zucchini which is then blended with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika. The other zucchini recipe I’d like to recommend this week is for Summer Squash Tart. Summer squash and zucchini can be used interchangeably. The base of this tart is puff pastry, so don’t even have to make the crust, just buy it. Make a creamy base with ricotta, egg and parsley, layer on the zucchini and bake it. Top it off with feta and you have a beautiful tart to serve for lunch or dinner!

Summer isn’t summer until you’ve made some version of a Greek Cucumber Salad. Now that we have fresh tomatoes, it’s time to make this salad. This recipe includes black olives, which I like but you could omit if you don’t care for them. Serve this as a side dish alongside that Summer Squash Tart or with a grilled steak or roasted chicken.

Photo from letsdishrecipes.com

If you don’t use the small tomatoes in the pint container as part of the Greek Cucumber Salad, consider using them to make Easy Marinated Cherry (grape) Tomatoes. You can scale this recipe to whatever quantity of tomatoes you have available. The tomatoes are mixed with fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and some white wine vinegar. Put these in the fridge and use them throughout the week as a little side condiment/salad to eat alongside eggs for breakfast, grilled meat, on top of pasta dishes, etc. It’s just nice to have something fresh and tangy that’s already made to add to your meals.

I think we’ve used up pretty much everything in the box, except for the little melon hanging out in the corner. I don’t have a recipe suggestion for this item this week because I think you should just eat it! Cut it, scoop out the seeds and enjoy it! They are sweet and delicious and don’t require anything more than a knife and a spoon.

As we close out this week’s Cooking With the Box discussion, I want to share a link with you to WDRT. This is our local public radio station. Last week I was invited to the studio to talk with Philothea Bezin, the host of their Saturday food show, Who’s In the Kitchen. We had a fun conversation about seasonal cooking with an emphasis on summer cooking! If you’d like to listen to our banter, you can access the show on their website through the end of this week.

Have a great week!—Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Edamame

By Andrea Yoder

Fried Rice with Edamame and Corn

Sushi Salad with Brown Rice, Edamame, Nori and Miso Dressing

photo from alexandracooks.com

Author’s Note: “The beauty of this salad is that you can prep everything ahead of time with the exception of cutting the avocado. You may want to double the dressing. I’ve been doing this, and it has been so nice to have on hand, especially when you have leftover rice, edamame, lettuce, etc. on hand — makes for such a satisfying and fast lunch. On subsequent days, you may need to thin the dressing with more water.”

FOR THE SALAD:

3 cups cooked short grain brown rice, cooled

1–2 cups shelled edamame

4 small cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds

2 avocados, peeled and sliced

A few handfuls baby spinach, kale, chard or other tender greens

Olive oil, to taste (optional)

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

4 toasted nori seaweed sheets, cut into thin slices

Sea salt, to taste

FOR THE DRESSING:

3 Tbsp miso paste

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp mirin

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame seeds

1–2 Tbsp water or more as needed

First, make the dressing. Whisk together the miso paste, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, and 1 to 2 Tbsp water until smooth. Add more water by the tablespoon until the dressing is the consistency of cream — it should be pourable. Stir in the sesame seeds. Taste. Add a sprinkling of sea salt if necessary.
Assemble the salad. You can assemble this salad in various ways. You can set out all of the components in bowls and let people assemble their own bowl. But you can also combine everything in one large bowl. Here’s how: In a large bowl, combine the rice, edamame, cucumber, avocado, and baby spinach. Toss together gently. To serve, transfer salad to bowls or plates, drizzle over the dressing, a little olive oil (if you wish), and a sprinkling of sea salt. Top with the nori strips and sesame seeds.

Recipe adapted from Hetty McKinnon’s Family on alexandracooks.com.

Thai Quinoa Bowl

Yield: 3-4 servings

Photo from blissfulbasil.com

Quinoa Bowl:

1 cup uncooked red quinoa

1 ¾ cups filtered water

1 small head broccoli, washed and cut into small florets

1 recipe spicy chili-garlic tofu (optional—see below)

1 cup shelled edamame

1 small head romaine or green leaf lettuce, washed, trimmed, and chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and then shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned

1 small beet, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1 small jicama root, peeled and cubed (optional)

½ cup shredded red cabbage

Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Handful roasted cashews or sunflower seeds

Spicy Chile-Garlic Tofu:

1 (14 ounce) block firm tofu, drained

3 Tbsp chile-garlic sauce

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium tamari

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

Nutty Ginger Dressing:

¼ cup creamy peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, or sunflower butter

2 ½ Tbsp reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce or to taste

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 ½ Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger root

For the Quinoa Bowl:

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, return to a boil, and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, uncovered, or until the quinoa has absorbed most of the water, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.
Steam the broccoli in a steamer or steamer basket for 4 to 8 minutes, or until firm-tender. Strain off any excess water. Set aside.
Prepare the tofu, if using.
Chop and prepare the remaining bowl ingredients. (Note, you may vary the vegetable components to your liking as available seasonally)

For the Spicy Chile-Garlic Tofu:

Wrap the tofu in several layers of paper towels, and place it on a dinner plate. Set a very heavy pot or pan (e.g., cast iron skillet) on top of the wrapped tofu and let stand for at least 20 minutes (preferably 30 minutes) to press the excess water from the tofu.
Meanwhile, in a medium spouted mixing bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the chile-garlic sauce, maple syrup, tamari, and rice vinegar. Whisk together until combined and set within reach of the stove.
Carefully unwrap the tofu. Slice it widthwise into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Then, lay each piece flat and slice in half lengthwise and then widthwise, yielding four small rectangles from each.
Heat a well-seasoned cast iron skillet or pan over medium-high heat until hot. The heat will sear the surface of the tofu and prevent it from sticking, which is why it's important that the pan is thoroughly heated.
Once the pan is hot, add the tofu in a single layer (you'll need to do this in two batches). Use the back of a spatula to lightly press down on the tofu (you should hear it sizzle and steam). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the pan-facing sides are golden-brown. Flip, and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden-brown.**
Reduce the heat to low, return all the tofu to the pan, and add the sauce. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and begins to cling to the tofu, stirring frequently
Transfer the tofu and sauce to a medium mixing bowl and allow it to rest and marinate until ready to serve. Serve on its own or alongside steamed vegetables and/or brown rice.
Refrigerate leftovers.

For the Dressing:

Add the peanut butter, tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, maple syrup, and ginger to a medium bowl. Whisk together for 30-45 seconds. Please keep in mind that the dressing should be on the salty side—since we're not seasoning the quinoa or veggies, we need a little kick of sodium here to make all the flavors pop. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Assemble:

Divide the quinoa between bowls. Top with the romaine, broccoli, tofu (if using), carrot, pepper, beet, jicama, cabbage, cilantro, and cashews. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Ashley Melillo at blissfulbasil.com