kbecker57

CSA Week 7

At the top of Cadillac Mountain

I felt a bit behind the eight ball this week, mostly because I got to spend four lovely days in Maine…spending time in Acadia National Park and eating lots of seafood and blueberries. Before my Maine-cation, I dried the oregano (a success!), used the zucchini to make a “zucchini pie” (recipe coming soon), and roasted the beets. I also, of course, ate all the blueberries.

And with some last minute veggie maintenance this evening, my vegetable drawer is feeling more manageable. I made a couple of salads for lunches the rest of the week, and re-attempted collards (with kale and beet greens too). The collards were much better, aka less salty, than last time.

Week 7

I still have the red onions, cucumbers, eggplant, and some radicchio. And to that I’m adding…

More onions
Another cucumber
Another eggplant
Zucchini…just one!
Collards
Green beans
Lettuce
Corn
Purple pepper
Basil
Blueberries

CSA Week 6

Naan pizza

After a valiant effort (well, sort of), I managed to cook two of the four zucchini/summer squash from last week. Hey, it’s progress! I tried to channel how much I liked it sliced and grilled, and managed to get pretty similar results with a grill pan on top of the stove. I did a lot of salads with the lettuce, endive, carrots, cucumber. I also sauteed the Swiss chard and the rest of the endive and used that as a topping on some semi-homemade naan pizza, which was super delish. But yes, I will admit that I might be a pizza-holic. So far this week I’ve had pizza three times already…naan pizza for dinner on Sunday, Trader Joe’s frozen Greco-Roman pizza for dinner last night, and a couple of slices of Otto pizza for lunch today while I was out running a couple of errands. Hi, my name is Kara, and I’m a pizza-holic.

Week 6

There was no sign at pick-up this week, so here’s what we got:

1 bunch of red onions
1 bunch of beets
7 cucumbers
2 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 bunch kale
1 head radicchio
6 ounces salad mix
1 bunch herbs (I took oregano, and am attempting to dry it)
1 clove garlic
1 pint blueberries

The blueberries are so yummy, way better than what I bought last week at Whole Foods!

CSA Week 5

This week a lot of my veggies took a trip to NY for the holiday weekend….and they had a fantastic time! Their trip was one-way, mine was not. But I came back to an almost empty vegetable drawer save for one lone kohlrabi. I also haven’t used any of the dill yet.

But anyway, back to NY…we made a nice big salad and grilled the zucchini (I liked it!). And I also whipped up a batch of scape pesto. This is probably best used on things that require a bit of cooking since it’s raw and super garlicky. We used a little bit on a pork tenderloin that we then grilled. The rest of mine went into the freezer.

It has been super hot in Boston, as in I finally broke down and turned on the AC for a bit since it was > 90 degrees in my place. That is too hot to really cook anything so I’m going to be trying this recipe tonight for Thai peanut chicken salad…a recipe from Claire that came highly recommended. It does require cooking chicken and some rice noodles, but at least I do not have to turn on the oven. And I can use lettuce, carrots, garlic, and cilantro from this week’s share.

Week 5

Garlic scape pesto
Makes: a lot

Ingredients
20 garlic scapes
Handful of fresh basil (optional)
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Add garlic scapes, basil, and pine nuts in a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the food processor on, slowly pour in olive oil. Turn off food processor and stir in Parmesan cheese.

Bulgur and veggie casserole

Getting ready to roast veggies

Newsflash…I made something with zucchini and *actually* thought it was pretty good! Remember that bulgur salad I made awhile ago? No? Well not to worry, I will refresh your memory (or just click the link above!)…in that post I made a “note to self” to remember that recipe for CSA season because it was a great “throw everything in” dish. Take that recipe, and add a dash of inspiration from a Good Housekeeping recipe for Baked Pepper Jack Quinoa Skillet, and this is what I came up with…hope you enjoy it!

Prepping bulgur

Also, please ignore the fact that you see a glass Pyrex dish in the “finished” photo below. Yes I used Pyrex and my mom shared a tip that you should not put Pyrex in the broiler as it might explode. So use a broiler-safe pan. Noted.

Bulgur and veggie casserole
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups boiling water
1 broccoli crown, cut into pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 small summer squash, sliced
1 medium onion, quartered
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 garlic scapes (or 2 cloves), minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

Warm cheesy veggie goodness

1. In a heatproof bowl (or glass measuring cup), mix bulgur with salt and 3 cups of boiling water. Cover and let stand until tender but slightly chewy, about 30 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a square, broiler-proof baking dish, toss broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, and onion with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast until veggies are tender, about 20-30 minutes, stirring once about halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and set aside.

3. Drain bulgur in a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to remove liquid; return to bowl. Add garlic scapes and sour cream and stir until thoroughly combined. Add bulgur mixture to baking dish with veggies and stir to combine. Top with shredded cheese.

4. Turn on broiler, and broil casserole until cheese is melted and slightly browned. Enjoy!

June RC – BISq

Bazz hook-up board

On a rainy Monday evening, RC headed to Inman Square to check out Bergamot‘s new sibling, BISq, which highlights small plates, charcuterie, and wine. Funny enough, Bergamot was an RC pick back in 2010, and also one of Kim’s picks. On a side note, we loved the desserts at Bergamot so much that we ordered an entire second round of them…the first and only time that’s ever happened at RC!

Pork belly-honey butter

BISq (aka Bergamot – Inman Square) just opened at the end of May and is headed up by the Bergamot team, including Executive Chef Dan Bazzinotti, whom we had the pleasure to meet and even convinced him and our server Dan (Dan-squared!) to try some Norwegian treats and take photos with us. Super nice guy, and super attentive staff!

N’awlins barbecue shrimp toast

All of the sausage is housemade, and was definitely a highlight of the meal. From the “Off the Block” section of the menu we ordered the morcilla and the Bazz hook-up board, which consists of four items from the “off the block” section of the menu and one off-menu item. The evening we went, the Bazz board had mazzafegati (pork liver sausage), sobresada, chicken rillettes, calf’s liver mousse, and lomo (cured pork loin). The faves were definitely the morcilla, as well as the sobresada, and calf’s liver mousse. The mazzafegati had a really delicious char on it. We also got the N’awlins barbecue shrimp toast with “sexy scallions,” the herb-marinated beets with raita and sunflower seed granola, and the pork belly butter. The pork belly-honey butter came with crackers, cracklins, and pickled mango and had all the good flavors…salty and sweet. Someone even called it “out of this world.” I also know there were some non-beet fans who liked the herb-marinated beets…and as a beet fan, I loved them too!

Choucroute garnie

Dessert charcuterie

From the “Farm and Field” section of the menu, we were initially going to try just four of the dishes, and ended up trying almost everything! The Peruvian grilled chicken livers were not my favorite, but I really enjoyed everything else, especially the san agustín sliders, the orecchiette, and the choucroute garnie. The choucroute garnie was a bowl of deliciously salty goodness, with sauerkraut, saucisson noisette, duck confit, bacon lardons, and yukon gold potatoes. We also got the hanger carpaccio (with queso verde, oyster mushrooms, peanuts, omelette), the cherry-glazed lamb ribs (with green garlic and chermoula), and the duchesse potatoes (red wine-poached bone marrow, pickled kumquats, fiddleheads, saba).

And finally, for dessert, we got both the liquid cheesecake trifle with fudge and whipped cream and the dessert charcuterie. The charcuterie board had chocolate salami, caramel Parmesan popcorn, stone fruit shortbread, and almond Bisq-otti dipped in white chocolate. In addition, we had some treats that Claire brought back from her recent trip to Norway, blue cheese chocolates (Blaskimmelost) and salted licorice (salt lakrids).

All in all, a delicious meal and another successful RC pick by Kim. BISq is a great addition to Inman Square and I can’t wait to go back!

The damage
$62 per person

The rundown
BISq
1071 Cambridge Street
@bisqcambridge

Pesto pasta salad

A quick and easy way to use some greens (I used the beta mix from last week’s CSA share) and other vegetables you might have lying around. I used my zucchini and also added grape tomatoes. By tossing the greens with the hot pasta, the greens wilted nicely. The pesto came from the freezer, leftover from last year.

Pesto pasta salad

Pasta salad, pre-mozzarella

Serves: 4

Ingredients
8 ounces pasta
1 small zucchini, sliced
4 ounces greens
1/3 cup pesto
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
4 ounces fresh pearline mozzarella
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Directions
1. In a large pot of water, cook pasta according to package directions. Add sliced zucchini to pasta water for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

2. Drain pasta and toss with greens, pesto, and grape tomatoes. Allow to cool slightly, then add the fresh mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

Slow cooker butter chicken

Ever wonder what to do with the leftover tomato paste when a recipe calls for just one or two Tablespoons (for example, the pork ragù I made recently)? I think I once saw a “tube” of tomato paste (like a tube of toothpaste) in a grocery store, and thought that was a brilliant idea…unfortunately I don’t remember where I saw it and haven’t seen it again, so apparently it never really took off.

Mixing up the sauce

This recipe was a perfect solution to my almost-whole-can-of-tomato-paste “problem.”

Slow cooker butter chicken
Source: Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
1/2 onion, finely minced
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Layering the onion and chicken

2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons curry paste
2 Tablespoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup soy cream (or half and half)
Cooked white rice and Naan, for serving

Directions

Serve with rice and Naan

1. In a mixing bowl, stir together the coconut milk, Greek yogurt, and soy cream. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and all of the spices. Mix well.

2. Spray the inside of the ceramic slow cooker bowl with cooking spray. Spread the chopped onion in the bottom of the bowl. Add the chicken, and then pour the coconut milk mixture on top, making sure the chicken is completely covered. Add the butter and place the lid on the slow cooker.

3. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Stir once or twice during cooking (if you are around).

4. When ready to serve, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice and with Naan.

May RC – Loyal Nine

The bar

This month was my pick (such pressure!) and I decided to take the group to the recently opened Loyal Nine in Cambridge. Loyal Nine opened at the end of March and is headed up by Executive Chef Marc Sheehan. It has been dubbed “East Coast Revival” cuisine and it is both rustic and modern.

Pork liver mousse

I will also admit that many of the dishes on the menu required some additional explanation from our server, who provided very thorough and detailed descriptions. Did you know that sallet = salad? But this sallet is wrapped up like a pretty little package.

I loved the space, especially the little cafe outside, and we took advantage of a warm evening and sat outside. The outdoor space includes herb gardens and is right next to the train tracks (though we did not get to see any trains go by). It was the perfect spot and evening to really welcome spring here in Boston.

Ribs…my fave!

We started off with oysters, bluefish, housemade chips with smoked fish mousse, pork liver mousse, and the ribs. The ribs were my favorite dish of the evening; they are grilled and served with chestnut, molasses, and preserved peppers…so delicious. The bluefish was soused (aka pickled) and served with horseradish and brown bread. The pork liver mousse was served on sourdough bread with apple blossoms. The smoked fish mousse was a little strange…it kind of disappeared the first time someone dipped a chip into it.

Matelote

For our main entrees, we shared the Atlantic bream, Matelote, and the Pondemnast. The Matelote was Rhode Island squid braised in red wine with bone marrow dumplings and the Pondemnast was a savory porridge with mushrooms, turkey, egg yolk, and mustard green sauce. The Atlantic bream was a tartare with Maine yellow eye beans and piccalilli. I wished it had more seasoning (though apparently my palate might have been a little off because I was the only one who wanted more salt on everything).

Pondemnast

All of the food is very pretty and I was wow’d by the ribs and the homemade chips. I was underwhelmed by a lot of the rest of what we ordered, but I am hopeful for its potential and definitely plan on returning to spend time in the cafe and to try some of the other interesting and creative menu items. It was a much anticipated opening, and I hope that others give this restaurant a chance to shine.

Instead of staying for dessert we decided to finish off the night with a trip to Christina’s for some delicious ice cream (half carrot cake, half malted vanilla)…yum.

The damage
$67 per person

The rundown
Loyal Nine
660 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
@theloyalnine

Lemon sheet cake with berries

It’s Memorial Day and I had a craving for a patriotic dessert, aka a cake with strawberries and blueberries. I found a recipe for a sheet cake and made a few modifications, primarily halving the recipe and adding lemon. I also skipped the frosting. The recipe below is the original proportions, but with the lemon (and its zest).

Lemon sheet cake

Memorial Day cake!

Makes: 1 cake
Source: adapted from Eat Cake for Dinner

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Juice from 1 lemon (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
Strawberries and blueberries

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 12″ x 18″ jelly roll pan.

2. Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and add water. Stir in sugar, flour, salt, and baking soda and mix until smooth.

3. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and yogurt. Mix until blended. Pour the batter into the jelly roll pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

4. Allow to cool. Slice and top with strawberries and blueberries.

Pork ragù over creamy polenta

It has been a whirlwind month, with not much cooking going on. But in the past month I did help launch a new product and officially became an alumnus of Boston University’s Questrom School of Business…pretty exciting!

This dish was a bit time-consuming, but not all that labor-intensive. Per the recipe, the pork can be cooked 5 days ahead…I did cook the pork ahead of time.

Pork butt

I used 1.7# of pork butt and skipped the bay leaves (in the pork) and the fresh parsley. Draining the drippings (per step 1) led to burning the onions. After adding the tomato paste, I could see that the bottom of my beloved Le Creuset Dutch oven was burnt. Luckily I managed to save everything by scooping out the onion mixture and swirling some water in the pot to get rid of the burned stuff. Another tip is to be careful when ripping the tomatoes as I had a shirt casualty from squished tomatoes.

Ragu in the works

I had a lot of ragù leftover, which I froze and later used as a sauce with some rigatoni. I do heart leftovers!

Pork ragù over creamy polenta
Source: Bon Appetit, March 2015
Serves: 8

Ingredients
2 pounds skinless, boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 3 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons tomato paste

Shredding the pork

1/2 cup full-bodied red wine
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups coarse polenta (not quick-cooking)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (from about 2 ounces), plus more for serving
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil (for drizzling)

Directions

Final product

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook pork, turning often, until evenly browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and pour off pan drippings.

2. Wipe out any burned bits from pot, but leave the golden-brown pieces. Add onion and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is starting to brown and caramelize. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly darkened in color, 5-8 minutes. Add wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by about half, 5-8 minutes.

Dinner is served!

3. Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then add thyme and rosemary. Stir in 2 cups water. Add pork with any juices that accumulated on the platter; season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until pork is falling-apart tender and sauce is thickened, about 2.5-3 hours. Using 2 forks, break up pork into pieces or shred it; taste and season with salt and pepper.

5. To prepare polenta, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Whisking constantly, gradually add polenta then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, whisking often, until polenta is tender and creamy, 20-25 minutes (if polenta becomes too thick too soon, loosen mixture by adding more water and continue cooking). Add butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan to polenta and whisk until melted; season with salt and pepper.

6. Spoon polenta into bowls or onto a platter and top with pork. Scatter with parsley and more Parmesan over top and drizzle with oil.