CSA Meals

The first two weeks of our CSA shares have yielded some of the most spectacular dinners we've had. The freshness of the vegetables, biodynamically grown a two hour drive from where we live, is unsurpassed. Additionally, we've been getting fresh, local, pastured eggs and chickens from the local farmer's market. And, all the fresh herbs we are using are from our container garden on the patio. I may earn my Alice Waters badge yet! Here's an attempt to recall the last several days in food...

Zucchini, spring onion and garlic scapes sautee with spaghetti
Beet salad with orange vineagrette

Stir fry of yellow squash, broccoli and spinach over brown rice

Carrot-ginger soup
Scallion-black sesame crepes stuffed with sauteed spinach

Spinach and feta omelets

Curried cauliflower-apple soup
Radish-chives-shaved parmesan salad (from the Cookbook Local Flavors, something magical happened in this dish that made me love radishes)
A colorful salad of lettuce (not sure of the variety), capers, yellow and red tiny tomatoes, and beets with a Meyer lemon vineagrette.
This with a bottle of Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2009 from Casablanca Valley, Chile (A chipper juice that rounded out the salads nicely. J wasn't the biggest fan of it, but it vastly exceeded my expectations considering I got it at Jewel!) and a baguette.

Zucchini bread

Radiatorre pasta with sauteed, grated zucchini and J's pesto. (J's pesto is from the bag of basil we received from our CSA share this week in addition to basil from our patio that needed to be cut back. I'm not sure the proportions of everything, but it's nutfree and contains parmesan and pecorino romano cheeses.)

Curried Cauliflower Apple Soup

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

* 1/2 white onion, chopped fine
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 apples (I used gala, but Granny Smith was recommended)
* 4 cups cauliflower flowerets (about 1 small head)
* 3+ cups Imagine No-Chic broth
* 1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation

In a large soup pot cook onion, garlic, and curry powder in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened.

Peel and core apple. Chop apple coarse and add to curry mixture. Add cauliflower and broth. Simmer, covered, until cauliflower is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a blender or food processor purée soup in batches until very smooth, transferring as puréed to another saucepan. Stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste and heat over moderate heat until hot.

Zucchini Bread

Yield: 2 loaves or approximately 24 muffins

3 eggs
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter two 8×4 inch loaf pans, liberally.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil, applesauce and sugar, then zucchini, lemon zest and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt, as well as nuts, chocolate chips and/or dried fruit, if using.

Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

A red and a white

A couple of picks from Binny's that were better than expected...

2008 Tamellini Soave

and my favorite Abruzzo red so far..

2007 Masciarelli Montepulciano