Fava Fennel Mint Salad

First, remove the outer pod. The easiest way to do this is to grab the pointy end of the bean (the part that used to be attached to the plant), and try to pull off the stringy bit that separates the two halves of the pod. Crack open the pod and remove the inner pods.
Blanch the pods in boiling water briefly (like 1 minute), and then shock them in ice cold water. This keeps them nice and bright green. Next, take each little pod and remove the outer covering to reveal the beautiful, bright green fava bean. Chop up the rest of your ingredients.


Ingredients
2-3 lbs fresh fava beans, (1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled)
Salt
1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved
10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare fava beans as described above. Toss together fava beans, fennel, and scallions. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add salt and pepper, and mix. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste. Mix in Parmesan cheese and mint leaves and toss to combine.

Cornbread Muffins

1 c flour
1 1/2 c yellow cornmeal
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c buttermilk (I used 1 1/4 c of milk soured with 3 T vinegar)
1 large egg
2 T melted butter, cooled

Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan. heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes. until muffins begin to brown on top.


Makes 12 cornbread muffins

Apple Pie

Entering month 9 of living in Ireland there are two tastes of home I miss on an almost daily basis: corn (mostly in the form of an authentic corn tortilla), and apple pie. The apple pie I've tried here doesn't compare in the least so I just avoid it. But unlike the tortilla problem, I can get all the ingredients I need to make my own apple pie right here. And Rose Levy B is the source, so while this is considerably laborious, it is worth it. Having made this as my first apple pie attempt I feel my confidence bolstered. More pies to come! Oh yes, pumpkin would be next on the list. Though no canned pumpkin in Ireland, either. I'll have to wait until a few show up in the farmer's market next autumn. Until then, Ireland makes some fine butter (a baker's dream) and grows some tasty Bramley apples as well. So here, it is. Pie to make an expat swoon.

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon (30 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 - 120 ml) ice water

Apple Filling:

2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups (2 L))
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

Pie Crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and work through it with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Working the dough with your hands, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water until the dough just holds together. If necessary, add more water.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Then remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator.

Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl combine the sliced apples with the sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to three hours. Then, place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes or until you have about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of juice. Spray a 4 cup (960 ml) heatproof measuring cup with a nonstick vegetable spray, and then pour in the collected juices and the 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of unsalted butter. Place in the microwave and boil the liquid, on high, about 5 to 7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 ml) and is syrupy and lightly caramelized. (Alternatively, you could place the juices and butter in a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat on the stove.)

Meanwhile, remove the top pastry crust from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it has time to soften. Transfer the drained apples slices to a large bowl and mix them with the cornstarch (corn flour). Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine. Pour the apples and their syrup into the chilled pie crust. Moisten the edges of the pie shell with a little water and then place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife, make five- 2-inch (5 cm) slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the oven rack at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the stone (or pan) to catch any apple juices. Set the pie on the stone or pan and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and the apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Ratatouille

The source recipe for this was already very easy, but I trimmed it down further by omitting the bell peppers-- I love them but they don't love my wee one. Wee one also declared after trying a bite of the finished rat' that the eggplant was making her mouth sore. So, this is a goodie, but I'll be looking for more alternative veggies to put into it the next time I make it.

* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 leek, diced
* 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 4 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (I only had 3 fresh and then I added 1/2 can of tomato paste and a few cups of water)
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
* salt and pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat. Chop leeks and add to oil. Once the leeks begin to smell good, add the diced eggplant to the pot, stirring well to coat the eggplant with oil. At this point all the olive oil will have soaked into the eggplant, so you need to stir often to keep things from burning until they soften some. Chop the zucchini and stir it in once the eggplant has softened a bit. Chop the garlic and add to the vegetables, stirring well. Add the tomatoes (and for me, the tomato paste and water, about 1 cup). Mince the thyme and add it along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and cook two minutes. Turn down heat and cover the pot. Simmer until everything is soft and well blended - about 40 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from heat.

Makes 4 servings

Vivi's birthday cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon (outer yellow skin)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk or light cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 - 20 minutes or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting. If you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M star decorating tip. Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but they can be covered and stored for a few days.

Buttercream Frosting: In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, (I did it by hand with no bother) cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color (I use the paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores). (I used less sugar and less milk than suggested here.)

Makes about 12 cupcakes

Olive Oil Tart Crust

from Z&C site, a much-needed alternative to the rich, rich butter crusts... this one turns out crispy and relatively light. Now I just need to perfect the savoury tart filling.


- 250 grams (8.8 ounces*) light whole wheat flour (French T80), or a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and whole wheat
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs (I use rosemary or thyme)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil (or the oil of your choosing, provided it withstands cooking)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) cold water

Makes enough to line a 28- to 30-cm (11- to 12-inch) tart pan.

Grease the pan lightly if it doesn't have a nonstick coating.

Combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the oil and mix it in with a fork. Add the water, mix with the fork until it is absorbed, then knead lightly (I do this with just one hand, in the bowl) until the dough comes together into a ball.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the ball of dough and on the rolling pin, and roll the dough out into a circle large enough to fit your tart pan. Turn the dough by 45 degrees (a quarter of a circle) every time you roll the pin and back, adding a little more flour underneath and on the dough when it seems on the verge of becoming sticky. The trick is to do this in quick, assertive gestures (channel the spirit of Julia Child) to avoid overworking the dough.

Transfer the dough carefully into the prepared pan and line it neatly. Trim the excess dough (re-roll it and cut into decorative shapes to top the tart), and place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

You can then blind-bake the crust (prick with a fork first), or garnish it straight away, depending on the filling. Either way, it will take 20 to 25 minutes at 200°C (400°F) to bake thoroughly.

* That's about 2 cups, but really, measuring flour by weight is the only way to ensure accuracy. Consider buying a digital kitchen scale: it will prove an invaluable tool, and the simplest models are not super expensive.

Potato Leek Soup

This has become my signature soup as we enter month 6 of living in Ireland. So simple and while probably ho hum when I make back in the US, here it really shines from the quality of the local ingredients. The potatoes here vary more in subtlety of flavor than I ever expected a potato to be able to vary. (Likewise oats.) A good, floury variety is ideal for the soup so that by the time everything has cooked together the potatoes disintegrate into the soup with the slightest work with a masher/ricer.

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large leek, diced
2-3 tablespoons salted butter
5 cups water or stock

Melt butter over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Saute leeks until fragrant and translucent. Add potatoes and water/stock and cook at a medium boil for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. When potatoes are all tender and have started to break down, mash with a potato masher or ricer. Soup may be thinned and cooled with milk, or enjoyed as it is.

Lemon Cilantro Cole Slaw

4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1 small head)
4 green onions, sliced fine
1 cucumber, julienned
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 lemons' worth)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Shred cabbage and put in a big bowl along with green onions, cucumber and cilantro. Put olive oil, lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, and mustard into a glass jar. Put lid on and shake until oil and acid are emulsified. Add to cabbage mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Fluffy Pancakes

Original Recipe Yield 8 pancakes

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons white vinegar
* 1 cup wholegrain spelt or white spelt flour
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Directions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

CSA meals

I made borshcht for the first time with our surplus of beets, red cabbage and dill. I realize there is an infinite variety of borshcht and this one, chosen at random, was not as borshcht-y as I would have liked.

Other fixin's include pickles. The cucumbers just keep on coming, in addition to some of the most robust heads of garlic I've ever seen and giant stalks of dill. No recipe here, just winging it and they turned out darn tasty.

J made a scrumptious ratatouille last night that used up the great variety of vegetables we got this week: eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, basil, tomatoes (oh yes, the fresh tomatoes started this week!), onion, garlic.

J also made a very tomato-y omelet with onions that was magnificently red.

recipes to follow--

Garlic soup

Star anise cake

Carrot Cake

I made this as a 2-layer birthday cake, and while I didn't feel as though it was the paragon of carrot cakes, it was pretty good and small enough to serve 3 people who went back for so many seconds that it was gone within a day.

Ingredients

* Unsalted butter, for the pan
* 12 ounces, approximately 2 1/2 cups, all-purpose flour, plus extra for pan
* 12 ounces grated carrots, medium grate, approximately 6 medium
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 c sugar
* 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 6 ounces plain yogurt
* 6 ounces sunflower oil
* Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 2 small, round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.

Put the carrots into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl. Add this mixture to the carrots and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.

In another bowl combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yogurt.

While stirring, drizzle in the vegetable oil. Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes or until the cake reaches 205 to 210 degrees F in the center.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, turn the cake out onto a rack and allow cake to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting after cake has cooled completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 8 ounce packages cream cheese

4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter on medium just until blended. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 batches and beat until smooth between each addition.

Place the frosting in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Potato and Onion Frittata

This looked a little iffy when it was on top of the stove-- I could not elegantly lift a corner or two up to let the uncooked egg run under... I did it in a large, cast-iron pan, and although I was generous with the oil, it looked like I was going to have a sticky-uncooperative mess of eggs by the time it was all finished. Fortunately, a few minutes under the broiler-- which I only just today realized is at the top of this particular oven, and not the bottom as it was in the last oven I broiled something in-- made it transform into a glamorous, toasty-topped poof that did in fact slide out onto a serving plate and agree to being cut into neat little wedges. For the next time I might vary up the herbs a bit-- the rosemary was nice, but without the parsley that the recipe called for it was still a tad bland. Some zingy cheese would certainly solve that. What a good use for one of the enormous, downright weepy onions I got from our last CSA box.

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons sunflower or grapeseed oil
* 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
* 1 (8 ounces) baking potato, peeled and thinly sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 8 large eggs
* 1/2 cup whole flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions

1. In a medium (10-inch) nonstick broilerproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion, potato, and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
2. Cover skillet, and cook 10 minutes; uncover. Cook, tossing mixture occasionally, until onion and potato are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and parsley leaves.
4. Heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Add remaining tablespoon oil to vegetables in skillet. Pour egg mixture into skillet.
5. Cook on stove, over low heat, lifting mixture a few times around the edges with a spatula to let egg flow underneath. Continue cooking until frittata is almost set in center, about 10 minutes.
6. Place skillet under broiler; broil until frittata is set and top is lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Run a clean spatula around edges to loosen, then slide frittata out onto a serving plate, and cut into wedges.

CSA eatin's, another week of

summer squash sauteed in sage and garlic
broccoli soup
carrot top scramble
beets, goat cheese & balsamic
coleslaw
chocolate chip zucchini bread
braise of summer squash, zucchini, cauliflower, lima beans, onions, carrots, with thyme and sage
cucumbers & red onions in apple cider vinaigrette

Carrot Top Scramble

1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 med onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
carrot greens, chopped
1 cup canned diced tomato (or fresh)
4 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Sautée onion in a little olive oil for 2 – 3 minutes; add garlic and continue to cook for another minute or so. Toss in chopped carrot greens. Stir and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until they begin to wilt. Add diced tomato and simmer covered 3 minutes. Crack eggs into mixture and scramble until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slow-Cooked Vegetable Braise

New to braising, this yummy one used up a lot of our CSA bounty this week. It's adapted from a recipe in Deborah Madison's "Local Flavors" cookbook.

3 T olive oil
2 bay leaves
2 onions, cut into large pieces
7 plump garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3 thyme sprigs
6 sage leaves
12 small (3- to 5-inch) carrots
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 c cheery tomatoes, halved
1 very large summer squash, cut into slices
1 c frozen lima beans thawed
1/2 c cauliflower florets
1 medium zucchini, cut into slices
1/2 c+ vegetable broth

Warm the 3 T oil with the bay leaves in a large casserole or Dutch oven over low heat. When fragrant, add the onions, garlic, thyme an sage. Cover and cook until onions are translucent. Add carrots and cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all other veggies in layers with the quickest to cook on top. Add broth, cover and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Zucchini Bread 2.0 (with Chocolate Chips!)

Adapted form a Paula Deen recipe that, amazingly, contains no butter. Not that I have anything against butter, but keeping it dairyfree is sometimes desirable for our eating parameters. I did not do the whipped cream topping, but sounds lovely topped with the zucchini ribbons.

Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup sunflower oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups grated zucchini
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
((* 1 tablespoon orange zest
* Whipped cream, for serving
* Zucchini ribbons, for serving))

Directions

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Grease 3 small loaf pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, spices and baking soda.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar, and continue beating until well blended. Stir in oil, vanilla, zucchini, chocolate chips, and orange zest. Stir in sifted ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pans.

Bake for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove loaves from pans and cool. Chill before slicing. Serve with whipped cream and ribbons of zucchini.

Chickpea Veggie Burgers

I don't know how this is possible, but I have never made a veggie burger from scratch before today. For 17 years it's been Boca, Dr. Prager's or some other variation of the frozen hockey puck variety. With all the veg coming in lately via our CSA share, we are up to our eyeballs in refreshing, cool summer salads: cucumbers and red onions tossed in apple cider vinegar and a little water; cole slaw with cilantro, chives and oil and vinegar; chilled steamed beets to be layered with slices of fresh goat cheese and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic... These things don't exactly pair well with a pasta dish, so it seemed like a good time to try my hand at a veg patty worthy of their company.

Apparently I saved myself years of trial and error by starting with a good source from which to improvise. And improvise I will. If the basics are really chickpeas, eggs and breadcrumbs, then a lush palette of veggies, herbs and spices await. For the first time around I kept it simple.

(I suppose if we're feeling gluten-free the breadcrumbs can be swapped out for the quinoa flakes.)


1 1/2 c canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1/3 c chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c red onion, chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the chickpeas, eggs, and salt in a food processor (VitaMix). Puree until the mixture is the consistency of a very thick, slightly chunky hummus. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the parsley and onion. Add the breadcrumbs, stir, and let sit for a couple of minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a moist mixture that you can easily form into four patties.

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium low, add 4 patties, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Turn up the heat if there is no browning after 10 minutes. Flip the patties and cook the second side for 7 minutes, or until golden. Add slices of cheese in the last few minutes and cover to melt.

Serve with slices of avocado and mayo & dijon on the side. (Of course millions of other toppings abound.)

Makes 4 burgers.

Orange Marmalade Cake

Original Recipe Yield 1 - 10 inch Bundt cake

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt-- I used Himalayan pink salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2/3 cup butter, melted-- I used 2/3 c sunflower oil instead
* >2/3 cup white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1/3 cup milk
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/2 cup orange marmalade

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch Bundt pan. (I made 2 small loaves)
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture, mix until well blended. Finally, stir in the marmalade. (I stirred it in very imperfect/minimally and it created nice outposts of sticky orange bits.) Pour batter into the prepared Bundt cake pan.
3. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

More CSA-inspired meals

Red Quinoa salad with red onion, summer squash, broccoli and tomato in a homemade vinagrette

Radiatore pasta salad with red onion, summer squash, broccoli, tomato and feta cheese in a homemade vinegarette

Cole slaw of cabbage and grated kohlrabi with chives and cilantro (from a simple recipe in the Farmer John cookbook that the CSA kicked in for free with our membership. This looks like it will be one of the most used cookbooks in our collection.)

Sauteed kale with garlic, rosemary potatoes and baked salmon on a bed of herbs (basil, thyme, chives)

Ragout of summer squash, chickpeas, tomato, spring onions, garlic, fennel seed, basil and oregano served over polenta

Another very green stir fry comprised of spinach, spring onions, broccoli

Beet salad with goat cheese and balsamic and olive oil vinegrette

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.)