Roasted Carrots With Turmeric and Cumin
Roasted veggies are still delicious even as we enter the early stages of spring! Try this one with the fresh orange or rainbow carrots from the coop. In fact, try the recipe for herbed butter as a topping for any of your favorite roasted veggies-it’s delicious and can be made as vegan by using margarine instead of butter.
10 medium carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (or margarine to make this vegan)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or mild chili powder
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the carrots into even sized spears (as if you were cutting them for snacking). Place in a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and dried thyme leaves.
2. Heat a heavy baking sheet in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the
oven and place the carrots on it in one layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring
the carrots every 10 minutes. They should be slightly caramelized and tender.
3. While the carrots are in the oven place the cumin and coriander seeds in a
mortar and pestle and grind. Add the soft butter, turmeric and chili powder and stir with the pestle until well combined.
4. Remove the carrots from the oven when done and coat with the spice butter. Toss together, taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve from the pan or transfer to a platter.
By Martha Rose Shulman
Green Bean and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry
Recipe coming soon!
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms (also called black mushrooms or chinese mushrooms) have long been recognized throughout the Far East for their unique taste and health-promoting properties. In the West, though most are familiar with their savory quality, meaty flavor and delicious umami punch, their high nutritional and medicinal value often go unsung. Proven to prevent cancer, improve immune support, lower total blood cholesterol levels and improve circulation, the mushrooms are about as unique medicinally as they are delicious. For cooking, fresh shiitake are easy to come by and most people are familiar with them.
Dried shiitake, however, are less common, and generally contain the same nutritional value, while offering a longer shelf-life and a depth of flavor unmatched by their fresh counterparts. Bought dried, the mushrooms should be reconstituted before use.
Place the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with cold water, and let soak for at least two hours (to retain the most flavor, soak eight hours or overnight). After, squeeze the excess water from the mushrooms back into the bowl, remove the stems, and add both the caps and some of the water–now rich with umami–to any soup, stew, steamed dish or stir-fry for an earthy, woodsy, meaty flavor nothing short of scrumptious. Mmmm…
Cooking Cactus Paddles (Nopales)
(Basic Cooking Method for Cactus Paddles)
Cactus can be a really delicious taco or arepa filling if cooked properly. If not cooked long and well enough it can be downright slimy. Here’s a guide on how to prepare and cook this delicious plant.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 1bs fresh nopales, rinsed, cleaned and diced
Salt to taste
TO PREPARE
Rinse the fresh cactus paddles under cold water, being careful not to prick your fingers with the small thorns on its surface. Using a vegetable peeler or small sharp knife, peel away the darker bumps where thorns grow, as well as the thorns, trying not to peel off all the outer dark green skin.
Lay the paddles flat on a chopping board, then trim around approximately 1/4 inch of the edges and 1/2 inch of the thick base. Once cleaned, rinse and dice into 1/2 to 1 inch-sized squares, to your liking.
Heat the oil in a thick, large-sized skillet (one that has a lid, since we will need it later on) over medium-high heat. Add the diced cactus, stir in the salt and stir for a minute or two. Place the lid on the skillet.
Reduce the heat to medium and let the cactus cook and sweat for about 20 minutes, until it has exuded a gelatinous liquid that will begin to dry out. Take the lid off the skillet, stir and make sure most of that gelatinous substance has dried up. If it hasn’t, let the cactus cook for a few more minutes until it does. Let the cactus cool and they are ready to go in a thousand directions including inside of a tortilla
from Pati’s Mexican Table
http://www.patismexicantable.com
Nopales
Also called prickly pear, or cactus pear, the Nopal Cactus has for centuries been treasured by indigenous Americans as a staple in cuisine and as a powerful health-boosting botanical. Its unique ability to function as both food and medicine has earned it a place of distinction among other herbs. In the past decade, the use of the cactus has gained favor as a “superfood” as more and more research points to its anti-inflammatory properties, high antioxidant levels, anticancer benefits, ability to increase metabolic activity, decrease cholesterol levels, treat diabetes and treat gastric ulcers.
The green, spiny pads, called “nopales,” can be eaten raw (without the spines!), cooked, or made into juice. They are somewhat tart, with a recognizably green bean-like taste. To cook, use a vegetable peeler or small knife to remove the spines and edges from the pads. Then the pads are chopped into small pieces, seared in a skillet with a bit of oil, and added to anything from omelets, soups, salads, tacos, or simply enjoyed on their own. Yum!
Savoy cabbage does not get the recognition it deserves. It takes on a creamy texture when sautéed, is subtly sweet, and has a flavor reminiscent of a brussels sprout. Serve it as a side dish with potatoes, fold it into pasta and top with parmesan, or mix it into a lemon or mushroom risotto.
You can cook your cabbage in butter, but duck fat is better! The brandy and duck fat come together to caramelize, sweeten, and add a wonderful flavor. You can use any kind of brandy, but I typically use E&J. It comes in small bottles.
A cast iron skillet, dutch oven, or wok is ideal for this recipe.
You’ll need:
1 small-medium head of savoy cabbage sliced very thin
duck fat, several tablespoons
brandy as needed
fine salt
Melt the duck fat over medium high heat and add a third to half of the cabbage. Sauté gently until the cabbage has cooked down a bit, then add more cabbage. Repeat until all cabbage is in the pan and has nicely softened and started to brown. Season cabbage with salt, add a good pour of brandy and continue to cook until cabbage is soft, lightly browned and evenly cooked. Taste as you go to check for seasoning and preferred doneness. Add more salt and brandy if needed.
Recipe from Lindsey Case
Raw Chocolate-Cherry Bites (16-20 servings)
3 cups raw walnuts, soaked overnight and drained
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup dried black cherries, pitted, soaked 10 minutes in warm water
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest (or whichever citrus zest you prefer)
- Place 1/4 the walnuts and salt in food processor and process until finely ground. Add 1/4 the dates, cherries, cocoa powder, vanilla and orange zest and process until mixture begins to stick together. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Repeat step 1 with remaining 1/4 bactches of walnuts, salt, dates, cherries, cocoa powder, vanilla and orange zest until all used up.
- Using rolling pin, roll mixture evenly to ½ inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. OR (which I think is simpler) put into 9-inch false bottom fluted pie pan or pyrex baking dish by pressing firmly to fill base and sides of pan.
- Chill mixture 15 minutes or until firm, then cut with sharp knife into desired shape/sizes. Chill until ready to serve
(adapted from recipe of same name created by Natural Gourmet Institute)
Einkorn
The ancient grain einkorn has recently been rediscovered as a healthy alternative to modern wheats. Known as the first species of wheat cultivated by man more than 12,000 years ago, einkorn has remained the purest form of wheat, having avoided hybridization due to its low agricultural yield. Compared to modern wheat varieties, einkorn is more nutritious, easier to digest, and considerably less toxic to people with gluten intolerance, but still contains gluten so please use your own judgement. It is a rich source of the powerful antioxidant lutein, and has higher levels of protein, dietary fiber, phosphorous and potassium than all modern wheats. Next time you’re in the store, look for Organic Einkorn Whole Wheat Spaghetti by Jovial. Crafted in Italy by talented pasta artisans, this spaghetti has a sweet and slightly nutty taste without the grainy or gritty texture common in other whole wheat pastas. Buon appetito!
Bushwick Food Cooperative 