Savoy Faire Slaw

You'd think the plethora of amazingly fresh local vegetables in summer, available at our area's FIVE weekly farmer's markets, would result in an endless cascade of posts on this, my local food blog.  Ironically, though, the big push every day to use up the produce with which I've stuffed my fridge results in some hectic cooking, with little time left for blogging about it.

As well, long summer evenings don't lend themselves to sitting at a computer, but rather to being outdoors enjoying our balmy Tri-Cities weather and gorgeous sunsets!   But I have a few things in the blog pipeline that are good enough to publish.

How could anyone not be inspired by this gorgeous local organic Savoy cabbage?  I paired it with a creamy chive dressing found in one of my favorite cookbooks.
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SAVOY FAIRE SLAW
Dressing inspired by Patricia Wells in Vegetable Harvest.

Savoir-faire is the French expression for "know how to do."  You'll know just what to do with this slaw!

1 smallish head savoy cabbage

1/2 cup cream
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Trim core from cabbage.  Slice cabbage very thinly, then slice crosswise a few times so you have pieces about an inch long.

Whisk dressing ingredients in medium bowl.  Add cabbage and mix well.  Slaw will keep well but tastes fantastic freshly made. 

Makes 4 servings

Valley Cafe Vegetables

Some of you who grew up in the age of strip malls, Applebees and P.F. Changs will not remember when most restaurants had narrow street fronts and were long and thin, stretching through to a back alley. The Valley Cafe in Ellensburg continues this grand tradition of narrowness, but this venerable establishment had foresighted designers, and is blessed with a row of ancient skylights to alleviate the inevitable darkness of this building design.  The experience of walking back in time is very strong at The Valley Cafe, especially as the booths, counter, and most of the furnishings are original.

Ellensburg makes a great day trip from Pasco.  The day we were there was chilly and windy, but sunny, and we were glad to get in out of the jacket-piercing breeze to see what we could find on The Valley Cafe's menu that would be friendly with our way of eating.

We decided on the Steamed Vegetables and a separate order of Spicy Asian Shrimp.  After we ordered, I asked the server if any bread was involved in this meal.  We're getting used to heading bread off at the pass so it won't be wasted.  She hesitated a moment, but said "No."

It took quite a while for our order to be prepared, and when the vegetables arrived, they were a delightfully colorful and flavorful mix of vegetables I'd never seen combined before.  As well, they were topped with a little cheddar-jack cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds, something I'd also never considered doing to vegetables.  Naturally, I took notes.

As it happened, the chef himself brought the rest of our order to the table, and I told him how remarkably tasty the vegetables were, and how unusual was the combination.  He said, "Well, you didn't want broccoli, so I just put together some other vegetables."  Turns out, the server thought I'd asked if any broccoli were involved in our meal, thinking we didn't want it!

I never fail to be intrigued by the happenstances that result in new dishes.  This one is a new favorite of ours, and it goes particularly well with the cafe's Spicy Asian Shrimp, so I concocted an easy-peasey version of that, too, and it'll be up next.
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VALLEY CAFE VEGETABLES
Cook gently so your vegetables will retain their color and flavor.  

2 tablespoons ghee or butter

4 carrots, peeled and cut into coins
1/2 pound asparagus, snapped and cut into 1-inch lengths
1/3 of a small red cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 jar (6.5 ounces) marinated (or plain) artichoke hearts


Pumpkins seeds lightly toasted in a dry skillet
Shredded jack or cheddar cheese (optional, of course)

In large skillet, melt ghee.  Add carrots and stir fry for a couple of minutes.  Add asparagus and cabbage, and continue cooking until all is just beginning to soften.  Add red pepper pieces, and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are crisp tender.  Don't overcook.

Remove to serving platter or individual plates, and tuck artichoke pieces here and there evenly.  Sprinkle with cheese and pepitas.

Makes 4 generous servings.

Classic CSA Braising Greens, Three Ways

By way of the wee memory fairy working her magic on two CSA customers this week, I found myself, as the drop site host, in possession of TWO unclaimed CSA boxes.  I feel bad when people forget to pick up their boxes, but there it is.  I have been instructed that the unclaimed boxes are mine to use or share.

This week we each had a bag of braising greens, so I have two extra bags ... a real treat, as I have never seen braising greens in the grocery store.  The farmer's e-mail tells us the greens are all Asian varieties:  mizuna, tatsoi, and mibuna.  These greens wilt down significantly when cooked, like spinach.  So I like to mix other vegetables (preferably from the CSA box!) in with them.  This week's bok choy and red onion were perfect candidates!

There are, of course, infinitely more than three ways to cook greens.  I have given ideas here.  Think of them as the starting point for your own creations. The photo shows the Indian Braise.
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CLASSIC CSA BRAISING GREENS, THREE WAYS

I suspect braising greens might be available in Asian markets, of which we have several in our area.  But if you can't find them, spinach, chard and even sturdy lettuce varieties will work.  Just watch the cooking times so you don't overcook thinner greens.

Indian Braise

1 tablespoon coconut or vegetable oil

1 baby bok choy, sliced
1/2 large or 1 small red onion, halved and sliced
2 cups sliced cabbage

1 tablespoon curry powder or garam masala

12 ounces or so mixed braising greens, sorted and washed
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste

Coconut and chopped macadamia nuts to garnish (optional)

Heat vegetable oil in large-ish skillet.  Add bok choy, onion and cabbage.  Saute, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften.

Scatter curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt atop vegetables, stir, and cook, stirring for a minute or so until the spices become fragrant.  Stir in coconut milk and curry paste, mixing well.

Pile braising greens into the pan, stir well to incorporate them with the other vegetables, and cover.  Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until greens have wilted and become somewhat tender.  Sprinkle coconut and chopped macadamia nuts atop if desired.

Makes two large or four small servings. 

Oriental Braise

To same (or different!) combination of vegetables above, add chopped ginger and garlic when sauteeing the bok choy, onion and cabbage.  Use sesame oil if desired.  When adding the braising greens, stir in hoisin sauce or soy sauce mixed with a little water.  Add crushed red pepper if desired.  Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

American Braise

To same (or different!) combination of vegetables above, using coconut oil or vegetable oil, saute with plenty of garlic.  Stir in raisins, dried cranberries or chopped prunes when you add the braising greens.  Just before serving, stir in a splash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, and some fresh walnuts. Orange peel and orange juice work well with this combination, too.

Lemon and Cumin Slaw

This is a light, lemony, crunchy slaw that goes together quickly and compliments any meat (pulled pork comes to mind!) or sturdier casseroles, such as enchiladas and mac and cheese.  It's also great alongside robust, winter soups such as chilis and chowders.

I'm always drawn to recipes with a minimum of ingredients, especially when they combine so beautifully like this, where the flavor of each ingredient is equally showcased.

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LEMON AND CUMIN SLAW
From the British Country Living magazine

This slaw keeps very, very well, and develops a deeper flavor over time.  But it's amazing freshly made, too.  I once tried adding some olive oil, but it only detracted from the fine, tangy crispness of the slaw.  

1/2 a medium-sized green cabbage, thinly sliced into shreds
1 organic lemon
1 tablespoon cumin seed (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Grate the lemon's peel into a large bowl using a Microplane or other fine grater.  Juice the lemon, adding the juice to the bowl with the peel.  Add the salt.

In a small skillet, toast the cumin seed 'til it begins to brown and becomes fragrant.  Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and grind roughly, then transfer to the bowl with the lemon juice and peel.

Whisk dressing, then toss in the cabbage and mix all together well.

Makes about 6 servings.

Cabbage Soup with Sausage and White Wine

Two things captivated me when I spotted this recipe years ago.  It called for two cups of white wine, which I felt sure would elevate a simple cabbage soup well beyond being brothily boring, and the cooking instructions said to cook "until the cabbage is redolent and tender."  I cannot resist words like "redolent."

A truly easy yet extraordinarily savory and memorable fall and winter soup.

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CABBAGE SOUP WITH WHITE WINE AND SAUSAGE
Adapted from The Kitchen Garden Cookbook by Sylvia Thompson

The original recipe was a stew, and used only one cup of chicken broth.  My other additions are the red bell pepper, crushed red pepper, and smoked paprika. The recipe also states that "a Czech or Pole would also season the stew with a good pinch of caraway seeds." Though not of either of those persuasions, I do grind some caraway seed a tad with mortar and pestle and sprinkle atop the soup when serving.

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large or 8 small carrots, diced
1 large red onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced, or 1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (I usually add quite a bit more thyme)
6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound sausages, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or larger if you prefer
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups good chicken broth
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Freshly ground black pepper

Boiled potatoes and sour cream or yogurt for serving


Heat olive oil in large soup pot.  Add carrots and onions and saute for several minutes.  Add tomatoes, thyme and garlic, and heat through.

Pile the cabbage on top of the vegetables, and scatter the sausage atop the cabbage.  Pour wine and broth over, and sprinkle with the paprika.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring the mixture all together at 20 minutes.  When the cabbage is "redolent and tender," add pepper, taste for salt (I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon), and serve over boiled potatoes.  Top with sour cream or yogurt if you wish.

Mellow Mango Slaw

Even an eat-fresh-and-local fanatic like me can find more than one or two trips a week to one of our local farmers' markets a little wearing. Let's face it--sometimes it's a jungle out there on the market pavement ... but without the tropical fruit.

So when Yokes put their mangoes and red peppers on sale, I picked some up for a between-market fill-in. As often happens, I started thinking about a recipe I'd seen on another blog, and was charmed by the whole idea of using the mango and red pepper in another mellow, easy-eating salad, especially since my book group was having, fortuitously, a luncheon potluck.

The heart of my local Savoy cabbage was about the right size (the outer leaves went into this heartier slaw) and I used it even though the recipe called for milder Napa cabbage. I cut it very thin and fine.

I do have a mandoline, but in my hands it's a dangerous object, so I diced the red pepper and mango instead of cutting them in julienne. Julienning would have made a more limpid slaw, whereas in mine, each ingredient was more separate.

It struck me that coconut oil might go well with the tropical (mango) theme, and it did the trick.

My final adjustment was using Sahale Sing Buri cashews instead of finding raw ones and toasting them.

All in all, a lazy person's adaptation of an excellent salad. And the book group liked it, too.

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MELLOW MANGO SLAW
Adapted from this recipe

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced
1 to 1-1/4 pound Savoy or Napa cabbage, sliced thinly and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large or 2 small red peppers, diced
1/2 of a red onion, diced (about 1 cup)

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about two limes)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut or other oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste

1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1/4 cup Sahale cashews, coarsely chopped, or raw cashews, toasted

Combine mangoes, cabbage, pepper and onion in a large bowl. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl, and stir into slaw. Keeps fine for several hours. Just before serving, stir in mint and cashews.

Serves 8

Big Slaw

Perhaps you've noticed that slaw is pretty liberally scattered around this blog. The way I see it, the cruciferous and cole vegetables are really healthy foods, and happily, when combined in slaws of various kinds, they taste wonderful. Almost everybody likes slaws, too.

Last Saturday's trip to the Pasco Farmer's Market saw me lugging home a giant Savoy cabbage and a big 'ol green cabbage from my Winter CSA farmer himself. White radishes from an earlier trip, and spring onion whizzed into the dressing to hide its presence from Mr. Eating the Scenery, who can sometimes (not always) be seen picking raw onion out of dishes, rounded this giant slaw out very nicely. "Giant" refers not to the amount of slaw, but to the Herculean size of the cabbages themselves. In fact, just the outer leaves of the Savoy cabbage were all I used ... the delectable little head is waiting its turn for another dish!

The addition of horseradish is a little secret my Mom taught me. She decided one day that her coleslaw needed a little zing, so she added some horseradish to her classic dressing of equal parts mayo, cider vinegar, and sugar. It's a delightful little mystery taste!

The finer you cut your cabbage, the more the dressing will permeate it. You can stack the leaves or wedges in the feed tube of a food processor and use the 4mm slicing disk and get a good, shreddy cut.

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BIG SLAW

Savoy cabbage leaves, thick stems cut out, sliced (about 4 cups)
Green cabbage, sliced (about 4 cups)
White or red radishes, trimmed and sliced

3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish (less if your horseradish is very hot)
1 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of pepper
1 spring onion, white part only (slice green parts and put in the slaw)

Whiz all dressing ingredients together in small food processor until smooth. Toss with the salad mixture. Keeps well, and in fact tastes better when made at least a few hours ahead of time. Vary the veggies to suit what you have on hand.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Slaw of Coles with Tarragon and Mint

The other day I was reading how plants in the cole family contain important nutrients for humans. As I looked over the list of coles, I was amazed to see 16 plants, most of which will be available in abundance at our farmer's markets this summer and fall. At any given moment, I probably have three or four coles in my fridge. It struck me that combined in a "found" salad, they would probably be very tasty!

The coles are: kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collards, bok choy, tatsoi, chard, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, rutabagas, radishes, horseradish, mustard, arugula, and watercress.

By now you probably realize that I am trying to develop and promote the technique of getting maximum benefit from seasonal, market-fresh, local ingredients. To do that, a wonderful shopping technique to use is to buy what looks fresh and good to you at the market, then figure out what to do with it. That way, all your ingredients will appeal to you and be so very fresh that you can't, as I've said so many times before, go wrong.

The habit of buying the freshest ingredients and creating dishes will eventually provide you with a fistful of favorite recipes, and you will begin to look at a motley collection of vegetables and see, instead, a salad, side dish, soup, or other tasty combination.

The mint was added when I looked out the window and saw that my pot of mint had started to sprout.

This recipe makes a very light slaw with a delicate tarragon and mint flavor. It's a good accompaniment to a substantial main dish. If you'd like the slaw to be heartier, stir in a tablespoon of Dijon, an extra tablespoon of olive oil, and a little honey. You can also use the creamy dressing from this salad (adjust amounts to suit the volume of your greens) or go Oriental by adding fresh ginger and garlic.

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SLAW OF COLES WITH TARRAGON AND MINT

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
A grind of pepper

2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups sliced arugula
1 bunch sliced radishes
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper thoroughly in a large bowl. Toss in the coles and herbs and mix well. Refrigerate for an hour or so before serving.

Makes 6 hearty servings.

Sassy Slaw of Fresh Spring Greens

As tired as I was from a busy day today, the selection of greenery in today's box drew me inexorably to make this crunchy slaw from a British magazine. Once again, the Brits score a hit with a basic dish lifted to sublime heights of earthiness. A bit sweet, a bit tangy, entirely different from typical mayo-laden slaws.

For fun, I've left in the British units of measurement. It was an extra job weighing things to make the conversion, but worth it, I think.

And yes, if you're the one writing the blog, you CAN uses phrases like "sublime heights of earthiness." I write 'em like I taste 'em.

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SASSY SLAW OF FRESH SPRING GREENS
Adapted from British Country Homes magazine

200g CSA greens (I used a mixture of kale, spinach and chard), washed, thick stems removed, and sliced (about 8 cups)
225g cabbage, sliced fine or shredded (about 2 cups)
1 bunch CSA spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 medium apple, cored and diced
15g CSA parsley, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
150g dates (chopped) or plumped raisins (about 1/2 cup)
150g walnut pieces (about 1/2 cup)

4 tablespoons cream or sour cream
150ml walnut oil or canola oil (that's over half a cup, but I used 1/4 cup with great results)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of black pepper

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine all the salad ingredients except the walnuts. Stir the dressing in throughly. Serve with walnuts to sprinkle on top. If you mix the walnuts in, they'll go soft if you have leftovers.

Makes 8 or so servings, but it's really good, so seconds will be taken!

Golden Borscht

Winter CSAs will, I think, lend themselves nicely to soup. About the time you're looking at the bits and pieces left in your fridge, soup starts to sound good.

And I have officially used everything from the First Box! Tomorrow I get to pick up the Second Box!

I had three golden beets left from the summer farmer's market, plus some potatoes from my CSA farmer's booth, and the CSA bok choy, and some Granny Smiths from my husband's parents' orchard ... yep, it's a go. Recipe is a hybrid of six I found in various cookbooks. This borscht was so good I made a second batch of it with more beets (organic from Yoke's Market) and the other CSA bok choy. It's robust, which I think was the original borscht inventors' idea.

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GOLDEN BORSCHT

Saute 15 minutes:
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped or halved and sliced thinly
3 carrots, diced
6-8 kale leaves, sliced (I used one of my CSA bok choys)
or 1/2 head cabbage, sliced
1 cup diced celery

Sprinkle on and stir in:
3 tablespoons smoked paprika

Add and simmer for 1 hour:
2 quarts beef broth (I used Imagine brand organic)
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
3 beets, golden or red, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can tomato paste
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 bay leaves
a few grinds black pepper

Add:
2 local potatoes, diced
pinch crushed red pepper, more if you wish

Yogurt or goat cheese
Dill

Cook 'til potatoes are tender. Remove bay leaves. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream (or yogurt or crumbled goat cheese) and chopped dill (fresh is best, dried is okay) to top each serving.

Gunsmoke Slaw

Heretofore, when slicing Chinese cabbage for slaw, I sort of closed one eye and tried not to think about the 700 or so miles it probably traveled to get to Pasco. So it was with huge delight that I prepared Gunsmoke Slaw with my beautiful CSA Chinese cabbage.

This is a light, smoky, spicy slaw, adapted from one of my top 10 cookbooks. It pairs well with heavier winter dishes like stews and casseroles.

Slaws are extremely versatile and recipes for them can be tampered with wildly. Add vegetables, adjust dressing seasonings ... this whole recipe can be made Asian by substituting rice vinegar for cider vinegar, chili paste for chipotle, and adding fresh ginger.

For Gunsmoke Slaw, taper the chipotle up gradually. It can be really hot. Also adjust the sugar to suit your taste ... I like tangy slaws so usually reduce it. I also reduce the oil because I don't like heavy slaws. This recipe reflects my adjustments.

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GUNSMOKE SLAW
Adapted from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon sugar or agave nectar
1 teaspoon salt
Chipotle puree or chopped chipotle in adobe sauce, to taste (start with about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola or corn oil

2 seedless oranges, peel and pith removed, cut into sections with membrane removed
1/2 head green cabbage or 1 head Chinese cabbage, cored and sliced thinly
3 carrots, grated
5 scallions, sliced thinly

Mix dressing ingredients in a small food processor. Adjust chipotle and sugar to taste. Add dressing to vegetables in bowl and stir well. Toss in oranges. Best made at least 2 hours before serving. Keeps very well for several days.