Farmers’ Market Box October 22nd 2020

October 20, 2020 Orange Department 0 Comments


This week’s local produce and featured farms:

Farmer’s Choice:

Farmers’ Market Box Recipes

Roasted Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

1 pound purple sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
One 11-ounce long goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with silicone, aluminum foil or parchment.
2. Put the potatoes into water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, until tender.
3. Combine the oil, salt and paprika. Pour 1/2 of the mixture onto the baking sheet
4. Drain, when the potatoes have cooled for 15 minutes, put them onto the baking sheet, using an oven mitt, press down firmly on the potatoes, so that they are about 1/2-inch thick. They will look ragged.
5. Brush with the remaining oil mixture and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Cut the goat cheese into rounds, or crumble, and spread or sprinkle onto the potatoes.
7. Bake another 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve warm.

Miso Glazed Turnips and Purple Sweet potatoes

Serves 4 to 6
Make sure to cut the vegetables into similar sizes, so that they will cook evenly.

1 pound purple sweet potatoes, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bunch Scarlet Queen turnips, tops removed, scrubbed, and quartered
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons honey

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line the baking sheet with silicone, aluminum foil, or parchment.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, miso, and honey.
3. Add the vegetables and toss to coat.
4. Spread the vegetables onto the baking sheet in an even layer, and roast for 40 to 50 minutes turning once during the cooking time, until the vegetables are nicely browned and tender.
5. Serve warm.

Mashed Turnips

Serves 4
These turnips will be on the pink side, due to the red exterior, but well worth making.

1 pound Scarlet Queen Turnips, scrubbed, stem and root ends trimmed, and cut into quarters
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 tablespoons milk, or cream
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper

1. Put the turnips into water to cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes until tender.
2. Drain thoroughly.
3. Add the butter and mash the turnips, adding a bit of milk or cream to make a creamy mash.
4. Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Save the Greens

Serves 4
Turnips give you an extra serving of healthy greens, remove the tough stems, and saute. If you don’t use the sautéed greens right away, they freeze beautifully, and can be added to soups, and sautés. They are delicious stirred into mashed potatoes, egg dishes and garnished with a bit of Parmigiano or your favorite cheese.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 bunch turnip greens, washed, spun dry, tough stems removed and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
2 to 4 tablespoons water or broth
Salt and pepper
1. In a large skillet heat the oil, saute the garlic and pepper for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the greens, and saute to 3 to 4 minutes until wilted.
2. If the skillet is dry add a bit of water or broth, to help wilt the greens.
3. Season the greens with salt and pepper if needed and serve warm. They are a terrific bed for grilled poultry or meats.

Pancetta Mustard Greens

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large onion, finely diced
1 bunch mustard greens, washed, spun dry tough stems removed, and sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil, add the pancetta, and saute until the pancetta is crispy.
2. Add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the mustard greens, season with salt and pepper and saute until the greens are wilted.
4. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Cook’s Note:
· This dish is a great contorno or side dish in southern Italy—You can make the greens into soup by adding 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, toss in some cooked small pasta, and a Parmigiano rind for flavor.
· These greens are also delicious as a topping for crostini with a bit of burrata or ricotta salata.

Pasta with Broccoli Carbonara

Serves 4 to 6

1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, finely chopped
3 cups small broccoli florets
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pound spaghetti or buccatini, cooked 3 minutes short of al dente
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and more to garnish

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, yolks, cream, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil, and cook the pancetta until it is crispy.
3. Add the broccoli and garlic, and saute until the broccoli begins to soften, but is still crisp/tender.
4. When the pasta is ready drain it, and add to the eggs mixture, turning in the hot mixture, add the broccoli/pancetta mixture and toss with the cheese.
5. Serve garnished with additional Parmigiano.

Roasted Broccoli and Kale Caesar

Serves 4 to 6

1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bunch curly kale, tough stems removed, washed, spun dry and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Greek Style yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Salt and pepper
2 cups garlic croutons (either homemade or store bought)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, parchment, or silicone.
2. Toss the broccoli with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and roast for 12 to 15 minutes until the broccoli has a bit of browning on the edges.
3. Remove from the sheet and put into a large salad bowl.
4. Put the kale into the same salad bowl.
5. In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, and zest. Blend until smooth.
6. Pour over the salad, toss to coat, add the croutons, and Parmigiano and toss again.

Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

Soup is great fuel in the fall; this “wedding soup” is simple to make and hearty enough to be a whole meal.

Serves 6

For the Soup
8 cups chicken broth
One bunch kale, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
One 14.5-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
Parmigiano Reggianno cheese for garnish

1. Place the broth, beans, and kale into the insert of a 5 to 7-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low while preparing the meat balls.

Meat Balls
Makes about 16 to 20 1-inch meatballs
1 pound ground turkey
2 slices soft crusted Italian bread
¼ cup milk
1 medium shallot chopped finely
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggianno cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the milk over the bread, and allow it to soak in
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl, and stir together until the mixture is combined, being careful not to compact it.
3. Using a small portion scoop, form the meat balls into 1-inch balls, and drop into the slow cooker containing the broth and vegetables.
4. Cover the slow cooker and cook the soup for 5 hours on low, until the meatballs float on the surface.
5. Remove any foam that may have formed on the top of the soup, season with salt and pepper and serve the soup garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggianno cheese.

Pasta with Pesto Ligurian Style

Serves 4 to 6
Traditionally, pesto and pasta are tossed with potatoes and green beans in Italy.

2 cups packed basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more to garnish
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more to taste
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 pound blue lake green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 pound spaghetti or linguine

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the basil, pine nuts, salt, Parmigiano, and garlic. Pulse on and off to break up the garlic and nuts.
2. With the machine running, slowly add the oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil.
4. Add the potatoes, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until potatoes have started to soften but are not cooked through.
5. Add green beans and continue boiling another 5 minutes.
6. Add pasta and stir. Start testing pasta at 7 minutes.
7. When it is done, and when potatoes and beans are tender, drain and turn pasta and vegetables immediately into preheated bowl. Add the pesto and toss to coat. Serve garnished with additional Parmigiano Reggiano.

Sausage Stuffed Honey Nut Squash

Serves 4

2 Honey Nut Squash, cut in half lengthwise, and seeds removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with silicone, parchment, or aluminum foil.
2. Drizzle the inside of the squash with a bit of the oil, and roast the squash for 30 minutes, until tender.
3. When the squash is cool enough to handle scrape out the flesh leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Chop the flesh and set aside. The flesh should be very soft, and it may not cut well; it will melt into the sauce with the sausage.
4. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over high heat, until the sausage is no longer pink.
5. Remove the sausage in the pan, and add the flour, whisking to cook it for 2 minutes.
6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
7. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Return the sausage and squash flesh to the pan, remove from the heat, and add 1/2 of the cheese. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust.
8. Fill the squash shell with the squash and sausage mixture and top with the remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbling, and the cheese is golden brown.
10. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving (this will be molten hot, so wait to serve it)

Honeynut Squash Kale Gratin

Serves 6

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves minced
1 bunch kale, tough stems discarded and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 cups peeled Honeynut squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, heat the butter, add the onion and garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes until the onion softens.
3. Add the kale, and season with the salt and pepper. Saute until the kale is wilted, and there is no longer any residual liquid in the pan. Add the nutmeg, milk, and cream, stirring until blended.
4. Add the squash and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, until the squash is almost tender.
5. In a bowl, combine the Gruyere and Parmigiano.
6. Transfer half the squash and spinach to the prepared pan. Sprinkle with some of the gruyere mixture.
7. Top with the remaining squash mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
8. Bake the gratin for 35 to 45 minutes until the squash is tender, and the cheese is golden brown.
9. Allow the gratin to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Farro Salad with Radish and Orange Vinaigrette

Serves 6

1 cup pearlized farro
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Valencia orange juice
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (or almonds)
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped basil
4 red radishes, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
1 Valencia orange, peel and pith removed, segmented, and chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

1. Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the farro and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until just tender. Drain and transfer to a salad bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, orange juice, salt, and pepper. Toss the warm farro with some of the dressing.
3. When the farro has cooled, add the pine nuts, parsley, basil, radishes, orange, and Parmigiano. Toss to blend, add more dressing if needed, and serve at room temperature.
4. If you would like to make this ahead, remove it from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving, and re-dress with any leftover dressing.

Braised Cranberry Orange Pork Loin

Serves 6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
One 3 to 4 pound pork loin trimmed of fat
One sweet yellow onion, such as Vidalia, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 teaspoons dried thyme
One 14-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
2 oranges, peel and pith removed, and sectioned


1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper and brown the pork in the pan. Remove from the pan.
2. Add the onion, zest, and dried thyme, to the pan, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.
3. Add the cranberry sauce, orange juice, and oranges to the pan.
4. Add the pork loin back into the pan, and simmer, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the pork is cooked through and tender.
5. Remove the pork from the sauce and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.
6. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce (this is an optional step) Taste the sauce for salt and pepper and adjust.
7. Serve the pork napped with some of the sauce, with extra warmed sauce on the side.

Orange Chicken

Serves 6

For the Glaze

2 cups fresh orange juice
5 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated orange peel
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup packed Italian parsley

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the ingredients and pulse until blended.
2. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, and simmer for 20 minutes until thickened. Set aside. (the Glaze can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated)

For the Chicken

1 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely orange peel
Salt and pepper
1 2 3/4- to 3-pound chicken, quartered, backbone removed

1. In a bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Pour into a 1 gallon zip-lock bag add the chicken, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a sheet pan with silicone, aluminum foil or parchment.
3. To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, parsley, thyme, ginger, honey, garlic, rice vinegar, olive oil and orange peel, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade.
5. Lay the chicken on the baking sheet skin side down and roast for 20 minutes, turn and roast another 20 minutes until the dark meat registers 160 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer.
6. Turn on the broiler, brush the chicken with some of the glaze, and broil until the skin is crispy. Remove from the oven, and brush with additional glaze. Serve the warm glaze with the chicken.

Apple Pecan Cake

Serves 6 to 8

This is a great snack cake, but you can dress it up with cream cheese frosting, or you can bake it in a 1/2 sheet pan (same amount of time) then cut into squares serve warm with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat 13 by 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. (or a 1/2 sheet pan)
2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until blended. Add the flour, baking soda, and spices and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the apples, nuts, and vanilla. Scrape into the prepared pan.
3. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached to it, 40 to 50 minutes.
4. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

Pear and Apple Crumble Pie

Serves 6

For the Crumble

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. In a small bowl, cut the butter into the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside in the refrigerator while making the rest of the pie.

For the Pie

1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, either store bought or homemade
3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with silicone or aluminum foil to catch any drips.
2. Coat the inside of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with non-stick cooking spray if using your own crust.
3. In a medium bowl, toss the apples, pears, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and butter together.
4. Arrange in the pie crust. Sprinkle the crumble on top and place the pie on a sheet pan to catch any juices. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, and the juices are bubbling. Check the pie after 30 minutes; if the streusel topping is already brown, cover lightly with foil.
5. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

@Diane Phillips www.dianephillips.com Blog: www.cucinadivina.blogspot.com
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