Farmer’s Market Box February 13th, 2025

This week’s local produce and featured farms:

• Cara Cara Oranges – Rancho Del Sol Organics
• Oro Blanco Grapefruit – Rancho Del Sol Organics
• Rhubarb – Mendoza Farm
• Gaviota Strawberries – Tamai Family Farms
• Arugula – JR Organics
• Rainbow Chard – Milliken Family Farms
• Purple Sweet Potatoes – Her Produce
• Radish Watermelon – JR Organics
• Cauliflower Romanesco – Milliken Family Farms
• Nagami Kumquats – Burkat Farms
• Fuerte Avocado – Heritage Family Farms

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Serves 6 to 8

For the Fruit
2 cups hulled strawberries, cut in half, or quartered if large
2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 4 stalks)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (or more if the berries need it)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and coat the inside of a 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the berries, sugar, cornstarch, and juice and transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Set aside while making the crumble.

For the Crumble
 1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1. In a food processor, combine the flour and sugars by pulsing on and off 4 to 5 times.
2. Drop the butter cubes onto the flour mixture and pulse the mixture on and off until it begins to come together.
3. Break up any large pieces, and sprinkle evenly over the fruit in the prepared pan.
4. Bake the crumble for 35 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
5. Serve the crumble warm, or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream, or gelato.
6. If you have any crumble topping (uncooked) leftover, freeze it and then use it another time.

If you are making individual crumbles, they will cook for 20 minutes, until they are golden and bubbling. This recipe will make about 8 ramekins.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries

Serves 4

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 bunch arugula, washed, spun dry and chopped
1 cup sliced strawberries

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, red onion, mustard, poppy seeds, and oil until blended. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
2. When ready to serve, assemble the salad. Combine the arugula and strawberries in a large salad bowl and toss with some of the dressing, adding more to taste. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Compote

Makes about 2 cups

1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Combine the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Taste for sweetness, add more sugar if needed.
2. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until thickened and jam-like.
3. Puree with an immersion blender if desiring a smoother consistency.
4. Cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 1 month, or freeze for 6 months.
5. The compote is delicious with pound cake, scones, toast, or ice cream.

Purple Sweet Potatoes with Miso Maple Butter

Serves 4

1-pound purple Japanese sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Few drops Tabasco or Frank’s hot sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, prick the potatoes with the sharp point of a paring knife in several places. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the butter, miso, and maple syrup. Taste for seasoning and add Tabasco or additional maple syrup.
3. When the potatoes are soft, remove from the oven, place on a plate, split in half, drizzle with the miso maple butter, and serve.

Roasted Smashed Purple Sweet Potatoes

Serves 6

One-pound purple sweet potatoes scrubbed
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
Salt and pepper
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prick the potatoes with the sharp tip of a knife in a few places and roast for 40 to 50 minutes until tender.
2. Line a baking sheet with silicone or aluminum foil.
3. In a bowl, mix together the oil, thyme, sage, salt and pepper.  Pour half the mixture onto the baking sheet.
4. Take the warm potatoes, and transfer to the baking sheet. Using an oven mitt, press down on the potatoes to flatten them.
5. Pour the remaining oil over the potatoes and roast for 20 minutes until the potatoes begin to get crispy.
6. Sprinkle the cheese on each potato and roast another 15 minutes until the cheese is melting and serve hot.

Pasta with Romanesco

Serves 4 to 6

½ pound Romanesco, trimmed, and chopped
½ pound shaped pasta, such as orecchiette, farfalle, penne, or rigatoni, cooked 2 minutes short of al dente and saving some of the hot pasta water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper

1. Bring 8 quarts of salted water to a boil, add the Romanesco, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp/tender. Remove from the water using a slotted spoon and add the pasta to the boiling salted water.
2. While the pasta is boiling, heat the oil in a large skillet, sauté the pepper and garlic for 30 seconds, until fragrant, add the broccoli and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing in the garlic oil.
3. When the pasta is ready, drain, and reserve some of the hot pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta. Add ½ cup of the cheese, and about 1/3 cup hot pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve garnished with the remaining cheese.

Swiss Chard “lasagna”

Serves 6
This is a great way to use up the stalks from Swiss chard.

1 bunch Swiss Chard, stalks cut, washed, and spun dry 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk 
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated cheese Parmigiano Reggiano
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1/4-pound Prosciutto di Parma, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper

1. Cut the leaves from the stalks of the Swiss chard, chop the leaves, and trim the stalks to about 6-inches. Steam the stalks until tender, about 4minutes, and drain thoroughly and cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 9-inch square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. In a sauté pan, heat the oil, add the garlic, and swirl in the pan for 30 seconds till fragrant. Add the chopped chard leaves, and sauté until they are wilted. Season with salt and pepper, add the flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the broth and milk, bringing to a boil. Season with nutmeg. Combine the cheeses, remove the sauce from the heat, add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese to the sauce, and stir in the parsley and Prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
4. Lay the stalks in the prepared pan, and top with a layer of the sauce. Repeat, ending with the sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake the ‘lasagna’ for 25 to 35 minutes until the casserole bubbling and the cheese is golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Sicilian Greens

Serves 4

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed, and cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil, add the raising, shallot, garlic, red pepper, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the chard, sauté until they are just wilted.
3. Add the broth, and simmer until the broth has evaporated. Stir in the Parmigiano, season with salt and pepper, and garnish with the almonds.

Cara Cara Orange Cake

Makes one 9-inch round cake

1 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/4 cup Cara Cara juice
1 1/2 cups chopped Cara Cara orange segments
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Coat the inside of a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2-inches deep with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, eggs, rind, juice, and segments.
4. Add the flour, sugar, salt, soda, and powder. Beating until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 30 minutes.
7. Invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely before serving.

Cara Cara Orange Salad

Serves 4

4 Cara Cara oranges, peel and pith removed and slices 1/2-inch thick
1/2-pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced, using the red part only
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. On a serving platter, arrange the oranges and mozzarella in an alternating pattern.
2. Sprinkle the salad with the onions and oregano.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the salad. Serve the salad at room temperature.

Roasted Salmon with Cara Cara Salsa Verde

Serves 4 to 6

For the Salsa
1/4 cup minced spring onion
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 Cara Cara orange, peel and pith removed, and cut into segments, then chopped
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

For the Salmon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Cara Cara orange juice
2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 1/2 pounds salmon filet

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pour the oil, juice, and Old Bay into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
3. Arrange the salmon in the pan and turn to coat in the oil mixture.
4. Roast for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, or until the fish reaches 155 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving garnished with some of the Salsa Verde.

Ettinger Avocado Guacamole

Makes 2 cups

3 ripe Ettinger avocados
1 Roma tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 Jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

1. Mash the avocadoes with a fork.
2. Fold in the tomato, lime juice, cilantro, onion, garlic, salt, and jalapeno.  Stir to blend, adjusting the seasoning with additional salt or lime juice.
3. Serve with tortilla chips, and fresh vegetables.
4. Cook’s Note: to prevent the guacamole from discoloring, spritz the top with water, and wrap in plastic wrap. It will keep the guacamole from discoloring for up to 4 hours.

Pickled Watermelon Radishes

Makes 2 cups

2 cups julienne watermelon radish
½ cup finely chopped onion 
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (or other vinegar)
1/8 cup sugar (start with this amount - you can always add more if you feel it's necessary.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1. Place the radish slices and onion in a large bowl or pack them into a jar. In another bowl, stir together the vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
2. Pour the pickling mixture over the sliced radish and onion until they’re fully covered.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight before serving. 
4. Any leftover radishes will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Kumquats and Chile

Serves 6

1 (6-lb.) boneless pork shoulder
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup thinly sliced kumquats
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced into rounds
2 onions, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 cups of water
2 cups orange juice
3 Cara Cara oranges peel and pith removed; sliced 1/2-inch thick

1. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Using a chef’s knife, make a series of 1-inch incisions on both sides of the shoulder (there should be about 15 per side).
2. Combine the salt, coriander, paprika, and sugar in a small bowl and use it to evenly season the pork, making sure to include the inside cavity where the bone was. Work the kumquats, garlic, and jalapeños into the center cavity and the incisions, massaging in the seasonings as you go.
3. Evenly cover the bottom of a large shallow roasting pan with sliced onions.
4. Put the shoulder on the onions and transfer to the oven. Roast, basting the pork with the fat and juices that collect in the pan, until the meat is very tender and caramelized, about 1-1/2 hours.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 275ºF, add the orange juice and water to the pan, and cover the pork with foil. Bake for 7 more hours, until the pork is fork tender.
6. Remove the pork from the pan and pour all the pan juices and scrapings into a saucepan. Skim the fat from the top and simmer over medium heat to reduce the liquid by half.
7. Serve the pork on a platter (it will be very tender and will likely pull apart into pieces) with the reduced sauce poured over the top and garnish with orange slices.

Mustard-glazed Roasted Romanesco

Mustard-glazed Roasted Romanesco

 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
 1 tablespoon olive oil
 salt and freshly ground black pepper
 1 head Romanesco 
 ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
 Extra-virgin olive oil for serving
 Flaky sea salt for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. and line a baking sheet with parchment, aluminum foil or silicone.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Trim the bottom of the Romanesco so that it sits flat, and remove the tough center core from the stem, leaving the head intact. Place on the prepared baking dish.
4. Brush the mustard mixture over the surface of the Romanesco, and sprinkle with the thyme.
5. Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the baking dish and bake until tender and the tips are deeply browned, about 1 hour, loosely tenting with aluminum foil about halfway through roasting.
6. Quarter the Romanesco, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with sea salt to taste.

Roasted Romanesco and Arugula Salad with Zatar

Serves 4

1 head Romanesco, trimmed and cut into 1-inch florets 
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 tsp. ground cumin
 salt and freshly ground black pepper
 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 1 garlic clove, minced
 2 teaspoons Zatar
 1 14.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 bunch arugula, washed, spun dry and chopped
 ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
 13 cup dried currants
 ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil, parchment, or silicone.
2. Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the cumin, ¾ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. ¼ pepper, tossing to coat. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet, and roast until browned on the edges, turning ½ way through the cooking time, about 20 minutes.
3. in a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, garlic, Zatar, ½ tsp. salt, and tsp. pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Add the cauliflower, chickpeas, arugula, feta, currants, and pine nuts and toss to combine.

Vietnamese Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad

Serves 4

½ pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium Oro Blanco grapefruit, peel and pith removed, and chopped
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
¾ to 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, homemade or storebought
2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely grated carrot (use the largest hole on a box grater)
½ to ¾ cup thinly sliced red and/or green cabbage
⅓ cup chopped or hand-torn mint leaves
¼ cup chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts

@Diane Phillips Diane Phillips Blog: Cucina Divina
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