Bulgur with Blueberries
Summer Squash Curry
Spanish Tortilla with Red Peppers
Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
So glad there’s corn in this week’s box because it reminded me that I needed to remind you about the instructions available at https://grassfedcow.com/ingredient/corn/. Pay special attention to that line in the third paragraph about cutting off the top and tossing out those worms. This is particularly important if you’re not going to eat your corn right away. Those little worms will just keep eating away at your corn kernels until you cut off their feast.
There are about two dozen corn recipes there as well. Or check out this Sriaracha-Lime Corn Salad recipe from Food52 (https://food52.com/recipes/37430-sriracha-lime-corn-salad) and then all the ways to use it for a week’s worth of meals at https://food52.com/blog/17287-the-corn-salad-recipe-to-feed-you-all-week-long.
And Saveur has dozens of tomato recipes available at http://www.saveur.com/article/-/Fresh-Summer-Tomato-Recipes?image=0. Riverview hasn’t bombarded us with tomatoes yet, but the season is young and you may find more than two or three pretty tomatoes and wonder what to do with them, so keep that collection of recipes in mind.
Did you figure out the melon in your box? I have to admit when I picked up my box, I hefted that thing and thought, “Spaghetti squash?” It was the right shape, but bigger than a spaghetti squash has any right to be so early in the season.
Took it home and put it on the kitchen counter along with the corn, zucchini, blueberries, etc. etc. Turned my back and my cats had knocked it off the counter. Guess they thought it would bounce.
And of course, it didn’t bounce at all. It cracked. And so I discovered a lovely thin-skinned mostly seedless melon with a bright yellow rind. Pretty! And delicious when salvaged.
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Bulgur with Blueberries
Suzanne’s been quick to keep the recipe ideas updated. Last week’s blueberry pickles are already online at https://grassfedcow.com/ingredient/blueberries/. But if you need more ideas, I’ve got one more offering. It’s a little sweet from the orange juice and would make a fabulous breakfast. Top it with yogurt maybe? It came originally from Prevention Magazine.
Do you know bulgur? They sell it bulk at Sevananda and Whole Foods, and probably at other places at all. You don’t have to cook it at all, just soak it in water to soften the grains. The original magazine recipe called for cooking the bulgur, but I’ve adapted it so there’s no more heat in the kitchen.
1 1/2 cups medium-grind bulgur
2 cups orange juice
1 cup water
Salt
2 cups blueberries
Put bulgur in a medium bowl and add orange juice and water. The liquid should cover the bulgur by about an inch, but no more. So only add enough water to reach that level. Stir in a pinch of salt. Let the bulgur soak about an hour and taste for tenderness. If the liquid has been absorbed and the grains aren’t quite tender enough, add a little more water and let it keep soaking.
When everything is tender, stir in the blueberries. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve with chopped mint, with yogurt, with honey, with cinnamon …. the sky’s the limit.
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Summer Squash Curry
This recipe is adapted from one in the New York Times. A nice reminder that vegan curries are delicious and coconut milk goes with so many vegetables.
Coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
As much of one of your jalapenos as you would like
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small can coconut milk
Your zucchini from today’s box, plus any other summer squash you have lurking in the vegetable drawer
Mint, basil and cilantro, for garnish if you wish
Melt 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened without browning, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, turmeric, soy sauce and lime zest and juice, stir, and cook for an additional minute. Add coconut milk, bring to a simmer and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add summer squash and cook gently until just tender but still firm, about 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat. Transfer summer squash and sauce to a deep, wide serving dish or divide among large soup bowls.
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Potato Tortilla with Peppers
So you know a tortilla is more than a corn or flour wrapper for delicious fillings. It’s also an egg-and-potato omelet. If you’re looking for a few new ways to use up this year’s bounty of red potatoes, check out this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. It’s got their trademark detailed instructions so you can’t go wrong.
6 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds red skin potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
1 teaspoon table salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 jalapeno, cut into thin slices
8 eggs
Toss 4 tablespoons oil, potatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in large bowl until potato slices are thoroughly separated and coated in oil. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Reduce heat to medium-low, add potato mixture to skillet, and set bowl aside without washing. Cover and cook, stirring with rubber spatula every 5 minutes, until potatoes offer no resistance when poked with tip of paring knife, 22 to 28 minutes (it’s OK if some potato slices break into smaller pieces).
In another skillet, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil and saute jalapeno slices slowly until tender.
When potatoes and jalapenos are done, whisk eggs and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in reserved bowl until just combined. Using rubber spatula, fold hot potato mixture and peppers into eggs until combined, making sure to scrape all potato mixture out of skillet. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining teaspoon oil, and heat until just beginning to smoke. Add egg-potato mixture and cook, shaking pan and folding mixture constantly for 15 seconds. Smooth top of mixture with rubber spatula. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds until bottom is golden brown and top is lightly set, about 2 minutes.
Using rubber spatula, loosen tortilla from pan, shaking back and forth until tortilla slides around freely in pan. Following photos below, slide tortilla onto large plate. Invert tortilla onto second large plate and slide it browned-side up back into skillet. Tuck edges of tortilla into skillet with rubber spatula. Return pan to medium heat and continue to cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds, until second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Slide tortilla onto cutting board or serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. Cut tortilla into cubes or wedges.
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Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart
If, unlike me, you haven’t consumed all those yummy Sun Gold tomatoes, then here’s a quick and delicious suggestion. Make a salad and it’s dinner or cut into little squares and serve as a first course for your favorite dinner guests.
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
Salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or basil leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out puff pastry to a 12-inch square and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and mustard and season to taste. Spread over puff pastry. Fold over 1/2-inch border on all sides and press edges to seal. Refrigerate.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add green onions and season to taste. Cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 3 minutes. Arrange green onions over sour cream mixture. Top with tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Bake until pastry is golden brown and crisp, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly and top with goat cheese and herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.