Thoughts on approaching this week’s box from subscriber Conne Ward Cameron.
What? It’s fall?
That’s what two bundles of greens and a hard-shelled squash said to me when I opened today’s box. Thank goodness there were some tomatoes and cucumbers in there to keep summer alive. Wonder what happened to all the crookneck, zephyr and zucchini squash. Too much rain?
I’m going to talk about greens, but first this note about tomatoes. Did you see this idea from the Tejal Rao of the New York Times today?
“Since Wednesdays are no-recipe recipe days around here, let me tell you about my favorite thing to do with an excess of tomatoes. I grate a few on a box grater until I’ve got a bowl of juicy pulp. I season this with salt, a little pepper and fruity olive oil — big glugs! If the tomatoes are very sweet, I might add a splash of nice vinegar, too. I let that pulp sit out while I brush some bread with olive oil and brown it under the broiler in my oven, and while the bread is still hot, I rub a raw garlic clove over the top, just very gently, so it frays a tiny bit and lets off some garlicky perfume.”
Since I’ve been experimenting with sourdough bread this week and have four loaves cooling and four more loaves baking tomorrow, I know what I’ll be doing with those tomatoes in today’s box (plus the one that’s left from last week).
Last night I decided to make Brunswick stew. I had some ancient carrots and celery in the refrigerator, a bag of okra (yes, almost a week old), Riverview potatoes and onions in the pantry and some braised Riverview pork. I threw it all together with a bottle of spicy V8 juice. It was delicious. Do I lose my foodie credentials for using V8?
Now about those mustard greens and kale. Lots of good recipes at https://grassfedcow.com/
Go ahead. Prep them. Follow those directions on the Riverview site about washing and trimming. The greens will take up less room in the refrigerator and you’ll be way ahead of the game when it’s time to cook them. Or maybe you just juice them?
Anyway, I’m going to toss a handful of chopped mustard greens into the Brunswick stew.
Here’s one more idea. I found it in a post at Food 52. The recipe is from Twelve Recipes by Cal Peternell, who notes that these “hot little balls make a nice snack or appetizer, but are also good later, to eat at room temperature out of hand on the go.” Sort of spanakopita but no filo. I’m making these tomorrow with a mix of mustard greens and kale.
About 10 cups loosely packed greens
3 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
salt, to taste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1 or 2 eggs
oil for frying
Pulse greens in a food processor or finely chop with a knife—they should be small but not puréed or mushy. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the oil, onion, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cilantro, and cumin seeds. Stir for 30 seconds.
Add greens to pan and sauté for a minute or two, until they have wilted. Turn the mixture into a large bowl.
Let cool for five minutes, then add the breadcrumbs and feta. Mix well, then taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary—this is your chance to get the seasoning right while the mixture is egg-free. Crack one egg into the bowl and mix with your hands to incorporate. Squeeze a small ball of the mixture. If it holds together, begin portioning out the remaining mixture into small balls. If it doesn’t hold together, add another egg. I usually find one egg to be enough.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add balls to pan—they should sizzle when they hit the oil—then turn heat down to medium or medium-low. Cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Use a fork to flip the balls to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes or so. Serve immediately or at room temperature.