Week #3 box includes: kale, head of lettuce, kohlrabi, bok choy, cabbage, radishes, cucumber, broccoli (or cauliflower), zucchini, spring onions.
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Hope everyone got their box before the rain started. We had a downpour here in Virginia-Highland around 5:30 p.m. At least at our house, it was very welcome. And I had picked up my box about an hour before, so all was well.
Another box of mostly green, with the bright red radishes the only pop of color. They’re getting bigger so we must be getting close to the end of their season.
Because I picked up my box during a lull in my afternoon work schedule, I was able to do a little prep work between meetings. The big leafy head of lettuce was broken down, leaf ends and core discarded, and the leaves run through the salad spinner, now ready for tomorrow night’s dinner.
Remembering that the last head of pak choi had a good bit of dirt between the stems, I started to break that down, too. Sadly, there was a bit of rot in there, a sort of natural downside to this leafy green with its fleshy stems. I was glad I had tackled it right away so discarded the bad leaves, chopped off the bottom few inches, and now I have just enough left to make the Ginger Chicken with Crisp Cabbage Salad recipe down below.
I admit I’m not always really good about getting to the greens right away … but this was a reminder it’s a good habit to get into.
Love that our box had one zucchini, one cucumber (again, perfect for the salad below), and a big kohlrabi bulb. Are you new to kohlrabi? If you are … and even if you’re not … take a look at the kohlrabi information at grassfedcow.com. If it’s tender (I haven’t cut into ours yet), I take the easy way out because we really like it cut into sticks, like you would do jicama, and eaten as a snack sprinkled with lime and chili powder.
And thought I would mention something I do with greens every year. I turn them into tabouli. I could eat tabouli for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week and never get tired of it. I grew up with the traditional parsley-based tabloui, but one year when I was short on parsley and long on kale, I added kale to the mix. It was delicious and it turns out my husband liked it more than regular tabouli, so that was a win. Last week I used mustard greens. Loved it. And with all the green onions we’ve received, that’s probably my favorite way to use up “extra” greens.
Need an idea for what to do with that pretty broccoli? We’re partial to the Broccoli Fritatta on our broccoli page. We like it for any meal and especially at room temperature as a quick-to-grab snack if there’s any leftover.
And that heavy, heavy cabbage? You could use part of it in the recipe below, but how about Spicy Cabbage and Sweet Onion Slaw if you picked up some Vidalias (while waiting for Riverview’s sweet onions to be ready). Or Pork Sausage Patties with Braised Cabbage? I am crazy about braised cabbage.
Ginger Chicken With Crisp Cabbage Salad
From the New York Times
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), patted dry
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
6 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grape seed or canola
1 lime
1 pound of pak choi or green cabbage
1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chives cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Place chicken breasts between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or a bottle, pound each to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt.
In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, cilantro, cayenne and 4 tablespoons oil. Finely grate the lime zest directly into the bowl; reserve the lime. Rub both sides of the chicken breasts with the marinade. Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the pak choi or cabbage leaves crosswise into ½-inch-thick strips. Transfer to a large bowl and toss in the cucumber slices, chives and mint leaves.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Place the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Cut the reserved lime in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken; slice the chicken. Transfer the chicken to serving plates and slice.
Toss the cabbage mixture with the vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and serve alongside the chicken.