This week’s box included: turnip greens (they’re so mild!), bok choy, jalepenos, green beans, okra, summer squash, cucumbers, scuppernogs, sweet potatoes, apples, eggplant. You can see a photo that can help with identification on our Facebook page or check out our weekly video on Instagram.
Need storage instructions? Visit our fruit & veggie home pages. Click on the pic and a new page opens with storage instructions and a list of recipes curated by Conne over the years.
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Happy first few days of fall.
I ran into this recipe below for Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms, Red Pepper and Bok Choy and set it aside for the first bok choy of fall. And it’s in today’s box. I’ll pick up some mushrooms and hope to find a red pepper at a farmers market this weekend. If that doesn’t appeal, there are more than two dozen bok choy recipes at grassfedcow.com. Maybe try the Collard Greens and Bok Choy with the bunch of turnip greens in the box? Or the same swap of greens in the Bok Choy and Kale Fried Rice with Fried Garlic?
I sometimes forget how helpful it is to prep some of our vegetables into what I think of as “meal components.” So for this week’s bounty of jalapenos, I’m making what we call “fajita mix” although it’s good for adding to tacos and nachos and topping a bowl of chili (if we ever get any cool weather) and scrambled eggs and burritos … I could go on. Sliver those jalapenos and saute them in neutral oil with some chopped garlic and onion. Add taco seasoning, salt and pepper maybe, definitely lime juice. If you happen to have a tomato, dice it up and add that, too. This will keep refrigerated for at least a week and then it’s ready to add a little sparkle to a meal or a snack, including just spread on some toast.
We have lots of jalapeno recipes already gathered but I’m adding candied jalapenos (often called Cowboy Candy). I thought we had a recipe posted, but apparently not. This is something I like to have in the refrigerator to add to cole slaw (people LOVE it with the addition of pineapple) and potato salad.
The plethora of summer squash had me puzzling over what to do differently this week until I remembered this Summer Squash Slaw recipe. Couldn’t be easier and keeps, not forever, but for a day or two.
And Riverview subscriber Sabella recommends the eggplant meatball recipe below saying “we love!” I haven’t tried it yet but with her resounding recommendation, it’s made it to the dinner rotation this week.
Cowboy Candy
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow or brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound jalapenos, stems removed, thinly sliced, seeds removed if you wish
Put sugar, vinegar, mustard seeds, celery seeds, turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves.
Add jalapenos and return to a boil. Cook until jalapenos are translucent, about 4 minutes. Transfer jalapenos to a heatproof jar, and continue cooking sugar and vinegar brine until it’s syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 of the original. Pour over the jalapenos, let cool to room temperature. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Eggplant Meatballs
From skinnytaste.com
Olive oil spray
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds unpeeled eggplant (cut into 1-inch pieces)
kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
2 tablespoon chopped basil (plus leaves for garnish)
1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg (beaten)
2 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese (freshly grated, plus more for serving)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 25-ounce jar marinara sauce
part skim ricotta cheese (for serving (optional))
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray.
Place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot add the eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.
Transfer to a bowl and add bread crumbs, beaten egg, Romano cheese, parsley, garlic and chopped basil into the eggplant. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
Form the eggplant mixture into 24 balls, rolling tightly, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Heat the sauce in a large deep skillet to warm the sauce. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish the meatballs with basil leaves and serve with ricotta cheese if desired.
Stir-Fried Tofu with Mushrooms, Red Pepper and Bok Choy
From Washington Post
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot chile sauce, such as sriracha, gochujang or Chinese chile paste with garlic
12 ounces super-firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, peanut or avocado
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
8 ounces oyster mushrooms, including stems, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced or finely grated
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
Bok choy, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions, cut on the diagonal
In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil and chile sauce until combined. Add the tofu, gently turn to coat, and marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes and up to 12 hours. (If marinating longer than 2 hours, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.)
Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the tofu, reserving the marinade. Transfer the tofu to a clean bowl. Sift the cornstarch over the tofu and toss to coat.
Line a large plate with paper towels and set it near your workspace. Heat a large (12-inch), heavy skillet or wok over high heat until it’s hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Add the neutral oil and, working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add the tofu. Cook, turning the pieces until evenly browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to the prepared plate and repeat with the remaining tofu.
Once all the tofu has been fried, add the bell pepper to the skillet and stir-fry just until it starts to lose its crunch, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry, adjusting the heat to maintain a steady sizzle, until the mushrooms start to collapse, about 1 minute. Add the bok choy and stir-fry just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
Return the tofu to the skillet, along with the reserved marinade. Stir once to incorporate, then remove from the heat. Taste, and season with more soy sauce, if desired. Transfer the stir-fry to a serving bowl, top with the scallions and serve hot.