When grits appear in our boxes, my first thought is “shrimp and grits.” This is the dish most often requested by AJC readers for our “From the menu of” column. We publish a shrimp and grits recipe at least four time a year. This is from my early days with the column, published back in 2009.
The next two recipes are adapted from the archives of the New York Times.
Is last week’s head of bok choy still sitting in your refrigerator (like mine)? If so, combine it with this week’s and make this dish.
I wish I could tell you where this recipe came from – but it is amazing. I made it last weekend (with fresh pasta from a Slow Food class at Storico Fresco) and if I had to eat nothing but this dish for the next three months, I’d be very happy. The original recipe called for bacon. Fine. Add it. But it’s totally not necessary.
Let’s talk about what we can do with those daikon radishes. You can grate them and add a little rice vinegar and sugar and make a quick pickle that will brighten up any sandwich. Or you can slice them and put them into a salad. You can add a little to your next juicing project. Or you can make fries. I had never thought of this, but the recipe comes from The Little Farm in Gray, Georgia.
Here’s their recipe:
This recipe is adapted from Fine Cooking magazine, one of my favorite sources.
And we can certainly be sure that more greens are in our future. Here’s an idea from “Okra”, the magazine of the Southern Food and Beverage Association.
One more idea for apples is this lovely recipe for applesauce.I found this recipe through the website for NPR’s Splendid Table. Here are their testing notes: A heavy-bottomed saucepan and long, slow cooking are necessary here to prevent scorching of the caramelization that is the essence of this delicious sauce. Keep a close eye on the mixture while it is cooking on high heat; again, to make sure it isn’t scorching. Go by the progress of the caramelization rather than a specific number of minutes. We also made a double batch; it works, but the caramelization takes longer because of the increased volume. Either way, we think it’s worth the time because the sauce is so very good. From the “Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook” by DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg (Little, Brown and Company). Granny Smiths are fine here, but you could really use whatever’s in the box. The cookbook says “peeled”, but I wouldn’t do it – if I didn’t want the bits of peel, I’d just use my immersion blender to make a smooth puree when everything is cooked. Up to you.
I saw a note that says we can look forward to apples in our box through the end of the season. Thought you might want some ideas. This recipe comes from “Chicken and Egg: A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes” by Janice Cole (Chronicle Books). The onions and apples can be cooked (separately) up to 8 hours ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.