For a recipe that won’t heat up the kitchen, I’m considering this easy gazpacho published in a story called “Eat to Beat Illness” by Rupy Aujla. It calls for a few more tomatoes that were in the box, but …. you could use some cherry tomatoes, you could just cut down on tomatoes, or maybe just like me, you bought some tomatoes last weekend at a farmers market and have a few to spare. The proportion of ingredients is totally up to you and what’s sitting on your counter. The recipe calls for serving right from the food processor, but I’m going to chill mine before serving. Which I guess defeats the “speedy” of the title, but I just like my gazpacho cold!
greens
(2021) Rasheeda Purdie’s Juneteenth Watermelon Ramen – shared by Mark Bittman
Seems to me watermelon recipes have been particularly abundant this year. I append one I found particularly intriguing down at the bottom of this message. It’s from Mark Bittman and it’s watermelon ramen – with many components that will use up all of that cannonball watermelon that was in this week’s box. Plus last week’s melon which is still sitting in the refrigerator (don’t ask why). Definitely a weekend project, and I hope to tackle it Sunday. I’m skipping the bean sprouts in the slaw since I’m not a fan. It seems sort of daunting, but really isn’t …. but I just loved the idea that you could turn your watermelon into poke. So creative! You may not want to make it, but it’s just fun to see what smart minds and innovative palates can dream up.
(2021) Green Bean and Tuna Salad with Basil Dressing – published in Epicurious
The beautiful bag of green beans, a change from last week’s purple beans, inspires me to make a composed salad and I share this Green Bean and Tuna Salad recipe from Epicurious.
(2021) Kachumber Cooler
This one from Smittn Kitchen. We were away at the beach last week so missed the late June box, but I’ve enjoyed the cucumber lemonade recipe I shared two weeks ago over and over again.
To make simple syrup, heat 1 tablespoon water with 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves. Pour into cup or bowl and 1 tablespoon ice-cold water to cool it somewhat, then chill in the fridge until needed. Scale up as needed. Leftovers keep in fridge.
(2021) Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles With Green Beans
I ran into this idea for soba noodles and green beans and since that was a big bag of beans in the box, I’ll probably split them between crudité and this recipe that I found in the Washington Post. It’s also a recipe that lends itself to whatever you have in your pantry. For example, they suggested if you don’t have soba noodles, try another thin noodle, such as vermicelli rice noodles or angel hair pasta. And that sriracha could substitute for the chili-garlic sauce, or that you could just whatever hot sauce you have on hand. And finally, that any mild vinegar could substitute for the rice vinegar called for here.
(2021) Cucumber Lemonade
I just found this recipe but didn’t make a note of the source. So sorry not to be giving it proper attribution.
(2021) Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
I also ran into this recipe from Gourmet many years ago, Napa Cabbage Slaw with Radishes and Celery. We seem to be past having radishes in our box, but maybe you still have some of that celery from a few weeks ago. Anything crunchy would work. Cucumbers instead of radishes? And the dressing will work just as well on that bag of lettuce as it will in the slaw. The notes with that recipe are from Smitten Kitchen.
The dressing is a simple blend of buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, a touch of mayo, shallots, sugar, salt and pepper but the flavor is anything but. This is my new go-to creamy dressing. I am sure it would equally delicious with some crumbled blue cheese mixed in, if you’re into that kind of thing.
The dressing would be really great on an iceberg wedge or romaine hearts salad, or any kind of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mega mixed bowl. Like your lunch tomorrow.
(2021) Stir-Fried Chicken with Cabbage
Recipe from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition”
(2021) Beet Burgers with Smashed Avocado and Pickled Red Onion
And then a recipe for beet burgers. And it also includes a recipe for quick pickled red onions. This one came from Nichole Dandrea-Russert of Purelyplanted.com. I’ve included a photo from her recipe. Read to the end for substitutes for ingredients you may not have on hand.
(2021) Salade Lyonnaise
I have two new ideas for you this week. The first is for that bunch of mustard greens with this recipe for Salade Lyonnaise from Mark Bittman via the New York Times. It’s a simple salad that uses bitter greens – usually frisee or escarole – but I’m substituting those mustard greens. The warm dressing tenderizes the greens and the poached eggs are a perfect complement.