Fava beans and a nice chianti

Here is a great sounding recipe found in Saveur:

Fave e Cicorie

1 lb. small dried, shelled and split fava beans

1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves

4 cloves garlic, halved

5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lb. dendelion greens or escarole, ends trimmed, stems and leaves roughly chopped

1 small onion thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. crushed red chile

juice of 1/2 lemon

1. put beans, thyme and garlic into a 4 qt. saucepan with 6 1/2 cups lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low; simmer, skimming occasionally, until tender, about 45 min. Transfer beans, cooking liquid and 2 tbsp. oil to a food processor; pulse until smooth; set fava puree aside.

2. meanwhile, bring a 6-qt. pot salted water to a boil. Add greens and cook until they're wilted but still bright green, about 2 min. Drain reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Heat remaining oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 8 min. Add greens, reserved cooking liquid and chile and cook until greens are soft, about 4 min. Season greens with salt and pepper and stir in lemon juice. Transfer fava bean puree to a platter and spoon greens over the top. Drizzle wiht more olive oil and the juice from the skillet.

Enjoy!

Kale Smoothies!....yeah no

Today in the quest for new recipes using greens, we tried Kale Smoothies.

Let's start by saying we have an adventuresome family who is willing to try most foods with an open mind.

Soooo, after looking at a number of recipes on different food blogs that raved about the deliciousness of kale smoothies, I decided to give it a try.

I blended up a batch using a good portion of small bunch of kale, without the stems, with 1 1/2 frozen bananas, most of a bag of frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbs. agave syrup and a splash of milk and a few ice cubes.

The recipes said to blend it for a long time to break down the kale so that the drink is a "smooth"ie. So I blended and blended the mixture to a nice gray brown slush.

I warned the husband and the son that this was not chocolate anything and they took a sip.

The husband's first comment was, "It tastes very green, like it's very good for you".
As in, not delicious, but Good. For. You.

The son took a long pull on the straw then made a face like he had just ingested something vile.

Trying not to laugh too hard, I asked, "Nom nom"?

He replied, "NOT nom, Anti-nom"!




The husband gamely finished his but declared, "That last bit is pretty bad"!

I drank mine and feel virtuous but not really ready to have any more. In fact, after two cups of coffee and a carrot, I can still taste it. Not exactly an endorsement.


Some of the recipes called for 2 cups tightly packed kale so I don't think I overdid it but unless you are an uber-hippie, I would recommend passing on the kale smoothies.

Fresh Peas

The surprise in today's box was peas!

I blanched them until bright green, then sauteed with olive oil and minced shallots and tossed in a handful of chopped mint...delicious!

The most time was spent shelling them first! I remember my grandmother doing it a lot faster.

Fava Beans?

Arugula and Fava Bean Crostini (from Epicurious.com)
I hear you all have some Fava Beans to cook!

• 1 cup shelled fresh fava beans (1 1/4 pounds in pods) or shelled fresh or frozen edamame (soybeans; 3/4 pounds in pods)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
• 1 1/2 cups packed baby arugula (1 1/2 ounces), divided
• 3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Toscano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 baguette
• 1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
• 16 mint leaves

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cook fava beans in boiling water, uncovered, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Gently peel off skins (if using edamame, don't peel).

Pulse fava beans in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of mixture to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to favas in processor and purée until smooth. Add to bowl. Coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into fava-bean mixture.

Cut 16 diagonal slices (1/3 inch thick) from baguette and put in a 4-sided sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake until pale golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Rub with cut side of garlic.

Spoon fava-bean mixture onto baguette toasts, then drizzle with oil and top with mint.

Tomorrow's list, today!

It looks like we will have a few new vegetables tomorrow!
Forona beets and purple mizona...

Gold Beets

Forono Beets

Large Carrots

Yellow carrots

Turnips

Chard

Black Kale

Green mustard frills

Red dandelions

Red spinach

Red onions

Purple Mizona

From Kelcey!

Hello everybody! I was stuck on campus for a bit today, so I ended up setting up this blog for my mommy dearest! I found a few recipes for greens over at Everybody Likes Sandwiches, and thought I'd share with you!

beet greens & fried potatoes topped with a poached egg
sauteed beet greens with lime and garlic
fettucini with mustard greens

Enjoy your greens! I'm a wee bit jealous!
Also check out my blog if you like, The Mutant Student (nothing like a little shameless self promotion!)

So many greens, so little time!

Welcome fellow CSA members!

Presenting our very own blog. Here we may post recipes and links, questions and jokes.
They will remain on the blog so it should be easy to find them.

Here is the list of this week's box contents:

Red Carrots, Baby Orange Carrots,
Gold Beets, Red Beets,
Purple Turnips, Lemons,
Parsnips, Chard,
Red Spinach, Russian Kale,
Lettuce Mix, Baby Broccoli,
Fava Beans, Strawberry,
Lg. Red Mustard, Arugula,
and Red Onion.

Here are a few recipes from The Wednesday Chef, that look good.

Florence Fabricant's Swiss Chard Timbales

Regina Schrambling's Collard Squares