Monthly Archives: June 2013

Farm Box Day

Here’s what came in my Tanaka Farms CSA Box this week: Maui sweet onions/ carrots/red and golden beets/zucchini/ gourmet globe squash/sun drop summer squash/celery/oregano/ cilantro/ basil/ red sweet peppers/Oro Blanco grapefruit/Brussels sprouts/new garlic/ Valencia oranges/

We made four delicious meals for our Farm Box Families:

Ground Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Black Bean Chile

Grilled Chicken Thighs with Citrus (Orange & Grapefruit) Oregano Glaze WITH Wild Rice, Celery, Brussels Sprouts, Beets & Sundried Tomatoes

Vegetable Enchiladas with Cotijo Cheese, Handmade Tomatillo & Jalapeno Salsa

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Whole Wheat Spaghetti, Basil Pesto Sauce and Fresh Mozzerella Cheese

Hope you made some yummy dishes with your farm box this week!

Zucchini, Maui Onion and Carrot

Fresh, zesty and deeply flavored, this side dish is your perfect summer side dish to meat, chicken and fish pulled off the grill.

Zucchini, Maui Onion and Carrot a Scapece
Serves 4

1/3 cup olive oil
1 large Maui onion, peeled and cut into wedges
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
10 medium carrots (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
5 large zucchini (about 2 pounds), cut into 1/2″ rounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat 1/3 cup oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and garlic, then add the carrots, cooking until golden. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, then add the onions and garlic back in, along with the basil and mint leaves over. Drizzle the vinegar over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to coat, cooking for an addtional 3-5 minutes to glaze the vegetables. Serve immediately or chill overnight in the refridgerator, serving at room tempurature. Serve with grilled bread, meat, fish or chicken.

Romanesco Cauliflower, Oregano and Spinach

In The Seduction Cookbook, I wrote a recipe for puttanesca, adoring the sensual quality of the fragrant, salty, briny sauce and the legend that its origin was a siren’s call to lure sailors into salons of pleasure. Now it’s a favorite of my family, and a perfect base to fortify with vegetables. Be ready to be transported, it also makes your kitchen smell like an Italian coastal town.

Puttanesca Sauce with Romanesco Cauliflower, Spinach and Oregano
Adapted from The Seduction Cookbook
Serves 4

1 head romanesco cauliflower, cut into florets
Olive oil
Fresh ground pepper and kosher salt to taste
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 anchovy filets, chopped
1 onion, diced
2 15-ounce cans whole tomatoes with their juices, pureed in a food processor
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 pinch red chile flakes
1 bunch spinach, cleaned and chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season the cauliflower with olive oil, pepper and salt, and roast in the oven until browned and tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat a large stock pot and add olive oil. Cook the garlic, anchovies and onions until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano and chile flakes, and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the tomatoes thicken and sweeten, about 30-40 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, then stir in the cauliflower. Season with pepper and salt, and serve over pasta, fish or chicken.