by Lisa Shaub


When the summer gets hot the produce gets plentiful. I am talking chilies and lots of them. When that time comes and you are facing a refrigerator drawer full of them, then it is time to take action. I faced such a situation one day last summer and thus the crazy pepper chutney was born. This chutney is super hot, so if you don't like spice, pass on this or make it and gift it to a friend.

I love spicy food, so if I need a little kick, I splash some into my stir fry. The peppers, while very hot, are mellowed by the apple and slightly fermented from the apple cider vinegar base.

Not only does the mix add flavor, but it has medicinal benefits as well. Apple cider vinegar is a great neutralizer and has been used traditionally for centuries. Because my mix also has chilies, it is a wonderful tonic against colds and stomach bugs.

Add a teaspoon of the juice to one glass of filtered water and drink up. If you like it less intense add raw honey to taste. If I have a friend who thinks he's a bad-ass, I give him a shot of this to drink. As the saying goes “ It will put hair on your chest”.

Fill a clean glass jar half with chili peppers cut into quarters, add apple pieces same size, top with raw apple cider vinegar. I like Braggs. Keep it covered with a lid in the fridge. You can start using it 24 hours later. Just keep adding apple cider vinegar so the mixture is always covered with liquid.

by Kim Rust

Modified from Danielle Walker’s blog “All Against Grain” originally posted April 24, 2012. 

In gluten free and paleo recipes, you find substitutes for flour like almond or coconut flour and substitutes for granulated sugar like honey or agave. Paleo and gluten free baking recipes often also contain more eggs. Nut add-ins like the walnuts in the first recipe aren’t recommended here because the almond flour already gives the recipe a very nutty taste.

Makes 12 muffins or 2 mini bread loaves. (I prefer to go muffins on this one. Gluten free bread is harder to master!)

Ingredients

-        1 ½ cup blanched almond flour
-        2 tsp cinnamon
-        1 tsp baking soda
-        ½ tsp table salt
-        ½ tsp nutmeg
-        4 tbsp coconut flour
-        1 tbsp coconut oil
-        3 eggs, lightly beaten
-        ¼ cup honey
-        1 ripe banana (frozen or fresh)
-        1 cup grated zucchini

Instructions

Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a muffin pan or 2 small loaf pans.

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients (easiest if you jus prep them into this 1 bowl) – almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda, table salt, nutmeg, and coconut flour.

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk for 1-2 minutes by hand, with standing mixer, or handheld electric mixer – banana, zucchini, eggs, honey, and coconut oil.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.

Spoon into muffin tins or loaf pans. For muffins, bake for 25 minutes. For 2 mini bread loaves, bake for 30-35 minutes. In both cases, they are ready when a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition Info
According to MyFitnessPal Recipe Builder, each loaf slice contains about 147 calories, 10 grams of fat, and 5 grams of protein. 

by Cassie Sciortino


Homemade Caesar dressing has been my saving grace when it comes to using up my CSA veggies.  Sturdy lettuces filling my fridge?  Toss ‘em with Caesar!  A mish mash of seemingly random greenery in my crisper?  Sauté them together, add brown rice, drizzle with dressing, and voila- dinner is served.  My favorite iteration so far, however, is this one: roasted cauliflower, citrus-laced breadcrumbs, and salty, piquant Caesar.  Once the broccoli starts arriving, I imagine it would make a trusty substitute as well.  Best served on a blanket in Tompkins Square Park, sitting in the shade with friends.

Classic Caesar Dressing (from Bon Appétit)
1 small clove garlic
6 anchovies
¾ t. Dijon mustard
2 large egg yolks
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ c. vegetable oil
3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Mash garlic with a pinch of kosher salt until reduced to a paste.  Add anchovies; mash and chop until well combined and almost smooth.  Whisk in Dijon mustard, then egg yolks and lemon juice; whisk to blend.  Working drop by drop to start, add extra-virgin olive oil followed by vegetable oil; whisk constantly until dressing is thick and glossy.  Whisk in Parmesan.  Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the cauliflower: 
1 medium head cauliflower, washed and cut into small florets
2 T. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Place florets evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle with oil; roast for 20 minutes, tossing the florets once halfway through baking to ensure even browning.

For the breadcrumbs:
4 T. unsalted butter
¾ c. Panko breadcrumbs
1 small clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Zest of ¼ lemon
Seasonal herbs, if desired

When the cauliflower is almost finished roasting, melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat.  Once melted and hot, add the breadcrumbs, garlic, any desired herbs, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until the breadcrumbs have browned (about 5-7 minutes).  Finish with lemon zest and season to taste.

To assemble:

Toss cauliflower with ¼ c. Caesar dressing (more or less to taste), place on serving dish, and top with breadcrumbs.
 

by Anne Saidman

Anne Saidman is a CSA member spending several weeks of her summer in Barcelona. Thankfully the food scene there is almost as bountiful as it is here, and Anne has written in to tell us about one of the local culinary hotspots.

The Mercat de Sant Josep, known as the Boqueria, is the oldest open-air (but steel hangar-covered) market in Europe. A top recommendation in every guidebook to Barcelona, it's also where many natives buy their daily groceries.

The Boqueria is filled with stalls containing brightly illuminated and colorful displays of fruits, vegetables, meats, ham (an Iberian specialty), herbs and spices, oils, nuts, and candies.  Fish and seafood have their own amphitheater at the heart of the market: from the Mediterranean Sea, unimaginably varied, often odd-looking (to this New Yorker, anyway), always fresh.  Sprinkled among and surrounding the stalls are delicious restaurants and bars.  There's even a farmers market in the plaza next to the Boqueria.

My favorites are Pinotxo, a small, legendary gourmet counter; marzipan; and candied almonds.  Lorenc Petras, who supplies top chefs in Barcelona and much of Spain with wild mushrooms, has his Fruits del Bosc (Forest Fruits) stall at the back of the Boqueria.  His book, Cocinar Con Setas (Cooking with Wild Mushrooms) is a best-seller in Spain, currently in its tenth edition.

It's no exaggeration to describe the Boqueria as a spectacular explosion of life and color, exciting, fun, and filled with good things to eat.  Did I mention the marzipan?

by Christopher Totaro


Although I do enjoy eating dairy and eggs, I always love the challenge of modifying traditional dishes to make them more vegan-friendly. I use my time in the kitchen as an outlet for creativity and adding the challenge of meeting certain dietary restrictions makes it even more fun for me. Collards can sometimes be a bit on the bitter side for me but this dish is a nice hearty way to enjoy what the greens have to offer. It was enjoyable served both hot and cold. 

Ingredients:
Vegan Cream
1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, drained, & rinsed)
6oz SoDelicious Plain Greek Cultured Almond Milk
14 oz. can of artichoke hearts (in water) 
1/2 a lemon, juice only
2 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
cayenne, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, & cumin
Nando's Extremely Hot Peri-Peri Sauce
salt & pepper, to taste