First Haul From Sixth Street CSA

By Laura Dobbins and Anna Curran

​​Wow—look at these amazing vegetables and fruits! This is a six-foot table, and a full share with a fruit share fills it up. 
​

​We are getting the hang of how to fully use all these veggies and herbs. I mostly ate salads with radishes and beans every day as a start to get at the mountain. But here are some of the recipes we enjoyed as well. 

Kale Sautéed in Coconut Oil and Ginger

​This one is pretty basic, but it was a twist on the old standby of kale sautéed in olive oil with garlic. Try it—it’ll give new life to your kale regime! 

Radish Green And Mung Bean Soup Recipe
​

​RADISHES!
Anna runs the business CookbookCreate, which allows you to create your own cookbooks. She adapted the recipe below because of all the radishes we are getting—and it is delicious! Plus a great way to use the greens. 

[from Anna in CookbookCreate]
​I discovered Jiya Jesh's version of this traditional Indian recipe for Radish Greens Dal or Mullangi Keerai Kootu when I was looking for something make with the beautiful radish greens I got from my CSA. Her version is written for a pressure cooker and requires curry leaves, neither of which I have, so I adapted it. This dish so incredibly satisfying and makes you feel healthier by the biteful. Perhaps it’s all the calcium and vitamin A in the greens, or the anti-inflammatory effects of the turmeric, the lycopene in the tomatoes, or maybe its some other kind of magic that make you feel so good.

​Ingredients
½ cup mung beans (split yellow lentils)
1  bay leaf
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 cups chopped radish leaves
1 small onion
1 fresh large green chili pepper
½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp butter or high heat safe oil (not olive oil)
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tbsp fresh grated ginger
Salt to taste

​Directions
1.
Soak the mung beans overnight. This releases excess ogliosacharides and makes the beans even easier to digest. Mung beans are known for being one of the 3 easiest beans to digest. So we’re off to great start already.
2.
After soaking, strain the beans of excess liquid and rinse until the water runs clear.
3.
Put the soaked beans in beans in a medium covered pot with the turmeric and bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups of water. The beans will need to cook for 20-30 minutes on medium heat. Keep the pot covered so there is enough water for the beans to absorb. The beans are done when they reach their desired consistency. They should no longer be tough to chew, but should be so cooked that the become mushy.
4.
While the beans are cooking, wash the radish leaves thoroughly. Then finely chop the washed leaves and set aside. Finely chop onions, the green chillies and quarter the tomatoes.
5.
When the beans are almost done and need only 5-10 more minutes to cook, you can start a second pan where you’ll cook the veggies.
6.
In a large saute pan (square sided pan) melt the butter over medium heat. Add mustard seeds cook stirring gently. When the mustard seeds crackle, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds start to pop and slightly change color, add in the chopped onions, grated ginger, and chillies. Saute untill onions turn light brown in color. Then add in the tomatoes and cook until all ingredients in the pan are the same temperature 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped radish leaves and salt. Cover with a lid and cook on medium low flame for 2 minutes until the radish leave wilt.
7.
When the beans are done, remove the bay leaf from the cooked beans and mash slightly. Add the cooked beans along with 1/2 cup water to the saute pan with the vegetable and spice mixture.
8.
Cook on a medium low flame for 4-5 minute or until the gravy reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat. Serve in a bowl, and enjoy this hearty, healthy soup. It makes for great office lunches and freezes well.

Slow Cooker Napa Cabbage Chicken Soup
​

[From Laura] I don’t much care for cabbage of any sort, but this was a way to make it healthy and tasty. I fed my coworkers too! Plus the leftover freezes well so you have chicken soup for when you feel under the weather. 

Ingredients

• 3 pounds cut chicken parts, bone-in, skin-on preferably—I used thighs and legs
• 12 ounces napa cabbage, thick, outer leaves preferably (see note)
• 1/2 medium onion
• 6 to 7 plump garlic cloves
• 3 thin ginger slices (about 1 inch round)—I used more
• salt and pepper
• ​2 scallions

​Instructions

1. Clean the chicken, trim off excess fat and place in the slow cooker.
2. Roughly cut the cabbage leaves into big pieces. Cut the onion into 4 big wedges. Add the cabbage, onion, garlic, and ginger to the slow cooker. Add water to fill up to 2/3 of the slow cooker (about 8 cups). Add 1 tablespoon (2 teaspoons if using very fine salt) of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Cover, and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Cut the scallions into about 2-inch length pieces, and drop into the soup, with a few minutes remaining. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Freeze leftover soup. 

Fabulous Cilantro Pesto
​

​This is great on pasta—you can make pesto out of any green you like the taste of, really—arugula, garlic scapes, I’m thinking about that sage, though that might e a little too strong… Anyway, I will be paring this with pasta and maybe some beans and corn… We’ll see.  It’s great plain too—perfect for picnics and summer concerts.  I ended up making three tubs of it and froze it all. It’s easy to pull out when you need it. 

Ingredients

• ​1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper—I did not include this
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans—I used walnuts
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. In an electric food processor or blender, blend cilantro, garlic, vinegar, Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, nuts, and salt. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and blend the pesto. Add more olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
2. Pour pesto in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until pesto begins to simmer. Pour over cooked pasta and toss.