Joined CSA - going to need your help thru the summer with suggestions to use the veggies

T

tess

Well-known member
So - this is week 2 of the CSA - it's a slow start up - but that's to be expected - it's still early in the season here in the north east.

This is the first time I'm doing the CSA thing. The farm is organic (yeah!).

So - for the past 2 weeks the take was

Herbs - oregano, thyme, anise, chives (there were others but I didn't take any)

Arugula

Leaf Lettuce

Strawberries

Last week I used the arugula in a pasta dish - very yummy - scallops, lemon, capers, thyme pasta. I'll post the recipe soon - it was from Williams-Sonoma cookbook.

This week I got more arugula - any ideas how to use it? It's very peppery - and I like it. I'll use some in salads and in place of lettuce in sandwiches. But what else? I have a half pound of it - and that's alot considering that it's leaves and they don't weigh alot.

Thanks in advance for the ideas/recipes.

Tess

 
When you say anise do you mean Tarragon? If so, this

Chicken with Mustard and Tarragon Cream Sauce from Bon Appetit is delicious!

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 3-pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces


3/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup low-salt chicken broth


1/2 cup whipping cream
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
print a shopping list for this recipe


Preparation
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cook, skin side down, until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn over; cook 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate.

Add shallots to same skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add brandy; simmer until liquid is reduced, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Whisk in broth. Return chicken to skillet, skin side up. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes. Transfer to platter; reserve skillet.

Whisk cream, tarragon, and mustard into same skillet. Increase heat to high; boil until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-with-Mustard-and-Tarragon-Cream-Sauce-107932

 
My all time fav arugula salad rec: Arugula, Pine nut and Parmesan Salad (Patricia Wells)

I love this salad. It is so easy, but the flavors work so well together. The shaving of the parm with the vegie peeler gives the salad such a nice look and contrast to the pine nuts. YUM!! (Now, I need to get some arugula!)

½ cup Pine nuts
3 ounces Arugula -- stemmed and Washed
2 ounces Parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Spread the nuts loosely on a baking sheet. Toast until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Check every few minutes to avoid burning the nuts. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a large plate to cool.

In a large shallow salad bowl, combine the arugula and toasted pine nuts. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan cheese into long thick strips directly into the bowl. Season the salad with fine sea salt and toss gently to blend.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon vinegar over the salad and season with pepper, and toss to blend. Add just enough oil to very lightly coat the arugula, and toss to blend. Serve immediately

 
Hmmmm. Because she listed anise along with the herbs, and tarragon

tastes much like anise, I guess that's why I went there. Check in Tess and let us know. Now I'm really curious.

 
The sign on the row said "Anise" -- I googled and found a pic and site - it's really Anise Hyssop..

a member of the mint family - which makes sense because when I first saw it I thought it was mint, pulled and leaf and munched - was surprised the taste was licorice which I don't like. (Funny though I LOVE anise cookies - but licorice - ewwww)....

There weren't purple spikes on the plants yet when I picked it...

Most uses I see are steeping as a tea, drying and using as a sprinkle on salads...

Hmmmmm.....

http://earthnotes.tripod.com/anisehyssop.htm
http://www.herbcompanion.com/Herb-Profiles/ANISE-HYSSOP.aspx

http://earthnotes.tripod.com/anisehyssop.htm

http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/jour/p/04/gw1000804/244901003665026.jpeg

 
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