For our 2nd week of the CSA (click here for week 1) we received the following:
1 head of butter lettuce
1 head of Romaine
a big bag of spinach (10-15 oz)
a bunch of asparagus
4 green/spring onions
a pint of hothouse strawberries
5 tomatoes on the vine
a bunch of large radishes
2 hothouse cucumbers
I sliced some of the radishes and cucumber thinly.
And used them with the lettuce for salads.
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I ate the strawberries fresh with some pineapple and mango that I had, drizzled with ginger syrup.
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I used the tomatoes to make spaghetti pomodoro – a light and fresh pasta dish.
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For the asparagus – I wanted to use it in a new way, and ended up finding some great recipes involving shaving it. I made a salad and a pizza using shaved asparagus.
Shaving the asparagus (this type of peeler does not work well, by the way – this kind would work much better)
Shaved asparagus salad with olive oil and lemon- fresh and light and green, this was so delicious!
Making the pizza dough – this is before it rises.
The pizza dough after it has risen.
Shaved asparagus tossed with olive oil.
Pizza dough rolled out and placed on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.
Dough topped with mozzarella, Parmesan, and asparagus.
Finished pizza – I decided to top it with a couple eggs, but had trouble getting them to stay in one place! It might be because my baking sheet was a little warped from the heat when I cracked them on top. I should have let it flatten out first, and made a little nest of asparagus to hold the egg in. It tasted delicious regardless!
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Lastly, I tried a ricotta cheesecake recipe from a friend of mine. The cheesecake is light and egg-y. I chose to add a little nutmeg into mine, and to top it with a strawberry sauce.
Cooking the strawberries with sugar, corn starch, and lemon zest.
The finished sauce.
Cheesecake topped with strawberry sauce.
Spaghetti Alla Pomodoro
adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots (or 1 onion), minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
5-6 fresh tomatoes (or 1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes), puréed in a food processor
12 oz. spaghetti
2 Tbsp. cubed unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino
3 large fresh basil sprigs
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced shallots or onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. Increase heat to medium, add puréed tomatoes and season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld, about 20 minutes.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a 5-qt. pot. Season heavily with salt; add spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until about 2 minutes before tender. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
Heat skillet over high heat. Stir in reserved pasta water to loosen sauce; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring, until sauce coats pasta and pasta is al dente, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add butter and cheese; toss until cheese melts. Cut or tear basil into small pieces, toss into pasta. Transfer to warm bowls; serve with more cheese, if desired.
Shaved Asparagus Salad
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 2
1/2 pound asparagus, rinsed
1/2 lemon
High quality Extra Virgin Olive oil
Fleur de Sel
Freshly ground black pepper
1 oz shredded Parmesan cheesehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Holding onto the tough end of the asparagus stalk, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. Discard the tough ends. Place half of the asparagus ribbons on each of two plates. Squeeze some lemon juice over the asparagus, drizzle it with a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Top with some shredded Parmesan, eat immediately.
Shaved Asparagus Pizza
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 2-4
Pizza Dough, recipe follows
1/2 pound asparagus
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound mozzarella, shredded
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Several grinds black pepper
2 eggs
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. If using, place pizza stone in oven while heating.
Holding onto the tough end of the asparagus stalk, use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin asparagus ribbons from stalk to tip, peeling away from the tough end in your hand. Discard the tough ends. Toss asparagus ribbons with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Roll or stretch out your pizza dough to a 12-inch round. Either transfer to a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel (if using a pizza stone in the oven) or to a cornmeal-dusted tray to bake it on. Sprinkle pizza dough with Parmesan, then mozzarella. Pile asparagus on top. Bake pizza for 6 minutes, break the eggs on top of the pizza, making sure to create a nest to hold them. Continue baking 4-6 minutes or until edges are browned, the cheese is bubbly, and the egg whites are set but the yolk is still runny. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, slice, and eat.
Pizza Dough
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
makes one 12 in thin crust pizza
1 1/2 cups flour (can replace up to 1/2 w/ wheat flour)
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water (may need up to 2 tablespoons more)
1 tbsp olive oil
Mix dry ingredients, including yeast, in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil, stirring mixture into a lumpy ball. Dump everything onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a homogeneous ball.
Knead it for 1-2 minutes. Lightly oil the bowl you mixed the dough in, return the kneaded dough to the bowl, turning over so that all sides are coated. Cover it in plastic wrap and leave it undisturbed for an hour or two, until it has doubled in size.
Gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hands. Fold the piece into an approximate ball shape, and let it sit under the plastic wrap for 20 more minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12 inch round.