Ok, ok. I know I’ve been AWOL this week. My husband played in a three day golf tournament this weekend. Needless to say there wasn’t a ton of cooking going on. I did cook Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights and am ready to get back to sharing with you.
We finished week two with some pretty good stuff. Although, starting the week with chard did leave ample room for improvement. I’m not ready to give up on the chard just yet and am already researching new recipes should I find it in my box again.
Sunday night we had Fennel-dusted Pork Tenderloin with steamed broccoli and a green salad. I also made some mad roasted fennel for a little appetizer. I have to give credit to Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa) because the fennel rocked! I’ll post that super easy recipe at the end. It was a classic example of enjoying the simple, unadulterated flavor of a fresh veggie. Monday night was a different story.
Monday night we had Harissa Chicken, Roasted Beets with Cumin and Mint, and Pomegranate-glazed Carrots. Everything was super, and since the meal was full of Moroccan spices, it was a big departure from the simple fennel. I think the beets were my favorite. I love cumin anyway, so I had high hopes and this dish delivered. I feel compelled to mention and even though this is probably more than you need to know… Beets come out looking very much like they did going in. If you feed them to your toddler, don’t have a freak out at the next morning’s diaper change. I’m just saying. This meal was originally planned for a golf night and I was concerned that my little baby carrots would not make it until Monday, and I was sort of correct. By Sunday they had gotten a little limp. Yes, I said limp. Get your dirty minds out of the gutter and deal with it. ;) Remedy? I soaked the carrots in ice-cold water overnight in the fridge and the perked right up. It worked just like Viagra for carrots! Yes, I said that, too. Couldn’t resist. Kidding aside, use your most delicate vegetables first or you can revive many of them in an overnight water bath.
Sunday night I found myself with half a head of romaine and some onions. I made a Thai-Style Steak Salad that my husband loved. I didn’t concern myself with the onions, as they will keep a while. The salad was a great way to use up a lot of lettuce at once without feeling like you’re just eating rabbit food. The seared steak and Thai spices were a great addition and the whole thing came together rather quickly and easily. By the way, be sure to use a good quality steak since the ingredients in this dish are very simple.
So, what did I learn from week two? You’re not always going to like everything in your share. Give it a chance and then try to trade with your friends if you can’t embrace the evil chard, I mean veggie. Some things will last and/or keep better than others. Consider this when planning your menus. When making a simple dish, be sure to use the best ingredients you can. This does make a difference and can even elevate a humble (but yummy) head of lettuce to a great meal.
And now the part you’ve all been waiting for (unless you skipped right to this part, and that’s ok, too)… the recipes!
Roasted Beets with Cumin and Mint (from epicurious.com)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium beets (1 1/4 pound total without greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1/3 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Stir together lemon juice, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in oil and let stand while roasting beets.Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
Tightly wrap beets in a double layer of foil and roast on a baking sheet until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool to warm in foil package, about 20 minutes.
When beets are cool enough to handle, peel them, discarding stems and root ends, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges.Toss warm beets with dressing.
Stir in mint just before serving.
Pomegranate-Glazed Carrots (from epicurious.com)
1 tablespoon olive oil1 pound carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add carrots and sauté, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add pomegranate juice, cinnamon stick, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, 20 to 25 minutes. Add coriander seeds and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Discard cinnamon stick and serve carrots hot or at room temperature.
Roasted Fennel with Parmesan (from the Barefoot Contessa)
4 large fennel bulbs
½ cup good olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the stems of the fennel and slice the bulb in half lengthwise. With the cut side down, slice the bulb vertically into ½-inch-thick slices, cutting right through the core. Spread the fennel slices on a baking sheet, coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss with your hands.
Roast the fennel slices for about 30 minutes. Turn and roast an additional 30 minutes until the edges are crisp and brown. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and roast for 5 more minutes.
Happy eating!
Shar
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