PRODUCE

RECIPES

August 25, 2008

Volume  10  

 

Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanuts and Ginger

Ingredients

Serves 4

·       2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

·       1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·       1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch long), peeled and grated

·       3 tablespoons vegetable oil

·       1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

·       coarse salt and ground pepper

·       1/2 medium napa cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and cut into bite-size pieces

·       1 red bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed), thinly sliced

·       1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·       1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

1.     In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, ginger, and oils until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

2.     In a large bowl, combine cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro, and peanuts. Add dressing to taste, and toss to combine. Serve.

 

Napa Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients

 

·       1 small garlic clove, minced

·       Zest and juice of 1 lime

·       2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

·       2 teaspoons soy sauce

·       1/4 cup chile oil

·       Salt

·       3 cups (1/2 small head) Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced

·       1/2 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, very thinly sliced

·       3 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut into 2-inch lengths, julienned

·       2 ounces daikon, peeled, very thinly sliced into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces

·       1/4 cup (about 3 ounces) snow peas, trimmed and very thinly sliced

·       1/4 chives, snipped into 2-inch lengths

Directions

1.     In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, zest and juice of lime, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil. Season with salt; set aside.

2.     In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, pepper slices, scallions, daikon, snow peas, and chives. Pour dressing over the slaw, toss to combine, and serve.

Stuffed Napa Cabbage Braised in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

 

·       1 cup uncooked barley

·       2 heads Napa cabbage

·       1 large shallot, finely chopped

·       1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice

·       1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice

·       1 green, red, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

·       1 tomato, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch dice

·       1/2 cup raisins

·       1 pound lean ground turkey

·       1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

·       1 teaspoon ground coriander

·       Pinch of cayenne pepper

·       Pinch of ground nutmeg

·       Pinch of ground cloves

·       1 3/4 teaspoons salt

·       1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·       1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

·       1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2-inch dice

·       3 cloves garlic, minced

·       1 fourteen-ounce can tomato sauce

·       2 teaspoons light-brown sugar

·       2 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 2 tablespoons chopped

·       2 sprigs fresh oregano, plus 2 tablespoons chopped

Directions

1.     Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Stir in barley; reduce to simmer. Cook until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander or fine sieve, and rinse with cold water. Cover, and set aside.

2.     Fill saucepan with water; boil. Remove cabbage's large outer leaves.You'll need 24 large leaves. Add half to boiling water; simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander; cool. Repeat with remaining leaves; set aside.

3.     In a large bowl, combine shallot, carrot, celery, pepper, tomato, raisins, turkey, cumin, coriander, cayenne, nutmeg, cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup reserved barley. Using hands, mix. Chill until ready to assemble.

4.     Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a highsided saute pan on medium heat.Add onion and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce, brown sugar, parsley sprigs, and oregano sprigs. Stir to combine; bring to a boil. Reduce to gentle simmer; cover. Cook while assembling cabbage. Once cooked, the sauce can be pureed if desired.

5.     Lay 2 cabbage leaves side by side, slightly overlapping, on a work surface. (If leaves are large, use one.) Place a heaping 1/3 cup turkey mixture on the stem end. Roll into a tight cylinder, folding in ends. Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture. Uncover sauce; place cabbage rolls in a baking pan. Spoon sauce over tops; cover. Bake 1 hour.

6.     Meanwhile, toss reserved barley and remaining teaspoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover; set aside.

7.     After 1 hour, remove rolls from oven. Serve over room-temperature barley mixture, topped with sauce and chopped herbs.

 

Acorn Squash Bisque

Ingredients

Serves 4

·       2 acorn squashes (3 pounds total)

·       1 tablespoon butter

·       1 medium onion, finely chopped

·       Coarse salt and ground pepper

·       1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish

·       1 can (14 1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

·       1/2 cup half-and-half

Directions

1.     Place squashes on a paper towel and microwave on high just until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the microwave, and halve each squash lengthwise (to speed cooling). When cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds. Scrape out flesh into a bowl; discard skin. (To prepare in oven, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Halve squash lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until almost tender when pierced wtih a knife, 15 to 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape out flesh, discard skin, and proceed with step 2).

2.     In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add squash, thyme, broth, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce to medium, and cook until squash is very tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

3.     Working in batches, puree mixture in a blender until very smooth, about 1 minute. Return to pan; add half-and-half, and season generously with salt and pepper. Thin bisque, if needed, by adding more water. Serve garnished with thyme.

Baked Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar

Ingredients

Serves 4

·       2 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking sheet

·       2 medium acorn squash

·       2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

·       Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet.

2.     Halve 2 medium acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each) crosswise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Slice a small piece off bottom of each squash half just enough to level.

3.     Set squash halves, scooped sides down, on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn squash; prick insides all over with a fork. Divide 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar among halves; season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Continue to bake until flesh is easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

 

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Rounds

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

·       1 acorn squash (2 pounds)

·       2 tablespoons olive oil

·       2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

·       1 tablespoon fresh rosemary needles, chopped

·       Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

·       1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs