Out of the Box, Take 9

We just had our very last CSA delivery for the season, and it was bittersweet.  Bitter, obviously, because it's the last.  Sigh.  I am so going to miss those beautiful, organic vegetables arriving weekly, like a long-lost friend.  And sweet, because there were some delicious foods in there.  I consider myself fairly vegetable savvy, or at least I did, until lately, when I was pleasantly surprised to discover the gorgeous wealth of the fall harvest.  Who said the only colorful, exciting veg comes in summer?  No way, my friends, we've been eating well.  From electric watermelon radishes (I'll have those for you soon!), to rainbow chard (which, yes, my kiddos are get slightly tired of, but not me!), to colorful squashes and potatoes, leeks and broccolini...oh my.  Good stuff.

So last night, for the first time, I had Delicata Squash, and I must sheepishly admit, I wasn't sure exactly what to do with it.  That's what the internet is for, though, right?  So, I looked it up, and discovered that while it's a winter squash, it possesses a more tender skin, that doesn't need to be peeled.  Nice, less work?  Count me in.

When roasted, Delicata Squash tastes somewhat like Butternut, but perhaps even a bit sweeter.  The skin gets a nice crunch to the edges, while the flesh caramelizes with its roasting time in the oven. Scrumptious.

I had some escarole, also from our box, which had nice, sturdy leaves, and, once the ribs were stripped, a pleasingly subtle bitterness.  Reminiscent of radicchio, but less bitter.  (The ribs were a little aggressive, so I tossed them.)  Along with some feta in the fridge, toasted hazelnuts, and a quick balsamic-honey vinaigrette...dinner was on!

Here you go:

Autumn Salad of Roasted Delicata Squash, Escarole, Feta, and Hazelnuts
serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side

Ingredients
1 or 2 Delicata Squash, about 1 or 1 1/2 lbs total
escarole, or other robust salad green
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted in a dry pan, then coarsely chopped
1/4 cup feta, broken into bite-size chunks

Balsamic-Honey Vinaigrette
2 tsp grainy dijon mustard
2 Tbs good balsamic vinager
1 Tbs honey
4-6 Tbs good olive oil, to taste (I prefer my dressing on the tart side, so use less oil)
1 clove garlic, minced
generous pinch Maldon sea salt, or kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 deg F.

To prep the squash, first slice off the ends, then slice in half, lengthwise.  Using a spoon, scoop the seeds from the squash, then slice into 1/2 inch crescents.

Toss with 2 tsp olive oil, and coarse sea salt and pepper, then arrange on a baking sheet, and roast for 35 to 45 minutes, turning every 10 to 15 minutes.  If the squash are browning too quickly, turn the heat down to 350.  Likewise, if they are not caramelizing, turn it up to 400.

Once the squash goes in the oven, throw all your vinaigrette ingredients into a mason or jam jar, shake vigorously, and leave to let the flavors meld while the magic happens in the oven.

Arrange the escarole leaves on a platter, top with warm Delicata squash, feta chunks, hazelnuts, and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Lovely.  We had our salad alongside some of Molly's Bouchons au Thon, from Orangette.

Happy Autumn Eats to you!

Out of the Box, Take 2

Well, folks, the novelty of Helsing Junction Farm's CSA box is nowhere near diminishing around these parts.  Still feeling like a kiddo on Christmas.  The building anticipation on the day the box is due to arrive..."What will it be?  What's for dinner?  Oooo, boy...can't wait!"  The round of cheers from the kiddos and myself when the Mister pulls up, Santa-style..."He's here!  He's here!"  And the mad rush to figure out what's for dinner, as we gleefully pull one brightly colored vegetable after another from The Box.

(A quick aside, soapbox style:  Where did we go wrong, as a culture, that we've given up the joys of eating fresh, seasonal, local produce?  As far as this gal is concerned, trading vibrant flavor for convenience and uniformly shaped tomatoes, is so not worth it.  Those strawberries that you wait eleven months for, the tomatoes that come around but once a year, the first crop of screamingly fresh garlic...these things are well and truly worth their weight in gold.  And I'll stop, I promise, but just think of this also:  Isn't it perhaps a valuable life lesson to the kiddos, that the good things in life are worth waiting for, and working for?  Not to mention the importance of learning that food comes from the earth, and that people work hard to grow it.  Stepping down from soapbox, and continuing on...)

So, among all the other delicious treasures we discovered in The Box, we had some gorgeous Easter Egg radishes.  Seriously, it looked like the bunny had been at them with his paintbrush.  Beauties, I tell you.

A super easy, and might I add, French way of doing things:  radishes with butter and salt. Couldn't be simpler.  Dip those babies in some melted butter with chives, then into a dish of flaky sea salt.  Delicious.

And the main course, this week, from Out of The Box...Broccoli Rabe Bruschetta.  The recipe is adapted from the marvelous book, Local Flavors, by Deborah Madison.  Another quick and easy, flavorful, and surprisingly filling way of serving up veggies.  The vivid green of the broccoli rabe atop freshly toasted bread, combined with the subtle pungency of fresh garlic...ah...feeds the eyes, the belly, and the soul.  Good stuff.

Broccoli Rabe Bruschetta - adapted from Local Flavors
-serves 4

1 large bunch (about 1 pound) broccoli rabe, tough stems removed or peeled, and chopped into 1 inch lengths
1 Tbs olive oil
4 fresh garlic cloves (or 2 regular ones), 3 minced, 1 sliced in half to rub on toast
a pinch red pepper flakes
red wine vinegar
4 large slices rustic country bread
salty cheese for topping bread, I used a peppered Tuscan, parmigiano would work too

Bring a large pot of water to boil, add salt, and chopped broccoli rabe, and cook until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Drain, and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Toast the bread slices in a toaster oven, or under a broiler, toasting both sides.  Rub with the halved garlic clove (that fresh garlic melts into the bread, just like butter!), and top with cheese.  Broil just until the cheese begins to bubble a bit.

Warm the oil over medium heat, in a skillet.  Add the broccoli rabe, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water.  Turn with tongs to mix in the garlic, then lower the heat to medium low, and cook for a few minutes.  Make sure there's ample liquid in the pan, adding more if necessary.  The greens shouldn't fry, plus you'll want the extra liquid to spoon over them. Taste for salt, then season with a few drops of good, strong vinegar.

Transfer the toasts to plates, then cover them with broccoli rabe and the juices from the pan.  Add a few drops of olive oil, if you like, to each toast.  And that's how it's done.