For the last 6 years, I’ve provided recipes to my CSA every week of the farm season. Our first veggies come to us this week and so I’m startin’ up the foodie Friday tradition again. You’ll likely see a lot of ideas coming from Pinterest. . . my new obsession, and also from foodily, both great visually oriented websites. I’m excited to get started, so here’s my part of this week’s crop-sheet:Hello and welcome to the first crop-sheet of the 2011 farm season!
Our wonderful farmers often choose what to put in our shares on the day it gets packed so we get the freshest and most delicious food. I don’t always know what we’re getting and sometimes I’ll put in a recipe that uses veggies that we didn’t get that week. Don’t fret if this happens. All of the recipes I’ve shared in the last 5-ish seasons are online! Yes, you can go to my recipe tab and scroll through acres of recipes. There’s a search box to the right where you can type a few ingredients in and wah la!, find a useful recipe.
Remember, these first few weeks of shares will be greens-heavy. I’m told we’ll get spinach this week. As a general “rule”: one pound fresh spinach (large stems removed) = 1 cup cooked = 5 ounces frozen. The frozen bricks of spinach you get at the grocery store are usually 10 ounces. So, you CAN substitute fresh spinach into your favorite recipes. Just steam the fresh spinach briefly, let it cool a bit and then squeeze the water out of it. . . chop and use as you would frozen spinach.
Remember, these first few weeks of shares will be greens-heavy. I’m told we’ll get spinach this week. As a general “rule”: one pound fresh spinach (large stems removed) = 1 cup cooked = 5 ounces frozen. The frozen bricks of spinach you get at the grocery store are usually 10 ounces. So, you CAN substitute fresh spinach into your favorite recipes. Just steam the fresh spinach briefly, let it cool a bit and then squeeze the water out of it. . . chop and use as you would frozen spinach.
Anyhoo, on to some spinach recipes.
Parmesan Spinach Casserole with Garlic Brown Rice (adapted from The Cooking Photographer)
1 1/2 cups brown rice (cook it up with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon onion powder. . . you can make it the day before if you’d like).4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup very thinly sliced carrot rounds
1 large yellow or white onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons unbleached flour
3 cups milk
3 pounds chopped spinach, steamed, cooled and drained well
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Sprinkle of garlic powder
1 cup crushed Potato Chips (trashy, I know, but yummy and you could certainly substitute bread crumbs or just omit!).
1. Drain the spinach in a colander over a bowl. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9×13 inch baking dish and add the cooked rice.
3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the carrots, onions and salt. Cook until carrots are tender and onions start to caramelize. Add the flour and cook for a minute, then slowly pour in the milk stirring as you pour. Stir constantly until the sauce looks like it’s starting to thicken, but not completely thick yet, like a medium gravy. Add the spinach, cheese, a good dash of freshly cracked pepper and heat just until warmed through. Spread mixture over rice and sprinkle very lightly with garlic powder. Top with crushed potato chips.
4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Parmesan Spinach Casserole with Garlic Brown Rice (adapted from The Cooking Photographer)
1 1/2 cups brown rice (cook it up with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon onion powder. . . you can make it the day before if you’d like).4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup very thinly sliced carrot rounds
1 large yellow or white onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons unbleached flour
3 cups milk
3 pounds chopped spinach, steamed, cooled and drained well
2/3 cup shredded Parmesan Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Sprinkle of garlic powder
1 cup crushed Potato Chips (trashy, I know, but yummy and you could certainly substitute bread crumbs or just omit!).
1. Drain the spinach in a colander over a bowl. Press out as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9×13 inch baking dish and add the cooked rice.
3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the carrots, onions and salt. Cook until carrots are tender and onions start to caramelize. Add the flour and cook for a minute, then slowly pour in the milk stirring as you pour. Stir constantly until the sauce looks like it’s starting to thicken, but not completely thick yet, like a medium gravy. Add the spinach, cheese, a good dash of freshly cracked pepper and heat just until warmed through. Spread mixture over rice and sprinkle very lightly with garlic powder. Top with crushed potato chips.
4. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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Sounds YUMMY!!!