Teriyaki Kabobs With Coconut Rice

Kabob Ingredients: 10-12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. One recipe for Teriyaki Marinade and Stir-Fry Sauce 1 Tbs corn starch 1 lb extra-firm tofu, beef, shrimp, scallops, or boneless chicken 1 medium squash or zucchini 1 or 2 sweet or hot peppers About two dozen cherry tomatoes 1 onion Fresh basil or cilantro (optional)

Coconut Rice Ingredients: (Adapted from Steamy Kitchen) 1 Tbs canola or peanut oil 1 Tbs local honey 1 tsp sea salt 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained 1 can unsweetened first-pressed coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Method: Prepare the Teriyaki Marinade, refrigerate.  If using tofu, press well to remove liquid. Cut the tofu, beef or chicken into 1-inch pieces.  Place in a bowl with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to one day.  With the remaining teriyaki sauce, warm in a saucepan on medium heat.  Place 1 Tbs corn starch in a jug with 3-4 tbs water and mix well.  Just before the marinade begins to boil, stir in the corn starch and water.  Continue stirring until it thickens.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the coconut rice, heat oil, honey and salt in a medium to large sized saucepan on medium heat.  Stir and cook until the mixture begins to bubble. Turn heat to high and add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan.  Stir until coated well with the oil and honey mixture.  Add the coconut milk and water.  Continue to stir until the coconut milk is blended and smooth. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until you can just see the rice under the surface of the liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid and set a timer for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, remove from heat, but do not open the lid.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  Toast coconut flakes in a dry skillet on medium to medium-high heat.  Stir frequently to avoid burning. It should take a couple of minutes.  Remove from the pan when it is golden brown. Set aside.

Assembling the kabobs can take some time if you don't have help, so you may want to do this step ahead of time.  When they are assembled you can place them in a sealed plastic storage bag or a covered casserole dish and refrigerate until you are ready to grill. To prepare the ingredients, cut the squash, peppers and onion into 1-inch pieces, or 1/4 inch ribbons for creative layering. Assemble the vegetables and meat/tofu onto the soaked skewers.  Brush with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  When your barbecue is hot, place the kabobs on the grill, turning 1/4 turn every 3-5 minutes, or when the vegetables have blistered. If using chicken, shrimp or scallops, check to ensure it is cooked through before removing from the grill.  Place in a flat-bottomed dish and cover with the thickened teriyaki sauce.

When the rice is finished, sprinkle toasted coconut over each serving of rice, place kabobs on top, and garnish with basil or cilantro.

Fresh Salsa Omelet

Summer vegetables are often so delicious raw or simply prepared, it does not take much to create something delicious. Omelets, made with really good pasture-raised hen eggs, are fantastic for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This one highlights the best of summer vegetables with the flavors of one of the world's favorite foods. You can combine the same ingredients to make a nice pico de gallo or salsa for other meals.

Ingredients: 1-2 farm fresh eggs per omelet, whisked Canola or red pepper oil Sweet bell pepper Banana pepper or Jalapeno Tomato Onion Garlic Pinch of whole cumin seed Dash of paprika or cayenne pepper Salt Freshly squeezed lime juice Chopped cilantro Avocado slices (optional)

Method: Dice peppers, onion, garlic and tomato evenly into tiny pieces.  Stir in the cumin seed and paprika or cayenne pepper.  Coat the bottom of your omelet pan with some oil and heat on medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add 1/2 cup of the vegetables to the pan and let sear for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the vegetables and stir. Continue to cook until they soften a bit.  Squeeze a little lime juice over the vegetables and try to spread them into an even layer across the bottom of the pan.  Slowly pour the whisked egg over the vegetables, trying to cover them entirely if possible. You can give the pan a little jostle or two to help the egg spread between the vegetables.  Sprinkle some chopped cilantro over the top and let cook until the egg is set.  Season to taste. Slide out of the pan and serve over a bed of fresh spinach or greens and top with avocado slices.

Stuffed Banana Peppers With Lentils or Pork Sausage

Ingredients:

10-12 large banana peppers 1/2 head purple or green cabbage, sliced thinly and chopped into short strands 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly 1 small fennel bulb sliced thinly 3 stalks of celery, minced 3-4 cloves of garlic 1 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper Juice from 1/2 lemon Salt and pepper to taste

For vegetarian recipe add: 1/2 cup (dry) french green lentils, cooked but still firm, and cooled 1/2 cup feta or grated aged cheese like gruyere, dubliner, or parmesan (for lentil version only)

For sausage recipe add: 1/2 lb ground sausage (I used Hoe Hop farms) 4 slices of brown bread, toasted until dry (for sausage version only)

Method: Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Make a slit in the banana peppers lengthwise and push the stuffing into the peppers.  Place the stuffed peppers in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Toss some sungold cherry tomatoes into the bottom of the dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until they are as soft as you like them.  For the sausage stuffed peppers, make sure the sausage has reached 145 degrees before removing from the oven.

Serve with oven-roasted tomatoes and Toasted Coconut Jerk Sauce.

Toasted Coconut Jerk Sauce: 1 cup unsweetened first-pressed coconut milk (from can) 1/4 cup unsweetened small-shred coconut 1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Jamaican Jerk spice blend 10-15 basil leaves 1 tsp local honey 1 Tbs lemon juice

Place coconut in a pan and stir constantly over med-high heat until it begins to brown (about 1 minute).  Remove from heat and place in blender with other ingredients.  Puree until smooth.

Steelhead Trout With Radish & Fennel Salad

I won't lie.  I saw a beautiful photograph of a bacon and radish crudo on the St. John's Restaurant facebook page, and thought to myself..."I should go there and eat that".  The next best thing, though, is to make something that looks as beautiful with the little treasures in our CSA share. I tried a few flavor combinations with the salad, but this one was the winner.  So glad we had some fresh basil this week!

Salad: 1 fennel bulb, finely diced 2-3 Tbs chopped fennel leaf 6 radishes, finely diced 10 basil leaves, thinly sliced 1/2 lemon, juiced 2 Tbs Lucini Dark Cherry Balsamico 3 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sea Salt Freshly ground black pepper Mix ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fish: 4 portions of Steelhead Trout, skins and bones removed Dry the fish with a paper towel, thin sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides On Medium-high heat, melt a little oil or butter in a skillet.  Gently place the fish in the pan and cook about 3 minutes on each side, (less or more depending on the thickness of the fish and how well done you like it.) Remove fish from pan and let rest on a warm plate.

Add 3-4 minced garlic cloves to the pan, plus 1 cup of dry white wine.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the alcohol burns off.  Salt to taste.

Pasta: Cook 4 portions of angel-hair pasta according to packet directions and drain. Drag each portion of cooked pasta through the garlic and wine sauce before plating.

Spring Veggie Burgers

You might think veggie burgers are just for people who don't eat meat.  That is, until you try these.  These freshly made garden burgers are rich in protein, fiber, and nutrients, and extremely satisfying.  They store well in the freezer and can be quickly warmed up in a toaster oven, skillet, or microwave. This recipe makes 2-3 dozen burgers, depending on size.

Ingredients:

1 large beet root, grated 1 large kohlrabi bulb, peeled 1 leek 1 onion 3 carrots 8 oz wild mushrooms, whichever you like best 6 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bunch beet greens, chard or kale, finely chopped 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 cup nuts or seeds, ground (walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds work well) 3 eggs 1 cup red lentils (dry) 1 cup quinoa (dry) 3-4 slices of bread, toasted until completely dry, then ground in a blender or food processor. (Can substitute about 1/2 cup rice and almond flour and omit breadcrumbs if gluten-free) Juice from 1-2 lemons 1/2 cup canola oil 1 Tbs fennel seeds 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Cook lentils and quinoa according to packet directions.  (I like to use Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with sea salt and herbs to season the quinoa) The lentils are best if they are slightly under-done for this recipe. Let cool. Make breadcrumbs. This is another step, but it's pretty easy and there is no comparison between fresh and store-bought.  (You can make breadcrumbs in advance and freeze larger batches.) Chop all vegetables as small as possible, or use a food processor or grater.  If you like a softer texture to your burgers you can place the chopped or grated beet, kohlrabi, leek, carrots, and mushrooms in a skillet or pan with a little oil and a dash of salt and saute until the vegetables soften. Let cool. If you don't cook the veggies first, the texture is nicely varied and the veggies will stand out a little more.

Put all ingredients, except eggs, in a large bowl and mix with your hands to combine ingredients well.  Taste and adjust seasonings. Add eggs and mix well. You may need to add more flour if it is too wet.  It should be just dry enough to form into soft patties.

I usually use my hands to form the mixture.  If we are in a hurry, I fry the burgers with a little oil on medium-low heat for several minutes on each side.  Otherwise, you can bake them on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Serve on a toasted bun with Lemon Tarragon Aioli and arugula, or try it with Auntie's Guacamole, or smother it with caramelized onions and melted Cumberland or Coppinger cheese.

Extra burgers can be frozen. Carefully place them in gallon sized freezer bags in one or two layers (with waxed paper between layers). Make sure to keep them flat at all times, and freeze on a shelf.