Summer Slaw with Smoky Peach Dressing

The Smoky Peach Dressing is really the highlight of this dish.  Yes, eat your veggies and all that. But the dressing...wow. It's versatile enough to keep around as a dipping sauce, sandwich dressing, marinade, etc. The Chattanooga Market is celebrating the season with it's annual peach festival this week, so we thought we'd join in the fun with this dish. Also, who could pass up using a dash of smoky Alchemy Spice Proud To Be American blend in honor of independence day?

Smoky Peach Dressing:

2-3 Medium peaches, quartered and pits discarded

5 Garlic cloves

1/4 Cup olive oil

Juice from 1/2 lime

1-2 tsp Proud To Be American spice blend by Alchemy Spice

1 tsp Lime Fresco Salt by Alchemy Spice

Slaw:

Cabbage

Kohlrabi

Daikon radish

Fennel bulb

Summer squash (any variety)

Green onions

Kale

Juice from one lime

Kosher salt to taste

Method:

For the dressing, add all of the ingredients to a blender, blend until smooth and they emulsify into a creamy dressing.  Refrigerate until ready to use. If you have extra, place in a squeeze bottle and use as a dressing for sandwiches, grilled vegetables, hot dogs, and basically anything that tastes good with the addition of some spicy-sweetness.

Slaw is basically a quick salad of vegetables that are shredded or julienned, mixed together, and dressed.  It's not complicated. It's the stuff that picnics are made of...less time in the kitchen, and more time outside having fun.  The list of vegetables above are the ones in this week's CSA box, but you could substitute anything you like eating raw.  Grate, chop, slice and julienne the vegetables and mix together in a large bowl.  Toss the grated vegetables with lime juice and some kosher salt. Let rest a few minutes, then pour off any excess liquid. The vegetables will absorb a lot of the flavor of the peach dressing, so you may want to dress each portion of the slaw individually as it's served.

Almond Zucchini Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

2 Cups Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp kosher salt

1  cup organic raw sugar

2 Cups ground almonds or almond flour

1 Cup sliced almonds (optional)

3-4 cups grated summer squash like zucchini, zephyr, or pattypan squash

4 eggs

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or local raw honey

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk

1 Tbs pure almond extract

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, apple sauce, and almond milk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients.  Add the grated zucchini and stir until fairly even-textured.  Add the almond extract and stir to combine.

Line muffin tin with parchment muffin liners, or coat with oil or cooking spray.  Fill muffin tin with batter.  Bake for 25 minutes for mini muffins, or 30-40 minutes for large muffins. They are fully cooked when a toothpick or bamboo skewer comes out clean.  Let cool on a cooling rack before serving.  Cool completely before freezing.

Makes about 5 dozen mini muffins, or 30 large muffins.

Chocolate Beetroot Cake

The original red velvet cakes were made with pureed beetroot or beet juice to deepen the color of a chocolate cake; not to mention the benefits of texture and sweetness coming from an economically grown vegetable. Butter and sugar have at times been rationed or expensive throughout history, but beetroot is easy to grow and readily available to most.  Cooking sweets with vegetables can also add fiber, vitamins, and minerals to a recipe, making them more nutritionally beneficial. This delicious chocolate cake is rich, smooth, and full of flavor.

Ingredients:

1 Large or 2 medium (about 1/2 lb) beets

1/2 Cup Sonrisa Farm whole wheat flour (available at the Main St. Farmer's Market)

1/2 Cup all purpose flour

3/4 Cup cocoa

3/4 Cup sugar

1 1/2 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp kosher salt, plus 1 pinch

3 eggs

One 3.5 oz dark chocolate bar (60% cocoa solids or higher)

1/2 Cup canola oil, olive oil, coconut oil, or melted butter

2 Tbs B&B liqueur, or a spiced brandy

Extra butter, sugar, & cocoa for dusting the cake tin

Fresh cream & liqueur for garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare an 8 inch spring-form cake tin by coating with butter, shortening or oil. Then sprinkle granulated sugar all over the inside, followed by an even dusting of cocoa powder.

Wash beets, trim root and stems, and chop into chunks or wedges.  Place in a saucepan with enough water to cover.  Add a pinch of salt and a Tbs of B&B liqueur. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on medium-low heat until the beets are tender.  Drain the liquid and puree in a blender until smooth.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa, and baking powder.  Stir in the sugar and salt.

Break the chocolate bar into pieces and place in a pyrex jug with the oil or butter. Melt in the microwave and stir together.  Alternately you can melt them in a double-boiler over the stove.

Whisk together the eggs and beetroot puree

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer for 3-5 minutes, or until completely smooth.  Stir in a Tbs of the B&B Liqueur, then fill the prepared cake tin.

Bake in the center of the oven for 60 - 80 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the cake tin and let cool.

Serve with fresh cream spiked with Liqueur

Grilled Pac Choi with Red Thai Curry Sauce

Most of the ingredients in this recipe can be found at your local grocery store in the Asian food section.  Kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil can be found at specialty food stores, or an Asian market.

Ingredients:

1 Can (13.66 fl oz/403 mL) organic unsweetened coconut milk

2-3 Tbs Thai red curry paste

2 Cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated

3 Kaffir lime leaves

1 Tbs honey or sugar

1 Tbs fish sauce (available in most grocery stores)

Juice from 1/2 lime

3-4 Spring onions, chopped

Fresh Thai basil leaves, (optional)

Dried Thai chili peppers (optional)

Pac Choi, Napa cabbage, Fennel, and other spring vegetables of your choice

Method:

Place coconut milk, garlic, red curry paste, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and honey or sugar, and dried chili peppers (if using) in a saucepan. Stir until combined and cover with a lid. Let simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice a few minutes before serving. Season with Kosher salt to taste.

Brush Pac Choi stalks with olive oil and season with a little salt.  Place on a hot grill (along with any other vegetables you wish to use.)  Grill until the stalks begin to blister but still have a little crunch.  A grill pan can be useful for smaller vegetables.

If adding a protein, use some of the red curry sauce as a marinade for chicken, scallops, tofu, etc. before grilling.

Serve the sauce over the grilled vegetables and steamed jasmine rice.

Osaka Mustard Greens With Sweet Sesame Dressing

Mustard greens have a soft texture that is suitable for a wilted or fresh salad. The flavor is strong with a spicy hint of horseradish, so they pair well with beef or fish, add zing as a stuffing for sushi, complement a rice bowl, or taste delicious on their own.

Ingredients:

1-3 bunches of Osaka Purple Mustard Greens

1 tbs Toasted Sesame Oil

1 tbs Olive or Canola Oil

1 tbs Rice Vinegar

2 - 3 tsp Mirin Sweetened Sake

2 Tbs Sesame Seeds, white or black

Kosher Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash greens and dry with a salad spinner or absorbent towel. If desired, remove leaves from stems, discard stems and chop the leaves. If you like the added texture, keep the stems intact and chop all together.  For a milder flavor, place the greens in a large mixing bowl. Add the sesame and olive oils and a pinch of kosher salt. Rub the oils into the leaves until they soften and turn dark green.  Then add the vinegar and mirin and toss until evenly coated. For a crunchier salad with a bolder flavor, do not massage the leaves with oil; add the oils, vinegar and mirin at the same time, then stir until coated.

Place the sesame seeds in a dry skillet and warm over medium heat, keeping them in motion so they do not burn. Remove from heat when the sesame aroma blooms (about 2 minutes or so). Add the toasted seeds to the salad and toss.  Season with Kosher salt to taste.