Focus: ARUGULA (Eruca sativa)

Arugula, which is also known as rocket, roquette or rucola, is dark green and very flavorful, with a punguent peppery taste.  It is a member of the mustard family.  Somehow it has gotten a reputation as just a gourmet food favored by food snobs.  In fact arugula is Italian peasant food - enjoyed by humble people for hundreds of years as either a fresh salad green or a cooked vegetable.  Tuscans have endless uses for arugula: chopped for a pizza topping,  sliced into soups or pasta or raw in salads.  You can eat arugula without shame or fear of being called "an elitist". 

Because arugula has such an assertive flavor, it is well suited for combination with other strong flavors such as blue cheese, citrus, olives, garlic, goat cheese and cured meats.   One especially harmonious combination - which is not uncommon to see on restaurant menus - is pears, arugula, walnuts and goat cheese.  I think it would be fun to experiment with this combination in different guises - such as salad, sandwich, omelet, pizza or with pasta -- you get the idea.  I would even throw in a few roasted beets for color and extra nutrition.

It likes cool weather and is best enjoyed in the spring and fall.  If you are an impatient gardener - plant some arugula.  With any luck you will only have to wait about 4-5 weeks from planting to harvest for medium sized leaves - depending on the time of year.

Nutrition
Arugula is high in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.  There are only TWO calories in a half cup serving.  (Once you add some olive oil, that number goes up fast!)

Storage
Arugula is fairly perishable - it has a high water content and wilts easily.   Refrigerate unwashed and  tightly wrapped.  Ideally you should use it within 3-4 days.  You can try to extend its life by putting the stems in a half glass of water, covering the leaves and glass with a plastic bag and storing in the refrigerator.  Compost discolored or yellow leaves - they have gotten too old.

Preparation
Wash arugula well (it is probably a good idea to give it a swish in 2 or even 3 changes of water)  in a large sink or pan of water.  Allow a little time for the grit to sink, since the leaves are often sandy. Spin dry for use in a salad.  You only need to shake dry or drain in a colander if you will be cooking the arugula.

Raw:
Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon juice and use as a bed for grilled food.
Use instead of lettuce in a BLT or other sandwich
Make a salad.  By itself, arugula is good dressed with a simple vinaigrette - good olive oil, white wine or champagne vinegar, salt, freshly ground pepper and shaved parmesan.  Or combine with a milder green such as butter lettuce for a nice contrast and balance.  Or add some thinly sliced red onion, apple and fennel to an arugula salad.
Slice into strips and add to a bean, pasta or potato salad.  Or put on top of a pizza as soon as it comes out of the oven.
Add chopped arugula to an uncooked tomato-garlic sauce for pasta.  A few chopped Greek olives would be nice, too.

Cooked:
Do not boil arugula - it will destroy its characteristic flavor.  Gentle steaming - using just residual moisture from washing - for 2-3 minutes is all that is necessary.  Arugula can also be stir fried or sauteed.  Just add at the end of the preparation of a dish and cook until wilted.

Pesto:
I have seen many recommendations for substituting raw arugula for some or all of the basil in standard pesto recipes.  I have not tried this so cannot give you an opinion on the outcome. I also have seen arugula pesto recipes which call for steaming the arugula and squeezing it dry before using in a pesto.

Recipe: Arugula, caramelized onion and goat cheese pizza
This is a nice recipe which uses whole wheat tortillas as a crust.  Quick, easy, and low calorie.  You could also use a more traditional crust.
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
4 cups raw arugula - washed, dried and sliced or chopped
4 6 inch whole wheat tortillas
2 ounces goat cheese (blue cheese would be nice too)
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Saute the onion, slowly, in the olive oil for about 10 minutes - until golden brown.
Add the arugula and cook about one minute more.
Place tortillas on a baking sheet.  Top each with the arugula onion mixture.  Divide cheese among pizzas.  Bake about 10 minutes until tortillas are crisp and cheese is slightly melted.

Hands On - Homemade Yogurt

Today I am going to show you how you can make yogurt at home.  I like to make a quart jar every week or two.  For about ten minutes of work, I can have plain, unsweetened yogurt whenever I need it.  If your household goes through a lot of yogurt -- just make two quarts at a time or make it more often.

Once you get into the habit of homemade yogurt, you will never have to buy yogurt again.  You can  use yogurt from your current jar to start the next one.  I confess that once in awhile I use up all my yogurt and don't set aside any starter.  No big deal - I just buy some more store yogurt and start all over again.  Maybe you even have a friend or neighbor who could be your yogurt starter buddy.  Between the two of you, you could keep your friendly starter bacteria family going for generations.

Making yogurt would be a great project - even a science project - for children.  Perhaps there is a child in your home who could take on this task as a regular duty - kind of like walking the dog or taking out the trash.  This job does require a modicum of skill and judgment.  You have to know something about biology and chemistry.  You have to measure and check temperatures and keep things clean and follow step by step instructions.  You can experiment with variables such as the fat content of the milk or the type of starter.   It is fun and you get to eat the results of your experiment.  Maybe you have the makings of a dairy entrepreneur living under your roof?  Who knows?  I want to talk to Ben and Jerry's mothers.  Maybe they were making ice cream when they were 12??  You have to start somewhere.

Yogurt can be an excellent substitute for buttermilk in baking, soups or beverages.  It can also be an excellent substitute for sour cream - especially whole milk yogurt.   I like this efficiency - one jar can play many different roles in the kitchen.  So making homemade yogurt doesn't complicate your life - it simplifies it.

Equipment Needed
One cooking pot to heat milk
Whisk
Instant read thermometer  (These are not expensive and can be found wherever basic kitchen equipment is sold.  Cooking is all about temperatures - it is handy to have one of these around whether or not you make yogurt.)
Quart jar (s) and lid (s)  - I prefer wide mouth - they are easier to work with.  Treat yourself to a package of plastic jar lids.  They look great and are easy to keep clean.
Measuring cup and measuring spoon (tablespoon size)
Small bowl for stirring the starter yogurt
Some type of heat retention system for keeping the yogurt warm while the culture works its magic (I will discuss this in greater detail below)

Ingredients
Milk 
You can use skim, low fat or whole.  Experiment to see what you like best.  2% is a nice compromise.  If I use skim, sometimes I add about 1/2 a cup of powdered milk/dry milk solids to thicken the yogurt a bit.  Whole milk will give you a thicker and richer product if you don't mind a little extra butterfat.    Give some thought to your choice of milk.  I have used ordinary not organic grocery store commercial milk,  milk bottled and pasteurized at a nearby dairy farm (that is what I am using today) and whole, unpasteurized milk a few hours out of the cow.  And I have noticed differences in the end product.   I really like whole fresh unpasteurized milk for the flavor, but that is unrealistic most of the time even for me who has friends who are dairy farmers.    I encourage you to experiment a bit to find the milk you like to use for yogurt.  No matter what you use,  you are going to end up with a product that is much better than almost any kind of storebought yogurt.

Starter bacteria

Use a starter from yogurt that is made from only milk and a bacteria culture.  No pectins, gums, stabilizers, sweeteners, etc.  This can be a little hard to find these days.  Ask your grocer to get it if it is not at your favorite store.  Now that I am learning a bit more about the bacteria part of all this, I  think I will make more of an effort to find a yogurt with a particular bacteria culture that I especially like.   I will let you know what I find out.  I might even figure out how to buy just the culture bacteria online and skip having to buy starter yogurt.

Cool the boiled milk - 100 degrees is what you are aiming for

The Process
Bring one quart (4 cups) of milk to a boil, stirring fairly constantly.  (This step helps encourage a smoother product)  Cool milk to between 95 and 110 degrees.  This is where you need your thermometer.  I am sure there are millions of women in the developing world who can - and do - do this all the time without a thermometer.  The same way our great grandmothers checked oven temperatures in their wood stoves. Feel.  Experience.  Good for them. 

Remove any skin that has formed on the milk.  Whisk 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt (commercial or taken from an earlier home batch) into the milk and pour into a clean quart jar - or even a bowl that has a cover.

Now you need to incubate the milk for about 5 hours.  The ideal temperature for incubation is 100 degrees.  The temperature can be as low as 85 degrees, but then fermentation will just take longer.

Here are some ways to keep the milk at about 100 degrees:
1.  Use an insulated container manufactured for this purpose.   I have used my Easy-Yo container for at least 15 years.  (see the equipment picture above) It does not have to be plugged in.  These are still available for about $30.  Here is a link to the Easy-Yo company.  https://www.yogurt2you.com/products/index_dynamic.php/product/3551/

2.  It is not necessary to buy special equipment.  You could put the jar(s)/bowl in a closed oven that has a pilot light.  You just need to check the temperature to make sure it is staying at about 100 degrees.

3.  You can put the jars or bowl in a pan of 100 degree water and wrap with towels or a blanket.  Check temperatures every so often to make sure they are staying at about 100 degrees.  You could try setting the pan of water on a heating pad set on low to keep the temperature steady.

After about 4 - 5 hours - check the yogurt.  It should have the consistency of delicate custard. Once you see this - refrigerate and it will firm up as it chills.   My yogurt keeps fine for up to two weeks.

Flavoring yogurt
You can sweeten your yogurt to taste with honey, maple syrup, sugar, jam, preserves or jelly.  You might need more sweetening at first if you are used to commercial yogurt.  See if you can slowly reduce the sweetening and learn to appreciate the tanginess of yogurt.
You can cook up some fresh fruit with sugar and add that to yogurt.  You can put the fruit on the bottom of individual containers or stir it in or just add fresh fruit to a bowl of yogurt.  Start the kids off with plain yogurt and sliced bananas with sugar on top.  If you have to add a few Froot Loops on top to get them started, I say go for it.  In this case the ends justify the means.
Almost any kind of spice or flavoring can be added to yogurt:  cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, citrus peel or juice.  You could even add instant coffee crystals. Or some espresso if you don't mind thinning the yogurt.
You can focus on savory flavors -- grated vegetables, minced onion or garlic, fresh chopped chiles, sunflower seeds or other nuts or seeds, chili powder -- the possibilities are endless.

Here are a few recipes using yogurt.
Raita
Raita is a yogurt based condiment often used with Indian dishes.  Raita is just plain yogurt with some  vegetables, herbs, spices or fruits added.  Here is one version to get you started:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup mixture of chopped tomato, onion and cucumber (peel, seed, salt and drain the cucumber first)
1 t. cumin seed, crushed
1 clove garlic, crushed and fined minced
1/2 t. salt
Chopped hot chiles - if desired

Pancakes
Testimonial - I have made thousands of pancakes using this recipe - both for my family and friends and for 18 year's worth of guests at my bed and breakfast.  Memorize it.  You will be glad you did. 

Wet ingredients: 1 cup plain yogurt, one egg, 1/4 cup melted butter or flavorless oil
Dry ingredients:  1 cup flour (you can use a mixture of flours or grains.  I like to use half whole wheat pastry flour and half cornmeal.  If that is too hard core for your family, start with all plain white unbleached flour.  Sometimes I throw in some ground flax seed or toasted black walnuts or even chocolate chips when the grandchildren are visiting), 1 T. sugar, 1 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. baking soda, 1/2 t. salt.
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk together wet ingredients in a larger bowl.  Whisk in dry ingredients, taking care not to overbeat.  Add a little more yogurt or even a spoonful of water if batter seems too thick.  Cook on a hot griddle as you would any pancake.

These are the pancakes we had for breakfast this morning -- with creme fraiche (basically fermented cream instead of fermented milk.  An occasional indulgence in our house) and wild blackberry jelly.

Dig In - Yogurt

Yogurt is good.  
Yogurt tastes good and is good for you.  It can be used in baking.  It can be used in many types of soups, beverages, sauces or condiments - especially with Indian or Middle Eastern dishes.  It is excellent served for breakfast with granola or cooked grains.  It makes a great smoothie along with fresh fruit or juice.

Yogurt is simple. 
Yogurt is milk, period.  The milk is cultured with bacteria to produce the unique flavor and texture of yogurt.  Yogurt has the same nutritional value as milk.  Various good bacteria - such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus or Streptococcus thermophilus - are added to the milk.  The bacteria feed and grow on the nutrients in the milk.  As the bacteria ferment (digest) the nutrients in the milk, lactose gets used up and lactic acid and other substances are formed.  This elimination of lactose is the reason that people who are lactose intolerant usually have no trouble eating yogurt.

Buying yogurt - what to look for
When you buy yogurt - look for brands which contain just milk and good bacteria.  Look for a label that assures you that "live and active cultures" are present.  Avoid those with added gums, stabilizers, thickeners (like pectin or carageenan) or gelatins.  Try to find plain, unsweetened yogurt - you can always add your own sweetening in amounts which almost certainly will be less than those added for you.  You can choose from nonfat, lowfat or whole milk yogurt.  Nonfat is great for baking or beverages.  I like whole yogurt sometimes for raitas or in dishes where the added richness makes a difference.

Yogurt and health mystique
I have borrowed the term "health mystique" from Marion Nestle, a nationally known nutritionist and book author who teaches at New York University.  Her book What to Eat - An Aisle-by-Aisle Guide to Savvy Food Choices and Good Eating is the source of much of the information included in this post.
You can get the paperback version for about $12.  If you are looking to become a more informed food buyer and eater and to  "cut through the confusion" in the supermarket this is a great book. http://www.amazon.com/What-Eat-Marion-Nestle/dp/0865477043

You all have probably noticed that food manufacturers really like to make health claims for their products.  It works.  People want to buy healthy food - for lots of reasons.  So that is why you see yogurt makers promoting yogurt - even the kind loaded with sugar and other sweeteners - as a health food.

So is yogurt a "health food"?   Ms. Nestle says "it depends" and adds:  "Beyond the marketing hype, I think there may be something to the acidophilus story,  and I like the idea that friendly bacteria replace the bad ones and do good things for health.  Even if the evidence for special health benefits is not as compelling as advertised, eating yogurt for its friendly bacteria is attractive, worth trying and can't hurt."

Glass on the left.  Plastic on the right.

Convenience
I understand how tempting it is to grab a bunch of those little containers at the store to keep on hand at home.  It is a quick and easy solution if the kids need a snack or you want a portable low calorie lunch.  I am all in favor of little containers of yogurt for snacks or on the go living.  But I beg you to consider taking a little time to modify your yogurt lifestyle.  The first step is to purchase reusable containers.  You could use 8 ounce glass canning jars with plastic lids.  They are attractive, durable, leak proof and easily cleaned - but they are also heavy and breakable.   Another alternative would be to use plastic screw top freezer containers.  They also are leak proof and durable - as well as light weight and non breakable.  I got mine at Fleet Farm.  They are made by the Ball jar company.  Once a week or so you could fill containers with PLAIN yogurt - either purchased or homemade.  Leave a little room for whatever flavoring or additions you wish to add.  Cover, refrigerate and you are good to go.  For a little investment of time you will end up with a much higher quality and less sweet product at a lower cost.

Yogurt is confusing - but it does not have to be
By now you may be thinking, "But yogurt isn't simple.  It is complicated.  It is confusing.  There are so many choices.  So many flavors.  So many brands.  So many added ingredients.  So many types of sweeteners.  So many health claims."  What is a person to do?

If those are some of your thoughts, you are right.  In 2010 in America yogurt is really not simple.  Yogurt manufacturers are good at their job - which is selling yogurt.  So they keep making more flavors and sweetenings and varieties and expanding their grocery store shelf space and we keep buying more yogurt.  Sweet sells.  Yogurt has been the fastest-growing dairy product in the United States for many years.  By 2003, we were consuming about 2.5 billion pounds a year - about 7 pounds a year per capita.  (The Swedes were eating about 63 pounds per capita - so Americans are still pikers when it comes to yogurt.  Don't expect the yogurt situation to simplify any time soon.  I expect choices to continue to multiply.)

Nutritionist and author Marion Nestle counted 400 kinds of yogurt in an medium sized supermarket in New York in 2004.  She had a pretty hard time finding plain, unsweetened yogurt.  I have had the same experience.   That is why I mostly make my own yogurt now.  It is easy and tomorrow I will tell you how to do it so you can make - and flavor - your own yogurt if you want to.

Inspiration - Week #15

In this week's Grande box:  Heirloom and San Marzano roma tomatoes, mixed salad greens, arugula, yellow wax beans, edamame soybeans, Yukon Gold potatoes, watermelon, broccoli, tomatillos, hot peppers, bok choy. (Some boxes will get "make up" eggplant or raspberries)


I hope you have marked your calendars for the upcoming harvest festival - Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 18 and 19.  Southeast Minnesota is very beautiful at that time of year, so it is a good time to visit the farm, enjoy some good food and learn more about where your food (at least some of it) comes from. 

This week's boxes contain some new treats that you haven't seen yet this summer -- tomatillos (the green tomatoey things with husks) and edamame.   And although you got some arugula a few weeks ago, this week the bunch is quite robust - you can have a complete arugula experience. 

How are you doing at using up the contents of each week's box?   Don't be discouraged if you don't always manage to get to everything.  Have you conducted a personal fresh produce survey in your kitchen lately?  Now would be a good time.  You just may have to declare some things dead.  I am sorry about that - but that is what compost is for.    Stick with me and you will get better at vegetable management.  I promise.  And remember that it is a good sign that your food has the capacity to rot  - it means that it is whole and natural and has not been treated or transformed to last practically forever on a shelf.  It is alive and as such will eventually decay unless you cook or preserve it in some way. 

So here are some ideas for cooking this week's food.  And if you have something left over from last week or even the week before - hopefully you can find a way to use it this week.   If you get stuck, feel free to send me an e mail and I will try to make a suggestion or two.
Contact me at cook@featherstonefarm.com    I like to hear from the front lines.

MENU IDEAS
As usual, where you see an asterisk you know there is a recipe at the end of the post.
These menus borrow from the cuisines of America, Japan, Mexico, Italy and China.   I love living in a nation of immigrants.  The food is so much more interesting. 

Burger Night
Hamburgers (or your favorite grill food or even a grilled cheese sandwich); potato salad with wax beans (just steam or boil the beans until just tender, cut into pieces, and add to your favorite potato salad recipe.  Or serve separately with a simple vinaigrette.)  If you still have a few radishes around, they would be nice in the potato salad; sliced heirloom tomatoes; watermelon  (Note - see my post for July 10 for a potato salad recipe.  Just because the post says russets are best - don't let that stop you from making potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes.)

Not Your Mother's Hot Dish (and maybe your mother's chocolate pudding)
Chicken broccoli casserole*; green salad with simple vinaigrette; dinner rolls; homemade chocolate pudding*

Deconstructed sushi with a soybean starter
Boiled and salted edamame in the pods*; chirashi sushi*; watermelon compote*

Bok choy and friends
Fried rice with bok choy and green or yellow beans and maybe other vegetables you need to use up. (See June 15 post for fried rice guidance.)

Huevos rancheros - so satisfying
Simple supper or brunch dish.  Poached or fried eggs on warmed tortillas - with tomatillo salsa*.  Refried beans or rice or both on the side.  Or if you have some extra boiled Yukon gold potatoes around, slice and fry for American fries.  Add some onions or peppers or garlic or all three to the potatoes if you like.

Tuscan comfort
Soft yellow polenta with arugula and gorgonzola*; mixed green salad; good crusty bread; a ripe peach or pear for dessert - maybe with a biscotti?

RECIPES

Chicken broccoli casserole
This recipe has four basic parts.  With a little planning, it should come together fairly quickly.
Note that you can make a lovely Minnesota style hot dish WITHOUT employing canned condensed soup of any kind.
1.  The pasta - I recommend tubular pasta for this dish - it could be good old elbow macaroni or penne or something else exotic.  No long thin pasta.  While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.  8 oz of pasta should serve 4.

2.  The sauce - Make a white sauce with cheese - also called mornay sauce if you use gruyere.  See Sept. 2 post on Bechamel for a recipe.    Add swiss or cheddar cheese to the sauce.  Make a double recipe and freeze half the sauce for another day.  You will need at least 2 cups of sauce for 4 servings, depending on your tastes.

3.   The broccoli - chop the broccoli, including the stems (peel stems first if necessary.  Compost any tough ends).  Keep stem pieces separate from florets.  Add stem pieces to pasta cooking water about 5 minutes before pasta will be done.  Add florets about 3 minutes before.  Drain broccoli and pasta together.  This saves time and dishes.

4. The chicken - you can use chicken, turkey, ham or even sausage or canned tuna.  The meat should be already cooked.  About 1/3-1/2 cup cut up meat per person.

Assembly -- Put drained pasta and broccoli in a large bowl or even back in whatever pot you used to cook the pasta.   Add meat.  Pour sauce over all and mix well.  Put into a greased casserole or baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until heated through.  Optional topping - grated cheese or buttered bread crumbs.

Optional additions - saute some onion or sweet peppers and add along with the broccoli.  Add fresh herbs if desired.  Some chopped fresh parsley would be nice.

Chocolate pudding
This is a snap to make and uses staples that are likely to be in the kitchen - except for maybe the chocolate chips.  You could leave those out and just use another tablespoon of cocoa:  milk, sugar, butter, cornstarch, cocoa, chocolate chips, vanilla.
Mix together:
1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup good quality cocoa, 3 T. cornstarch, 1/4 t. salt
Add and stir until smooth:
2 cups milk (I use 1% and it works fine)
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently with a whisk to avoid lumps
Once pudding thickens, take pan off the heat and add 1 ounce semisweet chocolate (2 T of chocolate chips is about 1 ounce), 1 T butter and stir until butter and chocolate melt. Then stir in 1/2 t. vanilla.
Pour pudding into small serving dishes and chill. This recipe makes 6 average or 4 large servings.

Edamame
Remove pods from branches.  Rinse.  Place in pot of salted boiling water.  Boil about 5 minutes.  Drain.  Serve in the pods for a fun finger food appetizer.  You can serve them cool, room temperature or warm.  Sprinkle a little salt on the pods.  You can use your hands to squeeze the beans from the shells.  Or - holding the pod firmly by the stem end - put the pod partly in your mouth and kind of pop the beans into your mouth.  Here is a good short video showing how to cook and eat edamame.  http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Edamame  (I had to watch at least five you tube videos of cute little kids eating edamame before I found this one.  I hope you appreciate the sacrifices I make for you.  For some reason lots of parents like to post videos of their children eating edamame.  Now you don't have to watch them unless you want to.)

Chirashi Sushi (Scattered Sushi)
This is a great and simple way to use up bits of meat, fish, vegetables, or mushrooms.
Sushi rice is mounded in individual serving bowls and topped with meat or fish or tofu, vegetables and some type of sauce or garnish.
Making the sushi rice:  Cook short grain or sushi rice - either white or brown.  For 1 and 1/2 half cups raw rice, add (after the rice is cooked) 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 T. sugar and 1 t. salt.   Use a large bowl to toss the hot rice with the vinegar mixture - you want the rice to absorb the vinegar as it cools.

Toppings:  Up to you.  It could be as simple as a boiled egg with a sprinkle of soy sauce and some bits of dried seaweed.   Or some sliced cooked or raw fish.  Or leftover sliced grilled meat or chicken.  Or marinated tofu.  Vegetables can be cooked or raw or some of each.  Lightly steamed yellow or green beans would be nice.  Sauteed shitake mushroom too.  Or some roasted winter squash.  Maybe use a combination which is the same as the filling for your favorite restaurant sushi hand roll.  Possible garnishes - toasted sesame seeds, dry seaweed cut into little strips, pickled ginger.  Possible sauce:  soy sauce, more rice vinegar, a sauce made with miso.  (For many good ideas, see Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, page 472-474.)

Watermelon compote
Make a syrup sugar syrup: boil together 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved.  Add 2 T. fresh lime juice and 2 T. chopped candied ginger.  Cool.  Cut watermelon into cubes while syrup is cooling.  Pour over melon.  Stir a few times to distribute syrup.  Macerate at least one hour before serving.  Serve chilled.

Tomatillo Salsa
This salsa goes especially well with egg or pork dishes.  You can use tomatillos fresh or cook them.  I am giving you a recipe for cooked salsa because I think it will keep better.  The fresh tomatillos themselves should keep a week or two in your refrigerator.   For fresh salsa simply combine some mild poblano chiles, tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and hand chop or lightly process in a food processor.  If you like heat - add some chopped fresh hot chiles.

Ingredients
one pound tomatillos (about 12 medium)
one clove garlic, peeled and sliced
salt
serrano or jalapeno chiles - seeded and chopped - about 2 T. (Use more if you like lots of heat)
1 cup lightly packed cilantro (optional but recommended)

Preparation
Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse off the sticky residue.  Place in a saucepan (water should barely cover the tomatillos), bring to a boil, add a pinch of salt, then turn down and simmer about 5 minutes.  Drain, saving the cooking liquid.
Place in blender or food processor: 1/2 cup cooking liquid, chiles, cilantro, garlic .  Blend so all is finely chopped.  Roughly chop the tomatillos and add those.  Blend very briefly - you don't want too smooth a texture.  Salt to taste.  If you want a thinner sauce, add more cooking liquid.  Flavor will develop as sauce sits.  Allow at least several hours before serving. 

Polenta with Arugula and Gorgonzola - serves 4
Cook polenta.  Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 t. salt.   Slowly pour in one cup polenta cornmeal (coarsely ground) , while stirring to avoid lumps.  Simmer about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Optional - add about 1 T butter or olive oil to the polenta near the end of cooking.)  Vary the thickness by adding a little extra water.  For this recipe you want a creamy and relatively soft polenta.
Cook arugula.  Crush 4 cloves of garlic.  Saute in 1/4 cup olive oil.  (optional - use less olive oil and saute 2 pieces bacon along with the garlic.)  Saute about 10 minutes - taking care not to burn the garlic.  Turn off heat.  Add about 6 cups washed and coarsely chopped arugula to the pan and stir to coat it.  Stir in about 1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese.
Place arugula in the bottom of a baking dish.  Sprinkle with 2 T. balsamic or sherry vinegar.  Spread polenta on top.  Drizzle with a little extra olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes - until polenta is lightly browned and bubbling.
Variation - omit blue cheese.  Sprinkle grated parmesan or asiago cheese on top of the polenta before baking or even stir into polenta at the end of cooking.


BONUS RECIPE- watermelon AND arugula!  Who knew?
Check out this watermelon salad - with arugula, a sweet balsamic dressing and goat cheese.  Looks lovely. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/02/french-in-a-flash-watermelon-salad-with-fromage-de-chevre-brule-recipe.html

Tried and True - Ratatouille

Here is the ratatouille recipe I promised in yesterday's post. This is indeed a tried and true dish in our house.  Ratatouille on polenta - baked with a little cheese on top - pretty good on a cold January or February night.  This is the time of year when it is not too hard to find all these end of summer vegetables. You will need onion, garlic, peppers, eggplant, summer squash and tomatoes.

Ratatouille – Makes about 8 servings. Serve hot or at room temperature. Use as a side dish or serve over pasta or polenta with grated parmesan or asiago or similar cheese for a main course.
For best flavor use fresh garden vegetables. Make a double or triple batch – this freezes beautifully. Saute 2 cups of chopped onion and 4 cloves of minced FRESH garlic in 1/4 cup olive oil about 5 minutes over medium heat. Then add about 3 cups EACH of eggplant, zucchini squash and bell peppers and 4 cups fresh tomatoes – cut into approximately 1/2 inch cubes or pieces. Season with 1 1/2 t. salt, fresh ground pepper and about 1/2 c. chopped fresh herbs ( a combination of basil, thyme, oregano, parsley and rosemary is nice if you have these. Often I use just fresh basil and parsley.) Simmer covered until all vegetables are tender, about one hour. Stir occasionally while simmering. Even better the next day. A few Mediterranean olives on the side would be a great idea, too.

Focus: EGGPLANT (Solanum Melongena)

I hope this doesn't get me in trouble
I just don't know any other way to say this.  Eggplant is sexy.  Just look at this beautiful specimen, which I picked up at Featherstone Farm's Thursday farmers market yesterday.  It is everything an eggplant should be.  Note the firm, shiny, and taut skin.  The lovely light purple hue.  The flesh is weighty yet yielding --  ready to soak up a little olive oil and partner with garlic or tomatoes or lamb or even curry spices.   There are no signs of shriveling or brown patches.  The cap and stem look fresh and unblemished.  All in all this vegetable is just glowing with health and possibilities.  With just a little attention and effort,  this violet voluptuous vamp can be transformed into transcendant meals.

Eggplant diversity
The eggplant most familiar to the average American is the large, dark purple, oval shaped globe.  And it is a wonderful thing.  But as those of us who frequent Asian or other ethnic markets know --  eggplants come in a wide variety of colors,  shapes and sizes.  Green, white, dark or light purple, striped or flecked - even red or orange.  They can be large or very small.  They can be long or short, round or oval and fat or thin. Most recipes can be made with any variety of eggplant.  Eggplant is a staple in Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines.  It is also popular in Italy and Greece.  In Europe it is called aubergine. 

Storage
Most sources advise keeping eggplants cool and dry and using them within a few days.  If refrigerated, use a ventilated plastic bag.  I have found that I can keep fresh eggplant around at least a week without much loss of quality - even at cool room temperature.   Remember that your CSA eggplant is much fresher to begin with than the typical store vegetable.  I think a lot of the storage time advice out there assumes that food you are taking home has already been in storage a good amount of time. This is not the case with your CSA eggplant.
If you are worried about your eggplant going south - just thickly slice or chop and bake or roast it at about 375 degrees with a little olive oil until it is tender.  Refrigerate in a covered dish for a few days until you get around to making your mousakka or Parmesan or ratatouille or whatever you have planned.

To peel or not to peel 
I almost never peel eggplant.  It is extra work and it removes the fiber and nutrition in the skin.   If you have an eggplant with a particularly tough skin or your goal is a more refined and less rustic dish - then by all means peel.  And if you are grilling and roasting a whole or half eggplant with the intent of scooping out the flesh for something like baba ghanoush, then I expect the peel will end up in the compost.

To salt or not to salt
I have been thinking and reading about this for awhile now and I am ready to have an opinion.  In general, I think it is not necessary to take the extra time to salt, weight, drain, rinse and dry eggplant.  Why make cooking any more complicated than it needs to be?  This is especially true if you are working with smaller, sweeter or thinner varieties.  Japanese eggplant for sure does not need salting.
However, if you are working with a very large and mature eggplant - or if it tends to have larger and tougher seeds - then salting is probably a good idea.  It will remove any residual bitterness.  And it doesn't take much time.  Most of the time is waiting, not work.
Another reason you might decide to salt the eggplant is if you are going to use it in a recipe where it will be fried or sauteed.   The salting and draining process seems to have the effect of inhibiting the "oil sponge" effect of eggplant.

To salt - add about 1 T. per two pounds of eggplant to cubed or sliced eggplant.  You can spread the slices on a sheet or put the cubes in a colander.  Weighting down the eggplant is optional.  After about an hour, the salt will draw out the juices.  Then rinse the eggplant and dry it.  I use clean kitchen towels.  Press the slices down firmly on the towels or put cubes in a towel and twist and squeeze them dry.

Eggplant as oil sponge
Eggplant is notorious for its ability to soak up oil.  Avoid this as it will make a dish greasy.  If a pan is hot and well seasoned (i.e. non stick), it is possible to fry eggplant in a small amount of oil.  I also often roast or bake eggplant slices on a lightly oiled baking sheet - at about 350-375 degrees until tender.  This works fine in recipes that call for sliced eggplant to be fried in oil.  You also can dredge slices in flour or a little beaten egg and then breadcrumbs prior to frying - this seems to help resist the tendency to soak up oil.  Salting also can help - see discussion above.

Preparation
Eggplant is versatile.  It can be baked, roasted, stuffed, steamed, fried, mashed, broiled, sauteed, stewed, grilled or braised.  It DOES NOT LIKE to be undercooked.  Unlike most other vegetables -  where overcooking can be a problem - with eggplant undercooking is to be avoided.  Thorough cooking of eggplant is required to bring out its richness and almost meaty texture.  Eggplant has an affinity for tomatoes, potatoes and peppers - fellow members of the Solanacae family.  Because the flavor of eggplant is fairly bland, it lends itself to stews, curries or other highly seasoned dishes.  It loves to soak up flavors of other vegetables and seasonings.

Don't cut eggplant until soon before you prepare it, because the flesh has a tendency to discolor.   If you must do advance preparation, give the eggplant a little bath in some acidulated water (i.e. water with a little lemon juice or vinegar to counteract the browning.

Classic eggplant dishes
Moussaka, eggplant parmiagana, ratatouille, caponata, baba ghanoush - these are just some of the classic ways to serve eggplant.  See my most recent Inspiration blog post for a Moussaka recipe.  http://cookoutofthebox.blogspot.com/2010/08/inspiration-week-14-and-footnote-about.html
My post tomorrow will be about ratatouille.   See the farm Journal for Jack's take on baba ghanoush.  http://featherstonefarm.com/journal/2010/8/24/fall-is-just-around-the-corner.html

And for today -- one of my eggplant favorites - caponata.
If you can manage to stash a half dozen pints of this in the freezer you will be happy you did.  This is a great antipasto for special winter meals.

Ingredients
About 4 cups unpeeled eggplant, diced into 1/2 inch cubes, lightly coated with oil and roasted on a baking sheet in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned and tender
1/4 cup olive oil for sauteeing (plus 1 T. for roasting eggplant)
3/4 cup thinly sliced or diced celery (I like to use fennel bulb if I have it)
1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup raw)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (best if seasoned with garlic)
1/2 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
2 salt packed anchovies, rinsed, filleted and chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 T. sugar

Saute onions and celery in olive oil in a heavy pan until soft and translucent - about 7 minutes.  Add tomato sauce and simmer another 7 minutes.  Stir in eggplant and all the other ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes.  Taste and add salt, vinegar or sugar as desired.  Tastes even better after one day.
Optional embellishments:  Add a few tablespoons fresh chopped basil or parsley or both.  Garnish with toasted pine nuts.

Hands On - Bechamel

Some people call bechamel (beh-sha-mel') sauce, a classic French sauce,  a master sauce.  Others call it a "mother sauce".  The Italians call it "besciamella" and often use it in lasagne.   I call it a power sauce because it is the foundation of so many classic and popular dishes.  If you can make bechamel you will never be at a loss for throwing together a more than passable meal.  Here in the Midwest it is probably best to call this sauce "white sauce" or "cream sauce".  Cream sauce is a misnomer because this sauce almost never is made with cream.   For sure don't call it bechamel if you are at a church potluck and somebody wants to know the recipe for your fabulous macaroni and cheese.  They might think you are putting on airs - at least if the church is located in my part of Minnesota.

No matter the name, this sauce is a versatile tool to have in your culinary toolbox.  It is the base for souffles, cream soups and gratins.  My assignment for you, should you choose to accept it, is to learn the ingredients and steps by heart.  No reason why you can't be off book within the week. 

So let's get started.  This is a very simple process, but you do need to pay attention to the details of execution.  A little extra care will help you avoid dreaded lumps.  One thing you are going for in a white sauce is smoothness.

Ingredients (This will make about 2 1/2  cups of sauce.  This recipe is easily doubled.
4 T. (same as 1/2 stick or quarter cup) butter or olive oil or a combination (In Provence it is common to use olive oil to make bechamel)
4 T. (1/4 cup) white flour
2 c. milk (skim is fine.  If you want a richer sauce, use 2 % or whole.  Don't use half and half or cream unless you have some special reason for going over the top. )
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper (white pepper is nice)
(Note about thickness - this recipe results in what I would call a medium thick bechamel.  If you want a thicker sauce, use less milk - about 1 1/2 cups.   For a thinner sauce, use more - about 3 cups.  Remember it is easy to add more milk - so if you are in doubt, start with less milk and add more until desired consistency is reached.)

Optional seasonings -- The classic flavoring is to add a chunk of onion studded with a few cloves when you add the milk.  The onion is removed at the end of the cooking process.  I have seen other recipes call for as much as 1/2 t. of nutmeg.  Nutmeg is good in this sauce, but I would start with just a pinch.  Half a teaspoon is a lot, depending on the intended use for the sauce.  Cayenne pepper is another optional seasoning.  Again, start with a pinch.  You can always add more. 

The sky is the limit with many fresh or dried herbs or spices.  Use your judgment and taste buds to decide what and how much to use.  Many recipes calling for bechamel will give you suggestions for seasoning.  See variations below for more seasoning ideas.

Equipment
Heavy saucepan
Whisk (you could use a spoon but a whisk makes this SO much easier)
Measuring spoons and cup
Something to heat the milk in

The roux - this includes a tablespoon of minced shallots

Preparation
Melt butter.  Add flour and whisk into a paste over medium heat.  You are now making a roux (roo).  Yes this is another French word and you just have to use it.  I think it has become an English word too, because there is no other good name for this basic butter/flour mixture.  Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  You do want to keep a close eye on things at this point.  Avoid cooking longer than 5 minutes because it will diminish the thickening power of the roux.

Add milk slowly, whisking all the while

Add milk - about 1/4 cup at a time - and keep whisking over the heat.   I recommend that you heat the milk before you add it -- more than just warm and less than boiling.  Some cooks prefer using unheated milk.  That will work but in my experience you are more apt to have problems with lumps if you use cold or even room temperature milk.  You can experiment for yourself.

See the little bubbles on the edges - now it is thickening

The mixture should starting bubbling and thickening fairly soon - if it does not, turn up the heat a bit.  Once this happens, turn down the heat and simmer gently about 10 minutes - you are doing this to eliminate any residual raw flour taste.  Now you don't have to watch so closely - but stir every few minutes.  What you want to avoid is scorching.  A rubber spatula is nice to make sure nothing is burning or sticking to the sides or bottom of the pan.

BECHAMEL VARIATIONS
Once you get comfortable with the basic recipe AND HAVE IT MEMORIZED - then you can play around with variations.   Here are a few common ones.

1.  Onion or shallots -- it is very common for bechamel to include onions or shallots or even scallions. If you wish to use them, add about 2 T.  finely chopped per 1 T. of butter and saute them for a few minutes in the butter before you add the flour.  Many recipes call for straining out the onions at the end.  Unless it is really important that the sauce be perfectly smooth, I would just skip that step.  Especially if you are making a thick sauce, straining would be slow and messy.  Another alternative would be to add the chopped onions to the heated milk and let steep about half hour to allow the flavor to permeate the milk.  Strain onions from the milk before whisking into the roux.

2.  Mornay sauce - add 2 cups or more grated gruyere cheese (Swiss cheese would work too.)

3.  Veloute (vel-oo-tay) sauce - Substitute vegetable chicken or fish stock for half or more of the milk.

4.  Cheddar sauce - add 1 t. each dried powdered mustard and Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup or more grated sharp cheddar.  You can use this with macaroni and never have to buy a box mix again.  As long as you have milk, butter, flour, cheddar, pasta and some seasonings around,  you are in business.

5.  Mustard sauce - add about 1 T of a grainy or Dijon type mustard to the sauce.  This would be good with steamed brussels sprouts.

6.  Horseradish sauce - add 1 T or more prepared Horseradish sauce to the bechamel.  This would be a good sauce for creamed potatoes served with a beef entree such as meatloaf or pot roast or even steak.

7.  Lemon caper sauce - add 1 T fresh lemon juice and a little finely grated lemon peel and some chopped capers to taste.

8.  Mushroom sauce - add chopped cooked mushrooms to the sauce.  (If you have liquid from soaking dried mushrooms, strain it and add to the sauce in place of some of the milk.)  If you have a favorite casserole recipe that calls for cream of mushroom soup -- you can use mushroom bechamel sauce instead!!  Good bye industrial soup with additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings and thickeners.  Hello home made in a flash from scratch.

9.  Herb sauce -- Add  your choice of fresh or dried herbs.  For example, if you are making creamed peas add a little chopped mint.  If you are making creamed carrots add a little parsley and thyme.

10.  Vegetable gratin --Mix cooked vegetables of your choice with bechamel seasoned as you choose.  Put in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle grated cheese or buttered bread crumbs or both generously on top.  Broil until heated through and lightly browned on top.  The possibilities for gratins are limitless.  They are a great way to use leftovers - e.g. add a little chopped ham or chicken or cooked grain or pasta and you have an elegant meal.

Here is a pretty good video showing you how to make bechamel.  The proportions call for a thicker sauce than my recipe - but the techniques are the same.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfTR7juCgUg