Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce

Image and Recipe from CSA member Arielle Burlett

Ingredients:

1-2 medium chicken breasts (optional)

3-4 zucchinis from your CSA!, julienned or spiralized

¾ cup fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1-2 cloves garlic from your CSA

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups of freshly grated parmesan cheese (more or less to your liking)

1 ½ cups of heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of oregano, basil, thyme (optional)

Olive oil

Instructions:

Slice chicken into strips and marinate in a mixture of olive oil, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Saute chicken and when almost done, add in sliced mushrooms. 

Separately, start your alfredo sauce by melting butter and heavy cream to simmer.  Add in basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to taste and let simmer for an extra minute. Slowly add in shredded parmesan about ½ cup at a time and stir continuously to avoid clumping. 

Drizzle spiralized zucchini noodles in a little olive oil and saute for 1-2 minutes in medium-hot heat.  Do not overcook them because they will become soggy (key is to slightly cook them to get them warm and bring out the flavor!)

Toss everything together and plate your dish!

Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Yogurt

Member Cara McAteer shares another great use of our summer tomato bounty!

This past week my share included a very generous quantity of beautiful little yellow tomatoes. The break from the summer heat and the cooler evenings put me in the mood for roasting so I am going to make Ottolenghi’s quick and easy charred cherry tomato recipe from his book “Simple”. I like to alter this recipe by adding a chopped up pepper to the mix. My share included a red pepper which I think will look (and taste) nice with the yellow tomatoes.

https://houseandhome.com/recipe/yotam-ottolenghis-charred-cherry-tomatoes-cold-yogurt/

INGREDIENTS

12 oz cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 thyme sprigs 6 oregano sprigs: 3 sprigs left whole and the rest stemmed, to serve
1 lemon: finely shave the skin of ½ to get 3 strips, then finely grate the other ½ to get 1 tsp zest
Flaked sea salt and black pepper
1 2∕3 cups extra-thick Greek-style yogurt, fridge-cold
1 tsp Urfa chile flakes (or ½ tsp other crushed red pepper flakes)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place the tomatoes in a mixing bowl with the olive oil, cumin, sugar, garlic, thyme, oregano sprigs, lemon strips, ½ teaspoon of flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Mix to combine, then transfer to a baking sheet just large enough—about 6 x 8 inches/15 x 20 centimeters— to fit all the tomatoes together snugly. Place the sheet about 2 inches/5 centimeters beneath the broiler and roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and the liquid is bubbling. Turn the oven to the broil setting and broil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.
3. While the tomatoes are roasting, combine the yogurt with the grated lemon zest and ¼ tsp of flaked salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
4. Once the tomatoes are ready, spread the chilled yogurt on a platter (with a lip) or in a wide, shallow bowl, creating a dip in it with the back of a spoon. Spoon the hot tomatoes on top, along with their juices, lemon strips, garlic, and herbs, and finish with the oregano leaves and chile flakes. Serve at once.

Summer Vegetable and Garlic Scape Catalan Paella

Garlic Scapes are one of the most fleeting, exciting crops to come from Windflower Farm every season. Member Salome Blignaut shares a recipe for using them and more!

This endlessly versatile paella, adapted from a NYT recipe by Perla Meyers circa 1989, is a great  for using any number of CSA summer vegetables: garlic scapes substitute really well for the traditional garlic, the recipe can be loaded up with onion, green onion or scallions as you please, summer squash does just as well as zucchini, and it’s fine if you don’t have bell peppers on hand. Chorizo or chicken sausage is also a wonderful addition, and it can be made spicy to taste. It’s simple to prepare and so satisfying, and makes great leftovers.

Note on paella pans: I make this recipe without a paella pan and find that it’s always great even if I can't get a soccarat. If you want to try for the traditional soccarat (crispy rice at the bottom), choose a heavy cast-iron pot or an oversized stainless steel pot (to increase the surface area the rice is cooking on). Make sure to leave the dish undisturbed during the final simmering period, and simmer at medium-low, not too low.

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp olive oil
1 small fresh green chili pepper, finely minced / or sub red pepper flakes or dash of cayenne
1 large onion, thinly sliced or use 1 bunch CSA green onions (bulbs and stalks separated)
(optional) 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
(optional) 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
2 garlic scapes, sliced into thin rounds / sub 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves / sub dried thyme
1 medium zucchini or summer squash, trimmed and cubed (opt: if leaving out bell peppers, add another squash or zucchini)
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped / sub a can of diced tomato
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups paella rice
2 cups chicken stock or bouillon
Lemon juice for garnish
Finely minced fresh parsley for garnish

OPTIONAL ADD INS:
Sliced green onions
Sliced scallions
Chorizo or chicken sausage, sliced in rounds and pan-seared

PREPARATION

1. In a large deep, 12-inch iron pot (or skillet with lid), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chili pepper, onion and bell peppers, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the onion is lightly browned.

2. Add the garlic scapes / garlic, paprika, thyme, zucchini / summer squash, and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Stir in the rice and chicken stock or bouillon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender. Taste and correct the seasoning. Garnish with finely minced parsley.

4. Serve the paella hot as an accompaniment to roasted or grilled meats or as a light Sunday supper, directly from the skillet, accompanied by a well-seasoned green salad. The paella can also be served at room temperature, doused with fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of fruity olive oil.

CREDIT: The original recipe by Perla Meyers is no longer available in the New York Times Cooking section, but was featured in the NYT on July 30, 1989:
https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/30/magazine/food-skillet-skills.html