Fagioli del Papa and Vegetable Sauté

Original recipe from Anna Stable

Serves 2 as a main course

• Ingredients
  E.V.O.O.

• 2 cups cooked Christmas beans (about 1 cup uncooked beans)

• 3 shallots thinly sliced

• 1-2 garlic cloves finely chopped

• 1 large zucchini, sliced

• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced

• 2 tomatoes, cut into sections lengthwise

• ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped

• Salt and pepper

If starting with uncooked beans, soak beans overnight. The next day, add to a pot with water, making sure the beans are covered by about 2 inches of water. Add generous salt, olive oil, a couple bay leaves, half an onion, and a couple cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil for about a minute, then lower heat to a minimal simmer. Cook uncovered until the beans are cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on the freshness of the beans.

Directions
1. Heat 3-4 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan, and add the shallots and garlic.

2. Sauté for 2-3 minutes; add the zucchini and peppers, continue cooking another minute

3. Add the cooked beans and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.

4. Toss in the tomatoes, and allow to soften slightly, about 1 minute.

5. Season with salt and pepper, and toss in the chopped parsley. Plate and garnish with extra fresh parsley and drizzle with some extra virgin oil and balsamic reduction

Briam

Thanks Tiffany for sharing this recipe!

Makes an 11-in skillet or larger au gratin dish, depending on how tightly layers are arranged.
Original recipe here (doesn't include eggplant):

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, sliced into rounds about ¼-inch thick

• 2 eggplant (ideally close to the same diameter of the zucchini), sliced into rounds about ¼-inch thick

• 3 or 4 smallish medium-sized potatoes (ideally, close to the diameter of the zucchini), peeled and sliced into rounds about ⅛-inch thick

• 2 smaller red onions, thinly sliced into rounds (if too large, cut in half)

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• scant 1 tsp dried rosemary

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 1 2 8-oz canned unsalted diced tomatoes with juice

  Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a rack in the middle.
  2. Place sliced potatoes and zucchini in a large mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary. Add fresh parsley, garlic, and a generous drizzle extra virgin olive oil. Toss to make sure the vegetables are well coated with the EVOO and spices.
  3. Grab a large round pan on skillet (An 11-inch oven safe pan, a skillet, or an au gratin dish) Pour ½ of the canned diced tomatoes in and spread to cover the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper
  4. Arrange the seasoned eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, and sliced onions in the pan in rows (simply going around the shape of the pan and alternating.)
  5. If you have any of the extra virgin olive oil and garlic mixture left in the mixing bowl, pour that all over the veggies, then top with the remaining diced tomatoes from your can.
  6. Cover the pan with foil (tent foil a bit so it is not touching the veggies). Bake in 400 degrees F heated-oven for 45 minutes. Take pan out briefly to carefully remove foil, then place back in oven, uncovered, and roast for another 30-40 minutes or until the veggies are soft and charred and most of the liquid has evaporated. (ovens do vary, so pay attention and check as needed.)
  7. Remove from oven. Serve warm or at room temperature with an added generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This dish goes great with feta, olives, pita, and/or rice.

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!

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