Spicy Sichuan Eggplant & Ginger-Garlic Tatsoi Stir-fry

Members Erica and Faisal bring us this delicious stir fry combination, full of CSA goodness! These two recipes can be prepared together or separately for a great vegetarian meal.

Spicy Sichuan Eggplant

What to do with too many eggplants? What if you have more than one kind on hand—Chinese, Japanese, or Italian globe? How do you cut the bitterness without smothering them with cheese? This Sichuan-inspired dish solves it all! Adapted to be friendly for all - vegan, paleo, gluten free, etc. 

Based on an authentic dish developed by Chinese cooking expert, Fuchsia Dunlop, this recipe’s savory, spicy-sweet garlic sauce brings out the best in eggplant. Chinese or Japanese eggplants are preferable since they’re less bitter and thick-skinned than Italian (making them easier to stir fry and more palatable with a light Asian sauce), but absolutely any eggplant or combination of eggplant varieties will work for this recipe. If you aren’t into spicy, just omit the chili pepper and/or pepper flakes and you’re good to go! 

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil divided

• 2-3 eggplants, cut into wedges 

• 2 cloves garlic finely minced

• 1 red chile pepper finely minced

• 1/2 inch fresh ginger peeled and finely minced

• 1 green onion/scallion chopped

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 1-2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar 

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

SUBSTITUTIONS 

• Use coconut aminos if you need this dish to be soy and wheat free.

• If you don’t have access to Chinese black vinegar, substitute ume plum vinegar or a blend of ume plum vinegar and a touch of young, tart balsamic to mimic the malty flavor of Chinese black vinegar.

• Sugar offsets the vinegar’s acidity if using traditional soy sauce or tamari but is optional. You’ll probably want to omit it if using coconut aminos, which are naturally sweeter than soy sauce and tamari. 

HOW TO MAKE IT 

1. PREP. Wash and slice eggplant into roughly 3-inch wedges. Slice the scallions. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger. Combine soy sauce/coconut aminos, vinegar and sugar (if using) in a small bowl and set aside.  

2. COOK. In a wok or frying pan, over med-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat pan. When pan is hot, add eggplant in a single layer. Cook 2 minutes and flip over each piece so they cook evenly. Cook another 2-3 minutes, flipping occasionally. The eggplant should have changed in color, the skin wrinkled and the flesh soft.

3. Push eggplant to the side in the pan or wok, then add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add garlic, red chile peppers, ginger and green onion. Stir these aromatics until they become fragrant. Combine aromatics with eggplant and stir fry for one minute.

4. Add soy sauce/amionos and vinegar mixture and stir to combine all. 

5. Serve immediately or keep warm while finishing a side dish like the Asian-inspired tatsoi recipe  we’ll be posting next. Recommended over rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped scallions, fresh basil and/or cilantro and enjoy! 

Ginger-Garlic Tatsoi Stir-fry

How do you get tatsoi to taste good? If the strong flavor of these Asian greens isn’t your favorite or you just don’t know what the heck to do with it, this simple stir-fry will make tatsoi palatable for just about anyone. Pairs perfectly with our previously posted Spicy Chinese Eggplant and can be served over rice or noodles. Adapted to be friendly for all - vegan, paleo, gluten free, etc.

While many might use Hoisin sauce for a recipe like this, we’re using coconut aminos to keep common allergens like soy and wheat out of the mix for those with sensitivities. That said, if you love Hoisin sauce and don’t have any issues with soy, feel free to use a dab of that instead of coconut aminos. 

If you plan to pair this with the Spicy Eggplant recipe we posted previously, make the eggplant first, do the prep work for the greens while the eggplant is cooking, and have the rice or noodles ready in advance so you can plate your meal as soon as the greens are done. If you’ve washed and chopped the tatsoi ahead of time and have the other ingredients handy, this super-easy side dish will come together in a flash. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch Tatsoi

• 3 scallions

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 bunch basil 

• 1 small piece of ginger

• 2 tablespoons of coconut aminos  

HOW TO MAKE IT

PREP

If you’re serving over rice, wash and dry the tatsoi while the rice cooks. Cut the tatsoi into bite-sized pieces. Slice the scallions. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Peel and mince the ginger. Pick the basil leaves off the stems and roughly chop.

COOK

1. In a large pan or wok, heat some oil on med-high until hot. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

2. Stir in the tatsoi and half the scallions. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened, then drizzle with the coconut aminos. Stir until greens are evenly coated with the sauce and aromatics. Remove from heat.

3. Serve over rice or noodles and garnish with the basil and remaining scallions. Spoon some sauce from the pan over each serving for an elegant finish. Enjoy!

Fast & Fresh CSA Salsa

Much like pesto, salsa is a super versatile way to use CSA veggies! Members Nicole & Bruce shared their method for an easy and delicious salsa. All quantities are to-taste, so experiment and taste as you go!

CSA Salsa

1. Roast halved tomatoes, a few onions and a pepper. Broil for the last few minutes.

2. Blend with cilantro, salt, lime juice and chipotles in adobo to your desired chunkiness. Taste and season or add other flavors here.

3. Serve with chips, or whatever else you eat with salsa!

Anything Goes Risotto

Member Shannon Abbot brings us a flexible & forgiving risotto method, perfect “anything goes” recipe for anything that might show-up in the CSA box!   Requires less work than a traditional risotto, but is just as delicious. There’e even an option at the end for stuffing peppers with risotto, a perfect idea as we transition from late summer vegetables into cooler fall weather!

Late Summer Harvest, No-Fuss Risotto

Vegetarian (Vegan option), Side Dish or Entrée

*Adapted from the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook, by Audrey Alsterberg and Wands Urbanowicz.

Ingredients

·       3 tbsp Olive Oil

·       1 Large Onion, diced

·       6 garlic cloves

·       ½ tsp red chili flakes (or more, if you like it hot)

·       2 tsp salt (optional)

·       1 tbsp chili powder (optional)

·       2-4 tbsp dried herbs of choice (paprika, thyme and oregano are nice options)

·       2 large peppers, diced

·       1 chili pepper or jalapeño, diced (optional)

·       4 medium tomatoes or 8-10 small tomatoes, roughly chopped

·       1 ¼ cup arborio rice

·       3 cups vegetable stock, warmed

·       ½ lb. green beans, trimmed and cut in 1-inch lengths

·       1 bunch fresh herbs and/or spinach

·       1 cup aged Parmesan cheese (easily omitted for vegan option)

Instructions

1.     Heat olive oil in large pot or skillet, sauté onion until translucent.  Add garlic, chili flakes, garlic and salt, and sauté until soft but not browned.

2.     Add spices, herbs, peppers and tomatoes.  Cover and reduce heat to low, 10 min.  Stir in the arborio rice and stir well.

3.     Add the warmed stock to pan, cover and cook on low for 30 min., until all the liquid has been absorbed.

4.     Meanwhile, steam or blanch the green beans.  (HINT – you can also throw in asparagus, broccoli, etc.  Just give a quick blanch first).

5.     Stir blanched veggies and fresh herbs into the rice mixture.  Season with salt and pepper, stir in cheese if using.  Serve along side your favorite protein, or with a big green leafy salad, or just straight out of the pot.

Go all Out

The Rebar Cookbook recommends stuffing the completed risotto into hollowed-out sweet peppers, top with more cheese (e.g., feta), and baking until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.  Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve with corn on the cob and chili-lime butter.

Moroccan-Spiced Carrot Hummus

New members Nicole & Bruce brought us a great use of our wonderful CSA carrots - carrot hummus! Recipe along with a photo tutorial you may have seen on our instagram!

Moroccan-Spiced Carrot Hummus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound carrots, chopped into 1-inch chunks

• 3 whole cloves of garlic, peels left on

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if from a can

• 1/4 cup tahini

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup water + more to thin if necessary

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• Fresh cilantro, minced, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the chopped carrots and whole garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Scatter evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and roast in the oven until the carrots are tender and lightly browned, 18 to 20 minutes. Toss carrots halfway through cooking. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves out of their peels.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine roasted carrots, roasted garlic, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, water and all of the spices. With the motor running drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Whirl away until smooth, scraping the sides down as necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. If the hummus is too thick, add a little more water or oil and process until desired consistency is achieved.

3. Serve with minced cilantro and your favorite veggies and crackers.

RECIPE NOTES

Store the hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika

Member Rebecca Silverman is lucky enough to have a food blogger friend. She says: This is my favorite recipe from my friends blog. I make it once a year. It’s wonderful. In my variation, I always use sherry (it really dials in that Andalusian flavor), I never take the skins of after blackening the tomatoes and peppers (the skin doesn’t bother me) and when i serve it I drizzle a little bit of a smoked olive oil on top. Served this way with the oil, it really tastes like it’s restaurant quality and truly an easy soup to make.

Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika

INGREDIENTS

• 5 red, yellow or orange bell peppers

• 7 large ripe tomatoes

• A big glug Olive oil

• 1 Onion, chopped

• sea salt to taste (smoked sea salt is great here if you’ve got it)

• 3 large cloves Garlic, chopped

• 1/4 cup Ground Almonds

• 2 tsp Smoked Paprika

• A glug or two of Sherry

• Soup stock (preferably homemade) as needed (I used about a cup)

PREPARATION

1. Place the whole peppers on a baking sheet under a hot broiler.  Check them after 5 minutes to see if they have blackened.  If not check them every 3 minutes and when they have turned black, flip them with tongs to blacken on the next side.  Repeat this process to blacken them on a third side as well. They will be much easier to peel if they are evenly blackened on all sides.  For photos of this process click here.  When they are done, place the peppers in a bowl to cool off.  Leave the broiler on.

2. Core the tomatoes and place them on the same baking sheet that you used for the peppers. Broil the tomatoes for five to six minutes, or until they’re blackened.  Using a pair of tongs, flip them over and blacken them on the other side.  While the tomatoes are blackening you can start the onions and garlic stewing.

3. In a large soup pot start a big glug of olive oil heating on medium flame.  When the oil is hot, add the onion and let it sweat with the lid on for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue frying,  just until the onions begin to turn a pale gold (another 5 minutes or so).  Add the almond meal and smoked paprika and continue to fry, stirring for another 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, blackened skins and any juices from the baking sheet included.  Break the tomatoes up a bit to release the juices.  Pour in a glug or two of sherry as well.  Increase the heat to medium high and let the whole lot stew a bit while you deal with the roasted peppers.

4. By now the peppers should be cool enough to handle.  Working over the bowl to catch the juices, pull the core out of the peppers and remove their blackened skins.   I just toss the cores and skins back into the bowl, along with any seeds that need to be shaken off.  Throw each pepper into the pot as you finish working with it.  You will end up with a bowl of skins, seeds and juices.  Strain the contents of the bowl through a fine mesh sieve into the pot so that all of those juices make it into your soup.

5. Puree the soup using an immersion blender, food processor or blender.  Add soup stock as needed to achieve the desired thickness.  Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.