Kohlrabi Hash Browns

Kohlrabi Hash Browns

From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables.  By Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics via our customer Karen and her work at the FARMS Community Kitchen. Thanks Karen!        

Serves 4 to 5

Ingredients

• 4 medium kohlrabi bulbs (about 1 pound total)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 tbsp. dried bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ¼ tsp. dried red pepper flakes
• black pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Peel and grate kohlrabi.  Wrap in dish towel and squeeze away excess water.
2. Combine eggs, onion, bread crumbs, salt, ginger, red pepper and black pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Blend together.
3. Add kohlrabi and mix together.
4. If desired, roll into 1 inch balls.   
5. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet.  Add kohlrabi mixture or balls to skillet.  Flatten the balls with spatula or continuously mix the mixture.  
6. When golden brown, flip the flattened balls.  (5 to 7 minutes per side)

Whatley’s Carrot-Cumin Soup for a Crowd

Based on Alice Waters’ “Carrot Soup” in Soup for Syria (2015).

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoons olive oil
3 medium or 2 large onions, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 Tablespoon dried
1 Tablespoon whole cumin seeds
3 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced
8 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
½ cup yogurt (optional)
Fresh ground pepper, Sea salt
Handful chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

1. Gently heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy pot (do not let the olive oil smoke). Add the chopped onions and whole springs of thyme. Saute until the onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the peeled and sliced carrots, cumin seeds, and some salt. Cook for 5 minutes or so.

3. Add the stock and bring to a boil before lowering the heat. Simmer until the carrots are tender, about half an hour.

4. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender, if you want. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the yoghurt and blend it in.

5. Top with fresh parsley, chopped fine.

Sausage and kale calzones

Laura found this recipe from the StarTribune (thank you, google search!).

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Sausage and Kale Calzones 

Adapted from Meredith Deeds' recipe on www.startribune.com.

Makes 8.

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. sausage, casings removed (we used our pork garlic sausage, but you can substitute whatever kind of sausage you like - or tempeh for a vegetarian version!)
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 c. chopped kale (about 2 small bunches)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. (3 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 c. ricotta
• 2 tbsp. grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Basic Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
• Marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade), optional

You can use any pizza crust recipe you like.

I use the one from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

The recipe is: combine 3 cups warm water, 1.5 tablespoons salt, 1.5 tablespoons yeast, and 6-6.5 cups flour. Mix well, let rise for 2 hours.

It's ready to be used then, or you can refrigerate it until you need it - make sure to let it warm up before using if you have refrigerated it.

This recipe makes enough for 4 medium pizzas or 8 small calzones.

Calzone crust rolled out on a pizza peel.

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

The cooked filling for the calzones.

To prepare filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up lumps with the back of a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add kale; sauté 8 minutes or until kale is tender. Stir in pepper and salt. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Add the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and red pepper to the sausage mixture; stir well.

To assemble: Divide the pizza dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a 6-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 1/2 cup sausage and kale mixture onto half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold dough over filling. Press edges together to seal. Beginning at one end and working toward the other, stretch sealed edge outward, pinching and rolling edge to form a rope. Transfer to baking sheet.

Place calzones on 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Pierce the tops of the dough once with a fork. Lightly coat the calzones with olive oil. Bake for 14 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven. Serve warm with marinara sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.

Enjoy your delicious calzones!

Osso Buco in Bianco alla Milanese

Ben offhandedly expressed a desire to try braising beef shanks, so last Saturday we picked up four beef shanks (aka veal shanks, aka beef 'soup bone') from Eastern River Cattle Co at the Brunswick Winter Market. I used a recipe from convivial.org (link to recipe), which I have copied below and to which I have added some notes (in italics). This turned out fabulously, and it was a great way to use up some of our storage vegetables (I doubled the quantity of veggies in the recipe, and could possibly have tripled it.) I made a simple white wine and onion risotto to go with the Osso Buco since I did not have the saffron to make Risotto alla Milanese. Between the Osso Buco and Risotto I used an entire bottle of wine, so beware!

Ossobuco in Bianco alla Milanese with Gremolata (convivial.org)
serves 4

4 veal shanks, about a pound each
kosher salt & pepper
3 tablespoons. extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 small onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 medium celeriac, diced
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (optional - I omitted them)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (I used 1 tbsp dried thyme)
3 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken or beef stock (I used 2 cups veggie stock)
Gremolata for garnish, recipe follows

Season veal with salt and pepper. Heat saute pan over medium heat; pour in oil. Saute veal shanks on each side until golden brown; remove from pan and set aside.  Discard any excess fat remaining in pan. Return pan to stovetop and melt butter.  Add vegetables, thyme and bay leaf; saute until vegetables are soft and golden.  Add allspice and cinnamon; stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Deglaze pan with wine; slowly reduce until liquid is almost evaporated. Pour in stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low, place veal in simmering stock, cover tightly and continue to cook over low heat or in 300° oven until meat is tender and falls off the bone with little resistance, about 2 1/2 hours. (I left it for 2 hours in the oven and did the last 15-20 minutes on the stove, testing the meat to see whether it came off the bone easily, and trying little bites of it, of course! It was meltingly tender. It could probably have stayed in the oven a little longer so that more of the collagen could dissolve, but I was afraid of overcooking it.)

Side Note: the proper amount of braising liquid should come about halfway up the sides of veal; if the veal is nearly immersed, remove it from the pan and simmer the liquid until it’s reduced to the correct volume.

Side Side Note: Braising liquid should barely simmer throughout the entire cooking process, so check it often and adjust the stove or oven temperature. If it boils hard, the meat will be very dry and no amount of liquid added to it will save your guests from choking it down.

Remove veal from braising liquid and set aside. At this point, liquid can be strained of vegetables and herbs for a more refined dish if desired. (I did not strain, but it was still sublime.) On stovetop over medium-high heat bring braising liquid to a boil. Reduce to the desired consistency and season to taste with salt, pepper, or a little red wine vinegar or lemon juice. Place veal back into pan, sprinkle gremolata over the dish and serve with Risotto alla Milanese.

Side Note 3: Braised meats and sauces freeze beautifully – either together (you know, stew) or separately.

Gremolata
1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, finely minced

Combine ingredients and sprinkle over osso buco.