Fiddlehead Pasta with Beurre Blanc

Fiddlehead Pasta with Beurre Blanc, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

this is the second time I've gotten fiddleheads in the CSA farmshare. They're interesting, with a mild, fresh, green taste and interesting texture. The important thing seems to be choosing something that doesn't overwhelm the flavor, which is why I chose Beurre Blanc sauce and angel hair pasta. If I had frozen peas I would have added some of those too. Could also work with a mild protien like shrimp.

Ingredients:
1 bag fiddleheads
1 box angelhair pasta
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon
1 small shallot grated
2-3 garlic cloves grated
handful parsley chopped
salt and pepper

Directions

Boil a pot of water

soak and gently rub fiddleheads with paper towel and cut off ends as needed

drop fiddleheads in for 3-5 min until "tender crisp", then put in cold water bath to keep from over cooking

add salt to water and boil pasta per instructions

zest lemon and set aside

in saucepan heat up wine, juice from lemon, shallot and garlic. simmer until sauce reduces by half.

add two sticks of butter and zest a tablespoon at a time.

once sauce thickens, add parsley, salt and pepper to taste and toss with pasta and fiddleheads

Fiddlehead Mushroom Pea Risotto

Fiddlehead Mushroom Pea Risotto, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

we got Fiddleheads in the farmshare today, which are a springtime treat in new england and the maritimes. They are the unopen fronds of a fern, and taste a bit like asparagus. Apparently they are quite popular in quiche (says my boyfriend from Maine). I consulted my go-to cookbook for all things farmshare, Vegetable Love, and found this risotto recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 shallot minced
1 onion minced
1 pt mushrooms roughly chopped (recipe called for chanterelle, but i used oyster)
3/4 c chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 c olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup white wine
5-6 cups veggie stock
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cups trimmed fiddleheads (could sub chopped asparagus)
1 cup grated swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

sautee the shallots and onion in melted butter. Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 min. Add tarragon for 8 min. add oil and rice and cook at medium until rice absorbs the oil

add the wine and stir until evaporated

add broth a cup at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding the next cup. After four cups add the peas and fiddleheads. Add more stock as needed until rice is at desired consistency. Stir in grated cheese gradually. Salt and pepper to taste

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

These cookies are fantastic. They are crispy and chewy at the same time. I added the cinnamon, nutmeg and orange zest. You may want to up the salt a smidge if you use the zest. Also, I love the texture that oatmeal adds

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
(from The Frog Commissary Cookbook)
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
zest from 1 small orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups oats (rolled or "quick," but not "instant")
2 cups chocolate chips (about 12-oz.)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars until mixture is light in color. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk and the vanilla extract.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and orange zest. Either by hand or with the mixer on low speed, gradually beat the flour in to the sugar mixture until just incorporated.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips by hand.
Drop 1-inch balls of dough onto the cookie sheet, placing about 1 1/2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
Bake at 350F for 10-13 minutes, until golden brown at the edges and light golden at the center.
Cool on baking sheet for at least 1-2 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely

Stuffed zucchini

Stuffed zucchini, a photo by kel h on Flickr.

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise
score the zucchini down the center and sides and scoop out the flesh
cut up a potato into small cubes and sautee with one chopped onion until fork tender
add one chopped up and seeded tomato, zucchini flesh, a tsp italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste
add either a cup of peas or garbanzo beans
scoop filling into hollowed out zucchini
sprinkle cheese and breadcrumbs on top
bake at 375 for 20-30 min until top is brown and crispy and zucchini shell is soft

Pomegranate Molasses Cookies

Pomegranate Molasses Cookies
Originally uploaded by kel h

Today is the anniversary of when a molasses tank burst and flooded the north end of boston. They say in the summer you can still smell the molasses in the air.

I had some car trouble today, which is still unresolved, and still stressing me out, so I decided to make cookies, and figured the Pomegranate Molasses I had in the pantry would make a good candidate.

The recipe is from the Serious Eats blog

Ingredients:
2.5 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick + 6 tbsp butter
3/4 c sugar
2/3 c pomegranate molasses
1 tsp vanilla (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
vanilla sugar to dip cookies in (optional)

combine dry ingredients and set aside
cream butter and sugar
add vanilla and molasses
combine wet and dry in 3 batches, stirring just until combined

make 1inch balls out of dough and roll in vanilla sugar

Bake at 350 for 10 min

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Rice Stuffed Peppers
Originally uploaded by kel h

First, make mexican rice

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (i used brown rice)
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups water
1 10oz can crushed tomatoes
1 chipotle peppper minced (or less if you like less spicy)
1/2 cup frozen corn
1-2 tsp chili powder (use less if you used the pepper)
1 can beans (I used kidney beans because the italian market didn't have black beans)
2 tbsp olive oil

heat the oil
sautee the onion, garlic and rice until the rice is toasted and the onion is translucent
add the pepper, water, tomatoes, corn and seasoning and simmer for 30 min or until liquid is absorbed

to stuff the peppers, cut the tops off of 2 large or 4 small green peppers
scoop the rice into the cavities (i added cheese)
put them in a pan filled with tomato sauce and cover with foil
bake at 350 until the peppers start to soften 35-45min
nom!

Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup
Originally uploaded by kel h

I've got a lot of potatoes from my CSA, and I'm sick. So I decided to make potato leek soup. This is loosely based on a recipe from Emeril, only I didn't have cream, or creme fraiche (or plain yogurt, which is what I usually use when a recipe calls for creme fraiche). I DID however have goat cheese, which added a tangy taste I liked. If you don't want to make it vegetarian, add some bacon when you melt the butter.

1 leek, trimmed and sliced
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp herbs de provance
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 lbs potatoes peeled
1 cup white wine
4 cups veggie stock
1/4-1/2 cup goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 dashes worcestershire sauce

melt butter in pan
cook leeks in butter
deglaze pan with wine
add stock and cheese and simmer 20 min
blend
season
nom