Notes from Debbie's Kitchen
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Some members have been emailing me with questions and comments about salt in cooking, and oxalic acid in certain leafy greens... and I am not one to dispense medical or nutritional advice. All I can express is my opinion, and I firmly believe that if you eat a varied diet that includes a diversity of organic fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, cultured and fermented foods, and protein from animals raised on pasture, avoid processed foods (I'm talking commercially processed, not home canned), use good quality un-processed salt, get regular exercise and sleep, and have camaraderie, love and laughter in your lives... that's about the best you can do for your health! And since so much of camaraderie and joy centers around mealtime - this is why you receive my constant and heartfelt efforts to bring you different ways to help you prepare the food you receive from the farm each week. So without further ado, let's see what recipes I can 'cook up'!  - Debbie

First off, I am very excited we are getting the broccoli rabe. This is an utterly delicious veggie! It can be simply prepared: steamed until al-dente, then serve drizzled with a little good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon (got any meyer lemons left?), and a sprinkling of good sea salt. Some folks like to add a little crushed red pepper. Here's a variation I'm interested in trying though:

Warm Broccoli Rabe with Orange and Nuts
(this is heavily modified from an old SJ Mercury news clipping; okay, actually, I changed it completely - but it was inspired by the clipping!)
Serves 2

Salt
1 bunch broccoli rabe
1 flavorful orange (or blood orange, or tangerine)
half a lemon (meyer, if you have it)
1 shallot
1 smallish stalk green garlic (or 2 cloves, if you don't have green garlic)
olive oil
toasted nuts (walnuts or pecans or pine nuts)

Before cutting up your orange, grate off 1/4 tsp. or so of the zest.

Finely chop shallot and green garlic, then saute them, along with the zest, in a medium pan with a pinch of salt and few grinds of black pepper. Do not let garlic brown. Turn off heat and set aside.

Cut top and bottom off orange; set cut side down, and run knife blade down sides of orange to cut peel from fruit. Save any pieces of peel (like the top and bottom) that have some orange still clinging. You can squeeze this over everything at the end. Slice orange horizontally and cut slices into quarters.

Steam broccoli rabe until just tender, then transfer to skillet with garlic-shallot-oil and toss to coat. Squeeze lemon juice over rabe (and any juice from the fruit attached to the orange peels, described above), then transfer to plates, distributing orange pieces on top of rabe, then scattering chopped toasted nuts on top of that. Sprinkle with additional salt, to taste, and enjoy!


How about another fava recipe? This one was given to me 8 years ago by a member who'd lovingly hand-written several recipes for me on 3 x 5 cards. It was in my 'fava bean' recipe file, waiting for this day to emerge!

Risotto with Favas
from the kitchen of Mary Frances Miles
serves 8

1 lb. fresh fava beans
7 to 8 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided for use
1 medium onion, chopped
2 C arborio rice
1/3 C dry sherry
1/2 C grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

Shell favas. [Good news! This week we're going to receive our fresh favas already shelled!] Beans smaller than a thumbnail can be used with no further preparation, but if using larger favas, boil 1 minute, drain, plunge in cool water, peel and set aside.

Heat broth and keep simmering. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and a pinch of salt and cook over low heat about 3 minutes, stirring often, until rice has turned translucent. Turn up heat and pour in sherry and stir until absorbed. Add just enough ot stock to cover rice, stir well. [Yes, risotto involves a lot of stirring!] Reduce heat. Keep rice at a gentle simmer and add stock, a ladle or two at a time, stirring until each addition has almost been completely absorbed by rice, then add more. After about 10 minutes, stir in favas. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice is al dente, about 45 - 50 minutes.


Lastly, here's a yummy chard appetizer from my latest issue of Bon Appetit:

Frittata Bites with Chard, Sausage and Feta
Modified only slightly ;-) Makes 20 bite-sized squares. "Perfect for a Cocktail Party", says the magazine, but leave off the cocktails and I bet the kids will like this one too!











Nonstick vegetable oil spray [I never use this stuff! I just use a little oil.]
1 bunch chard, leafy green portion only (stems/ribs removed)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 C chopped onion
8 oz. mild Italian sausages, casings removed, broken into pieces
8 large eggs
1/4 C heavy cream [avoid "ultra-pasteurized" at all costs! That's bad stuff.]
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 C crumbled feta cheese (about 4 1/2 oz)
Fresh Italian parsley leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray [or wipe to lightly coat] an 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish with oil. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add chard and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes [probably less than that!]. Drain well - they suggest squeezing in a kitchen towel - and finely chop. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add sausage and saute until brown and cooked through, breaking up with fork, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool.

Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add chard and cooled sausage mixture, then feta; stir to blend. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish.

Bake frittata until until set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer baking dish to a rack to cool about 15 to 20 minutes. Place platter atop dish with frittata and, using oven mitts, invert frittata onto platter. Place another platter [or a cookie sheet?] atop frittata and invert again so that frittata is right side up. Cut into 20 pieces. Can be served warm, or covered, refrigerated, and re-warmed and served the next day.

Transfer frittata squares to a serving dish and garnish each with a piece of parsley; serve warm, or at room temperature.

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