87: Mushrooms and Radish Greens

Only a very small part of this is from my share. So sue me. 

I'd picked up mushrooms last week, the morning before I worked my CSA shift and got bonus shrooms, so these had been languishing for a bit. I also needed a snack one day happening by a farmer's market near work, and picked up a nice bunch of radishes. Ate the radishes raw (nom!), saved the greens for a better use. Came up with this.

It's my standard greens + shrooms + quinoa deal. Used a little sweet onion I'd had left over from another use, and threw in some savory as I thought it would go well.

It did- it was just a little strong. Those leaves are so tiny, I kept convincing myself to add more. It's not bad by any means, just need to restrain myself a bit I guess.

Notes for Improvement:
- Taste before you add more (duh)
- Wash your greens better! These were a little gritty...

75: Sauteed Mushrooms & Beet Greens

As soon as I got my surprise bag of mushrooms this week, I knew they were going to get used up fast. They all didn't go into this dish- there's a few left for a salad or another (small) application- but it was hard enough to not just toss with olive oil, salt and pepper (or green sauce) and just nom.

This was a quick dish after a fevered batch of canning (post tomorrow, once I can take some pictures). Probably finished this up around 11:30pm. I need more hours in the day.

I sauteed a smallish onion (sliced) and some garlic (grated) in olive oil and salt for a minute, tossed in the chopped mushrooms and beet stems with a little more oil and a healthy pinch or two of black pepper. Once those were nice and soft I tossed in the chopped beet greens and let them wilt down. I also put in a little bit of lemon basil and parsley, but not enough that I actually tasted them.

I had some quinoa in the fridge so mixed some of that in to make a fuller meal, though it tasted nice on its own. Excited for leftovers.

Notes for Improvement:
- Chop the greens a little finer - with noodles this would've size would've fared better, but right now it's a little weird to eat
- More onion
- More herbage
- More pepper

Delivery 8

So much excitingness in this week's delivery.

Beets with Greens - 1 bunch

Walla Walla Sweet Summer Onions - 2

Heirloom Cucumbers (Boothby Blonde and Poona Kheera) - 2  (apparently these were pulled last minute. sadface)

Marketmore Slicing Cucumbers - 2

Orient Express Eggplant - 2 

Scallions - 1 bunch

Tomatoes - 2 

Lemon Basil - 1 bunch  

Flat Leaf Parsley - 1 bunch

Bell Peppers - 2

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes - 1 basket

Summer Squash - 2 pieces

Things I am in love with:

Tomatoes

Not gonna lie, may have screamed a little when I saw tomatoes on the list. I've been sooo obsessed with them this summer. Will resist the urge to eat (all of) them like handfruit. Especially when I have cucumbers and basil just begging to be combined for a salad. And it's hard to do something crazy with just two, you know? Or the little basket.
 

Beets

I have a beet post with off-share ingredients I'll put up soonish, but super excited to have these. I've always wanted to make a beet cake. I may have to do that this week- the idea is making my brain itch- even if it's hot and time consuming.

It's also nice to have leafy greens, will probably saute those with some mushrooms. Going way back for that idea.

Eggplant

I want to redo a recipe this week- even though Ratatoullie uses more of this week's delivery, I'll probably go with Baingan Bharta. Once I figure out how to make it the way I remember it will be the only thing I eat ever.

Parsley

Parsley isn't my favorite, but always happy for fresh herbage. A lot of sauces come to mind- like chimichurri- or an actual real salsa verde. I'm also liking the idea of tabbouleh (bonus for tomato, cucumber and scallion).

Lemon Basil 

If you haven't had this herb before, it smells AMAZING. Ideas: Cookies, vinaigrette on zucchini pasta, or maybe just a pesto for once. It's a shame I haven't yet dabbled in soap or candlemaking, I want everything to smell like this.

Scallions:

CSA was all about fun colors this week. I'm not sure what the difference between the white and red are- one of the staff suggested it could be like the difference between white and red onions? I got a mixed batch just to see. I actually still have scallions from last week to use up...so, scrambled eggs?

Sweet Onions:

Onions are useful for everything- can throw them in the baingan bharta, or another batch of pickles. Not sure if I can use the green tops but I'd like to try.

Bell Peppers:

I've never seen purple peppers before. It's so cool! I got one of each color to see if they tasted different. Part of me wants to roast and (of course) pickle them- I even have a recipe lined up. Though I think I'd need more than two to fill a jar.

Cucumbers

I think I was the only one lamenting the lack of heirloom pickles this week. Part of me wants to wing a cucumber salad- and I don't think it would be that hard. The rest wants to pick up a thing or two and make this guy.

Summer Squash:

They were small this week for some reason. I picked based on prettiness. With no heirloom cucumbers these may sub in for my pickle canning redo I mentioned yesterday. The canning book I've been using says any cucumber recipe can be subbed out with zucchini, but recommends getting pickle crisp granules. I'm in NYC- so I'm sure I can find some- the question is just the least out of the way place.

EXTRAS!

Mushrooms:

Due to a generous/lazy person who did want to pick up their mushroom share, I got some creminis to take home. Of course I'd just bought crummy white button mushrooms earlier that day, but doubt I could ever turn these down. I'm going to use them up before I can find the perfect recipe- major mushroom cravings right now.

 

Stone Fruit:

Hooray for the lazy. Also got a bit of a fruit share to try. I'd debated ordering a fruit share- it's one of the few things I'm still always buying at the store- but it would've been way too much for just me. This is a weird mix of underripe nectarines, super ripe peaches, and middling plums. It's already macerating in the fridge for jam. 

I have a bit of a canning problem. If you didn't know that already, you will very soon.

Dish 1: Quinoa, Mushrooms and Mustard Greens

Read my last entry? Well instead of any of those, I made a variation on a super-comforting recipe I like when I don't want to think too hard. And yesterday...let's just say I got well acquainted with a section of 2nd Ave when I took a tumble on my bike. Thankfully no one else was involved, Delilah (my bike) and I are just fine. Also I fell in front of a salon that let me go in, clean up, and they also gave me a glass of wine. So...win?
  
I was hoping to taste the greens more in this- but it most likely wasn't the right recipe to attempt to showcase them. It's delicious though and infinitely adaptable to what you have on hand.  Basically: cook the grains, cook the veg, mix and enjoy. For me the grains tend to be quinoa, but barley or rice would work well. Also I think this dish needs mushrooms. But so could a lot of dishes, really. 

Ingredients:
1.5 cups quinoa, cooked (not sure how much dry- I started with a cup and have leftovers)
12 oz baby bella mushrooms
2/3 bunch of mustard greens
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
Olive oil, salt and pepper as you see fit

Cook the quinoa per package directions. As it's going work on the rest. 

Chop up the onions and garlic (I sliced due to laziness. Dicing is also good). Slice the mushrooms and season those guys in a bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil. Resist the urge to eat them as is. Chop up your mustard greens into 1-2" pieces. 

Cook your onions and garlic in some oil, add some salt so they sweat out a little water and don't brown too fast.

Once they get a little color toss in your mushrooms. Use a bigger pan than I did, though tongs are great at helping you not make a mess if it's a bit overcrowded as this one is.

Once the mushrooms have given up some of their water and are cooked through (taste, resist the urge to eat them all), toss in your greens. Stir around for a few minutes until the greens are wilted then put everything in a big ol' bowl. 

Add quinoa to your liking, I thought about 1.5 cups looked like a decent proportion to me. Taste and adjust the seasoning a bit if it needs it. 

Super variable dish. Add herbs if you have them, sub in whatever veggies you have on hand. In the winter I roast big trays of mushrooms, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes with rosemary, mix with quinoa, and have like three days worth of food.

UPDATE: Leftovers for lunch definitely have more of the mustard green bitterness. Evenmoreso when cold. But my office is freezing so cold lunches are not ideal.Next time I attempt something like this I need to remember the greens are obviously not the star, so don't use ones you want to highlight.