Tag Archives: Tomato

September 18, 2013

Farm Fresh Challenge: Turnip, Potato, Tomato Stew

By ritalovestowrite

After a couple of steamy weeks the weather has cooled considerable here since Sunday. This resulted in my getting a nasty cold ( which meant I didn’t post yesterday! GASP! — I do have note from the doctor, but still!) However the vegetables from the CSA are still going strong.

Here’s what was in the box for week 18 of the Calverts Gift CSA (after I made my substitutions)…

escarole Tomatoes cherry tomatoes garlic turnips Napa cabbage Bok Choi Jalepenos

Escarole, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Turnips, Napa Cabbage, Bok Choi and Jalepenos. (I swapped the Bok Choi and Jalepenos out for more Turnips.)

I knew I wanted to make something Turnip inspired and decided on a simple Turnip stew.

INGREDIENTS:

From the Box:

2 bunches of Turnips (cut into 1/2″ chunks) [I’ve got smaller snowball and larger red turnips here]

2 Cloves of Garlic (diced)

2 Tomatoes (cut into 1/2″ chunks)

1 cup Fingerling Potatoes (cut into 1/2″ chunks) [From previous box]

IMG_6110

From the Pantry:

2 Tbls Olive OIl

1 Onion (diced)

Salt, Pepper and dry Cilantro  to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a Dutch Over or heavy skillet place the Olive oil and Turnips  cover and cook at a medium heat. Stir every few minutes.

2. Add the Garlic at about the 5  minute mark. Stir.

3. Add the Onions and Fingerling Potatoes at the 10 minute mark. Stir.

4. Check the stew. If the Potatoes and Turnips are soft enough to pierce with a fork add the Salt, Pepper, Cilantro and Tomatoes.  Stir.

Don't let the tomatoes cook down too much.

Don’t let the tomatoes cook down too much.

5. Heat the Tomatoes through and remove from heat.

6. Serve hot in a bowl and enjoy.

Ready to eat.

Ready to eat.

I like the way the sweetness of the tomatoes plays off the slightly bitter flavor of the turnip.

This can be eaten hot or cool. (But on a day like today it is perfect steaming hot with a chunk of fresh baked bread.)

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1 Comment   |  tags: , , , , | posted in Chopped Parkton, postaday, Thought of the Day, Turnip Potato Tomato Stew

July 24, 2013

Farm Fresh Challenge: Summer Sausage Scampi

By ritalovestowrite
box shot

Box shot: Starting at the 6:00 position and moving clockwise around the picture we have heirloom tomatoes, garlic, fennel, purple basil, mini carrots, baby beets, more carrots, scallions, and arugala. In the center are some of the shallots  and potatoes..

Nothing says summer more than a big juicy tomato, right?  — Well, except, maybe four big juicy tomatoes…that’s what I found in my box this week.  There were so many culinary  possibilities with this box from our CSA (Calvert’s Gift Community Support Agriculture farm north of Baltimore, Maryland) that it was hard to choose what to make. But when I saw the Roaming GastroGnomes weekly blog on Paella something clicked. No… I didn’t have the chicken, or green beans, or saffron of the right kind of rice… but maybe I could make something akin to the amazing dish he’d shared.

My goal, as usual, was to use what was on hand along with the treasures I found in my CSA box for …

[Not associated with the real Chopped, the Food Network or Ted Allen.]

[Not associated with the real Chopped, the Food Network or Tim Allen.]

FROM THE BOX:

  •  1 Garlic
  • 1 Tomatoes
  • 1 Shallots
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 cup Carrots

FROM THE PANTRY & FRIDGE:

  • 1 lb Fresh Sweet Italian Sausage
  • Basmati Rice (prepared — I used 2 packs of Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice )
  • 1/2 cup of whole Almonds
  • 3 cups of water
  • 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
  • 1 teaspoon of Tumeric
  • 1/8 teaspoon of cumin

DIRECTIONS

1. Form Sausage into 1 1/2″ meatballs and place into a large, hot, frying pan. Brown on all sides, cooking the meatballs through.

browned Sausage balls

These sausage meatballs have one more turn to go.

2. Turn down the heat. Add two cups of water and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Prepare the vegetables. Chop the Carrots  and Tomatoes into 1/2″ pieces. Dice the Onions and Shallots into 1/4″ pieces. Finely mince the Garlic.

4. When the meatballs are done remove them to a medium bowl and set aside. Put the Carrots int he hot water (do not change the water) and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the carrots and and any water remaining in the pan to meatball bowl. Put the Olive Oil into the hot pan and add the Garlic, Onions and Shallots. Increase heat and brown the vegetables until Onions are translucent.

6. Put the Meat, Carrots and water back in the frying pan and stir. Add the Tomatoes, remaining one cup of water and stir.

7. Add the Basmati Rice and the spices and mix. DON’T STIR AGAIN until your serve. Sprinkle with the almonds.  Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. REDUCE heat to simmer and cook an additional 5 minutes. Move the pan around the heat source to distribute the heat evenly.

Note the crisping rice at the edges. This is almost done cooking.

Note the crisping rice at the edges. This is almost done cooking.

8. Plate and serve. This is delicious as is… but I think the next time I make it I’ll add raisins for a touch of sweetness. I’ll also pump up the volume with an extra tomato.

On the plate and ready to eat.

On the plate and ready to eat.

Related articleshttps://ritalovestowrite.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=7930&action=edit

(for more Farm Fresh Challenge recipes type “Farm Fresh” in the search field at the top of the blog.

More recipes I want to try:

4 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Farm Fresh Challenge, Food, postaday, Thought of the Day

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