Summer Share One May 21st/23rd 2024
Important information:
- This is the first biweekly shares for Depew, Lancaster, East Amherst, Leicester, Park School and also suburban home deliveries. The next biweekly odd distribution is Tuesday June 4th.
- This is also the first of twenty-four-weekly share.
- Winter Share members at Depew, East Amherst and Park School please remember that your distribution day is now back to Tuesdays for the summer share.
- New members please remember to bring this share box back with you to your next distribution.
- Newsletters are posted on our website @ https://promisedlandcsa.com/news/
Farm News from Jane
We were delighted when the rain came last week. The warm temperatures have allowed the seedlings to adjust nicely in the field but a “good drink of water” really brings on the growth and the asparagus will also shoot up. The amount of asparagus in the share will rely on the daily harvest. We have planted new asparagus beds the last two years and we will also plant a new bed this year also. It takes three years to establish asparagus but we are in the process of “growing” new beds as the older beds wane. It is difficult to keep perennial vegetables like asparagus weed free. There is so much competition from perennials weeds. And speaking of growth, we had hoped to have salad greens in this first share but they are just a bit immature. They will be in next week’s share. We will find some of the winter crops in the share in the next few weeks. Who doesn’t enjoy some carrots, potatoes and maybe even a rutabaga. It’s like a foretaste of the later season! As crops mature for the coming shares, we will have scallions, fennel, Swiss chard, beets and Napa cabbage. Romaine lettuce is planted and growing well and so are the peas, beans and summer carrots. Cucumber seedlings were planted today. June brings lots more variety and volume in the share. We were weeding in the greens and carrot beds today; it felt good to be working out in the field again.
Thank you for joining us for our summer produce share. Let us know what you think; comments and questions are always welcome. Enjoy your first “fruits”. And enjoy the full moon coming our way on Thursday, Grandpa Jack’s 97th birthday. Not many farmers can still be found raking leaves, planting flower beds, driving tractors to cultivate and clean up hedge rows at his age. Blessings to all and Happy Decoration Day!
Produce: Asparagus Dinosaur kale Green Garlic Carrots Adirondack Blue potatoes
Produce tips:
– The asparagus bottoms are trimmed and the bunches are placed in water before we pack them. You should fine them crisp and sweet! We try to cut off the fibrous end as best we can so that most if it will find its way into the “pot”, onto the grill or the saute pan or perhaps even raw on a relish tray. It tastes a bit like fresh peas. We sort and bunch by diameters so that it should cook evenly; thin, medium or thick. Everyone has a preference but its all tasty and should all be tender. Please do not use the “bend” method and snap off the bottom wherever it bends. You’ll throw away too much. A sharp knife drawn along the bottom should tell you if it needs a bit taken off. It is not washed. But doesn’t need to be if trimming the bottoms.
– Grilling after a light coating of avocado or olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt is the way we enjoy preparing and eating it. A cast iron skillet or saute pan works well. Try not to overcook it, especially the thin ones. It doesn’t take long on a hot grill or pan.
– ADK Blue potatoes have winter stored well. They are great roasted and even chips if you get larges ones. We try to size the potatoes in the bag so that will cook evenly for you.
– Dino Kale has been harvested form the high tunnel and should be sweet and tender. A massaged kale salad is nice or saute it or with the green garlic. It is also called Tuscany or Lacinato kale. Also nice in soups.
– Green garlic is the garlic version or green onions otherwise known as scallions. Substitute as the same. They grill very nicely. Use same measure of green garlic to substitute for garlic cloves in recipes.
Recipes
PANROASTED ASPARAGUS1 T. olive oil or 1/2 T. oil and 1/2 T. butter 1-pound asparagus spears salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil and/or butter over medium-high heat until melted. Roll asparagus in oil until they are well coated. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until asparagus is bright green and still crisp. Uncover and increase heat to high; season with salt and pepper if desired. Cook until spears are tender and well browned along one side, using tongs to move spears from center to outside of pan to ensure all are browned and evenly done. The same may be accomplished in the oven at 450 or on the grill in foil or a foil pan. This is when you recycle your Chinese take-out pans! You may also cook them directly on the grill provided they are well-coated in olive oil first.
SPRING ORZO SALAD
8 oz. orzo pasta; 1/2 cup bunching onions, finely chopped; 8 oz. mushrooms, quartered; 1 lb. asparagus, tips trimmed, stems cut into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 cup frozen peas; 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
Vinaigrette 3 Tbs. red wine vinegar; 2 Tbs. olive oil; 2 tsp. whole-grain mustard; 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain. Set aside. Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are soft. Raise heat to medium-high, stir in mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes. Add asparagus, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until asparagus are crisp-tender. Stir in peas, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat. To make Vinaigrette: Whisk together all ingredients in small bowl until emulsified. Place pasta, vegetables, and vinaigrette in large bowl, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired. Serves 6
CHICKEN ASPARAGUS BAKE
5 Tbsp. each butter and flour; 11/2 cups chicken broth; 6-oz. can mushroom, drained; Dash pepper; 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and sliced; l lb. cooked fresh asparagus spears; 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs; 2 Tbsp. each toasted slivered almonds, and melted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter; blend in flour. Add chicken broth; cook and stir until mixture is thickened. Add mushrooms and pepper. Place chicken in bottom of 6 x 10 x 1/2-inch baking dish. Drizzle with half the mushroom sauce. Arrange asparagus spears over sauce, then pour on remaining sauce. Combine crumbs, almonds, and melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake 20 minutes.
ASPARAGUS QUICHE
9-inch pastry shell; 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated; ½ cup green garlic or onions, chopped; 1 cup asparagus, cooked and chopped; 4 eggs; 1 ½ cups milk; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Place cheese, garlic or onions and asparagus in bottom of pie shell. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in pie shell. Sprinkle parsley over top. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake for 45 minutes more, or until quiche is golden brown and knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the quiche.
ASPARAGUS WITH CREAM SAUCE
Asparagus, chopped and lightly cooked; 1 cup milk; ½ tbsp butter; ½ tbsp cornstarch; fresh oregano
Dissolve cornstarch in ¼ cup milk; set aside. Melt butter in small saucepan; add milk stir well. Heat mixture till very hot, but do not boil. Add cornstarch and milk, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Stir until thickened. Adjust seasonings. Pour cream sauce over asparagus and serve.
SPRING VEGETABLE PASTA WITH LEMON AND PARMESAN
Cook 1 lb. rotini pasta in lightly salted water according to pkg directions, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high. Add 2 large thinly sliced shallots (1 cup) and sauté 3 minutes. Add 1 large clove chopped garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add 1 heaping cup fresh or frozen peas, 1 large bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt. Sauté until asparagus is tender, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add pasta, reserved pasta water, 1/2 cup chopped mint, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir well. Familycircle.com
CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH GARLIC AND PARMESAN
2 C vegetable or chicken broth, 1 Tbsp. butter, 1/2 small onion, 1 lb. asparagus, 2 cloves garlic,1/4 tsp. salt, 1 oz. Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Measure the broth into a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put a large pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the pot. As it melts, peel and chop the onion. Add the onion to the butter. Stir and cover. Increase heat to medium. Trim the tough ends off of the asparagus. Discard ends. Chop remaining asparagus into small (1/2-inch) pieces. Add to the onions. Stir and cover. Peel and mince the garlic. Add it to the asparagus along with the salt. Stir. At this point the broth should be finished heating. Add it to the asparagus. Cover. Increase heat to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until asparagus is tender, 2-3 minutes. While it cooks, shred the parmesan. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. Add the cream and heat through over medium heat but do not bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
GRILLED ASPARAGUS
Preheat grill for high heat. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.
PARMESAN GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES
2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 3 garlic cloves, minced, ½ teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl add the olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, and oregano. Toss with the potatoes until coated and lay in a single layer on your baking sheet. Salt and pepper to taste. I also like to sprinkle additional parmesan on top. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with parsley sprinkled on top.
BLUE POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
3 Slices of thick style bacon, 1/2 pound new purple potatoes sliced in half and then in small wedges, 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise, 4 medium sized shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, Olive oil, Kosher Salt
Freshly cracked pepper, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 tablespoon chopped capers, 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Start caramelizing the onions: In a small sauté pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil over a low heat. Add the sliced onions in one even layer, after five minutes add 1/2 tablespoon of butter, stir and add a pinch of kosher salt. While rendering your bacon and cooking your mushrooms in the next steps, make sure to stir the onions every few minutes and remove once they are evenly browned. This should take around 30 minutes, remove from heat when finished and reserve. Cook the bacon: While the onions are slowly cooking slice the bacon in small batonettes (1/8-inch crosswise strips) on your cutting board. Heat up a larger sauté pan on medium and when your pan is hot add the sliced bacon. Slowly sauté the bacon until slightly crispy and remove from the pan onto a paper towel-lined plate, reserve for later. Cook mushrooms in rendered bacon fat: Julienne the shiitake mushrooms and then add them to the pan which now has the rendered bacon fat. Add a pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper to the Shiitake mushrooms, don’t shake the pan but let the mushrooms brown evenly on one side. Once browned, flip the mushrooms delicately and remove from pan onto a smaller plate, reserve. Brown the purple potatoes: Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and add the evenly sliced potatoes to the hot pan in a single layer; make sure not to crowd the pan. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a good pinch of salt to the potatoes. Don’t move the pan, this is very important so that the potatoes can evenly brown. After 3-5 minutes, when they are browned flip potatoes and brown the other side, turn down the heat to medium low to evenly cook the potatoes. 5 Add capers, onions, mushrooms, bacon: Once the potatoes are thoroughly cooked, add the capers and let crisp up for a minute. Then combine the caramelized onions, mushrooms, and bacon to the large sauté pan with the browned potatoes. Re-warm over low heat. When hot, turn the heat off and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh picked tarragon. Recipe from simplyrecipes.com
MEDITERRANEAN PURPLE POTATO FRITTATA
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch slices, 1-pound purple potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices, ½ teaspoon curry powder (optional), ¾ teaspoon sea salt, divided, 2 T minced fresh thyme, 8 whole eggs, ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat a 10-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add oil and arrange onion slices in skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, about 20 minutes. Arrange potato slices over onion and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over vegetables, then sprinkle with curry (optional) and ¼ teaspoon salt, turning to coat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potatoes are just fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Whisk eggs just to blend, and stir in ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour into skillet, sprinkle with thyme and arrange potato mixture in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, until set on bottom, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and broil 6 inches from heat source until browned at edges and set all the way through, 5 to 8 minutes. Recipe from Debby Maugans, food writer based in Asheville, North Carolina
CRISPY BAKED SMASHED BLUE POTATOES
1 1/2 lb. blue potatoes, small size, 3 T unsalted butter, melted; 1T olive oil, salt, pepper, scallions/cilantro/chives/fresh parsley, finely chopped (garnish)
Place potatoes in a pot and top with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until continue cooking until potatoes are soft. About 20-25 minutes depending on size. Drain potatoes over a strainer and set aside until there is no more steam from the potatoes. About 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 3500.
Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet. Smash each potato with a fork, brush with melted butter, drizzle with olive oil (~ 1/4 teaspoon per potato), and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake/roast for 40-45 minutes until the skin is crispy. Do not flip during baking. Remove baked potatoes from oven, serve hot sprinkle with your choice of garnish. Recipe from https://vforveggy.com
SPIRALED BLUE POTATO AND YELLOW CARROT CASSEROLE
(Blue Potato and Yellow Carrot Ratatouille)
Purple Potatoes, sliced into rounds, yellow carrots, sliced into rounds, shallots, olive oil, garlic, thyme & fresh sage, to taste, Celtic salt & black pepper to taste, 1-2 T cheddar cheese, grated, 1-2 T parmesan, grated,
Cook the shallots down in olive oil with garlic, thyme & fresh sage. Transfer to a round baking dish.
Arrange the veggies on the bed of cooked down shallots. Season with olive oil, Celtic salt, black pepper and thyme. Bake at 375F covered for 30 mins. Then uncover it and sprinkle with shredded cheddar + parm and bake at 425 for an additional 20 mins. Recipe from urbankitchenapothacary; thefeed.com
HERBED CARROT SOUP
2 lbs. carrots, 1 medium potato, 4 c. water, 1T butter or oil, 1 c chopped onion, 11/2 t salt, 2 medium cloves garlic; minced, ½ t marjoram or oregano, 1 t basil, 1-2 T lemon juice (or to taste), optional: small amounts of finely minced fresh mint, chives and or parsley for the top.
Peel and chop the carrots and potato, and place them in a medium-large saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender (10-15 minutes). Meanwhile, heat oil in a small skillet. Add onions and salt, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and dried herbs and sauté about 5 minutes more, or until the onions are soft. Stir in lemon juice. Purée everything together in a blender or food processor and transfer to a kettle or Dutch oven. Simmer gently 8-10 minutes. Serve hot, topped with a light sprinkling of fresh herbs if desired. Recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook
CARROT YOGURT SALAD
1 lb. carrots; peeled and coarsely chopped, 2 medium- sized tart apples; grated, 1-2 T lemon juice, 1-2 T honey, (optional), pinch of celery seed, salt and pepper to taste, 1 c. firm yogurt.
Optional additions: 1T poppy seeds or toasted sesame seeds, ¼ c. minced almonds or cashews; lightly toasted, ½ c. very finely minced celery, a handful of raisins or currants, ¼ c. shredded unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted, ½ c. finely chopped pineapple (or crushed canned in juice). Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill. (This preparation goes fast if you use a food processor with a grater attachment.) Yield 4-5 main dishes for lunch; more if serving as a side dish. Recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook.
SICHUAN CARROT SOUP
1 medium onion, chopped, 1 celery rib, chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 lb. carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces, 3/4 inch fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced thin; 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 cup milk
Garnish, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 cup sour cream, mixed with the cream
In a large heavy saucepan cook onion, celery, and garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add carrots, ginger root, red pepper flakes, and broth and simmer, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and, in a blender or food processor, puree mixture in batches (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return soup to pan and heat over low heat until hot, being careful not to let boil. Serve soup drizzled decoratively with sour cream mixture.
Serves 6; Recipe from Eating Well in Season
ASIAN PEANUT NOODLE SLAW WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN
Cook 4 oz. spaghetti according to package directions about ten minutes. Drain and rinse to cool. In a large bowl, whisk 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter, ¼ cup water, 3 T each seasoned rice vinegar and lime juice, 1 T packed brown sugar, 1T low sodium soy sauce and 1 tsp. (or to taste) siracha until smooth. Add spaghetti, 2+1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, 6 cups shredded cabbage, 2 cups shredded carrots, 3 thinly sliced scallions and 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro or parsley. Toss well. Scatter ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts over the top. Recipe form FAMILYCIRCLE.COM
BALSAMIC ROASTED CARROTS
1 T olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper, ½# carrots, 2T balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and carrots in a bag or bowl; toss to coat. Pour the carrots into the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the carrots; shake the pan to coat evenly. Return to oven and bake until the liquid is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Recipe from Allrecipe.com
GRILLED GREEN GARLIC
1 bunch green garlic, oil, ground cumin, salt, pepper
Wash the green garlic. Cut off the roots and the tough ends of the leaves. Dry on a paper towel.
Lay the whole garlic pieces on a baking sheet. Toss with a bit of oil. Sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly oil your grill pan or the outside grill. Place on the hot grill and cook until tender and starts to brown. Turn the garlic halfway through cooking. A few pieces of the roasted green garlic can be served on each plate or it can be roughly chopped and served as a side dish. Roasted green garlic can be added to any recipe. Tastes great with any chicken or meat dish. Recipe from kachiskitchen.com
ROASTED GREEN GARLIC CHUTNEY
1 full cup green garlic, 1 tsp oil, plus more for roasting, 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 Tbs cilantro, roughly chopped, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, plus more for roasting, 1/2 tsp salt, plus more for roasting, 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus more for roasting, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp red Chile flakes, 1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the green garlic. Cut off the roots and the tough ends of the leaves. Dry on a paper towel. Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. Lay the garlic pieces on the baking sheet. Toss with a bit of oil. Sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper. Roast until tender and starts to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the garlic halfway through cooking. Let cool before proceeding. Roughly chop the roasted green garlic. Add all of the ingredients in a food processor and grind until smooth. Stir in the water. Tastes great with any chicken or meat dish or even as a spread for an appetizer. Recipe form kachiskitchen.com
SESAME KALE SALAD
1# fresh kale, 2T soy sauce, 2T toasted sesame oil, 1T toasted sesame seeds, 1 clove garlic, 2 t honey or other sweetener, 1T apple cider vinegar, dash of black or red ground pepper to taste.
Separate kale leaves from stems. Chop stems and greens. Steam stems a couple of minutes, then add the greens and steam until just tender. Drain; let kale cool enough to handle it. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Place in a serving bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients in another bowl; add to greens. Mix, chill, and serve. Serves 4-6.
Adapted from the Extending the Table; A World Community Cookbook, by Joetta Hendrich Schlabach.
MASSAGED KALE SALAD
2 bunches kale, 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 large cloves garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 minced anchovy fillet or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional), 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt
Strip leaves from the stems (discard stems). Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add Parmesan, oil, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, anchovy (if using), pepper and salt. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to work in the flavoring. Stop when the volume of greens is reduced by about half. The greens should look a little darker and somewhat shiny. Taste and adjust seasoning with more Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce and/or pepper, if desired.
CLEAN EATING LEMONY KALE AND ASPARAGUS
12 oz any short whole wheat pasta, ½ – 1 cup pasta water, 3 C vegetable stock, 2 T cornstarch, 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 in. pieces, 1 ¼ t salt, 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated, ¼ C plain Greek yogurt, 1 lemon, zest of and cut into slices, 1 large garlic clove or chopped green garlic, 1 bunch kale, cut into large pieces, ½ C basil, chopped, Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper, for garnish
Cook pasta al dente as per package instructions. Reserve 1 C pasta water and set aside. Preheat large deep skillet on medium heat, add 2 C vegetable stock, whisking cornstarch until dissolved in remaining 1 C of broth and adding to the skillet; bring to a boil. Cook until thickened a bit. Add asparagus and salt. Stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 4 minutes covered. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat, add Greek yogurt, lemon zest and garlic; stir until smooth. At this point add ½ C reserved pasta water. Stir in kale, lemon slices and pasta. Add more pasta water if necessary. Sprinkle with basil and serve hot. Refrigerate in a glass airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
Recipe from iFOODreal.com
KALE & CHEESE QUESADILLAS
½ bunch kale, stripped from stalk, chopped into bite sized pieces and rinsed (about 4 cups), 2 c shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack or a combination), 1/4 C chopped green chiles (optional), 1t ground cumin, 1/T chili powder, 1 (8-10 count) package flour tortillas, 4 t canola or olive oil
Bring 3 to 4 C of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add kale and cook on high heat, covered for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander; shake several times to help cool. When cool, squeeze out any excess water, and then break any clumps apart. In a large bowl, combine the cheese, green chiles, cumin, and chili powder with the kale. Heat an 11-12-inch skillet on medium heat and pour about 1 t of oil to coat pan. Place a tortilla in the skillet. Put a generous 1/2C of the cheese mixture in the idle of the tortilla. Place another tortilla on top. When the tortilla is lightly browned, flip over. The quesadilla is done when the cheese is melted, 3-4 minutes. Repeat for the other quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve – a pizza cutter works great to cut quesadillas. Recipe from Kale, Glorious Kale by Catherine Walthers
RAMEN KALE CRUNCHY SLAW
4 C kale (about ½ bunch), stripped from stalk, rinsed, cut into ¼ in. ribbons, rinsed and dried, 2t olive oil, 2 pinches of kosher salt, 4 C thinly shredded cabbage (a mix of red and green cabbages looks great), 2 carrots, peeled and shredded, 1 (2-3oz.) packet of ramen noodles, 3T sesame seeds, toasted, ¼ C almond slices, toasted
Dressing: 3 T seasoned rice vinegar, 2 T sugar, ½ t kosher salt, 1-2 t tamari or soy sauce, ¼ t freshly ground black pepper, ¼ C olive oil, 2 T dark sesame oil, toasted
Place kale in a large serving bowl or dish and add the olive oil and salt. Massage the kale with your hands to soften and tenderize, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrots. Crush the ramen noodles in the package and toss with the salad.
Make the dressing: In a bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, tamari, pepper, olive oil and sesame oil and mix well. Add the dressing to the salad 30-60 minutes before serving. Toss the dressing evenly to coat and mix in half of the seeds and nuts. Top with the remaining nuts when ready to serve. Variation: Add shredded chicken.
Recipe from Kale, Glorious Kale by Catherine Walthers