glacier grist

issue #39 • Thursday, August 20, 2009

DID YOU KNOW?
Celery leaves are probably the most underutilized part of the celery plant.  Ken, who is a produce manager and also does tons of work for Glacier Valley CSA, told me he likes to put them in salads.  I have only used them in soups and stews, but that is a great idea!  I did a little reading on them.  It turns out if a recipe calls for cilantro, but you either don’t have cilantro or don’t like cilantro, you can substitute celery leaves. They give it the bright flavor you are looking for.  Another tip was using them in pasta sauces instead of parsley.  I made a quick cold salad with hard pressed tofu, shredded carrots, celery leaves, sesame oil, and soy sauce.

KEEPING THINGS FRESH
Refrigerating Celery: Wrap celery stalks in a damp paper towel and then aluminum foil to keep it fresh in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks. Celery loses its crisp texture when frozen, but it still suitable for use in cooked dishes. Preparing for Freezing: Wash thoroughly, trim and cut stalks into l-inch lengths. You don’t have to blanch, but it you want to: Water-blanch for 3 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and package leaving no headspace. Seal and freeze.

Check out Alison’s blog for more great tips and recipes:  http://www.AlisonsLunch.com

NEW OPTIONS FOR PAYING!
We now are offering two additional ways to pay.  We are still using pay pal, but you don’t have to register and you can use your credit card.  The other way is by check. I hope that those two additional features makes it a little easier for everyone.

PICK UP SITE- DO’S AND DON’TS
This is a gentle reminder that school is starting and the location of your box may now be inside your location.

We also appreciate everyone being patient about pick up times. We try our hardest to be there when we say we are going to be there.  However, we have added more sites so times may change a little. We will update our website if the time changes for your site.

We really appreciate people leaving their empty boxes. This helps control our costs. And, in turn, controls your cost. Thank you!

Look for your box label with YOUR name on it.  If you should happen to take someone’s box, please call customer service at 529.7630.  Accidents happen and we promise not to scold you.

recipes

for glacier grist issue #39

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sautéed beet greens

contributed by nancy
You can use beet greens when they are nice and tender in salads too.  Just tear them into bit size pieces.  But I like to sauté them with just a little olive oil and garlic. You can eat them as a side dish or put on top of toasted bread. Feel free to use the stems as well. I will cut them up in half inch pieces so they cook at the same rate that the tender leaves to.  There really is no set amount of ingredients so you can make a lot or just a little.

olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of your sauté pan
beet greens and stems, rinsed and chopped
garlic, chopped (to taste)
red pepper flakes, optional (to taste)

1.  Heat your sauté pan over medium heat for 2 minutes.
2.  Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add chopped garlic and chile flakes.
3.  Immediately add your chopped beet greens and stems. Add a little water and cover. Add enough water so the greens will steam and not burn.
4.  In approximately 2 minutes remove cover.  If not tender, add a little more water and cover for another 2 minutes.
5.  Remove the lid and let the heat evaporate most of the water.
Serve immediately.

celery leaf salad

contributed by Nancy
You can use just celery leaves or a combination of celery leaves and parsley.  When I first tasted it I thought it was a little odd; more toothsome than my usual parsley. Then I realized I had eaten almost the entire amount I made!

2 cups washed and chopped celery leaves
1 tablespoon canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
zest from ½ a lemon
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
pinch of salt

1.  Chop the celery leaves.
2.  In a bowl large enough to hold the celery leaves, combine the canola oil, sesame oil, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir to combine.
3.  Add chopped celery leaves and toss to combine.
4.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt to taste.

Cook’s note: I have also used soy sauce instead of salt and it tastes great.

tuscan carrot top and rice soup

contributed by Nancy

I have to admit I have never used carrot tops before. I always thought they were pretty, but that was about it.  In searching for carrot top recipes something kept coming up in my recipe search.  An Italian soup that sounded perfect for a rainy day.  I have since adopted the Tuscan saying: Non si tira via niente—nothing gets thrown away – and that is particularly appropriate for this soup. Carrot tops are almost always discarded.  They have the same sweet-earthy taste but with a hint of green that makes them perfect for soups or vegetable saute’s.  This is my take on a recipe by Anne Bianchi from Solo Verdura.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
3 small carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable broth
1/2 c short grain rice
1 1/2 cups chopped carrot tops
4 tablespoons fresh grated parmigiano-reggiano

1.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy-gauge soup pot. Saute the onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 5 minutes over low heat until translucent. Add the salt and pepper, pour in the broth, and bring to a boil.
2.  Add the rice to the broth and cook for 15 minutes or until the rice is almost tender. Add the carrot tops and cook for 5 more minutes, mixing well.
3.  When the rice is done, pour the soup into four bowls, sprinkle with cheese, and serve.

Cook’s notes: I have also used other rice, which will vary the cooking time, but it’s just important that the rice is tender.  If you don’t add the cheese, you might need to add some extra salt.

grilled romaine salad

contributed by Nancy

Grilling lettuce sounded to me like “herding cats.” How can that be done? Turns out, it can be done fantastically.  You have to use Romaine lettuce.  So if you did not get that this time, save the recipe.

1 whole romaine lettuce, washed and halved
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of hot chile flakes (optional)

1.  Preheat your grill to hot.
2.  Wash and half the romaine lettuce.
3.  Brush halves with some olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of hot chile flakes.
4.  Grill for about half to one minute or until the lettuce halves are just starting to char.
5.  Remove from the grill.

You can leave them in halves or chop them up.

This is where you can start getting creative. You can leave it as is and add your favorite dressing or sprinkle on: sun dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, cheese, artichokes, black olives, celery leaves, and of course, carrot tops!

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