ITEMS
Asian Sojuro Pears
Fennel
Red Romaine or Green Bibb Lettuce
Cauliflower: purple, gold, or white
Pierogies / GF sub: French Fingerling Potatoes
Ground Beef / Veg sub: Butter
PRODUCERS
Home Acres Orchard - Stevensville
Chance Farm - Bozeman
Chance Farm - Bozeman
Harlequin Produce - Arlee
Vickie's Pierogies - Bozeman / Foothill Farm - St Ignatius
Muddy Creek Ranch - Wilsall / Lifeline Farm - Victor
Asian Sojuro Pears: Though these look and feel like apples, they are pears! Expect them to be more crisp than European pear varieties -they don't get soft to the touch when ripe- and have a mild pear flavor. They should be ready to eat today. Like other pear varieties, they're great additions to salads or slaw, or can be eaten as-is. They would also bake nicely into a crisp, tart, or cake, or cook down with some spices and/or sugar for pear sauce - just like apples. Find some more recipe links online!
Pierogies are dumplings from Eastern European, and they're best when pan-fried in butter until lightly browned on both sides, but you can also use oil, or boil them in water. Eat them plain with a dollop of sour cream (or plain yogurt), or incorporate them into a meal with any combo of foods that sound good to you: polish sausage, sauerkraut, cabbage, potatoes, and sauteed onions are all pretty traditional accompaniments, but are by no means the only options! A fresh, crunchy salad is a nice counterbalance to the rich pierogies.
Fennel, Asian Pear, & Celery Salad
1 fennel bulb, washed and trimmed, + a handful of fronds
1 Asian pear, cut in half and cored
4-6 stalks of celery, leaves removed and rinsed well
2 Tbs lemon juice
3 Tbs olive oil
1/2 C coarsely chopped, toasted nuts (hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, etc.)
1-2 oz Grana Padano, Parmesan, Pecorino or other aged, salty cheese, grated or "peeled"
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Thinly slice fennel bulb and Asian pear - you can use a mandolin if you have one, or a good vegetable peeler, or by hand with a sharp knife. Cut the celery stalks on the bias into thin slices, or use a peeler to make long, thin strips. Put everything in a bowl and add the lemon juice, olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Toss everything until well-mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning, oil, or acid to taste. Sprinkle top with toasted nuts and cheese - again you can use the vegetable peeler to make thin strips or curls if you have a block of cheese. Alternatively, you can toss these same ingredients with chopped lettuce for a leafier salad.
Cauliflower is incredibly versatile. You can "rice" it to use in place of grains or mashed potato, or make a grain-free pizza crust, or fry into fritters. It can be eaten raw in salads, featured in pasta, or snuck into things like casseroles. It's a stand-out with Indian spices, and purees beautifully in soups. Roasting is one of my favorite methods, which these 2 recipes feature.
Buffalo Cauliflower
A delicious, healthier twist on buffalo "wings". Find or make your favorite blue cheese or ranch sauce to go with.
2 Tbs butter
1/4 C hot sauce, such as Frank's
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
Kosher salt
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Melt the butter in a small pan on the stove, or microwave it. Whisk in the hot sauce and lemon juice and set aside. Combine olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 C water in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower florets and toss until well coated. Spread cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until just tender and beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Whisk the hot sauce mixture again, drizzle over the cauliflower, and toss with tongs to coat. Return cauliflower to the oven and roast until the sauce is bubbling and browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve hot with blue cheese dip, ranch, or whatever you prefer.
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Brown Butter
Adapted from Julia Moskin's recipe, NYTimes Cooking.
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2-3 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
4 Tbs butter
1 small lemon, juice and zest
Preheat oven to 375 F. Place a roasting pan with an inch of water in the bottom of the oven. Add cauliflower to a bowl with oil and ~1 tsp salt, and toss until coated. Spread cauliflower out on two large baking sheets and bake until browned, 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. When foam subsides, watch closely and stir frequently. When the white flecks in the melted butter (the milk solids) turn brown and butter smells toasty, turn off heat, add lemon juice and stir well. Transfer cauliflower to a bowl or serving dish, pour lemon butter over top, add lemon zest, and season to taste.
NOTE: To take this recipe up a notch, first heat the 3 tbs oil with a handful or sage or rosemary leaves. Cook herb leaves until just crisp, ~2 minutes. Remove leaves and drain on a paper towel, then crumble when they're cool. Reserving the oil and transfer to a large bowl to combine with salt and cauliflower.
Additional Recipes & Suggestions
Alice Water's Spicy Cauliflower Soup (I love this recipe! I treat it like chicken tortilla soup, and garnish with diced avocado, too)
Here's a whole bunch of vegan & vegetarian cauliflower dishes from a blog I like that look delicious!
If you're feelin fancy, try this Asian Pear Galette with Cardamom Cream
There were some great fennel recipes from this delivery in July
These Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps are a continual favorite, for an app or for dinner.