Delivery 6/21/23
ITEMS
Chard
Red & Gold Beets
Petite Crimson Lentils
Plain Yogurt
Granola
PRODUCERS
Chance Farm - Bozeman
Chance Farm - Bozeman
Timeless Natural Foods - Ulm
Kalispell Kreamery - Kalispell
Whole & Nourished - Bozeman
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Cooking with Crimson Lentils
Red lentils typically cook in 15 min or less in simmering water, and they break down as they cook. This makes them ideal for stews, purees, sauces, fritters, or working into baked goods. They're high in fiber, protein, iron, and potassium. The earthy flavor of lentils should be balanced with plenty of salt and acidity from citrus juice, vinegar, or tomatoes. When under seasoned, they are quite bland, but they play well with others and can really sing as the backdrop to bold spices.
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Spiced Beet & Yogurt Dip
Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi via Food&Wine. Makes ~3 C of dip.
~6 medium beets (1 1/2 lbs), rinsed and scrubbed well, tops and tails removed (save the greens!)
2 small garlic cloves, minced - sub garlic scapes or green garlic if needed
1 small red chile, seeded and minced - sub dried Aleppo pepper flakes or similar
1 C plain yogurt
3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbs pure maple syrup
1 Tbs za’atar seasoning - if you don't have it or want to buy it, you can make your own
Salt, to taste
1/4 C roasted, skinned hazelnuts, chopped - sub pistachios, almonds, or walnuts
2 Tbs goat cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, thinly sliced - sub chives if needed
Warm pita or other bread, for serving
Preheat oven to 350. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 C of water. Cover with foil and bake for ~1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.
Chop beets once or twice and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile, and yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, and za’atar and puree. Season with salt to taste. You can use an immersion blender, or even mash and mix by hand, though a food mill or potato masher will help You will not get as smooth of a puree, but it'll still taste good!
Transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese, and scallions on top and serve with warm bread.
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Crimson Lentil & Quinoa Veggie Burgers
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, NYTimes. Makes 10 patties. Needs 1+ hr rest time!
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/3 C uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/3 C uncooked crimson lentils, rinsed
1+2/3 C water
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 C tightly packed chard leaves, chopped small (save the stems) - sub beet greens or spinach
3 oz feta, crumbled (~3/4 C)
3 Tbs chopped fresh mint - sub parsley, cilantro, dill, or a combo that you like
1/4 C minced chives -green onion greens also work
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
~1 C panko or chickpea flour - sub another crunchy bread crumb, or perhaps rice or potato flour?? Haven't tried it...
1/4 C grape seed oil, or another oil for pan frying
Poke the sweet potatoes a few times, then bake or microwave until tender. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile combine quinoa, red lentils, water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 min, until both quinoa and lentils are tender. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, tapping it against the sink to remove excess water, then return quinoa and lentils to the pot. Cover pot with a clean kitchen towel, then return the lid and let sit undisturbed for 15 min.
Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh into a large bowl. Mash with a fork, then add the chard and mash together. Add the quinoa and lentils, feta, mint, chives, lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Mix well, then taste and adjust seasoning. Mixture will be moist.
Put the panko or chickpea flour into a bowl or rimmed plate. Scoop ~1/3 C of the mixture and form into a ball (wet your hands to reduce sticking). Roll the ball in the panko or chickpea flour, then gently flatten into a patty. Set on a large plate and continue with the rest of the mixture. Refrigerate patties uncovered for at least 1 hr (the longer the better).
When you’re ready to cook the patties, place a rack into a sheet pan for the cooked patties. Set the oven to the "keep warm" setting, or ~200 F.
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a 12-inch cast iron pan or nonstick skillet over high heat. Swirl the pan to coat with the hot oil. Lower heat to medium. Place 4 or 5 patties in the pan (do not crowd), and cook until well browned on one side, ~4 min. Turn gently and brown for ~4 more min. Remove to rack and keep patties warm in the oven until ready to serve.
Heat remaining oil in the pan and cook remaining patties. Serve with the usual burger fixins, or try a yogurt raita, garlic yogurt, or chutney... or maybe the beet & yogurt dip sans nuts!
*You can refrigerate uncooked patties for up to 2 days, or cook them and then refrigerate or freeze. Thaw completely before reheating. Reheat on a baking sheet in a low oven for 10-15 min.
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Additional Recipe Suggestions
Rhubarb Quick Bread (also w/ yogurt)
Balsamic Roasted Beet & Kale Salad - use chard instead of kale!
Dal w/ Crimson Lentils - here's a version with chard and winter squash, Here's a version with cherry tomatoes
Veggies Burritos with Hardy Greens- a great way to use beet greens and chard
There's a recipe buried in this post for a garlic-herb yogurt that I think could go well with the veggie burgers, or with roasted beets.