Avid Inkling

In an attempt to “eat more vegetables” we’ve signed up for a CSA* box. We got our first box today.

• 4 pears (not pictured)
• 3 apples (not pictured)
• 1 container of kiwiberries (not pictured, mostly consumed by Patrick)
• 1 bunch of carrots
• 1 bunch of radishes
• 1 lb of green beans (with a note they were out so instead we got a pound of small sweet peppers)
• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 1 lb fingerling sweet potatoes

I know what to do with garlic, broccoli, sweet potatoes, carrots and (most of the) fruit, but the peppers and kale presented challenges so I decided to find a way to use them for this evenings dinner.

I made goat cheese stuffed peppers which turned out very well, but also left me wondering when did I become the sort of person to have 10 oz. of goat cheese (peppercorn herb to be exact) and panko in the house?

I was rather dreading the kale, and most of the recipes I looked up turned it into some sort of soup with other things (like 2 lbs of potatoes, chiorzo and beans) that I didn’t have on hand. Thankfully my Cooks Illustrated – The New Best Recipe had a recipe which made the kale not only palatable, but tasty enough that I’ve included the recipe below so I can find it again in case kale shows up in our CSA box again. I’m not sure I’ll actively seek out kale at the grocery store, but at least now I know what to do with it.

I know that isn’t the greatest photo, but it was steamy. Recipe below.

Kale w/bacon, garlic & onions (they have a more sophisticated name for it, don’t remember what)
slightly modified from Cooks Illustrated, the New Best Recipe because I was too lazy to type it all out as it was written

• 2 oz. bacon cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
• 1/2 small red onion minced
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
• 2 lbs damp tender greens (aka kale), washed in several changes of cold water, shaken to remove excess water & chopped coarse
• salt & pepper to taste

1. cook bacon in dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 min. transfer to paper towel, leave drippings in pot
2. raise heat to medium-high, add onions and garlic, cook stirring frequently until golden brown, add thyme and wet greens, cover and cook 3 min, stirring occasionally until greens wilt completely 2-3 min. Uncover and season w/salt and pepper to taste.
3. Raise heat to high and cook until liquid evaporates, garnish with bacon & serve

*Commuunity Supported Agriculture, not Confederate States of America