Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Today is the last delivery of the 2011 season. We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support and our site hosts for their hard work and dedication this year! Have a wonderful holiday - we hope to see you in the new year! (Be sure to check out our blog for information on 2012 share options.) In the meantime, here is a holiday recipe to enjoy...

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1 onion, diced
1 cup chicken stock (vegan version: 1 cup vegetable broth)
1 to 2 cups milk (vegan version: 1 to 2 cups coconut milk)
3 tablespoons flour
1 package cooked pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (vegan version: 1 package Daiya "cheese", cheddar style)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
pinch nutmeg, rosemary, OR thyme, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
breadcrumbs
butter (vegan version: Earth Balance)

Directions
1. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place face down in a pan and cover with ¼-inch water. Bake at 350 degrees until squash is tender. Once cool, scoop out flesh and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter or Earth Balance over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add flour and stir until butter or Earth Balance has been absorbed. Add milk slowly and stir constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Add squash, cheddar cheese, spices (if desired), and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prepare a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with butter or Earth Balance. Add pasta and pour butternut squash/cheddar cheese mixture on top. Top with Parmesan (if desired) and then breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until topping is golden brown. Serve warm.

Pan-Roasted Salsify

This recipe comes from New York Magazine, published by Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite on February 24, 2008. Let us know what you think!

Pan-Roasted Salsify
Ingredients
4 large salsify roots
juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Peel the salsify and place in a shallow pan with water to cover, lemon juice, black pepper, 3 sprigs of thyme, bay leaf, coriander, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender.
2. Remove salsify from liquid and once cooled, cut into small pieces of equal size. Heat sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil.
3. Add salsify and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown. Add the butter and the remaining sprigs of thyme and toss until the butter foams. Remove from heat and transfer to paper towels. Serve immediately.

Komatsuna Greens in Ginger Almond Miso Sauce

Sent to us by Janet Ballatore.

It’s hard to post something fabulous after a bake-off win, but let me introduce you to my new friend, the Komatsuna Green. This delicious little leafy thing came in my first Vegetable Husband basket (a service I’m eternally thankful to Leigh for posting about) and I knew it was the first ingredient I wanted to use this week. After a bit of research, I learned that Komatsunas are a relative of the turnip but are also called Spinach Mustards in the US. Grown almost exclusively in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and now, apparently, the state of Georgia, it’s a rich source of calcium that can be stir-fried and pickled, or used like bok choi in any dish.

I decided to stir fry it with dry-fried tofu in a ginger almond miso sauce recipe from

About.com. As much as I love cookbooks themselves, I kind of majorly love the internet as well. I would have never used this sauce otherwise. I chopped up the komatsuna greens like I would bok choi, stir-frying the stems first and then the leaves, and the recipe worked perfectly. The flavor is a bit stronger that bok choi–more green? if that’s a flavor…–and the sauce was bit too salty for me–maybe you should use a red miso instead of white–but I like the combination mostly. If you have the chance to pick up some komatsunas, do! I’d love to see them turn up in my next basket!

1 bunch Komatsuna Greens, stems and leaves separated

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 lb firm tofu

2 tablespoons soy sauce/Bragg’s Amino Acids

1 tablespoon miso

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup cooked red quinoa (or rice or other grain)

Dry fry the tofu. I divide to tofu into 2 batches to do this. After it is crisped the way you prefer it, set it aside on a plate to add to the stir-fry later. Chop the komatsuna stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Julienne the leaves.

Heat up a wok (without oil) and add the almonds. Stir-fry quickly until fragrant and toasted, about 45 seconds. Remove. Then in the wok, heat up 1-2 tbsp of sesame oil on medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 6-7 minutes or until the onion turns clear and soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the komatsuna stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.

While the komatsunas are cooking, combine the soy sauce, miso, and vinegar until smooth and set it aside. When the greens are tender, add the tofu and then drizzle with miso sauce and sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.

Dana Mead's Turnip Recipes

I have two recipes with turnips and other root veggies to share. My family has enjoyed both of these and we hope other members will too.

Sincerely,

Dana Mead

Cheesy turnips and carrots (from allrecipes.com)
Prep time 10 minutes; cook time 20 minutes
4+ main dish servings for vegetarians, 8+ side dish servings.

3 cups diced peeled turnips
2 cups sliced carrots
¼ tsp ground ginger
¾ c water
1 tsp salt, divided
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced celery
3 Tbs butter or margarine
3 Tbs all purpose flour
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water and ½ tsp salt in a sauce pan, cover and cook on med. high heat until tender ~(10-15 minutes). Drain and reserve liquid.
2. In a skillet sauté onion and celery in butter until tender; stir in flour, pepper and remaining salt.
3. Add milk and vegetable liquid; bring to a boil. Stir until thickened and bubbly.
4. Stir in cheese until melted; stir in the vegetables and heat through.


Vegetable Cornish Pastries (from allrecipes.com; I’ve included my adaptations )
Prep time 30 minutes; cook time 45 minutes; great entrée to serve with a salad or soup.

1 recipe whole wheat pastry dough for a double crust pie (I use packaged refrigerated pie crust)
¼ cup butter (I use olive oil)
1 sliced onion thinly
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 turnip, peeled and diced small
1 large potato, peeled and diced small
¼ lb mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbs water
1 tsp yeast extract spread (hard to find outside the UK, but home beer brewers might have some on hand; I omit this one)
¼ cup milk
1 egg
¼ lb shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Divide pastry dough into four equal portions and form into squares.
3. Melt butter in large skillet and sauté onion until translucent and beginning to brown. Add carrot, turnip, potato, mushrooms, and water. Lower heat and cover skillet. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a small bowl whisk on egg in milk. Stir into cooked vegetables. Stir until mixture thickens. Add cheese and season to taste. Set aside to cool.
5. Place ¼ of filling on one half of each pastry square. Fold pastry over and seal edges. Brish tops of pastry with beaten egg.
6. Place pasties on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown.