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All We Are Saying is Give Peas a Chance!

By on October 18, 2012 in Greenling DFW, Notes from the Field, Product Updates, Summer

If you’ve been ordering the Local Box this summer, you’ve no doubt been introduced to the wonders of locally grown, fresh field peas. Delicate fresh peas will ruin you on the canned alternative forever, and you sure can’t find them year-round, but our extra-long Texas summers mean we get to enjoy them longer than most. They freeze well, so if you’ve got a stockpile you can enjoy them well into Fall and Winter.

Common varieties of field peas– purple hull, lady cream, crowder, and black-eyed– have long been a staple of Southern cuisine. The hardy plants flourish in the hot sun, and they’re often used as a cover crop since they improve the soil where they grow. Southern peas are also extremely draught tolerant, so farmers can count on them in even the toughest Texas summers.

In the kitchen, field peas are versatile and easy to prepare. They are very delicate, and although they freeze well, they only keep in the refrigerator for a day or two. Freshly cooked southern peas have a nutty, slightly sweet taste with an ultra-creamy texture that is just perfect in stews and soups, or to add texture to salads. Field peas do more than taste good– they’re nutritional powerhouses, with tons of protein, fiber, and folate for heart health.

If you’re looking to think outside the bacon to prepare fresh peas, scoot over to our blog and try using them in homemade veggie burgers, or check out this recipe roundup by Southern Living for 16 more ideas.

If you haven’t jumped on the field pea wagon, they’ll only be around for another week or two, so go ahead– give peas a chance!

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Mexican Style Creamed Corn

By on June 21, 2012 in Gluten-free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Summer

I love Mexican style street corn.  I also love creamed corn.  So I really love this dish.  I used canned coconut milk instead of cream to cut down on some of the bad fat.  Instead of jalapeno, I used a Tablespoon of that creamy green sauce you can get at some Mexican restaurants to spice my dish up.  I have no idea what that sauce is called and if you have never had it, you will have no idea what I am talking about.  It looks sort of like a thin, creamy avocado salsa and it is very spicy.  Anyway, if you have access to some, use that or stick with the  fresh chopped jalapeno.

6 ears of corn

1 8 ounce package cream cheese

1 can coconut milk (NOT coco lopez)

1 lime, juiced

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine (optional)

1 Tablespoon chili powder

4 ounces cotija cheese

 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Shuck the ears of corn and remove all of the silk.  Carefully cut away the kernels from the cob.  Be sure the run the knife over the cob to get all of the juices.  Put the corn and all of the juice in an 11″x7″ baking dish.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, coconut milk, jalapeno (if you are using) and juice of the lime.  You may still have a few chunks of cream cheese, that’s ok.  Pour it over the corn and then cover baking dish with tin foil.  Bake until mixture is hot and bubbly, about 45 minutes.  Remove foil from dish, stir to incorporate any stray chunks of cream cheese, top with cotija cheese and chili powder.  Return to oven and bake until it begins to brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.

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Loaded Skillet Potatoes

By on May 18, 2012 in Recipes, Side Dishes, Summer

I don’t normally cook things like this, but every once in a while I get a real craving for skillet fried potatoes. Growing up in Wisconsin we ate a lot of potatoes, and one of my favorite dishes was simply potatoes and onions cooked in butter. This recipe improves on that with the addition of cheese and, like any other respectable loaded potato, bacon.

If you don’t have chives, you can use swap in the green part of a bunching onion, or scallions.

Loaded Skillet Potatoes

1-2 slices thick cut bacon
3/4 pound new potatoes
1 clove garlic
1 small white onion
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel. Do not drain the skillet.

Slice the potatoes into rounds and add them to the hot skillet with the bacon drippings. Mince the garlic, and dice onion. Add the garlic and onion to the skillet. Cook over medium until potatoes are tender but not mushy.

Stir in cream cheese and cover briefly to help the cheese melt. Once the cream cheese is fully incorporated, season to taste. Scatter on the cheddar cheese. Crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle it, along with the chives, onto the potatoes. Do not stir. Remove from heat, and let potatoes rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6

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Grilled Squash and Tomato Salad

By on April 16, 2012 in Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes, Summer

Hello summer!

Sure, it’s only the middle of April, but as we all know the temperatures climb high early. Luckily our produce follows the trend, and we’re already getting summer staples like tomatoes, basil, and squash in our boxes! Personally, I’m looking forward to gorging myself on zucchini and eggplant this summer. To tide me over until that point, I made this quick salad.

If you cook this on the grill, you’ll need a fine-mesh grill-proof basket, unless you’re really confident in your ability to not lose veggies down in the flames. I opted to not turn on the grill and used my grill pan on the stove, which works just as well and is less messy.

 

Grilled Squash and Tomato Salad

Olive oil

1 summer squash

1 medium tomato

Fresh mozzarella

2-3 basil leaves

Salt and pepper

 

Heat a grill pan to medium-high, then turn down to medium. Add a tiny bit of oil, such as through a spray bottle.

Slice squash lengthwise into planks, and slice tomato thickly. Place slices on the grill pan and cook 3-5 minutes a side, until tomatoes are quite soft but squash is still firm. Remove to a plate.

Slice or rip mozzarella and scatter over the top. Chiffonade basil and sprinkle on, and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 1.

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Grilled Avocados with Corn and Tomato Salsa

By on March 19, 2012 in Main Dishes, Recipes, Seasonal, Side Dishes, Spring, Summer

For many years I believed avocados were good for one thing only; guacamole. Oh, how wrong I was. I discovered this delicious fruit is ripe with potential once I did a little research after my mother (thanks, Mom) pushed me towards eating more than hot pockets in my younger years. The world of hot pockets is now long behind me, thanks in part to the tasty wonders of the grilled avocado.

Grilling an avocado is simple enough, but first I have to make the salsa to stuff inside it. I like a good, chunky pico de gallo type salsa, but if you have a recipe you like better feel free to substitute! For my salsa:

  • 2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1/2 red onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup of corn
  • 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
  • Juice from one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Oregano to taste, maybe some cumin if I’m in the mood

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, mix, cover and refrigerate for an hour or two so the flavors merge together in harmony. A note on cutting jalapeno peppers; they can be pretty nasty if they get in your eyes or in an open cut, so it’s a good idea to wear gloves, wash your hand thoroughly and clean out all the seeds.

For the avocados, cut four to six in half and take out the seeds, but leave them in the shell! Avocado seeds can be tricky, to cut an avocado, slice around the seed and pop one side off, so get the seed out of the other side just carefully push your knife into the seed and pull out. The seed should come out easily, leaving two intact avocado halves. Rub some olive oil and lime juice on the flat half and place them flat side down on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes. remove from the grill, fill with salsa and enjoy! But don’t  eat the shell, it’s not tasty, we just need the shell to keep the avocado goodness from melting into the grill.

Avocados will oxidize and turn brown, so it’s best to eat them the same day you prepare them, but the salsa can be stored in the fridge for about a week!

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