2017 CSA Week 16 Recipes

Pizza with Butternut Squash and Italian Sausage

Preheat oven to 400.

Quick Pizza Crust: Take 1 package of dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp) and mix well with 1 Tbsp sugar, and 1 cup warm water (about 110 deg F). Let sit for 10 minuets. The mixture should look foamy and bubbly. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and mix until a dough forms. knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until everything is combined and looks like pizza dough. Let the dough rest for another 5 minuets and for it into a pizza crust.

Squash Pizza Sauce: This recipe will probably yield more than you need for the pizza but you can use it for a dipping sauce or many other things. Place whole butternut squash in microwave for 3 minuets. Take out the squash let it cool a bit, cut off the top and bottom of the squash so you have a nice flat surface to work with, and remove the rest of the skin from the squash. Cut In half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Chop up half of the thyme and savory. toss the squash in a large bowl with the herbs, 3 Tbsp of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. pour onto a baking sheet and bake for about 35 minuets or until squash is tender. Use a blender to blend roasted squash and 1/4 cup cream until smooth. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Turn oven up to 425. Assemble pizza with sauce, hot italian sausage, chopped walnuts, and cheese. Cook for about 12 minuets or until cheese is bubbly and everything is cooked through. 

Fresh Tomato Sauce over Pasta

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 diced white onion and saute until softened, then add 1 crushed and diced clove of garlic. Add 1 diced green pepper and 1 diced purple pepper. Add 1/2 bunch (about 1 cup) of finely chopped celery stems and greens, and several large beefsteak tomatoes chopped into 1/2 inch cubes. Finely chop 1/3 of thyme and summer savory after removing the leaves from the stem. Add thyme and savory to the skillet. Cook ingredients, with frequent stirring, for about 10 minutes or until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock, bring mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and cook for another 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Finely chop about 1/4 cup of basil (about 1/2 bunch) and add to mixture, and allow to cook in the mixture for several minutes until it has wilted down. Transfer about 1/2 the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, then mix back the remaining mixture for a chunky sauce. 

Breakfast Burrito with Huacatay Sauce

Huacatay Sauce

 Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a small skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Saute 2 cloves of crushed and finely chopped garlic. After several minutes of sauteing add 1 diced purple pepper and 1 diced jalapeno pepper (seeds and cored removed), and (if spiciness is desired) about ¼ or less of a habanero pepper. (Dice the jalapeno and habanero while wearing gloves to prevent burning of your hands.) Saute the peppers and garlic for several more minutes until softened and flavorful. 

Add 1 cup (1 bunch) of huacatay leaves to a blender and ½ of a white onion, roughly chopped. Add ½ cup of mayonnaise and the sauteed garlic and peppers. Add ½ tsp of salt and blend mixture. Use sauce as a replacement for salsa in burritos, over eggs, or with tortilla chips.   

Serve inside a burrito with scrambled eggs and hot Italian sausage.

Fresh Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Celery 

Snap stem from yellow filet beans, then chop beans into 1 inch sections. Chop 5-8 cocktail tomatoes into eighths, and very finely dice half a bunch of celery greens and stems. Combine all ingredients. In a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, and 2 tbsp of half and half. Finely chop 1/4 of the thyme and summer savory (about 2 tsp each) and about 1 tbsp of basil and add to dressing mix. Add 1/2 tsp of salt, and stir to combine. Dress salad and serve, or allow to marinate for several hours to allow flavors to blend. 

Creamy Lemon Basil Sauce over Pasta

Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Saute 2 cloves of garlic for several minutes, then add 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of half and half. Bring sauce to a boil, then cook for about 10 minutes, or until it has slightly reduced. In a separate bowl, juice 1 lemon and zest the rind, then add 2 tbsp of cornstarch and whisk ingredients together until the cornstarch has dissolved in the lemon juice. Add the mixture to the stovetop sauce and quickly stir ingredients together for several minutes until the are well incorporated. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and remove from heat. Finely chop 1 bunch of lemon basil and 1/4th bunch (about 1 tbsp) of Italian basil. Add to the warm sauce and stir until greens are wilted. Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. 

Serve sauce atop a bed of angel hair pasta.