Everyone's rain dances worked and it finally rained Thursday night! We received about 2 inchs of rain, and it was much needed and we’re very thankful for it. We hope to see everything looking a little more lush in the coming days, including our pastures, which needed the rain the most. This week we included romano beans in the shares. Romano beans are like green beans, you can eat the whole pod. They are best blanched and used in a recipe like the one below. They also work great in stir fries. We also included kabocha winter squash in the shares. These are probably our most popular winter squash at the farmers market, but they are more perishable than a standard winter squash due to their tender skin. The skin is tasty when roasted or sautted, and provides a good source of fiber, and the squash flesh has a rich sweet flavor. Enjoy your vegetables this week!
roasted kabocha
Preheat the oven to 400 F If you would like your squash peeled before you roast it, do so now with a sharp vegetable peeler.
The best way to cut winter squash is to cut a flat spot with a really sharp knife. Cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and cut the squash into thin wedges. Next, toss the squash with your fat of choice and sprinkle the slices with salt and pepper.
Place the squash in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast the squash for 30 minutes, flipping them over at the midpoint. The wedges are ready to eat when they’re slightly crunchy on the outside and fluffy and soft on the inside.
Cheesy Broccoli and Onion Quinoa
Saute 1/2 bunch finely chopped onions with 1 bunch broccoli, about 1.5 cups, in a hot saucepan over medium high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, and 1 cup quinoa; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, place a cover on the saucepan, and cook at a simmer until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese into the quinoa, replace the lid, and set aside until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
romano beans and carrots with mustard vinaigrette
Preheat the oven to 350°. chiffonade 2 to 3 carrots. roast in the oven until tender. Toast 1 cup walnuts in the oven, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Cook all the Romano beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and tender, 8–10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Drain and pat dry.
Meanwhile, mix vinegar, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove minced, and 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large bowl to combine. Let sit 10 minutes for flavors to come together.
Add walnuts, carrots and romano beans to dressing. Finely zest lemon over beans and add 3/4 cup parsley. Season with salt and lots of pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with more oil.
Roasted Fresh Potatoes
Cut 1 lb fresh potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces. Mince 1 clove of garlic. Toss potatoes in 3 Tbsp olive oil, and the garlic. Spread out on a baking dish. sprinkle salt and pepper, and roast at 450 for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
almost ratatouille
Cut zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers into 1/2 inch small cubes. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and dice 1 medium onion. Toss vegetables with olive oil and salt on one baking sheet. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer. If vegetables do not all fit in a single layer on one baking sheet, use two.
Bake both pans at 400F for 30 minutes, stirring halfway. Combine roasted vegetables in a serving bowl. Add 1/2 tsp of oregano and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread or over pasta, or let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating for later.
Ingredients
The first table shows the ingredients that come in the share. The table after that shows the ingredients you would need to make the recipes.
| roasted kabocha | Cheesy Broccoli and Onion Quinoa | romano beans and carrots with mustard vinaigrette | Roasted Fresh Potatoes | almost ratatouille | |
| butter | 2 Tbsp | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| green onions | 1/2 bunch | ||||
| chicken broth | 3/4 cups | ||||
| quinoa | 1 cup | ||||
| cheddar cheese | 1 cup | ||||
| carrots | 2 to 3 | ||||
| walnuts | 1 cup | ||||
| Dijon mustard | 2 Tbsp | ||||
| garlic | 1 clove | 1 clove | 2 cloves | ||
| olive oil | 2 Tbsp | 3 Tbsp | |||
| lemon | zest | ||||
| onion | 1 | ||||
| oregano | 1/2 tsp |