Recipes for Success

Submitted by Anonymous on Monday, June 1, 2015

This spring has been a very exciting time for all of us at Brainfood with the launch of Brainfood Homegrown: our new food venture that offers high-quality produce, healthy snacks, and meal inspiration while providing a launching pad for Brainfood graduates who want to build professional skills and connect with the city’s growing food community. At the new Brainfood Homegrown stand in Union Market, you can purchase Community Support Agriculture (CSA) shares, a la carte produce, and some prepared snack foods by Francisco, talented chef and Brainfood graduate.

If you haven’t already dropped by to check us out, we encourage you to visit our stand on Saturdays or Sundays from 11 am to 6 pm!

Signing up for a CSA is a great way to connect with local farmers, get a weekly box of beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables, and get inspired about seasonal cooking.

In the past when I have signed up for CSA shares, I never regretted it for a moment. However, I do remember feeling a little overwhelmed by the question of how I would use the produce in the coming week. With that feeling in mind, I have gathered some awesome recipes based on the produce found in the Brainfood Homegrown CSA so you can imagine the possibilities. The CSA box from this past week contained: asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, rhubarb, radishes (French breakfast or icicle), spinach, arugula, dino kale, bibb lettuce, strawberries, and herbs. How can you not get excited?

Below are three recipes inspired by last week’s box. You can serve these dishes together, alone, or with something else! These are just ideas to get your imagination flowing. To start, we have a refreshing cucumber and radish salad. Then we have creamy chicken and strawberry salad on lettuce wraps. Lastly, there is a savory halibut and mushroom parchment parcels with asparagus and rhubarb vinaigrette. 

I hope you enjoy the recipes and feel inspired for the rest of your summer produce!

Salad of Cucumber and Radishes
Recipe from Southern Cooking, by Scott Peacock and Edna Lewis

 Dressing:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper
1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil
 
Salad:
3 large red meat radishes and 4 Easter Egg radishes (or just six radishes)
4 large kirby cucumbers
2 bunches arugula
2 bunches spinach
salt & pepper, to taste
 
To make the dressing:

  1. In a medium bowl add the sugar, salt, pepper, mustard and cider vinegar together and stirring until dissolved.
  2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
 
To make the salad:
  1. Using a sharp knife, slice the radishes as thinly as possible into rounds.
  2. Trim the ends of the cucumbers and slice them lengthwise into ribbons.
  3. Soak the radish slices and cucumbers in ice water for ten minutes to crisp them.
  4. Remove the radishes and cucumbers from the ice water and blot dry with paper towels.  
  5. In a large bowl, toss radishes, cucumbers, arugula, spinach, and dressing. 
  6. Season lightly with salt & pepper and serve immediately.
 
Chicken and Strawberry Salad
Salad recipe adapted from Southern Living
Makes 6 servings
Mayonnaise recipe adapted from Paula Deen
Makes 1 ½ cups
   Salad:                                                                   Mayonnaise:                                                 
  1 ½ pounds chicken breast (2 -3 chicken breasts)    ½ teaspoon ground mustard 
  ½ cup poppy seed dressing                                      Dash salt and pepper 
  ¼ cup mayonnaise                                                  Squirt of lemon juice 
  2 celery ribs, small dice                                           1 to 1 ½ cups oil
  1 pint fresh strawberries, small dice                         2 egg yolks
  1 avocado, diced
  ½ small red onion, small dice
  ½ cup silvered almonds, toasted
  ½ package of crackers
  Head of bibb lettuce
 

Make the mayonnaise:
*Note: this makes more dressing than you need for this salad!*

  1. Put egg yolks, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in a large bowl.
  2. In a very slow steady stream, whisk in the oil until you have the desired consistency. It is very important to add the oil extremely slowly and whisk it as you go so that it thickens.
  3. Whisk together poppy seed dressing and ¼ cup of mayonnaise in a large bowl; cover and chill 30 minutes.

 
Poach the Chicken:

  1. Place chicken breasts in a large sauce pan. Add cold water so it completely covers the chicken by at least an inch.
  2. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce heat to a bare simmer so that only an occasional bubble breaks the surface. At this point, partly cover the pot, cook for about 10 minutes.
  3. Then turn off the heat, leaving the chicken to finish cooking in the hot water for 10-15 more minutes.
  4. Remove chicken from the pan. Slice or shred your poached chicken on a cutting board.

 
Assemble the salad:

  1. Remove the dressing mixture from the refrigerator.
  2. Add chicken, celery, strawberries, avocado, red onion, slivered almonds to dressing mixture, gently tossing to coat. 
  3. Serve on bibb lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.

 
Halibut and Mushroom Parchment parcels and Spring Asparagus with Rhubarb Vinaigrette
Recipe adapted from Michael Olson

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/halibut-and-mushroom-parchment-parcels-and-spring-asparagus-with-rhubarb-vinaigrette/11001/
Serves 4

Halibut and Mushroom Parchment:             Spring Asparagus with Rhubarb Vinaigrette:              
4, 5 oz halibut filets                                          2 lbs asparagus
2 shallots, sliced                                               1 cup diced fresh rhubarb
¾ lb shiitake mushrooms                                 ¼ cup of sugar
12 sprigs of fresh herbs                                    ¼ cup of lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced                                                 2 tablespoons of honey
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil                       1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper, to taste                                     1/3 cup canola oil
                                                                       2 tablespoons of chives
                                                                       Salt & pepper, to taste
                                                                       Water, as needed

 

Prepare Halibut and mushroom parchment:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190 °C).
  2. Rinse halibut portions and pat dry. Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms and slice. Cut 4 sheets or parchment paper, 12-x-16 inches (30-x-40 cm).
  3. To assemble, fold parchment paper in half to create a fold, then open. Sprinkle a few shallots on each sheet of parchment (just on one side of the fold).
  4. Place a halibut portion on shallots and top with mushrooms. Lay fresh herbs and a couple of slices of lemons on each halibut portion.
  5. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and a few drops of sesame oil. Season each lightly.
  6. Place parcels on a baking tray and bake until parcels puff up, about 18 minutes.
  7. To serve, transfer entire parcels to plate and bring to the table. Each guest should tear open the parcel to expose the fragrance, and remove fresh herbs before eating.

 
Spring Asparagus with Rhubarb Vinaigrette:

  1. Bring a pot of water up to a boil and salt generously. Trim asparagus and add to water (if asparagus is thick, peel outside using a vegetable peeler).
  2. Blanch, uncovered, until tender (check by tasting – time will vary depending on thickness of asparagus).
  3. Once tender drain and shock in a bowl with ice and water to halt cooking. Strain and chill until ready to serve.
  4. For vinaigrette, simmer rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and honey until rhubarb is tender, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then whisk in mustard.
  5. Slowly drizzle in oil, whisking until incorporated. Whisk in water until desired consistency is achieved.
  6. Season to taste and stir in chives.
  7. To serve, arrange asparagus on a platter and spoon vinaigrette over top.

       

 

 

 

 
 

 

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