DELICIOUS DELICATA

The Farm Box has exposed us to a lot of new foods and has challenged us to get outside of our comfort zone to cook what is in the box and not just the regular stuff we always cook.  Delicata is a type of squash that we've never had in our life prior to joining the csa.  This is a  sweet recipe from the blog called eggs on Sunday.  The squash gets cooked all the way through then stuffed with the beans and greens and topped with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese for a nice sweet, salty balance.


2 delicata squash, halved and seeds scooped out (you can save them and roast them for snacking!)
1 large garlic clove, minced
extra-virgin olive oil
1 15-oz can small white beans (such as navy beans), drained and rinsed
about 4 large handfuls greens – baby spinach, chopped chard, chopped collards, etc. – washed and spun dry
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese



First, cut the squash in half long ways and scoop out the seeds and guts.  Drizzle olive oil, season with salt and pepper and into a 350 degree oven for about 50-60 minutes, until soft and sizzling

Rinse and drain your beans whilst you wait for the squash

Combine the bread crumbs and freshly grated cheese in a bowl

The recipe calls for any green, spinach, chard whatever...I happen to have a crush on rainbow chard so that's what we used.  Four big handfulls, but get rid of the center stalk...see below.

Don't eat the stems, too bitter...

Wash and spin dry the Chard...

side bar:  if you want to make this

, or ever eat any of these greens,

you must get a salad spinner,

easiest and quickest way to make sure

 your greens don't get soggy

Chop your sage and garlic

Voila, squash are done and soft...put aside while you make the filling

Put about two tablespoons of oil in the pan on medium, let it get a little smoky and add the garlic.  Start to stir around and let the garlic get fragrant for about 30 seconds...

Add the chard, don't worry that it's spilling out of the pan, just stir it up a bit and within a minute it will start to wilt...

Once the greens are wilted a little, add the beans and cook through

Get filling out of the pan and into a bowl.  Top with about half of the cheese and bread crumb mixture and stir.  It's ok if the beans break up a bit...

Fill the squash halves with the...uh filling

Sprinkle with the remaining bread crumb and cheese mixture and back into the oven for about 15 minutes at 425

We are definitely meat eaters, but this is a wonderful break from the meatocracy...and full of great protein and nutrient dense greens

FISH SAMMIES

One of our favorite sandwiches at home or away is a fish sandwich.  Usually when you go out and order one at a pub or restaurant, your getting mahi mahi or cod, but at our house...it's HALIBUT..wild caught NEVER frozen...grilled and seasoned simply.  We love to use Rudy's organic whole wheat buns, cabbage, tomato and grilled red onions, topped off with fresh avocado.

we season the onion and the fish with olive oil, lemon (fish only), and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Get the grill going and up to 350

Mise en place

side bar:  not sure if this has

been a side bar before, but

mise en place is french for

everything in its place.  get everything

ready BEFORE you start cooking

that way, when the fish is ready

you just have to make your sammy,

not cut up a bunch of stuff

Start with the fish flesh side down so you can get a nice sear and finish with the skin side for easy removal of the skin...onions and the fish go on at the same time, for about the same amount of time, about 10 minutes at 350

Grill the buns for about 2 minutes before the fish comes off

One way to tell if the fish is done is to touch it..the other way, is to slide your spatula between the skin and the flesh...once it separates easy from the fish, you a pretty good to go...just go slow and make sure you don't force it through the flesh

FISH IS DONE!

Ok, Ashley is the master of the stack!  We slather a little tartar sauce from wf on the buns, then create the base with tomato, then a couple onion rings, then the fish, top with avocado and finish with some cabbage...don't forget your favorite crispy potato chips...we prefer just a nice kettle with salt and pepper...