Red Pepper, Radish & Zucchini Red Curry

When I saw this bunch of vegetables in my refrigerator I thought it was definitely time for some vegetables with red curry.

I was convinced that I couldn't make curry at home. Then, one day I was over at my friend Janie's house and she had this beautiful coconut curry cooking on the stove.

It is really simple. Just saute some onions, garlic, and ginger. Then, add whatever veggies you have. I used zucchini, summer squash, red pepper, and watermelon radish. I wasn't sure what would happen to the radishes when I incorporated them into this dish; but, they turned out sweet and tender. I always think of radishes as a vegetable that should be eaten raw; but, they tasted so good in this dish that I want to try them in some other recipes like stir fries.

I got a little fancy this time and made the sauce in a separate dish and then incorporated it with the veggies. I did this because I wanted to make sure that the red curry paste was mixed throughly with the coconut milk. You don't really have to do this. If you don't want to get more than one pot dirty then just add the red curry paste, coconut milk, and a dash of fish sauce to the pot with the veggies. I added a little brown sugar at the end to balance out the spiciness of the curry paste.

Garnish with some fresh cilantro and serve over basmati rice. Delicious! This is a great way to get a variety of vegetables into your body in one meal. It sounds impossible but this truly is healthy comfort food.

Red Pepper, Radish & Zucchini Red Curry

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp of fresh ginger, minced

2 zucchinis, chopped

4 small summer squashes, chopped

3 watermelon radishes, peeled and chopped

4 small red peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon of red curry paste

kosher salt

1 15 ounce can of light unsweetened coconut milk

1 splash of fish sauce

1 -2 teaspoons of brown sugar

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and ginger cook until fragrant -- about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

2. Meanwhile, add red curry paste, coconut milk and fish sauce to a sauce pan. Heat over medium heat and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

3. Add the rest of the veggies to the pot with the onion, garlic and ginger. Add salt to taste. Cook until vegetables are softened. Add sauce and simmer for at least 20 minutes. This can simmer over low heat for up to an hour. Add brown sugar to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve over basmati rice.

Pasta with Zucchini

It is zucchini time and I know that my fellow CSAers are looking for something to do with all this zucchini. I have been searching for a good pasta with zucchini recipe forever. This weekend I was at a party and ran into my friend Eva. Eva introduced me to the world of CSAs by bringing me my first box of veggies and giving me Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I asked her if she knew of a good zucchini recipe and she said that Deborah Madison's Spaghetti with Zucchini and Basil recipe was one of her favorites.

She explained to me that you chop the zucchini, cook it for 20 minutes in a good amount of olive oil (1/3 - 1/2 cup) and chopped garlic (2 cloves), add milk, and then mix it with pasta, grated cheese, and fresh basil.

I went home, grabbed my Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, and surveyed the contents of my kitchen.

I did not have basil; so, I left that out. I had a bag of Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio shredded cheeses. This mix includes Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina, and Mild Provolone cheeses. The recipe called for Parmesan and Romano; so, I thought the cheese mix I had would work well. I didn't have spaghetti; so, I used ziti.

This dish was really good and a great way to use a lot of zucchini. It does take a bit longer than other zucchini pasta recipes because you need to cook the zucchini in olive oil for 20 minutes and then in milk for 10 minutes. However, it is well worth taking the extra time to make this dish. I highly recommend it. And, I highly recommend playing with the recipe as I did based on what you have in your kitchen. If you have other fresh herbs or cheeses you can experiment. You can also try different types of pasta. I really liked ziti in this dish and I think other short pastas would be nice.

Spaghetti with Zucchini and Basil

from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small or medium zucchini

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

salt and freshly milled pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half or milk

1 pound of spaghetti

1/2 cup mixed freshly grated Parmesan and Romano

Handful basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1. Chop the zucchini into 1/2 inch chunks. Warm the olive oil and garlic in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently over medium heat, stirring every so often, until the squash is soft and browned in places, about 20 minutes.

2. Cook pasta according to instructions on the package. Drain and set aside.

3. Add the half-and-half or milk (I used milk) and cook for about 10 minutes more, stirring more frequently.

4. Toss the pasta with the zucchini, cheeses, and basil. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Zucchini & Corn Tacos

As I was perusing my CSA box, I noticed that I had some zucchini this week and I realized that I have not made my favorite taco recipe in awhile. This taco recipe is a good base for any seasonal vegetable you feel like eating. You can top the sauteed veggies with any cheese (I have used cheddar, monterrey jack, colby jack, and goat cheese) and then just add garnishes -- cilantro, avocado and salsa are some of my favorites.

I learned this method from my son, Simon, who learned it at school from his friend's mom (and my good friend), Juanita. Juanita made these for our kids as their pre-school for snack. When I picked Simon up from school he demanded to make them at home. He rattled off all the ingredients and when we got home he showed me how to make them. Juanita's recipe is for quesadillas. As Simon remembered it -- she put the corn tortillas on a baking sheet, spread a bit of melted butter on them, sprinkled cheese on them and then let the children add other toppings. Simon had olives on his quesadilla. Then, Juanita put them in the oven to melt the cheese. I told Juanita that this has become a family favorite and she told me that this is the way the taquerias in San Jose (California) make their quesadillas.

I have modified the recipe by adding more veggies and toppings and so what I make resembles a taco. You can call this a taco or you can call this a quesadilla. Either way, this is just plain good and a quick, delicious way to use a variety of seasonal veggies and locally produced cheeses. If you check out CSA girl later in the fall you will probably see this recipe using squash or sweet potatoes, greens and goat cheese.

Zucchini & Corn Tacos

Ingredients

1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large zucchini, chopped

1 ear of corn, kernels removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 limes

kosher salt

8-10 small corn tortillas

1 tablespoon of butter, melted

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheese you like)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

salsa (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add zucchini and corn cook until softened. Squeeze the juice of lemon over the veggies and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet. Brush each tortilla with melted butter. Sprinkle veggie mixture and cheese on top. Bake in oven for 3 minutes until tortilla is warm and cheese is melted.

4. Top each taco with cilantro, avocado and salsa (if using). Serve with lime slices.

Disappearing Zucchini Orzo

When I saw the zucchini in my CSA box I knew that I had to make this dish. I got this recipe from the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver. In this book, the Kingsolver/Hopp family spent a year eating only food grown in their backyard or from neighboring farms. This is the book that started my journey to becoming CSA girl. It's really funny, interesting, and full of good recipes.

This is a great recipe for someone who has a large crop of zucchini; because, you can just keep shredding zucchini and adding it to the orzo. I also like this recipe because it is a good way to use up whatever shredded cheese or fresh herbs that you have in your refrigerator. And, of course, I like this recipe because it tastes good. So, try this out. You can use different herbs and different cheeses. I added a few handfuls or mozzarella and gruyere because I had them in my fridge.

This is the healthy side of comfort food. I think of it as the locavore mac and cheese (especially if you add all the cheese I put in mine).

Disappearing Zucchini Orzo

Adapted from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

Ingredients

1 pound of orzo

1 chopped onion

2 chopped cloves of garlic

olive oil for saute

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon chopped oregano

1/4 cup grated parmesan or any hard yellow cheese

1 1/2 cups mozzarella or any other gooey cheese like fontina, gruyere, goat cheese

1. Bring 6 cups of water or chicken stock to a boil and add pasta. Cook pasta according to package -- about 8-12 minutes.

2. Use a cheese grater or mandoline to shred the zucchini. Add olive oil to a pan and heat over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and salt to taste. Cook until softened. Add the zucchini and cook until zucchini, onions and garlic are golden.

3. Add spices to zucchini mixture, stir thoroughly, and then remove mixture from heat. Combine cheese with cooked orzo, add zucchini mixture, and salt to taste. Can be served cool or room temperature.