Tag: Sweet Corn

  • CSA Summer 2023 Week 6

    Italian Basil

    Beets (COG)

    Sweet Bicolor Corn (NSOF)

    Curly Kale (NSOF)

    Moringa

    Bicolor Okra

    Sweet Habanero Peppers

    Murasaki Sweet Potatoes

    Slicer Tomatoes (NSOF)

    Beets are pretty awesome. Seriously! Sometimes they get a bad rap – we blame those soggy canned beets found in most supermarkets – but nutritionally, beets have a lot to offer. Full of vitamins and essential minerals, they are also a good source of fiber, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6.

    Also, fun fact: beet sugar may have played a small role in ending the Caribbean slave trade. When the Napoleonic wars cut France off from West Indian sugar, scientists turned to beets; this provided an alternative to sugarcane harvested by slaves. Closer to home, 19th century abolitionists championed the sugar beet as “free sugar” because it was not produced by slave labor on sugar plantations. Of course beets just played a tiny role in ending this deplorable institution, but even today, the world still derives half of its sugar from sugarbeets.

    Although beets can be eaten raw, they are generally boiled, baked, steamed, fried, grilled, or otherwise cooked. To retain the vegetable’s nutrients and color, cook the beets without peeling first. The skin easily rubs off under cold running water after cooking. We share a few of our favorite beet recipes below so you can reap the health benefits and enjoy this too-often underappreciated veggie!

    Beet, Galangal, and Red Cabbage Soup – adapted from foodnetwork.com

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 1 cup chopped red onion
    • 1 cup peeled and chopped potato
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh galangal
    • 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
    • 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced red beets
    • 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
    • Sour cream and toasted and chopped walnuts for garnish

    Instructions:

    Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the potato, galangal, thyme, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring, until the potatoes are well coated, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.

    Add the beets and cabbage and simmer until everything is tender, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Remove from the heat, discard the herbs and let cool at least 5 minutes. Carefully puree until smooth with a handheld immersion blender or in 2 to 3 batches in a blender (do not fill the blender more than halfway full).

    Reheat the soup if necessary and adjust the consistency with water and seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and toasted chopped walnuts sprinkled on top.

    Beet Hummus

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound beets (about 3 medium or 2 large)
    • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
    • Two 10-ounce containers tahini hummus
    • 1/2 cup labneh or full-fat Greek yogurt
    • Cilantro leaves, for serving, optional
    • Warm pita triangles, for serving

    Instructions:

    Preheat the oven to 425. Peel the beets and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Toss the beets together with the coriander seeds, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water in a square baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and roast until the beets are very tender when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and let cool about 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.

    Spread the sesame seeds in a small ovenproof skillet or baking sheet and put in the oven to toast until fragrant, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

    Remove the bay leaf from the beets and discard. Transfer the beets and coriander seeds to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine and crumbly. Add the prepared hummus and continue to process until smooth and light, scraping down the bowl as necessary, about 5 minutes.

    Scrape the beet hummus out into a medium serving bowl. Stir the labneh or yogurt vigorously in a small bowl with a spoon until it is creamy and loosened. Drop a dollop of the labneh or yogurt in the center and gently make an indentation in the center with the back of a spoon. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil into the indentation and let it spill over onto the beet hummus. Sprinkle with the black sesame seeds and some cilantro leaves. Serve with warm pita triangles.

    Roasted Beets ‘n Sweets – adapted from allrecipes.com

    Ingredients:

    • 6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
    • 2 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 3 medium Murasaki sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
    • 1 large sweet onion, chopped

    Instructions:

    Preheat the oven to 400.

    Toss beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat in a bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

    Mix remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Place sweet potatoes and onion in the bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat vegetables with the oil mixture.

    Bake beets in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Mix sweet potato mixture with beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes.

     

  • CSA 2023 Spring Week 9

    This week’s CSA share brings a variety of flavors and tastes, along with our Ayurvedic Tulsi basil:

    Tulsi Basil

    Cantaloupe

    Cucumbers

    Sweet Corn

    Scallions

    Jalapeno Peppers

    Farmer’s Favorite Radishes

    Malabar Spinach

    Murasaki Sweet Potatoes

    Tulsi Basil

    Tulsi basil, also called Holy basil can be used differently than the Italian basil found in your CSA share earlier this month. Sure it tastes and smells great, but Tulsi’s superpower is its healing properties. It’s used to reduce stress, support the immune system, and boost brain power. It’s often made into a tea – those of you who attended our strawberry U-picks earlier this month enjoyed it as one of the refreshments we offered. To dry your Tulsi, tie the bunch with twine and hang upside down in a cool, dark and well-ventilated area. Once dry, you can smash the leaves up and store them in a plastic container. Dried holy basil will keep for around a year, though you’ll probably brew yours sooner than that! For a more refreshing option, we share a Tulsi punch recipe below, and of course it a great addition to your salads, too!

    Jalapeño Pepper Storage

    This week’s CSA share also brings some summer heat: jalapeño peppers. These little guys are versatile – just spicy enough to add heat to your dishes, but not too spicy to be eaten raw, grilled, smoked, pickled, fried, you name it.  We’re including a pint in this week’s share. If you want to store them, here’s five ways:

    1. Can. Wash the jalapeños in cold water and let them air-dry. Cook in boiling water for about three minutes before packing them into a sanitized pint-size or quart-size glass jar. Leave a couple of inches of headspace from the top of the jar. Fill the jars with the cooking liquid, leaving that headspace. Put the lids on the jars and boil the jars in the boiling water for about thirty minutes. Store canned jalapeños in a cool, dark, dry place for up to two years unopened.
    2. Freeze. There’s two ways to freeze jalapenos: to prevent freezer burn, flash-freeze them by laying them out—whole or sliced—in a single layer on a baking sheet before sticking in the freezer. Another option is to blanch the jalapeños (submerge them in boiling water for thirty seconds, then plunge them into ice water) before freezing. Leave the jalapeño peppers in the freezer for one hour, then immediately transfer them to a resealable freezer bag. Frozen jalapeño peppers will last indefinitely in freezer bags, but the quality diminishes after about ten or eleven months.
    3. Dehydrate. You can dehydrate jalapeños in a food dehydrator or an oven set to a low heat. For either method, slice the jalapeños into coins or cut them in half lengthwise. Place on the dehydrator rack and set your food dehydrator to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to dry for about 10 hours (jalapeño coins will take less time). For the oven method, preheat the oven to the lowest possible setting—usually about 150–170 degrees Fahrenheit. Dry the jalapeños in the oven for about six to twelve hours, depending on the size of the jalapeño pieces. They will last for at least one year in airtight containers.
    4. Pickle (our fave!). Make a simple pickle brine with vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, pour over sliced jalapeños in a glass jar, then seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the pickled peppers in the refrigerator. For long-term storage, process the jars in a boiling water bath for about twenty minutes. Pickled jalapeños will last in a cool, dark, dry place for up to two years unopened.
    5. Refrigerate. Whole jalapeños will last in the refrigerator for about one week. Place ‘em in a paper bag and store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. To store sliced or diced jalapeños, use an airtight container or sealable plastic bag (with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture) instead of the paper bag.

    Recipes

    Spicy Pickles

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup water
    • ⅓ cup vinegar (apple cider, white, and rice wine are all good)
    • 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tbsp. jalapeno (chopped)
    • sliced cucumbers (about 2 cups)
    • Sliced radishes (1 cup)
    • sliced scallion (about ½ cup)

    Instructions:

    1. In a small bowl add the water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the cucumber, radish, jalapeno, and scallion. Taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking.
    2. All the cucumbers should be covered in the brine. If necessary, make more brine.
    3. Let the mixture rest in the fridge until you are ready to eat. The flavors develop over time, so an overnight soak is ideal. These pickles will keep for around two months in the fridge.

    Tulsi Punch

    Ingredients:

    • ½ cup tulsi leaves
    • 1 tbsp FSO cane syrup
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • A pinch of cardamom powder

    Instructions:

    1. Soak the Tulsi leaves in clean water for two hours
    2. Prepare the cane syrup by dissolving in 2 tbsp boiling water.
    3. Squeeze the tulsi leaves and save this liquid.
    4. Add the lemon juice and cardamom powder into the Tulsi water.
    5. Add cane syrup mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour so flavors can develop.

    Tomato-Malabar Spinach Quiche

    Ingredients:

    • 10-inch pie crust
    • 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced, gently squeezed, and drained for 10 minutes
    • 1/2 C chopped malabar spinach leaves
    • 1/2 C chopped Tulsi or Italian basil
    • 2 tbsp minced scallions
    • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 C milk or soy milk
    • 6 large eggs, beaten
    • 4 oz. shredded cheese of your choice

    Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Pat crust into pie plate. Flute edges and chill while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
    3. Mix eggs, milk and 1/2 cheese. Salt & pepper to taste.
    4. Remove crust from the refrigerator. Place tomatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the crust.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.  Layer minced scallions on top of the tomatoes and evenly distribute the minced garlic.  Top with spinach and 1/2 the basil.
    5. Pour egg mixture evenly over the vegetable layers. Layer with remaining basil and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
    6. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes until set.

  • CSA 2023 Spring Week 7

    This week’s CSA share brings:

    Italian Basil

    Sweet Corn

    Cucumbers

    Scallions

    New Red Potatoes

    Farmer’s Favorite Radishes

    Malabar Spinach

    Squash Mix

    Strawberries

    Pseudo Spinach

    How is it that with this heat, there’s spinach in this week’s CSA share? Well, technically the Malabar tucked in your box isn’t spinach.  It goes by different names: Basella alba, Indian spinach, and Ceylon spinach to name a few, and is a great alternative for folks like us who live in places where spinach-spinach retreats when it gets too hot. Malabar thrives in the heat! This tender perennial native to tropical Asia (hardy only to zone 10), is easily grown during the heat of summer.

    Cooked Malabar leaves become slimy (in a good way, like Okra!). That makes it perfect for soups and stews like the Dal recipe we share below. It’s also great raw, and, like all veggies, fresh is best! Malabar spinach will only last 2 to 5 days in the fridge. For more lifespan, cut 1/2 inch off the bottom of the stem and place in a jar with fairly deep water. It’ll start to root in less than a week. Cut off leaves as needed.

    Basil Storage

    This week’s share also brings the return of our Italian Basil. A reminder about this herb, it’s delicate and doesn’t have much tolerance for cold (we can relate!). To prevent wilting, we recommend storing on the counter. Clip the stems at a 45-degree angle, like flowers, and fill a jar about halfway full of water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag. Another option is to make a batch of basil oil. The recipe below will add a hint of basil to your dishes this week – we love the addition of garlic but it’s completely optional.

    Recipes

    Vegan Malabar Spinach Dal

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bag Malabar spinach (trim out any tough stems and chop)
    • 1 cup pink lentils
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
    • 10 cloves garlic (smashed but not chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
    • ½ cup peanuts (optional, but nice, and they add great texture)
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the oil in a large pot, add mustard seeds. When they sputter, add garlic. Sauté until lightly golden. Be careful not to burn.
    2. Add the red pepper flakes, turmeric, and tomatoes and sauté on medium until tomatoes begin to break down, around 2-4 minutes.
    3. Add the chopped spinach and sauté until it wilts down, about two minutes.
    4. Add the peanuts and the lentils, mix well. Add three cups of water (or enough to drown the lentils). Add salt and mix well. Bring to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer 30 minutes or until soft. Add more water if necessary.
    5. When the dal is cooked, use a whisk to beat the dal five or six times. Now squeeze in the lemon, add salt if needed.
    6. Serve over rice or with rotis – enjoy!

    Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Salad) – adapted from simplyrecipes.com

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
    • 1 cup plain yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill, or a couple teaspoons of fresh dill
    • Sprinkling salt and pepper
    • 1 lemon, juiced

    Instructions:

    1. Taste the cucumbers: If it’s bitter, soak slices in salted water for half an hour, or longer, until the bitterness is reduced, then rinse and drain before using.
    2. Gently mix together the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

    Basil-infused Oil

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
    • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

    Instructions:

    1. Place the basil, water, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a mini-food processor and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil and blend until you have smooth sauce.
    2. Use immediately or refrigerate. Flavors are even more intense the next day. Refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.

     

  • CSA 2023 Spring Week 6

    We hope you enjoy all the textures and flavors in this week’s CSA share! Here’s what’s cookin’:

    Green Beans

    Baby Cabbage

    Sweet Corn

    Romaine Lettuce

    Sweet Onions

    Peaches

    Bonita Sweet Potatoes

    Fresh Turmeric

    Cherry Tomatoes (LPF)

    Peach Storage Tips

    Our luscious peaches make an appearance in this week’s CSA share. We handpick our peaches at the peak of maturity, which means they’ll continue to ripen in your kitchen.  Nothing beats a perfectly ripe peach, but if you can’t eat them right away, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

    Peaches are loners. If they can’t be on a tree, they prefer to be alone. So, to avoid bruising, place then stem-side down, preferably in a single layer. If you don’t have space to indulge their solitary nature, go ahead and put them in bags or bowls together, just try to avoid stacking too many on top of any others.

    It is possible to stash them in the refrigerator for a few days. The cool temperature slows down ripening but take heed: this method will dehydrate the fruit. If that happens, and the texture becomes funky, all is not lost – time to make peach butter! Fruit butters are somewhat related to jams, but they don’t require pectin. Check out our simple recipe below.

    If any of your peaches are firm, give them a few more days to ripen. Store them unwashed on the counter, preferable not touching (remember, they’re loners), at room temperature. For a rush job, grab a paper bag (and a banana if you’re in a real rush) and tuck those peaches inside. In one to three days, you’ll be sinking your teeth into perfection!

    Mock shoes are delicious…what?

    The sweet corn in this week’s CSA share is the heart of the Maque Choux recipe shared below. The unusual name rhymes a bit with achooo (bless you!) and is pronounced, “mock shoe.”  There’s some debate about whether this is a Cajun French or Native American dish, but what everybody agrees on is that it’s delicious and hearty. What we love – beyond the flavor – is that it utilizes the best part of using fresh corn on the cob in your cooking: the “milk” you can extract from the cobs. This milk is starchy, sweet, and will add extra flavor and thickness to soups. The technique is simple: first shuck and remove all the kernels from the cobs. Then, using the back of a knife, scrape along the cobs to extract the liquid. Ca c’est bon!

    Recipes

    Vegan Cabbage Steaks

    Ingredients:

    • baby cabbage
    • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
    • ½ tsp. salt or to taste
    • ½ tsp grated fresh turmeric
    • 2 tsp. paprika
    • 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

    Instructions:

    1. Cut the cabbage head in half, then in half again. You should have four flat discs of cabbage. Place the cabbage steaks on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper, allowing some space between each one to even cooking.
    2. Brush the cabbage with the olive oil, coating thoroughly. Generously sprinkle on the turmeric, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Flip the cabbage over and repeat, brushing with oil and sprinkling the seasonings. Top with halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
    3. Bake the cabbage steaks at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned and the center is tender. Serve hot out of the oven.

    These steaks are great on their own, or serve them alongside your favorite pasta and sauce.

    Cajun Maque Choux adapted from Southerncooking.com

    Ingredients:

    • 6 ears of corn, one layer of husks peeled back, silks trimmed
    • 4 Tbsp. butter
    • 2 celery stalks, diced
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 small poblano or jalapeño pepper, diced
    • 1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
    • 8 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
    • 1 tsp. dried thyme
    • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
    • Salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions:

    1. Smoke corn in husks on a grill over direct medium heat for around 20 minutes, turning a few times. Let cool, then cut off the cob. Take a second pass with the blunt edge of the knife, pressing to get some of the corn milk to release.
    2. Cook bacon and drain half of grease, reserve for gravies or other applications.
    3. Melt butter in skillet with bacon grease. Add onion, celery, and peppers. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, corn milk, and seasonings. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
    4. Add cream to corn mixture, and simmer for 10 minutes, folding mixture to be sure liquid bathes the veggies. Once liquid has reduced slightly, take off heat.

    Peach Butter adapted from theprariehomestead.com

    Ingredients:

    Fresh, ripe peaches (roughly one pound of peaches per pint… roughly…)

    Sweetener, to taste (we recommend unrefined cane sugar or FSO cane syrup).

    Instructions:

    1. Start by removing the pits from your peaches and cutting them into quarters.
    2. Toss them in your food processor or high-speed blender, and process until they are smooth. (Be careful not to liquefy them– we are wanting a smooth puree, not peach juice)
    3. Next cook the puree so it reaches the perfect consistency. You have two options: a slow cooker or a regular ol’ pot on the stove.

    Slow Cooker Version: This method takes longer (anywhere from several hours to all day), but requires less babysitting. Simply pour your peach puree into your slow cook, and set it on low. You’ll want to crack the lid open to allow the steam to escape. Otherwise, your peach butter won’t reduce and thicken.

    Stove top Version: This method takes less time, but you need to be there to make sure you don’t get peach butter spewed all over your kitchen. Pour the peach puree in a large stock pot and set it on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning (and splashing) and continue to cook until it reaches the desired consistency (30-40 minutes)

    1. Perform a quick taste test to see if you need to add sweetener, then enjoy or freeze it for later.

  • CSA 2023 Spring Week 4

    Here’s a peek inside your week 4 box – packed with flavor, nutrition, and love!

    • Yellow and Green Beans
    • Rainbow Chard
    • Sweet Corn
    • Fennel
    • Romaine Lettuce
    • Sweet Red Onions
    • Peaches
    • Daikon Radishes
    • Murasaki Sweet Potatoes

    Phytonutrients: a picture of health

    Long sunny days help give this week’s CSA box its vibrant yellows, greens, reds, and purples. It paints a perfect picture of health: all those colors mean we get the full range of nutrients we need to thrive. What’s even better is that we harvest your fruits and veggies at the peak of ripeness when our crops are the densest with nutrients. But how does it translate to health? Here’s a snapshot of the benefits we reap by “eating the rainbow”:

    Blue/purple: veggies like the red onions in your CSA share are a boost for the urinary tract, memory function, and healthy aging.

    Yellow/orange: the peaches, corn, and yellow beans tucked inside your box are also loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A and potassium. This supports our immune system and can help with vision.

    Red: these fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium and antioxidants. The reds can reduce cancer and stroke risk, plus help our brain, skin, heart, and prostrate do their jobs.

    White: Ok, so technically white isn’t a color, but out bodies need those onions, potatoes, and other white fruits and veggies, too! They help control cholesterol and blood pressure levels, among other benefits.

    Green: Dark green, leafy vegetables like this week’s rainbow chard win the prize for antioxidants and fiber content. They’re also chock full of potassium and vitamin K that nurture our bones, teeth, and heart. What’s not to love?

    Recipes

    French Onion Tart – adapted from newyorktimes.com

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • Pinch of kosher salt
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into thumbnail cubes
    • ½ cup ice-cold water
    • 1 pound sweet onions
    • 2 tablespoons FSO lard
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • Freshly grated nutmeg

    Instructions:

    1. Use a pastry knife to blend flour, salt, and butter to a coarse meal consistency.
    2. Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour ice-cold water into the well.
    3. Using a flexible dough scraper, bring the dough together by folding and pressing. Be firm and brisk to form into a neat disk, trying to avoid using your hands or too much kneading. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
    4. Halve the onions, peel, and create julienne slices rather than half moons.
    5. In a wide sauté pan over medium-low heat, melt the lard and slowly sweat the onions until caramelized, usually approx. 25 minutes. Let them soften to translucent and allow the sugars they contain to start to brown in the pan. The result should be soft, sweet and evenly browned onions. Set onions aside to cool.
    6. Roll dough out to a ¼-inch-thick round, and drape over a round 10-inch fluted false-bottom tart pan. Lay dough into the pan, gently pressing into the bottom, and roll the pin across the pan to cut off the excess dough. Use your fingers to press the edges into the flutes, accentuating the shape of the dough edge. Dock the bottom of the dough with the tines of a fork, weight the pastry with beans or weight and blind-bake for 25 minutes.
    7. In a bowl, beat the egg with the cream. Stir in the caramelized onions. Season with pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste. Stir well, and make sure the onions are all evenly coated with the custard.
    8. Remove tart shell from oven, and slip it onto a baking sheet. Remove weights, fill with the onion-custard mixture and distribute it evenly. Return tart to oven on the sheet, and bake for 25 minutes, or until custard has set, the tops of the onions start to achieve a deeper brown and the dough is dark golden brown at the edges.
    9. Remove from the ring, and allow to cool just a few minutes on the rack, so that the piping hot tart shell can kind of tighten up enough to be sliced with a sharp chef’s knife. (In the first few minutes straight out of the oven, the dough is kind of soft from the heat, possibly giving you the false impression that you have a soggy tart. Let it sit on the rack just to shake off this initial soft stage and to recrisp and refirm, which it will.) Cut into wedges, and serve while hot.

    Fennel Al Forno 

    Ingredients:

    • 4 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, a few fronds reserved for garnish
    • Salt and pepper
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking pan
    • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 3 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary, plus 2 teaspoons whole leaves
    • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
    • 1/4 cup coarse dry bread crumbs, homemade from an Italian or French loaf
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
    • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, or a mixture of parsley and fennel fronds

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove a thin layer of the fennel bulbs’ tough exterior. Cut the fennel crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
    2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fennel and boil for 1 minute, then drain and put it in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking; drain and pat dry. Season the fennel with salt and pepper.
    3. Lightly oil a large baking dish. Layer in the fennel to a depth of 1.5 inches.
    4. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, fennel seeds, garlic, chopped rosemary, and crushed red pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of this mixture over the fennel. Sprinkle with the rosemary leaves. Cover with the mozzarella, then sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Drizzle the remaining oil mixture over the top, then sprinkle with the Parmesan.
    5. Bake the fennel, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

    Pickled Red Onions

    Ingredients:

    • 2 small red onions
    • 2 cups white vinegar
    • 2 cups water
    • 1/3 cup cane sugar (or FSO cane syrup)
    • 2 tablespoons sea salt
    • 2 crushed garlic cloves
    • 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns

    Instructions:

    1. Thinly slice the onions (it’s helpful to use a mandoline), and divide the onions between 2 (16-ounce) jars or 3 (10-ounce) jars. Place the garlic and peppercorns in each jar.
    2. Heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve, about 1 minute. Let cool and pour over the onions. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then store the onions in the fridge.
    3. Your pickled onions will be ready to eat once they’re bright pink and tender – about 1 hour for very thinly sliced onions, or overnight for thicker sliced onions. They will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.