Winter CSA – Week 8

We are planning to include the following items in your CSA share this week:

• Carrots, baby, loose
• Fennel Bulb with fronds
• Snow Peas
• Spring Mix
• Red Bok Choy, bunch OR Curly Kale, bunch – BDOF
• Cilantro, bunch
• Purple Daikon Radish, bunch
• Fresh Turmeric
• Sweet Spring Onions

Fennel Gin Cocktail – from Boozy Oyster

For the fennel-infused simple syrup:

• 1/2 cup fennel stems roughly chopped
• 1/8 cup fennel fronds
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the cocktail:

• 3/4 oz lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 oz gin (I used The Botanist)
• 1 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz fennel simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 1 hefty dash Peychaud’s bitters
• 1 fennel frond to garnish

Instructions

1. At least a few hours before you intend to serve the cocktail, make the simple syrup by combining all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring. As soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and place a lid on the pan. Leave to steep for 30 min.
2. Let the syrup cool and strain it through a sieve. Discard the solids.
3. Transfer it to a clean glass jar or bottle and store in the fridge for up to a month.
4. To make the cocktail: Place a coupe glass in the freezer at least 10 min before you intend to serve the cocktail.
5. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour the rest of the ingredients over it. Shake for 15-20 seconds.
6. Double strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a fennel frond and serve immediately.

White Bean, Fennel and Italian Sausage Soup – from Kudos Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Italian Sausage casing removed
• 2 fennel bulbs greens discarded, whites roughly chopped (reserve a few fronds for garnish, if desired)
• 1 medium onion rough chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cans 15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 cups water

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven, over medium/high heat, brown and crumble the Italian sausage.
2. Add the chopped fennel, onion, salt and pepper into the pot. Cook stirring occasionally for approximately 5 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Add the cannellini beans, white wine, chicken stock and water to the pot.
5. Simmer the soup over medium/low for approximately 15-20 minutes to marry the flavors.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh fennel fronds, if desired.

Easy Spiced Hummus

• 1 can of Chickpeas
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• Fresh Turmeric, one piece, about an inch long
• 1 jalapeno (remove seeds for less heat)
• Couple cloves of garlic
• Salt and Pepper

Strain and rinse the chickpeas. In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, turmeric, jalapeno and half the oil. Next, pulse in the tahini, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and gradually add chickpeas with the rest of the oil. You may need to add a little more oil for desired consistency.