THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: winter squash, leeks, Hamburg parsley, Bok choy mix, and carrots

A huge thank you to everyone who donated food boxes to families in need back in December.  It was such a success (and the need still exists) that our friend, fellow farmer, and doctor at the Virginia Garcia Clinic in Cornelius, Lyn Jacobs, has decided to continue the program.  There will be a sign-up sheet to limit the number of boxes each week.  We will include a link to that google doc next week. 

The recipe below is a great one for using up any/all the veggies that might be hanging out in your fridge.  I consider the ingredients list as a suggestion, and use whatever I have on hand.  I would be great with just about anything in this week’s basket as well as any potatoes and/or celeriac you might still have.

WYNELLE’S POT PIE

CRUST

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup butter

3 Tbs. ice water

1/2 tsp. salt

FILLING

1 large onion, chopped

3 Tbs. veg. Oil

2 carrots, diced

1 potato diced

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. Marjoram

1 parsnip, diced                   

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup peas or beans

1/2 cup corn

salt and pepper

2/3 cup breadcrumbs

ROUX

2 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. unbleached flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

2 cups grated cheddar

To make the crust, sift flour into mixing bowl, cut in butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Sprinkle ice water over flour a little at a time, turning the dough until a ball forms.  Add a little more water if dough fails to come together.  Roll out and place the dough in a 10-inch pie pan.  To make the filling, sauté onions in oil until soft.  Add carrots, potatoes, parsnip, paprika, basil and marjoram.  Cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in mushrooms, peas and corn.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to cook about 5 or 10 minutes.  To make the roux, melt the butter.  Add the flour and stir constantly on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.  Whisk in the milk, mustard and nutmeg.  Continue to stir on low heat until mixture is thickened but do not let it boil.  Remove from heat and whisk in grated cheese.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  To assemble the pie, spoon the drained vegetable into the pie crust, pour the roux over the vegetable filling.  Sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and, if you like, a few pinches of grated cheddar.  Bake for 40 minutes.    Adapted from Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant

Parsley Root, sometimes called Hamburg Parsley, was widely use in medieval times but is now a mostly “forgotten food”. It’s often cooked with other roots (try it in mashed potatoes!) and is crucial for flavoring some traditional chicken soup recipes and authentic borscht. You can add it anywhere you’re cooking up carrots, celery and onions for a vegetable soup or braise. The leaves are just parsley leaves.

HOT AND SOUR CHICKEN STEW

1 pound chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 to 4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, as desired
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Oriental sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
2 cups sliced bok choy or Napa cabbage
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops

Sprinkle chicken with soy sauce and set aside. Discard stems from mushrooms. Slice caps in half and set aside.

Heat peanut oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add broth, vinegar, sesame oil and reserved mushroom caps and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with cold water and stir into stew. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened. Stir in bok choy and green onions; heat through.  Makes 4 servings.  Reprinted from Twenty Minute Chicken Dishes Copyright 1991 by Karen A. Levin