Please help me use up some of my CSA produce! (Beets, fennel, zucchini)
July 18, 2014 9:54 PM Subscribe
My fridge is starting to bulge open with the sheer amount of produce I'm accumulating from my weekly farm box. Please help me come up with ideas to use some of it! Seeking ideas specifically for 1) beets 2) zucchini/summer squash and 3) fennel (possibly looking for help modifying a potato gratin recipe). More inside!
1) Beets. I've got 6 Red Ace beets, each a little smaller than my fist. (I already ate the greens.) I'm really not a huge fan of beets on their own, and am open to just about any idea. Something that uses a lot of beet would be ideal, or that would last for a while (besides pickling, which I know about and am not real crazy about).
2) Zucchini. I've got two green zucchini and three summer squash that look like the ones on the right in this photo, not sure what kind they are. Are summer squash/zucchini pretty interchangeable from recipe to recipe? I'm mostly familiar with zucchini through having chunks of it in stir-fries, and don't really like it that way. I'm thinking about making these zucchini fritters, and possibly these zucchini bread pancakes, but I'm open to more suggestions! Even if it's just doing something to preserve it for later. (Can I shred it and freeze it?)
3) Fennel. Two large bulbs with some stalks/fronds attached. I saw a lot of recipes for potato/fennel gratins, which intrigues me, but most of them required a lot of cream, which doesn't. I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, which calls for one cup of milk, and that sounds more manageable. If I swapped out some of the potato for sliced fennel, do you think I need to cook the fennel first? Also, any other great fennel ideas where fennel is a part of the dish but not the bulk of it?
Other info: I don't eat beef, and I have a hard time with spicy foods. I'm a decent cook, have lots of time this weekend, and have access to all your standard grocery stores. Thanks!
1) Beets. I've got 6 Red Ace beets, each a little smaller than my fist. (I already ate the greens.) I'm really not a huge fan of beets on their own, and am open to just about any idea. Something that uses a lot of beet would be ideal, or that would last for a while (besides pickling, which I know about and am not real crazy about).
2) Zucchini. I've got two green zucchini and three summer squash that look like the ones on the right in this photo, not sure what kind they are. Are summer squash/zucchini pretty interchangeable from recipe to recipe? I'm mostly familiar with zucchini through having chunks of it in stir-fries, and don't really like it that way. I'm thinking about making these zucchini fritters, and possibly these zucchini bread pancakes, but I'm open to more suggestions! Even if it's just doing something to preserve it for later. (Can I shred it and freeze it?)
3) Fennel. Two large bulbs with some stalks/fronds attached. I saw a lot of recipes for potato/fennel gratins, which intrigues me, but most of them required a lot of cream, which doesn't. I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen, which calls for one cup of milk, and that sounds more manageable. If I swapped out some of the potato for sliced fennel, do you think I need to cook the fennel first? Also, any other great fennel ideas where fennel is a part of the dish but not the bulk of it?
Other info: I don't eat beef, and I have a hard time with spicy foods. I'm a decent cook, have lots of time this weekend, and have access to all your standard grocery stores. Thanks!
Oh hey, this Chocolate Zucchini Bread is delicious. But like, it tastes more like chocolate than zucchini (which might defeat the purpose for you).
Also, it looks like you can shred and freeze it for later.
For the fennel, I have shaved some and put it on homemade pizza, with some onions. Cook it long enough for both to get nice n' caramelized. Mmm.
posted by too bad you're not me at 10:08 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also, it looks like you can shred and freeze it for later.
For the fennel, I have shaved some and put it on homemade pizza, with some onions. Cook it long enough for both to get nice n' caramelized. Mmm.
posted by too bad you're not me at 10:08 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
Zucchini: you could make a low carb lasagna with it. Just make sure you put plenty of protein & cheese or else everyone will be hungry and grouchy an hour later. Or you could add to an Alfredo or any other white sauce.
Zucchini and summer squash are often sold frozen, so I imagine you could do that.
Look up stuffed zucchini, yummy.
If you have other root vegetables, roast them with beets. You can add beets to bean pot while it's still cooking.
Can't help with fennel, sorry.
posted by Neekee at 10:08 PM on July 18, 2014
Zucchini and summer squash are often sold frozen, so I imagine you could do that.
Look up stuffed zucchini, yummy.
If you have other root vegetables, roast them with beets. You can add beets to bean pot while it's still cooking.
Can't help with fennel, sorry.
posted by Neekee at 10:08 PM on July 18, 2014
Beets. I feel like a lot of people who don't like beets have never had properly cooked beets. My dad grew a shit-ton of beets when I was growing up, and they are right up there at the top of my list with sweet corn and homegrown tomatoes.
Please try this once. You may not like it, and that's totally okay, but please try it.
Boil those beets like you would potatoes -- until they're fork tender. Peel those beets. Cut them into cubes or wedges. Toss those beets in some butter, salt, and pepper. Lemon juice is optional, but as an adult I've come to crave it.
Eaten that way, simple and delicious, you may learn that you do actually like beets.
Please try this once!
posted by mudpuppie at 10:10 PM on July 18, 2014 [5 favorites]
Please try this once. You may not like it, and that's totally okay, but please try it.
Boil those beets like you would potatoes -- until they're fork tender. Peel those beets. Cut them into cubes or wedges. Toss those beets in some butter, salt, and pepper. Lemon juice is optional, but as an adult I've come to crave it.
Eaten that way, simple and delicious, you may learn that you do actually like beets.
Please try this once!
posted by mudpuppie at 10:10 PM on July 18, 2014 [5 favorites]
Fennel and orange salad is my standard no-cook fennel recipe as I prefer it raw. There are many variations listed online, but mine is just cut up oranges (not really sliced or segmented), sliced fennel, olive oil and salt. You can add the usual vinegar suspects, capers, chervil, rocket, onion etc.
I also like to slice zucchini lengthways, roast it and then keep a marinated container in the fridge for throwing in things.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 10:16 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
I also like to slice zucchini lengthways, roast it and then keep a marinated container in the fridge for throwing in things.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 10:16 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
I just made this fennel and white bean dip and it was tasty. Fennel is also fantastic grilled, maybe with some onions.
Here are my zucchini ideas:
- barbecue it
- I use my spiralizer and then add vinaigrette and herbs. You could just use a peeler or grater.
- grated, sauteed with garlic and chili flakes, add parmesan and toss with pasta.
- chop up and eat raw in sticks
Most of my beets end up in smoothies, which is way more beautiful than adding greens. Roast or steam them all at once then just have as a ready side dish. Beets can also be used in baking; I've been making beet poppy seed muffins lately.
posted by carolr at 10:19 PM on July 18, 2014
Here are my zucchini ideas:
- barbecue it
- I use my spiralizer and then add vinaigrette and herbs. You could just use a peeler or grater.
- grated, sauteed with garlic and chili flakes, add parmesan and toss with pasta.
- chop up and eat raw in sticks
Most of my beets end up in smoothies, which is way more beautiful than adding greens. Roast or steam them all at once then just have as a ready side dish. Beets can also be used in baking; I've been making beet poppy seed muffins lately.
posted by carolr at 10:19 PM on July 18, 2014
The first year with our CSA, we got ridiculous amounts of zucchini. After we discovered this recipe, we look forward to it.
Shred the zucchini and summer squash, place in a colander in the sink and mix in a teaspoon or two of salt. The salt will draw the water out; let it drain for about half an hour. Rinse off the salt and squeeze out the rest of the water. Place on paper towels to dry (I usually skip this). Saute with a little olive oil in your widest pan until golden.
Mash a garlic clove in a pestle with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or mince it as fine as you can. Mix it into 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 teaspoons chopped dill. I add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper but you don't like spicy food, so maybe just a little black pepper.
Make crepes, stuff with sauteed zucchini, and top with the yogurt sauce. You can also stuff crepes with just about anything: mushrooms, green beans, fennel...
posted by hydrophonic at 10:20 PM on July 18, 2014 [3 favorites]
Shred the zucchini and summer squash, place in a colander in the sink and mix in a teaspoon or two of salt. The salt will draw the water out; let it drain for about half an hour. Rinse off the salt and squeeze out the rest of the water. Place on paper towels to dry (I usually skip this). Saute with a little olive oil in your widest pan until golden.
Mash a garlic clove in a pestle with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or mince it as fine as you can. Mix it into 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup sour cream, and 2 teaspoons chopped dill. I add 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper but you don't like spicy food, so maybe just a little black pepper.
Make crepes, stuff with sauteed zucchini, and top with the yogurt sauce. You can also stuff crepes with just about anything: mushrooms, green beans, fennel...
posted by hydrophonic at 10:20 PM on July 18, 2014 [3 favorites]
Oh yeah, stuffed zucchini. Yum. Slice in half lengthways, steam until almost-but-not-quite tender, scoop out the guts, mix the guts with whatever you want (our usual is chopped cooked bacon and nice grated cheese, or we chuck in whatever takes our fancy), bake 'til cheese is melted.
Or zucchini spirals:
3 zucchini, grated,
1 onion, grated,
3 slices salami, finely chopped,
1 rasher bacon, cooked & finely chopped,
1 garlice clove, crushed,
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese,
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese,
1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs.
Mix together.
6 sheets of filo pastry
50g butter, melted.
Layer pastry, brushing edges with butter to seal between each layer. Spread zucchini mix over pastry, leaving a 5-10cm strip down one edge. Rollup tightly from opposite edge, brush melted butter down the exposed strip, firmly roll so it seals. Brush the whole thing with melted butter, wrap in Glad wrap (cling film, plastic film, whatever you call it), chill for an hour.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius, remove wrap from roll, cut into 2cm slices, bake 15 minutes on a well-greased and lined tray until brown. Guaranteed to seduce the most ardent anti-zucchini person you know.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:40 PM on July 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Or zucchini spirals:
3 zucchini, grated,
1 onion, grated,
3 slices salami, finely chopped,
1 rasher bacon, cooked & finely chopped,
1 garlice clove, crushed,
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese,
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese,
1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs.
Mix together.
6 sheets of filo pastry
50g butter, melted.
Layer pastry, brushing edges with butter to seal between each layer. Spread zucchini mix over pastry, leaving a 5-10cm strip down one edge. Rollup tightly from opposite edge, brush melted butter down the exposed strip, firmly roll so it seals. Brush the whole thing with melted butter, wrap in Glad wrap (cling film, plastic film, whatever you call it), chill for an hour.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius, remove wrap from roll, cut into 2cm slices, bake 15 minutes on a well-greased and lined tray until brown. Guaranteed to seduce the most ardent anti-zucchini person you know.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:40 PM on July 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Fennel!
The recipe here for fennel tatziki doesn't use a ton of fennel but is the best food thing to happen to me in months. It is unbearably good.
Fennel gratin: this. I would eat this every day if possible. I leave out the hazelnuts and add whatever herbs are convenient/tasty (parsley & thyme have both worked well). It is so good and only 1/4 C cream (but it does have butter) and no potatoes. I have even left out the bread crumbs and just broiled it for a cheesy crust and it was still awesome. If you would like to use another fennel gratin recipe you will be fine without precooking the fennel as long as it is fairly thinly sliced.
Pickled fennel is good too (if your objection to pickling is specifically regarding pickled beets)
posted by gembackwards at 11:15 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
The recipe here for fennel tatziki doesn't use a ton of fennel but is the best food thing to happen to me in months. It is unbearably good.
Fennel gratin: this. I would eat this every day if possible. I leave out the hazelnuts and add whatever herbs are convenient/tasty (parsley & thyme have both worked well). It is so good and only 1/4 C cream (but it does have butter) and no potatoes. I have even left out the bread crumbs and just broiled it for a cheesy crust and it was still awesome. If you would like to use another fennel gratin recipe you will be fine without precooking the fennel as long as it is fairly thinly sliced.
Pickled fennel is good too (if your objection to pickling is specifically regarding pickled beets)
posted by gembackwards at 11:15 PM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
One can never have too much zucchini. Chocolate zucchini bread is one of my most favorite things ever, and freezes well. I don't have a recipie to link to because the one my family uses isn't online, but just google for a highly rated one. Serve with cream cheese.
posted by cgg at 11:19 PM on July 18, 2014
posted by cgg at 11:19 PM on July 18, 2014
Barbecued beets are really good. Microwave for a while to soften, otherwise it takes forever, slice thin, brush with oil, add salt, pepper and any other spice you want to try, throw them on the grill until they are as done as you want. Ta-da! So easy. You can do the zucchini the same way, minus the microwaving.
posted by charmedimsure at 11:45 PM on July 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by charmedimsure at 11:45 PM on July 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
We're also in the wilds of zucchini from the CSA, and my favorite right now is stuffed zucchini: brown up some sausage, then remove it from the pan. Add chopped onion and pepper (hot or sweet), and sautee until they're soft. While they're cooking, cut some zucchini in half and scoop out the guts--if you can chop the fleshy bits, awesome, toss it in with the onions. Mix in some cream cheese or boursin, and combine the veg/cheese mix with the sausage. If you want to stretch this some more, add some unprepared dressing (like from a bag you buy at Thanksgiving) or bread crumbs. Pack filling into zucchinis, sprinkle with swiss cheese, and bake (or grill) until the zucchini is well roasted and the cheese is brown. The filling is also good in peppers and hollowed-out tomatoes, and the stuffed peppers and zucchini freeze ok, though the zucchini loses some of its structural integrity. That said, it keeps well in the fridge for about five days, so I rarely bother.
Zucchini pie is good, too--slice some zucchini thin and toss it with salt, then leave it drain a little. Line a pie pan with puff pastry (or pie crust but whatever, I hate pie crust and love puff pastry) and spread it with a nice layer of ricotta cheese. Then pile in some sauteed onions and mushrooms, the zucchini, thyme, and some de-gooped tomato slices. Bake it until the veg are soft and the pastry is done.
The other night I made grilled beets (wash beets, place on grill, cook until charred, cool, peel) and topped them with garlic-dill yoghurt, and it was A+ food that I would definitely eat again, despite a moderate dislike of beets. TBH, I suspect that grilled beets would also be great with some butter and salt and vinegar.
The fennel from this week's box is set to roast with olives, preserved lemon, and chicken leg quarters tomorrow night--I've never done this, quite, but I bet it'll be great. It's, you know, olive oil, chicken, kalamata olives, chopped preserved lemon, a little stock, a lot of thyme, and probably some sesame seeds and sumac. Roast until the chicken's done. I bet if you tucked potatoes into the pan, you'd have a whole meal, actually--I'll try that.
posted by MeghanC at 11:50 PM on July 18, 2014
Zucchini pie is good, too--slice some zucchini thin and toss it with salt, then leave it drain a little. Line a pie pan with puff pastry (or pie crust but whatever, I hate pie crust and love puff pastry) and spread it with a nice layer of ricotta cheese. Then pile in some sauteed onions and mushrooms, the zucchini, thyme, and some de-gooped tomato slices. Bake it until the veg are soft and the pastry is done.
The other night I made grilled beets (wash beets, place on grill, cook until charred, cool, peel) and topped them with garlic-dill yoghurt, and it was A+ food that I would definitely eat again, despite a moderate dislike of beets. TBH, I suspect that grilled beets would also be great with some butter and salt and vinegar.
The fennel from this week's box is set to roast with olives, preserved lemon, and chicken leg quarters tomorrow night--I've never done this, quite, but I bet it'll be great. It's, you know, olive oil, chicken, kalamata olives, chopped preserved lemon, a little stock, a lot of thyme, and probably some sesame seeds and sumac. Roast until the chicken's done. I bet if you tucked potatoes into the pan, you'd have a whole meal, actually--I'll try that.
posted by MeghanC at 11:50 PM on July 18, 2014
Echoing fennel & orange salad. Shave the fennel, supreme the oranges. Drizzle of nice olive oil. Good salt (Murrey river or Maldon are best IMO). Fresh cracked black pepper.
Tastes like pure summer. MeghanC's suggestion is great too; pretty much anytime I roast a chicken, the cavity is stuffed with half a bulb of fennel and half a lemon.
Fennel also caramelizes nicely much the same way onions do. Best way is covered in a crock pot for many hours, on low, with olive oil. Season at the end or you're going to end up with something unbearably salty. You can cook until light gold, or go as dark as you want and essentially have a fennel jam-ish thing. Slice the fennel rather thinly for doing this. Don't worry about using too much oil; you can strain it and then huzzah! You have sweet fennel-flavoured olive oil which would be lovely in a salad dressing.
Beets: I'm a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of beets so maybe I'm biased, but your best bet here for using them up if you're not a big fan is to find a vintage Red Velvet Cake recipe. Not the cocoa and red food colouring nastiness people make now; the original Red Velvet was made with cocoa and sugar beets. You may need to fiddle with the sugar content a little, but I've found that the standard cream cheese frosting provides more than enough sweetness. The beet flavour mainly disappears, but the sweetness lifts the cake and the earthiness pairs nicely with chocolate.
Beets also pair surprisingly well with a dash of cinnamon in savoury dishes. Beet and orange salad is also delicious; just roast the beets, toss them in a steel bowl and cover with saran for a few minutes--the steam helps the skins loosen. Slide off the skins under cold running water (easiest way and minimizes hand staining). Slice into wedges as thick or thin as you like, add orange (or grapefruit) supremes, and some sliced raw red onion. Toss in some balsamic and olive oil, S&P and you're done.
Shredding and freezing zucchini will make it basically useless for anything that isn't a sauce, soup, or zucchini bread. You can, with a mandolin, do very long strips of zucchini that you can then cook and use as you would use pasta. Or grill them over a decent fire with a good lick of olive oil, salt, pepper, and just eat as-is. Maybe with a glass of wine. Lovely summer evening snack (which obviously you can beef up with all sorts of other vegetables).
If you have a grill/barbecue, you can go a step further: buy a ball of pizza dough from your local market (or make your own, it's a lot of fun), and make a nice grilled zucchini pizza. Right on the grill! Roll out your dough, coat lightly with olive oil, and use some rough cornmeal as lubrication to slide it off your board onto the grill. Cook one side over med-high heat until just golden. Remove from the grill, flip over, top the cooked side with a lick of tomato sauce and your grilled zucchini, and some cheese--something soft and mild is nicest. Again, add whatever other grilled veg you'd like. Turn off one half of the barbecue (or the centre if yours has multiple segments), and turn the other half to medium. Place the pizza on the cooler part of the grill, close (take a peek after 3 minutes or so), and remove when golden.
That squash is essentially interchangeable, yes. You can also make a variation on baba ghanouj with zucchini instead of eggplant. Basically just slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds, olive oil + salt + pepper, roast at 350F (or grill, slowly!) until tender. Scoop out the insides and mash with garlic (roasted is optional) and enough olive oil to bring it together. Add a squeeze of lemon, maybe a dollop of yogourt if you're sassy like that, check your seasoning, and dip whatever you want into it or spread it on sandwiches.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:01 AM on July 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
Tastes like pure summer. MeghanC's suggestion is great too; pretty much anytime I roast a chicken, the cavity is stuffed with half a bulb of fennel and half a lemon.
Fennel also caramelizes nicely much the same way onions do. Best way is covered in a crock pot for many hours, on low, with olive oil. Season at the end or you're going to end up with something unbearably salty. You can cook until light gold, or go as dark as you want and essentially have a fennel jam-ish thing. Slice the fennel rather thinly for doing this. Don't worry about using too much oil; you can strain it and then huzzah! You have sweet fennel-flavoured olive oil which would be lovely in a salad dressing.
Beets: I'm a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge fan of beets so maybe I'm biased, but your best bet here for using them up if you're not a big fan is to find a vintage Red Velvet Cake recipe. Not the cocoa and red food colouring nastiness people make now; the original Red Velvet was made with cocoa and sugar beets. You may need to fiddle with the sugar content a little, but I've found that the standard cream cheese frosting provides more than enough sweetness. The beet flavour mainly disappears, but the sweetness lifts the cake and the earthiness pairs nicely with chocolate.
Beets also pair surprisingly well with a dash of cinnamon in savoury dishes. Beet and orange salad is also delicious; just roast the beets, toss them in a steel bowl and cover with saran for a few minutes--the steam helps the skins loosen. Slide off the skins under cold running water (easiest way and minimizes hand staining). Slice into wedges as thick or thin as you like, add orange (or grapefruit) supremes, and some sliced raw red onion. Toss in some balsamic and olive oil, S&P and you're done.
Shredding and freezing zucchini will make it basically useless for anything that isn't a sauce, soup, or zucchini bread. You can, with a mandolin, do very long strips of zucchini that you can then cook and use as you would use pasta. Or grill them over a decent fire with a good lick of olive oil, salt, pepper, and just eat as-is. Maybe with a glass of wine. Lovely summer evening snack (which obviously you can beef up with all sorts of other vegetables).
If you have a grill/barbecue, you can go a step further: buy a ball of pizza dough from your local market (or make your own, it's a lot of fun), and make a nice grilled zucchini pizza. Right on the grill! Roll out your dough, coat lightly with olive oil, and use some rough cornmeal as lubrication to slide it off your board onto the grill. Cook one side over med-high heat until just golden. Remove from the grill, flip over, top the cooked side with a lick of tomato sauce and your grilled zucchini, and some cheese--something soft and mild is nicest. Again, add whatever other grilled veg you'd like. Turn off one half of the barbecue (or the centre if yours has multiple segments), and turn the other half to medium. Place the pizza on the cooler part of the grill, close (take a peek after 3 minutes or so), and remove when golden.
That squash is essentially interchangeable, yes. You can also make a variation on baba ghanouj with zucchini instead of eggplant. Basically just slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds, olive oil + salt + pepper, roast at 350F (or grill, slowly!) until tender. Scoop out the insides and mash with garlic (roasted is optional) and enough olive oil to bring it together. Add a squeeze of lemon, maybe a dollop of yogourt if you're sassy like that, check your seasoning, and dip whatever you want into it or spread it on sandwiches.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:01 AM on July 19, 2014 [3 favorites]
Oh and Italians will happily eat sliced fennel raw before or with a meal. Light, crunchy, yum! You can tart it up with olive oil if you like, but really nothing is needed. Slice accordingly; not too thick, but just thick enough they're easy to pick up with the hands.
The fronds and stalk are also perfectly edible (though don't caramelize well); the fronds make excellent garnish.
If this sounds like something you'd be into, I do a fennel/tomato/bonito broth to serve with fish, or as the basis for bouilliabaisse. Super easy to do; roast the fennel (350-400F) with an equivalent volume of tomatoes and a lashing of olive oil. When golden, remove from oven, place in a stock pot with enough water to cover, add some bonito flake (I'll usually use about 50-75g or so for a four-litre pot), simmer for a couple hours. Strain through fine mesh, and you'll have a beautiful golden-red broth. Like I said, goes very nicely with virtually any fish or shellfish.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:07 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
The fronds and stalk are also perfectly edible (though don't caramelize well); the fronds make excellent garnish.
If this sounds like something you'd be into, I do a fennel/tomato/bonito broth to serve with fish, or as the basis for bouilliabaisse. Super easy to do; roast the fennel (350-400F) with an equivalent volume of tomatoes and a lashing of olive oil. When golden, remove from oven, place in a stock pot with enough water to cover, add some bonito flake (I'll usually use about 50-75g or so for a four-litre pot), simmer for a couple hours. Strain through fine mesh, and you'll have a beautiful golden-red broth. Like I said, goes very nicely with virtually any fish or shellfish.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:07 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Shaved fennel, shaved apples, baby arugula, and walnuts, tossed with a shallot vinaigrette is my favourite way to eat fennel. So yummy.
posted by dotgirl at 12:37 AM on July 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by dotgirl at 12:37 AM on July 19, 2014 [4 favorites]
Chop one layer of fennel finely and use it as an aromatic with your onion, garlic, celery and carrot when cooking pasta sauce.
Grate raw beets and mix with grated raw carrot to serve with salad.
posted by goo at 12:44 AM on July 19, 2014
Grate raw beets and mix with grated raw carrot to serve with salad.
posted by goo at 12:44 AM on July 19, 2014
Nthing fennel and orange salad, and you can actually add in the beets, roasted, sliced, and cooled. On a bed of mixed baby leaves with a bunch of feta cheese and walnuts on top it's a whole meal.
posted by Erasmouse at 1:27 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by Erasmouse at 1:27 AM on July 19, 2014
This is my favorite fennel recipe, from Vegetable Literacy: Braised Fennel Wedges With Saffron and Tomato. I've done it exactly to-book and I've also ditched the fennel seeds & saffron and it's still been super tasty, I've swapped the thyme for other available herbs and added things like olives, shallot instead of onion, fresh sardines, sliced the fennel instead of wedged them, different cooking liquids, and so-on. Still great, every time. Make sure your tomato paste is high quality, you put your dried herbs into the hot oil before anything else, and get lots of color on the fennel.
Beets, consider going classic with borscht! You can do it hot, and typically you'd do it with meat, or cold, which trends vegetarian. I like this Bittman one as a jumping off point. Don't knock cold borscht on a hot summer evening until you've tried it. If you are anti-pink-soup, use the flavor profiles. Roast your beets whole, peel and cut into big cubes, and make a salad with lots of dill, shredded cabbage, cold potatoes all tossed with a little lemon, and a sour cream dressing with grated cucumber and caraway.
posted by Mizu at 1:27 AM on July 19, 2014
Beets, consider going classic with borscht! You can do it hot, and typically you'd do it with meat, or cold, which trends vegetarian. I like this Bittman one as a jumping off point. Don't knock cold borscht on a hot summer evening until you've tried it. If you are anti-pink-soup, use the flavor profiles. Roast your beets whole, peel and cut into big cubes, and make a salad with lots of dill, shredded cabbage, cold potatoes all tossed with a little lemon, and a sour cream dressing with grated cucumber and caraway.
posted by Mizu at 1:27 AM on July 19, 2014
This scalloped potato recipe uses 1.5 lbs of fennel and is to die for.... Soooo good.
Also, chocolate beet cake. Promise.
posted by jrobin276 at 1:36 AM on July 19, 2014
Also, chocolate beet cake. Promise.
posted by jrobin276 at 1:36 AM on July 19, 2014
My favourite way of dealing with too much zucchini/ courgettes is the slow-cooked courgette recipe here. It doesn't need nearly as much attention as the instructions suggest. I like to add a small amount of red chilli flakes at the start and stir in a little mint or basil before serving and the parmesan is not optional for me. It's great on pasta. Haven't tried freezing it, but it's lost enough water that it might work.
posted by tavegyl at 1:53 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by tavegyl at 1:53 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I love raw beets in a chopped middle-eastern-y salad. Here are rough guidelines for making that sort of salad.
The beets give it an interesting flavor without overwhelming the whole thing with beetiness. Something about the lemon dressing balances out the earthiness. Really, I like beets in almost any salad with a tart dressing.
Also, we're just past a big zucchini glut in our own CSA, and we ended up freezing some of it. Freeze it in chunks for later roasting, or freeze it shredded for later zucchini bread, soup, or pasta sauce additions.
posted by hought20 at 3:05 AM on July 19, 2014
The beets give it an interesting flavor without overwhelming the whole thing with beetiness. Something about the lemon dressing balances out the earthiness. Really, I like beets in almost any salad with a tart dressing.
Also, we're just past a big zucchini glut in our own CSA, and we ended up freezing some of it. Freeze it in chunks for later roasting, or freeze it shredded for later zucchini bread, soup, or pasta sauce additions.
posted by hought20 at 3:05 AM on July 19, 2014
Beets:
Roast until tender, cool, peel. (the skin should come off between some paper towel. Slice.
Salt, a liberal dousing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crumbled gorgonzola, minced parsley. Toss.
Even better chilled.
Don't be shocked by your first poop the next day.
posted by plinth at 3:18 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Roast until tender, cool, peel. (the skin should come off between some paper towel. Slice.
Salt, a liberal dousing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crumbled gorgonzola, minced parsley. Toss.
Even better chilled.
Don't be shocked by your first poop the next day.
posted by plinth at 3:18 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Zucchini Tots!
Shred the zucchini on a box grater. Put the shreds in a kitchen towel and squeeze as much water out as you can. Now, mix in 1 large egg, 1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, parmesan, whatever you have) a bit of diced onion, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup bread crumbs.
Spray the insides of a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and fill the cups. Bake at 400 until browned on top, about 15 minutes. If you don't have a mini muffin tin, just make free form little patties and bake them on a cookie sheet. Spray it so they don't stick. Yummy!
posted by Kangaroo at 4:15 AM on July 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Shred the zucchini on a box grater. Put the shreds in a kitchen towel and squeeze as much water out as you can. Now, mix in 1 large egg, 1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, parmesan, whatever you have) a bit of diced onion, salt and pepper and 1/4 cup bread crumbs.
Spray the insides of a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and fill the cups. Bake at 400 until browned on top, about 15 minutes. If you don't have a mini muffin tin, just make free form little patties and bake them on a cookie sheet. Spray it so they don't stick. Yummy!
posted by Kangaroo at 4:15 AM on July 19, 2014 [2 favorites]
Beets are good raw and in salads, with shreds of carrots with a very vinegar based dressing to counter the sweetness. Plus, they look beautiful.
When I'm lousy with beets I shred them and cook them in a tablespoon or two of orange juice and salt for a few minutes and then add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar at the last minute. You can leave the lid off so it doesn't leak liquid all over your plate when you plate it, or put it in a small bowl on your plate. You can also do this with just balsamic vinegar instead of including the orange juice--depends on the vinegar and your love of vinegariness. I think I learned this from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Beets look like vegetable royalty on the plate and they're healthy and well meaning but the truth is they taste a little bit like sugary dirt. Don't tell them I said that. So a smaller-than-fist sized serving is about right. Their best feature is their appearance and how they look next to bright orange carrots or as a side dish beside a bright green salad with tomatoes. You can pretty much feel your immune system sit up, bright eyed and excited.
Fennel I cut thinly, mix with thinly sliced apples or orange, and serve with a lemon or orange vinaigrette and very coarsely ground pepper.
Zucchini you can use in ratatouille or as zucchini coins you dip in marinara or you can use it in place of eggplant and make zucchini parmesan. You can cut it length wise for ease of use, and save the largest to put next to your bed in case you need to beat on someone come to rob you.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:23 AM on July 19, 2014
When I'm lousy with beets I shred them and cook them in a tablespoon or two of orange juice and salt for a few minutes and then add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar at the last minute. You can leave the lid off so it doesn't leak liquid all over your plate when you plate it, or put it in a small bowl on your plate. You can also do this with just balsamic vinegar instead of including the orange juice--depends on the vinegar and your love of vinegariness. I think I learned this from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Beets look like vegetable royalty on the plate and they're healthy and well meaning but the truth is they taste a little bit like sugary dirt. Don't tell them I said that. So a smaller-than-fist sized serving is about right. Their best feature is their appearance and how they look next to bright orange carrots or as a side dish beside a bright green salad with tomatoes. You can pretty much feel your immune system sit up, bright eyed and excited.
Fennel I cut thinly, mix with thinly sliced apples or orange, and serve with a lemon or orange vinaigrette and very coarsely ground pepper.
Zucchini you can use in ratatouille or as zucchini coins you dip in marinara or you can use it in place of eggplant and make zucchini parmesan. You can cut it length wise for ease of use, and save the largest to put next to your bed in case you need to beat on someone come to rob you.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 4:23 AM on July 19, 2014
Fennel is nice in a salad. This recipe uses zucchini too, so BONUS!
It's delicious roasted in the oven. I used this recipe and everyone ate it all gone.
Chilled Borscht is a thing. I'm no fan of beets, but my mother LOVES it on hot summer days. You can can it (if you're into canning) and give it as gifts.
Here's a list of recipes "if you think you hate beets."
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:26 AM on July 19, 2014
It's delicious roasted in the oven. I used this recipe and everyone ate it all gone.
Chilled Borscht is a thing. I'm no fan of beets, but my mother LOVES it on hot summer days. You can can it (if you're into canning) and give it as gifts.
Here's a list of recipes "if you think you hate beets."
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:26 AM on July 19, 2014
I'm kinda old-school in my foodways, so I'll suggest red flannel hash for your beets, which is basically a skillet sauté of diced potatoes, beets, onions and bacon (or corned beef). There are a ton of different recipes and variants out there on the web--I won't link to any specific one so you can pick one that suites your tastes and/or what you have on hand. Top with a poached egg for a full meal.
I'm also a fan of zucchini-carrot hash--I just shred zucchini, carrots and potatoes in about equal proportions in the food processor and sauté. Good with a little soy sauce, and again you can add in some eggs toward the end of cooking if you want a quick one-pot meal. Some people like to make zucchini or carrot-zucchini latke-like fritters by adding some egg and flour to hold the mixture together and frying in patties, but I'm usually too lazy.
Basically, I'm like "hash ALL the vegetables!"
posted by drlith at 4:39 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I'm also a fan of zucchini-carrot hash--I just shred zucchini, carrots and potatoes in about equal proportions in the food processor and sauté. Good with a little soy sauce, and again you can add in some eggs toward the end of cooking if you want a quick one-pot meal. Some people like to make zucchini or carrot-zucchini latke-like fritters by adding some egg and flour to hold the mixture together and frying in patties, but I'm usually too lazy.
Basically, I'm like "hash ALL the vegetables!"
posted by drlith at 4:39 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
1) Beets - wrap in foil and roast whole. Then use a paper towel to rub off the skins. Chop them up and make a salad with greens, beets, goat cheese and walnuts.
The recipes that Ruthless Bunny linked to above remind me of a dish I once which involved pasta, blue cheese, walnuts and cheese. It was delicious.
2) Squash - yes, you can use summer squash and zucchini interchangeably. And yes, you can shred and freeze. Zucchini bread recipes abound. It's great in minestrone (which also freezes well). Many minestrone recipes call for beef broth, but I've always just made it with water.
I made zucchini fritters a couple of weeks ago and they were really good.
Lots of my low carb friends like to take long thin mandoline slices of zucchini and use it as a low carb pasta.
3) Fennel - raw, thinly sliced, with lemon juice and olive oil and salt.
Fennel gratin.
posted by bunderful at 5:30 AM on July 19, 2014
The recipes that Ruthless Bunny linked to above remind me of a dish I once which involved pasta, blue cheese, walnuts and cheese. It was delicious.
2) Squash - yes, you can use summer squash and zucchini interchangeably. And yes, you can shred and freeze. Zucchini bread recipes abound. It's great in minestrone (which also freezes well). Many minestrone recipes call for beef broth, but I've always just made it with water.
I made zucchini fritters a couple of weeks ago and they were really good.
Lots of my low carb friends like to take long thin mandoline slices of zucchini and use it as a low carb pasta.
3) Fennel - raw, thinly sliced, with lemon juice and olive oil and salt.
Fennel gratin.
posted by bunderful at 5:30 AM on July 19, 2014
I haven't seen my favorite recipes in this thread yet:
Zucchini: Summer Vegetable Gratin. Layers of summer squash, caramelized onions and tomatoes, with a thin cheese layer on top. use lots of herbs.
Fennel: Braised Carrots and Fennel. As I read this, I'm thinking that the next time I do it I might roast the veg instead of braise it in liquid.
Beets: Roasted Beets and Sweets. There are a lot of recipes for this on the web; my family generally cuts the veg into slices rather than chunks, but I'm not finding that exact recipe online. The mix of sweet potatoes with the beets, plus some onion for a savory flavor, and then brown it all for the caramelized taste - really good.
posted by CathyG at 6:45 AM on July 19, 2014
Zucchini: Summer Vegetable Gratin. Layers of summer squash, caramelized onions and tomatoes, with a thin cheese layer on top. use lots of herbs.
Fennel: Braised Carrots and Fennel. As I read this, I'm thinking that the next time I do it I might roast the veg instead of braise it in liquid.
Beets: Roasted Beets and Sweets. There are a lot of recipes for this on the web; my family generally cuts the veg into slices rather than chunks, but I'm not finding that exact recipe online. The mix of sweet potatoes with the beets, plus some onion for a savory flavor, and then brown it all for the caramelized taste - really good.
posted by CathyG at 6:45 AM on July 19, 2014
Well I have this chocolate courgette cake currently in the oven as a result of being inspired by this thread.
posted by biffa at 6:59 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by biffa at 6:59 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
This fennel risotto recipe is a big favourite of mine. Yum.
posted by lost_lettuce at 7:08 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by lost_lettuce at 7:08 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I hate beets and have found that what works for me is beet chips. Slice them thinly with a mandoline and bake until crispy, then salt. My partner and I both hate beets but will eat a beet each in a sitting this way.
Zucchini bread is great for using up zucchini because you can bring it to work or pass off to your friends. I also use it a lot to replace lasagna noodles.
What I mostly do with the zucchini in my CSA though is to chop it as soon as i get it and use it as Random Vegetable. Almost no matter what I cook could use a random vegetable thrown in and zucchini is the least offensive. It will never overpower the central flavors of your dish. Soup? Throw in zucchini. Omelet? Add zucchini. Pasta sauce? Zucchini.
And yes, it is interchangeable with summer squash.
one last zucchini tip
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:17 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Zucchini bread is great for using up zucchini because you can bring it to work or pass off to your friends. I also use it a lot to replace lasagna noodles.
What I mostly do with the zucchini in my CSA though is to chop it as soon as i get it and use it as Random Vegetable. Almost no matter what I cook could use a random vegetable thrown in and zucchini is the least offensive. It will never overpower the central flavors of your dish. Soup? Throw in zucchini. Omelet? Add zucchini. Pasta sauce? Zucchini.
And yes, it is interchangeable with summer squash.
one last zucchini tip
posted by tofu_crouton at 7:17 AM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Here are a couple of recipes for main dishes featuring beets with a bit of cheese. The roasted beet soup will freeze well.
posted by yarntheory at 7:42 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by yarntheory at 7:42 AM on July 19, 2014
Stuffed beets can be really delicious. I don't have a specific recipe, but I was a beet-hater until I had stuffed beets at an Israeli wedding. They were filled with some sort of grain salad, but I think some of the cheese or sausage stuffed beets I'm seeing online look good.
posted by Mouse Army at 7:59 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by Mouse Army at 7:59 AM on July 19, 2014
You can cut both beets and fennel into suitable chunks and roast them in the oven to make lovely roast vegetables. You can eat roast vegetables warm as sides or else let them cool and have them cold with salads.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:10 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:10 AM on July 19, 2014
Latkes with beets and other root vegetables are one of my favorites, and orange glazed beets are a real treat if you want them sweet and a little tangy. I used to add ginger or sriracha to this.
posted by bile and syntax at 9:04 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by bile and syntax at 9:04 AM on July 19, 2014
Roast the beets they are delicious. There are many methods so google until you find one you like, I like to roast with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. They are delicious hot as a side with a big hunk of your favourite meat, and then great cold as a salad ingredient.
Try zucchini bread, it's my go to OMG my plants have exploded in zucchini's what am I going to do fall back dish. Also just grate it up and throw it in meat sauce with pasta, it blends in and you won't even know it's there.
posted by wwax at 9:18 AM on July 19, 2014
Try zucchini bread, it's my go to OMG my plants have exploded in zucchini's what am I going to do fall back dish. Also just grate it up and throw it in meat sauce with pasta, it blends in and you won't even know it's there.
posted by wwax at 9:18 AM on July 19, 2014
The cake I linked above is delicious. Cooking time was more like 60-70 minutes though. Don't put the chocolate for the topping in the fridge.
posted by biffa at 9:50 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by biffa at 9:50 AM on July 19, 2014
I like to make zucchini black bean enchiladas when I have a ton of it in the summer. Sautee up shredded squash with onion, garlic and some cumin. This is nice with corn too. Mix up with some black beans or whatever you like, wrap up in some corn tortillas, dump on some frontera green sauce or make your own and there you go. Veggie and healthy.
posted by rdnnyc at 11:22 AM on July 19, 2014
posted by rdnnyc at 11:22 AM on July 19, 2014
I'm actually making this zucchini recipe tonight:
Pasta with zucchini, ricotta and basil
serves 4 - 6
1/4 cup olive oil
3 or 4 small-medium zucchini, about 1 pound, rinsed and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
1 pound penne or other cut pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup basil leaves, washed, dried and torn or chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup or more freshly grated Pamesan cheese (optional, but we usually use it)
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid. Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.
posted by gudrun at 12:24 PM on July 19, 2014
Pasta with zucchini, ricotta and basil
serves 4 - 6
1/4 cup olive oil
3 or 4 small-medium zucchini, about 1 pound, rinsed and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
1 pound penne or other cut pasta
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup basil leaves, washed, dried and torn or chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup or more freshly grated Pamesan cheese (optional, but we usually use it)
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when hot add zucchini, along with a large pinch of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown, then lower heat and cook until it is quite tender, about 15 minutes total. About 5 minutes before it is done, stir in garlic and begin to cook pasta.
2. While pasta cooks, warm a serving bowl and put ricotta in it, along with about half the basil. When pasta is tender but not mushy, remove and drain it, reserving about a cup of its cooking liquid. Use as much of this liquid as necessary, a bit at a time, to thin ricotta until it reaches a saucy consistency. Toss with pasta, zucchini, remaining basil and Parmesan, if you are using it, then taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.
posted by gudrun at 12:24 PM on July 19, 2014
I love this chicken, fennel, and tangerine recipe from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem cookbook.
posted by Jasper Fnorde at 1:08 PM on July 19, 2014
posted by Jasper Fnorde at 1:08 PM on July 19, 2014
Came back with another idea: make moussaka with zucchini (or squash) instead of eggplant. Ground lamb may be difficult to find in major supermarkets--try markets that cater to a Middle Eastern/east Mediterranean clientele.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 4:51 PM on July 19, 2014
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 4:51 PM on July 19, 2014
When I have way too much summer squash, I shred it, salt it, and let it sit for a bit. Then I rinse the salt off, squeeze off the extra moisture and either 1. simply saute it with some butter which is more delicious than you could imagine.... or 2. I make a veggie pakora.
All summer squash, to my knowledge, can be treated like zucchini.
posted by Foam Pants at 11:14 PM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
All summer squash, to my knowledge, can be treated like zucchini.
posted by Foam Pants at 11:14 PM on July 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
Fennel -- Cut into quarters or sixths and roast with a splash of verjuice, a splash of oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Brussell sprouts are good like that as well.
Beetroot -- Cut into quarters (keep whole for baby beets) and roast with roughly chopped spanish onion, salt, oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Foil on for the first half of the roasting and off for the second half.
posted by prettypretty at 12:07 AM on July 24, 2014
Beetroot -- Cut into quarters (keep whole for baby beets) and roast with roughly chopped spanish onion, salt, oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Foil on for the first half of the roasting and off for the second half.
posted by prettypretty at 12:07 AM on July 24, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by madmethods at 10:04 PM on July 18, 2014 [3 favorites]