Cucumber Almond Soup

Lemon cucumbers are named for their lemony-yellow coloring. They taste like normal cucumbers, and their insides are filled with sweet seeds.

6 larger lemon cucumbers
1 smaller lemon cucumbers
4 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup toasted almond slivers
2 slices stale bread, cut into rough pieces
2 tablespoons grape seed oil (or other mild oil)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup cold water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch white pepper
1 large leaf basil for garnish
1 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish

Thoroughly wash and dry cucumbers. Slice 1/4 inch off the top (stem side) of the 6 larger cucumbers. Using a spoon and knife as needed, scour and scoop out the insides of cucumbers and put the insides in a blender. Set the “bowls” aside. Dice the smaller cucumber and set aside.

Mince the garlic and sprinkle with salt. Using the back of a wide knife blade, work the salt and garlic together until it forms a smooth paste. Scrape up the garlic and add to blender.

Add toasted almonds to blender, reserving a couple for garnish. Pulse blender to start processing the ingredients. Add the bread and continue to process.

When the mixture is fairly smooth, slowly add the grape seed oil and combine well. Next add the plain yogurt and process again until well combined. Finally add the cold water and lemon juice. Taste and season as needed with white pepper.

Stir (not blend!) the diced cucumber into the soup. Carefully spoon the soup into the cucumber “bowls.” Chill for at least an hour. Before serving, garnish soup with ribbons of basil, a pinch of lemon zest and an almond sliver. Serve immediately.

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Posted on September 1, 2014

Peninsula Chicken Salad

Nearly all these ingredients are grown, raised, or produced right here on the Olympic Peninsula. How local can you make your meal?

Serves 10-12

6 pounds chicken
Bay leaves
1 cup water or white wine
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons fresh garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons raw honey
1 cup crumbled feta (optional)
4 tablespoons plain sauerkraut
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch kale, finely chopped
1 small head or 1/2 large head Napa cabbage, finely chopped
2 medium cucumbers, sliced
1 bunch arugula, finely chopped
1 bunch fresh dill weed, roughly chopped
1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil, finely chopped

Roast chicken with bay leaves and one cup of water or white wine. When chicken is cool enough to touch, shred the meat. Don’t forget to save skin and bones for a fabulous healthy, healing stock or broth. Freeze broth in ice cube trays for fast and easy flavor bombs to soups, casseroles and sauces.

Make vinaigrette with wet ingredients and lemon zest. Pour over chicken and refrigerate for 2 hours. (May be served warm.) Wash and prepare greens and cucumber. Toss with chicken salad. Add the fresh herbs promptly before serving.

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Posted on July 21, 2014

Pickled Mixed Vegetables

Makes 5-6 quarts

1 large head cauliflower
4 ribs celery
1 dozen small pickling cucumbers
8 small carrots
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
8 small pearl onions
16 cloves garlic
1 pound green beans
10 cup vinegar
6 cup water
1 cup salt
2 teaspoons celery seed
4 teaspoons dill seed
4 teaspoons mustard seed

Sterilize jars. Break cauliflower into small florets; cook in boiling water 5 minutes; drain. Cut remaining vegetables into bite-sized pieces and mix in a big bowl. Mix the vinegar, water, salt, celery, dill and mustard seed to make brine and heat over medium. Pack hot jars with random vegetables, bring brine to a boil and fill to 1/2” head space. Follow the USDA recommendation for processing pickled mixed vegetables.

We thank Stocking Up for this recipe.

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Posted on May 22, 2014

Cucumber Mint Gazpacho

Got lots of cucumbers? It’s gazpacho time!

1 1/2 pounds thin-skinned cucumbers
1/2 cup cold water
1 small onion or 1/2 large onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon tightly packed mint leaves
1/2 cup almonds (skinned)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine/sherry vinegar
Salt
1 cup stale bread, cut into cubes

Roughly chop the cucumber and puree with water until smooth. Roughly chop the onion and garlic and add to the blender with mint leaves. Puree again. Then add the almonds, oil, and vinegar, and keep pureeing until smooth. Add the bread cubes and let them soak up the liquid for at least 30 minutes. When they have softened up, puree again until very smooth. Add salt to taste.

Refrigerate for at least an hour (straight in the blender jar) before serving. The soup will thicken a bit, so you may need to add a little cold water and blend until it’s the consistency you want. Drizzle with mint oil (soak a handful of mint in 1/2 cup oil for at least a day, then strain), and sprinkle with toasted almonds and/or chopped cucumber.

We thank zaharah of food50.com for this recipe.

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Posted on August 22, 2013

Massaged Kale Salad

The concept behind “massaging” kale with salt, lemon juice and olive oil is that the kale leaves will soften and relax, not just because you are rubbing them with the citrus juice and oil, but because the acid in the juice helps breaks down fibers in the kale and makes it taste sweeter.

Even your kale deserves a good massage. Any type of kale will work well with this recipe — try them all to find the one you like best!

1 bunch Nash’s kale, any type
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

De-stem one bunch of Nash’s kale and break the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix them with salt and lemon juice. Massage the leaves thoroughly for about 5 minutes, then add olive oil and massage for 1 minute more. The kale should be noticeably softer and darker. You could also add honey or maple syrup if you prefer a slightly sweeter salad. Yes, your hands will be oily, but your kale will love you for it!

Toss kale leaves with:

• Toasted nuts (pine nuts, almonds, pecans)
• Dried cherries, currants, or cranberries
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, or crumbled Feta
• Sprouted quinoa or cooked whole Nash’s triticale or wheat berries
• Sliced radishes, baby white turnips, cucumbers, or zucchini

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Posted on August 9, 2013

Zucchini & Lemon Cucumber Salad with Chili, Lemon and Mint Dressing

Nourish, Sequim’s new garden-to-plate restaurant and gathering place, is featuring a series of meals created using items from Nash’s farm share boxes each week. Lemon cucumbers, which are round and sunny yellow, are a cheery alternative to everyday slicing cucumbers, especially in this refreshing summer salad.

Serves 6

4 small zucchini
2 lemon cucumbers
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 medium red chili, finely chopped
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup mint leaf, chopped finely
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon cucumbers are like little bits of sunshine in your salad.

Prepare the zucchini and cucumber by peeling into thin, long slices using a vegetable peeler and place into serving bowl.

For the dressing, whisk lemon, olive oil, and garlic, and add the chili and mint. Season to taste.

Toss the zucchini in the dressing and let sit for 15 minutes to soften. Add cucumber just before serving.

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Posted on August 8, 2013

Bok Choy & Apricot/Nectarine Salad

Nourish, Sequim’s new garden-to-plate restaurant and gathering place, is featuring a series of meals created using items from Nash’s farm share boxes each week. In this recipe, our Walla Walla onions complement the nectarines or apricots (just in from eastern Washington!) to sweeten the salad, while the baby bok choy gives a great crunch.

Juicy organic nectarines just in from Sunnyslope Ranch in eastern Washington!

Mix in a blender:
1/4 cup cashew butter or peanut butter
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoon sugar or honey
2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon chili paste
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Toss together:
2 pounds bok choy, washed and chopped in half lengthwise. Cut greens into 1-inch ribbons and stalks into 1/4-inch pieces.
2 1/2 cups diced apricots/nectarines
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons Walla Walla onion, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds or cashews

Add chicken, noodles or rice if desired. Mix with dressing and serve.

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Posted on August 2, 2013