Sauteed Cabbage Raab

Use either green cabbage raab or red cabbage raab for this tasty seasonal dish.

3-4 slices bacon or pork belly, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bunches cabbage raab, washed and ends trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

Saute bacon or pork belly with garlic in a frying pan until the bacon starts to brown. Remove and set aside.

Cut raab (stalk, leaves, florets and all) into one-inch pieces. Add olive oil to the pork drippings and saute raab until it starts to wilt. Cover and let it cook for a few minutes more until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in pork and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste and a little cayenne if you like a bit of a kick. This tastes great on a bed of brown rice or on cooked whole grain, like triticale or rye berries.

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Posted on March 21, 2014

Raab and Carmelized Onion Pasta

Produce Manager Eliza shows off a bunch of green cabbage raab, one of many varieties of tasty raab available for a short time in spring. Try them all before they’re gone!

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large onion or 2-3 small/medium onions (about 1 pound), thinly sliced
1 bunch raab, any type
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound pasta (linguine or other long, thin shape)

Saute onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. They should be richly colored to bring out their sweetness.

Meanwhile, bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Roughly chop raab and boil in the hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Add garlic to the pan with the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add raab and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raab is tender, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings if necessary.

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta, making sure that some liquid still clings to the noodles. Toss the hot pasta with the raab sauce. Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Drizzle each bowl with olive oil to taste and serve.

We thank from Pasta e Verdura by Jack Bishop for inspiration for this recipe.

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Posted on March 14, 2014

Brussels Sprouts with Parsnips

Brussels sprouts make a lovely pairing with parsnips — both visually and tastefully.

2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
6 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup pecan halves

Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss vegetables with oil, salt and pepper on 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into single layers. Roast, rotating sheets halfway through, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes.

Divide pecans between sheets and roast 10 minutes more. Toss and serve.

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Posted on March 14, 2014

Traditional Beef Brisket and Vegetables

Looking for an Irish entree for Saint Paddy’s Day? Try a traditional beef brisket.

3 1/2 pounds beef brisket
20 peppercorns
10 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Nash’s mustard seeds
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon salt
3 turnips, peeled and quartered
6 red potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 medium carrots, cut into thirds
1 small head green cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
Prepared horseradish to taste

Place brisket in a large Dutch oven and cover brisket with an inch of water. Add peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf, mustard seeds, cinnamon sticks, and salt to the pot.

Turn burner on high and bring liquid to a low boil. Reduce heat until liquid is at a low simmer. Cover tightly and cook for 4 hours or until you can easily insert a fork into the beef.

Carefully transfer meat to a large plate and cover with foil to keep the meat warm.

Add the turnips, potatoes, carrots and cabbage to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a high simmer. Cook, adjusting heat down if water starts to boil, until vegetables are tender.

Slice brisket against the grain into thin slices and plate with vegetables and some of the broth. Serve with horseradish sauce.

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Posted on March 6, 2014

Sweet Potato and Sausage Bisque

Nash’s ground pork comes in several varieties, including Italian, breakfast, and unseasoned.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 pounds Nash’s Italian sausage
2 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 celery stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 onion, quartered and separated
4 cloves garlic, quartered
3-4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
Juice of lime
Yogurt (optional)

In Dutch oven or soup pot, saute vegetables and spices in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until soft.

While potatoes cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet on medium and cook sausage until nicely caramelized on both sides. Set aside.
When potatoes are done, transfer soup to blender or food processor and puree until smooth. You may need to add water to thin. Return soup to Dutch oven, add sausage and lime juice, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Pour into individual bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt (optional).

We thank chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Posted on March 6, 2014

Crock Pot Pork and Apples

Imagine coming home to the scent of pork chops in a sweet apple sauce.

1 1/2 pounds pork chops
3 apples, sliced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon spicy mustard (make your own from Nash’s mustard seed!)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the pork chops at the bottom of your crock pot. Cover with the remaining ingredients, place the top on and cook on low for about 6 hours. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, right before serving. Easy and delicious!

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Posted on March 6, 2014

Pork Chops and Orange Sauce

Sweeten up your pork chops with an orange glaze. What’s your favorite cut: sirloin chops, porterhouse chops, rib chops, something else? Let us know in the comments below!

4 Nash’s pork chops
3 green onions, thinly sliced
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange (around 1/3 cup)
Butter or oil
3-4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
Shiitake mushrooms (optional)

Add a little butter or oil to a pan and cook the green onions and zest until they start to get fragrant and soften. Add a teaspoon or two of teriyaki sauce and stir it around. Pull them out of the pan and pop them into a small bowl until later.

Salt and pepper your pork chops and brown them quickly in the pan. Once brown, turn the heat down to low and pour in the orange juice. Add 1-2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce. Add the green onion and orange zest and the brown sugar. Stir together and let it simmer with the lid cracked for 15-20 minutes. Keep simmering until the sauce is as thick as you want.

You could also slice up a couple shiitake mushrooms and add to the chops as you simmer them.

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Posted on March 6, 2014

Gluten-Free Ginger and Apple Cornmeal Cake

8 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon xanathan gum
1 cup xylitol or organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 apples, cored, cut into eighths
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour, such as Manini’s or Bob’s Red Mill
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup almond milk

Melt 4 tablespoons coconut oil in skillet (preferably cast iron). Add 1/2 cup xylitol/sugar and stir until smooth, making sure to coat sides. If not using cast iron, transfer mixture to a 9” pie pan and coat sides.

In a circular pattern, lay apple wedges on bottom of pan, covering it entirely. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated ginger over apples, then place in oven for 15 minutes at 350 F, or until apples are tender.

Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining ginger and salt in a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix remaining coconut oil (solid) and xylitol/sugar until fully integrated and smooth. Add eggs one at a time and blend until combined. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and mix thoroughly, but do not overwork batter. Add milk and mix until batter is smooth.

Remove apples from oven and pour batter on top, distributing evenly.

Return to oven and bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Let stand 10 minutes, run knife around sides of pan, and invert onto platter or cutting board. Cut and serve.

We thank chef Annie McHale of Port Angeles for this recipe.

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Posted on February 28, 2014

Old-Country Soft Pretzel Sticks

Makes 4 dozen sticks

1 tablespoon dry yeast
4 1/2 cups Nash’s rye flour
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 egg, beaten with 1/2 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon honey
1 medium onion, chopped and sautéed (caraway, sesame or poppy seeds may be substituted)

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. Add honey and let proof. Then stir in 4 cups flour. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead in 1/2 cup flour until smooth. Divide dough into 48 pieces and roll each into a rope about 1/2 inch in diameter and 5 inches long. Place on prepared baking sheet. Brush with egg and sprinkle with onions. Let rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

We thank Rodale’s Basic Natural Foods Cookbook for this recipe.

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Posted on February 28, 2014

Whole-wheat Parsnip Bread

Make tasty bread with the humble parsnip.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup parsnip puree: boil parsnips until tender, whirl in food processor or blender until pureed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour (Nash’s soft white wheat flour is best!)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts; 1/2 cup raisins

Combine sugar, parsnips, oil, water and eggs, and beat well. Add dry ingredients and stir until moistened. Stir in nuts and raisins if desired. Pour into a greased 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees 65-70 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

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Posted on February 28, 2014