Garlicky Leeks in Olive Oil

Celebrate the flavors of leeks and garlic.

2 leeks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons salt

Trim the dark green ends of the leeks, leaving only the light green and white ends. Rinse leeks well (cut in half lengthwise and rinse in between layers). Slice the leeks into 2-inch chunks.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil to hot but not smoking. Turn down the heat and add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cilantro and cook another 30 seconds. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

In a medium saucepan, bring 8 cups water to boil. Salt the water with 2 tablespoons salt. Add leeks to the boiling water and reduce heat to simmer. Poach until leeks are just tender to bite, about 4 minutes; do not overcook.

Drain the leeks and add them to the olive oil mixture, stirring gently to coat the leeks completely. Serve immediately, garnished with more cilantro.

Recipe adapted from Food52.com.

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Posted on March 13, 2015

About Leeks

Leeks add wonderful flavor to all sorts of tasty recipes.

In ancient Greece and Rome, it was thought that leeks had a beneficial effect on the throat, and it is said that the Roman Emperor Nero ate leeks every day to make his voice stronger.

Leeks, like their allium family members, have sulphur-containing compounds that support our antioxidant and detoxification systems. They also contain a flavonoid (phytochemical) called kaempferol which has been shown to protect our blood vessel linings from damage (which can help to prevent plaque formation as plaque is how our body responds to damage in our blood vessel lining).

Leeks are high in vitmain K, which is an important vitamin for blood coagulation and bone health. Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin (along with A, D, and E), so be sure to cook those leeks in just enough of your choice of butter or oil. Leeks also provide us with a bioavailable (‘packaged’ and ready for our bodies to use) form of folate. Folate is an essential vitamin for our brain development and function. The US started to fortify the food supply with folic acid (the synthetic version of folate) because an inadequate intake of this vitamin in pregnant mothers can cause neural tube defects in their children. The number of babies born with neural tube defects was reduced after the fortification policy.

To get those lovely sweet white sections of the leek, we hill our nutrient dense soil around the base of the crop, which means sometimes some of that nutrient rich soil gets into your kitchen inside leeks’ layers. To get rid of the grit follow these prep steps: Chop the root base off, and then slice the leek in half lengthwise. Run water through each half of the leek to rinse out any soil. You can cut the halves into quarters and repeat if there is a lot of soil.

The green portion of Nash’s leeks are also tender and edible. If you feel they are too tough, cut off those portions and add them to soups for additional delicious flavor.

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Posted on March 12, 2015

Roasted Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Everyone loves purple sprouting broccoli!

Easy to make and crispy-delicious, this recipe is a winner for a quick side-dish or snack. But watch out, you might want to eat the whole pan in one sitting!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

2 bunches purple sprouting broccoli
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss whole broccoli liberally with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking dish, pop in oven, and let sizzle for about 20 minutes. Give then a quick turn and roast for another 4-10 minutes until crispy and tender. These are best served hot out of the oven, so dig in!

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Posted on March 11, 2015

Roasted Beet Salad

Which beets will you choose for this tasty, vibrant salad?

Serves 4 as a side dish

1-2 pounds beets
Feta or soft goat cheese
Olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/2 bunch cilantro

Clean and quarter beets and place in roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and mix with fork to ensure the beets are evenly coated. Roast at 350°F until tender enough for a knife to go through the center. Add a dash of vinegar, salt, pepper and feta/goat cheese to taste. Toss everything together with chopped cilantro.

If you prefer, you can peel the beets for aesthetic appeal with this dish. Keep in mind you lose nutrient content when you peel any vegetable!

We thank Underwood Gardens for inspiration for this recipe.

Thanks!

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Posted on March 4, 2015

Chinese Chicken

Leeks are back! Enjoy them with carrots, bell peppers, and chicken in this lovely recipe.

1 pound chicken
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
5 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 leek
1 carrot
1 bell pepper
1/2 cup soy sauce

Cut the chicken into thin strips. Marinate chicken for an hour or more (longer the better!) with soy sauce, chili flakes, ginger, minced garlic, and ground white pepper.

Heat sesame oil and canola oil in a saucepan on medium heat, then add chicken and cook till golden brown. Thinly slice the carrots, leek, and bell pepper. Add vegetables to the pan the while the chicken is cooking and lightly sauté until everything is tender. Enjoy over rice.

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Posted on March 4, 2015

About Nash’s Root Medley

Explore the rainbow of Nash’s root medley: carrots, beets, parsnips, rutabagas, sunchokes and potatoes might find their way into your bag!

Root vegetables each offer their unique nutrition profiles, but all of them are packed with nutritional benefits because of the extended time they spend in the rich, prime, alluvial soils of the Dungeness Valley. The more nutrient-rich the soil they are grown in, the more nutrient-packed these powerhouses will be.

The root medley is a great way to have an easy, colorful, and nourishing vegetable option for your winter dinner. Wrap roots loosely in a plastic bag and they will last for a few weeks in your fridge. However, potatoes are best stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

According to food energetics, root vegetables provide a grounding and relaxed energy. Another huge plus: no need to peel these root vegetables, because most of the nutrients are held near the skin. Just use a brush to scrub them clean.

Here’s our favorite way to enjoy all those wonderful flavors:

Roasted Root Veggies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice beets, potatoes, rutabagas, and sunchokes to half-inch cubes and slice the carrots and parsnips to half-inch rounds.

Place all vegetables into a casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil or melted butter. (You may need a second dish. You want your vegetables to be all in one layer to cook evenly.) Sprinkle with any herbs or spices of your choosing and mix to ensure oil or butter covers all roots. Cover your dish with with a lid or tin foil if you desire vegetables that will be more moist and tender. Leave your dish uncovered if you like crisp veggies.

Roast until fork tender, about 40-50 minutes.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

About Nash’s Triticale Berries

Use triticale in place of rice or in salads for healthy, satisfying nutrition!

Triticale is a hybrid cross between wheat and rye grains. Rye has always been a hearty crop, able to withstand rough conditions such as poor soil, flooding, and drought. The grain also grows rapidly. The triticale hybrid was developed just over a century ago to capitalize on the unique nutritional benefits and hearty growing characteristics of rye blended with the desirable characteristics of wheat for bread making. It is better at reducing soil erosion and can capture excess soil nitrogen more readily than just wheat or rye.

Rye is a rich and versatile source of dietary fiber, especially a type of fiber called arabinoxylan, which is also known for its high antioxidant activity. Research indicates that consuming whole grain rye has many benefits including: improved bowel health, better blood sugar control and reduced risk of type-2 diabetes, as well as overall weight management and an improved satiety (feeling full longer after eating). So, this handy little hybrid grain is good for you and the planet, and still offers you the characteristics of wheat and wheat products that you’ve grown to love.

Get more information about triticale from The Whole Grain Council.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

About Nash’s Dried Diana Fava Beans

Diana fava beans are a huge nutrition boost!

Fava beans are very high in protein and energy, like other beans and lentils. These beans also have lots of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant-sterols.

They are a very rich source of dietary fiber for normal elimination. Dietary fiber helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.

In addition, fava beans are an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. Favas are one of the highest plant sources of potassium. Potassium is an important electrolyte of cell and body fluids. It helps counter the effects of sodium on heart and blood pressure.

Thoroughly rinse and inspect Diana fava beans, picking out small dirt clods or damaged beans that made it through our seed cleaner. Soak 1 part beans in 2 parts water for 6+ hours; they will double in size. Strain, rinse and combine 1 part soaked beans in 2 parts fresh water. Bring to a boil and season as desired with chili powder, cumin, coriander, bay leaf, garlic, peppers, onions, etc. Add salt and/or tomatoes halfway through and lower to a simmer. Dianas are tender in about 65 minutes. (Allow for additional cooking time if beans have not been pre-soaked.) Favas become very tender when simmered on low in a crockpot overnight. Dried fava beans will double in size when cooked.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

About Sunchokes

A sunchoke is a tuber, or an underground vegetable, like a cross between a rutabaga and a potato, with the flavor of sunflower seeds and the crunch of water chestnuts. It’s also called a Jerusalem artichoke, even though it is not an artichoke at all, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Jerusalem. They are closely related to the sunflower. Native Americans were eating sunchokes centuries before the Europeans arrived in the 1500s. In fact, the Europeans thought sunchokes were poisonous at first. Once they got over that, they have enjoyed its nutty flavor in many dishes.

Jerusalem artichokes are easy to prepare. You can cook them just like you would a potato: roast, boil, saute, bake or steam. You can leave the skin on or peel it off — up to you, but make sure you wash them well. The surprising thing about these little roots is that you can also eat them raw. They add a great texture to salads, salsas, marinades and stir-frys, in small pieces or grated.

Sunchokes contain lots of vitamin C and a substance called inulin. It is a type of starch that can be well tolerated by people with diabetes because it breaks down into fructose instead of glucose. This makes sunchokes a good substitute for potatoes for diabetics.

Nutty and subtly sweet, steamed or roasted sunchokes can be used in place of artichoke hearts in most recipes. Local up your favorite baked artichoke dip, or artichoke and spinach pasta recipe, with sunchokes!

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Posted on February 28, 2015

Rocket Sauce

Produce Manager Eliza Winne loves arugula (a.k.a. rocket). Check out her rocket sauce recipe!

Salad Rocket, also known as arugula, is a spicy leafy green, great in salads, stir-fries and sauces. Packed with beneficial phytochemicals, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, two cups of arugula contains over 50% of your daily Vitamin K! This recipe for rocket sauce is easy to make and delicious dressing for a healthy potato salad. For a nutty twist, try adding cooked sunchokes to the potatoes.

Rocket Sauce

2 large bunches fresh arugula
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Place arugula in food processor or blender. Pour in the olive oil and start the food processor. Once arugula and olive oil are thoroughly pureed, add garlic and salt. Continue blending until all ingredients are finely chopped and thoroughly mixed together.

Use fresh on salads, potatoes, pasta, sandwiches and burgers, or freeze some rocket sauce in an ice cube tray and thaw at as needed.

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Posted on February 18, 2015