Strata: Savory Bread Pudding

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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. This recipe combines good-for-you greens with sweet onions in a fluffy egg base. Yum!

8 servings

4 cups cubed day-old bread, with crust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large Walla Walla onions, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped spinach or kale, steamed and squeezed dry
10 large eggs
2 cups grated cheese
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Spinach on a tabletop

Our spinach rotations are rockin’ and rollin’ in the fields!

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the bread on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Combine the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, toss to coat in the butter, season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, onions, spinach and other veggies. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 1/2 cups cheese, milk, heavy cream, mustard, 1 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme and nutmeg.

Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Add the bread cubes to the baking dish, and then pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and press down to make sure the bread is totally submerged.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the strata uncovered until the mixture has puffed up slightly, is golden brown on top and doesn’t shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan, about 1 hour. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Beet Chunky Pesto

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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. Have you ever considered making pesto out of a root vegetable? This beet pesto is as amazingly tasty as it is brightly colored!

4 beets, roasted
4 cloves garlic
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup walnuts or cashews
1/3 cup cilantro
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Chiogga beets, gold beets, cylinder beets, and Detroit beets

There are so many types of beets to try in pesto!

Roast beets, cool, peel and chop.

Add garlic, orange zest, orange juice, nuts and cilantro to the food processor and pulse until chunky. Add the beets and pulse until the mixture is completely combined. It should look like very dry pesto at this point. Add in the olive oil and process the ingredients together quickly. Season to your taste.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Broccoli Pesto

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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. Did you know you could make pesto out of broccoli? Try this recipe and find out how yummy it can be!

Yields about 1 cup.

3 full cups broccoli florets
4 cloves garlic
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup parsley
2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Broccoli plant

Broccoli pesto? Definitely!

Blanch the broccoli by cooking it in boiling water until it is fork-tender and then immediately plunge it into ice water. Once the broccoli is cold, remove it from the ice water and drain it on paper towels. Squeeze the excess water from the broccoli before adding it to the pesto.

Add all the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, walnuts and parsley to the food processor and pulse until chunky. Add the dry broccoli florets and pulse until the mixture is completely combined. It should look like very dry pesto at this point. Add the olive oil and process the ingredients together until the pesto is completely creamy. Season with salt and pepper and mix again. Enjoy!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Dandelion Sunflower Seed Pesto

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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 pesto alternative, humble dandelion greens shine.

Yields about 1 cup.

3/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 bunch dandelion greens, washed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Toast the sunflower seeds.

Pulse the garlic and seeds, parmesan cheese, dandelion greens, and lemon juice and process continuously until combined. Stop the processor every now and again to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the blade running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

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

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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

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.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Beet, Hazlenut and Goat Cheese Salad

Spinach in the field

If you’re a Nash’s Farm Share member, you’ll find both spinach and beets in your box this week!

Approx. 5 beets (1 bunch), cubed
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Handful chives, chopped
3-4 leaves basil, chopped
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup hazelnuts or walnuts, chopped
1 small bunch baby spinach (approx. 1 cup)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Honey (optional)
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Roast the beets in a roasting pan with melted coconut oil for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar if you like.

We thank Primal Bliss for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Sauteed Runner Beans with Heirloom Tomato Marinara Sauce

Scarlet runner beans flowers

Scarlet runner beans bloom in vibrant red blossoms that are as beautiful in the field as the beans are tasty in your kitchen.

Serves 2-4
4 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes (or other thin-skinned tomatoes)
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1/2 cup filtered water
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 giant handful fresh basil leaves, ripped
Sea salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
2 cups scarlet runner beans

In a large sauté skillet heat the olive oil, garlic and shallots over a low flame. Cook through for about 3-5 minutes. Add in the cherry tomatoes, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you are using this marinara recipe for pasta or another dish, throw in the basil, stir and it is ready to be served.)

Once the tomatoes have simmered for a bit, add in the water, fresh basil and runner beans. Turn the heat up to medium and sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until the beans are cooked through (cover with a lid if necessary). Serve immediately.

We thank WithFoodAndLove.com for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Garlic Scape/Kale Pizza

A handful of garlic scapes in the field

Mmmmm, garlic scapes…

1 large pizza dough (see recipe below)
1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
Grated Mozzarella cheese
1 bunch garlic scapes, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 large leaves of kale, rinsed and dried, de-ribbed, cut into small pieces
Handful of fresh basil

Preheat a grill on high for 5 minutes. In the meantime roll out the dough so that it will fit onto the grill. Cover one side of the pizza with olive oil and place that side down on the grill. Lower the heat to medium and let grill for about 4 minutes. Check the pizza after two minutes to poke any air bubbles.

Check the underside of the pizza after 4 minutes. It should lift off easily and be lightly charred. Slide the dough off of the grill onto a cutting board.  Top the cooked side with the tomato sauce then the fresh basil. Sprinkle some mozzarella over the sauce. Top with the kale and garlic scapes. Slide the pizza back onto the grill and grill for about 6 minutes or until the bottom side is cooked.

Classic Pizza Dough
Makes 2 ten-inch crusts
1 cup warm water (a bit warmer than body temperature)
2 teaspoons yeast (dry)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Nash’s soft white flour and 1 cup Nash’s hard red flour

Put the water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar, stir and let stand until foamy (5-10 minutes). Add oil, herbs, salt, and 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If it becomes too difficult to mix with a spoon, use your hands.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Lightly coat the dough with oil, return to the unclean bowl, and cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk (1 – 1 1/2 hours). Pinch the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Form each dough into a ball and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes. Roll each dough into 10 inch circles. If you prefer a thinner pizza, roll out to 12 inches.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Basil Syrup

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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. Here’s a recipe straight out of our aromatic basil greenhouses!

Basil isn’t restricted to pesto or caprese salads. It makes a delicious flavor to a sweet, simple syrup that can be drizzled over fresh fruit like peaches, nectarines, mangos (or grilled apricots) or soft cheese, and makes fun summer cocktails, too!

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup basil

Place all ingredients in small pan and heat until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes, strain and put in a warmed glass container. It keeps for a week, if you can leave it alone!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Grilled Fresh Apricots

Nourish Restaurant in Sequim, WANourish, 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. We’ve just gotten juicy organic apricots in from eastern Washington, and here’s a unique way to enjoy them.

Wash and halve apricots, and remove stone. Brush a little white balsamic vinegar on the flat face of the apricot and place on a hot grill, flat side down, for about 2 minutes. Plate and drizzle honeyed yogurt sauce on top (1cup yogurt, 1 teaspoons honey, vanilla lemon zest). Sprinkle almonds over or a little basil syrup! Delish.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!