Baked Chile Rellenos

This cousin to the Jalapeno Popper (and more interesting) is a rich, cheesy, mildly spicy dish that can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or maybe all three. This hearty version is resplendent with eggs and baked rather than fried.

Prep time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 Minutes
Serves: 6

Other Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 8 servings

6 Poblano Chiles (available in many large grocery stores and just maybe out in the field!).
½ pound chorizo, or similar spicy sausage
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar (For purists, use chopped Queso Chihuahua)
½ cup corn kernels
8 eggs
¼ cup flour
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
1 cup shredded “Mexican Style” cheese, or shredded Monterey Jack

Variations: Other mildly spicy (or even sweet) peppers can be substituted for Poblano. Omit the sausage for a vegetarian version.

Tip: Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching pepper seeds and membranes.

Lightly oil a large baking pan, or several smaller ones, of sufficient volume to hold your peppers and the egg mixture.

Preheat your broiler and set the top rack so that a baking tray will be about 5” below the heat source. Wash and dry the peppers, place in a single layer on a baking tray, and slide under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until the peppers blacken and blister. Turn peppers, and broil for another few minutes to blacken that side, repeat again if necessary. Place peppers in a large bowl, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to bake at 350F.

While peppers are cooling, finely chop the chorizo and sauté with the corn in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn off heat, and mix with the cheese.

After that time, peel off the loose skin. With a sharp paring knife, slice off the stem end of each pepper, and remove the seeds. Stuff each pepper with the sausage mixture and arrange peppers in your baking tray.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, flour, oregano and salt. Sprinkle the peppers with half of the shredded cheese, pour the egg mixture over and around the peppers, and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the eggs are barely set. Serve warm.

Served up by Tod Dimmick

Kale

Kale (Brassica oleracea) is actually a leafy form of cabbage and the superstar of healthy veggies. It's a great source of vitamins K, C, A, beta-carotene, lutein and fiber. A very hardy plant, kale prefers cooler weather but can be found in shares throughout the season. While the kale-craze is just getting started here, apparently kale was one of the most common green vegetables eaten in all of Europe until the Middle Ages.

Some varieties of kale you will find in your share include Lacinto/Dinosaur (dustyish dark green leaves with a pebbly texture - left photo), Red and White Russian (often huge, tall, purple or white stemmed (respectively) with green serrated-edged leaves - center photo), and Green and Red Curly (very frilly-edged leaves - right photo).

These types vary slightly in texture and taste, but can be cooked together easily. To use, wash and de-stem leaves by holding upside down and swiping the knife downward along each side of the stem. Stems are usuable, as long as they are chopped small. They take longer to cook, so add them before the leaves if sauteeing, steaming or boiling. To store, wrap unwashed leaves in a wrung-out paper towel and keep in an unsealed plastic bag in the fridge.

For a super easy dish, try sauteeing chopped leaves with olive oil and garlic until leaves taste soft enough to you. Try adding any combinations of the following: lemon juice, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, pre-cooked white beans, feta cheese, balsamic vinegar, apples, etc!

Kale and Potato Soup with Red Chili
from "The Greens Cookbook" by Deborah Madison
Serves 4-6

1 bunch kale leaves, destemmed, chopped
3 TBS olive oil
1 med onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small red chili, seeded and chopped or 1/2 tsp chili flakes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
4 medium potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
7 cups water
pepper, sour cream (optional

Heat olive oil in soup pot, add onion, garlic, chili, bay leaf and salt and cook on medium-high for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add potatoes and yeast, plus a cup of water. Stir, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add kale, cover and steam until it wilts, stirring occasionally. Pour remaining water, bring to boil and simmer slowly, covered, until potatoes are soft, 30-40 minutes. Either smush up some potatoes in pot with the back of a wooden spoon, or blend a cup or two of the soup and return it to the pot. Add pepper to taste and serve with sour cream. (Try adding white beans, sausage or other creative things into your soup).

Raw Kale Salad

from Deborah’s Natural Gourmet

1 bunch kale

1/4 cup lemon juice (or lime)
1/2 cup sliced red onion

3 tablespoons oil
2 avocados, peeled and cubed

3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated carrots

Wash kale and shake out well to remove water. De-rib kale. Chiffonade (roll kale and slice greens into thin ribbons). Put kale and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Toss well. Marinate for an hour before serving.

Napa Cabbage

Napa Cabbage (Brassica campestris) is a type of Chinese cabbage with a more cylindrical shape, white crunchy stems and light green crinkly leaves. It is widely used in East Asian cuisines and can be substituted for regular cabbage in most recipes. It has a lot of vitamin K and C, fiber, and manganese, as well as health-promoting phytonutrients.

To store, keep unwashed head whole in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To use, discard outermost leaves, slice in half longwise, and cut out the core at the base of the head. Wash leaves individually to remove soil before using. Try it raw, chopped into salads or simple slaws, or use whole leaves as a wrap. Blanch leaves and stuff. Use chopped in stir-fries or soups. Or try pickling it into kimchi.

Check out the recipes under "Cabbage" for some other slaw ideas.


Napa Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro Dressing

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 fresh serrano chile, finely chopped, with seeds
• 1 small head Napa cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

Whisk together vinegar, sugar, ginger, oil, chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 10 minutes.
From www.epicurious.com


Ten-Minute Miso Soup
Serves 2-4

2 1/2 cups water
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons carrots, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon miso dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup napa cabbage, sliced
1/4 cup diced extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon hijiki sea vegetables (optional)

1. In a pot, combine the water, carrots, most of the scallion (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish), and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let it stop boiling, and stir in dissolved miso.

2. Pour mixture into serving bowls. Soup will be cloudy at first, but will settle upon standing. Mound the cabbage, tofu, and if desired, hijiki sea vegetables, in center of each bowl; garnish with reserved scallion and serve.

Napa Cabbage Slaw
From: http://www.about.com/
Ingredients:
· 3 cups napa cabbage, shredded
· 1 cup bok choy, shredded
· 3 tablespoons sweet pepper, diced
· 1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
· 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Preparation:
Toss napa cabbage, bok choy and pepper together. Combine vinegar and sesame oil. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for one hour to blend the flavors and toss again before serving.

Cabbage

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) can refer to many differeny varieties of the Brassica family. This posting is about the round, tightly packed head variety that you may find in your share. They may be smooth and red/purple or green, savoy (crinkly leaves), and possibly even the arrowhead (pointy shaped) variety. You can find more information on Chinese cabbages, Napa cabbage, Bok Choi, or Tatsoi in other postings on this website.

Easy to store and rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, cabbage is grown and cooked in many parts of the world. Familiar traditional European and Asian cabbage dishes include sauerkraut, corned beef and cabbage, stuffed cabbage, and kimchi.

Store your cabbage head with or without a plastic bag in the refrigerator - it can last many, many months. When using, peel away the outermost leaves, slice in half and cut away the tough all-white "core" or base. There's no need to wash your cabbage, since the inner leaves have been protected from any exposure to soil. Try using raw cabbage in salads and slaws. Cabbage is easy to cook in soups, stews, sauteed in oil or butter, or grilled/baked in large wedges drizzled with olive oil and wrapped in foil.


Crispy Tofu and Peanut Slaw
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 3 cups VERY thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 16-ounce carton firm or extra-firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup bean sprouts (optional)
  
• 3 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced small, skinny chile peppers, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced (try freezing the root and grating it)
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. In a large colander, combine the cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes in the sink to leach out excess water. Rinse well with cold running water and drain.
2. Wrap the block of tofu well with a clean dishtowel and press firmly with your hands until you feel the towel become damp. Unwrap the tofu and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. In a large, well-seasoned skillet (preferably not nonstick) heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and salt it liberally. Fry the tofu undisturbed until it forms a dark golden crust on the bottom, then use a spatula to turn it and brown it well on at least one more side. Drain well on paper towels. Transfer the tofu to a large bowl and add the cabbage, bean sprouts, and scallions.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the chilies, ginger, garlic, sugar and vinegar.
5. Pour the dressing over the tofu mixture and toss to coat well. Just before serving, season the slaw with salt and garnish it with the peanuts.

Based on recipe from: Entertaining for a Veggie Planet by Dede Emmons


Toasted Mustard Seed Slaw
Serves 6

1 large head cabbage, cored and sliced
1 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 cup walnut pieces (optional)
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

1. Have cabbage ready in large, heat-resistant bowl. In small skillet, heat 1/2 cup of the oil with the mustart seeds until the seeds begin to pop. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat a bit, and cook until seeds stop popping and turn dark brown. Pour the hot oil and mustard seeds over cabbage and toss well.
2. In same skillet, toast walnuts in the remaining 1/2 cup oil unti golden brown, and pour hot oil and nuts over cabbage. Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
From: The Cafe Pongo Cookbook by Valerie Nehez


Quick Sauteed Cabbage and Apple
Serves 4-6

• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 lb storage (round) cabbage, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 Gala or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 whole allspice (optional), crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

Cook garlic in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add cabbage, apple, cider, caraway, allspice (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Add vinegar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

From: www.epicurious.com

Sauerkraut
This fermented dish is a great way to use and store a lot of cabbage, plus is a great source of vitamin C and lactobacilli (active "good" bacterial cultures that improve digestive health). Also, it's a great science experiment - the pickling of cabbage in this process is done by lacto-fermentation. The natural microorganisms found on the cabbage and in the nearby environment work anaerobically to ferment the sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid, giving that "vinegary" taste to fermented foods. Watch out, fermenting things can become addictive!

Ingredients
-cleaned, shredded cabbage (green is traditional, but red/purple make a lovely pink kraut)
-non-iodized canning salt (kosher salt works well)

Process
1. Weigh the shredded cabbage. For each pound of it, you will need 2 teaspoons of salt. Place cabbage in large clean bowl, add salt and toss well with clean hands until evenly distributed. Let mixture stand until limp, 15-20 minutes.
2. Pack the cabbage into a clean ceramic crock or large glass jar, pressing it down with each addition of more cabbage. Fill the crock no higher than a couple of inches below its rim. Place a clean plate on top of the cabbage and weigh the plate down with a clean jar filled with water.
3. Place the container in a cool or room temperature place and over the next several hours, press on the jar to release liquid from the cabbage. The liquid must cover the cabbage, so if it hasn't done so after several hours, remove some cabbage and replace the weights.
4. Once it's completely covered by liquid, leave it alone to ferment. Place a clean t-shirt or towel over the weight/jar to prevent anything from falling in there. Try tasting the kraut after a few days. Depending on the air temperature, fermentation can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks. Stop the fermentation process when you like the flavor by putting it in the fridge.