CSA zero: the zucchiing commences, Marcella Hazan's braised carrots
So, last week I had some zucchini, and I didn’t use them, and then this week, would you believe it, I got more. I now have six zucchini in my refrigerator, which is fine. It’s fine! We don’t have a loaf pan right now, so we can’t make zucchini bread, so we’re having to do everything else with it first.
This week:
Zucchini — I made this recipe from the Woks of Life, it’s sort of a summer version of one of my favorite winter dishes (napa cabbage and mung bean noodles). I love mung bean noodles with a vegetable, so this is a real winner for me. I used leftover pulled pork that I had defrosted and just whacked at it with the cleaver until it was small. I also did a stir fry with garlic, sesame seeds, and perilla oil (add perilla oil at the end, it’s not heat tolerant).
Beets — I hate beets. I try not to, and like, I won’t necessarily pick around them if I’m confronted with them, but honestly the prospect of cooking them with the intent to just… eat beats? Nah. Couldn’t be me. I spent all week looking at beet recipes and none seemed particularly thrilling. So, uh, I remembered that “beets in chocolate cake” is a thing, and I’m doing that. I hope that it’s good, but at the very least it cannot be worse than just… beets. I chose this recipe from Lazy Cat Kitchen (vegan!) because it doesn’t require pre-baking the beets. Basically my feeling is, I don’t want to turn my oven on for beets, our electric bill is so high already, but I will turn the oven on for cake, even cake that contains a much loathed foodstuff.
Carrots — Italian style (really!) with cacio e pepe
Italian parsley
Lettuce — I made the same salad over and over using the Maangchi salad dressing I shared a while ago, and adding some of the little spring onions.
String beans — green beans goma-ae
Last week’s leftovers: fennel, and some little onions
Braised Carrots with Capers
From Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Italian Cooking
1 pound choice young carrots
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (one large clove)
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt
Ground pepper
2 tablespoons of capers, drained
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Prepare the carrots: wash them, peel them, and, per Marcella’s instructions “they ought to be no thicker than your little finger. If they are not that size to start with cut them lengthwise in half, or in quarters if necessary.” So, do that/
In a large sautee pan, over medium high, heat the olive oil, add the garlic, cook until light gold. Add the carrots and parsley, a pinch of salt and a good amount of pepper, toss until coated. Then, add 1/4 cup of water. You’re going to simmer off the water, then add another 1/4 cup, and repeat. I used 3/4 cups of water all together, but you should test the carrots and see if they are cooked how you like them. If the carrots are done but there is still a lot of water, heat it to a boil and cook the water off quickly. Then, add the capers, toss a few times. Serve.