Organic box...in summer...

So far, it's been a great food box week!  Now that it's summer, I'm so glad I switched from the $24 small box to the $29 dogma box (locally sourced vegetables)...on the every other week schedule... http://www.bostonorganics.com/fresh/thisweekbox.php

Here's what came:
bok choy
asparagus
mushrooms
lettuce
1 huge delicious tomato
2 onions
collard greens
beets
lettuce

The meals!  The meals!  Some shining moments so far:

Prep items:
1. Bok choy...stems cut off,  blanched the rest... (washed stems were great for veggie stock)
2. Stir fried collard green leaves (stalks great for veggie stock)
3. Roasted asparagus--olive oil, salt, pepper
4. caramelized onions
5. veggie stalk (bok choy stems, collard green stems, asparagus stems, onion skins)
6. steamed rice

The mix and matched results:
1. Snacking beets!!!  I finally conquered my poor track record of roasting beets successfully!  They've always come out too dry, and nothing like what one gets at restaurants.  This time around, I ladeled in two spoonfuls of veggie broth into the foil...it totally did the trick.

2. Roasted asparagus, pan fried walnuts, golden raisins, and shaved parmesan salad.

3. Coriander mushroom curry....  one sauteed onion, several spoonfuls of coriander chutney (from the Indian grocery store), half of above said tomato--chopped, sour cream or plain yogurt, and garam masala

4. Wilted bok choy salad with coriander mushroom curry dressing (above, but chilled)

5. Carrot miso dressing (the ocean waves: Carrot ginger miso dressing).  Unlike previous dressings, I only used a teaspoon or two of olive oil this week...  threw into the food processor a ton of baby carrots...and then used veggie stock as my main liquid... processed with miso paste and sesame oil...  had with lettuce in rice wrappers for summer rolls

6. Carrot miso topping with rice and bok choy

7. Curry with rice

8. Asparagus and peas in mint ricotta custard

9. Roasted asparagus, tomato, mushroom, onion, and mozz scramble

...was reminded by the savory ricotta that I'm overdue for making one of my favorite pasta dishes--Zucchini with ricotta sauce over pasta...inspired by Fratelli la Bufalla http://www.fratellilabufala.eu/ in Miami Beach...the one restaurant where my friend's Italian husband and his family is willing to go for real Naples Style Italian food...  where I was first introduce to the taste of fresh ricotta as it should be...and vowed never to cook with the nonfat stuff again...

...am also wondering how a spring pea soup would taste with mint added in...

Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Beets

Red Velvet Cake Recipe with Beets

Background:
Ok, I'm incapable of sticking to one singular recipe...  before I forget, here's what I did... combo of all the other recipes...

Methods:

Red Velvet Cake Recipe (with beets)

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 c pureed cooked beets
2 1/4 cups flour 2c +4T flour
1/3 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda 1tsp baking soda based on Johnny Iuzzini's recipe (http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/10/johnny-iuzzinis-chocolate-beet-cupcakes-recipe.html)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. cider vinegar  2 tsp red wine vinegar  (based on http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=75605)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .

Butter and flour two 9 inch cake pans.

Melt chocolate in double boiler and set aside .  Melt chocolate in microwave, 15 s at a time

Sift togetherMix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

In a bowl beat butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in chocolate.I accidentally added in the beets at this point... in four steps, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk mixed with vinegar , beginning and ending with flour. I'd forgotten the chocolate and mixed it in midway.  Beat until incorporated. Add pureed beets and mix until well blended. 

Divide the batter between the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean and top of cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.


Results:
Half the audience liked the balance of lack of sweetness with the sweet frosting; another half thought it could use a little more sugar.  I'd repeat the recipe, but next time, perhaps add 3/4c of the brown sugar portion.

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Frosting:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (about 6 ounces), divided

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Red-Velvet-Cupcakes-with-Coconut-and-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-235169#ixzz1F8evpuao

Another beet red velvet cake recipe

Johnny Iuzzini's Chocolate Beet Cupcakes

This Recipe Appears In:

Elizabeth Falkner vs. Johnny Iuzzini Cupcake Battle

This is very lightly adapted from pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini's Scharffen Berger recipe.

This cake turns out deliciously chocolatey and moist, with the beets imparting a subtle, earthy undertone. As Iuzzini put it, "It doesn't taste like beets; but if the beet puree wasn't there, you'd miss it." To make the beet puree, quarter the beets—four large ones will be more than enough—and boil them until tender and the skin slips off easily, about 20 minutes (depending on the size). Puree with a standard or stick blender, and strain to get the big chunks out.

• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup plus 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 vanilla beans, scraped, seeds only (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
• 1 cup beet puree