In Which I Rediscover Nutritional Yeast

Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage -- and some fennel. Last week I made sauteed cabbage with fennel from the recipe that came with our box. Here it is:

"Saute ½ c. thinly sliced fennel, 4 c. shredded cabbage, ¼ c. minced onions and 2-3 cloves minced garlic in 1 tbs olive oil 5 min. or until cabbage is just slightly crunchy. Sprinkle with 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds and serve."

Of course, the ancient sesame seeds in my cupboard had long since gone rancid, and cheese from cows is not something I'm eating these days (if you're curious about why, check out this link). So, I rediscovered a similarly ancient yogurt container full of nutritional yeast from the back of the cupboard, and sprinkled it on the finished cabbage, with some salt and paper. Mmmm, nutritional yeast, food of the gods, and one of the most poorly named foods ever, guaranteed to make sure that no one but dedicated food co-op dwellers who went to Oberlin in the 1980s ever eats it.... all the more for me! Here is a picture of the final product:

That was last week. Now I'm currently in my THIRD week of getting fennel in the box (are they trying to see how many times they can repeat a vegetable that I NEVER cook with???). Here was the haul:

The box included:

1. Green onions
2. An eggplant
3. Red cabbage
4. The above-mentioned fennel
5. A yellow crookneck squash (I had to google "knobby yellow squash" to find out what it was)
6. Lettuce
7. Blueberries
8. Zucchini
9. A tomato

When I got the box, I chopped up the zucchini and some red cabbage, with some broccoli, and made some lovely roasted veggies. I chopped the fennel too (another lesson learned -- chop up the fennel when you get it and put in a CONTAINER, no point getting fennel-fronds all over the inside of the fridge). I have learned to use fennel in salads, also found a smoothie recipe with it, involving kale, ginger, celery, half an apple, and a quarter of a honeydew melon. Yum. I have to remember to keep chopping up the green onions and put in dishes I eat, so they don't shrivel away before I get to them. The tomato was chopped up and used to top veggie burgers. The eggplant I may use in a chili recipe that I found in Crescent Dragonwagon's Passionate Vegetarian. And the crookneck squash???? Ideas?

Inappropropriate Fennel Tomato Soup

They say it's 91 degrees outside, with a heat index of 95. Cooper is enjoying a black dog sauna outside in the backyard, but I've spent most of the day indoors, cleaning and then cooking.

This was my CSA haul this week:

It included:

one eggplant
a fennel bulb
oregano
more spring onions
lettuce
new potatoes
two zucchini


The potatoes and zucchini were easy. That night I coated them in olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted them: the red potatoes separately, and then a roasted vegetable melange with zucchini, broccoli, and red cabbage. Roasted is about the only way I can like zucchini.

Speaking of roasting, as I go through this season, I'm developing some guidelines for how to use my CSA produce. Here they are so far:


1. Any firm vegetable will taste good roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. This is a good way to deal with many veggies I don't particularly care for. Last night I roasted the eggplant with mushrooms and red onions and served it over rice with a dash of balsamic vinegar. Yum.

2. Swiss chard should be used immediately - even one day later it will have wilted. It's good sauteed with garlic and olive oil, and you can throw in olives and/or sundried tomatoes


3. Beets should be peeled and grated early in the week, and put in the fridge to use on salads. These I do not like much roasted.


Now I need a rule to deal with all the garlic scapes!

Tonight I finally used the fennel, making a fennel tomato soup with vegan sausage (the Tofurky sausage from Trader Joe's):

Totally inappropriate, a winter tomato soup in 95 degree weather. Thank goodness for air conditioning!