Sun Ripened Recipes
No matter how you pronounce it, the word ‘tomato’ practically sings of summer, as well it should as the vine-ripened beauties are now at their best. This week’s box pays homage to the ripe, juicy summer favorite with a selection of heirloom tomatoes, plus focaccia bread, our housemade Cara Cara orange vinaigrette and everything you need for a hearty baked orzo main, plus Rainier cherries, raspberries, fennel and crisp gardens greens. Also included: Ingredients for a luscious apricot cake topped with apricot-almond crumble to finish off this bright and beautiful lineup.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Heirloom Tomato & Grilled Focaccia Bread Salad
The beauty of this summery salad is in its simplicity: Be sure to use good-quality olive oil and season generously!
Baked Orzo
This hearty baked orzo recipe is both satisfying and summery when topped with fresh heirloom tomatoes!
Roasted Beet Salad with Raspberries & Hazelnuts
Tossed with our Cara Cara orange vinaigrette, this showpiece salad boasts beautiful color.
Grilled Fennel with Radicchio
Also tossed with this week’s vinaigrette, this salad features a wonderfully-smoky flavor from the grill.
Grilled Glazed Carrots
Brushed with a sweet-tart glaze, these grilled carrots are sure to impress.
Rainbow Swiss Chard with Lemon Citronette
A light, lemony dressing adds bright appeal to tender Swiss chard.
F&L Apricot Cake with Apricot-Almond Crumble Topping
Moist and incredibly flavorful, this cake comes together in just minutes!
Baked Orzo with Spinach, Feta & Lemon
Tossed with sautéed spinach and garlic, plus lemon zest and feta cheese, this baked pasta dish is a winner.
Ingredients:
1 pound orzo pasta
1½ cups crumbled feta cheese
2 cups baby spinach
1 large garlic clove, minced
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly-chopped thyme
Zest of 1 lemon
¾ cup Panko-style breadcrumbs
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Lightly coat a 2-quart baking dish with oil.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the spinach and cook, tossing, until it starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and toss with the spinach mixture, feta, 2 more tablespoons of olive oil, half the thyme, and lemon zest. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining tablespoon of oil, the remaining thyme, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle on top of the pasta.
4. Bake the pasta until the breadcrumbs brown and the pasta heats through, about 20 minutes (cover with foil if the top browns too quickly). Let cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Baked Orzo with Duxelles & Sautéed Mushrooms
This hearty baked orzo recipe is incredibly satisfying on a crisp day.
Ingredients:
2 cups orzo pasta
4 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4½ cups F&L chicken stock
½ cup combined freshly-chopped parsley, thyme and rosemary
½ cup F&L duxelles
½ cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cups baby Shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter
Method:
1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add in the orzo and herbs, and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add in broth and then season with salt and pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and sprinkle in the duxelles and Grana-style cheese.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 2-quart baking dish. Add the orzo mixture and bake for 35-40 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from oven and garnish each serving with a helping of the sautéed baby Shiitake mushrooms. Serve with additional grated Grana-style cheese as desired.
Sweet Italian Sausage & Orzo Ribollita
This spin on the classic Italian soup features puttanesca sauce, orzo pasta and toasted Pomodoro bread.
Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over the bread
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 quart Nonna Pat’s puttanesca sauce
3 cups chicken stock
1 3-inch Parmesan cheese rind
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons combined fresh thyme leaves and chopped parsley
1 bunch Lacinato kale, greens removed from ribs and torn into bite-sized pieces
½ cup orzo pasta
4-6 slices pomodoro loaf
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, sausage and minced garlic. Cook, crumbling the sausage into small pieces, until the onion is golden brown and the sausage is cooked through, about 7 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Add the puttanesca sauce and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, herbs and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then add the orzo and kale, and simmer an additional 10 minutes or until the orzo is cooked and kale is wilted.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. Drizzle the sliced pomodoro bread with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Place the toasts in the serving bowls and ladle the soup over the toasts. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Variation: In leiu of the pomodoro bread, free free to sub in the sourdough dinner rolls crafted from this week’s starter!
