Macaroni with CSA Veggie Lightened Meat Sauce

This dish combines elements of a "Beans & Greens" recipe I've made several times, where bitter greens are cooked with tomatoes and balanced with feta cheese; along with elements of a basic ragu meat sauce. In this case, I used half the usual amount of beef as I had cabbage and other veggies to give it substance. Made for a tasty dish, a bit lighter than a regular meat sauce.

Now, you don't have to duplicate this exactly. The basic idea is by adding substantial veggies you can use less beef than in a typical meat sauce; and the notion of balancing bitter greens with saltiness of bacon and feta cheese.

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 small eggplant sliced, then chopped

3 to 4 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

3 to 4 cups radicchio, coarsely chopped (the CSA radicchio was a big head, I thought it was romaine at first...getting more into the inside leaves, it looked more familiar)

1/2 lb ground beef

1 slice bacon

kernels from 1 ear of corn (already cooked)

1/2 cup or so feta cheese

2 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp oregano

1 pound short pasta (I used elbow)

Heat a medium pan and spray with cooking oil. Add bacon and cook until well browned on both sides. Remove bacon from pan, place on paper towel (with plate under) to remove grease. Discard most of the bacon grease from pan, leaving a bit for flavor.

Return pan to medium heat, add garlic and red bell pepper. Saute for a couple minutes, add the cabbage and balsamic vinegar, then eggplant, continue to saute. After the cabbage starts to soften, stir in the beef. After the beef has browned, add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. After 10 minutes or so, add the radicchio. This is also a good time to add the pasta.

After the greens, add the corn, parsley and oregano. Add the bacon back into the sauce when it is almost done. Drain pasta when cooked al dente, toss with the sauce and feta. Enjoy!

Eat Local Journal Entry #2

Well, if I'm going to post about what I did with the past week's CSA veggies, I guess I'd better do it before the next onslaught tomorrow! There was basil, so I naturally made some pesto for starters (basil doesn't last long). I used my basic pesto recipe except that I substituted 2 scallions for two of the garlic cloves. I sauteed summer squash & zukes, swiss chard and beet greens to toss with pasta and the pesto, for meal # 1 pictured below.

This week I just had to do something with the beets--which along with eggplant is one of my least favorite vegetables. But I have liked them OK a few times prepared nicely by others and was determined to find a way to make them work. This Beet Bliss salad (photo below) recipe, with the beets roasted and a very tasty dressing, turned out to be a big hit. We had plenty of leftover dressing for basic green salads the rest of the week.

The third major recipe of the week was this Summer Squash Soup. I used the pesto I had on hand instead of the pistou the recipe calls for. It's pretty easy and was quite tasty. Though the recipe calls for it to be served hot, we enjoyed the leftovers cold--perhaps a better way to serve it on a hot day.
In addition to these recipes, we were eating a lot of green salad, and the pesto also came in handy to top pork and swordfish. We finished the CSA week with a all local meal--fillet mignon from MA, greens from VT (actually had to buy some on the eve of picking up our next CSA delivery!) and corn from western MA. Yum! (the wine was from France, but one must be flexible).

Portsmouth Lunch with a View (and allergy sensitive menu)

Last weekend we headed to Portsmouth, NH, to celebrate my sister's 40th birthday. Wonderful spot, especially on a nice summer weekend. On the water, lively arts scene (the parking garage even had a Robert Frost poem on the wall!), and some good food options.

We were looking for a place for a nice family lunch on Sunday, and were happy to find the River House. They have quite a bit of outside deck seating overlooking the harbor, but the shady spots were taken so we took a window seat inside. After a lot of pizza the night before, I was looking for something lighter, and this Thai Tuna Salad with sushi grade tuna and zesty dressing was just the thing. The edible orchid was a nice touch!
I had a glass of the Bogle Riesling to go with it. OK wine, but the pairing left a bit to be desired. I think perhaps something like a sparkling rose might have been better with the lively sweet and spicy flavors of the dish.

Actually one of the main reasons we chose this spot was there note on the menu about accommodating food allergies. Though they focused a bit more on gluten, the reference made us more comfortable that they'd be able to deal with our son's nut, dairy and egg allergies. We typically get him plain chicken or a burger, but they were confident their chicken fingers were prepared safe. So he got to have the same "boat" filled fries and chicken that non-allergy kids get...

He was pleased! We parents were also happy to wrap-up a good weekend with a tasty, healthy lunch in such a great spot. Worth a try if you are in Portsmouth (and if you are looking for places to go in New England, add this town to your list!).