Squash and such...

Hello fellow foodies :)  Thanks to those who have started reading - and for all your advice and encouragement!  I realize now the 'comment' function was out of order - it has now been repaired!  If you have questions/ advice etc. please post for all to see :)

On to the good stuff!  It has been a moderately slow cooking week for me, but I continue to work through my supply of produce.  I've also made a resolution to cook at least one new food item or recipe per week, which may or may not come from my produce box supply...just to keep things interesting!

First, Monday's dinner menu:

Seared pork chops served with rosemary apple sauce, garlic sauteed collard greens, and baked orange Kabocha squash.

The pork, apples, collard greens, and squash were all products of Ontario.

Apple Sauce Ingredients:

Pork and Collards

Squash vinaigrette ingredients

The piece de resistance

The pork and apple sauce recipe is courtesy of Michael Smith's new cookbook The Best of Chef at Home (www.chefmichaelsmith.ca) - I had the opportunity to see him and Anita Stewart (www.anitastewart.blogspot.com) do a talk recently at George Brown college, where he emphasized his passion for eating locally and encouraging others to do so..."Be the Change!" he told us (a group of budding young foodies and chefs).  This is partially what inspired me to start writing this blog.  I will really try to give an unbiased opinion on all of the produce boxes that I trial - but for me, the local content of a box will weigh heavily on my decision of which is the best of the best.

Recipes!  Unfortunately, this pork recipe is not available anywhere but chef Smith's cookbook, but you can find a variety of alternative apple/pork recipes on his website.  I varied his recipe slightly, this is my version:

Apple Rosemary Sauce:

• 2 yummy apples, peeled, cored, chopped (GFB - local)
• 1 large or 2 small onions, sliced thinly
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped roasemary
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
• S&P to taste
• 1/4 c. water

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over med-low heat - add onions and sautee until golden brown (caramelized) - 15-20 mins.
2. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until apples are very soft (about 15 mins).
3. Serve over pork hot or cold (mine was warm)

Seared Ontario Pork:

• 2 thick centre cut pork chops, bone in.
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• S&P 

1. Pat pork dry and season both sides with S&P
2. Meanwhile, heat butter and oil over med high heat in a sautee pan that can be covered (the addition of oil will help keep the butter from burning), add pork, and sear for 2 minutes per side.
3. Turn down heat to low - cover pan, and continue to cook for 10 minutes.

Kabocha squash (this recipe for "baked squash" was taken from the newsletter that I received with my Good Food Box)

• 1 squash (lots of options!), halved and seeded. (GFB - local)
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup (we use a delish medium-flavoured variety that I picked up from a one-eyed Mennonite named Elam on the side of a country road who thought my BF Rory was my dad! ha!)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.  
2. Whisk all sauce ingredients, pour equal amounts into each squash half.
3. Bake for 45 mins.

Collard Greens sauteed with garlic:

• 1 bunch Ontario collard greens
• 2 tsp EVOO
• 1 clove garlic, minced.

1. Bring large pot of water with 1 Tbsp salt to boil.
2. Add greens for 2 mins, then strain.
3. Heat EVOO in sauce pan, add garlic and sautee for 1-2 mins on med-low
4. Add strained greens and sautee for 2-3 minutes.

The verdict:

All around very good.  ***/*****

The pork was overcooked - my gas stove I'm learning, runs high...it was by no means bad, and it wasn't dry, but I like a nice juicy, tender pork, just barely pink.  Next time I will cut down on cooking time, simple as that.

The apple sauce was phenomenal...a sweet and savory burst of flavour, and the rosemary really gives it a nice earthy flavour.  I will absolutely make this again!

The collard greens - great. simple green garlicy freshness, with a pleasant hint of bitterness that balanced the plate very well.

The squash - um, not great, wasn't cooked through, and had to throw it in the microwave to finish it off to have it ready with the rest of the meal.  I thought 350F seemed like a low roasting temperature (and the suggested cooking time was only 30 mins!), but I followed the recipe anyway - should've listened to my instincts!  I'm sure cooking time varies with different squash varieties.  The vinaigrette was good on it's own (for a salad maybe), but didn't complement the squash that well.  I would've preferred something simpler - maybe just the maple syrup and and oil.

The moral: don't overcook your pork, eat apple sauce infused with caramelized onions and rosemary whenever the opportunity arises, and acquaint winter greens and garlic often.

Last night's meal - if you could call it a meal, was a quick take on scalloped potatoes.  It was volleyball night, and with a double header, there was very little prep time.  The result:

Cheddar and broccoli scalloped taters:

• 4 medium sized potatoes (GFB - local)
• 1 bunch broccoli (GFB - local), chopped into small pieces (see above)
• 3/4 c. skim milk
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1.5 c shredded medium cheddar
• S&P
• butter/oil/PAM for greasing

1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil
2. Peel and slice potatoes thinly (peeling can be skipped here too - added fibre!), and add to boiling water, cooking for 8 minutes - then strain
3. Heat milk and 1/4 tsp salt in microwave for 1 minute
4. Grease inside of appropriately sized microwave safe dish (sorry, that's probably not helpful!)
5. Add 1/3 of potatoes to bottom of dish, cover with 1/3 of flour, broccoli, and cheddar.  Repeat this step two more times.
6. Pour heated milk over potatoes
7. Microwave dish for 7-10 minutes

This was yummy, and was supposed to be served with fish, but I was too tired to do the fish after vball, so potato-dinner it was!

It needed a little more seasoning - I added  pepper and a dollop of sour cream to my serving.
Rory, in a moment of genius - added a small 4oz can of tuna to his serving - a take on  tuna casserole - wheat free! (minus the flour of course).

A successful week so far!

The remaining contents of the box include, potatoes, apples, pears, carrots, garlic, and oranges...suggestions are welcome :)

Let's talk food soon o.k.?!