This week’s Seasonal FarmBOX (Standard) features Pak Choy, a Chinese cabbage that is full of folate, potassium and vitamin C, as well as Endive, a bitter yet hearty green that's full of Vitamin K. Both of these greens will be Gippsland-sourced so you know you're getting maximum crispness and nutrition when you receive your delivery this Thursday.
The purpose of these recipes is to give you some inspiration for the week ahead. We’ve suggested meal ideas based on our produce selection and they can all be enjoyed on their own, or with any protein that suits your appetite.
Enjoy!
Hot and Sour Mushroom Stirfry
This recipe brings pak choy together with mushrooms, crunchy carrots and aromatic ginger. It’s a quick and easy stir-fry that’s sure to impress.
- 4 tsp oil
- 250g Flooding Creek Fungi mushrooms, cut into 1cm-thick slices
- 1 carrot , thinly sliced at an angle
- 1 celery stick, thinly sliced at an angle
- A thumb-sized piece of ginger, shredded
- 2 spring onions, cut into 3cm pieces
- 2 pak choy, quartered lengthways
- toasted sesame seeds to serve
- Rice, to serve.
SAUCE
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1½ tbsp chilli paste
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a wok or large frying pan and until very hot. Tip in the mushrooms and cook, tossing, for 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are caramelised. Tip out onto a plate. Add the remaining oil and cook the carrot and celery for 2-3 minutes or until charred at the edges. Add the ginger and cook for a few more minutes.
Mix the cornflour with soy and rice vinegar to form a paste, then slowly add 350ml of water, before whisking in the chilli paste and garlic.
Tip the sauce into the wok, along with the spring onions and pak choy, and return the mushrooms back into the pan. Simmer for several minutes until the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has thickened. Scatter with sesame seeds, then serve with the rice.
Creamy Endive and Sweet Potato Soup
Just because winter is over, doesn't mean we can't enjoy a warm, creamy bowl of soup! This soup is made with seasonal vegetables, making it a great option for those cooler days.
- 350g endive
- 250g sweet potato
- 1 handful flat-leaf parsley
- 2 shallots
- 30g butter
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 800 mls vegetable broth
- 120 mls whipped cream
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
Rinse the endive, cut in half, separate out the bitter stalks and cut the rest small. Peel the sweet potatoes and dice. Rinse the parsley, shake dry and chop the leaves. Peel the shallots and dice.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, sauté shallots, endive and potatoes. Sprinkle with sugar and caramelize. Deglaze with the broth and bring to a boil.
Cook for about 30 minutes and then puree in blender. Boil together with 100 ml (approximately 1/2 cup) of cream and season with salt and pepper. Distribute into small bowls, swirl in the remaining cream decoratively and garnish with the chopped parsley.
Broccoli and Endive Salad With Feta and Capsicum
A summery salad with the added nutritional benefits from Broccoli and Endive
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- 1 small garlic clove, minced or pureed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 – 2 broccolis
- 1 capsicum, roasted if desired
- 1 tablespoon lightly toasted pine nuts
- 1 bunch endives, leaves separated
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, tarragon
- 85 grams feta, crumbled
Make the dressing. Mix together the vinegars, salt, garlic, mustard and oil and set aside.
Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water, and cook 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to the ice water, let cool for a few minutes and drain. Dry on paper towels. Toss in a bowl with the capsicum, pine nuts, feta and half the dressing.
In a wide salad bowl, toss together the endives, herbs and remaining dressing. Top with the broccoli mixture, and serve.
Classic Potato Salad
It’s BBQ season! Which means you’ll need a staple potato salad recipe that’s easy to create and tastes amazing.
- About 900g of potatoes, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons mustard (your favorite: yellow, Dijon, stone-ground)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced spring onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- Salt & pepper to taste
In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.
Simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Add a little salt and pepper.
Add the potatoes and use a rubber spatula to gently combine with the sour cream mixture. Add the spring onions, celery and parsley, again gently combining. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pak Choy and Asparagus in Oyster Sauce
This easy stir-fry is the perfect Chinese side dish, or serve with brown rice for a meat-free Monday meal!
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 5cm-piece ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 - 2 bunches baby pak choy, cut lengthways into wedges
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup (60ml) oyster sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 min or until aromatic. Add the pak choy and asparagus and stir-fry for 1-2 mins or until asparagus is bright green and tender crisp.
Add the oyster sauce and stir-fry for 1 min or until vegetables are coated in sauce. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.
Radish, Celery & Cucumber Salad
- 1 cucumber, very thinly sliced
- 3 stalks celery, very thinly sliced, plus celery leaves for garnish
- 3 radishes, very thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt,
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Combine cucumber, celery and radishes in a large bowl. Whisk oil and lemon juice in a small bowl.
Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad. Serve sprinkled with lemon zest, cheese, salt and pepper. Garnish with celery leaves, if desired.
Glazed Dutch Carrots
Honeyed carrots are a great accompaniment to your favourite protein, but their also amazing by themselves as a snack!
- 1 bunch dutch carrots
- 25g butter
- 1½ tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Meanwhile, trim carrots and heat butter and honey in a small saucepan.
Place carrots in a baking dish large enough to hold them in a single layer.
Pour butter mixture over them and toss to combine.
Place in oven for 25 minutes or so, until well coloured and tender.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with a little of the carrot tops.
If you would like to check out the latest produce selection, click here to visit the Seasonal FarmBOX product page and be sure to secure your Thursday delivery if you haven't already.