In our summer issue, we talked to gardener extraordinaire Linda Ly of the award-winning blog Garden Betty. Here, she shares with us two mouthwatering recipes from her new cookbook, The CSA Cookbook, that perfectly represent our bicultural backgrounds.
Gruyère grilled cheese with chard and caramelized onion
Grilled cheese has never felt like something I could cook for a crowd. By the time the last sandwiches are done, the first ones are cold or already eaten. It’s a good made-to-order meal but not really conducive to a meal shared with friends. Until now!
This method for making grilled cheese eschews an actual grill in favor of the oven, which toasts the bread to grill-like perfection (sans grill marks). Creamy Gruyère and silky chard- which seems to soak up all the sweetness of the caramelized onion-turn a simple grilled cheese into an artisanal meal. You can even double this recipe to feed the whole crew, and no one gets stuck with a cold sandwich.
Makes 4 Servings
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
8 to 10 chard leaves, stems removed and leaves finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons softened butter
8 slices grainy bread
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups grated Gruyère cheese
Place two large rimmed baking sheets inside the oven and preheat to 425°F. If your baking sheets cannot fit side by side, place one sheet on the center rack and another sheet on whichever rack remains.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of oil and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits in the skillet with a spatula and mix them back in with the onion.
Push the onions aside and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms, chard, and salt. Cook until the vegetables are tender and wilted, about 5 minutes. Keep stirring them around to let any excess liquid cook off.
To assemble the sandwiches, thoroughly butter all the bread on one side. Turn half the slices over, buttered side down, and spread the mustard over them. Layer equal amounts of the cheese, onion, mushrooms, and chard on each slice, then top with the remaining slices of bread, buttered sides up.
Transfer the sandwiches to the hot baking sheet in the center of the oven and place the other hot baking sheet on top, pressing down slightly. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until the bread is toasted on the outside and the cheese is melted on the inside.
Soba Noodles with Spring Root Vegetables
Walking past the farm stands at my local farmers’ market, one vegetable always stands out to me in the spring: the white and green-tinged watermelon radish, piled high in plastic crates, usually with one split open to reveal its vibrant fuchsia flesh.
The unusual variety is a Chinese daikon and derives its name from its uncanny similarity to a watermelon (rind and all) if you slice off a cross-section. It’s also known as Red Meat radish, and it imparts a much milder flavor than other spring radishes.
That mildness (a typical trait for daikon) makes it ideal for a cold soba salad tossed in a lemony, gingery dressing. It’s a refreshing make-ahead meal, as the noodles only become more flavorful as they soak up the dressing. If you don’t have any watermelon radish, feel free to use another daikon in its place.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
For the salad:
91/2 ounces dried soba (buckwheat) noodles
11/2cups julienned carrot
11/2cups thinly sliced watermelon radish
11/2cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
3/4 cup thinly sliced (on the diagonal) scallions
Black sesame seeds for garnishing
For the dressing:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
Juice of 1/2lemon
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Cook and drain the soba noodles according to the package directions. Rinse well under cold running water and set aside to cool completely.
To make the dressing, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil until well blended and set aside.
In a large serving bowl, fold together the soba noodles, carrot, radish, cabbage, and scallions. Toss with the dressing to coat.
Serve at room temperature with a garnish of sesame seeds, or refrigerate for a few hours and serve cold.
