Summer Produce: Collards, Beets, Rhubarb Salsa and Grilled Potatoes

It has been a while since I posted any recipes. I think spring fever caught me this year. Feeling lazy and wanting to be outside. I've been getting my CSA boxes every other week and have much produce to cook with. Here are four things I've done lately with some of the produce. Collards sauteed with ginger, beets and greens salad, rhubarb salsa and grilled potatoes. All are side dishes and go well with chicken, fish, veggie main and even beef. They come together quickly and leave me with plenty of time to lounge around outside in my garden nook reading a book while hubby operates the grill. Enjoy.


Collard Greens and Ginger

1 T olive oil
1 bunch of collard greens
1 T minced ginger or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
squeeze of lemon

Rinse and remove the hard center stem from the collards. roll into a cigar shape. Slice very thin strips across the roll. Warm the olive oil in a pan. Add the collards and turn up the heat to medium. With tongs move the collard strips around until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger and saute until fragrant. Add salt, pepper and squeeze of lemon. Serve hot.

Beet and Greens Salad
1 bunch beets
olive oil 

vinegar (whatever you have, wine or sherry vinegar work well)
garlic salt
fresh ground pepper

Trim beets and wrap in foil. Place in oven set to 350 degrees and roast until cooked. Depending on the size of your beets 1/2 to one hour. When done, remove foil, peel the beets and slice into rounds. I check to see if they are done by sticking a sharp 2 pronged fork right through the foil.

Chop the beet greens and stems into 1-inch pieces and rinse. Place in microwavable bowl and nuke on high for 1 minute.

While everything is still hot, put in a bowl and sprinkle with garlic salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar while everything is still hot. Toss to combine.  Serve warm or at room temperature. Keeps well. 

Rhubarb Salsa

1 cup diced rhubarb

1/2 cup chopped apple (make size similar to the rhubarb)

1/2 small onion or to taste, chopped same size as apple

1/4 t salt

1 lime juiced

1 T honey or agave

good pinch of red pepper flakes

Heat a pot of water and blanch rhubarb for 1 minute. Drain and cool. Once cool stir all ingredients together. Great on fish or chicken. Also great as a chip dip.

Grilled Potatoes

4 to 5 small to medium yukon gold potatoes

small onion

salt

lots of black pepper

olive oil

Crank up the grill. Slice the potatoes and onion very thin. Place in the center of 2 sheets of aluminum foil. Add salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Close up the foil very tightly because you are going to flip the packet over on the grill - don't want any leaking. Place on top rack of the grill for 10 minutes and then 10 minutes on the main grill. Turn the packet twice on top and twice on bottom. Open packet, be careful lots of steam, dump into serving bowl and enjoy. Potatoes cooked this way are so delicious. Rather than making a huge packet if you are feeding more than two, I'd suggest making several smaller ones. Two small/medium potatoes per person is about right.