CSA Week 18

It was a very green week: greens, greens, salad and herbs. I think I'll blanch and freeze the spinach and the braising greens.

• Broccoli
  
• Broccoli Rabe
  
• Spinach
  
• Braising Greens - Asian mix
  
• Salad Mix
  
• Plum Tomatoes (quart)
  
• Juliet Tomatoes (pint)
  
• Red Potatoes (5)
  
• Onions (2)
  
• Basil
  
• Parsley
  

The potatoes are piling up - we didn't get any last week, so I wasn't aware of just how many potatoes we had until I put these new ones away. So, I think I'll make a fennel/potato gratin tonight with the fennel from last week. I've never made this recipe before so I can't speak for it, but it sounds good. That said, I've not had much success in feeding fennel to the family in the past, so it could be a disaster. But that's part of the beauty of the CSA - experimenting with things you don't usually eat or actively shy away from. That said, last week's kabocha squash is still in the fridge...

Fennel and Potato Gratin

1 medium fennel bulb, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch slices (about 2 cups)
2 cups thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 large potatoes)
Salt and pepper
2 cups half-and-half
2 T. butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with butter.
2. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of fennel slices. Cover with half of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Repeat layers until you’ve used up all your slices.
3. Bring the half-and-half to a gentle boil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Pour it over the fennel and potato. (The half-and-half can be replaced with whole milk for a less rich dish.)
4. Using a large spatula, press down on the top layer to submerge it. Dot with butter. Bake until potatoes are tender and the top is golden, about 1 hour.

(from Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables)