Happy 2015 Box

Happy 2015! This box features recipes from the Surfin’ Chef, including simple directions on how to make your own Corned Beef out of a brisket from Rancho San Julian. This version will be unlike any corned beef you have ever tasted, and kids love it. It should allow for leftovers, and some great sandwiches later in the week. The idea of corned beef might seem daunting, but if you just take a few minutes to create the brine, you can leave your brisket in the liquid for a few days and it will be ready to roll with next to no work.

Above is a photo taken at Hilltop & Canyon Farm, where the Salty Lemons (this week’s Regional Specialty), and the Christmas Lima Beans (this week’s Pulse) were grown and preserved. Salty Lemons are preserved in brine and the Limas are preserved by drying. These simple techniques were developed to savor our summer products through the winter, and it’s great to be using them that way this week.

Other special items to enjoy are the pink-fleshed Cara Cara Oranges from Etheridge –the flavor of these navel oranges is more complex than most navel varieties and has been described as evoking notes of cherry, rose petal, orange, and blackberry. This is a special treat grown organically by Eugene Etheridge who also grew the tangerines, kiwi and grapefruit this week.

Lastly, we had planned a red cabbage dish to go with the brisket this week, and we called countless farmers to no avail. So we decided to introduce Sugarloaf Radicchio or Pan di Zucchero, grown by Jacob Grant of Roots farm. Save a strip or two of bacon from your box (if you are an omnivore) and try sauteeing the sugarloaf sliced into ribbons with some onion and diced bacon. Let us know if you like it. This is a first for OTB!

Here’s to a great new year of eating Out of the Box: it’s good for you, good for the community, and good for the planet so enjoy getting into the kitchen with these wonderful ingredients!