CSA Root Vegetable Coconut Chicken Curry

Last summer, I got sick of the "I have a baby... am pregnant... have two toddlers" excuses that lasted me almost 3 years and bought a half-year subscription to a local CSA.  No turning back!

CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  Local farmers build weekly boxes of whatever produce is in season for their customers, and either deliver them to their homes or provide several pick-up locations around town.  The idea is that you are eating the freshest produce (veg/fruits lose their nutrients the longer they are off the vine) and saving energy costs (less travel, less gas, no storefront) and supporting your local economy (versus the big box groceries and farmers in foreign countries).

This is all great and good, but it is challenging when you first start out.  Most of us are in a comfort zone with our produce - we know what we like, we get it time and again at the grocery (because it's always available) - in other words, we don't stray. 

But the CSA box pushes you right out of that comfort zone, no matter the season!  It forces you to throw "weird" vegetables into dishes that you used to cook with "regular" vegetables.  Recently I got my first kohlrabi ever, and I had to google it.  I found this kohlrabi article from the HuffPost Taste, which just happened to be their first article in a series titled, "WTF, CSA?"  I got a really good laugh in addition to some useful info.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/kohlrabi-recipes_n_1597114.html


My CSA box lately has been full of root vegetables - 'tis the season, after all!  This last week, I had a slight case of "WTF, CSA?" when my box had two giant daikon radishes and a mammoth rutabaga in with a more normal mix of sweet potatoes, carrots, cilantro, grapefruit, beets, salad mix, and green onions. 

I had homemade chicken broth in the fridge, and I had a couple of chicken breasts in the freezer, so the obvious answer was to make chicken vegetable soup.  However, I am the only one in my family that likes chicken soup well enough to eat a whole meal of it!

So I looked into the pantry and saw coconut milk.  CURRY!  Didn't need to ask me twice - it's cold outside.  Even with the "weird" root vegetables, it turned out really well, perfect for cold, rainy weather like today's.

COCONUT CHICKEN CURRY WITH ROOT VEGETABLES
1 hour, 30 minutes (25 minutes "cook" time)
At least 8 servings

1.5 L homemade chicken broth
1 can organic whole coconut milk
2 split chicken breasts
5 cups cubed root vegetables (I used rutabaga, daikon radish, and sweet potatoes in a 1" cube)
1/2 c. onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic
1.5 T. organic yellow curry powder
1 t. turmeric powder
1/4 t. ground cloves
fresh cilantro leaves
1 fresh jalepeno, sliced


Bring the chicken broth to a boil.  Add chicken breasts and simmer until cooked, approximately 30 minutes.  While the chicken cooks, prepare vegetables.
Remove chicken breasts and set aside to cool.  Strain chicken broth through a fine-meshed strainer and return to pan.  Add onion and all root vegetables, coconut milk, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, and cloves.  Debone and chop chicken to a 1" dice and add back to the mixture. 
Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes before serving (can also leave on warm setting on the stove for many hours if you make in the morning!).  Use the fresh jalepeno and cilantro as an edible garnish.
Can serve alone as a soup or over basmati rice.