This week’s CSA offerings include (clockwise from bottom left): Sweet Pepper(s), New Potatoes, Candy Onions, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard OR Kale (choice), Zucchini/ Yellow Squash, Hot peppers (pictured is jalapeños), Radishes with Greens, Eggplant (Full Shares Only).
Green Beans: this is the end of this planting of green beans, and because of the hot weather, the beans will be a little tough. The beans are still very good if you cook them long and slow. Our family enjoyed this recipe for green beans and new potatoes (we cooked a half recipe and used bacon instead of salt pork, and less salt and butter): Paula Deen’s Green Beans and New Potatoes
New Potatoes: Store at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight. New potatoes are most commonly boiled or roasted, and are normally cooked with their skin on. Basic cooking instructions (boil method): Wash potatoes and cut into uniform sized pieces (or leave smaller potatoes whole). Cover with cold water by 2 inches, add plenty of salt, bring to a boil and cook until just tender. Drain potatoes and top with melted butter and chopped herbs (such as parsley or rosemary). In addition to the boil method, new potatoes can be roasted, like this recipe for Roasted Potatoes.
Candy Onions: Store at cool room temperature. These candy onions turn very sweet when sautéed or caramelized.
Tomato: Storage: Do NOT refrigerate, because cold temperatures (below 55) hurt the flavor of tomatoes, instead store at cool room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Zucchini/ summer squash: store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Zucchini is great, sauteed, grilled, eaten raw, or baked into zucchini bread (my kids favorite way to eat zucchini!). Zucchini (sliced and broiled or pan fried) can take the place of pasta in lasagna. To grill: slice on the bias (diagonal, so the slices are larger) about 1/4″ thick, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and herbs of your choice, I use a rosemary garlic mix) and mix well to thoroughly coat the slices, and grill until tender. If you want more ideas, you can try Baked Zucchini Fries, or Zucchini Fritters or Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Sweet pepper: Store in plastic bag, in refrigerator. Meal idea: sauté sliced candy onions and sweet pepper for a tasty Philly Cheese Sandwich . This has become a family favorite! Here is what ours’ looked like before adding the cheese.
Radishes: a new crop of radishes is ready for harvest! The roots and greens are both very good to eat. Store in plastic bag in refrigerator, the roots separate from the greens. Crisp radishes in ice water. You can just eat them straight with butter and a sprinkle of salt. There are many variations of radish salads, here are a couple: Radish and Mint Salad (I have made variations of this dish and really like it) Smitten Kitchen’s chopped saladHere’s a recipe utilizing both the radish roots and tops: Radish and Radish Top Soup
Eggplant (FULL shares): store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Eggplants don’t store well, so use it quick. Ratatouille is a great dish using onions, zucchini/ squash and eggplant. Here’s the recipe that I followed for Ratatouille.
Choice of Kale OR Swiss Chard:
Swiss Chard: store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Both the leafy greens and crunchy stem can be cooked. I always use both (because I hate to waste). Thinly slice the stems like celery and cook them for longer than the leafy greens (which I chop). This recipe for a Swiss Chard Crostata is one of my favorite recipes ever, so if you like free form tarts, quiches, etc., you should like this: http://www.afeastfortheeyes.net/2010/09/swiss-chard-ricotta-crostata-dont.html
Kale: store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Try this Zuppa Tuscana soup (I usually add a can of tomatoes to this soup and sometimes kidney beans). Or, try this method of fixing kale:
Kale, Sausage and Beans
8 to 16 oz. smoked sausage (or omit and increase beans, for a vegetarian version), sliced
1 Onion, chopped
3 (or more) cloves garlic, finally chopped
1 can (or about 2 cups, peeled) tomatoes, with liquid
Kale, 7- 10 leaves, removed from stem and chopped
1 can drained (or about 2 Cups, cooked) white beans, like great northern or cannellini beans
Brown the sausage in a skillet and then remove sausage to a paper towel lined plate and drain off excess oil. Saute the onions in olive oil over medium heat, till soft and golden, 5- 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic and kale, stir to begin to wilt. Then add tomatoes and cover: lower heat and cook until kale is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and sausage and season to taste (red pepper flakes are a good addition). Can be topped with shredded parmesan cheese.
Also some rabbit-nibbled beets will be available (first come, first serve)
Beets: This recipe utilizes both the beets and the greens (I didn’t use the swiss chard in this recipe, and used different cheese): French Peasant Beets
Meal ideas:
Philly steak sandwiches and radish soupRatatouille or zucchini lasagna, meat dish, breadSwiss chard torta and radish salad or sliced tomatoesGreen beans with new potatoes; would go well with a roast
If you have leftover ratatouille or extra squash/ eggplant/peppers/ tomatoes; roast vegetables if uncooked, or just chop leftovers, add caramelized onion, shredded cheese. Pile on a pie pastry on a cookie sheet to make a free form tart/ quiche. Bake until crust it’s cooked through at 400F, about 25-30 minutes.