Wednesday, June 19, 2013

2013 CSA Week 5


From our farm to your table this week…

Item
How to Store it
How long will it last?
broccoli
 
washed or unwashed in fridge
1-2 weeks
Cucumber
unwashed in fridge
1-2 weeks
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lettuce
washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag
1-2 weeks
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tomatoes
at room temp
~1 week
 
 
 
Yellow Squash
unwashed in fridge
1-2 weeks
 
 
 


More information…

Broccoli
We’re so pleased that the weather cooperating in allowing us to provide you with another week of broccoli!  If you didn’t try broccoli apple salad or broccoli cornbread last week, you’ll have another chance!  Just check last week’s post, CSA Week 4, for the information.

Cucumber
If you used up the cucumbers in the week 4 share just by snacking, you might like to try something new this week.  One of our favorite ways to enjoy cucumbers in the summer is by making quick, easy refrigerator pickles.  Check out this recipe for more information.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

- About 1 lb cucumbers thinly sliced or cut lengthwise    
  into spears
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill ( or 1/2 – 1 tsp dry dill weed)
- ¼ onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
-  2 cups water
-  2 cups white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp canning salt
optional – 1Tbsp – ¼ cup sugar if you like your pickles a little sweet.


Prepare canning jars or reused glass jars by thoroughly washing in hot, soapy water. 
*Note – heat sterilization by boiling is not necessary for these containers because the pickles will be kept in the refrigerator. 

Wash and slice cucumbers, and place in prepared glass jar(s).


Make pickling brine by combining the remaining ingredients in a Dutch oven and boiling to dissolve salt (and sugar, if using).
Remove from heat and cool.
Pour over cucumbers in prepared jars.  Adding a little water, if necessary, to completely drown your cucumbers.  In about 24-48 hours, your cucumbers will be pickles and they’ll taste even better a few days later. 

Lettuce

Folks, I just don’t know what to say.  If you have some interesting, creative ways to enjoy this delicious lettuce, please share them.  We’re still munching away on the lettuce in salads and sandwiches but we’d love to hear any ideas you’d like to share for new spins on one of our old favorites!

Tomatoes
Okay, for the first time this year, I’ve decided it’s time to branch out and do something slightly different with my tomatoes.  My second favorite way to enjoy tomatoes (second only to eating them raw with salt) is Caprese Salad.  A simple French salad made by layering the following delicious flavors in this order: a thick slice of tomato on the bottom, salt & pepper to taste, a thin slice of fresh mozzarella, one basil leaf, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and oil or balsamic vinaigrette.  Ah – delicious!  Here’s what it looks like on a serving dish Caprese Salad from The Pioneer Woman.  I’m going to serve up a platter just like this for a little lunch gathering on the farm this Friday if I don’t eat them all in the kitchen first!

Yellow squash

We’re like proud parents unveiling a tiny new member of the family this week by sneaking in the very first harvest of yellow squash into your share!  These small, tender yellow summer squashes (just one per share) are a hint of what we expect to come in abundance for many weeks.  We hope you enjoy them.  I actually like the small ones raw but this week I’d suggest tossing them in with your refrigerator pickles for an interesting color variation.  Enjoy!  (Don’t worry, they won’t all be as small as these new babies!  …but aren’t they cute?!?!)


 As always, please feel free to contact me for clarification, further information, or to share your own adventures in cooking local, USDA-certified organic produce.  amanda.waterstrat@gmail.com


No comments:

Post a Comment