From our farm to your table this
week…
Item
|
How to Store it
|
How long will it last?
|
Cucumber*
(Saturday pickup only) |
unwashed in fridge
|
1-2 weeks
|
Butternut squash*
(Saturday pickup only)
|
In a cool, dry, dark place
|
1-2 weeks, they’ve already
been stored through winter
|
broccoli
(Thursday pickup only) |
washed or unwashed in
refrigerator
|
1-2 weeks
|
kholrabi
(Saturday pickup only) |
Unwashed, in fridge
|
2-3 months
|
Lettuce
|
washed & thoroughly
dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic
bag
|
1-2 weeks
|
Green onions
|
Lightly rinsed, dried, and
stored in plastic wrap of fridge container
|
1-2 weeks
|
Greens (mustard, kale, or Swiss chard)
(Saturday pickup only) |
washed & thoroughly
dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic
bag
|
1-2 weeks
|
Sage
(Saturday pickup only) |
unwashed, in fridge, in
sealed container or plastic bag
|
1-2 weeks |
Tatsoi
(Thursday pickup only) |
washed & thoroughly
dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic
bag
|
1-2 weeks
|
Tomatoes
|
at room temp
|
~1 week
|
*These items are not
included in mini shares.
More information…
Cucumber
Fresh, crisp “Little Leaf” pickling cucumbers are just beginning to reach harvest size. Despite the designation as a pickling cucumber, these little veggies are delicious raw in salads or just to snack on. This week even Finley agreed that they are tasty and he’s not a fan of many raw, green vegetables!
Butternut squash
Ah, the last of the 2012 autumn harvest is vanishing. Butternut squash happens to be one of my very favorite vegetables and, although it stirs up thoughts of fall and cool weather, this vegetable is very versatile and delicious any time of year. In our first CSA newsletter of the 2013 season, I showed you a photo of a salad topped with crisp sweet potatoes alongside a sweet potato soufflé. Since you’ll have both butternut squash and sage this week, I strongly encourage you to give this soufflé a try. Pick up some farm fresh eggs at the Farmers’ Market and you’ll have almost everything you need for this tasty dish. To obtain cooked squash, simply wash the squash and pierce it multiple times all around OR slide it in half, remove the seeds and roast upside down in a pan with a bit of water. It will take 1-1.5 hours to roast the uncut squash and 45 minutes to 1 hour for the cut squash, both at 375oF.
Butternut Squash Souffle with Sage*adapted from Southern Living 2007
Cucumber
Fresh, crisp “Little Leaf” pickling cucumbers are just beginning to reach harvest size. Despite the designation as a pickling cucumber, these little veggies are delicious raw in salads or just to snack on. This week even Finley agreed that they are tasty and he’s not a fan of many raw, green vegetables!
Butternut squash
Ah, the last of the 2012 autumn harvest is vanishing. Butternut squash happens to be one of my very favorite vegetables and, although it stirs up thoughts of fall and cool weather, this vegetable is very versatile and delicious any time of year. In our first CSA newsletter of the 2013 season, I showed you a photo of a salad topped with crisp sweet potatoes alongside a sweet potato soufflé. Since you’ll have both butternut squash and sage this week, I strongly encourage you to give this soufflé a try. Pick up some farm fresh eggs at the Farmers’ Market and you’ll have almost everything you need for this tasty dish. To obtain cooked squash, simply wash the squash and pierce it multiple times all around OR slide it in half, remove the seeds and roast upside down in a pan with a bit of water. It will take 1-1.5 hours to roast the uncut squash and 45 minutes to 1 hour for the cut squash, both at 375oF.
Butternut Squash Souffle with Sage*adapted from Southern Living 2007
1 large squash, baked
3 large eggs
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
¼ cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg.
¼ cup flour
1 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg.
Preheat oven to 350oF.
Grease an 8” square baking dish and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor in the order listed above.
Pour into prepared dish and bake 55-60 minutes or until set.
Grease an 8” square baking dish and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor in the order listed above.
Pour into prepared dish and bake 55-60 minutes or until set.
Broccoli
If you’ve never known the joy of eating fresh, home-grown broccoli you’re in for a real treat. Everyone who tries it seems to immediately notice the contrast between freshly harvested broccoli and the supermarket variety. This time of year, I like to make fresh broccoli salads (see recipe) but if you’re not into that sort of thing and you prefer it cooked, there are also LOTS of great options from roasting to tossing into a soup or casserole. If you’d just like to save it for later, broccoli is easy to preserve by blanching (quick immersion in boiling water), drying, and sealing tightly in an a freezer bag. (Just be sure to remove all the excess air!) We still have a few bags of frozen broccoli from last year and it’s great to toss into quiche or a delicious dish called broccoli cornbread.
If you’ve never known the joy of eating fresh, home-grown broccoli you’re in for a real treat. Everyone who tries it seems to immediately notice the contrast between freshly harvested broccoli and the supermarket variety. This time of year, I like to make fresh broccoli salads (see recipe) but if you’re not into that sort of thing and you prefer it cooked, there are also LOTS of great options from roasting to tossing into a soup or casserole. If you’d just like to save it for later, broccoli is easy to preserve by blanching (quick immersion in boiling water), drying, and sealing tightly in an a freezer bag. (Just be sure to remove all the excess air!) We still have a few bags of frozen broccoli from last year and it’s great to toss into quiche or a delicious dish called broccoli cornbread.
Broccoli
Apple Salad
3 cups washed, chopped broccoli
1 large firm, crisp apple such as Gala or Fuji, cut into small cubes4oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded or in very small cubes)½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup sugar
1.5 Tablespoons red wine or cider vinegarSalt and pepper to taste.
Optional crumbled bacon as garnish
3 cups washed, chopped broccoli
1 large firm, crisp apple such as Gala or Fuji, cut into small cubes4oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded or in very small cubes)½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup sugar
1.5 Tablespoons red wine or cider vinegarSalt and pepper to taste.
Optional crumbled bacon as garnish
Combine broccoli, apple, and cheese in large bowl.Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over
broccoli/apple/cheese mixture.Garnish with crumbled bacon if desired.
Kholrabi
Kholrabi is a root vegetable with big, leafy greens that comes in green and bright purple varieties. It is in the same family as cabbage and you’ll notice the familiar cabbage flavor. Although roots and leaves can be eaten, I have not yet prepared the leaves myself. The roots are firm like a turnip but coated in a thick skin that should be removed before eating. There are a number of ways to enjoy kohlrabi but since you’ll only find one in your share this week, try it raw in very thin slices. Experiment with the unique flavor in a salad or layered on a hearty sandwich.
Lettuce
These tender heads of leaf
lettuce are, in my opinion, among the best crops of spring and early summer
here in Kentucky. We eat lots of salad
all year long, but salads made with the crisp, tender leaves of our own fresh
lettuce are among the best. A light
oil-based salad dressing and a few slices of other fresh seasonal vegetables
are all you need to showcase the excellent flavor of the lettuce. Lettuce wraps are another great way to enjoy
the large leaves. Stuff them with your
favorite cheesy spread, a light deli meat or chicken salad, wrap and enjoy a
light healthy lunch or create a tray to serve as an appetizer for a summer
gathering.Kholrabi is a root vegetable with big, leafy greens that comes in green and bright purple varieties. It is in the same family as cabbage and you’ll notice the familiar cabbage flavor. Although roots and leaves can be eaten, I have not yet prepared the leaves myself. The roots are firm like a turnip but coated in a thick skin that should be removed before eating. There are a number of ways to enjoy kohlrabi but since you’ll only find one in your share this week, try it raw in very thin slices. Experiment with the unique flavor in a salad or layered on a hearty sandwich.
Lettuce
Green onions
Tender green onions are often one of the first crops that can be harvested in the spring. My parents and grandparents have gardened or farmed here in Laurel County for many years now and, although they didn’t usually plant greens like kale and lettuce, they always reserved plenty of room in the spring garden for a bed of fresh green onions. The preferred method for enjoying green onions in my family was alongside a giant pot of soup beans and hot, buttery cornbread. Yum! I still love to eat green onions this way (white bulb and the tender green shoots) but I’ve also learned to appreciate the pleasant flavor that finely sliced green onions lend to a variety of salads. ….so if you think it’s too hot to cook up a pot of soup beans and a pan of cornbread, just slice up the onions and stir them into a creamy dip, a big salad or a light summer soup and enjoy!
Greens – Mustard, Kale, or Swiss chard
Once again this week you’ll be receiving a mix of greens because the unique growing conditions this spring didn’t produce a booming crop of spring greens. This is quite a change from the last two years so we appreciate your patience and flexibility. While you have this mixture of field greens, it would be a great opportunity for you to try a hearty Cajun dish like jambalaya or gumbo and boost the nutritional value by adding a mixture of the boiled greens.
Tatsoi
You saw photos and a description of this lovely green in your first box of the season, CSA week 1, but some of the first crop of Tatsoi bolted (produced flowers and became bitter) so not everyone ended up with Tatsoi in their box for the Saturday pickup. ….so, if it’s your first time trying tatsoi, I think you’ll really enjoy it. It’s dark, oval leaves and pale green stems are tender and edible and are excellent chopped and served raw in a salad. Just last night, Ford’s mom Janet had the great idea of slicing into thin ribbons and tossing into a big pasta salad. The tender green leaves were just perfect with the oily salad dressing, noodles, and other vegetables.
Tomatoes
Several times each week in the summer, Ford and I make a lunch of sliced cheddar cheese, thinly sliced avocado, fresh tomato and onion slices, and mustard. It is a delicious way to enjoy fresh tomatoes and have a healthy vegetarian lunch with enough healthy fats and protein to keep us full through the afternoon. A good old tomato sandwich is hard to beat, but try this version sometime and I think you’ll be hooked!
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
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