Summer #14 CSA Newsletter Week Sept 1 -7, 2024 “B" week
VEG SHARES
EOW = Home delivery members
(Photo of the "Default" FULL Share below. See listings to see which share size has what, how much, along with info, guides, recipes.)
FULL VEG SHARE:
SWEET CORN (4 ears) - Tips may be trimmed to remove bug damage. Sweet corn stores best in its husk in the fridge. It turns starchier the longer you store it, so try to enjoy it in the first 3-5 days. Did you know you can eat corn raw? Just cut the kernels off the cob with a knife, and add to salads. Or that you can throw a whole ear in the microwave for 5 to 6 minutes and easily remove the husks and silks after it cools? Add 2 to 3 minutes for each additional ear depending on how done you like your corn.
SWEET PEPPERS (2 color) - Store these in the fridge in a plastic bag. Stuff, add to stir fries, egg dishes, soups, tacos & burritos, pizza, etc. or slice for salads, veggie trays, or to snack on. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze!
LETTUCE MIX (¼ lb) - Store in a plastic bag in your fridge. Often considered a “1st Priority Vegetable” with a shorter shelf life than the other vegetables in your share, however if you put a paper or cloth towel in the bag to absorb moisture, our freshly harvested lettuce will often lasts more than a week! Guide & Recipes
MINI BROCCOLI (3/4 lb) - More tender with a milder flavor than standard head broccoli, all of the parts of the mini broccoli, also called baby broccoli, in your bag is edible. It can be steamed, sautéed, roasted, stir-fried, or even puréed into a sauce. And while it makes a good side dish when cooked, broccoli can easily be used raw in salads and crudités. Store in your fridge in a plastic bag for a week, although spears will go limp (still edible!) the longer you keep them. You can often revive them by soaking in very cold water for 10 to 20 minutes. Guide & Recipes
TOMATOES (2 lb slicers) - Store on your countertop for best flavor. If the tomato is not fully red, wait a couple of days for it to ripen completely.
CHERRY TOMATOES (1 pint) - Store them on the countertop if you plan to eat them within a few days. For longer storage, put them in your fridge in a plastic bag. You should try to eat these within a week. They can be roasted or turned into sauce too!
SNOW PEAS (1 pint) - Often used in Asian recipes, you eat the whole pod which is tender and contains baby seeds inside that are so small, you may not even notice them! Munch on this healthy snack and enjoy the crunch. Guide.
DRAGON TONGUE SNAP BEANS (¾ lb) - Snap or trim off the ends and rinse the pods to remove any dirt from the field. They can be eaten as is, lightly cooked to retain their crunchy texture, or cooked until they tender. Turn yellow when cooked. Guide & Recipes
SANSA APPLE 2NDS (~ 1 lb) This light red and green colored apple is a sweeter variety best for fresh eating and salads but are also good for sauce. (from certified organic Blue Roof Orchard)
RASPBERRIES (1 PT)
HALF VEG SHARE: (see Full VEG Shares above⬆ for info on each item)
SWEET CORN (3 ears)
SWEET PEPPERS (2 color)
LETTUCE MIX (¼ lb)
TOMATOES (1 lb slicers)
CHERRY TOMATOES (1 pint)
SNOW PEAS (1 pint)
DRAGON TONGUE SNAP BEANS (¾ lb)
SANSA APPLE 2NDS (~ 1 lb)
RASPBERRIES (1/2 PT)
1 OPTIONAL ITEMS this week:
ROMA TOMATOES (1 lb) - The roma tomato is a plum tomato popularly used both for canning and producing tomato paste because of its slender and firm nature. Great for salads when you want a less juicy tomato. These are our go-to for taco night. Guide & Recipes
Other items available in DESIGN MY SHARE:
ARUGULA & TATSOI MIX (3 oz) - Peppery greens. Arugula is more perishable than lettuce and often only last about 4 or 5 days. This should be the first item you eat from your share. Store in the fridge. Arugula Guide & Recipes
GREEN BELL PEPPERS (2) - Not hot! Store these in the fridge in a plastic bag. Stuff, add to stir fries, egg dishes, soups, tacos & burritos, pizza, etc. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze!
HUNGARIAN WAX PEPPERS (1 pint) The skin of these peppers is waxy and even crunchy, but completely edible. They have a thick flesh.Their sweet, hot (similar to jalapenos, but sometimes a little hotter) flavor of these peppers is very popular traditional Latin dishes, soups and salads. They can also be pickled (they make the prettiest pickled peppers!), added to salads and other meals for a bit of crunch, or tossed directly on the grill to be roasted.
TOMATILLOS (1 qt/lb) - These are less juicy and more richly flavored than a tomato. Raw tomatillos have a zesty, tart flavor that develops an herbal lemon flavor when cooked. You can store on your counter if you’ll be using within a couple days, (this will also ripen any that may seem not quite ripe) otherwise, store in a paper bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. Don’t remove husks until just before using. If fruits are sticky underneath the wrappers, rinse with cool water. Guide & Recipes
SWISS CHARD (1 bunch) - Put it in a bag to store in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “First Priority Vegetables” or ones with a short shelf life - use it within the week for maximum efficiency. To revive limp chard, cut a sliver off the bottom of the stems and soak in very cold water for a few minutes. Guide & Recipes
KALE (1 bunch) RED RUSSIAN - Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” If you can’t use them in the next few days, freeze them. OR DINOSAUR - (Also known as Lacinto or Toscano.) Dino kale has an earthy, nutty flavor. It doesn't have the same strong bitterness as other varieties of kale, though it is still there. The sweetness helps offset that and makes it more approachable.This green can be used just like any other kale. Every part of the leaf is edible, though really thick ribs take longer to cook, so they're often discarded. The kale can be cooked whole, cut into thin strips, or chopped, depending on your recipe and use. Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” to be used in the next week. If you can’t use it in the next few days, consider freezing it. Guide & Recipes
GREEN CABBAGE (1) - Store this in your fridge. Cabbage keeps for quite a while. (If the outside leaves get yellow or floppy, just peel them off and discard to reveal good cabbage underneath!) Shred it for cole slaw or sauerkraut. Saute it with some garlic and olive oil for a tasty side dish. Guide & Recipes
CELERY (4 or 5 ribs or stalks) - Celery is a herbaceous plant, in the same family with parsley, carrots, dill, and fennel. It’s crunchy, juicy, and aromatic, with a grassy, sweet, spicy flavor, and is regarded as a so-called "aromatic" vegetable, like onions and carrots, and is widely used as one of the three components of mirepoix (along with onions and carrots). Celery is also combined with onions and bell peppers to make up the "holy trinity" of Cajun cuisine. These mixtures are generally sautéed or roasted, and form the flavor base of innumerable sauces, soups, stocks, broths, stews, and other dishes. Celery will go limp if it isn't refrigerated. Remove the band holding the bunch together, put in a plastic bag or wrap the bunch loosely in paper towels, and store it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for about a week or so. Alternatively, trim off the very bottom of the ribs and put them in a glass of jar with an inch of water. Store the glass in the refrigerator and replace the water every couple days.
RADISHES with greens (1 bunch) - Separate radish from leaves for storing! Keep the greens in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator and eat them soon. Store the colorful roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or so. Eat them raw with a sprinkle of salt, slice into salads or on sandwiches for added crunch, pickle or roast with carrots. Guide & Recipes
EGGPLANT, Globe - (1) Store in the fridge in a plastic bag and use within a week. Peel the skin before use. The inside will begin to change color as it oxidizes. That’s okay! (You can try putting lemon juice on the eggplant to prevent this). Some people say you can pull the bitterness out of eggplant by salting it first and letting the moisture come out. Rinse and dry. Guide & Recipes
PARSLEY (1 bunch) - Snip the bottom of the stems off and store on the counter in a glass of water. Or if you plan to use it in the next day or so, you can store the bunch in a plastic bag in the fridge.
SAGE (1 bunch) - Considered a hard or woody herb, you don’t need to store in a glass of water like soft herbs such as basil, parsley, etc. Instead, simply wrap the leaves in paper towels and put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Plan to use it within four to five days or cover fresh leaves with olive oil and store for much longer - up to 3 weeks - in the refrigerator. Then use the flavored oil to sauté the sage with other ingredients. Add to omelets, bean dishes, sausage, or add to cheddar biscuits, Pan-fry chicken breasts, add sage, red onion, lemon & crème fraîche.Lay two sage leaves over a long slice of sweet potato and wrap with a slice of prosciutto. Roast for 20 minutes or so with some olive oil (credit to Mark Bittman). Or try one of the recipes below. You can freeze by removing the leaves from the stems, and packing them loosely in freezer bags for up to one year.
CHIVES (1 bunch) - Chives, with long, pencil-like, thin edible leaves with hollow centers and also edible purple flowers, belong to the allium family, making them relatives of onions, leeks, scallions, and garlic. They are typically chopped and are most often used as a garnish but are good on just about anything. Their flavor pairs well with any savory dish. and the bright green color adds visual appeal as well. Note: if added to a dish too early, they will wilt easily. Chives will keep a few weeks in the fridge in a plastic bag although quality will be better if used within a week.
SORREL (1 bunch) - Kind of a salad green & kind of a herb and in the same family as rhubarb, sorrel’s astringent citrusy flavor adds a little kick to your meal. And its rich in potassium, vitamins Q, B1, and C. A rule of thumb for using - anywhere you’d add a squeeze or two of lemon, sorrel would be good! When heat is added, sorrel breaks down nicely making it a great thickener for sauces and soups. It’s strong flavor pairs well with fatty meats & fish like salmon, creamy dishes, and cheeses. Great cut into thin strips and mixed with other salad greens to eat fresh. Other ideas include using it in soups, sauces, pesto, salads & dressings, potato toppings, hummus, quiches, omelets, crepe fillings, pizza, pasta dishes. 7 More Recipe Ideas Sorrel will last 1-2 weeks in a plastic bag in your fridge. If you wish to rinse or wash, wait until just before using to prolong shelf life.
GARLIC (1 bulb) - Ready to be used now or later, this is “cured”, or dried garlic, and as such should be stored on your counter out of direct sunlight.
MEADOWLARK ALL PURPOSE BOLTED FLOUR - Best applications include but are not limited to cakes, crackers, pizza dough, and breads.PROTEIN CONTENT= 10.5%. (from Meadowlark Organics)
MES SHARES - B2 week
FULL - 1 Chicken, 2 pkgs Ground Beef, 2 dozen Eggs
HALF - 1 Chicken, 1 pkg Ground Beef, 1 dozen Eggs
EGG SHARE
WEEKLY = 1 Dozen
BIWEEKLY = 1 Dozen
RECIPES:
Click links for a printable pdf.
To extend the life of your raspberries (works for other types of berries also) and prevent the growth of mold, try this easy trick! Mix one part white vinegar with four parts water in a bowl or container stirring gently to combine. Add berries making sure that all are submerged in the vinegar solution and let sit for five minutes. Then strain - a colander works well for this. Rinse the fruit completely with water to remove the solution, then gently pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Store berries in a clean container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
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