Full Taste

As August comes to a close, we get to breathe a little sigh of relief that the hardest months of the growing season are over. Our meals continue to be inspired by the incredible summer bounty around us and we always take a little time to appreciate how lucky we are to be able to taste each season so fully. We hope that the meals from your CSA Shares give a you a sense of the amazing tastes of our region. And while we watch and water and weed our fall crops, we'll try to enjoy the heat and revel in the changing of the seasons.

The Share:

salad mix

arugula

specialty greens

carrots

beets

onions

leeks

eggplant

sweet peppers

hot peppers

summer squash

cucumbers

head lettuce

swiss chard

cherry tomatoes

heirloom tomatoes

ground cherries

garlic!

parsley

cilantro

melons!

Shaved Summer Squash Salad

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons whole almonds
  • 1 pound summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 minced garlic clove
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Baby arugula

Preparation

  • Roast almonds and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

  • In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic clove, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand for a few minutes, then add a few handfuls of baby arugula. Shave a little Pecorino over the squash and toss. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crushed almonds.

  • Recipe by Jenna Clemens
  • Photograph by Tom Schierlitz

Garlicky Roasted Beets, Leeks and Eggplant

Recipe by scaron

Ingredients

1 bunch leeks, halved, washed well and cut into 2 inch chunks

1 bunch beets, washed and cut into 1 inch chunks

1eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2tablespoon olive oil

sea salt and pepper

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Line a baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil (or heavy duty aluminum foil spayed with cooking oil spray).
  • Combine the leeks, beets, eggplant and garlic on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir well.
  • Bake for 25 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Braised Carrots, Red Onions & Bell Peppers with Ginger, Lime & Cilantro

  • 3/4 lb. fresh young carrots, preferably with the tops on
  • 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp. freshly grated lime zest
  • 1 tsp. light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 oz. yellow bell pepper (about 1 small, cored and seeded), cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips
  • 4 oz. red onion (about 1 small), cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
  • 1 piece fresh ginger, 2x3/4 inches, cut into thin matchsticks (a scant 1/4 cup)
  • 1/2 small fresh jalapeño, cored but not seeded, cut crosswise into slices about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. homemade or low-salt chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Trim the tops and tails from the carrots and peel them; you should have about 8 oz. trimmed carrots. Cut them in half crosswise and then cut the thicker end in half lengthwise to get pieces of about the same width, no more than 3/4 inch (the length can vary). In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, lime zest, and brown sugar; set aside. Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the butter in a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the milk solids in the butter are just beginning to turn a nutty brown, add the carrots and 1/4 tsp. salt. Toss well with tongs and then arrange the carrots in one layer. Cook without stirring until the bottoms are nicely browned, 3 to 4 min. Toss and turn over, and cook for another 2 min. to lightly brown another side. Transfer the carrots to a plate with tongs

Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in the pan. Add the bell pepper, red onion, and a pinch of salt and sauté until browned, 3 to 5 min. Add the ginger and jalapeño, toss, and sauté for another 1 min. Return the carrots to the pan, stir, and pour in the chicken broth. Immediately cover the pan and simmer until the liquid is almost completely reduced, about 2 min.

Uncover the pan, remove it from the heat, and add the lime juice mixture, the remaining 1 tsp. butter, and the cilantro. Toss to combine well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon. Serve right away as individual servings or pour and scrape the contents of the pan onto a small platter and serve family style.

Malaika SpencerComment