July has already been a complete whirlwind, so it's surprising that were still going through our veggies at a steady pace. I think I ate basil in everything this week because there was so much of it and it gives everything an extra flavor punch.On Tuesday I made a tuna salad (tuna packed in olive oil is a must) with white beans, red onion and basil. I had it for lunch the following day with a whole wheat pita and a big pile of spicy arugula.We had friends over on Thursday night to see the new house - I haven't cooked there yet but I can't wait for the gas stove. I used the last of our venison sausage provisions in an earthy risotto with chard and roasted carrots and green beans. Roasting the vegetables bought out the beans' carrots' sweetness even more. I forgot to add the vermouth at the beginning, but there was enough of a flavor variety that I didn't even miss it.Friday was a long-awaited holiday, and we celebrated by making hash browns, scrambled eggs, and an arugula salad with sweet pepper and pine nuts. It's amazing how fresh, homemade hash browns taste compared to stale, artificial restaurant potatoes. That evening I roasted some of Shannon's homegrown zucchini and squash with fennel and onion from the share for a pasta salad. I combined the vegetables with lemon zest, basil, feta, and a simple dressing to finish it off Saturday morning before the Fourth of July cookout.My pizza from Friday's dinner at 3 Monkeys was the perfect easy meal for Sunday night with an arugula salad. On Monday I indulged in another simple dinner with more of the tuna salad, arugula, and pita. I also snacked on some of the sauteed green cabbage I decided to make that night while I had some spare time. It was savory and spicy with the addition of a little sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and Thai peppers, and it ended up being an appealing snack on Tuesday as well.I was off pick up duty on Tuesday and used the rest of the basil from the previous week's share to make a basil vinaigrette. It's reminiscent of pesto, but lighter due to the added tang of vinegar and the absence of cheese. I finished off the cabbage and sauteed some chicken with garlic to eat with the vinaigrette and leftover pasta. Between summer activities and trying to clean out the kitchen before moving, I've managed to come up with some decent meals. Hopefully the trend can continue as we pack and move our equipment to a new setting with a fancy gas stove.
After a week off, I was excited to receive:- a small head of green cabbage- a sweet pepper- fennel- basil- arugula- potatoes- red onions- chard
- sweet carrots
Although it seems that I have been neglecting to update my blog, I have really been waiting to post a new entry because we didn't get a share this week. Partway through Week 5, Darbi sent an email to all of the CSA members to ask if we would mind sk
ipping a week due to the rain and some other conditions affecting the crops. She and Adam are going to add a share on to the end instead of providing one for Week 6. I had finished most of my share by Tuesday, but some leftovers along with local chard and squash from Ellwood Thompson's will tide me over until next week's pick up. The first meal I made with our produce from the fifth week (and some leftover squash and potatoes from the fourth week) was the Summer Squash Gratin from 101 Cookbooks. Instead of fresh oregano in the sauce, I picked basil from the pot on my front porch. It was more reminiscent of pesto, but to me it made the dish lighter and more summery than oregano would have. I substituted cheddar for the gruyere, because we always have cheddar in the fridge, and used two Tablespoons instead of four to mix with the bread crumbs. This gratin isn't at all traditional, but the cheese and butter really give it a rich base. I was able to eat the leftovers for the next three days along with dinner on Tuesday night, and I looked forward to it every time. The sauce also served as a delicious salad dressing for the whole week, since the recipe said to not use all of it in the gratin. Davy was sick all week, and Thai food really appealed to him on Wednesday. We got take out and had Swiss chard sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice on the side. On Thursday night we went to a friend's house for a cookout. We contributed braised kale and broccoletti to eat alongside grilled bison, steak, corn, and potatoes from the farmer's market.I kept the remaining greens ate them with leftover Pad Thai for lunch on Monday. The next day we grilled pork chops, squash and onions, and roasted carrots and potatoes from the last of our produce. The carrots had gotten a little soft after a week, but they were still sweet and roasted nicely with the potatoes. We had a small serving of the root vegetables left after dinner, and we finished them off in a frittata with chard and cheddar on Saturday. The picture below does it justice - it slid right out of the pan, which was a victory because our frittatas usually stick at least partially.
I am impatient for a new round of vegetables to work with, though having a week off didn't seem to hurt our eating at all.
Darbi posted on the Fertile Crescent Farm blog that this week's and next week's shares would be a little lighter as they transition into summer. My refrigerator is still full after receiving:- baby carrots- kale- swiss chard (bonus)- broccoli rabe- mesclun mix- new potatoes- spring onions- lemon cucumber- regular cucumber- zucchini- baby squash
July has already been a complete whirlwind, so it's surprising that were still going through our veggies at a steady pace. I think I ate basil in everything this week because there was so much of it and it gives everything an extra flavor punch.
