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Week 11 Share:
Beets
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Melon
Radishes
Peppers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
EOW will also receive:
Onions:
Ailsa Craig
Squash:
Patty Pan
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Dear Members of Turtle Creek Gardens,
Thanks to CSA member Mary L. for sharing a gazpacho recipe this week. Almost everything you need to make it is in your Week 11 box.
Mary says,
" I made this for dinner tonight using mostly all Turtle Creek veggies. Delicious.
In Spain, they serve gazpacho along with various toppings: chopped peppers; onions; almonds; cukes; tomatoes; crema. I had an unforgettable gazpacho once at the Madrid Ritz."
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Vegetables: Not Just for Lunch and Supper
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by Christi Ehler
In Japan, the traditional breakfast includes soup and pickled vegetables. As a way to start the morning, it’s a pretty radical contrast to the typical American cereal, toast, or bagel. Even the “Full English Breakfast” includes grilled tomato, whereas the only vegetable to make a regular appearance anywhere near the break of day in the U.S. is the potato.
It’s worth cultivating a taste for vegetables at breakfast, for the sake of variety and making full use of you CSA share, as much as for the sake of health. (Though in recent years green smoothies have become popular, I confess I generally prefer my vegetables in non-pureed form.) In the time it takes to brew your daily ration of coffee or cup of tea, you can prepare some tasty, hearty dishes that will put you one-up on the veggie score before lunch. The more pre-washed and pre-cooked vegetables (aka “pre-meditated leftovers”) you’re in the habit of keeping on hand, the easier this becomes.
Potatoes at breakfast need not consist of grease-laden starch. The blue or red potatoes from your CSA box make home fries that are not only flavorful and nutritious, they are beautiful to behold. Adding sweet potato takes them to the next level. For one serving, slice half a small onion and dice a small potato in ⅜” cubes. Sauté onion and potatoes together in a cast-iron skillet with a little oil (or combination of oil and butter) Cover and stir occasionally until potatoes are tender and browned. Salt and pepper to taste. Add paprika if you wish. Really—this takes less time than you think!
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As a variation, if you have pre-washed greens or pre-cooked beets on hand, it’s the work of a few seconds to chop and toss in a handful for a colorful contrast (and vitamin-boost) to the potatoes. Meat eaters might add sliced breakfast sausage or a bit of bacon, ham, or prosciutto, etc.
Eggs seem to have a natural affinity for vegetables of all kinds. No need to aim for anything as formal as an omelet. A quick-and-messy scramble will do. Sauté some of those pre-washed greens or chopped sweet peppers, then scramble an egg into the skillet, with a little salt and pepper. Or, sauté chopped tomato until it’s juicy. Scramble an egg into the skillet and cook until the liquid dissipates. A little grated cheddar cheese is delicious in this, or some pepper-jack, if you like heat. (Spicy foods go surprisingly well with coffee, by the way.) Get creative with herbs here, too.
The possibilities are endless, once you start to let the veggies inspire you.
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by Julia Moskin, from the
New York Times
Ingredients:
5 ripe medium local tomatoes (about 2½ pounds), cored and quartered
1 large cubanelle pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
1 c. chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia, Maui, or Walla Walla) or shallots (about 4 medium)
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed or grated
2 T. sherry vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper
½ to 2/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. snipped fresh chives, for sprinkling
Method:
In a blender and working in batches, puree half the tomatoes, cubanelle pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, vinegar, ½ tablespoon salt, and ground black pepper to taste until very smooth, at least 1 minute, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar if necessary.
Stop the blender, remove the center cap from the lid, and with a kitchen towel covering the opening, turn the motor back on at medium speed. Move the kitchen towel aside and very slowly add half the oil, continuing to process until the mixture emulsifies, taking on a texture like heavy cream and an orangey-pink color.
If necessary, set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher and scrape the gazpacho mixture into the strainer, working it through until only seeds and a tiny bit of pulp remain. Repeat with the remaining ingredients (except the chives), adding the remaining oil as necessary to achieve the proper texture and color.
Cover the bowl or pitcher and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. Before serving, whisk to re-blend if necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and ground black pepper if desired. Serve cold in chilled bowls or glasses, sprinkling each portion with some of the chives.
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Summer Greens & Melon Salad
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Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, cut into thin rounds
4 c. ice water
About 8 c.salad greens, the more varied the better (like Bibb, oak leaf, mâche, mizuna, watercress, romaine, leaf lettuce, baby chard, kale, mustard, any of the escaroles, frisée, or endive)
1/4 to 1/2 small cantaloupe, casaba, golden honeydew, or canary melon, cut into 1 to 1-1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c. salted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1 c. lightly packed fresh herbs (basil, mint, parsley or coriander, or a blend of any or all)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 T. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 T. good-tasting wine or cider vinegar
Method:
Combine onion and ice water and refrigerate 30 minutes to rid the onion of its sharp edges.
Wash and thoroughly dry the greens. Tear them into bite-size pieces. Turn into a big salad bowl.
Just before serving, drain onions and pat dry. Sprinkle greens with melon, sunflower seeds, herbs, salt, pepper, and drained onions.
Don’t dress the salad until you’re ready to serve it. With your hands, gently toss the salad with enough oil to barely coat the greens. Use about 2 tablespoons to start. Toss with vinegar to taste, starting with 2 tablespoons.
Taste for balance as you go, making sure the vinegar is assertive, but not harsh. Once the salad is where you want it, serve it up.
Serves: 4-6
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Ingredients:
3 medium beets sliced into thin rounds (a mandoline works great for this, and a sharp knife will do)
1 bunch fresh herbs thyme, oregano, or chives, finely chopped
1 bunch scallions sliced into thin rounds
1 qt potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
1 T. olive oil
6-8 oz sharp Swiss cheese Gruyère, raclette, or similar
2 oz parmesan or romano cheese grated
to taste salt and pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In separate bowls, toss potatoes and toss beets with enough olive oil to coat each piece. In a round baking dish or oven-proof skillet, lay down the first layer of potatoes, slightly overlapping each round and working toward the center. Lightly salt each layer as you go.
Make the second layer your beet layer, again, working toward the center. Cover the beet layer with 1/2 of the shredded cheese and half of the grated cheese. Add two more layers of potatoes, adding cheese and lightly salting between them.
Bake finished galette on a foil-lined baking sheet for 60 minutes until it is brown, bubbling, and crispy. Serve hot.
Serves: 4
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Ingredients:
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 LB radishes (approximately 12 small radishes), diced
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 serrano pepper OR 1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lime, juiced (approx 2 T.) plus extra, to taste
1/4 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Place cucumber, radishes, onion, serrano/jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic in a mixing bowl.
Add lime juice, salt and black pepper. Combine well.
Taste for heat and seasoning. Add additional salt, pepper, and/or squeeze of lime as needed to balance out the flavors.
Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Yield: 3 cups
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Turtle Creek Gardens, LLC | 262-441-0520 |
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