Pick List:
Yellow Tomatoes - Cherry Tomatoes - Carmen Pepper - Poblano - Peaches - Dill -
Shishito & Cherry Pick Pepper Pints - Asian Eggplant Varieties - Corn - Green Beans
KITCHEN SHARE: Homemade (of course) Hot- Sauce
This week the temps seriously shifted reminding everyone about the impending arrival of first frost. Though a few of our neighbors across town got hit that one extra cold night last week in August, we remain in the clear. This weather is pretty shocking to all of us, humans and crops alike. Suddenly we are back to our slow ripening June predicament- remember when we were all waiting on strawberries? But this cool weather does allow us to play catch up a bit with crops like eggplant, tomatoes, etc...
In other news, Anne’s cut flower field is bumping with flowers- especially zinnias. In order to keep up with the harvest, and keep the plants producing, she cuts them back and as a result the CSA is gifted (this week) 3 zinnias per CSAer. Proving a symbiotic relationship between CSAer and zinnia plant super mutualistic- everyone benefits.
But enough about weather and flowers and my personal anguish with these end of Summer temps and the bittersweet (mostly bitter) arrival of fall, let’s talk about food.
Consider this an extended
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES
For one, hello Peppers!!! In your share this week you have 5 different pepper varieties- all uniquely different, let’s break them down
SHISHITO (my new fave pepper): Holy smokes, these peppers are awesome. These are the green or red smallish crinkly peppers in the pints. For the most part they are sweet peppers, but 1 in 50 are hot. It’s a total crapshoot. They have super thin walls which allow for quick frying, roasting, etc… here is what to do with them:
5-Minute Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe
A hot cast iron pan creates the perfect char for this bite-sized pepper appetizer tossed with flavored salts.
8 ounces shisito peppers ½ lemon, sliced Extra virgin olive oil Kosher or flavored salts
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat until the pan is hot. Add the peppers to the hot skillet and cook the peppers, turning occasionally then add a few slices of lemon. Cook until the peppers become fragrant and begin to blister, and the nudge the lemons so they don't stick, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil plus a squeeze more lemon then sprinkle with flavored salts. Serve immediately.
Otherwise, roast or straight grill the shishitos. You will be so pumped. just paint with olive oil and season with salt- so f”ing good.
2) Cherry Pick: these are the little red balls- sweet as can be, great for stuffing
3) Poblano: Dark green pepper with mild heat- this pepper is excellent for frying or stuffing. It is the pepper behind the classic Mexican dish, Chili Rellenos (google for details if you are unfamiliar).
4) Red Carmen: by this point in the season, you should know and love this one, it comes in the shape of a bull’s horn and it is as sweet as can be. I LOVE this pepper.
5) Lunch Box Pepper: This sweet pepper only made it into some of the pints. It’s a mini sweet bell pepper- great for snacking.
Moving on from peppers, DILLY BEANS!!
SEE DILLY BEAN RECIPE below
Ignore, the wax beans suggested and use your 1# bag of green beans!
Substitute your red carmen pepper for the red bell.
And throw in anything else in the box- most everything can be pickled, though i’ve never messed with pickled eggplant and i am not sure i want too…
Eggplant CHIPS:
- 1 eggplant - Olive oil - Salt
Step 1: Slice the eggplant into SUPER thin (maybe using a mandoline on its thinnest setting) disks and place them on a lined baking sheet.
Step 2: Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the slices with olive oil. Be sure to flip them to brush both sides.
Step 3: Sprinkle salt to taste.
Step 4: Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 400°F. Serve warm or store them in an airtight container to snack on later.
Alright I covered all the vegetables I wanted to highlight this week- off to pick dill!