p i c k l i s t
TOMATOES! - CHIVES - CAULIFLOWER OR BROC - ROMAINE LETTUCE - NAPA CABBAGE -
GOLDEN ZUCCHINI - SUMMER SQUASH - CUCUMBERS - CILANTRO - JALAPENO - BLUEBERRIES! - GARLIC
Out with the old (strawberries), in with new! Enter BLUEBERRY SEASON! Blueberry season is turning out to be incredible and the field is LOADED with blue. Such a relief to come into a successful crop of berries after such a poor turnout from our early summer red friends. HOWEVER, all is not perfect at Edgewater farm. We have chin high lambsquarter taking over the lettuce, the green beans, etc. Crabgrass has found its way into every nook and cranny of field left unplanted. And while we got a decent rain on Monday, we could absolutely use more..
On weeds: oh geez, the same thing happens every year. Come June, fields are clean, planted, and looking good. We keep high hopes on staying on top of weeds- and make extremely empty promises to our crops, that you darling lettuce will see your full head of green/red/ or romaine size up without having to battle other unwanted plants for light… and then strawberry season hits. And the strawberries beg us to spend the majority of our time bent over staring directly at them, and the row in front of us, for the next 5 weeks… and while we have turned the other cheek, the weeds go wild. So I can assure you all that from the time you read this until the first kill frost in October or November, we will either be harvesting or weeding, on repeat (and a little seeding/planting too).
In other (what I deem) extremely exciting news, Ray and I took a field walk today to check out crops to come. The pumpkins look dynamite, the peppers are coming into it, and the watermelons are two-ish weeks away from ripening. Bottomline here, the best of Summer is yet to come.
Pro-tips:
Fried garlic chips from one of my fave cookbooks,
BURMA SUPERSTAR: ADDICTIVE RECIPES FROM THE CROSSROADS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy
JENNY’S NOTE: Make the garlic chips, and add them to everything! They are particularly perfect with the recipe for GINGER SALAD (next recipe down)
Makes about ⅓ cup fried garlic and about ½ cup garlic oil
½ cup thinly sliced fresh garlic
½ cup canola oil (though i used olive oil and it turned out great)
Line a heat proof bowl with a strainer. Line a plate with paper towels. In a wok or small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat for a minute or two (the oil shouldnt be scorching hot). Add the garlic and gently stir into the oil. When bubbles start to form rapidly around the garlic, decrease the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is an even golden color and nearly completely crisp, about 3 minutes. If the garlic starts to darken too quickly, remove it from the heat and let it continue to fry in the oil. If the garlic needs more time to fry, return the wok to low heat and continue to fry.
Pour the contents of the wok into the strainer lined bowl. Lift the strainer up and shake off of the excess oil. Scatter the garlic onto the lined plate. The garlic should crisp up as it cools. The chips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month. Store the oil in the fridge for upto 6 months.
Ginger salad Again, from my fave cookbook,
BURMA SUPERSTAR: ADDICTIVE RECIPES FROM THE CROSSROADS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy
JENNY’S NOTE: I KNOW I KNOW, there is no ginger in your box this week to pickle, BUT make do with what you DO have. For example i used pickled radishes instead of the pickled ginger and this Summer salad remained so bomb. It’s basically all I want to eat now, you’re welcome.
4 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 ½ cups shredded cabbage
3 heaping tablespoons pickled ginger (or pickled radish!), chopped
2 tablespoons fried garlic chips
3 tablespoons fried yellow split peas (jenny says optional, i never include)
3 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped toasted peanuts
2 tablespoons minced jalapenos
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 ½ tablespoons toasted chickpea flour
1 ½ tablespoon onion oil
2 tablespoon juice from the ginger pickling liquid
2 teaspoon fish sauce
¾ teaspoon salt
1 lime or lemon cut into wedges
In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, pickled ginger, fried garlic, split peas, cilantro, sunflower seeds, peanuts, jalapenos, and sesame seeds. Sprinkle chickpea flour over the top and drizzle with oil and pickling liquid (or rice wine vinegar if you have no pickling liquid). Add the fish sauce and salt (use more salt if not using fish sauce). Squeeze 1 or 2 lime wedges over the top. Using your hands, mix well and taste, adding more salt or lime juice if needed.
Adapted from Gourmet, November 2007 but found on smittenkitchen.com
The dressing is a simple blend of buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, a touch of mayo, shallots, sugar, salt and pepper but the flavor is anything but. This is my new go-to creamy dressing. I am sure it would equally delicious with some crumbled blue cheese mixed in, if you’re into that kind of thing. The dressing would be really great on an iceberg wedge or romaine hearts salad, or any kind of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mega mixed bowl. Like your lunch tomorrow.
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 pound Napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups)
6 radishes, diced
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced diagonally
Whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, shallot, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until sugar has dissolved, then whisk in chives.
Toss cabbage, radishes, and celery with dressing.
Zucchini, summer squash, etc… But have you turned on your grill yet?!!? I hope the answer is a hard yes, and do yourself a favor and whatever does not end up in the above salads, GRILL!!
And if you need a recipe, the following looks awesome- I will link to it in the tomorrow updated CSA blog, but I clearly ran out of space here…
The crosshatch pattern isn’t just for show (even though it does look cool)! It allows for the salt to fully penetrate the squash and also draws out some of the excess water so that the sweet, tangy glaze can be fully absorbed.
Ingredients
4 servings
4 medium summer squash or zucchini (about 1½ lb. total)
Kosher salt
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp. hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)
2 Tbsp. vegetable or sunflower oil, divided
1 lime, halved
½ small shallot, thinly sliced into rounds
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
Step 1
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Cut each squash in half lengthwise, then score cut sides in a ¼" crosshatch pattern with the tip of your knife. Toss squash and 1 tsp. salt in a colander; set over a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine honey, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili paste in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half and slightly thickened (just shy of syrupy), 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 Tbsp. oil.
Step 3
Toss squash with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large baking dish or plate. Turn squash cut side up, then brush with glaze.
Step 4
Grill squash cut side down until just beginning to char around the edges, about 3 minutes. Continue to grill, turning every minute or so and brushing squash with glaze on cut sides, until just tender and cut sides are lightly charred and shiny from the glaze, 6–8 minutes total. (Reserve any leftover glaze.) Transfer squash to a platter.
Step 5
Squeeze juice from 1 lime half into a medium bowl and add shallot and cilantro; season with salt and toss to combine.
Step 6
Drizzle squash with any leftover glaze. Top with herb salad and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with remaining lime half alongside.