P I C K L I S T
TOMATOES! - CHERRY TOMATOES - SWEET CARMEN PEPPERS - PURPLE PEPPERS - CARROTS - CABBAGE - OREGANO - CILANTRO - EGGPLANT - MELON - CAULIFLOWER -SHALLOTS
This newsletter is written from my house, where I will be all day today, tomorrow and the foreseeable future as I am currently posted up with a sick kiddo and a perfectly well (and wild) 3 year old. We are all bumming pretty hard over here and fingers crossed will make it to the Cornish Fair by the weekend. Meanwhile the field crew is coming together and providing the CSA team with ample support. Just last night they were in the fields bunching all your carrots and we are all so lucky they had already swept the cabbage and cauliflower field on Saturday. I continue to be grateful for both Mrs. T on early morning oregano duty and Claire on all the other duties. While I was painting my nails for the 16th time, pondering all the popsicles I should be making with the melons and pushing liquids into this young blood next to me, she was bunching all the cilantro, picking all the tomatoes and peppers and counting out 215 one million times while simultaneously texting me v funny notes from the field. Another hero of this week is my sweetheart and team mate, Ray Sprague- who is keeping it all together while non-stop pivoting. He has not made it home before 9pm the past few days- and I like to think he is hitting up the west leb strip and partying super hard, a la applebees, kotos and icecream 4U. But the truth is, he is labeling, washing, boxing up, and attempting to stay on top of field crops and farm organization while the farm is out 4 people (2 people on vacation, 1 person still in Jamaica, and me with the sickies).
ALSO, kuddos to Ray and Roy for calling it on blueberry season- it’s been a great run with awesome fruit, but goodness gracious, it was time to walk away and pick melons and cherry tomatoes instead.
In conclusion, this week has been a challenge but the fields overfloweth, therefore the CSA parties on.
Pro-tips:
CLAIRE’S FIRST IMPRESSION
AKA WWCD (WHAT WOULD CLAIRE DO WITH ALL THIS VEG?): STIR FRY AND/OR RATATOUILLE
This salad is only worth making when tomatoes are in season and full of flavour. It should be acidic and tangy, and will taste amazing alongside a piece of slightly charred meat from the barbecue.
crustless rustic bread (stale or fresh) - sourdough or ciabatta, for example - cut in 2-3 cm cubes
Salt and pepper
2 small cucumbers, cut into 2cm pieces
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cored and cut into large pieces
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tsp sumac (optional)
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
1 garlic clove, crushed
1½ tsp red-wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 325F
Spread out the bread on a roasting tray, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with some flaky salt. Bake for 20 minutes until crispy and golden, then leave to cool.
Mix all the other salad ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste. Just before serving, mix in the toasted bread, using your hands.
Chimichurri:
The following recipe was provided by my best friend, Natanya, who says this chimichurri i’s so good you could drink the stuff… Also, there are a few ingredients you are missing here- no parsley or garlic this week, but I highly recommend picking up these extra ingredients to make said condiment. Farmstand folks, this will be particularly easy for you.
As for what to do with chimichurri, people love it on meat and fish, but i think it's awesome on everything.
1 whole bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1/2 bunch parsley, leaves
3 stems fresh oregano leaves
1 large shallot
2-3 cloves garlic
1 small red chili (fresno or jalapeno, seeds removed)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2-1 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Instructions: put everything but olive oil in food processor. With the motor running add olive oil until everything is incorporated and reaches the desired consistency.
Enjoy!
Jenny’s note: the recipe calls for mint, but i think it would be insanely good with cilantro and or oregano!
This is like eggplant bruschetta, except the eggplant is the bruschetta, topped with a Mediterranean summer salsa of a salad.
Feta is a great alternative to ricotta salata. If you’re put off by the sharpness of fresh onion, pour the red wine vinegar over it in a dish, and let it sit for 10 minutes, tossing it from time to time, before adding it to the salad. No need to add additional vinegar if you do. If you don’t like capers, you can substitute green or black olives. If you don’t care for mint, you can substitute flat-leaf parsley. If you don’t care for eggplant, well, thank you for reading along anyway! Ahem, or brush pitas or flatbreads with olive oil, grill them and dollop this salad/salsa on top.
1 to 2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds eggplant (about 2 medium), in 3/4- to 1-inch slices
2 ounces (1/2 cup) chopped or crumbled ricotta salata
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
3 seeded, diced medium tomatoes (1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet generously with olive oil, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Arrange eggplant rounds in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast, without disturbing, for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully flip each piece: the undersides should be blistery, dark and a bit puffy and should release from the pan with no effort. If they’re not, let it cook longer. Once flipped, sprinkle them with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper and return the pan to the oven for another 10 to 12 minutes or so, until the undersides match the tops.
[Alternatively, on the grill: Brush eggplant slices with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill eggplant slices until slightly charred and tender when pierced with knife, about 5 to 7 minutes per side.]
Meanwhile, mix your ricotta, capers, onion, tomatoes, mint, vinegar and remaining 4 teaspoons olive oil in a small bowl. Taste for seasoning; ricotta salata tends to be quite salty so I don’t find that this dish needs more than a pinch of salt, if that. Add more vinegar, if desired. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
When the eggplant discs are done, arrange them on a serving platter. Scoop a spoonful of the salad over each round. Eat immediately.