P i c k l i s t
CUKES - SUMMER SQUASH - ZUCCHINI - THAI BASIL -
BLUEBERRIES - LETTUCE - TOMATOES - SHISHITO PEPPER -
HUNGARIAN HOT WAX PEPPER - GREEN BEANS - EGGPLANT
EDGEWATER UPDATE: Blueberry season rolls on and we keep on picking fruit by the fistfull. Last week’s blueberry pop up was so fun that we are gonna do it again this Saturday morning.
HERE YE HERE, COME PICK THIS SATURDAY! IT’S A CSA PYO POP UP!
WHEN: Saturday Morning, 10-noon
THE DEETS: Come on down River Road past the greenhouses and past Macs Maple. Follow the signs to the blueberry field. You will turn at a cemetery and find Mrs. T, waiting to check you in. From there the blueberry field is yours for the picking! Your first 4 pints are free, and $3.50/pint thereafter.
You are welcome to bring friends! However their first 4 pints are $3.50 a piece. KAPISH? Truly can’t wait to share this blueberry thrill
355 river road/ Plainfield NH
In other farm news peppers and eggplant have been creeping in..... Fall winter squash crop looks stellar. We need to find the sweet potatoes down in the hardwood forest of pigweed and smartweed. Keeping at it day by day.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
THAI BASIL: chop and add your thai basil to the two following recipes, you will be so delighted by the flavor/aroma.
Big ups to Mitchell Davis- friend/neighbor/chef, for the following recipes to complement this week’s CSA. He is the best- his meals are primo, & to catch up more with him, check out his substack: https://kitchensense.substack.com/
Thai Yellow Squash Salad Serves 4
It was Jenny who had the idea of making a variation of som tam (the famous Thai green papaya salad) using yellow summer squash. I set to the task. Julienned, the squash actually looks like papaya, though it has a different flavor and texture. The salad owes its signature sweet, salty, sour, and spicy taste to the dressing, which is good on anything. To augment the squash, add green beans, shredded Napa cabbage, watercress. A slightly underripe peach (i.e., still hard) contributes a certain fruitiness that’s reminiscent of the green papaya in the original.
2 yellow squash, rinsed
1 slightly underripe peach, julienned (opitional)
1/4 pound green beans, blanched, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3 or 4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 to 2 cups other salady vegetables, such as shredded Napa cabbage, cucumber, watercress
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon palm sugar, brown sugar, or 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 small Thai red chili, minced
1 tablespoon dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
Fried onions, for garnish (optional)
Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the flesh squash, including the peel, into thin, long julienne strips. Avoid the seeds in the center. Place in a large mixing bowl. Do the same with the peach, if using. Add the green beans, red onion, tomatoes, other vegetable(s) to the bowl, and toss go mix.
In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, water, lime juice, sugar, and chili. Stir to blend and dissolve the sugar. You may have to let it sit so the sugar dissolves.
To serve, toss the vegetables with the dressing. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with the chopped peanuts and fired onions, if using.
Korean Beef and Cucumber Banchan
Banchan are the side dishes that make up the bulk of a Korean meal. This traditional dish, called sogogi oi bokkeum, combines cucumbers and ground beef for a savory stir-fry that’s delicious with steamed rice.
1 or 2 medium (about 1 pound) slicing cucumbers
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 pound ground beef
2 to 3 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
If the cucumbers aren’t waxed you can leave the peel on. Slice in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the seeds and slice crosswise less than 1/4-inch thick. Place in a bowl, toss with the salt, and let sit for 30 minutes or so to wilt and release excess water.
Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the ground beef, gochugaru, garlic, the scallion, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a generous amount of black pepper. Mix well with your hands to combine and then set in the fridge until the cucumbers are ready.
In a large sauté pan, heat the oil. Drain the cucumbers and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the drained cucumbers to the hot pan and sauté for just a minute, so they remain crisp. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside. Add the seasoned meat to the pan and sauté until cooked through, breaking the meat up into small pieces. When the meat is done, add the cucumbers back to the pan, toss to distribute, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with additional chopped scallion and toasted sesame seeds. Served with steamed rice.
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