The latest CSA box contained lots of herbs and lettuces and cabbages again. We also got corn, ball squash, onions, scallions, carrots, eggplant, cucumbers, cauliflower, kohlrabi and purple broccoli! Obviously I've got some prep work to do along with some cooking/storing/freezing.
Since you've got the gist of what needs doing when you're a CSA member, I've decided this column will undergo a few changes. Mainly, you'll be finding a list of the box contents and some links to recipes you might not think of or that are just wonderful. These recipes will be for the actual foods I receive in the box or they'll be for sauces and other accompaniments for those foods. Adventures in a CSA Kitchen will be a great resource for recipes to use with seasonal produce. And it'll be anecdotal when I can find the time or have a story to tell. I'll continue to recommend organic wines, as discovering them is an exciting adventure in itself.
This time round I'll share recipes for Salsa Verde, Kohlrabi in Herbed Cream Sauce, First Day Salad, and several dressings for almost any salad.
LET'S GET COOKING!
Salsa Verde
1 ½ C parsley
¾ C basil
¾ C mint
6T rinsed capers
6T anchovy fillets
3 cloves garlic
1 ½ C extra virgin olive oil
6T red wine vinegar
3T Dijon mustard
3T sea salt
Process until smooth and then taste to adjust seasonings.
You can use this beautiful green sauce with grilled veggies, boiled or oven-roasted potatoes. It is also superb over grilled or baked fish.
Kohlrabi looks like this drawing; it's not familiar to everyone but it is delicious. To make Kohlrabi with Herbed Cream Sauce go to Cook It Simply (Sometimes I add dill to this recipe or I'll add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, sprinkle the dish with breadcrumbs and a little butter and bake until the crumbs are crisp.) Either way this is a comfort dish that will transport you to cozy in no time!
First Day Salad is the name I gave to the salad I make each time I get a new CSA box of goodies. It's the simplest of recipes: Use what you like. That's it! Dress the salad with olive oil and your choice of vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper. If you're in the mood for a fancier dressing here is a link to Creamy Carrot Raita (Cucumber Raita can be found here also), Japanese Ginger Dressing, and Succulent Citrus Dressing
Oh, and tonight for dinner we'll have Straw and Hay Pasta (my version uses thinly sliced cabbage for the straw and fettuccini for the hay) substituting milk and a small amount of butter for the heavy cream and leaving out the gruyere in the recipe here.
GATHERING HOME ORGANIC WINE PICKS
These wines will pair well with any of the dishes in this edition of CSA Kitchen. Cheers!
Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal 2003 Alsace
Marl/gypsum soil. Rich, deep, sweet nose with meaty, spicy undertones to the honeyed fruit. The palate is explosively rich: sweet but brilliantly balanced. There's also a thick herby texture and spicy edge. Brilliant. Excellent 95/100 -- It should be noted that Olivier Humbrect is a champion of Biodynamics and the current president of Biodyvin.
Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling 2005
This is an excellent QPR (quality-price-ratio) Riesling you can read about here.
HAPPY COOKING!!
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