Saturday, April 17, 2010

CSA week 19 wrap-up, week 20 start-up

Sorry I didn't have a third recipe to post about this week. I actually had a dinner salad one night; good for me (or maybe not considering how much bacon was involved), but not so great for the blog. I also made an oyster mushroom/spring onion sauce for a pork loin that turned out o.k., but wasn't really interesting enough to write up. And the green beans were a side dish with some middling fried chicken and biscuits.


I'm holding on to the beets and a leftover turnip and adding this week's share of both to the stockpile. It's not so much that I don't know what to do with them than it is that they keep. We're going to be in a local fresh vegetable drought pretty soon. I was thinking of pickling one or the other, but they keep just fine without any preparation so I'm just going to hold on to them until a really good idea presents itself. The beet/goat cheese gratin will probably be first out of the gate some time next week.

I would like to pickle something, though, and am a bit frustrated that we didn't get anything this week that really lends itself to that application. There are a few pickled celery recipes out there but they don't sound particularly appealing. But it's not like I've got any better ideas for the celery so I might go for it anyway.

I haven't got a great idea for the dandelion greens either, I have to admit. I've been looking around at recipes and, whereever in the world they come from, they're about the same: blanch, sauté and dress in local flavors. Hmm...there are some soup recipes too. Maybe I'll go that way.

The calalloo I've got one more international alias for that I've been holding on to waiting for another bunch to arrive in the share. The recipe is nothing special, really, but the origin is interestingly unexpected.

Of the herbs, the only one I feel obliged to do something with is the dill. I've just learned that Indian cuisine uses dill as a vegetable, not an herb. I haven't had time to pick out a specific recipe yet, but I'm quite curious to try something from that tradition.

Everything else, I'm not worried about using. I might come up with a honey-centric ice cream, though.

Oh, hey, as long as I've got you here, I want to let you know that I'm going to be on a panel discussion by food bloggers at the Fairchild Food and Garden Festival at 3 o'clock next Saturday. Come out and see me make an ass out of myself. Should be fun.

8 comments:

Christiana Thomas said...

So this is what I shared with my CSA group. If you're not overly enthusiastic about sauteed bitter greens, this is the best application I've found for dandelion. http://riogozofarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/weed-soup.html

Farmer Margie said...

You can pickle beets and also turnips (the latter are especially good in a brine pickle). If you like bread 'n butter pickles, use that recipe with the beets.

billjac said...

I'm a big fan of sautéed bitter greens, but I've already posted plenty of recipes using them. I've found an interesting soup recipe not too far different from the one you suggest.

I'm fond of pickled beets and turnips too, but I'm keeping my options open for now.

LaDivaCucina said...

Hi Bill, I'll be demonstrating at the garden on Sat. at 2pm. Margie will be there too, ah, the gang's all here!

I'll try and stop by afterward though most likely will be cleaning up. Hope to catch you there.

drlindak said...

I've been making fettucini from the dandelion greens pretty religiously - maybe a bit of a one trick pony, but with olive oil, garlic and a dash of red pepper flakes, it's pretty wonderful. My family is definitely going to miss this over the long, hot, veggie-poor summer...

kat said...

As you head into the drought we finally start getting out of it as the spring veggies start to appear.

Karen said...

It looks like everyone else got their dandelion greens but our box was bare(n of them) - boo hoo!

I like them with garlic and red pepper flakes for a pasta sauce, in a light bechamel topped with chopped toasted walnuts or pecans. With a fresh dry white wine on the side - very good!

Marian said...

I have mixed feelings about dandelion greens. For me they act as a diuretic. Has anyone else had that experience? Heard they're also good for detoxing the liver.