Saturday, November 20, 2010

CSA week one start-up

I apologize for slacking off on the blog recently. I got busy at work, then I was on the road for a bit and then I got busy again catching up after being away. I had ingredients on hand and interesting recipes picked out to use them, but the free time, energy and inclination to do serious cooking never came together. But that luxury of choice is in the past, the CSA has started. Fingers crossed that, as in past years, the weekly influx of produce will prove more inspiration than burden.

At the start of the CSA last year I said I wanted to perfect some of the recipes I had made in previous seasons instead of constantly trying new ones but I didn't follow through on that. I guess that's inspiration as burden. Huh. This year, I'm even more ambitiously unambitious. I want to not just redo recipes but also do more cooking not worth blogging about--thrown together stir fries and soups primarily. I'm tired of spending all my time thinking about cooking, cooking and then writing about cooking. I do have other interests; these video games aren't going to play themselves. We'll see if I can manage any sort of balance; it should add a little human drama to the blog even as it subtracts posts.

And one last blog-related thing before I get on with talking about the actual share. Marian of the Redland Rambles blog and I have talked a little about starting either a group CSA recipe blog or maybe a discussion group so folks who don't want to commit to regular posting can share their ideas and ask for suggestions. If you'd be interested in participating in either, please post a comment here or in Marian's CSA week one post. I think we'd need a least a half dozen folks involved to make it work.

At long last, let's see what we've got to work with this first week (well, fortnight. Thankfully, we're once again easing into this with no delivery next week).

Starting in the upper left corner, there's dandelion greens. I think I'd like to do another variation on hindbeh bil zayt with them. They work so well with deeply browned onions and garlic that I'm not particularly curious to try other combinations. Some of the parsley and garlic chives, also on the left side, will probably go in that. Otherwise, there's not so much there that I can't just keep them around for garnishing.

Next up is the daikon. I've struggled before finding daikon-centric recipes, but it's the utility starch of Japanese cuisine and often gets thrown into stews and such unremarked upon. That's how I'd like to use it this time around. Or maybe in a slaw; they work well in slaw or so I read.

I looked through my blog archives to see what I've already done for green beans, and it's quite a bit. There's over a dozen recipes there. But I also mention a cold green bean, blue cheese and bacon salad that I never got around to making. That sounds pretty good so I'll have to see if I can dig that recipe up.

There aren't enough cherry tomatoes there to do anything clever with. They'd go well in a salad, but I left the lettuce behind. I remember they grilled up well when my dad used to make shish kabobs. I wonder if that would work in my grill pan?

And finally, there's the bok choy (upper right) and yukina savoy (lower right). I think I'll just stir fry them up with an oyster-sauce-based sauce. That should be just dandy.

What do you guys have planned with your shares?

6 comments:

Karen said...

Welcome back! I think the "group blog" idea is great, being one of the ones who haven't bothered to commit to anything more regular. Although this year we aren't getting the box, due to a decline in household size, I'm still reading several blogs and the CSA newsletter and then going to the Pinecrest Market every Sunday to get what we want from Margie there. Also being much more intentional about growing our own. So, here's one vote "Si!".

Jennifer said...

I'm in for a "group blog" on the CSA! Love to cook, and love to see what others are doing with all the bounty.

LaDivaCucina said...

Between being away for six weeks last season along with having to test recipes for my business, I decided that it was best to forgo the CSA this year and support Margie and all the rest of the farmers by going to the market instead. Less waste so far!

I TOTALLY understand about just cooking regular food that is not blog worthy. I did Meatless Mondays for a while in the summer but found the commitment to post about meals that were just average to be less than inspiring. So, I stopped. It's your blog, Bill, and you can post whatever, whenever, we'll still come by when you do!

billjac said...

I strongly considered forgoing the CSA this year too, but there aren't any farmers at the new UM farmer's market and I'm far too lazy to shop at another market that isn't right on my doorstep.

So far, from this share, I've cooked one noteworthy dish, one wrap-up-mention-worthy and one unworthy. And I've got another noteworthy dish planned. That's about where I want to be, I think. It'll be harder when I've got half the time to deal with it.

As for the group blog, I don't know how many people we need to make it work. I'll talk to Marian to see what she thinks.

Marian said...

Hey guys, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm still game for a group blog. If we start with Karen, Jennifer, Laura, Bill and me, I think we have enough participants to make it go. Are we all in? Do we all want to post every week, or do we want to take turns and post once every 5 weeks? Bill and I can admin the blog. If more people want to join in, that's ok too. Thoughts ideas suggestions?

Anonymous said...

Also game for a group blog. Could start posting mid Jan.