CSA Week #16

• Radishes
• Pac Choi
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Red onions
• Parsley
• Delicata squash
• Lacinato Kale
• Pears

Some sites only:

• Eggplant

Veggie Storage and Preparation Tips:

WINTER SQUASH:  Store Winter Squash in a cool, dry, dark place with good ventilation. They should keep for up to a month or more, depending on the variety. You can also incorporate Winter Squash into a beautiful arrangement for your table. They won’t keep quite as long at room temperature, but if they are sitting on your table, you might be inspired to eat them more quickly. Once squash has been cut, you can wrap the pieces in plastic and store them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To bake Winter Squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and place the halves, cut side down, on a baking dish filled with about a half-inch water.  You can also bake without the water, just lightly grease a baking sheet or use parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees until halves are completely soft and just starting to collapse (45 min to 1 hour or more, depending on the size). Remove them from the oven, fill w/butter, seasonings, or fillings, and serve them in the shell.

Winter Squash can be substituted in pies and baked goods. Try using it instead of pumpkin or sweet potatoes in dessert recipes. While the oven is still hot, try roasting the seeds after mixing them with a little oil and seasonings of your choice.

PARSLEY: Wrap Parsley in a damp towel or place upright in a container with an inch of water & refrigerate for short-term storage. For longer storage, Parsley can be dried. Check your favorite cookbook for dehydrating info.

Parsley can be tossed into salads with other greens, or chopped into any chilled pasta or vegetable salad. It is excellent in soups, stews, and stir-fries; only remember to add it toward the end or after cooking is completed to retain color, flavor and nutrition.

LEEKS: Place unwashed and dry leeks in plastic bag and store in a drawer of your refrigerator. Leeks will store well for up to 2 weeks. To clean leeks for cooking: trim roots, remove green tops (which can be used in soup stock), and peel off outer leaf layer removing any hidden dirt. Cut in half lengthwise and chop (most recipes only use white portion). Leeks can be substituted for any recipe calling for onions. They develop the best flavor when cooked or sautéed slowly.

Recipes!

Quick Pickled Radish Recipe From marthastewart.com

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup red-wine vinegar
• ½ cup sugar
• Coarse salt
• 15 medium-size red radishes (about 6 ounces), ends trimmed, thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, stir together vinegar, sugar, and 2 teaspoons coarse salt. Add radishes, and stir to combine. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Pickled radishes are best used within a few hours but can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Here are some more recipes to try:

Radish basics and lots of radish recipes, from marthastewart.com

Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe from summertomato.com

Braised Leek and Feta, sent to us by a farmers market shopper Karen, from Cheap Thrills Cuisine

Potato Leek and Cheddar Soup from NaturallyElla.com

Hello everyone! This week the box is absolutely brimming with the bounty of the harvest season. We are transitioning into our fall crops, with the appearance of delicata squash, storage potatoes, and leeks! There are so many delicious combinations in your box. I am looking forward to making potatoes with parsley and butter, maybe some potato leek soup, and a big kale, Pac choi, pepper and tomato stir fry. I love roasted delicata squash, and I’m looking forward to enjoying more of those delicious pears from Mt. Hood Organics. The variety of pears this week is called “starkrimson.”

Last Wednesday was the big squash and potato harvest. I think these big harvests are satisfying. There is something great about going out to the field and bringing in a crop all at once. We have watched the plants grow, the squash size up, and now to gather it all into bags and totes and bring it in for the winter is fulfilling. There are always big crews of people for these harvests, and the camaraderie throughout the day is strong. Everyone is working hard and fast, but laughter can still be heard over the roar of the tractors. Ella and  I went out to the field to document this fun harvest and give you an idea of what it’s like to be out in the field!

Next we moved on to the squash field, which was right nest to the potato harvest, and it looks so beautiful out there, with all the different colors of squash. The vines have died back revealing the oranges, greens, and cream colors of all the delicious squash we grow.

The crew begins the squash harvest by clipping off the squash from the vines and making piles in the beds so that the tractor can come through the field with wooden totes on each end for the squash to be then loaded and carried up to the barn.

We hope you enjoy this beautiful (and heavy!) box, let me know if you have any delicious recipes to share with all these goodies!

Have a great week, happy fall!

-Sara