CSA - Post 1

This year my husband and I decided to take part in a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) with a local organic farm.  This means we paid a flat fee before the season started and each Friday we get a bag of assorted really fresh produce.  We are now into week 5 and I thought I’d share some of the adventures and experiments that have started from them.  

One of my biggest concerns was that we were going to get a lot of kale, so much that I would run out of ideas of what to make with it.  However so far, so good…. (Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself) 

Look at the adorable reusable bag we got the first week!  I use it each Friday to pick up the goodies! 

1^st week: Swiss chard, lettuce, mixed greens, oregano and French radishes.  This was an easy group, I made some grilled chicken salad and an awesome Swiss chard frittata.   The French radishes were the only new item to us and we ate them sliced on salads. 

One of the things I noticed is when I’m not sure how to use an item, on strategy is to throw them into a quiche or frittata. 

2^nd week: head of lettuce, arugula, mixed salad greens, garlic scapes, Swiss chard, radishes, asparagus, rhubarb, and pick your own strawberries.

Here's a picture of the all the produce the 2nd week! 

One of the best things that I have made with this crop share has been the Arugula and Bacon quiche mentioned in this previous blog post.  The post is for spinach quiche, but you can use the base and just change the fillings. 

I also tried to make strawberry rhubarb pie, although it came out more like strawberry rhubarb soup… It was one of those moments when I did not read the recipe closely enough and screwed up the filling, and well since baking is a science you need to be very precise in the measurements.  However, the taste was great, the only downfall was you needed to eat it with a spoon!  

3^rd week:  B and I went away to celebrate our anniversary, but because I have the best parents, my mother actually went to pick up the CSA this week and we split the produce with them.  She kept the basil plant (which is for the better since I have a black thumb) and scallions, we got more salad greens, strawberries, sugar snap peas, cilantro and kale.  (There probably was more this week but this was what I can remember)  I tried to get her to take more, but that’s what she wanted. 

I made some black bean and kale burritos with cilantro rice.  It was inspired off a recipe in food network magazine, but it’s not posted online yet, so sorry no link!  This was a great recipe, and you know it’s good because my carnivore husband at it with no complaints, and even thought it was good enough to have it again.  There are some changes I’d make to the recipe for the next time, but don’t worry I jotted them down.  I also threw some of the leftover kale into the chili the next day!

4^th week: Lettuce, Chinese cabbage, chives, cucumbers, kohlrabi, pick your own raspberries and some of the last strawberries.

I was so excited for this week, raspberries are my absolute favorite.  I remember as a kid getting a pint for the car rides home from Vermont and sitting in the backseat just eating them out of the green pint container! 

One night when we had a friend visiting from out of town we made Pioneer Woman's Raspberry Crisp – I halved the recipe just because we had a small pint of raspberries, and omitted the nuts and oats (I couldn't find them and since it was like 10:00 pm, I gave up looking.)

This is a picture of kohlrabi, which I had never heard of before!  I thought it kinda looked like little UFOs.  I peeled them and then chopped, and roasted in the oven with salt, pepper and garlic.  Then finished with some Pecorino Romano cheese.  I thought they were delicious, but there was a slight difference in opinion with B. 

I also made homemade dumplings via Food Network Magazine; I just swapped for the Napa cabbage for my Chinese cabbage and omitted the salt they added.  I felt the soy sauce had enough salt, it didn't need anymore.  There were a few other changes I’d make for next time, but overall it was good. Those wonton wrappers are so easy to use; the hardest part was finding them in the store!

Can’t wait to find out later today what will be in this week’s share.

What’s your favorite summertime fresh produce?