1 Bunch Radishes Or Beet Greens ($1.75-$2)

2010 - Week #9 – (August 10th – 16th)

It’s only early August and already we’re starting to pick winter squash! This week spaghetti squash is one of the options, and next week we might have acorn or buttercup. We’ve also already got local Paula Red apples from Douglas’s Orchard in Shoreham on the stand, and all CSA members will get coupons for money off a half peck (about 5 lbs.). Paula Reds are usually the first apples of the season, and they taste much like a tart Macintosh. If you get them when they’re just picked, they’re nice and crisp and flavorful; in my book, they certainly beat any apple you might get this time of year in the grocery store, since most grocery store apples have been in cold storage for a while and were shipped from the southern hemisphere. You can use Paula Reds when baking, but beware: much like Macs, they have great flavor but tend not to hold their shape.

This Week’s Produce:
Small Share:

1 bunch radishes or beet greens ($1.75-$2)

1 lb. broccoli ($2)

1 lb. home grown tomatoes ($3)

2 mild peppers (1 green bell and 1 cubanelle) ($2)

6 ears sweet corn ($3)

2 cukes ($.50)

parsley or chili peppers ($1)

Coupon for money off apples on stand

Choose 2 of the following options ($8):

2 lbs. green tomatoes

1 large spaghetti squash

1 bag potatoes (size to be determined)

1 pint blueberries

1.5 lbs. green beans

2 lbs. summer squash or zucchini

Total retail value: $20.75 – $21.25

Large Share:

1 bunch radishes or beet greens ($1.75-$2)

1 lb. broccoli ($2)

1 lb. home grown tomatoes ($3)

2 mild peppers (1 green bell and 1 cubanelle) ($2)

12 ears sweet corn ($6)

2 cukes ($.50)

1 pint grape tomatoes ($2.5)

parsley or chili peppers ($1)

Coupon for money off fruit on the stand

Choose 3 of the following options ($12):

2 lbs. green tomatoes

1 large spaghetti squash

1 bag potatoes (size to be determined)

1 pint blueberries

1.5 lbs. green beans

2 lbs. summer squash or zucchini

Total retail value: $30.75 – $31

Next Week’s Produce:

It’s getting harder and harder to predict what we’ll be able to offer next week! I really hope that we’ll have local peaches and/or fall raspberries, but I can’t promise; it depends on the weather. What we will have is lots of late summer veggies: corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, squash, etc. About the Blueberries:

There are still plenty of berries out there, but the picking isn’t as easy as it was just a few weeks ago,. I’m not handing out vouchers this week because I don’t want a lot of people to get stuck with them if the season starts to wind down early this year. If you’re planning on using your voucher soon, and if you don’t mind working a little harder to get your berries, just ask for a voucher when you come to pick up your produce and I’ll gladly give you one instead of a pint of pre-picked berries.

Pasta Salad

We’ve got tons of veggies this week, and since I’m sure we won’t have any lettuce, I figured it’s the perfect time to make some pasta salad. I like my pasta salad with LOTS of vegetables and bow-tie pasta, but you can use as many veggies and any type of pasta you’d like.

1 lb. pasta

chopped fresh veggies, can include:

–tomatoes

–peppers

–cucumbers

–broccoli

–carrots

–celery

½ medium red onion, chopped

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped

juice of 1 lemon

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

chopped fresh herbs (basil and/or parsley are nice)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

crumbled feta cheese (optional)

halved black olives (optional)

canned artichoke hearts (optional)

Wisk together lemon juice, herbs, oil and garlic to make dressing. Cook pasta until it’s al dente. Drain and then cool pasta with cold running water. In a large bowl, mix pasta, veggies, dressing, and any extras (cheese, olives, etc.). Add salt and pepper to taste, and more oil if necessary. Let sit for at least a half an hour at room temp.

Succotash

There are a million different ways to make succotash. I like this recipe from a 2006 Gourmet (maybe because it includes bacon and heavy cream!)

2 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3-4 ears)

1 lb. fresh lima or shell beans, shelled (1 ½ cups)

½ diced green bell pepper

1 bunch scallions, chopped, keeping green and white parts separate. (Or 1 small yellow onion, chopped).

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup water

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Cook bacon in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then add butter to fat in skillet and melt over moderate heat. Add corn, beans, bell pepper, and onion or white parts of scallions and cook, stirring, 2 minutes (longer if using onion). Add cream, water, salt and pepper, then simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in bacon, scallion greens (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.