Week #19, Goodbye to summer

Chelsea throws winter squash to Carrot.  Our little team of four people (including John) harvested about 15,000 lb of winter squash over the past month.  We’re in good shape now! 

Carrot piles the squash in rows.  We returned with a wagon and a larger team to pick up the squash and move them into the warm, dry greenhouse to cure.  Kudos to the second team who hefted all of that squash three times on its journey into the greenhouse.  Squash is heavy.

Frost is likely at our farm tonight.  This is early and we are sad to say goodbye to tomatoes, basil and Romano beans.  If temperatures are not too low, we might have a handful of tomatoes next week.  The plants have remained healthy and the foliage might protect the tomatoes.  We’ll see.  I asked our crew to pick a minimum of two pounds tomatoes this week and they brought in four pounds per CSA box!  Maggie led the charge on that effort.  A few later varieties are at their peak and she really wants you to have them.

There’s a scramble before any frost, regardless of when it arrives.  We will protect three pepper fields and one chile field tonight.  We have enough peppers out there for another three or four more CSA deliveries, and are not willing to let them go.  Two fields are covered with floating row cover (white fabric in the photo below) to trap heat from the ground.  Steve set irrigation pipe in the other two fields.  He’ll irrigate tonight to keep the plants from freezing (as ice forms on the plants, it releases enough heat to maintain a steady 32 degrees).  Wish us luck!  Wish your peppers luck!  

I think we need a new end-of-summer ritual that doesn’t involve running around the farm protecting crops.  Something calmer, more contemplative, something that doesn’t require getting up in the middle of the night to start the irrigation.

We did not scramble to bring in winter squash.  All are safe in our barn or greenhouse.  We harvested steadily over the last three weeks as each variety matured.  Winter squash harvest is exacting.  We look for subtle signs that the fruits are mature, for best flavor.  Each variety is a bit different.  Delay harvest too long and they will rot, especially in wet or dewy weather.  I trained a new squash team this year and they did great!  This year’s harvests are beautiful.  We should have squash or sweet potatoes steadily for the remaining CSA boxes.

Fortunately, we have many frost-resistant crops.  Here’s a list of what you can look forward to before the end of the season.  Broccoli, cauliflower, Romanesco, cabbage, choys and other greens, Brussels sprouts,carrots, beets, winter radishes, celeriac, parsnips, leeks, onions, garlic, scallions, fennel, potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes, parsley, cilantro, poblano chiles, and peppers of course.

Mmm, I love fall cooking.
Thanks for reading.
Beth

Raul, Ken and Carrot secure floating row cover over pepper plants to protect them from frost tonight.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #19, Sept 29/30, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Romano beans, 1.4 lb
Broccoli, 1 medium head
Komatsuna greens, 1 bunch
‘Jester’ squash, 1
‘Carnival’ squash, 1
Tomatoes, plum & slicing, ~4 lb
Cayenne chile (HOT), in bag with tomatoes
Mixed bell & frying peppers (sweet), ~1.5 lb
Oranos or snack peppers (sweet), a few
Yellow or red onion
Basil, 1 medium bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain cabbage, broccoli, peppers, winter squash and more.

Romano beans (final for the season) – Romano beans are more robust and meaty than green beans. They are excellent raw but really shine when gently braised for a long time, especially with tomatoes.
Storage: Refrigerate.

Broccoli – The fall broccoli and cauliflower plantings look great.  Here is the first harvest.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate.

Komatsuna – We are enchanted with this Asian green, the same one that we sent in spring.  Grown in fall, it is taller and the stems more fibrous.  The leaves are delicious and can be used in any recipe that calls for mustard greens.  Taste one of the stems raw and, if too fibrous, discard the stems.

Oranos or snack peppers (sweet) – Everyone gets a handful of snack peppers, either Oranos (orange, loose in your box) or mixed color snack peppers (in small paper bag).  All are sweet and wonderful for snacking, loaded with flavor but sparse seeds.

Winter squash – You’ll receive one portion of Jester squash this week, and one ‘Carnival’ squash.  Both are acorn types, although ‘Jester’ has some delicata parentage.  In my opinion, the skins are not edible.  In Steve’s opinion, Jester skins are edible.
Storage:  Store at room temperature for up to two weeks.  Keep an eye on your squash.  If flaws develop, then cook soon.

Basil (final for the season) – The basil has some bronzing and speckling after a few cold nights.  Use it soon – it won’t store as long as our previous basil.  We really wanted you to have it before it’s lost to frost tonight.  If it’s more than you need, chop and freeze it.

Top, ‘Jester’ winter squash
Bottom, ‘Carnival’ winter squash

FYI, your HOT cayenne pepper is in the bag of tomatoes this week.

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Photo by Phoebe Moore

Creamy Miso Acorn Squash Pasta

Blended roasted acorn squash gives this comforting pasta its delicious creamy texture. It also lends the sauce a subtle sweetness, which balances the intense umami flavor of the roasted onions, garlic, and white miso paste. To make this recipe quick and easy to prepare, feel free to roast the vegetables up to 2 days in advance.

Serves 3 to 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

1 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out
½ onion, cut into wedges
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
12 ounces medium shell pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drizzle the cut sides of the squash halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the baking sheet. Add the onion wedges to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Wrap the garlic cloves in a piece of foil with a drizzle of olive oil and add them to the baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and the onions are soft and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare the pasta according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the hot, starchy pasta cooking water before draining. Drain and set aside.

Scoop 1½ cups of the roasted squash flesh out of the skin and transfer it to a blender (save any remaining flesh for another use). Add the roasted onion, peeled garlic, olive oil, miso paste, rice vinegar, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Pour in ½ cup of the reserved pasta water and blend until smooth, adding more pasta water as needed to create a smooth and creamy sauce.

Return the pasta to the pot and pour in the sauce. Stir to coat. If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with another splash of pasta water. Season to taste and serve.

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Photo by Phoebe Moore

Zingy Lentil and Green Bean Salad

The flavors in this bright and briny salad only improve after a day or two in the fridge, so it’s a great recipe to make ahead for lunches or quick meals throughout the week.

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

1 cup dry green or French green lentils, rinsed
4 ounces green beans or Romano beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon honey
1 large tomato, cored and chopped
½ cup pitted and torn mixed olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup diced onion
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a medium saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool water.

Meanwhile, blanch the green beans. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and set a bowl of ice water nearby. Drop the beans into the boiling water and blanch for 3 to 6 minutes (closer to 3 if you’re using regular green beans and closer to 6 if you’re using Romanos), until tender but still bright green. Transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking process. Allow to chill for at least 1 minute, then drain and transfer to a kitchen towel to dry.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mustard, oregano, salt, honey, and several grinds of pepper. Add the lentils and stir to coat, then stir in the green beans, tomato, olives, feta, and onion. Season to taste and serve.
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Photo by The Modern Proper

Coconut Curry Soup with Chicken, Chickpeas, and Hearty Greens

From The Modern Proper
Use your komatsuna greens and peppers in this richly flavored curry soup! This recipe calls for canned diced tomatoes, but since there are so many fresh tomatoes in the box this week, I recommend using them instead. Substitute a heaping 1½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes for the canned ones.
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Photo by Laura Wright

Braised Romano Beans with Spicy Cherry Tomato Sauce & Lemony Ground Walnuts

From The First Mess
This recipe is a spiced-up riff on one of the most classic Romano bean preparations, Romanos braised with tomatoes. It calls for cherry tomatoes, but you could easily substitute a pound of the fresh tomatoes from this week’s box. Grate or chop them before adding them to the sauce. Substitute ⅓ cup diced onion for the shallot, and use 1 teaspoon dried thyme if you don’t have fresh on hand.
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews

Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

From Love & Lemons
When I want to serve acorn squash as a simple side dish, this recipe is my favorite way to prepare it. Maple syrup brings out the squash’s natural sweetness, and herbs like sage or rosemary add earthy autumn flavor. Dried herbs work perfectly here if you don’t have fresh on hand.
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Photo by Andrea Bemis

Pork & Ricotta Meatballs with Roasted Garden Tomato Sauce

From Dishing Up The Dirt
This recipe features a simple roasted tomato sauce, which would be a great use for the tomatoes in your box this week. Simmer these tender ricotta meatballs in it, and then top them off with Parmesan and fresh basil for a comforting fall meal.
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Photo by Erin Alderson

Tahini Noodle Bowl with Collards

From Naturally Ella
This recipe calls for collards, but it would work just as nicely with this week’s komatsuna, though the komatsuna will cook a bit more quickly. To complete the dish, you’ll toss the greens with noodles, peppers, and a creamy, lemony tahini sauce.
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Broccoli Pesto

From Love & Lemons
This nut-free broccoli lemon pesto is bright and aromatic, and it comes together in right around 5 minutes. Toss it with pasta for a flavorful weeknight meal.

Week #18, “Midseason” review

Bringing a load of winter squash from the field on a lovely fall afternoon.

Most years, we offer a midseason review to answer questions and share how the farm is faring.  Dang, we sped right past the August 11 midpoint this year, distracted by a few things.

Our thoughts:  
It’s been a very good growing season so far.  It started too dry for our taste, forcing Steve to work around-the-clock on irrigation.  Still, a dry spring and early summer establishes healthy crops with less disease.  Now we are getting steady rain and our fall and winter crops are growing nicely.

Melons were the absolute low point of the year, succumbing to a disease called anthracnose.  We lost three quarters of our crop, never harvesting a single melon from our third field.  We’ve seen this disease before, but always as a minor, late season problem.  This will get winter attention and research.  We are sad that we had fewer melons for you this year, but it was out of our hands.

High points of the season so far include abundant and luscious sweet corn, cucumbers, peppers and better-than-usual tomatoes.  Many crops have done well, but these ones stand out.  We’ll have tomatoes for you for a few more weeks (in smaller quantities) but their season will end soon.  Peppers will continue longer, assuming we protect the plants from frost.  All the fall crops are doing well so there will be lots of tasty options each week.

Now, let’s respond to member questions and comments.

Q: I am sorry to hear that you are short-handed this year.
A:  Actually, we have a full crew now!  It took a while, with stops and starts as we hired in spring and again in midsummer.  We were definitely short-handed earlier in the year.  That was hard.  Fortunately, we have ended up with a terrific crew.  Each person we hired is charming in their own way.  It’s been a peaceful and fun summer with them.  I’ll write again soon with more details about who is working for us this season.  

Hiring has been a strange process this year.  Between people yelling at me about COVID during phone interviews to new employees ghosting us on their first day, it has been odd.  Honestly, who accepts a job then quits the day they are scheduled to begin work??  Obviously, hiring has been a widespread problem for many employers.  In this environment, we feel lucky and grateful to have put together such a great crew.

Q: Will there be eggplant in the boxes?
A: Sadly, our eggplant crop was a complete failure, decimated by bugs early and repeatedly. We will plant again next year.

Q: What about broccoli?
A: Broccoli will be in the CSA boxes soon.  The plants look great.  Heads have formed and harvests should begin in the next two weeks.  Cauliflower heads are forming too and will be ready in October.

Q:  We missed the berry and tomato u-picks.  Will there be more chances to visit the farm?  
A:  Watch for emails from us!

Q:  How is everyone’s health?
A:  We are all doing fine, recovered/recovering from surgery and aware that Steve, Sophie and I are beneficiaries of modern medicine this summer.  We are back to normal and grateful for that.  Thank you for your patience during my recovery, and for your sweet emails and notes.  I know there were delays in answering emails.  If there’s anything I missed, please send an email again.

Thank you for reading!
Beth

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #18, Sept 22/23, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ sun

Bok choy
Romano beans, 0.8 – 0.9 lb
Acorn winter squash, 2
Slicing tomatoes, ~4 lb
Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
Mixed bell & frying peppers
Red onion
Jalapeño chile (HOT), 1
Basil, 1 bunch
Korean Red garlic, 1 bulb

Next week’s box will probably contain Romano beans, winter squash, fall greens, peppers, tomatoes and more.

Bok choy (rosette with thick white stems and green leaves) – This Asian green is good for stir-frying or sautéing or in soup. You can think of the stems and leaves as two separate vegetables. The stems require longer cooking. The leaves will cook almost as quickly as spinach. Bok choy stores well, so feel free to pull off leaves as you need them, or use the whole head at once.  
Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag or other container.

Romano beans – Romano beans are more robust and meaty than green beans.  They are excellent raw but really shine when gently cooked for a long time.  Here’s a pep talk from Tipi member Steve Rankin:

“You have finally sold me.  I have never been a fan of Romano beans.  This week I have been sautéing them with various peppers, garlic and oregano.  They are especially tasty with poblanos.  Lots of black pepper and some soy sauce, which makes the pan sticky.  I deglaze the pan with wine and braise them in the wine. I’m sold!”

Acorn winter squash – You will receive squash of one or two of these acorn varieties: ‘Carnival’ or ‘Heart of Gold’ or ‘Starry Night’.  All are cured, ready to eat, and tasty.  Eat within two weeks, as they will decline after that.  Acorn squash are not meant for storage of any length.  Plus, we will be sending more next week!  Skins of these types are not edible.  It’s best to cook the squash, then remove the skins, eg by scooping while eating.  It’s difficult to peel these types while raw because of their ridges.
Storage: Store at room temperature for two weeks but keep an eye on your squash and cook promptly if they start to deteriorate.

Clockwise from top left; Carnival, Starry Night, Heart of Gold

RECIPES by DEB

Photo by debslunch

Make-ahead pizza dough and topping suggestions

With a little planning ahead, you can have homemade pizza on a homemade crust on a weeknight! This recipe makes enough dough for three 10-12 inch thin pizzas. I often top and cook two to eat right away and partially bake the third to freeze, top, and cook another day. And if you don’t have time to make the dough, Tipi veggies are so delicious they will improve even store-bought crust.

Takes 15 minutes to mix the dough, plus overnight to rise in the refrigerator
Makes crust for three 10-12 inch thin pizzas.

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (about 80°)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour – bread flour if you have it, or unbleached white, or use up to one cup whole wheat

1. Pour the water into a large mixing bowl, preferably the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one. Sprinkle in the yeast and leave for about 10 minutes. The yeast should bubble; if not you might want to start over with fresher yeast.
2. Add the salt, olive oil, and 3 cups flour. Mix with the paddle attachment until you have a soft dough that’s pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t, add the additional flour, up to 1/2 a cup – you want a soft but not too sticky dough. When all the flour is incorporated, let the mixer knead the dough for you, on medium speed for about 4 minutes. I continue with the paddle for kneading, but if you have a dough hook for your mixer, by all means switch. Alternatively, mix in the flour with a large wooden spoon, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
3. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and sprinkle it with flour. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface – if you are kneading by hand it will already be there – and divide it into three equal portions. Form each portion into a ball, and flour it – I like to drop the ball right into my flour canister – and arrange the balls on the baking sheet. Cover with a lid or a damp towel or a large plastic bag, and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to two days.
4. When you ready to make pizza, oil your pizza pans with olive oil, or line with parchment. Heat the oven to 450°. Remove the dough from the fridge, and roll one piece out on floured surface until it’s about the size of your pan. You can get fancy and spin it in the air if you like! Transfer the dough to the pan, pour about a teaspoon of olive oil on it and continue stretching to the sides of your pan. Don’t worry if you can’t get it all the way to the edge at this point – let it relax and rise while you prepare the toppings and do a final stretch right before topping. Repeat with the other dough pieces.
5. Top the crust and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown and bubbling. See below for topping suggestions.

 
Topping suggestions:

1. The pizza shown uses ingredients from this week’s box, sliced tomatoes and frying peppers and purple onion, with a mix of grated provolone and mozzarella cheese – about 1 1/2 cups grated cheese. Put a layer of cheese on the bottom crust, add the vegetables, brush with olive oil, and then top with a little more cheese. You could also add sliced or minced fresh garlic.
2. Also suggested by this week’s box is roasted squash, caramelized onion, and goat cheese, although the squash this week might be a bit difficult to peel and cut into cubes to roast – this works better with butternut or delicata. Here’s a recipe for roasted delicata squash, prosciutto, and goat cheese pizza.
3. Red sauce (see recipe below), sausage, and peppers. You’ll need about 1/4 pound Italian sausage per pizza, either bulk or one link, casing removed, and about one large pepper. I suggest pre-cooking the sausage, and adding the sliced pepper – and throw in some fennel seeds and extra garlic!

 
Red sauce for pizza
2 pounds peeled and seeded tomatoes, plum preferred
1 large red bell pepper, roasted
2 (or more!) cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano, or Penzey’s Frozen Pizza Seasoning, or two tablespoons chopped fresh basil – stirred in after cooking
large pinch of kosher salt
a shake of red pepper flakes
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste

Combine the tomatoes, roasted pepper, and garlic in a food processor, and puree until smooth. Pour into a wide deep skillet over medium heat, and add the dried herbs, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 40-45 minutes, until thickens and the garlic doesn’t smell – or taste – raw any longer. Stir in the tomato paste, and fresh basil if using. Can be frozen.
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Photo by Linda Xiao for The New York Times

Coconut-Poached Fish With Bok Choy

By Colu Henry in The New York Times.
From Colu Henry: “This one pot, Thai-influenced dish couldn’t be easier to assemble, and its beautiful presentation makes it look like you spent a lot longer on dinner than you actually did.  The poaching liquid does double duty by gently cooking the fish and wilting the bok choy.”  
Substitute torn basil leaves for the cilantro.
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Simple Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

From Two Kooks In The Kitchen
This recipe includes a stir fry trick I had not tried before – tossing the chicken with a small amount of mayonnaise before frying, to keep it from sticking. It works great! You can also make this recipe with the Bok Choy or Koji greens in this week’s box, and include the optional pepper.
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Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

From Well-Plated by Erin
Feel free to omit the mushrooms in the recipe, and sub in basil for the fresh thyme – or use dried.
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Photo by Gena Hamshaw

Warm Winter Squash Bowl

From The Full Helping
Bok Choy or Koji greens can replace the kale in this recipe, and if it’s too hard to peel the squash, you can roast it in the shell and scoop the cooked squash into your bowl.
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Photo by Rebecca Katz

Tricolor Pepper Salsa with Cherry Tomatoes

From REBECCAKATZ.COM
This recipe makes a small batch of fresh salsa with basil, peppers, and cherry tomatoes. It only calls for six cherry tomatoes – you might want to throw in a few more! If you don’t have parsley, use more basil.
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Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash

From Allrecipes.com
Rather than roasting the squash with the more customary sweet glaze, this recipe goes to the savory side, roasting the squash with Parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Week #17, Sept 15/16, 2022

Pepper ID

I am posting photos of the types of peppers we grow, so you can recognize the ones you receive this week. You will receive three, four or five peppers depending on size.  The only hot pepper is the cayenne chile, which is packed in your paper bag of potatoes, so you can recognize it.  All other peppers this week are sweet.

Bell peppers (sweet) are blocky and thick-walled, great for salads, stuffing, grilling, and roasting, where their thick walls are an advantage.  This week’s bell peppers are red or yellow, but we grow red, yellow, orange, purple and green bell peppers.

Frying peppers (sweet) are thinner walled, with a pointed tip.  This type is great for frying.  They have lower moisture, which allows them to fry and brown in hot oil.  Frying peppers can also be stuffed or used for salads.  They are less useful for roasting, because of their thinner walls, and lower yield after roasting.  We grow red, yellow and green frying peppers. 

Oranos (sweet) are crisp, sweet snack peppers.  Hand them to the kids on the drive home.

Cayenne chile (HOT).  Yes, these are HOT.  Keep labelled and separate from your other peppers.  They are smaller than the others but can overlap in size with the smallest frying peppers. 

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #17, September 15/16, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Yellow potatoes, 3 lb
Colored peppers, mixed colors & types, 3 to 5, ~1.5 lb total
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~3.5 lb
Koji greens, 1 bunch
Leeks, ~1 lb
Yellow onion
Parsley, 1 bunch
Basil, 1 stalk
Cayenne chile (HOT), 1
Korean Red garlic, 1 head

Next week’s box will probably contain tomatoes, peppers, winter squash, fall greens, garlic and more.

Yellow potatoes – These organic potatoes are from our farmer friends Josh and Noah Engel at Driftless Organics.

Koji greens (head of dark green leaves) – Refrigerate.
 Koji greens are a lot like tatsoi if you know that one; dark green with a nice balance of bitter flavor but not too strong.  I prefer Koji to tatsoi because it has larger, lusher leaves and not so many leaf stalks.  Recipes that use mustard greens or bok choy will work with Koji.  In a contest for my favorite fall green, Koji runs neck and neck with bok choy.

Koji greens

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Simple Fresh Tomato Pasta

Unlike a typical red sauce pasta, this recipe relies on grated fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones. You’ll only cook them for a few minutes, so you can really taste their sweet, fresh flavor in the final dish. Note that you’ll need to undercook the pasta for this recipe. It finishes cooking with the tomatoes, soaking up their juices as they thicken into a light sauce.

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 pounds slicing tomatoes, halved horizontally
1 pound bucatini pasta
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
Big handful fresh basil leaves

1. Set a box grater upright in a large bowl. Press the cut side of one tomato half into the large holes of the grater and grate the tomato flesh into the bowl. Discard the skin and repeat with the remaining tomatoes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente, then drain. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens and begins to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and add the grated tomatoes, the salt, and several grinds of pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to heat the tomatoes through.
4. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Gradually add the cheese, tossing between each addition, then cook, tossing often, until the tomato juices thicken and coat the pasta, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with more cheese, as desired.

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Quick Peperonata

This recipe is a quick, small-batch version of the Italian side dish peperonata, or peppers cooked in olive oil with onions and tomatoes. I dice the peppers and onions here so that you can enjoy this recipe as a dip with crackers or crostini, but it also makes a great filling for an omelet, topping for polenta, or spread for a sandwich.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ yellow onion, diced
12 ounces colorful sweet peppers (about 2 medium bells), stemmed, seeded, and diced
½ teaspoon sea salt
8 ounces tomatoes (about 1 large slicer), chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften, about 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they break down and the mixture becomes saucy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic and vinegar. Cook, stirring often, until the peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, as desired.

Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and garnished with fresh basil leaves.

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Photo by The Modern Proper

Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade

From The Modern Proper
This recipe would be a great use for the parsley in this week’s box. Mixed with lemon, garlic, and chopped green olives, it creates a fresh, briny, and zesty topping for simple baked fish.
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Photo by i am a food blog

Sweet and Sour Pork

From i am a food blog
Peppers and onions add freshness and crunch to this flavorful sweet and sour pork recipe. Serve it with rice for an easy weeknight meal!
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Breakfast Potatoes

From Love & Lemons
Spiced with smoked paprika and tossed with sautéed peppers and onions, these crispy potatoes are a great side dish at any meal, not just breakfast!
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Photo by Andrea Bemis

Bok Choy Coconut Curry

From Dishing Up The Dirt
Sub koji greens for the bok choy in this quick chickpea curry recipe.
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Photo by Cookie + Kate

Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice

From Cookie + Kate
Koji greens would be a fantastic sub for the kale in this veggie-forward fried rice. Kathryne calls for a cup of additional chopped vegetables as well, and peppers would be great! Replace the green onions with an equal amount of chopped yellow onion. It’ll just take a minute or two longer to soften; adjust the cooking time accordingly.
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

From Love & Lemons
Who doesn’t love smashed potatoes? They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and filled with delicious garlicky flavor. Serve them hot off the baking sheet, topped with a sprinkle of parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese.

Week #16, Final sweet corn

We’ve had a good run of sweet corn and hope you enjoyed it.  This is our seventh and final delivery.  Don’t worry – soon there will be new fall veggies to replace it.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #16, September 8/9, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ moon

Sweet corn, 8 ears
Kale, 1 bunch
Carrots, 2 lb
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~4 lb
Red & yellow peppers, mixed bell & frying, ~4
Zucchini &/or Zephyr squash, 1 – 2 squash
Yellow onion
Jalapeño chile (HOT), 1
Basil, 1 bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain peppers, tomatoes, onions, greens, basil and more.

RECIPES by DEB

Photo by debslunch

Cowboy Caviar a.k.a. Black Bean & Corn Salad

Cowboy Caviar is a great recipe for this time of summer, when tomatoes, corn, and peppers abound, and it’s easily adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can serve it as an appetizer with a big pile of corn chips, or as a salad – especially nice with sliced avocado added. You can make this with either cooked-from-dry, or canned beans.

Takes about 30 minutes to assemble, plus chilling time, and allow extra time if you are cooking beans from dried
Makes about 8 cups = many appetizer servings or 8-10 as a salad

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or put thru a press
1 teaspoon white sugar
a few sprinkles of chili powder or Penzey’s Pico Fruta
Kosher salt and black pepper

Salad
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 cobs)
1 1/2 cups cored, seeded if desired, and chopped tomatoes (either slicing or plum is fine here)
3/4 cups red or white onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups or one 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups or one 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup of seeded and finely chopped red or yellow frying pepper
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
Optional: 1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla chips or avocado – or both! – for serving

1. Make the dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together in a spouted measuring cup – 2 cups is a good size for this. Set aside while you prepare the rest.
2. Husk the corn, and boil it in ample salted water for about 10 minutes, until tender. Let cool and cut the kernels from the cobs. Save the cobs for stock if desired.
3. Combine the tomatoes, onion, beans and black-eyed peas, peppers, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Note: Seeding the tomatoes is optional, but will make the dish less juicy, which can be helpful if you’re using slicing tomatoes. To seed the tomatoes, core them and flatten them in the sink under the palm of your hand, squeezing out the seeds. For slicers you might want to cut them in half, first.
4. Pour in the dressing, and mix well. Toss in the cilantro if using, and taste for seasoning. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight, top with sliced scallions if using, and serve.

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Photo by debslunch

Mediterranean pressed sandwiches

These sandwiches are what we ate for a picnic on Labor Day: The one on the right is a version of Pan Bagnat, kind of a Nicoise salad featuring tuna and tomatoes, on bread, and the sandwich on the left is a vegetarian version with goat cheese, tomatoes, and roasted peppers. Both sandwiches are brushed with olive oil, and spread with oil-poached garlic. If you are a New York Times subscriber you can watch a video by Melissa Clark (it might play for non-subscribers …) that shows her using her 7-year-old daughter to press the sandwich; if you do not have a 7-yo available, you can use a few heavy cans or jars of food. Like the Cowboy Caviar, feel free to adapt to the vegetables you have on hand.

Takes about 30 minutes to assemble, plus one or two hours to press, and optional chilling time
Serves 4-6

For one sandwich/4-6 servings:
1 ciabatta bread* or 4 crusty Kaiser rolls
1-2 whole bulbs of garlic, depending on size
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 dried hot chile
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
thin slices of red or other onion
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
a handful of basil leaves, torn into pieces

For the tomato-goat cheese variant:
3-4 four ounces goat cheese, softened
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, homemade or from a jar

For Pan Bagnat:
one 6 oz. can oil packed tuna
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 zucchini or summer squash, thinly sliced – about 1/2 cup slices

*If you want to try making the ciabatta, this King Arthur recipe works well. Otherwise Madison Sourdough makes a nice ciabatta and you’ll also find it in any grocery store with a good-sized bakery department.

1. Make the oil-poached garlic: separate the garlic cloves, peel them, and place them in a small saucepan with the dried chile. Pour in olive oil to cover the cloves and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the cloves are very soft, checking by poking with a fork. Watch closely so it doesn’t brown or burn. Cool, and fish the cloves of garlic out of the oil and mash them with a fork. Reserve the mashed garlic and oil separately.
2. Assemble the sandwich(es): Split the bread or rolls. For either variation, start by spreading a good portion of the mashed garlic on the bottoms of the bread. Brush more poaching oil over the garlic, and also brush the tops with oil. For the tomato version, spread goat cheese on the bottom of the sandwich, then layer on the sliced peppers, onion, and roasted peppers. Top with sliced tomatoes and torn basil. For the pan bagnat version, mix the un-drained tuna with the capers, and distribute evenly on the bottom of the sandwich. Shingle the sliced squash over the tuna, layer on the sliced peppers, onion, and top with sliced tomatoes and torn basil.
3. Press the sandwiches: put the tops on, and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place the sandwiches between two cutting boards (or under one cutting board on the counter, if you don’t have two) and top with a few heavy cans – like 28-ounce canned tomatoes – and press for 1-2 hours. After pressing you can serve immediately or chill for several hours or overnight.

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Photo by Crowded Kitchen

Roasted Carrot Dip (Easy Recipe)

From Crowded Kitchen
Here’s a fun way to use one pound of our carrots from this week, turning them into a vegan dip that can be enjoyed with bread of crackers.
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Photo by Bobbi Lin

Linguine with Breadcrumbs and Kale

From Food52
Turn this week’s kale into an elegant-looking pasta that is nonetheless simple to prepare. This dish was an entry in a 5-ingredients or less contest that Food52 ran in 2017.
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Photo by Natural Nurturer

Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

From The Natural Nurturer
When I tested these meatballs I transferred them into a pot of simmering tomato sauce after baking, where they fell apart a bit in the sauce. They were still tasty over buttered noodles the first night, and I turned the leftovers, broken meatballs and all, into an even tastier bow-tie pasta bake, dolloped with ricotta cheese and topped with bread crumbs.
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Photo by Kate

Garden-Fresh Corn Salad

From Cookie & Kate
This fresh corn salad calls for radishes and cucumbers – sliced summer squash is a good substitute.
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Photo by Petrina Tinslay

Happiness Soup

From Nigella Lawson
Made with summer squash and turmeric, Nigella calls this a “a yellow soup to banish the blues” – and it will be yellow made with Zephyr squash. If made with zucchini, the color won’t be quite as sunny, but should still make you happy while eating it.
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Photo by Heidi Swanson

Heather’s Quinoa Recipe

From 101 Cookbooks
The recipe from Heidi Swanson’s long-running vegetarian recipe blog 101 Cookbooks calls for either roasted cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, but you coould roast our plum or slicing tomatoes to sub in. The recipe also includes basil pesto, that you can get from a jar, but it includes a recipe for pesto that you can make using the basil in this week’s box.