The share this week was on the smaller side, with one notable exception: We got all of the tomatoes this week! They arrived alongside bell peppers, which were missing last week, as well as cucumbers, which meant that Week 11 of the CSA saw me pulling out a few big batch tomato recipes. But before we get to those, let’s check out the rest of the haul.
Week 10 Haul:
- Corn
- Cabbage
- Braising greens
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
What Rolled Over?
Just some leftovers! I had a quarter red cabbage hanging around after Week 8, so I decided to quickly pickle it by very thinly slicing the red cabbage and dressing it with lemon juice and salt. Cabbage is hearty, so it will last a long time, and we’ve been using it in tacos and salads.
Tomato Count:
This week: 32
Season to date: 73
Holy tomatoes, Batman! The deluge arrived this week — we got a pint of 25 gorgeous small red, orange, and yellow tomatoes; 6 medium sized tomatoes; and one large one. But even the “medium” tomatoes are enormous. Since we got so many, along with cucumbers and bell peppers, I decided that it’s time to make gazpacho.
What I Made (Italics represent CSA vegetables used)
- Skillet tomato sauce with tortellini
- Steak, lemon-y braising greens, sautéed corn with bacon, jalapeno and potatoes
- Linguine with the New York Times’ recipe for fresh tomato sauce, simple salad with lettuce, shaved parmesan, fresh black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice
- Crispy chicken salad with lettuce, red cabbage, cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives and bacon bits with yogurt dressing
- Gazpacho
- Cornbread
Technique of the Week: Calculate How Much Corn Is On a Cob
One standard size ear of corn will yield approximately ¾ – 1 cup of kernels. That, it turns out, is a very handy bit of math to know if you’re using fresh corn for recipes, rather than for eating straight off the cob. Which is exactly what I did this week, dividing the corn from this week’s share for use in cornbread, as well as in a side dish of sautéed corn with fingerling potatoes, jalapeno and bacon.
My go-to recipe for cornbread comes from AllRecipes.com, though I’ve never followed it exactly to the letter. There’s a reason it’s my go-to: The recipe is so easily customizable and turns out a fantastic cornbread every time, no matter what I change about it. This go ’round, I decreased the sugar significantly, only using a quarter cup, and added a cup of fresh corn kernels. It turned out that the corn was so sweet, I didn’t even need to add sugar at all, which I’ll keep in mind for next time.
Standout Meal of the Week: Small Batch Gazpacho Recipe
This gazpacho recipe will yield about 3-4 cups of soup, which is perfect for smaller households or for use as a small starter to serve 6. It can easily be doubled for a larger batch.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 2-3 scallions, chopped
- ½ bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1-2 garlic cloves (more garlic will yield a spicier gazpacho, less a milder one)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lemon, juiced
- Salt and red pepper flakes
Directions:
Puree all ingredients using a hand-held blender, food processor or standard blender to desired texture, adding water if necessary to thin it out. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, hot sauce and/or citrus.
Join me here each week, as well as on Twitter and Instagram, as I wash, chop, cook and eat my way through my CSA using the hashtag #CSASurvival. Got questions for me? Ask away!
