PICK LIST:
Plum Tomatoes - Heirloom Tomato - Red Carmen - Yellow Carmen - Orange Carmen -
- Onion - Peaches! - Melon - Corn - Carrots - Basil - Sunflower!
This week we begin our two other CSA options- the donation box and the kitchen share. Both these shares come at the last 8 weeks of the Summer CSA season when the harvest comes on so hard and we are completely overwhelmed with abundance. This makes for the perfect opportunity to process (i.e. the kitchen share) and pick a little extra for those who need it the most (i.e. donation box).
For the kitchen share, Em and the good folks in the kitchen come together to process crops in mass quantity and pint them up for future eats. For example, the kitchen share can expect sauces from tomatoes, jams from berries, etc. This week I believe they are taking advantage of our amazing cilantro crop that is growing so beautifully this summer (cooler conditions slow down early bolting) and making my fave addition to literally everything (toast, meat, veggies, soup, etc…), chimichurri.
For the donation share, we team up with Willing Hands. Their mission, is to
“recover food in order to reduce waste, improve health, and provide reliable access to nutritious food for our neighbors in need.
Willing Hands distributes free, wholesome food to our neighbors in need. We pick up donated food, primarily fruits and vegetables, that might otherwise go to waste. We deliver this food to local human service organizations and collaborate with them to provide nutritional education.
Willing Hands is a non-profit, charitable organization operating throughout the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire.”
Throughout the season we donate thousands of pounds of produce to the organization through not only a weekly pickup of surplus crops at our pack shed, but also through weekly gleanings. I think last week they picked beets from our field. It’s a pretty remarkable team of humans behind willing-hands and i am so grateful they exist in our community. The donation share is just another way that we are able to set aside that much more food for families that probably need it the most. And in light of all the madness surfacing in America right now, Willing Hands is a reminder of actual community and support that keeps bellies full because access to food is a human right and no one should go HANGRY.
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:
Charred Corn Salad With Basil And Tomatoes
12 ears of corn, husked 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup thinly sliced red onion 2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil leaves, large leaves torn 1/3 cup (or more) fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Rub corn with 1 Tbsp. oil. Grill, turning frequently, until corn is charred and heated through, 10-12 minutes. Remove from grill; when cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs and transfer to a large bowl. DO AHEAD: Corn can be made 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Place onion in a strainer and rinse with cold water to mellow its flavor. Drain well. Mix onion, remaining 5 Tbsp. oil, tomatoes, basil, 1/3 cup lime juice, and thyme into corn. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Salad can be assembled 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
RICE NOODLE AND CRISP PEACH SALAD
(this is basically another variation on my fave summer meal)
Those addictive Southeast Asian noodle salads usually star Asia’s crisp, sweet/tart green papaya or mango. So why not use our own summer peaches or nectarines? When they’re firm and slightly underripe but still fragrant, they’re ideal for salads like this.
Light, cool and refreshing, it’s perfect summertime food as not a lick of heat is needed to make it.
Make the dressing a couple of days ahead and refrigerate, but use it at room temperature. The salad can be assembled hours ahead and refrigerated, but dress it shortly before setting it out.
Dressing:
2 large garlic cloves, minced Generous pinch hot red pepper flakes (optional)1/3 cup Asian fish sauce 1/4 to 1/3 cup water
1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin strips
Salad:
2 to 3 medium to large slightly underripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and sliced into 3-inch by 1/2-inch sticks
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 of a red cabbage, cut into 1/8-inch strips
1 small carrot, shaved with a vegetable peeler into strips
8 whole scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 to 2 fresh Serrano chiles, thinly sliced, or to taste
1/2 pound vermicelli (thin) rice noodles, soaked in very hot water to cover until soft (about 8 minutes), rinsed and drained
1/3 cup each coriander and spearmint leaves, torn
1/2 cup roasted cashews or peanuts
Instructions
1. Make the dressing. In a medium bowl, stir together the dressing ingredients, tasting for sweet-tart balance. Let the onions soak in the sauce.
2. Make the salad. In a large bowl, combine the peaches with the lime juice and the rest of the salad ingredients except the herbs and nuts. Chill until about 20 minutes before serving. Then toss the salad with the dressing and onions. Heap on a platter and scatter with the herbs and nuts.