P i c k l i s t
roma tomatoes - acorn squash - lil leeks - dazzling blue kale - romaine lettuce - eggplant - habanada peppers - cayenne peppers - shishito peppers - lunch box peppers - mint - carrots - broccolini - corn
Hello friends! This week marks the very last week of the Summer CSA and I am floored that it is over. 17 weeks of harvest, 17 weeks of meal making, 17 weeks of recipes. Though we never sat together around an actual table and dined, I do feel we shared meals, many of which were curated by our neighbor Mitchell (cheers to him yall!). And I am still reaching weekly for that one quick Thai basil chicken recipe that Mitchell provided that is indeed quick and always hits the spot, hbu?
I often use food to mark the passage of time. Rather than speak of june- july- august- I say strawberry season, or that short blip of blueberries, or those two hot weeks when the melons were absolutely phenomenal. Or how about those moments of calm in between hustles of harvest when tomato sandos would always be my sidekick. And that one wednesday when it seemed romas would last forever, followed by that next week when they suddenly chose to not ripen as quick as promised. But the most notable passage of time over the 2024 growing season, were the past 6 wednesdays of watermelons- a legendary feat for any crop. This week marks the end of an era. This week we say tata to the watermelon- the official farewell to summer- and snuggle up to the winter squash. Enter the acorn, enter Fall.
For those of you that hop off the CSA train this week, and head back into the world of grocery veg and coop runs, you will be missed. I am hopeful that many of you froze some of your pestos made this season, potentially even canned some tomatoes. I dare you to hold back on reaching for those goods until January- when your potato brain needs a little bit of a summer time boost. Go after them then, slab 'em on crackers and remember the good times, when your countertops were overwhelmed by green things to eat and the sun shone so bright.
For those of you that I’ll be bumping elbows with next Thursday, booyah! I can not wait- I love a Fall CSA pick up night. It is always fun to connect in real life, oggle over towers of gorgeous veg, bop around the table to whatever is serenading us over the speakers, talk meal plans and recipes and everything in between. And if by chance you are still on the fence about 7 more weeks of CSA, no prob, the fence will be there for you to hang out on until Monday in case you decide to hop over at the last minute.
As far as this week in farming goes- because that is still happening- the gold potatoes we harvested last week were some real beauties. We will continue digging them through the next two weeks or so- followed by russets and fingerlings. It is an awesome time of year to see the hard work of the season become a tangible thing. A bulk box of potatoes is an easy way to see that, a bin of carrots, a truckload of squash, a greenhouse full of drying onions and a row of unpicked beans- those are the tangibles that act as little pats on our back. Those are the “good job kid” things we need to see to keep us feeling like, “oh yeah, look at that, we can grow things.”
Anyhow, I do hope that this past season of rambles provided some insight into the how and why of edgewater, and if you are just here for the recipes- cheers to you, read on!
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
Ripe for the grill/oven: just about everything :)
PRODUCE
1 garlic clove
1 lemon
4 romaine hearts (jenny’s notes: just go ahead and use your one whole head of romaine)
PANTRY
1/2 crusty baguette (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 tspn Dijon mustard
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
DAIRY
2 large eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more
1. MAKE THE CROUTONS: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Tear 1/2 of a baguette into irregular 1-inch pieces; you should end up with about 3 cups of torn bread. Toss on a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few good cranks of black pepper until well coated. Bake until deeply golden brown and crisp,12 to 14 minutes. Let cool.
2. MAKE THE DRESSING You are about to make mayonnaise by hand, BUT it’s not as hard as it sounds. The mustard, garlic, and anchovies that get mixed into the egg yolk will help support the emulsion. Separate the yolks and whites of 2 large eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl (where you’ll build your dressing) and reserve the whites for another use. Finely grate 1 garlic clove and the zest of about half of a lemon into the large bowl. Squeeze in the juice of half of the lemon. Finely chop 4 anchovies, then mash them to a paste, using the side of a chef’s knife until homogeneous; add to the large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and whisk everything to combine. Place a damp kitchen towel underneath the bowl to stabilize it so it doesn’t slip ’n’ slide all over the place as you whisk in the oil. Starting with a very thin stream at first, whisking constantly as you go, incorporate ½ cup of canola oil into the yolk mixture until it is thick, creamy, and pale yellow. Whisk in 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup). Taste the dressing on a leaf of romaine— it should be salty, cheesy, and lemony. Make any adjustments necessary until it tastes so good that you’d be happy eating a bowl of it alone with a side of crouts.
3. PREP THE LETTUCE: Tear the leaves of 4 romaine hearts into 2-inch pieces and transfer them to the bowl of dressing. Squeeze the juice of half of the lemon over the romaine, season with salt, and toss the leaves to coat, avoiding incorporating any of the dressing beneath just yet.
It’s always a good idea to preseason your greens with some acid and salt so they are zippy and zingy and hold up to the dressing.The lettuce contains water, which is going to dilute the flavor of the dressing, so you’ll always need a little extra acid to combat that. 4. SERVE: Add the croutons and gently toss the lettuce with your hands until well coated. Add 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) and toss again. Divide among plates and top with more grated Parmesan and black pepper.
MITCHELL’S NOTES (it’s been 17 weeks of fab recipes, he needs no introduction)
Zaaluk
Another delicious recipe from my friend, cookbook author Adeena Sussman (see last week’s Melted Cabbage), for this Moroccan eggplant “salad”—more like a dip, really—you simply roast everything on a sheet pan and mix it together at the end. There’s a real synergy, as the sum of the ingredients is much more than its parts.
1 firm eggplant (about 1 pound), stem and crown removed, cut in half, lengthwise
5 Roma tomatoes, chop
1 sweet red Carmen or bell pepper, split in half, stemmed and seeded
1 jalapeño pepper, split in half, stemmed and seeded
4 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Lay the eggplant halves cut side down on an olive-oil greased baking sheet, along with four of the tomatoes, both peppers, and the garlic. Set in the hot oven and bake until soft and charred, about 40 minutes or so. Let the vegetables cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board and chop finely. Lower the oven to 400°F. Return the vegetables to the sheet pan, drizzle with the ¼ cup of olive oil, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cumin, and the smoked paprika, and stir with a rubber spatula to evenly coat and distribute. Bake another 7 or 8 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Remove from the oven. Chop the remaining tomato finely and toss with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Add this tomato along with the lemon zest, juice, and cilantro and stir into the mix. Serve warm or at room temperature.