CSA Week 14

In your share week 14:

Carrots
Beets
Onion
Kale
Tomato or Cherry Tomato
Salad Mix
Zucchini or Cucumber or Beans

Full shares only:

Parsley

It’s a smaller share this week, with mostly familiar items. We have a few new crops still to come for fall, but none of them were quite ready yet so we’re sticking with the old standbys. I know carrots and salad are always a hit, and we are still eking out enough tomatoes for everybody.

Today’s onions are the more familiar cured version. A couple of weeks ago I pulled all the remaining onions from the ground and transferred them into the greenhouse to dry. The green tops died back, and the outer layers turned dry and papery. Going forward, we’ll have these cured onions, which you can store on the counter or in a cabinet at room temperature.

We were able to get enough beets for everyone today! Since these are new for half shares, I’ll repeat last week’s beet intro. Our beets don’t need peeling as the skins are very tender. You can eat them raw, roasted, boiled, or grilled. Beet greens are a real winner, too; they are extra nutritious with a fruity, earthy flavor. Cook them like kale or spinach, sauteed, steamed, or in soup. Store beets in a bag in the fridge, if you won’t use them right away remove the tops and store them separately.

I’m going to keep it short and sweet this week, enjoy your share!

Warm Orzo with Beets & Greens

Food52, The Parsley Thief, 2010

This is a great recipe for using the whole beet.  The magenta color looks beautiful when serving.  The recipe calls for feta but goat cheese or even a sharp cheddar would pair well. I have also made this recipe using rice or couscous and it was just a great. 

• 3/4 pound beets, with greens attached
• 1/4 cup nuts
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the nuts in a dry skillet, over medium heat, until they begin to brown. Watch them carefully, as they will burn in a flash. Remove from the heat & transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
2. Peel the beets & chop them into bite-sized pieces. Remove the stems from the beet greens & slice the leaves into strips. Wash the greens thoroughly to remove any grit.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion & garlic. Cook until the onions are tender & golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low & add the beet greens. Cover & cook, tossing occasionally, until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the beets in a pot of salted water, until just tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the beets from the pot using a slotted spoon & set aside. Return the water to a boil & add the pasta. Cook, according to the package instructions, until al dente & drain. Add the orzo to a bowl, along with the beets, pine nuts, beet greens & crumbled feta. Toss, season with salt & pepper to taste & serve.

Carrot Salad with Tahini, Crisped Chickpeas and Salted Pistachios

Smitten Kitchen May 2014

Chickpeas

• 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and patted dry on paper towels
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Salad

• 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped (any nut can be substituted here including sunflower seeds)

Dressing

• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Roast chickpeas: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly. Set aside until needed.

Make dressing: Whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding more water if needed to thin the dressing slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning; don’t worry if it tastes a little sharp on the lemon, it will marry perfectly with the sweet grated carrots.

Assemble salad: Place grated carrots in large bowl and toss with parsley. Mix in 2/3 of the dressing, adding more if desired. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with a large handful of chickpeas (you’ll have extra and if you’re like us, won’t regret it) and pistachios and dig in.

Do ahead: Salad keeps well in the fridge for two days, however, I’d add the chickpeas and pistachios right before serving, so they don’t get soft.