CSA Box #19

Box #19 arrived this morning, and it contains:  apples, kalettes (cross between kale and brussels sprouts), microgreen pea shoots, arugula, celery root x1, winter squash x1, golden beets x2, sweet potatoes x3, parsnips x2, purple carrots x3, wild hen of the woods mushroom, fresh turmeric, salsify, watermelon radishes x2, green peppers x3.  

I already washed and bagged the kalettes, arugula, and beet greens and put them in the freezer for breakfast smoothies.  Did the same with the turmeric.  Ever since I switched from dry turmeric and ginger in smoothies back to frozen (if you can't find frozen, I've started buying fresh and just washing, cutting, and bagging them for the freezer -- I don't bother skinning them), they taste much better and also just feel better on my stomach.  I use a chunk of turmeric about the size of my thumb and an equivalent amount of ginger.

It's going to be 80 degrees today, so I'm holding off on some of the cooking, but I plan to roast the winter squash for pureeing and then season and roast the seeds like last time.  I bought pumpkins for carving too, so that'll be more seeds for roasting.  We still have a huge container of butternut squash puree in the fridge from last week's box.  I don't know when I'm going to make what yet, but here are recipes that will use up the vegetables.

Hen of the Woods Mushroom

 

Microgreen Pea Shoot Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette

I figure I can use the microgreens and the other lettuce in the fridge to make a green salad to go alongside the hen of the woods.  This will probably be my dinner tonight.  I want to eat the microgreens and mushroom at their optimal freshness.

Salt-Roasted Golden Beets with dill, avocado, capers, and red onion (Vedge, pg. 45)

This will use up the golden beets.  It takes forever to roast them, but it's tasty, and I already bought a cucumber and red onion yesterday in preparation.

 

Watermelon Radish Carpaccio with fava beans and tarragon (Vedge, pg. 93)

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but the local grocery store still had fresh fava beans, and I ordered some nigella seeds that should be arriving today, so this one is going to use up the watermelon radishes.  I'm omitting the white wine because I don't know what else I could use the bottle on at present and don't want it taking up space in my fridge for the foreseeable future.  I'm also not making the vegetable stock from scratch (also a Vedge recipe) because it is SO MUCH WORK and involves buying an entire cabbage just for an outer leaf for the stock pot and I already have SO MUCH PRODUCE I don't need a cabbage too.  I'm sure it would be better if I don't cut any corners, but for now, I'm cutting corners.  I bought a high end looking stock at the store.  It'll have to do.

[Edited 10/14/2020:  I made this last night along with the seared French beans and golden beets, and I did not like it.  I barely ate any of it, and I ended up throwing away all the leftovers.  The fava beans were bitter, and I know I didn't overcook them because I made them perfectly multiple times this spring/summer.  I think they just weren't as fresh as the favas I had from the farm.  The radishes just tasted vaguely like radishes, which I historically do not like.  I feel like they should've been cooked in the stock rather than roasted on a sheet pan and then added to the stock.  The nigella seeds added a nice fragrance, but they couldn't save the dish.  I bet including the white wine in the recipe would've helped, as would homemade stock, and I'm sure it's a hundred times better at the restaurant, but I can't imagine this ever being something I would love because it's still mostly radishes.]

Seared French Beans with caper bagna cauda (Vedge, pg. 97)

We still have a bag of green beans from last produce box.  I think I'll make this today because Sim loves it and Sameer is planning to feed her processed junk food for dinner, so this will put something green in her anyway.

 

Whipped Salsify with Red Wine and Truffle Jus (Vedge, pg. 109)

I've never had salsify in my life.  It looks like sticks.  Again, not making the stock myself.  This is supposed to sort of resemble fancy mashed potatoes.  It sounds good.  We'll see how it goes.  

Celery Root Fritters and Remoulade (Vedge, pg. 130)

I'm not sure if the single celery root will be enough for this, but maybe I can scale the recipe down.  This is a good one as I recall.  I've made it once before.

Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites

To use up the head of cauliflower in the fridge.

Note:  Vedge also has a recipe for Portobello and Celery Root Shepherd's Pie with Truffle.  Might try that one if we get more celery root in the future.  It also calls for turnips.  Thanksgiving Root Stew is another one that calls for celery root and also parsnips (and turnips or rutabagas).  That might be good when it's cold outside.  It calls for 8 cups of stock, so I'd probably bother making it fresh for this recipe.

There are now some four green bell peppers in my fridge.  I don't know how to use them up fast enough unless I make them into stuffed peppers.  I've been just setting aside the sweet potatoes for later use because they keep fairly well.  My favorite way to eat them is to roast and puree them like I do the winter squash.  The purple carrots I'll use like normal carrots, for snacking or for cooking.  I need to find a good recipe for the parsnips too.  I've roasted them before with other root vegetables, but I don't really want to eat that.  A parsnip mash or baked fries sounds more palatable.  I think they'll keep in the fridge for a bit though so they aren't a high priority at present.

Sameer plans to eat the apples plain.  If any aren't good enough for that, I can make applesauce again.