I love my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
The bounty of the season and what to do with all of those veggies
The swiss chard field is gorgeous!
Since my kids were little, I have belonged to a CSA. For those of you who don’t know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and members purchase a share in the farm for the season. I signed up with my friend Heidi and thought that it would be a great way to show my kids how our food grows which in turn would entice them to eat it. Great plan, not so great results. It became apparent early on that the farm was too hot, had too many bees and the kids were not at all interested in eating the swiss chard we picked earlier in the day. What I quickly realized is it was much more enjoyable to leave the kids at home (or go while they were in camp) so I could connect with Heidi and since that realization, Heidi and I have caught up with each other, supported each other and laughed a lot while meeting at the Farm. In fact, I look forward to farm season for the bounty it provides but also because it is built in connection time for me and Heidi for the 20 week season. It’s like a standing coffee date, although we get to pick our veggies while we talk.
This was last Fall at the farm with Heidi.
I have heard from many people that they could never eat all of the veggies every week and they either have not joined a CSA or they quit. That could be an issue for some, but it shouldn’t stop you from checking out your local farm as some have half shares or you can split a share between two families. Depending on the week and the time of the season, we can get a lot of greens or some odd items we wouldn’t normally pick up in the store. I want to share with you some of the ways to use the abundance of what is fresh right now and what you may find in your CSA. Let me know if there is a veggie you are struggling to use and I will send you an email with some ideas!
Greens- now is the time of the season where we get A LOT of greens including spinach, arugula, kale, swiss chard, etc. Since most of them cook down to nothing, I love to quickly saute them in olive oil, garlic (or garlic scapes since those are super abundant right now), salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. It makes for a very quick side dish once you have properly cleaned them. Usually CSA veggies are much dirtier than what you would buy in the store. I clean my greens in a salad spinner by filling the bowl with water, cutting the greens and letting them sit in the water for a bit while agitating them gently with my hands. What happens is the dirt sinks to the bottom and the greens float. To drain, scoop the greens out of the bowl and do not pour the water out on top of the greens as all of the dirt will go with it. Spin the water out and your greens are ready to be cooked.
Fava Beans- I consider these a delicacy as you have to work to get a tiny yield but the result is magical! Fresh fava beans grow in pods on small plants. You probably need around 15-20 pods to get a serving for 2. When you are ready to cook, open the pods to reveal the beans, place the beans in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, drain the beans and remove the outer skin to get to the edible part of the fava bean. You can eat them on salads, but I really love a fava bean puree. I combine sautéed onion and garlic in olive oil, salt and pepper along with the fresh fava beans in a food processor, and process until smooth, adding water or more oil to get the consistency you desire. I eat the fava bean puree with snap peas, carrots or crackers or it can be used as a base for a fish or chicken dish or as a sandwich spread. So delish!!
Kohlrabi in all it’s glory
Kohlrabi- I get excited when I see kohlrabi in my farm share because I finally figured out kohlrabi a dish that I love. Last summer I took out a meal from Sofra Bakery in Cambridge that blew my mind. It was an arugula salad with kohlrabi and squash fritters on top. You know I could not wait for my next share with kohlrabi to recreate the dish. Well, I think I nailed it! So good and fresh and my kids will eat it. This may be a Fall class of mine so I won’t give away too much on the recipe, but the fritter is served on top of arugula and corn salad and is topped with a cumin scented yogurt sauce. Mmmmm! Kohlrabi can also be eaten raw or roasted but you have to peel it first.
Kohlrabi and squash fritters with arugula, corn and cumin scented yogurt sauce!!
Shelling Peas- Oh my gosh, do I get happy when the farm has shelling peas ready to be picked in the field! These bring me back to my childhood of shopping the the grocery store with my mother and she would put a bag of the shelling peas in her cart and I would take the pods out one by one and eat all of the yummy fresh peas inside, finishing 1/2 the bag before we checked out. (I love a good flavor memory and will be writing about them in one of my future blog posts). These peas are sweet and fresh and crunchy and can be eaten raw right from the pod. I shell them all when I get home and put them in a bag in my fridge. If I have a lot, some can go in the freezer. They are great for snacking or to be added to salads or warm dishes. I really like them sautéed in a little butter, maybe with a little spinach or arugula cooked down with it and served with pasta and parmesan cheese and lots of black pepper.
OK, now I am getting hungry! Are you? I hope so! Cooking from the bounty of the season is exactly how I like to eat. Fresh ingredients with little fuss, simple recipes that are easy to get on the table that taste great and make everyone happy. It’s the focus of my Summer menu and I hope it inspires you to try something fresh and new this season.
See you in the kitchen!
Debbie
PS- in case you are wondering which CSA I belong to, it’s The Food Project in Lincoln, MA