CSA 2015 Week #15

Carrots
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Red kale
Peppers
Lettuce
Winter squash (Kuri)
Red onion
Yellow onion

Special Announcements…

***We would like to remind you to please read the weekly email that Linda sends out the night before your delivery. The list of veggies will be the most up-to-date, as sometimes the harvests will vary from the beginning of the week to the end, and we only put out one blog post each week. We keep great records of how the harvest has been divided and we do our best to make sure everyone has a fair share of each crop!***

Vegetable Handling and Preparation Tips…

ONIONS: The yellow onions in your box are cured, some have been cleaned down to the fresh skins so they should be refrigerated and eaten within the next few weeks. Some have more cured papers left on them and can be stored in a cool, dry, dark place for use during the winter months.

RED ONIONS: Red Onions taste best when eaten fresh. You should refrigerate them, as they are not quite cured and warmth and moisture will cause sprouting. To enjoy raw flavor with a little less bite, boil onion slices for less than a minute, then remove from the water and enjoy. Raw onions provide the most health benefits. Chill onions in the refrigerator or wash under running water to reduce eye irritation during cutting.

Try red onions chopped on pizza and mixed into cornbread, diced in salads and stir-fries, or baked in the oven for caramelized onions. Onions are flavor enhancers, you can use them generously in just about anything.

WINTER SQUASH: Store Winter Squash in a cool, dry, dark place with good ventilation. They should keep for up to a month or more, depending on the variety. You can also incorporate Winter Squash into a beautiful arrangement for your table. They won’t keep quite as long at room temperature, but if they are sitting on your table, you might be inspired to eat them more quickly. Once squash has been cut, you can wrap the pieces in plastic and store them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To bake Winter Squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and place the halves, cut side down, on a baking dish filled with about a half -inch water. You can also bake without the water, just lightly grease a baking sheet or use parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees until halves are completely soft and just starting to collapse (45 min to 1 hour or more, depending on the size). Remove them from the oven, fill w/butter, seasonings, or fillings, and serve them in the shell.

Winter Squash can be substituted in pies and baked goods. Try using it instead of pumpkin or sweet potatoes in dessert recipes. While the oven is hot, try roasting the seeds after mixing them with a little oil and seasonings of your choice.

Recipes!

Red Kuri Squash Soup from Food and Wine

50 Onion Recipes from Saveur

Stuffed Peppers from Eating Well

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower from Epicurious

Views From the Field…

We are definitely feeling the change in the seasons on the farm this week. The last of the warm weather crops are being harvested, most of them starting to show the stress of the cool mornings, while the fall crops are coming on now, enjoying the break in the heat, and the promise of rain to come! I was able to make it out to the fields this week to capture some moments in your vegetable harvest and found the crew bundled but happy out in the peppers and carrots…

The orange peppers were glowing in the overcast lighting, and their sweetness will be a reminder of those long hot summer days that seem so long ago already!

Jabrila was happy to display the beautiful carrots they were pulling out of the ground! They have to be topped now, because of the cooler days, the greens are more delicate and don’t want to stay in a bunch. They harvest them fresh from the field, into bins to be washed in our root washer and bagged for your shares. Carrots stay longer without their tops anyway so you can enjoy these crisp veggies into the winter months (if they last that long!)