The advantage of a CSA is fresh local food that is better for the body and better for the environment than the food most of us are used to buying and eating. The challenge is that you get what you get each week, so you have to go into it with an adventurous spirit try new veggies and come up with ways to use what they give you.
Here's what we got in our first share:
Beets
Turnips
Lettuce
Yellow and zucchini squash
Swiss Chard
Garlic scapes
I was especially nervous about the beets.
We are half way into our first week with CSA vegetables, and I thought I'd show you a couple of things that we've done so far. The first thing we tried was a salad with the lettuce, sliced raw turnips, and grated raw beets.
After I took the picture we also added some dressing, some grated parmesan, and (for Tim) some golden raisins. I had been nervous about eating the beets, but this actually made for a very interesting, tasty salad. A rather earthy flavor, but in a good way.
The next night we made a pasta dish by sauteing both kinds of squash with the garlic scapes in some extra-virgin olive oil, adding some basil, and serving it atop thin spaghetti. We had never used garlic scapes (the immature stems of the garlic plant) before. If you like garlic you will like garlic scapes!
Don't worry--I won't harass you with a picture of what we make for dinner every night for the next six months. ;)
4 comments:
Oooh, interesting. So the raw turnips were yummy? The salad looks very pretty! The pasta dish you made is actually a staple for me (minus the garlic scapes, which i had never heard of before this season) - when i can't think of anything to cook for dinner, i'll get a zucchini and yellow squash and usually an onion, saute them in some garlic and olive oil and serve over macaroni - yum!
Yes, the raw turnips were good. But I tend to prefer raw veggies. Good idea about adding onion to the pasta dish. We'll have to try that sometime.
and by the way, i wouldn't mind pictures of the meals you make over the next six months! :) it gives me ideas.
Tonight I got my share of garlic scapes. I made a pesto out of the scapes, parmasean, almonds, and olive oil. It was good, but only if you really, really like garlic! I also have chard and collard greens and have no idea what to do with either. also, i have beets and shallots. i'll roast the beets, but don't know what to do with the shallots. maybe sautee them with some of the leafy spinach and put that over pasta?
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