CSA 2023 Spring Week 6

We hope you enjoy all the textures and flavors in this week’s CSA share! Here’s what’s cookin’:

Green Beans

Baby Cabbage

Sweet Corn

Romaine Lettuce

Sweet Onions

Peaches

Bonita Sweet Potatoes

Fresh Turmeric

Cherry Tomatoes (LPF)

Peach Storage Tips

Our luscious peaches make an appearance in this week’s CSA share. We handpick our peaches at the peak of maturity, which means they’ll continue to ripen in your kitchen.  Nothing beats a perfectly ripe peach, but if you can’t eat them right away, here’s a few things to keep in mind.

Peaches are loners. If they can’t be on a tree, they prefer to be alone. So, to avoid bruising, place then stem-side down, preferably in a single layer. If you don’t have space to indulge their solitary nature, go ahead and put them in bags or bowls together, just try to avoid stacking too many on top of any others.

It is possible to stash them in the refrigerator for a few days. The cool temperature slows down ripening but take heed: this method will dehydrate the fruit. If that happens, and the texture becomes funky, all is not lost – time to make peach butter! Fruit butters are somewhat related to jams, but they don’t require pectin. Check out our simple recipe below.

If any of your peaches are firm, give them a few more days to ripen. Store them unwashed on the counter, preferable not touching (remember, they’re loners), at room temperature. For a rush job, grab a paper bag (and a banana if you’re in a real rush) and tuck those peaches inside. In one to three days, you’ll be sinking your teeth into perfection!

Mock shoes are delicious…what?

The sweet corn in this week’s CSA share is the heart of the Maque Choux recipe shared below. The unusual name rhymes a bit with achooo (bless you!) and is pronounced, “mock shoe.”  There’s some debate about whether this is a Cajun French or Native American dish, but what everybody agrees on is that it’s delicious and hearty. What we love – beyond the flavor – is that it utilizes the best part of using fresh corn on the cob in your cooking: the “milk” you can extract from the cobs. This milk is starchy, sweet, and will add extra flavor and thickness to soups. The technique is simple: first shuck and remove all the kernels from the cobs. Then, using the back of a knife, scrape along the cobs to extract the liquid. Ca c’est bon!

Recipes

Vegan Cabbage Steaks

Ingredients:

• baby cabbage
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt or to taste
• ½ tsp grated fresh turmeric
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tbsp. garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Cut the cabbage head in half, then in half again. You should have four flat discs of cabbage. Place the cabbage steaks on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper, allowing some space between each one to even cooking.
2. Brush the cabbage with the olive oil, coating thoroughly. Generously sprinkle on the turmeric, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Flip the cabbage over and repeat, brushing with oil and sprinkling the seasonings. Top with halved cherry tomatoes and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
3. Bake the cabbage steaks at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned and the center is tender. Serve hot out of the oven.

These steaks are great on their own, or serve them alongside your favorite pasta and sauce.

Cajun Maque Choux adapted from Southerncooking.com

Ingredients:

• 6 ears of corn, one layer of husks peeled back, silks trimmed
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small poblano or jalapeño pepper, diced
• 1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
• 8 slices of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Smoke corn in husks on a grill over direct medium heat for around 20 minutes, turning a few times. Let cool, then cut off the cob. Take a second pass with the blunt edge of the knife, pressing to get some of the corn milk to release.
2. Cook bacon and drain half of grease, reserve for gravies or other applications.
3. Melt butter in skillet with bacon grease. Add onion, celery, and peppers. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, corn milk, and seasonings. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
4. Add cream to corn mixture, and simmer for 10 minutes, folding mixture to be sure liquid bathes the veggies. Once liquid has reduced slightly, take off heat.

Peach Butter adapted from theprariehomestead.com

Ingredients:

Fresh, ripe peaches (roughly one pound of peaches per pint… roughly…)

Sweetener, to taste (we recommend unrefined cane sugar or FSO cane syrup).

Instructions:

1. Start by removing the pits from your peaches and cutting them into quarters.
2. Toss them in your food processor or high-speed blender, and process until they are smooth. (Be careful not to liquefy them– we are wanting a smooth puree, not peach juice)
3. Next cook the puree so it reaches the perfect consistency. You have two options: a slow cooker or a regular ol’ pot on the stove.

Slow Cooker Version: This method takes longer (anywhere from several hours to all day), but requires less babysitting. Simply pour your peach puree into your slow cook, and set it on low. You’ll want to crack the lid open to allow the steam to escape. Otherwise, your peach butter won’t reduce and thicken.

Stove top Version: This method takes less time, but you need to be there to make sure you don’t get peach butter spewed all over your kitchen. Pour the peach puree in a large stock pot and set it on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning (and splashing) and continue to cook until it reaches the desired consistency (30-40 minutes)

4. Perform a quick taste test to see if you need to add sweetener, then enjoy or freeze it for later.