This week’s CSA share brings:
Italian Basil
Sweet Corn
Cucumbers
Scallions
New Red Potatoes
Farmer’s Favorite Radishes
Malabar Spinach
Squash Mix
Strawberries
Pseudo Spinach
How is it that with this heat, there’s spinach in this week’s CSA share? Well, technically the Malabar tucked in your box isn’t spinach. It goes by different names: Basella alba, Indian spinach, and Ceylon spinach to name a few, and is a great alternative for folks like us who live in places where spinach-spinach retreats when it gets too hot. Malabar thrives in the heat! This tender perennial native to tropical Asia (hardy only to zone 10), is easily grown during the heat of summer.
Cooked Malabar leaves become slimy (in a good way, like Okra!). That makes it perfect for soups and stews like the Dal recipe we share below. It’s also great raw, and, like all veggies, fresh is best! Malabar spinach will only last 2 to 5 days in the fridge. For more lifespan, cut 1/2 inch off the bottom of the stem and place in a jar with fairly deep water. It’ll start to root in less than a week. Cut off leaves as needed.
Basil Storage
This week’s share also brings the return of our Italian Basil. A reminder about this herb, it’s delicate and doesn’t have much tolerance for cold (we can relate!). To prevent wilting, we recommend storing on the counter. Clip the stems at a 45-degree angle, like flowers, and fill a jar about halfway full of water. Cover loosely with a plastic bag. Another option is to make a batch of basil oil. The recipe below will add a hint of basil to your dishes this week – we love the addition of garlic but it’s completely optional.
Recipes
Vegan Malabar Spinach Dal
Ingredients:
- 1 bag Malabar spinach (trim out any tough stems and chop)
- 1 cup pink lentils
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 10 cloves garlic (smashed but not chopped)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- ½ cup peanuts (optional, but nice, and they add great texture)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large pot, add mustard seeds. When they sputter, add garlic. Sauté until lightly golden. Be careful not to burn.
- Add the red pepper flakes, turmeric, and tomatoes and sauté on medium until tomatoes begin to break down, around 2-4 minutes.
- Add the chopped spinach and sauté until it wilts down, about two minutes.
- Add the peanuts and the lentils, mix well. Add three cups of water (or enough to drown the lentils). Add salt and mix well. Bring to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer 30 minutes or until soft. Add more water if necessary.
- When the dal is cooked, use a whisk to beat the dal five or six times. Now squeeze in the lemon, add salt if needed.
- Serve over rice or with rotis – enjoy!
Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Salad) – adapted from simplyrecipes.com
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill, or a couple teaspoons of fresh dill
- Sprinkling salt and pepper
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions:
- Taste the cucumbers: If it’s bitter, soak slices in salted water for half an hour, or longer, until the bitterness is reduced, then rinse and drain before using.
- Gently mix together the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.
Basil-infused Oil
Ingredients:
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Place the basil, water, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes in a mini-food processor and pulse a few times. Add the olive oil and blend until you have smooth sauce.
- Use immediately or refrigerate. Flavors are even more intense the next day. Refrigerate for up to 2 to 3 days.