CSA Summer 2023 Week 5

Frog Song Organics

Fairy Tale Eggplant

Pineapple Pears

Shishito Peppers

Tricolor Potatoes

Malabar Spinach on the stem

Watsonia Organic Farm

Green Cabbage

Zucchini Squash Mix

Clem’s Organic Gardens

Carrots

New Sprout Organic Farm

Grape Tomatoes

Tis the season for peppers! We’ve included a mix of sweet and spicy in recent shares, and this week brings the return of our mild Shishitos. An over-abundance of fresh peppers is a great problem to have this time of year. If you’re looking for ways to savor this taste of summer later in the year but don’t have canning equipment, we suggest these methods:

Pickling is a great alternative to canning. You don’t need any special equipment, and the process is similar to canning regular pickles. Steep sliced peppers in a 50:50 mixture of vinegar and water, with 1 teaspoon salt per pint. The peppers stay crisp because they are never heated, and after a few days in the fridge they taste like pickled peppers.

To freeze ‘em,  wash and drying thoroughly before stashing in the freezer. We also recommend removing the stem and seeds, unless you need them for later. For larger varieties, like bell peppers, cut them in half, in fourths, or in strips, and remove the stem and seeds. Put the pieces on a cookie sheet so they aren’t touching, then flash freeze for about 15-30 minutes. This will keep them from sticking together later. Once solid, you can store peppers in a baggie, or any other freezer safe container.

Then there’s drying. The nice part about this is that reduces storage space. Pop them into your dehydrator, or put them into the oven on the lowest setting. Be patient, it can take several hours for them to dry completely. With smaller peppers, the thin walls lend themselves to stringing whole peppers together by passing a needle and thread through their caps, and hanging them in a warm, well-ventilated space for about two weeks. Remember, the thicker the pepper, the longer this will take.

Once dried, peppers can be pulverized into flakes in a food processor, or steeped in vinegar to make sauce for sprinkling over cooked greens and other veggies. Dried hot peppers are also great for making homemade chili paste! Place a few dried hot peppers in a dry pan, and toast them over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for four to five minutes. Then cover with warm water for an hour. Add some salt and a couple of cloves of finely minced garlic, pulverize into a paste.

Here at the farm, we love the taste and simplicity of this blistered Shishito pepper recipe. Scroll for more recipes inspired by this week’s share below!

Also, those long stalks long stalks in this week’s share are Malabar Spinach. On a rare occasion our Malabar crop jumps up with some abundant, succulent shoots. Instead of picking just the leaves we bunch these shoots, traditional style. The stalks are fibrous but can be sauteed. We recommend snacking on just the new tendrils and the leaves themselves. 🙂

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ cups thinly sliced red onion
• 1 ½ cups chopped zucchini or squash
• 7 large eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ⅔ cup pearl-size or baby fresh mozzarella balls (about 4 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons chopped soft sun-dried tomatoes (or substitute 2 fresh grape tomatoes, chopped)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions:

• Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
• Heat oil in a large broiler-safe nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour the eggs over the vegetables in the pan. Cook, lifting the edges to allow uncooked egg from the middle to flow underneath, until nearly set, about 2 minutes. Arrange mozzarella and sun-dried tomatoes on top and place the skillet under the broiler until the eggs are slightly browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Let stand for 3 minutes. Top with basil.
• To release the frittata from the pan, run a spatula around the edge, then underneath, until you can slide or lift it out onto a cutting board or serving plate. Cut into 4 slices and serve.

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or lard
• 6 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garnish with basil or fresh mint (optional)

Instructions:

• Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil or lard over medium-low heat. Add carrots, dill, turmeric, pepper, and salt. Sauté 10 minutes.
• Add stock, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
• In a blender, puree soup, return to pot, simmer for 30 minutes.
• Can garnish with basil or fresh mint.