This Week’s CSA
Anaheim peppers (also known as chile Verde del Norte) are widely grown throughout northwest Mexico. These light green chiles are long, taper at the base and are usually mild in flavor. These peppers are great in chili, fajitas, burritos, veggie egg scrambles, enchiladas, or salsas, or can be stuffed and baked. As with any pepper, their flavor varies, so please taste test a tiny bit to see how much heat the pepper carries. If you are sensitive to spicy food, you will need to remove any seeds and white ribs from the pepper before cooking. Be aware of cutting hot peppers with bare hands, as you need to wash your hands well before touching any sensitive body areas! If you don’t plan to use them while fresh, the whole chili can be roasted and then frozen for later use.
Of course cabbage can be turned into sauerkraut and makes for some great coleslaw, but this versatile vegetable also takes well to cooking, whether it is sautéed, braised, boiled, or grilled. Cooking cabbage gives off a pungent smell that is a result of a high concentration of sulphur compounds in the vegetable. The combination of thin slicing and brief cooking times can alleviate the strong flavor. Green cabbage pairs well with butter, olive oil, sour cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan, mustard, horseradish, caraway, dill, marjoram, potatoes, apples, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Cabbage can last for a long time stored in a plastic bag in your vegetable crisper but its nutritive value decreases with time. Remove any wilted leaves before using.
The bright colored dragon tongue beans are considered a heirloom Dutch wax type green bean that originated in the Netherlands. This yellowish-green bean with variegated purple strips is great both raw and cooked. Once cooked or pickled, the purple color tends to dissipate. Like other varieties of bush beans, dragon tongue beans have an edible shell. Just remove the stem end before cooking. If not serving raw, these beans will make a great addition to bean salads, stir fries, salads, or cooked on their own for a side dish. With corn, dragons tongue beans can be used to make a succotash that can be served as a main course or side salad.
Store unwashed fresh beans pods in a plastic bag kept in the refrigerator crisper. Whole beans stored this way should keep for about seven days. Just prior to using the green beans, wash them under running water. Remove both ends of the beans by either snapping them off or cutting them with a knife. Green beans are a classic ingredient in Salad Nicoise, a French cold salad dish that combines steamed green beans with tuna fish and potatoes. Sautéd green beans are great with shiitake mushrooms. Or prepare the perennial favorite, green beans almondine, by sprinkling slivered almonds on healthy sautéed beans.
Kale greens pair well with olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, potatoes, legumes, pasta, and eggs. To store, wrap kale in a damp towel or in a plastic bag and refrigerate, preferably in crisper drawer, for up to 1 week. To freeze, wash, separate from stem, and blanch leaves for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking, drain, and pack into airtight containers such as zip-lock freezer bags.
Also known as Cos, this variety of head forming lettuce has deep green, long leaves with a crisp texture and deep taste. Romaine should be washed and dried before storing in the refrigerator to remove excess moisture. A salad spinner can be very helpful in the drying of lettuce (and other salad ingredients as well). Lettuce should be either stored in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp cloth and stored in the refrigerator crisper.
The delicate flavor, soft shell and creamy white flesh of summer squash is a perfect addition to any summer meal. Wash summer squash under cool running water and then cut off both ends. You can then proceed to cut it into the desired size and shape for the particular recipe. Unlike winter squash, summer squash are more fragile and cannot be stored for long periods of time unless frozen. Summer squash is very fragile and should be handled with care as small punctures will lead to decay. It should be stored unwashed in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about seven days.
Sweet onions tend to be lower in sulfur and higher in water content, giving them a mild flavor and perfect for eating fresh in salads and on sandwiches. These onions do not have a long storage life and will last best if stored in a cool dark spot. If the outside layers start to soften, peel and store in the refrigerator.
In addition to soup, sweet onions also caramelize well for a sweet onion jam and make for some amazing onion rings. Check out www.saveur.com for recipes on fried onion rings.
Yellow wax beans are a yellow version of the familiar green bean.
If you won’t be eating them right away, store in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. If you feel overwhelmed by the beans, they can also be blanched, shocked and then frozen for use later this winter.
Stringing is seldom necessary now that many varieties are stringless but the stem end is often removed since it can be tough. Yellow wax beans are great for snacking on or served on a vegetable tray with your favorite dip. Yellow wax beans can be treated just like green beans to make your favorite summer bean salad or they can be added to many stir fry dishes.
Yukon Golds are an all purpose potato with a medium starch content so they will respond well to roasting, mashing, or steaming. Their paper thin skins need only be scrubbed lightly before using. Potatoes are best stored in a cool, dark place that is away from onions.
Recipes
Green Bean, Yellow Bean, and Cherry Tomato Salad
3/4 pound green beans, trimmed
3/4 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
3 cups cherry tomatoes (about 14 ounces), halved
1 medium-size red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
preparation
Cook all beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain well. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Pat dry, then wrap in paper towels. Enclose in plastic bag and refrigerate.)
Combine beans, tomatoes, onion and basil in serving bowl. Whisk oil, vinegar and sugar in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add dressing to vegetables; toss to coat. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, tossing occasionally. Serve salad cold or at room temperature.
Source: Epicurious
Seared Cabbage with Anaheim Peppers
1
/2 head cabbage, shredded
4 Anaheim peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Juice from 1 lime
Add all ingredients except lime juice to a saute pan.
Saute over medium heat about 20 minutes.
Stir frequently and be sure to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the saute pan as they contain much of the favor.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with lime juice.
Serve.
Source: Chili Pepper Madness
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