What’s in Box #15?
Salad Mix: More delicious greens for you this week. For best storage, keep greens in the fridge, in a plastic bag or other covered container, with just a little bit of moisture to prevent wilting.
Tomatoes: Early Girl variety. Surprisingly, this week will only be our 2nd pick of the season. A low-acid slicer. These are dry-farmed in one of our greenhouses which makes the flavor more intense.
Spinach: As we approach Fall, these greens continue to get tastier with the cool nights. They are a good keeper and can added to so many dishes from soups to casseroles.
Radishes: Cheriette variety. Crunchy and delicious. The cooler weather will tame the fiery summer flavor.
Carrots: Merida variety. These sweet roots are excellent keepers. If stored in a plastic bag with a little moisture, they will last for months.
Celery: Tango variety. This crop can be hard to grow and needs quite a bit of water. For those who love celery, these stalks have a wonderful, strong flavor.
Gypsy Peppers: The first of the season! These are a very sweet, heirloom pepper. They are sweetest when they are dark red but can be eaten at any color. The orange ones taste great too, but they will continue to ripen, so no need to eat them right away.
Recipes:
Marinated Tomato Salad
Fresh and simple, this easy tomato salad is a wonderful addition to any meal. ~ Heather
Ingredients:
– 6 to 8 ripe Early Girl tomatoes
– 4 green onions
– 1 cup olive oil
– 3 to 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
– 2 tbsp. brown sugar
– Salt and fresh ground pepper
– Chopped parsley leaves, about a handful
– 12 fresh basil leaves finely chopped
Cut the tomatoes into wedges then halve the wedges. Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over tomatoes and toss. Finally add the herbs and toss to combine refrigerate then serve.
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/marinated-tomato-salad-with-herbs-recipe-1925166
lickmyspoon.com/recipes/tomatoes-an-addiction-early-girl-tomato-sauce/
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Creole Sauce
Source: Salsas & Sauces (Gina Steer)
Makes about 3.5 cups
To turn this sauce into a southern gumbo soup, simply add rice and shrimp (or tofu). My favorite is gluten free imitation crab or lobster, which can be found at most Safeway stores. Adding cayenne for an extra kick is also highly recommended. –Reiden
Ingredients:
2 T sunflower oil
2 sweet peppers seeded and thinly sliced
1 onion thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 fresh jalapeno seeded and chopped
2 t coriander
2 t ground cumin
1 lb. ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 ¼ cup vegetable stock
4 oz okra trimmed and chopped (1 T corn starch or guar gum can be added as a thickener if okra is unavailable)
1 T chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the sweet peppers, onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Add the ground coriander and cumin and saute, stirring frequently for an additional 3 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat the simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced slightly.
Add the okra to the pan with salt and pepper to taste and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the fresh cilantro and salt and pepper as desired.
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Cream of Celery Soup
3 quarts chicken stock
3 pounds celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound carrots, julienned
1/2 pound onions, chopped
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
3 quarts hot milk
1 c. margarine
Pour the chicken stock into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots and onion to the pot.
Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and milk; add to the pot along with the margarine.
Boil for 10 minutes. Then, there are two options:
- Strain out the vegetables by pouring through a sieve, or if the vegetables are large enough, a colander may be used. You can just eat the remaining creamy broth.
- Use a blender (a stick blender works well) to blend all of the broth and veggies together. This will make a thicker soup.