Fresh from our awesome Chefs! Tips and recipes for your CSA share.
Did you know that in addition to our farm share CSA boxes, Penn’s Corner delivers produce, eggs, beef and pork to restaurants in Pittsburgh? We work with many talented chefs and want to share their wisdom, tricks, and recipes with you!
We know it can be daunting to think of ways to use your greens and veggies so last week we packed up our CSA share and met up with chef Justin Lubecki in the Franktuary kitchen. He generously gave us helpful tips for getting through a CSA box and a few recipes that we’ll be sharing with you this week and next. Don’t miss the sweet corn ice cream recipe!
Justin’s recommendations for getting through your CSA share:
- Roast all of the thick vegetables and braise all of the greens. It’s a relatively quick process (30 minutes) and it prolongs the life of your produce. Your produce becomes conveniently ready to use and slows the process of going bad.
- Quite often the ingredients that are in season tend to taste great together so you can be a little fearless when combining your share. Think: beets and kohlrabi or kale, carrots, zucchini and onion.
- Appreciate eating vegetables in season and the particular character of their variety. Treat them all with just oil, salt, pepper, and a little vinegar, in this case lemon, to bring out their natural flavors and not mask them under heavy seasoning.
- tricolored beets, greens removed, sliced thin
- kohlrabi, sliced slightly thicker than beets
- head lettuce
Instructions:
- Keeping beets and kohlrabi separate, toss with a Tbs olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.
- Roast at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of the cut. They should be cooked with some possible color on the outside but still have a fresh bite in the center.
- After taking out the roasted vegetables toss in a bowl with tsp lemon juice, or squeeze it straight from the lemon!
- Wash and cut lettuce to desired size.
- Top with beets and kohlrabi.
- Add any pickled vegetables you might have, toasted nuts, and soft cheese like goat cheese if you desire.
- Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, another squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper
This picture does not do the ice cream justice!
- 1 1/2c milk
- 1c heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 2-3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut away from the cob
- 1/2c sugar
- pinch salt
- Place milk, heavy cream, and corn kernels in a small pot and bring to a simmer for 10min.
- Remove from heat and strain out kernels.
- Whisk egg yolks and 1/2c sugar together in a bowl.
- Whisk egg mixture gradually into hot mixture until well combined.
- Return the hot mixture to low heat for 1 minute until the custard coats the back of a spoon.
- Strain through a fine sieve.
- Cool custard thoroughly before following manufacturer’s directions with your ice cream machine.
- Heat a handful of blueberries, 1/4c sugar, 1/4c water, and a pinch of salt in a small pan over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally.
- Cook until the blueberries have broken down and you have a nice thick syrup.
-
Cool before adding to your ice cream.
If you enjoy fresh local produce (we know you do!), kind and friendly people, thoughtful libations, and delicious food, stop in and say hello to Justin and the team at Franktuary!
Thank you to Justin for sharing his tips and recipes!
THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
| A Route | Z Route |
| peaches, Dawson’s Orchards | peaches or plums, Kistaco Farm |
| heirloom tomatoes, Weeping Willow Farm | garlic bulbs, Blue Goose Farm (CNG) ***some members will receive applesauce in place of the garlic*** Due to the amount of rain we received this season, the garlic does not look as we had hoped. Please refrigerate and use it quickly. |
| green tomatoes, Nu Way Farm ***some members will receive tomatillo salsa in place of the green tomatoes*** | green tomatoes, Nu Way Farm |
| green kale, Clarion River Organics (OG) | chard, Blue Goose Farm (CNG) |
| carrots, River View Farm | green beans, Nu Way Farm |
| zucchini, Weeping Willow or Blue Goose (CNG) | carmen and hungarian peppers, Weepng Willow Farm |
| candy onions, Crighton Farm | spaghetti squash, CRO ***some members will receive tomatillo salsa in place of squash*** |
| bibb lettuce, Nu Way Farm | leeks or lettuce, Blue Goose Farm or River View Farm |
OG = Certified Organic, CNG = Certified Naturally Grown
Click HERE to check your delivery route
Peaches
Grower: Dawson’s Orchards or Kistaco
Store: Place them on the counter until they reach your desired ripeness. After they ripen, store them in the refrigerator.
Recipe: grilled balsamic peaches how to freeze peaches grilled pork chops and spicy grilled peaches peach tea
Heirloom Tomatoes
Grower: Weeping Willow Farm
Store: On the counter top. Storing tomatoes below 41 degrees can make them mushy.
Recipe: 15 gorgeous heirloom tomato recipes
Green Tomatoes
Grower: Nu Way Farm
Store: Avoid putting tomatoes in the refrigerator
Recipe: fried green tomato grilled cheese spicy green tomato BLT
Green Kale
Grower: Clarion River Organics
Store: how to store leafy greens
Recipe: kale and quinoa salad
Carrots
Grower: River View Farm
Store: Keep in a plastic bag in your refrigerator.
Recipe: spicy thai kale and carrot salad asian kale salad with peanut dressing beet and carrot bake
Zucchini
Grower: Weeping Willow or Blue Goose Farm
Store: keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator
Recipe: chicken and tomato stuffed zucchini
Bibb Lettuce
Growers: Nu Way Farm
Store: Wash, dry (in a salad spinner), wrap in paper towel or cloth and store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Recipe: http://addapinch.com/cooking/chicken-fajita-lettuce-wraps-recipe/
Methley Plums
Grower: Kistaco Farm”
Store:
Recipe: summer fruit crostata
Garlic Bulbs
Grower: Blue Goose Farm
Store: Keep in a cool dry place. Garlic does best at 60 degrees F. Due to the significant amount of rain we received this year, the garlic doesn’t look is good as we would like. Please refrigerate it and use quickly.
Recipe: how to roast garlic
Chard
Grower: Blue Goose Farm
Store: Keep in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
Recipe: garlicky swiss chard and chick peas
Green Beans
Grower: Nu Way Farm
Store: In a plastic bag in the refrigerator
Recipe: garlic lemon green beans
Carmen Peppers
Grower: Weeping Willow Farm
Store: In a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Recipe: grilled barbecue vegetables in foil
Sweet Hungarian Peppers
Grower: Weeping Willow Farm
Store: In a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Recipe: veggie chorizo stuffed peppers oven roasted sweet peppers
Spaghetti Squash
Grower: Clarion River Organics
Store: At room temperature. After cutting, wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator.
Preparation: how to cook spaghetti squash
Recipe: spaghetti squash caprese bake
Candy Onions
Grower: Crighton Farm
Store: In a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Leeks
Grower: Blue Goose Farm
Store: Fresh leeks should be stored unwashed and untrimmed in the refrigerator where they will keep fresh for between one and two weeks. Wrapping them loosely in plastic bag will help them retain moisture.
Recipe: buttered leeks braised leeks
