My CSA Challenge

From dizzying back to the future ride of the last post, we go back to the future-past: aka the Prequel.

This post promises to be sweet … or forecast the sweet experiments that will follow in my CSA Challenge.

Alas, after work yesterday, I picked up my last CSA share for the season (small tears are ok at this point). Pictured above are a few of the prizes that came come with me. Pictured in the last post were the two very striking acorn squashes that I will soon be doing something, along with:

• green cabbage
• parsnips
• carrots
• onions
• acorn squash
• spinach
• potatoes

In addition, from the last share, I still possess a red Kuri squash and some leeks and most of the 1lb of garlic I received.

Already vanished are:

• Leeks
• Potatoes
• Beets
• Napa
• Onions
• Pumpkin
• Carrots
• Daikon
• Turnips
• carrots
• brussel sprouts
• arugula
• kale
• delicata squash
• spaghetti squash

The challenge comes with what to do with this ‘magic bag’ I picked up every two weeks — needing (and wanting) to use up this bounty before the next one arrives. Already produced have been some scintillating dishes and some of the recipes will follow, but if you are asking yourself what I did with them, well, please free to ask and I’ll share. Some were obvious choices. I had to create an authentic potato-leek soup using these lovely organics and my very dear homemade chicken stock that fills a goodly portion of my freezer. There was the Thai soup already described previously — as there was the Napa and Daikon salad of a few days ago too. There was an amazing borscht which included the beets and many of the other veggies. There was an amazing puree I made with the delicata squash which I’ll mention again in a post soon as it paired so amazingly with a pineapple IPA (and by amazing, I mean, wow, scoop up my lips and put them back on the bottle). There was a spaghetti sauce with the spaghetti squash (spaghetti two ways?). Let’s see, I made a squash/leek/kale soup and over the weekend there was a spinach salad featuring the Daikon, pomegranate, and a garlic-feta dressing … and then there was the most amazing odd creation yet: a potato and leek quiche where the potato was the crust. So for those that seek a gluten-free diet or cook for someone who is (like me), this will be one to come back for as I’ll likely be making it again very soon.

As for the rest — I guess we’ll all see where my imagination takes me over the next few weeks, but I’ll be happy to share what emerges. Bonne soirée and bon appetite.