Tuesday, April 28, 2009

CSA members, start your engines...

Well, I'm sure we are all very excited for the beginning of CSA boxes starting next week. Here in the Harmony Valley kitchen, I am charged with preparing dinner using the vegatables in each week's CSA box -- one week ahead of the actual pickup date. So this week I have a box full of next week's forecasted CSA veggies. The week's lead time gives me a chance to experiment with veggie combinations and, hopefully, develop some fun recipes for the newsletter. So I am your guinea pig here on the farm. Actually, Andrea, Terri, and Richard are the real guinea pigs.

So far this week, I have made a burdock beef stir fry (not bad- the burdock retains a pleasant crunchy texture. Make sure to cut it pretty small, or it becomes a tiresome mouthful) and am planning a turkey and sorrel salad for tomorrow night's dinner. I have ideas for the ramps, chives, spinach, and of course the parsnips, which are always a delight to work with. I'm not quite sure yet what to do with those sunchokes. This is complicated by the fact two members of the household are not on very friendly terms with sunchokes. Still, eat from the box we must, and eat from the box we shall. We'll find something to do with those sunchokes.

6 comments:

carrie in mpls said...

We can't wait! Thanks, all of you, for being guinea pigs for us as well as growing the best food we eat all year. (And our household loves sunchokes just about any old way.)

Manisha said...

"the parsnips, which are always a delight to work with". Can't say that I've ever felt this about parsnips, so I'm really looking forward to your recipes. I want to like them, really I do, but haven't found one I like yet. :) That's what I love about the CSA, it forces me to develop new relationships with veggies I don't like!

Can't wait to start!
Manisha

Amy P. said...

Hi Bri, I was doing some Internet recipes searches for ingredients in upcoming CSA boxes and came across this dialogue on Chow.com where people were talking about how they use sunchokes. Maybe it could provide some ideas? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/364335
(just copy and paste this link into your browser)
Our family's looking forward to the first box!

Anonymous said...

Sunchokes are my favorite! I like them simple, roasted in the oven in olive oil with just a sprinkle of salt. Yum!

jscho said...

Just made the sunchokes tonight...recipe from May 4, 2006 newsletter...Sunchoke American Fries...left out the parsley as I did not have any. We really liked them. PS..I agree with lotus re:parsnips. Every year it is my goal to find a way to like them! Bring on the ideas!

Unknown said...

I mashed my sunchokes like potatoes with some chopped chives and ramps from the box. They looked a little lumpy, but with butter and olive oil they were delicious.