I know, it's been a while--well, I just got back earlier this week from vacation (a fab week in Vancouver, filled with lots of great food, and quality time with Pyota--will be writing about our adventures later) and I've been busy with work since! Do you know how many emails I got while I was gone?? 279!!!!!!!!! Sheesh, don't these people know I'm out of the office?
Anyhow, I arrived back on a CSA pickup day (my brother picked up week 3 for me, but I forgot to ask him to take a photo), which helped ease the pain of not being on vacation anymore. You can see from my fancy collage that this week's share consisted of beets, radishes, fresh garlic, basil, lemon balm, peas, komatsuna, rainbow chard, mixed lettuces (not pictured), and the fruit share was sour cherries.
I still had a bunch of radishes left from a previous pickup; I have to admit, I am not a big fan of radishes. They're too peppery for me! So I thought cooking them would help and I found this recipe for braised radishes over at The Kitchn. Oh boy! They don't look as pretty, but gosh are they delicious. I substituted some waxed Chinese bacon for the salt pork, which was a stroke of genius on my part, if I do say so myself. I hope I get more radishes next week.
The basil and garlic scapes (from previous week) were turned into pesto. Can you believe this was my first time making pesto? I can't believe I waited so long, and I can't believe how dead easy it is to make (once I got around to buying a food processor). This pesto also contains almonds, olive oil, and parmigiano. I couldn't resist eating some of it with a spoon right after I made it. (Don't you like my little storage bowl? I picked up a set at Fishs Eddy, one of my favorite stores in NY, and a place I can spend HOURS in.)
Then I boiled up some fettuccine and tossed it with more pesto--oh gosh. SO GOOD. So good that I actually ate this for breakfast this morning, too (I know, I'm crazy. I eat dinner leftovers for breakfast all the time.)
So far, I have also cooked the komatsuna (stir-fry) and plan to make some kind of pasta with the peas (and probably some shrimp). I am a bit at a loss for what to do with the chard though, so if you have a favored chard recipe, please do share!
The beets are also presenting a bit of a problem. It's so freaking hot right now that to turn on the oven would be unthinkable, so I can't roast them. I'm starting to wonder if maybe I could just steam them in my rice cooker...of course, this does not solve the problem of my sour cherries, which I am dying to make into a pie, but again, sigh, the oven! Maybe I just need to buy an additional air conditioner unit.
5 comments:
sounds like you're enjoying a hot summer in nyc. hope you had a good stay in vancity and a safe travel. and i have totally to admit: I can eat basil pesto by the bucket.
Well done on your pesto ~ very tasty!
Square Kitchen, had a great time in Vancouver as always (although you guys seem to be having a late start to the summer!).
Kaimono, thanks :D It is really yummy!!
I actually have some pesto in the refrigerator from when my sister and I made bruschetta! I thought we'd end up throwing the extra pesto away, but now I know what to do with it! : )
Oh, and I LOVE fettuccine! There's no better pasta! Nice choice ; )
Pesto is so good I want to eat it on everything! (well, maybe not cake.) Fettuccine is my second favorite pasta shape--my favorite is fusilli, but sometimes you need the long pasta :)
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