85: Cucumber Salad

Simple salad. I wanted to use up the last of my share ingredients before the next delivery. Most of these ingredients had been earmarked for a tabbouleh that couldn't happen after I caved and just ate those sungold tomatoes as is (no regrets on that btw). So I winged it a little with good results. 

Ingredients: 

1 slicing cucumber, deseeded

2 scallions, sliced reasonably thin

~1/3 cup chopped herbs (parsley, mint, lemon basil)

Toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper

I chopped up the cucumber into manageable pieces then tossed with a teaspoon salt and let drain while I prepped the rest. 

Sliced the scallions, and chopped up the herbs. Mixed the sesame oil, vinegar and a little salt and pepper to make a simple vinaigrette. 

Rinced the cucumbers and tossed everything together. I had a little last night, it was nice and fresh, but left most in the fridge to meld overnight. Today it was pleasant- though I'd hoped the herbs would come through more. I tried separating part and adding a little red wine vinegar (the only kind I have at my desk), in case more tartness would help. It was still fine but not essential. Just depends on the kind of mood you're in.

Notes for Improvement:

- Needs a little more salt or more herbs (or keep salt and pepper at your desk)

- Wouldn't mind trying this with tomatoes

83: Pickles Roasted Bell Peppers

I realize this is traditionally done with red bell peppers, not purple and green. There was a recipe in The Pickled Pantry for regular ol pickled (non-roasted) mixed peppers, but it was quart sized, and I felt like experimenting. It's not the most appetizing looking jar- maybe thats why they do it with red?- but here's hoping it tastes good. 

I roasted both peppers under the broiler, 5 minutes each side, then let steam in a bowl covered in plastic wrap. Meanwhile I heated up a half pint jar in my 4th burner pot, as well as a 1/4 cup of vinegar and a tsp of fine sea salt (in a separate pot of course). 

The jar came out when everything was ready, I placed a clove of garlic and two sprigs of lemon basil inside. 

Once my peppers were peeled and seeded (boo to losing the color during the process), I cut them into quarters the packed them in the jar, then covered with the brine, bubbled, topped off, and processed in a water bath for 15 minutes. 

Doing a some minor internet research, I came across this recipe for marinated greens that also explains the situation well. I'll have to see how bitter these end up being when I get around to eating them. The leftover roasted pieces definitely had a slight bitter aftertaste.

Notes for Improvement:

- Per the link above, maybe add a little honey for comparison

- Try another herb, or add more spices (maybe smoked paprika?)

79: Middle Eastern Veggie Salad

One of these days I won't be consuming so much acidic food. Today is not that day. Made as close as I could to this simple salad using a ton of my CSA ingredients (scallions, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley and basil FTW). I didn't have quite that many tomatoes so I scaled everything down a touch. I also couldn't dress this thing as heavily as the recipe is calling for (on principle), so I just made a lemon juice/oil vinaigrette that I thought tasted good. Also no feta.

Everything got mixed together (sorry for the gross night shots my phone takes) and sat in the fridge for about an hour as I went on a little bike ride in search of Pickle Crisp. Wasn't able to find it- though I do have a lead! More on that in another post.

Anyway, after that hour the flavors had nicely melded. Ate a bunch as in the first pic with a toasted pita (nom), and then a little later remembered I had some homemade (or classmade) mozzarella. That really made the dish for me.

Delivery 8

So much excitingness in this week's delivery.

Beets with Greens - 1 bunch

Walla Walla Sweet Summer Onions - 2

Heirloom Cucumbers (Boothby Blonde and Poona Kheera) - 2  (apparently these were pulled last minute. sadface)

Marketmore Slicing Cucumbers - 2

Orient Express Eggplant - 2 

Scallions - 1 bunch

Tomatoes - 2 

Lemon Basil - 1 bunch  

Flat Leaf Parsley - 1 bunch

Bell Peppers - 2

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes - 1 basket

Summer Squash - 2 pieces

Things I am in love with:

Tomatoes

Not gonna lie, may have screamed a little when I saw tomatoes on the list. I've been sooo obsessed with them this summer. Will resist the urge to eat (all of) them like handfruit. Especially when I have cucumbers and basil just begging to be combined for a salad. And it's hard to do something crazy with just two, you know? Or the little basket.
 

Beets

I have a beet post with off-share ingredients I'll put up soonish, but super excited to have these. I've always wanted to make a beet cake. I may have to do that this week- the idea is making my brain itch- even if it's hot and time consuming.

It's also nice to have leafy greens, will probably saute those with some mushrooms. Going way back for that idea.

Eggplant

I want to redo a recipe this week- even though Ratatoullie uses more of this week's delivery, I'll probably go with Baingan Bharta. Once I figure out how to make it the way I remember it will be the only thing I eat ever.

Parsley

Parsley isn't my favorite, but always happy for fresh herbage. A lot of sauces come to mind- like chimichurri- or an actual real salsa verde. I'm also liking the idea of tabbouleh (bonus for tomato, cucumber and scallion).

Lemon Basil 

If you haven't had this herb before, it smells AMAZING. Ideas: Cookies, vinaigrette on zucchini pasta, or maybe just a pesto for once. It's a shame I haven't yet dabbled in soap or candlemaking, I want everything to smell like this.

Scallions:

CSA was all about fun colors this week. I'm not sure what the difference between the white and red are- one of the staff suggested it could be like the difference between white and red onions? I got a mixed batch just to see. I actually still have scallions from last week to use up...so, scrambled eggs?

Sweet Onions:

Onions are useful for everything- can throw them in the baingan bharta, or another batch of pickles. Not sure if I can use the green tops but I'd like to try.

Bell Peppers:

I've never seen purple peppers before. It's so cool! I got one of each color to see if they tasted different. Part of me wants to roast and (of course) pickle them- I even have a recipe lined up. Though I think I'd need more than two to fill a jar.

Cucumbers

I think I was the only one lamenting the lack of heirloom pickles this week. Part of me wants to wing a cucumber salad- and I don't think it would be that hard. The rest wants to pick up a thing or two and make this guy.

Summer Squash:

They were small this week for some reason. I picked based on prettiness. With no heirloom cucumbers these may sub in for my pickle canning redo I mentioned yesterday. The canning book I've been using says any cucumber recipe can be subbed out with zucchini, but recommends getting pickle crisp granules. I'm in NYC- so I'm sure I can find some- the question is just the least out of the way place.

EXTRAS!

Mushrooms:

Due to a generous/lazy person who did want to pick up their mushroom share, I got some creminis to take home. Of course I'd just bought crummy white button mushrooms earlier that day, but doubt I could ever turn these down. I'm going to use them up before I can find the perfect recipe- major mushroom cravings right now.

 

Stone Fruit:

Hooray for the lazy. Also got a bit of a fruit share to try. I'd debated ordering a fruit share- it's one of the few things I'm still always buying at the store- but it would've been way too much for just me. This is a weird mix of underripe nectarines, super ripe peaches, and middling plums. It's already macerating in the fridge for jam. 

I have a bit of a canning problem. If you didn't know that already, you will very soon.