This week’s box included: kale, tomatoes, green onions, Kirby cucumbers (the little bumpy ones), salad cucumbers, green beans, broccoli (or cauliflower instead) lots of summer squash (yellow and zucchini), Napa cabbage (or a head of cabbage instead), salad mix
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What an absolutely beautiful and very, very heavy box I carried home Tuesday afternoon.
There was an enormous green cabbage although I understand you may have found a Napa cabbage in your box. My neighbor was working outside when I hauled in my produce and we immediately set about doing some sharing. She admired that huge cabbage and took 1/4 of it along with 1/3 of the cauliflower (you may have received broccoli). She took half the lettuce (which looked so perfect, the best we’ve seen this season). a tomato, a slicer cucumber and one (one!) green onion. She just had no idea what to do with those green onions so we discussed a few quick ideas and maybe she’ll come back and want another one.
Within an hour I had already eaten all the Kirby cucumbers which I ate with the Swiss Chard Dip with Garlic, Yogurt and Dill – a recipe I shared two weeks ago. I had wilted my chard and beet greens and then refrigerated them for a while before I made that dip. Delicious. And used up a few of those green onions.
The Kirby cucumbers are my favorites. They’re traditionally used for pickling and even the small numbers we get could be quick pickled using any one of the recipes you’ll find on the Riverview Farms website like this one for quick pickled vegetables. You can pickle the Kirby cucumbers, the green beans and even the bulbs of those beautiful green onions. Given the heat we’re getting this week, the slicers from this box are going into Cucumber and Tonic mocktails. Or try the Pickled Cucumber Salad recipe down below. I’ll probably substitute finely sliced basil for the dill called for in the recipe since I’ve got a pot of basil growing on my back deck, and dill, although my absolute favorite herb, is not something that has ever grown well for me.
For the cauliflower I have left after sharing with my neighbor, I’m making the Cauliflower Couscous Salad I shared two weeks ago. It’s exactly the combination of flavors I’m craving right now, so it’s on repeat as long as there’s a cauliflower in the box. It’s probably the way I use up most of the Riverview produce in the summer – making cold salads that keep for several days and produce quick lunches or dinners. And yes, I’ve been known to enjoy tabouli made from kale as breakfast.
And then there’s the summer squash. We have lots and lots of recipes on the summer squash page but the one that seems tailormade for this box (and we originally posted it in June 2017 so that must also have been a good year for cabbage and squash) is the Grilled Cabbage, Squash and Couscous Salad.
Pickled Cucumber Salad
From chef Carla Hall
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon chile flakes
Dill sprigs, for garnish
Arrange the cucumber slices on a large platter in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Whisk the vinegar, sugar, and chile flakes in a large bowl. Discard any accumulated juices on the cucumber platter. Add the cucumbers to the vinegar mixture and toss well. Return to the platter in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with dill.