August 25 box contents, clockwise from left: tomatoes, okra, acorn squash, watermelon, casaba melon, green beans, hot peppers, eggplant, summer squash, spaghetti squash.
A friend picked up my Riverview box this afternoon so she could enjoy some of the contents before bringing me my share. “Are those two spaghetti squash?” she asked me? And if you’ve cut into one or both of those, you already know the answer.
No – we received one great little personal size (at least the one in my box) spaghetti squash and one larger beautiful casaba melon. Or maybe you got a cantaloupe in place of the casaba. But whichever you received, you know it’s going to be one of the most flavorful melons you’ll eat this year. Of course, I say that about all Riverview melons. We are so lucky to enjoy melons grown close to home and picked when they’re ripe, not picked when the farmer has to take into account days and maybe weeks of shipping and storage before it gets into our hands.
I say this every week, “Yay, Riverview!” We eat awfully well because of the Swancys and their farmer partners.
I think I’m right that those bright red round-ish peppers are habaneros. The long slender peppers may be cayennes. Just expect that you might have some hot (or even very hot) peppers and plan accordingly, protecting your skin and eyes as you work with them and being judicious with their heat. My peppers are all going into a quart jar with white vinegar. We ran a recipe for a Haitian salad, pikliz, in the AJC last month. It’s absolutely delicious and uses habanero to really brighten up what is essentially a vinegar- and citrus-dressed slaw. I loved it, and my intention is to use that hot pepper-infused vinegar that will soon be sitting on my counter in place of the vinegar and the fresh pepper called for in this recipe. I’ve appended it below.
Pikliz is a traditional accompaniment to griot, the braised and fried pork dish that’s pretty much the national dish of Haiti, but I’m told if you’re Haitian, you eat it with everything. It’s delicious enough that I believe it.
Pikliz
Consider this the summer slaw you’ve been dreaming of. Crunchy, tangy with citrus juice, just a little bit hot (with the amount of pepper we’ve included), it’s just the right side for rich dishes or anywhere you want something with a peppery punch.
When first made, the pikliz is pretty hot, but the heat mellows as it sits and we found the final result here perfect for folks who appreciate a little heat, but don’t want something overwhelming. Rock Steady’s Jacob Thomas notes that when his mother makes this, “she throws in all the hot peppers in there.”
1 1/4 pounds green cabbage, shredded (about 9 cups)
3/4 pound carrots, shredded (about 4 cups)
1/2 pound onions, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1 habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper
1 1/4 cups vinegar
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup salt
In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots and onion. Set aside.
In the jar of a blender, combine orange juice and habaneros and blend until smooth. Pour over vegetables. Add vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice and salt. Stir together and taste for salt and heat. Allow to rest at least 24 hours before serving. Makes: 8 cups