2021 Produce CSA Week 25

This week’s box included: a head of lettuce, mustard greens (bunch), radishes, sweet peppers (loose), hot peppers (in a plastic bag), sweet potato, potatoes, spaghetti squash, and a bag of cornmeal (yum).

So are they turnip greens or mustard greens you got in your box? I think mine were turnip greens, but I could be wrong! Tonight I am cooking up a big pot of greens, using this recipe for Sesame Mustard Greens. Some will get used in an adaptation of this recipe for Skillet Pasta with Wilted Mustard Greens. Some I’ll just eat standing at the stove and right out of the pot. These cool mornings have me craving greens. Thank goodness for a weekly box of something leafy!

Yay! for the bag of cornmeal. Buttermilk cornbread is also definitely on my list for tonight. Such a perfect fall dinner – greens and cornbread. There’s a reason we’ve been eating these together for many generations.

I started thinking about the little bunches of radishes we’ve been getting every week. Not everyone is a fan of slicing them into salads … but what about cooking with them? Or serving them on a baguette? Probably we’ve all heard about enjoying crunchy radishes spread with a little butter and dipped into coarse salt. America’s Test Kitchen put out this recipe for a radish baguette. I snagged the photo because I loved the watermelon radish version … but think of this when the daikons start arriving in our boxes.

Now that I think about daikons, I need to go back and look at that long pink-ish tuber. White sweet potato – which was my first thought – or pink-skinned daikon? I need to check!

Also including a recipe for roasted radishes. This is for a big batch – two pounds of radishes – but just adapt the idea to the little bunch you have if you’re already putting something in the oven. Also a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. Love the yogurt dressing and the crunch of added nuts at the end. That dressing will be great on your lettuce, too.

Radish Baguette with Chive Butter and Salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaf
1 (18-inch) baguette, halved lengthwise
8 ounces radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
Coarse finishing salt

Combine butter, 4 tablespoons chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons chives, lemon juice, and oil together in second bowl. Add parsley and toss to coat. Season with pepper to taste.

Spread butter mixture over cut sides of baguette. Shingle radishes evenly over butter and top with parsley salad. Cut baguette crosswise into 12 pieces and sprinkle with finishing salt to taste. Serve.

Roasted Radishes with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 4 teaspoons juice, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon plus 1⁄8 teaspoon table salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pistachios or almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
5 1/2 teaspoons white miso, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons honey, divided
2 pounds radishes with their greens, radishes trimmed and halved lengthwise, 8 cups greens reserved
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Whisk yogurt, tahini, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon juice, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in bowl; set aside for serving. Combine pistachios, sesame seeds, cumin, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small bowl; set aside for serving.

Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Whisk melted butter, 5 teaspoons miso, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl until smooth. Add radishes and toss to coat. Arrange radishes cut side down on prepared sheet and roast until tender and well browned on cut side, 10 to 15 minutes.

Whisk oil, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper, remaining 1/2 teaspoon miso, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon honey in clean large bowl until smooth. Add radish greens and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, spread portions of yogurt-tahini sauce over bottom of individual serving plates. Top with roasted radishes and radish greens, then sprinkle with pistachio mixture.