2024 CSA Week 13

This week’s box included:  Asian eggplant, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, kirby cucumbers, casaba melon (the yellow one), cantaloupe, watermelon, peppers, okra. You can see a photo that can help with identification on our Facebook page or check out our weekly video on Instagram.

Need storage instructions?  Visit our fruit & veggie home pages. Click on the pic and a new page opens with storage instructions and a list of recipes curated by Conne over the years.

————————————–

I’m guessing that the Facebook photo of this week’s box is the very definition of “eat the rainbow” – especially when you see that gorgeous purple Japanese eggplant. Ours was at least a foot long. I’ll peel ours, cut it in 1/2-inch slices and then make this delicious teriyaki sauce to pour over it. I don’t know anyone who can resist that sauce. And I’ve got some leftover rice in the refrigerator that I’ll do a little fried rice-thing with. Dinner!

I’ve been virtuously stewing all the okra that’s arrived these past weeks, but tomorrow I’m going to make these fabulous okra cornbread fritters with sweet and sour peppers, a recipe that dates back 13 years, but is just as delicious now as it was then. Not your thing? There are lots of other okra ideas on our okra page.

Half that casaba melon will be chilled and enjoyed exactly as is, but the other half will go into the melon and cucumber salad I wrote about last week. I don’t see the recipe in the melon pages yet (I could just be missing it), but check last week’s posting on the blog. Or try the slightly different version below. I’ve got lots of basil, although no dill, and five avocadoes in the refrigerator that all ripened at once so I will probably go with this version this week. And that cantaloupe is the perfect candidate for this Cantaloupe Caprese Salad.

Crookneck and zucchini squash … I’m thinking of turning those into taco filling. Down below is a recipe that was demonstrated at the East Atlanta Village Market last year. It calls for mushrooms, lettuce, radish, so it’s just something to riff off of … It’s a great recipe to make ahead, then just reheat the filling for breakfast (yes, squash tacos for breakfast!) or an easy lunch.

Summer Spoon Salad      
From Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes from Sara Kramer and Sarah Kymanson

2 cups diced seeded green melon (about 1/2 melon), such as honeydew
2 cups diced Persian (mini) cucumbers (3 or 4 cucumbers)
2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn, if large
1/4 cup dill leaves

In a large bowl, combine the diced melon, cucumbers, and onion. Add the salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper and toss together to coat. Add the diced avocado, basil, and dill and lightly toss before serving.

 

Mushroom-Zucchini Tacos
By Taylor Mead of Better Off Fed, demonstrated at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market

Olive oil
1 pound oyster mushrooms
2 pounds zucchini and crookneck squash, chopped
1-2 tbsp taco seasoning (or a mix of chili powder, cumin, cayenne …)
2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortillas, sliced lettuce and chopped radishes, cilantro
Sour cream mixed with your favorite hot sauce
Queso fresco
Heat a cast iron pan over medium heat with 1/4 cup olive oil. When hot, add the mushrooms and stir, distributing the oil evenly, and then cook for ~5 minutes before adding your squash to the pan. Cook for ~3 more minutes or until squash is tender but not mushy. Add your taco seasoning and juice of 1/2 a lime and stir to coat evenly. Taste to see if you need salt and/or pepper. Turn off the heat and build your tacos! Heat your tortillas and then layer on your spicy sour cream, queso fresco, taco filling, lettuce, cilantro, and watermelon radish. Finish with a squeeze of lime and enjoy!