This week’s box included: honeynut squashes, summer squash (yellow, zephyr, zucchini), cucumbers (mostly Kirbys), garlic, potatoes, kale, apples, banana peppers (mild), green beans, okra. You can see a photo that can help with identification on our Facebook page or check out our weekly video on Instagram.
The first appearance of kale for fall is a welcome sight. These cooler, drier days that tease us that fall is in the air make me hungry for hearty greens. Last week’s turnip greens followed by this week’s kale are making me happy. Kale has become so popular I’m really wondering why nobody’s whipping up kale spice lattes. Ok. Maybe not. But fresh pressed kale and apple juice? That’s definitely on my list for the kale and apples in this week’s box. And so many apple varieties. I’m tempted to take a bite out of each – sweet? spicy? tart? Can’t decide which ones should go in the juice without knowing the flavor profile. Or which ones should go in the Slow Cooker Peruvian Pork Stew with Apples. Or the Apple Upside Down Cake. But the Sharlotka we posted last year is forgiving and any of those apples will work just fine.
Not sure what was in your box, but I think we got a mix of regular butternut and maybe a honey nut squash that was a little bigger than the ones we received a week or two ago. I’m delighted because I had guests who were so taken with the looks of the honey nuts that they did just that, they took them! So we never got to try. Hoping this one is a honey nut and I’ll get to just cut it in half and roast it and see what all the fuss is about.
Green beans make me happy, too. Tomorrow I’ll tip and tail them during a conference call (oh, the things we can do while working from home) and combine them with some potatoes to make this potato and green bean salad.
If you’re ready to think soup, I cannot recommend this recipe enough – Dandelion Food’s Beef Curry Noodles. Absolutely fabulous. And I stocked up on beef bones, so I may divert some of that kale and some of the potatoes into this soup
And there were more okra pods, more Kirby cucumbers, more garlic, more summer squash (although the first Zephyr squash I’ve seen this year). I’m sure you have lots of favorite ways to prepare those.
But … if you happen to have one of the last of this summer’s peaches around, you might want to make this mahi rice bowl with okra and peaches – a recipe from The Peach Truck out of Nashville. Use that yellow finger pepper (or what is that variety?) in the box and if there are no jalapenos in your vegetable drawer, perhaps drop in a few crushed red pepper flakes. The recipe would work with any firm fleshed white fish. I wouldn’t use salmon, but you do you.
Our okra pods are a sort of big this week, so maybe start them about 5 minutes ahead of when you add the fish so the fish won’t overcook while the okra is getting tender.
MAHI RICE BOWL with Sesame Okra and Peach Pepper Slaw
1/2 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
4 tsp. white miso paste
2 (6 oz.) mahi-mahi fillets
8 oz. fresh okra
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 lime, halved
3 scallions, chopped, divided
1 small peach, sliced (about 1 cup)
2 1/2 oz. sweet mini peppers, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small jalapeño, seeded if desired, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high; add rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 14 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Preheat oven to 425F. Stir together miso paste and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Place mahi on one side of a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet, and brush with miso mixture.
Toss okra with sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and black pepper. Spread in an even layer on other side of baking sheet.
Bake 20 minutes, stirring okra halfway, until mahi is done and okra is tender. Toss okra with sesame seeds, juice of half the lime, and one-third of the scallions.
Toss together peach, sweet mini peppers, jalapeño, vinegar, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and half of the remaining scallions in a medium bowl.
Spoon rice evenly into 2 bowls. Top with mahi, okra, and peach pepper slaw. Sprinkle with remaining scallions and serve with lime wedges.