This week’s box included: green beans, ‘autumn frost’ winter squashes, Kirby cucumbers, green bell peppers, watermelon, okra, garlic, jalapeno, tomatoes. 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.
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If you’ve been reading these messages over time, you might have noticed that I frequently look for inspiration at what Stella Dillard from Dandelion Food & Goods is offering each week. She’s so conscientious about working with what’s in season from local farmers and often has a different spin on things.
Last week she was offering what she calls “vegetable cereal” with tomatoes, barley, Riverview pink eyed peas, marinated eggplant, lemon basil, and pumpkin seeds. If eggplant had arrived in this box, I’d be making a batch. And cucumber soup – and I don’t know if it’s a gazpacho or something made with one of her wonderful broths.
And there was a rice noodle salad, with quinoa, roasted African squash, shishito peppers and shredded cabbage, dressed with homemade chili crisp vinaigrette and toasted peanuts. I’ll make a riff on that with that funny butternut-like squash in today’s box and, yes, the cabbage I STILL have in the refrigerator from a box that arrived in the spring. And use a jalapeno, minus the seeds, in place of the shishito.
Does another watermelon have you pondering new ways to serve it? I saw an idea somewhere – watermelon juice and ginger beer. I’m pureeing half this one, straining and chilling the juice, and giving it a try.
If you want to browse through the archives at grassfedcow.com for inspiration from recipes we’ve posted there over the years:
- butternut squash recipes for those funny little squashes that arrived today – funny especially that Charlotte didn’t know the variety (did you watch her unboxing on Instagram?)
- cucumber recipes – yes, I will be sad when they aren’t a weekly offering
- garlic recipes – one of my favorite things from Riverview
- green bean recipes
- jalapeno recipes
- okra recipes – Charlotte said these cooler nights would be slowing down the okra production so enjoy it while you can
- tomato recipes
- and finally, watermelon recipes.
And in honor of today’s meat delivery, here’s one new recipe for those who got a package with Riverview ground beef.
Smashed Beef Kebab with Cucumber Yogurt
From, as usual, The New York Times
2 cups full-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt (about 16 ounces)
2 Kirby cucumbers (about 1/2 pound), grated on the large holes of a box grater
3 tablespoons finely chopped mint, plus mint leaves for serving
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
1 pound ground beef
1 small yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup walnut halves or pieces
2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
Pomegranate molasses, optional, for serving
Warmed pita or white rice, for serving
Add the yogurt, cucumbers, chopped mint and garlic to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. Chill until ready to serve.
Add the beef, onion, turmeric, 1 teaspoon of salt and lots of black pepper to a second medium bowl and mix well to combine.
Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (or other large heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high. Once the skillet is very hot, divide beef into large, irregular chunks by using two spoons or your hands and drop into the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until charred and crisp on the underside and browned at least halfway up the sides, 6 to 8 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, toss the meat, breaking up any very large pieces. Add the walnuts and raisins and continue to cook, stirring often, until the meat is cooked to desired doneness and the walnuts are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes more.
Remove the yogurt from the fridge and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Spread the yogurt on the bottom of a serving platter and top with the crispy meat. Finish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, if using, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with warmed pita or rice.