Week #14, August 17 2017

Steve’s mother

Steve’s mother Shifra passed away this week, not unexpectedly, at age 90. We will travel to Philadelphia this weekend to be with family and to celebrate her energetic and generous life.

Veggie List and Veggie Notes (week #14, Aug 17/18, 2017, green EOW)

– Some sites get muskmelon. Some sites get orange watermelon.
– Most sites get globe eggplant.  A few sites get 2 ears of sweet corn.
Romano beans, 1.1 lb
Tomatoes, ~4 lb, mixed plum and slicing
Red bell pepper, 1 or 2
Red or green leaf lettuce
Beets, 2 lb
Cucumbers, 1 or 2
Silver Slicing cucumbers, 1 or 2
‘Zoey’ onion, 1
Oregano, 1 bunch

Italian Romano beans – This is Steve’s favorite type of bean.  They can be lightly cooked, e.g. Pat’s recipe this week for Romano Beans Sauteed with Oregano.  However, Romano beans (or Italian beans) really shine when braised for a longer time.  Their broad, sturdy shape allows them to cook to a velvety texture without becoming mushy.  Instead of a quick steaming or sautéing, braise the beans in a flavorful sauce until they are very tender and have taken up the sauce’s flavors.  See our recipe below.

Beets –  Storage:  Cover and refrigerate.  Beet roots last for weeks.  For all the cooking methods below, wash and scrub the beets but do not peel.  The skins slip off easily once the beets are cooked and cooled.
Cooking beet roots on the stovetop:  Slice or quarter, cover with water in a pot, and simmer until tender.  This will take from 25 to 45 minutes depending on how large the beet pieces are.  Drain.
Roasting beets:  Wash beets, but do not peel.  On a sheet of aluminum foil, put beets (halved or quartered if large), salt, pepper and a few sprinklings of water.  Seal the foil packet, and roast at 400oF until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Slip off skins once cool.
Microwave:  Slice beets in half and place in a large microwave-proof bowl.  Add ¾ inch water and cover with a plate.  Microwave on high until tender, about 9-20 minutes, depending on your microwave’s power.  Drain and slip off skins.
Uses:  Use cooked beets in cold salads, or dress simply with vinaigrette, onions, salt and pepper.  Beets are also good tossed with sour cream, minced onion, fresh herbs and walnuts.

Zoey onion – These large onions are moderately mild, more pungent than Walla Wallas.  They will brown and fry nicely, but not as well as the yellow onions we’ll send soon.  Basically, they are an intermediate step between Walla Wallas and pungent yellow onions.

Oregano – Cover and refrigerate.  Alternatively, you can wash your oregano bundle and hang it to dry in a dry spot.  Don’t try to keep at room temperature with the stems in a glass of water.  This is the second cutting so some of the stems are woody.

RECIPE LOG

Visit our Recipe Log, a list of all our 2017 recipes to date.

RECIPE FROM BETH (Lauren is on vacation)

Sausages and Summer Beans with Tomatoes and Caramelized Onions
Adapted from the New York Times.
This is our go-to recipe for braising beans.  The beans get tender and delectable, and the tomatoes+wine cook down to a glaze. You can use Romano or green beans; slicing tomatoes or cherry tomatoes.  Pre-cooked sausages make the preparation easy.  Beth
Serves 4.

1 lb pre-cooked turkey or chicken sausages
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
1 pound Romano or green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil (1/2 c) or parsley (1/2 c) or oregano (1/4 c)
Fleur de sel or coarse sea salt, for serving (optional).

1. Slice the sausages diagonally.  Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet with a cover.  Saute the sausages until the slices are browned on one side.  Remove sausages from the pan and set aside to cool.

2. Add another 2 Tbsp oil to the hot pan. Add onion, thyme sprigs (optional) and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar. Saute over medium-high heat until onions are golden in spots and browned around edges.

3. Add tomatoes and saute until they start to release their juices, 2 minutes.  Add beans and wine and toss to mix everything in the pan.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes. Uncover pan, add herbs and continue to cook. Toss beans occasionally, until liquid evaporates and beans are done to taste, 5 to 30 minutes, adding water to pan if it dries out.  Return the sausages and any accumulated juices to the pan to re-heat.  Garnish with coarse salt if you like.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.

LOCAL THYME RECIPES

Comforting Classics

Sweet and Sour Stewed Eggplants, Tomatoes and Peppers
Romano Bean and Meatball Stew
Beet and Spaghetti with Poppy Seeds
Tomato Cucumber Relish

Outside the Box Recipes

Dengaku Style Eggplant
Romano Beans Sauteed with Oregano
Beet and Cucumber Salad with Feta and Couscous
Melon and Tomato Salad with Ricotta Salata

Quick and Easy Meal

Tomato Tarte Tatin with Fresh Herbs

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