Since my cooking was pretty patchy and my posting even patchier as the end of the year drew nigh, I’m just going to post the last three mondo Winter CSA Share allotments all at once. Most of this stuff stores well; I have loads of potatoes, onions, garlic and squash in the pantry, and the veggie drawers in the fridge are stuffed with turnips, rutabaga, beets, carrots, etc.
#2 arrived right before Thanksgiving:
-Salad greens
-Kale
-Butternut squash
-Celeriac
-Red and yellow potatoes
-Turnips
-Rutabaga
-Cabbage
-Parsnips
-Carrots
-Garlic
#3, from early December:
-Bok Choi
-Leeks (used on the pizzas for the Christmas party)
-Carrots
-Onions
-Potatoes
-Kohlrabi
-Butternut squash
-Chili peppers
-Garlic
And the fourth and final share, from the week of Christmas:
-Salad greens
-Spinach
-Potatoes
-Celeriac
-Daikon radishes
-Onions
-Popcorn
-Garlic
-Rutabaga
-Carrots
-Beets!!
I’m saving those beets for next week, but I can taste them already!
By the way, last night I thawed out a frozen portion of the beef, leek and barley soup I made a couple months ago. I thought that recipe was really bland, and recommended searing the meat next time, at the very least. Well, it was just as bland upon reheating (shocking, I know), so in addition to salt and pepper I added a ton of grated parmesan cheese. It made the difference; the soup was delicious. Just a nice reminder of the power of umami… If you’re cooking something and it tastes bland, add soy sauce or parmesan, depending on which one seems logical, to get a nice flavor boost.
Yes. Good parm fixes everything. Can’t make risotto without it — mildly tasty becomes hell yes. Same for white bean soup, a good rind makes the difference.
We’re hoping to join a CSA in the spring — just worry that we won’t make use of all of it (it always seems like a lot).
I wish we had used that butternut squash for something over Thanksgiving! Soup? Gratin? Pizza? I love squash. And seeing all your onions makes me think of caramelizing them and using them on – wait for it – pizza.
xox
Mom