August 1! CSA

Here we are in August!

We have all the potatoes harvested and stored; the new litter of barn cats has been discovered, the onion field is disced in and sown in a cover crop of buckwheat, and we are planting fall crops!  ( turnips, daikon radish, beets, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)

Boxes this week:  3 lbs. tomatoes, 1 canteloupe melon, 1 lb. fairytale eggplant, 1 bunch thai basil, 1 head of green cabbage, 1 pint of mixed cherry tomatoes, garlic, onions.  Regular shares also get:  2 lbs. purple peruvian fingerling potatoes, 1 celery, 2 lbs. of sauce tomatoes.

The tomatoes are hanging in there but probably only for another week or two.  The melons are pretty good but not as sweet as they could be were it not raining so much.  If you get a totally bad one, please let us know next week and you can get another one.  The thai basil is an excellent additon to stirfries and curries and also makes a pleasant pesto.  The purple fingerlings are an almost wild potato that will be best roasted whole tosssed in some olive oil and salt n pepper.

Look at all the potatoes!

 Roasted Eggplant and Tomato with Nuts
from Farmer John's cookbook

1/4 cup chopped pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts
1 lb. eggplant
1/2 lb tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup apple or white grape juice
3 Tblspn balsamic vinegar
3 Tblspn chopped parsley
2 Tblspn prepared grainy mustard
2 Tblspn lemon or lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

1. heat oven to 375 degrees
2. toast the nuts in a dry heavy skillet over high heat until they become fragrant.  about 1 minute.  transfer immediately to a cool dish.
3. brush a baking sheet with oil.  cut the eggplant in half and arrange on the sheet.  Pile the diced tomatoes arounf the eggplant.  roast until the eggplant is soft, about 30 minutes.
4. Mix the remaining ingredients for the dressing.  add the olive oil last by pouring in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until the dressing is thick and doesn't separate.
5. Remove veggies from oven and spoon 2/3 of dressing over the cut surfaces.  let the veggies cool.
6.  when the veggies have reached room temp., transfer to individual plates and drizzle remaining dressing over them.  sprinkle toasted nuts over top, season with salt and pepper.  serve at room temp.
this is delicious with chevre sprinkled on top.

Aaron and Addiebelle inspecting the tomatoes