Week 7

I think we all tend to cook food we know how to make when we are busy.  For one, it is easy and besides there is something comforting about familiar food.  However, there are finally a lot of vegetables around and while it can be difficult to find time to cook new stuff, I feel obligated to try some new things.  Loving to cook and eat is one of the things that led me to farming.  It is still a motivator and a source of satisfaction.  Alternatively, not taking time to cook new food can start to feel frustrating.  Last week I managed to try something new and get in a rut.  A little over a week ago I had a salad with raw beets in it.  To be honest, I was a little skeptical because I am not crazy about raw beets.  However, the salad was great and when I found out it was from a cookbook I own (Jerusalem), I decided to make it myself the next night when we were having company for dinner.  I made it again last night for a potluck/house warming party we went to.  The same dish, three times in a week.  The recipe is really flexible and I just used it as a guide.  I will include a link below if you are looking for something different to do with your beets.  It is almost as easy as making a dish you prepare regularly from memory.  

Lettuce

Carrots

Cauliflower - These will not be the biggest heads of cauliflower you receive from us (those come in the fall) but they are delicious.  

Beets

Green Beans

Cherry Tomato or Raspberry - your choice until we run out of one or the other

Cucumber

Green Bells - Large Only

Root Vegetable Slaw

I adapted this recipe to what I had available to me and you should feel free to do the same.  I skipped the celery root both times because it is not in season.  I used turnips one time and kohlrabi the other.  I used all the herbs the first night but only had parsley handy last night.  One night I topped it with Labneh, one night I didn't.  Each time it came out great.  Many of you have Chioggia beets in your box.  These are particularly beautiful raw with their candy cane stripes.  As a bonus they don't bleed and are easy to deal with when raw or cooked.  They are a little milder than the dark red beets.