CSA Week 5

Hello, hello, Misfit Members! Happy Thursday! The first sign of summer is here: Cherry tomatoes! Woo-hoo! Here's what's in your box this week:

-Toscano Kale

-Tatsoi

-Snap Peas

-Cucumbers

-Patty Pan Squash, Yellow Squash, Zucchini

-Cherry tomatoes: Red, Chocolate cherry, Sun gold, Yellow Pear

-Okra, assorted peppers, or radish

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Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

-1/2 bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces

-1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage

-8 slices bacon, diced

-1 yellow onion, diced

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch

-4 cups chicken stock

-4 large russet potatoes, peeled & diced into 1/2 inch pieces

-1 cup heavy cream

-Salt and pepper, to taste

-Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:

-Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat. Add a small drizzle of oil, then brown sausage, crumbling as it cooks. Drain well, then remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

-Fry bacon until crisp, then remove to plate with the sausage. Drain all but 1-2 Tbsp of bacon grease.

-Add onion to pot and cook 5 minutes, adding garlic the last minute.

-Sprinkle flour over onion and garlic in pot, then stir to combine. Pour in chicken stock, stirring as you pour. Add in potatoes and bring to a boil.

-Gently boil about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Add in cooked sausage, most of the bacon, heavy cream and kale. Stir and cook 5-10 minutes until kale is wilted.

-Taste and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired. Top with remaining bacon.

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Tatsoi Pizza

Ingredients:

-1 lb pizza dough

-1 cup ricotta cheese

-4 cloves garlic, minced

-3/4 tsp salt, divided

-3 large Yukon gold potatoes

-2 cups tatsoi, roughly chopped

-Extra Virgin Olive oil for drizzling

-Kosher salt to taste and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Place a pizza stone or large rimless baking sheet in the center rack of the oven and preheat to 450.

-Combine the ricotta, garlic, salt and the pepper in a bowl and set aside.

-Slice potatoes very thinly using a mandolin. Place potatoes in a colander and rinse off excess starch. Toss the potatoes with 1/2 tsp salt and let sit 10 minutes, allowing them to release the excess moisture. Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.

-Form dough into a 14" circle (or rectangle, depending on what type of pan you're using).

-Spread dough with ricotta mixture. Top evenly with potatoes, creating two layers, and discarding any remaining. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and bake 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and the potatoes tender. Slide out the rack and top with the tatsoi. Bake 5 minutes longer or until tatsoi is wilted.

-Cool slightly before slicing. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt to taste.

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The garlic decided to tap out early for the season, so I went ahead and pulled it this week. I'm sure last week's extreme heat had something to do with that. I have it hung up in the packing shed to cure for another week or two, then you'll start seeing them in deliveries! They're a little smaller than I had hoped, but considering they matured a month early I think they did pretty good.

I think that's all for this week. Have a great week and don't forget to wash your produce!!