CSA Week 4, Our inner Drew Barrymore

Vegetable List
Gonzales Cabbage
Rainbow Chard
Cucumb'o'rama
Orion Fennel
Kossak Kohlrabi
Pint 'o' Peas
Radicchio
Some Kind Of Summer Squash and/or Zucchini


Notes from the Farm
I feel the story arch from E.T. really captures the spirit of this week's share.
I, like most folks (I presume), generally exist in a system of patterns... I eat the same kind of foods, watch the same kind of shows, swim the same beaches and take the same walks. I don't think there is anything wrong with it, but it becomes a habitual pattern of self...
And then one day, there is something radically different in the pattern, you meet an alien, an Extra Terristrial, and everything goes sideways... at first, your inner child-like Drew Barrymore is terrified... doesn't even know where to begin understanding what's going on around you. The new normal sets in, there are some adventures, some miss-adventures and generally a unifiying kind of excitement that culminates in the very real, very sad relality that you need to let your alien friend go... and your inner child-like Drew Barrymore crys... a little bit sad, and more than bit grateful to have had the time she did with her alien friend.
You see, Fennel, Radicchio and Kohlrabi are not on the menu in most situations... there isn't a Fennel island in Hannafords like there is with oranges... there isn't a Radicchio topping option at Burger King... and you'd be hard pressed to find Kohlrabi outside of a farmers' market in most areas. These vegetables are on the outer perifery of most folk's culinary radar...
At the pickup, it's not a bad thing to be a little surprised by these alien foods lurking in the wayside. And it takes a bit of work, but with a recipe here and a substitution there, you'll be well on your way to some noteable adventures and miss-adventures... making culinary memories... and before you know it, onces you've cracked the code and found ways to truly love them, they'll be gone for another season , another 8 months of cold, and 8 months of waiting, wondering, if the fennel will be as good next year (cue a tearful inner child-like Drew Barrymore).
Embrace the foreign, love the unknown, leap at the adventure... and peel your Kohlrabi and just taste it, don't eat the Radicchio raw (no matter how curious you are), and carmalize your fennel like you would onions...
This is what the CSA is all about... These are the days we'll remember...


Recipes
Fontina, Fennel, and Onion Pizzafolks who have been with us have seen this recipe before... I include it everytime, because it's that amazing.
1 ½ cups of chopped fennel and 1 ½ cups chopped white onions slowly cooked down in a skillet with oil until caramalized.
4 ounces shredded fontina cheese
fennel fronds
Pizza dough
Herb Oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
The Grilled directions are below, but you can also just make pizza in your oven.
1. Heat it up: Set up a grill with heat source, coals or gas, on one side over medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill.
2. Stretch it: On a lightly floured work surface, stretch or roll 1 piece Basic Grilled Pizza Dough or 4 ounces store-bought dough into a 10-inch-long oval or other desired shape. Brush one side lightly with Herb Oil or olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill it: Using your hands, place dough, oiled side down, directly over heat source. Brush dough with herb oil or olive oil and cook until underside is lightly charred and bubbles form all over top, 1 to 2 minutes. With tongs, flip dough and cook until lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide dough to cooler side of grill.
4. Top it: Top with cheese and fennel fronds; cover grill. Cook until cheese melts and toppings are heated through, 2 to 5 minutes.
Grilled Radicchio1 head radicchio
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


Heat grill until it is medium hot. Slice the radicchio lengthwise into six wedges. Using a pastry brush, brush the olive oil over all sides of the radicchio. Sprinkle radicchio and wedges with salt and pepper. Place the radicchio wedges on the grill, away from direct flame. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden and tender, 6 to 8 minutes depending on heat of grill. Serve immediately.
It's also great finished with a slice of parmesian or pecarrino just before it's removed from the heat so that the cheese melts a bit.