CSA Week 9

Vegetable List

Savoy Cabbage
Beatrice Eggplant
Fairy Tale Eggplant
Mediterranean Eggplant
Lacinato Kale
White Russian Kale
Lincoln Leeks
Muir Lettuce
New Red Fire Lettuce
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions
Bell Peppers
Hotties! Aji Amarillo, Poblano, Green Chile, and Jalapenos
Conservor Shallots
San Marzanos
Sungolds
Tomatoes
PYO Herbs
PYO Flowers


Notes from the Farm

How fun is August... It always feels like the free one, the bonus month of summer, even if it is technically still a part of summer.
July takes effort... so much rushing to relax, working to enjoy, pushing because summer is short. It's a little bit exhausting... But August, August is amazing. Still warm days, but cooler evenings and just a hint of dry autumn air starts to circulate. August gives.
Our farm season, hands in the dirt farm season, is 9 months long... we are right now 7 months deep, and we feel it. It's hard to make up for seasonal exhaustion while we're in it, but fortunately, August just gives.
In August the food just rolls in... and it is it's own kind of relentless, but a joyful relentless... not a bummer relentless like weeding... We see so many tomatoes, so many peppers and eggplants, so much lettuce and greens and onions and leeks and so many other things... and we see the winter squash, so much winter squash!
I'm grateful for August, right about now, mid-August with longer shadows and slightly filtered light... a time to sit and fiddle with my summer memories before summer is over... like a warm hug getting us ready for winter.


Recipes

Roasted-Eggplant Dip with Greek Yogurt

3 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds)
1 small garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

Using tongs, cook eggplants one at a time over the flame of a gas burner (or a grill), turning as skin chars and bubbles, until completely soft, about 15 minutes. (If eggplant doesn't soften, finish cooking on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven.) Let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel off charred skin and discard. Coarsely chop the eggplants, and place in a colander to drain, about 1 hour. Finely chop, and transfer to a bowl.
Using a chef's knife, press flat side of blade back and forth across garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to make a paste. Mix into eggplant. Stir in oil. Mix in yogurt and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. (Dip can be refrigerated, for up to 1 day.) Drizzle with oil before serving.


Grilled Ratatouille Muffaletta

1 medium eggplant, sliced into ½-inch rounds
Coarse salt
½ cup pitted mixed olives, such as Kalamata and Cerignola
2 pepperoncini, stemmed
½ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
4 small tomatoes (1 pound), sliced into ½-inch rounds
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise ¼-inch-thick
1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, patted dry
1 (8-inch) round loaf rustic bread, split horizontally and hollowed out

In a colander, toss eggplant with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse olives, pepperoncini, and parsley until very finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise.
Heat a grill or grill pan to medium. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Toss eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini with oil and season with salt. Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for tomatoes and about 7 minutes each for eggplant and zucchini.
Spread bread with olive mixture. Assemble sandwich with peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.



Nobu’s Eggplant With Miso

Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying
4 Japanese eggplants (about 6 ounces each), halved lengthwise and skin scored in a crosshatch pattern
1 cup Nobu's Den Miso
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Pickled ginger and plums, for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with paper towels; set aside. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees. Working in batches, place eggplants in pan, skin side up, and fry 1 minute. Turn and fry 30 seconds more. Transfer eggplants to baking sheet and let drain.
Transfer eggplants, skin side down, to an unlined baking sheet. Spread each half with slightly more than 1 tablespoon miso. Broil until miso begins to darken and caramelize, about 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with pickled ginger and plums.



Crispy Lemon-Parmesan Eggplant

¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 ½ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (½ cup)
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large eggplant (about 1 ¾ pounds), cut lengthwise into 4 planks
2 teaspoons smoked paprika, plus more for sprinkling
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
5 ounces arugula

Preheat broiler on high with a rack 8 inches below element. Combine panko, cheese, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil to evenly coat. On a rimmed baking sheet, brush eggplant evenly with 2 tablespoons oil; season.
Broil, flipping once, until eggplant is tender and golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes a side. Top evenly with panko mixture (about 1/3 cup on each plank) and broil until panko turns crisp and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, paprika, and remaining 1/4 cup oil; stir in mint and season. Drizzle about half of dressing over eggplant. Squeeze tomatoes over bowl to release juices, then drop them into dressing and toss with arugula to evenly coat. Serve over eggplant, sprinkled with more paprika.