Savoring Your CSA: A Kitchen Field Guide from Local Roots NYC

localrootsnyc.org@localrootsnyc

For our lovely members

2014

savoring your csa

a Kitchen Field Guide from local roots nyc

I. WHERE YOUR SHARE COMES FROMII. SEASONALITY CHARTIII. BRINGING YOUR CSA HOMEIV. STOCKING THE KITCHENV. COOKING YOUR CSAVII. KNIFE SKILLSIX. VEGETABLE SUBSTITUIONSX. COOKING TERMSXI. PRESERVING YOUR CSAXII. MAKING PICKLESXIII. MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS

The best part about being a member of Local Roots NYC is simple: eating locally changes our lives, and the lives of the producers with whom we work.

How? -- Its changing the way we approach food. Were intentional members of our food system, investing in seasonal bounty ahead of time. In picking up our shares of produce, were not only acting as consumers, but were engaged: swapping stories about cooking squash, sorrell leaves and tat soi, and being mindful of waste.

With this guidebook, we share kitchen-tested recipes for making the most of your CSA share. We offer cooking tips, recipes, and plenty of ideas for substitutions and preservation.

INTRODUCTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS:Aly Miller, Local Roots NYC Education + OutreachWen-Jay Ying, Founder + DirectorSarah Goldschadt, CSA Member (pg. 8 & 12)Local Roots NYC Staff

vegetables: ROGOWSKI FAMILY FARM IN WARWICK, NY (certified naturally grown, organic)fruit : PHILLIPS FARM IN MILFORD, NJ (integrated pest management)honey & bee pollan: SWEET THINGS, WILD THYME, AND HONEY IN WARWICK, NYcheese: CONSIDER BARDWELL IN WEST PAWLET, VT (hormone-free, artisanal) + CHASEHOLM CREAMERY IN PINE PLANES, NYeggs : MILLPORT DAIRY IN LANCASTER, PA (free range)milk : RONNYBROOK FARM IN ANCRAMDALE, NY (sustainable methods)meat : ARCADIAN PASTURES IN SLOANSVILLE, NY (grass-fed, heritage bred)fish: GABE THE FISH BABE IN NARRANGANSETT, RI (sustainably fished) + Acme Smoked Fish in Greenpoint, Brooklynjuice : RED JACKET ORCHARD IN GENEVA, NYbread : ORWASHERS BREAD IN NY, NYcoffee, granola, pasta, and artisanal : IN BROOKLYN, NY


large blue circle represents the area that we consider local: less than 250 miles from home

MAP

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CAL RO

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Brooklyn, NY

COFFEEARTISANALpastagranolaacme fish

NY, NYorwashers bread

local roots nycBrooklyn, NY

Warwick, NY

Pine Planes, NYchaseholm creamery

Lancaster, PA

Milford, NJ

West Pawlett, VT

Warwick, NY

Sloansville, NY

Ancramdale, NYGeneva, NY

phillips farm

ronnybrook farm

sweet things, wild thyme & honey

red jacket orchard

consider bardwell farm

arcadian pastures

rogowski family farm

millport dairy

WHERE YOUR SHARE COMES FROM

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BRINGING HOME YOUR CSA

milk + yogurt + meatKeep coldest in the back of the bottom shelf.

CauliflowerLeeksLettuce + GreensMushrooms (paper bag)Peppers

eggs + cheese TIP: To keep cheese fresh, loosely wrap in paper and store in a plastic container.

Woody Herbs: rosemary, thyme, lavender, sage. Store in paper towel in a semi-warm spot.

Botannical Herbs: cilantro, parsley, basil, should be stored in a breathable plastic bag or in a jar with water.

frozen veggies and fruits for later (see page 10)TIP: Freeze your cooking scraps here until you can deliver them to your local farmers market, or turn into a vegetable stock.

coolest

{crisper

Store veggies in plastic bags in the crisper, or another spot:

BeetsBok ChoyBroccoliCabbageCarrots

cucumbers, peppers, zucchini

apples (store with a damp paper towel over them)apricots (keep for 3-5 days)pears (keep for 3-5 days)

storing frui t in the cr isper: s toringherbs

tomatoes (refrigeration ruins their membranes)peachesnectarines

*If you must refriger-ate, let them warm to room temperature before eating for maximum sweetness and juicyness.

store on the counter:

onionspotatoesgarlicbutternut squash pumpkins

store in a dark, cool, dry place:

Tips for keeping your produce fresh:

S toring your fresh produce: Refrigerat ion + Organizat ion


S tore frui ts and vegetables separately. Fruits and some vegetables release ethylene, a ripening agent. You can use it to your advantage if you want to ripen something (try putting a peach and a ripe banana in the same bag to ripen the peach, for example).

warm

freezer

warmest

1. Trim the greens off of root vegetables like carrots and beets (the greens leach nutrients and water out of the roots. Use the greens in pesto or soup!)2. Take off plastic ties or rubber bands around vegetables.3. Wash them! 4. If you want to save even more time in the kitchen, start chopping up your greens, radishes, cabbage, or peppers for salads or sandwiches.

Its easy to forget what youre working with! Make a list of all of your produce

when you get home, and post somwhere visible, like the refrigerator door or

on the cabinet door.

TIP

STOCKING THE KITCHEN

whisk

wooden spoon

slotted spoon

serated knifechefs knife

box grater

metal spatula

paring knife

vegetable peeler

mandolin

measuringspoons + cups

MIXING BOWLS of different sizes (glass, metal, and ceramic are best)

noodles

Eggs

Yogurt + Milk

Honey, Maple Syrup, or Agave Nectar

oats cornmeal or polenta

baking powder + baking sodaRICE:short grain + long grain (brown and white)

FRESH HERBSparsley, cilantro + basil

ginger

onionscelery carrots

fresh lemons + limes

BEANS: dried + canned

OILS:olive oilsesame oil

dijon mustard

tomato paste

soy sauce

VINEGARS:balsalmicricewhite winewhite vinegar

NUTS + SEEDS:pumpkin seedssesame

peanut butter

AROMATICS

SWEETENERS

salt

pepper corns

KNIVES

Kitchen Tools

fine mesh strainer

ITEMS NOT PICTURED: Cutting boardsSauce panCast iron skillet or frying pansStock pot8x10 baking panImmersion blender

Ingredients to have on hand

garlic

miso paste


One CSA, 5 Meals: Monday: radish-top pesto over soba noodles garnished with slices of raw radishes. slice and pickle radishes for later in the week.

Tuesday: stir-fried broccoli and kale with a ginger-sesame-garlic dressing. Serve with brown rice.

Wednesday: thyme-roasted beets over massaged kale salad. save beets for later in the week.

Thursday: feta-thyme spread with pickled radishes and chickpea salad with a lemon-thyme dressing.

Friday: Use up the rest of your radish-top pesto and serve over wheat berries and Wednesday's roasted beets.

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This Weeks Share:1 bunch of Rad ishes1 head of Broccoli1 bunch of Thyme1 bunch of Beets1 bunch of White Russian Kale

Grate veggies ahead of time and make salads in seconds.

dice your onions, celery, and carrots in the beginning of the week AND

STORE IN A TUPPERWARE IN THE FRIDGE. THE PERFECT WAY TO START A SOUP OR STEW.

roast veggies in the oven. drizzle with olive oil, salt and lemon juice and store in the fridge.

soak beans overnight and cook the next day for an hour.

tips for saving time in the kitchen:


COOKING YOUR CSA

KNIFE SKILLSchefs knife:

serratedknife:

paringknife:

minced: usually used for garlic and ginger. Cut into very small, indistinct pieces by quickly moving your knife back and forth over the food. Sometimes it might help to anchor the tip of the knife blade to the cutting board.

chopped: pieces 1/4 - 1/2 inch in size. used with onions, bell peppers, carrots, and tofu.

coarsley chopped: larger, imprecise chunks that you do with the chefs knife Use this cut before pureeing or mashing, or if youre going for a dish with a rustic feel.

oblique: diagonally cut chunks, usually of zucchini, carrots, and japanese eggplant. Slice one end diagonally, then roll the rest of the vegetable a quarter turn and slice on the same angle. Your knife never changes position; you just keep rolling the vegetable.

chiffonade: Cut leaves like kale or basil into strands or ribbons. Make a pile of washed leaves, roll them from end to end, and slice the roll as thickly or thinly as you like.

dice:like the julienne, but strive for cubes.

peeling, coring, paring: Youll make these cuts with your paring knife. Hold the food in one hand and the knife in the other, and work without a cutting board. You might take the eyes out of potatoes, or peel an apple this way.

julienne: cut into sticks, as big as French fries or as narrow as match sticks. If youre slicing a round food, slice off one end so it lies stable on the cutting board. Slice the food into rectangular strips and then give the strip a quarter turn to slice to the desired thickness.

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Pesto: POUND OR CRUSH BASIL OR OTHER GREENS WITH OLIVE OIL, NUTS, AND

GARLIC.

MASHED:BOIL OR STEAM

THEN MASH WITH BUTTER OR OIL

COOKED GREENS: BLANCH, STIR-FRY,

BRAISE, BOIL

RADISH GREENS

TURNIP GREENS

KALE

PARSNIPS

SWEET POTATOES

CARROTS

CAULIFLOWER

KALE

COLLARD GREENS

SWISS CHARD

SPINACH

BROCCOLI RABESPIGARELLO

BEET GREENS

MINT

localrootsnyc.org @localrootsnyc

GRATED VEGGIES FOR RAW SALADS

CARROTS

BEETS

RADISHES

KOHLRABI

MAPPING VEGETABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

COOKING TERMSBlanch: to immerse fruit or vegetables in boiling water for a minute or so, remove and place in a bowl of ice water. Ex: You can blanch tomatoes to remove its skin. Blanch greens, like collards, to make them taste less bitter. Remove blanched food with a slotted spoon or tongs.

Braise: simmering food slowly in a moderate amount of liquid, results in tender, full-flavored meat or vegetables.

Stir Fry: to quickly cook small pieces of food over high heat while constantly stirring the food until it

Broil: to cook under direct heat in the oven. Ex: Toast with melted cheese and roasted red peppers.

Brown: to cook over medium heat or high heat until the surface of food browns or darkens. Ex: Brown escarole in a frying pan.

Julienne: to cut food into long, thin strips. Sometimes called matchstick. Ex: Julienne carrots and stir-fry.

Puree: to blend food together until it becomes completely smooth. Ex: Puree garlic, basil, walnuts, and olive oil into pesto.

Saute: to cook quickly in a little oil or butter. Ex: Saute mushrooms with ginger and garlic.Simmer: to cook in liquid over low heat so that bubbles just begin to break the surface. Ex: Simmer tofu in salted water.

Brine: heavily salted water used to pickle vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood. Ex: Make a brine of 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vinegar to pickle your carrots.

Crush: to smash food into smaller pieces, using fingers, a mortar and pestle, or the side of a knife. Crushing dried herbs releases their flavor and aroma.Ex: crush oregano between your fingers while adding it to the guacamole.

Dredge: to coat a food, either before or after cooking, with a dry ingredient, such as cornmeal, flour, or sugar.

Marinate: to soak food in a sauce, called a marinade. Ex: marinate strips of steak in a marinade of soy

Mash: to press or beat a food to remove lumps and make a smooth mixture. Can be done with a fork, potato masher, food mill, fod processor, or electric mixer. Ex: Steam cauliflower and mash them with a fork.


PRESERVINGpesto

Ingredients:6 cups any leafy green (try (basil, radish leaf, carrot tops, turnip greens, kale) 1 cup of basil leaves 1/4 cup olive oil1/2 cup nuts or seeds (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds)2 cloves garlic1/4 - 1/2 cup parmesean or any hard cheese (optional)1/4 tsp salt

1. Rinse leaves and remove stems. 2. Blend half the basil with nuts, cheese, and garlic.3. Blend in the rest of the basil.4. With the blender running, add a stream of olive oil. Less oil will make a pesto good for pizza or sandwiches , more oil will be good for soup or pasta.

picklesFor every pound of vegetables,

bring the following to a boil:

1 cup vingar (any kind except balsalmic)1 cup water1/4 cup sugar1 tablespoon kosher saltEXTRAS: fresh or dried herbs, red pepper flakes, mustard seeds, pepper corns, cloves of garlic, curry powder.

1. Make brine2. Put vegetables in a jar or container and cover with brine.3. Let cool to room temp and cover.4. Refrigerate + enjoy.

Keeps for up to 1 month.

jam frozen veggies Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups diced fruit 1 lemon 1/4 cup sugar, or more a pinch of salt

1. Slice a 1-inch wedge from the end of the lemon. Put 2 metal spoons in the freezer to help you check for taste.2. Combine fruit, sugar + salt in the pot. Squeeze in the lemon, and put the wedge in the pot. Mash until a chunky texture, stirring frequently.3. When the fruit starts boiling, keep stirring. Watch for bubbles: when they become smaller and thicker after 5-8 minutes of boiling, check the jam for taste using the frozen spoon.4. The jam is set when you can trace your finger through the jam (on the spoon) and it leaves a track.5. Pour into glass jars, and let cool. Refrigerate for up to three weeks, or freeze with 1/2 inch of space in the jar so the jam can expand.

Blanch your produce first and then freeze to preserve flavor, color and texture. This works

well with carrots, asparagus, snap beans, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, peas, corn, sweet peppers

and onions.

1. Get your materials: slotted spoon, bowl of ice water, and pot of water.2. Cut vegetables into pieces that are the same size so that theyll cook evenly.3. Boil water on the stove and add a few Tbsp. of salt to add flavor, and to fix the color of the vegetables.3. Blanch your vegetables separately, from lightest in color to darkest in color.4. Boil vegetables for 2-5 minutes until almost al dente. 5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a bowl of ice water. 6. Drain and transfer vegetables to a freezer bag or a plastic container, making sure that there is no air left in the bag.

Four ways to extend the season or save what you cant eat this week:


1 cup vinegar

1 cup hot water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 lb. cucumbers

making pickles

Refrigerate+

Enjoy


equivalent measures

1/4 cup =2 oz = 4 Tbsp.

+

1 TBSP = 3 TSP

1 quart32 oz

4 cups

1/3 cup

1 cup8 oz

16 Tbsp

measuring liquids

measuring solids

1 pint16 oz

2 cups

1/8 cup = 2 Tbsp.

5 TBSP & 1 Tsp


Savoring Your CSA: A Kitchen Field Guide from Local Roots NYC

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