September 30 or october 3 csa

This weeks’ share contents: 1 pound of kale, 1 bunch baby red beets with greens, 1 watermelon radish, 1 bulb of fennel, 1 pound red onions, 1 bulb garlic, 4 pounds of Burgundy sweet potatoes.

The sweet potatoes are ready to eat and taste sweet. They will continue to get sweeter the longer they sit. Store them in a dry place above 55 degrees F. DO NOT REFRIGERATE. You will be getting more of these as well as 2 other varieties of sweet potatoes in future boxes.

Following are 2 recipes adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables

Beet-Green Pasta

Beet greens cooked this way can also be served as a side dish, without the pasta. Also, you can steam the baby beets separately and add to the dish.

1/4 cup currants, 1 pound or so of beet greens, 1 small bunch of mint, 2 medium red onions, 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 cup EV olive oil, 1 pound dried fedelini pasta, salt and pepper.

Cover the currants with boiling water, let them soak for 15 minutes, and drain them. While they are soaking, wash the beet greens, strip the leaves from the stems, and cut the leaves into chiffonade. Chop the stems into 2 inch lengths. Stem the mint, wash the leaves, and chop them into chiffonade.

Put on a pot of salted water for pasta. Peel the onions and the garlic and chop them both fine. Saute them with the bay leaf over medium heat in 1/4 cup of the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Add the beet leaves and stems and the currants and cook 5 minutes more, covered. Meanwhile, when the water has come to a boil, add the pasta. Uncover the beet greens, season with salt and pepper, and add the mint leaves. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and toss well with the sauce, moistening it with a ladle of the pasta water and the rest of the olive oil. Serve immediately.

For a slightly more piquant dish, add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of cayenne.

Radish and Fennel Salad

The recipe in the book calls for dandelion greens. I use the radish greens instead.

1 meyer or other variety of lemon, 2 shallots, 1/4 cup EV olive oil, salt and pepper, 1 bulb fennel, 1 watermelon radish (or several small radishes), optional: white wine vinegar.

Wash and spin dry the radish greens. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle lightly with salt. Gently massage them until they start to sweat a little. Let them sit while preparing the rest of the salad.

Peel a few strips of zest from the lemon and chop very fine to make about 1/2 teaspoon. Juice the lemon; there should be about 1/4 cup.

Peel and chop the shallots very fine, put them in a salad bowl, cover with the lemon juice and zest, and let sit for about 20 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil and season with pepper. Add a splash of white wine vinegar if you like.

Trim the tops of the fennel where the leaves begin. Slice very thin with a knife or mandolin. Cut the radish in half and slice into thin half moons. Rinse the radish greens that have been salted and squeeze as much water out as you can.

Toss all the ingredients together with enough of the dressing to coat them. Taste to see if you need salt or more pepper and serve immediately.

This salad is also good with shredded fresh beets and kalamata olives.