August 19, 2009: This week’s featured fruits and vegetables are: Red cabbage, zucchini, cucumber, carrots, SWEET peppers (they are multi color – they are sweet), eggplant, sweet corn, leek, and salad mix.

Farmer Pam sent this message on Tuesday night:

Just finishing up – wow what a day – over 100 today and now severe t-boomers and high winds and howling rain.

The day was long – the boxes are heavy – everyone worked long and hard to bring you a very colorful and bountiful box today – lots of produce – we hope you enjoy your produce.

Be sure to open all your boxes and parcel up your produce in the refrigerator – this little mini heat wave has been a real challenge for people and veggies

If you have any questions, please be sure to email.

Best Regards,

Pam & the crew @ Calvert Farm

Recipes: Entertaining a la CSA

Last week I made this Marrakesh Vegetable Curry for our dinner guests and oh my gosh, but it was fabulous! Luckily it fits this week’s vegetables perfectly too. Try adding about a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger, and, for a no-fat version, just take all the ingredients (except the oil), throw them all in a slow cooker on low (or, if you’re me, a solar oven), and do your best to wait 2-3 hours while the kitchen smells more and more fantastic.

This week, I’m entertaining again, and have found lots of great-looking dishes that feature veggies from our CSA box. With the tomato explosion from our garden and some of last week’s peaches and basil to supplement this week’s offerings, I’m making stuffed tomatoes with peaches, corn, cucumbers, and basil. With this week’s zucchini, peppers, and leeks, I’ll make mini vegetable frittatas. And then, triumph of triumphs, I will put the red cabbage into this amazing veggie slaw (as described in The Washington Post, June 17, 2009), though I will probably substitute green beans for sugar snap peas, for greater adherence to the season. (Note: do not skip the toasted cumin seeds – they are critical!)

Veggie Slaw: a Make-Ahead Recipe

This is a very colorful slaw, perfect for summer and an excellent accompaniment for grilled and smoked meats. Red cabbage really makes it look nice, but feel free to use white cabbage or, better yet, a combination of the two. Chopping by hand (it takes only a few minutes) keeps the slaw chunky, which gives it a different look and texture from shredded slaw.

MAKE AHEAD: The slaw, without the peas and corn, is best made several hours ahead of time but can be made a day in advance. The corn and sugar snaps can be blanched the day before. Add the sugar snaps and corn to the slaw just before serving, to keep the peas from turning brown and the red cabbage from releasing some of its color.

8 to 10 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups cabbage, chopped (from 1 large head; about 18 ounces)
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into small dice (1 cup)
1 bunch scallions, white and light-green parts, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 small jalapeño pepper (stemmed), with seeds, chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/2 small bunch cilantro (leaves and stems), chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup canola oil
Juice from 2 or 3 limes (2 tablespoons) (can use more to taste)
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (or you might skimp on this a little)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted (see NOTE)
8 ounces sugar snaps (strings removed), cut on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
Kernels from 3 ears of fresh corn (2 cups)

Directions:

Combine the cabbage, red pepper, scallions, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, oil, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and cumin seeds in a large bowl; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Fill a medium bowl with ice cubes and water.

Fill a medium saucepan two-thirds with water; place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the sugar snaps and corn; cook (blanch) for 1 minute, then drain the vegetables in a colander and transfer them to the ice-water bath to stop them from cooking.

Discard the ice cubes; drain the vegetables and blot them dry on paper towels. Transfer to a resealable plastic food storage bag, seal and refrigerate until ready to use.

Add the sugar snaps and corn to the cabbage mixture and toss just before serving.

NOTE: To toast cumin seeds, heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool completely.

Food for Thought: Meet Me At the Fair

This is the last week for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, continuing through this Sunday at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Learn to milk a cow, watch honey bee demonstrations, or attend any of several showings of all different kinds of livestock, and step a little closer to farm life (oh, and yeah, there are funnel cakes and ferris wheels too).