2020 CSA Week 14 Recipes

Fresh Tomato & Corn Salsa

Dice 2-3 cocktail tomatoes, about 2 cups. Dice 1 sweet pepper. Dice 1/2 jalapeno pepper, or 1 whole pepper for very hot salsa. Dice 1 red onion. Cut the kernels off 2 ears of corn (optional- grill corn beforehand for more flavor). Combine chopped tomatoes, peppers, red onion, jalapeno, and corn in a serving bowl. Add 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Allow salsa juices to meld for at least 30 minutes before serving for improved flavor.

Eggplant-Pepper Tomato Sauce over Pasta

Dice 1 eggplant into 3/4 inch cubes. Slice 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in half. Dice 1-2 sweet peppers. Dice 1 medium yellow onion. Mince 2 cloves garlic. 

In a large deep dish skillet add 3 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add eggplant and a pinch of salt, then allow to cook for 5 minutes undisturbed, then saute and continue cooking until it begins to brown. Remove eggplant and add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Add diced peppers, onion, and garlic and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and continue cooking. 

Add cooked eggplant and 1/4 cup finely chopped basil. Add 2 cups vegetable broth or water and 2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 Tbsp fresh oregano), 1 tsp salt, or more to taste, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook until sauce has thickened and vegetables are soft. 

Cook 1/2 lb of pasta (your choice such as penne, rigatoni, or rotini) to nearly cooked, but slightly al dente.

Toss pasta with sauce in pan and garnish with additional finely chopped basil and mozzarella. 

Easy Cherry Tomato Focaccia

In a cold medium skillet, combine 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, finely minced, and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper. Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5-10 minutes until garlic becomes aromatic, but before it browns. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine 1 cup warm water, 2 1/4 tsp yeast, and 1/2 tsp honey. Stir, then let sit for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 cup infused garlic-olive oil mixture to the bowl with yeast and honey. Stir 3-4 times until flour has moistened, then let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 additional cups of flour and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Knead dough either by hand or in a bread mixer or machine. Allow to rise for 1 hr in a large oiled bowl covered with a warm, damp towel. .

Preheat oven to 450F. Cut about 20 cherry tomatoes in half. Using 2 Tbsp of remaining garlic-infused oil to grease a 9x13 inch rimmed baking sheet. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet then spread it out and press it down with your fingers. Use your fingers to dimple the dough, then press the cut cherry tomatoes evenly throughout the bread. Drizzle the top with the remaining 2 Tbsp of infused oil. Let the dough rise for 20 minutes until it's puffy, then bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Cool the bake focaccia bread on a wire rack. 

Simple Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Soup

Slice the base off the butternut squash to form a stable flat surface. Cut off the top of the squash, then cut the squash in half across the center to separate the neck portion of the squash from the seed cavity portion. Skin the two halves of the squash, then scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. For the base of the soup dice 1/2 yellow onion, the stems of 1 bunch Swiss chard, and 2 carrots. Mince 2 cloves garlic. In a large stock pot add 3 tbsp cooking oil or butter over medium high heat. Add diced onions, Swiss chard stems, carrots, and garlic, and saute for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add diced squash and saute another 5 minutes. Add 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock to the pot and stir to incorporate all ingredients. Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1 pinch of nutmeg, and 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend between half or all of soup (depending on how chunky you want your soup) in a blender. Then return soup to the stove top over medium heat. Chop Swiss chard greens into 1 inch ribbons and add to the soup, then cook another 5 minutes until the greens are wilted. Serve with crunchy bread. 

Bruschetta over French Baguette

To make bruschetta- saute 2 cloves minced garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium low heat. Saute just until they begin to brown and become fragrant- about 1 minute. Remove from heat and combine with about 1.5 cup diced tomatoes, about 3 cocktail tomatoes, in a mixing bowl. Add about 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Add 1/4 cup of chiffonade cut basil ribbons. Toss ingredients together and serve over hearty French bread.