Yesterday was my Friday. Working in restaurants for the past few yeas has made it so I haven't had a "real" weekend since 2008. I find myself in bed at 9:30 on Saturday nights and out till two or three in the morning on Wednesdays. After leaving work I trudged over to the Church of the Redeemer on Crescent Street to pick up the first week's bounty of the CSA I signed up for way back in March. I say trudged because I don't have an umbrella and it was raining. When I was about halfway there I realized there was a bus route that went from right next to my apartment to one block from the church. When I got to my stop I waited for the bus's back doors to open but they didn't and it was only after the bus started moving again did I read the sign posted clear as crystal on the door "Press Tape to Open." After furiously pressing the tape on the door at every stop sign and red light the driver finally let me out at the next stop two blocks away. I should have just kept walking because it had started to rain harder. FML
Flowers in front of the Church of the Redeemer
When I got to the church there were signs telling me where to go for Harvest Astoria. Good thing because last time I was there I waited in an empty pew for twenty minutes before any one asked me what the hell I was doing.
The Church of the Redeemer
After finally getting out of the rain I was welcomed by a man who informed me that starting next week, Harvest Astoria will be accepting compost. The idea is we give them food scraps in exchange for what will food become scraps. I'm all for composting and reducing the amount of garbage I produce but I really don't want to have to take a bag of trash on the bus. In high school I had an assignment for my Environmental Science class where we had to carry around a garbage bag and record how much garbage we through away in a week. My girlfriend at the time (who was disgusted by garbage) broke up with me.
I will be eating you TONIGHT!
The variety of what Norwich Meadows Farms had to offer us this week was about what I expected but the amount was more than I know what to do with. Mint will be in everything I eat for the next two weeks.
You will become stir fry.
The take this week: 2 head Pac Choi, 2 heads red leaf lettuce, 1/2 lb radishes, 1/3 lb mint, 3/4 pound kale and about 1/10 lb garlic scapes. I opted in for the bi-weekly egg share so I got a dozen jumbo eggs as well.
Garlic Scapes: Preferred aromatic of Slytherin House
These snaky looking things are garlic scapes. They grow out of the top of a bulb of garlic and have a lighter flavor than garlic though it has been proven to be just as effective against vampires. Try them in stir fry or pureed into pesto.
This is your brain on CSA jumbo eggz.
The first thing I did when I got home was crack one of the eggs into a pan and over-easy that shit with a little bit of olive oil. The white didn't leak out all over the pan and the yolk was a vibrant yellow, almost neon. This is one of the best eggs I've ever eaten. I can't wait to omelette it up a notch this weekend.
Yum
After devouring the egg I got to work making dinner. I had some overripe avocados that I got from work so the decision was almost made for me: Guacamole Salad with Mint and Shaved Radish.
You will need:
About seven large leaves of lettuce (preferably from Harvest Astoria)
1 clove of garlic
1 lime (zest and juice)
1/2 jalapeno or serrano chile
1 overripe (mushy as hell) avocado
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 sprigs of mint (Harvest Astoria)
1 radish (Harvest Astoria)
When purchasing produce from farmstands, farmer's markets or CSA's you should always wash them thoroughly. No pre-washed, bagged arugala here. Wash the lettuce, pat it dry with paper towels and tear it by hand into bite sized pieces.
In a mixing bowl, begin building the dressing (guacamole) by adding minced garlic and the zest of one lime
Then add the lime juice and slices of chile. I used a serrano because I like the heat. I sliced them on a mandoline to make them uniform and paper thin.
Add the mushy avocado and mash it up with a whisk or puree in a food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pick the mint leaves from the stems and add them to the mixing bowl along with the lettuce leaves. Toss until everything is coated evenly. Shave radishes with a mandoline or a vegetable peeler and use to garnish finished salad.
Coming soon from my CSA take: Braise Kale, Pac Choi and Garlic Scape Stir Fry, Lots more mint!
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