Dear Common Thread CSA Members,

Green-top 0nions and carrots are in this week, and we continue to have a good amount of zucchini and cucumbers, so it feels like we're firmly past the early part of the season when greens are the mainstay of our diet.  We just dug a gorgeous bed of carrots.  Unfortunately, the tool we used to loosen them snapped the ends off of a percentage of them, so a few of your carrots will be missing their tips (big sigh - they looked so perfect!) but they are still very tasty.  

We been glad that we've been able to provide food to a number of food panties this season.  We have been donating food that is left at the end of CSA or markets to Hope House in Utica, Community Action Partnership (CAP) in Morrisville, and ACR Health in Utica.  We have also been working with three different pantries that received grants to purchase fresh local vegetables for their clients and asked us to work with them:  the Hamilton Food Cupboard, Grace Episcopal Food Pantry in Syracuse, and the Rescue Mission of Utica.  Also, through donations of Common Thread CSA members, we've also been able to subsidize CSA shares for 7 different families or individuals who wouldn't have been able to afford to participate without some assistance.  We're very glad that we have been able to increase access to healthy vegetables in the local community!

Many thanks to Marsha Guzewich for volunteering on the farm this past week!

Radicchio is related to escarole and is similarly bitter, but has beautiful red leaves that add a lot of color to a salad, as well as texture and flavor.  I just tear up leaves into small pieces and add to a salad with other greens and toppings.  It can be cooked as well.  Here is a recipe:

Grilled, Broiled or Pan-Seared Radicchio

 

Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

 

a firm head of Radicchio 

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

 

Extras: Pancetta or bacon, gorgonzola or parmesan or asiago cheese, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, chopped parsley

 

Cut the chicory heads into wedges about 2 inches thick at the widest point. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper or wrap wedges in bacon or pancetta.   Grill until color dulls and the wedges soften, about 5 minutes on each side.  If searing put a cast iron frying pan with a thin coat of olive oil over medium-high heat.  When very hot add the chicory and allow leaves to brown on one side then flip and cook the other, about 5 minutes in all.  Alternatively cook the chicory in a broiler for about 5 minutes. To serve transfer the wedges to a plate and press the wedges to open the leaves. Season with more salt and pepper, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice, parsley and one of the cheeses

Zucchini is so versatile.  I grew up eating it steamed with cheddar cheese melted on top so that's usually how I make the first zucchini of the season.  More recently though, my favorite way to prepare zucchini is to lightly coat it with oil and salt and bake it in the oven at 400 degrees until it is cooked through and eat with pasta or rice.  It's also delicious cold later, in a sandwich.  Last night I made a recipe I hadn't made in a while from the original "Moosewood Cookbook"  I added sauce and cheese to the top which made it very rich and great over pasta almost like an eggplant parmesan:

olive oil and flour for the pan

2 cups (packed) grated zucchini or summer squash

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup grate mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan

optional pinches of basil, majoram, and/or rosemary

2 Tbs olive oil

Topping Suggestions:

extra olive oil

1 large ripe tomato, sliced

extra mozzerella, sliced or grated

2 to 3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

sauteed mushrooms

thinly sliced bell peppers

sliced olives

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Generously oil a 10 - inch pie pan an coat lightly with flour.

2. Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, mozzarella, parmesan, herbs, and 1 Tbs. olive oil in a bowl and mix well.

3. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.  About halfway through the baking, brush with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil (optional).  Remove from oven.  When it has cooled for about 10 minutes, use a spatula to loosen the crust from the pan, so it won't break later.

4.  Top with your favorite pizza items and bake at 400 degrees until heated through.

Wendy and Asher