CSA - A share of the good life.

I am the proud owner of a CSA share, (Community Supported Agriculture for those who don't know) and this is my first year experiencing it. I've always loved going to the farmer's market and supporting local farmers, so when my friend Jennie, (always the green thumb) told me she was going to be offering CSA shares (her first time too), I was extra excited to be supporting not only a local farmer, but a local farmer I've gotten drunk with! And get this, she delivers! So let me break this down, my friend is going to grow fresh produce in her garden and drop the bounty on my doorstep once a week? Uh, yes please!

I've been blown away with the incredible things that have shown up Tuesday mornings at my front door and have been especially excited to create yummy meals from them. It's like Iron Chef or Chopped, a basket of secret ingredients arrives and I have to think of fun things to do with them! When you get some of the same veggies week after week it forces creativity (you can only have so much sauteed kale) So here are two *recipes I've done recently with my farm fresh produce and, because I can't do anything if it doesn't involve wine, some wine pairings as well!

*Note: I use the word recipe lightly as I don't really use recipes, these are more like guidelines.

Raw Carrot Salad
1 bunch of multi-colored carrots, sliced thin on an angle
1/4 head of Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, julienned or grated
1/4 cup quick pickled red onion, "recipe" below
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbl sugar
1/2 of a juicy lime, squeeze heartily
about a tsp each of dried cumin and corriander
1tbl. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together and let marinate about 30 minutes, serve. Tastes even better the next day!

Quick Pickled Red Onion:
1/4 of a large red onion, sliced finely
equal parts (about 1 Tbl each) sugar and salt
A few splashes of red wine vinegar (enough to mostly coat onion)

Toss onion in sugar, salt, and vinegar. Let marinate, tossing regularly to let all onions soak it up, at least 30 min.


Blistered Baby Veggie Sandwich
Olive oil (for drizzling)
A few yellow and green baby pattypan squash, quatered
Some baby zucchini, sliced in halt
A few baby carrots, sliced in half (quarters for larger ones)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary, slightly bashed with the back of a knife
1 super-ripe tomato
A loaf of crusty bread, like cibatta
Roasted garlic and basil aioli (recipe below)

Line a hot grill with tin foil to prevent losing veggies down the grates.
Toss veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and herbs, let stand at room temp about 30 min. Throw on foil lined grill and cook until vegetables are blistered and slightly charred, about 12 minutes for carrots and 8 minutes for squash and zucchini, turning occasionally.
Brush crusty bread with oil and place oil side down on grill to lightly char.
Slather bread with aioli, top with grilled veggies and sliced tomato. Eat and be merry.

Roasted Garlic and Basil Aioli
1 whole head of garlic, roasted
1 cup or more of mayo
1/4 fresh basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Squeeze garlic out of skins and mash into mayo, add basil and s&p.

Both of these dishes happen to pair beautifully with something crisp, cold and fresh. Try the Domaine La Hitaire La Tours from Gascony in France. The wine has a lovely bright nose of lemon zest and lime with a hint of peach. The palate is full of fresh orchard fruit with a zippy edge of citrus peel. The wine is made completely in stainless steel to preserve the freshness of the fruit.