Welcome to the 24th share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Broccoli
• Bunching Onions
  
• Daikon Radishes
  
• Bok Choy
  
• Tatsoi – A slightly spicier spinach substitute, tatsoi is great raw or cooked.  Click here for a great rundown on tatsoi over at Food52.
  
• Mixed Sweet Peppers
• Cilantro
• Eggplant
• Green Tomatoes – Fry them, pickle them, turn them into salsa, or try this delicious sounding  green tomato sauce from Saveur.
  
• Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash – An orange kabocha with deep orange flesh that’s smooth and sweet, great for pies and soups!  Not great for long term storage though.  I suggest cooking up the meat and freezing it if you’re not going to use it up in the next week or two.
  

Curious about the final share contents next week?  It will likely include potatoes, leeks, butternut squash, a pie pumpkin, parsley, onions, red poblano peppers, kale, mustards, and corn flour.  Additions and subtractions are of course possible, but that’s the goal.

This ninth season of the P&C Summer CSA is quickly coming to an end.  Somehow we’ve made it through 24 weeks of vegetables and we’ll wrap it up officially next week with a celebration of the harvest at Thanksgiving.  Since we began this farming experiment ten years ago I’ve appreciated the Thanksgiving holiday as a way to mark the seasonal shift and reflect on the past growing season.  Plus a holiday that celebrates community and food couldn’t get any better in my book.

The community that keeps this farm afloat is very special and I hope you know we couldn’t do this without your support.  We’ll certainly be giving thanks for you all next week.  This community is made up of an amazing assortment of friends and parents and kids and grandparents and it’s a pleasure to bring food to your families.  I know 2018 has not been an easy year for everyone, including several members who have faced serious health issues this season, but I hope cooking and eating local, fresh food has been a highlight through this year.

For those of you joining us in the Winter CSA we’ll be starting again December 18th/19th with the bi-weekly shares.  Look out for an email from me in the coming weeks with all the details and dates and reminders.

Another thing we’re thankful for this year is the house that’s on the horizon.  Last Friday we were able to visit the factory in Albany and see it on the production line.  They really know how to knock these things out.  Over the past week it went from bare floor to having finished walls and windows installed!  When we were visiting they were painting the interior and putting on the red metal roof.  After months of playing with floor plans and going back and forth on which upgrades we could afford it’s exciting to see it all come together.  I can’t wait to see the finishing touches like the exterior painted and kitchen cabinets installed.  Delivery may happen as soon as Friday, or may be delayed until after Thanksgiving due to ODOT rules around holiday travel on the highways.  Either way, it’s great to be in the final stages of this project.

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you next week for the last pick-up of the Summer CSA season!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Grilled Halibut, Eggplant, and Bok Choy with Korean Barbecue Sauce

• 4 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced serrano chile with seeds
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 8 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
• 4 medium-size Japanese eggplants, trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets (each about 1 inch thick)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and chile; sauté until fragrant and light golden, about 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons water and bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes (sauce will be thin). Remove barbecue sauce from heat; whisk in sesame oil. Transfer 1/4 cup barbecue sauce to small bowl and reserve for serving.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Combine bok choy and eggplant halves in large bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush fish with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables and fish until vegetables are tender and slightly charred and fish is just opaque in center, turning occasionally and brushing with sauce, about 10 minutes total for vegetables and 7 minutes total for fish. Transfer vegetables and fish to plates; sprinkle with green onions. Drizzle with reserved sauce and serve.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-halibut-eggplant-and-baby-bok-choy-with-korean-barbecue-sauce-235590

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Daikon, Carrot, and Broccoli Slaw

• 8 ounces daikon (Japanese white radish),* peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 large)
• 6 ounces peeled baby carrots
• 6 ounces broccoli stems, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce*

Fit processor with large-hole grating disk. Working with a few pieces at a time, push daikon, carrots, and broccoli stems through feed tube until all vegetables are grated. Transfer vegetables to medium bowl. Add green onions. Whisk vinegar, ginger, oil, and chili-garlic sauce in small bowl to blend; pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Season with salt and serve.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/daikon-carrot-and-broccoli-slaw-240679

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Tatsoi and Warm Scallop Salad with Spicy Pecan Praline

• 1/3 cup pecans, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 pound sea scallops
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 large firm-ripe avocado (preferably California)
• 7 cups tatsoi (thick, spoon-shaped Asian greens) or baby spinach  leaves, washed well and spun dry

In a bowl stir together pecans, salt, and cayenne. In a dry small heavy skillet or saucepan cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted and cook, without stirring, swirling skillet or pan, until a golden caramel. Add pecan mixture and stir to coat nuts with caramel. Spoon praline onto a sheet of foil and cool. Transfer praline to a cutting board and chop fine. Praline can be made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.

Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary and halve any large scallops. On a sheet of wax paper combine flour, salt, cumin, and cayenne and dip flat sides of each scallop into mixture to coat, knocking off excess. In a skillet heat butter and olive oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté scallops, flat sides down, until golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes on each flat side. Remove skillet from heat and cool scallops slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together lemon juice , extra-virgin olive oil, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste until emulsified. Peel and pit avocado and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Cut wedges in half crosswise and add to dressing. Add scallops with any liquid remaining in skillet, tatsoi or spinach, and praline and gently toss to coat.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/tatsoi-and-warm-scallop-salad-with-spicy-pecan-praline-12399

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