CSA - July 22 P&P

What's in the box

Parsnips, beets, carrots, rutabagas (all last of the season), corn, tomatoes, green beans, onions, garlic, cukes and zukes.

This week's gift: Peach Pepper Jelly. This is not your ordinary peach jelly. It's hot!

Parsnip Tater Curry
Toasting brown mustard seeds in chili oil enhances their characteristic sharpness. Be sure to cover the pan because the seeds will pop as they cook. Use yellow mustard seeds for a tamer heat.
• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1/2 pound parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine chili oil, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until seeds begin to pop, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 1 minute. Stir in cumin and garam masala.
3. Combine spice mixture, olive oil, and next 4 ingredients (through parsnips) in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray; toss to coat. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, turning vegetables after 10 minutes. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with cilantro; toss.

Garlic Alfredo Sauce
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cut to 3/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 cup or so of heavy cream
1/4 cup of chopped shitake mushrooms or portabello or even button
2-5 cloves of garlic chopped small
2 teaspoons of olive oil
Oregano flowers about 2 T.
Fresh ground nutmeg to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Saute the chopped mushrooms in olive oil then add the garlic and saute until translucent but not browned and the mushrooms are tender. Add butter and heavy cream. Once the butter melts add the parmesan cheese, add the nutmeg and herbs. Simmer until thickened. Once you’ve plated it up, on your zukes or pasta, add the black pepper.

Harvesting Garlic
Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Giza Pyramids were built.
On the left harvesting garlic in the 15th century. On the right, just a few days after.

July 23, 24 & 25 the 32nd annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Although garlic is known to be antibiotic, good to eat, and ward off ware wolves, it won't help with traffic. Avoid 101! And if you're going, Friday is the least packed.

Have a good week.