In the heat of August, it can be hard to get too excited about cooking over a hot stove or oven. With the recent summer bounty of tomatoes and peaches, it's easy to make use of fresh produce without breaking a sweat! Here are two very simple, but delicious, ideas for how to use the recent bumper crop.
Peach, tomato & basil salad
Serves approx. 4
Ingredients
- 3 large heirloom tomatoes
- a handful of grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 peaches
- a handful of fresh basil
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 shallot, minced
Instructions
- Prep salad ingredients: Cut large tomatoes and peaches into small cubes; cut grape tomatoes in half (or quarters, if you prefer); tear basil leaves into small to medium sized pieces. Lightly salt the tomatoes once you cut them.
- Make the dressing: Mix oil, vinegar, minced shallot, and a small pinch of salt and pepper into a sealed container or jar; shake vigorously. Add more of any ingredient to taste. (Detailed guidance available here.)
- Arrange the tomatoes, peaches, and basil on a plate and dress lightly. Serve alongside your favorite entree or for a special treat, top the salad with fresh burrata cheese and torn prosciutto. Enjoy!
Peach and tomato toast
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 heirloom tomato
- 1 peach
- 4 slices seeded bread (I like the seedy whole grain from Lost Bread Company; you can find them at the Saturday Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza)
- 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese or farmer's cheese (you can use more if you want a more cheese-forward toast); I like the dill farmer's cheese from Chaseholm Farm, also available at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket
- Olive oil
- Salt (preferably a larger flaky salt)
Instructions
- Toast bread -- I like to do it in the broiler with a dash of olive oil to get it extra crispy
- Thinly slice tomatoes and peaches
- Spread a thin layer of cheese over the toast
- Layer tomatoes and peach on top of the cheese
- Top with a little drizzle of oil and a few salt flakes
Roast *Almost* Everything Salad
From CSA member Camie Hoang
After looking at what was left of our box, the easiest way to use it all up was to roast almost everything.
I find that when you get lettuces from the local farm, sometimes it is a bit bitter and rough. Maybe someone will know and can answer why? Is it because it's later in the season that it was harvested or because it is a strain that is bitter? or?!?
But I find that if you roast it in the oven, it counteracts the bitterness and actually adds a bit of sweetness. So here is my version of a roast *almost* everything salad
ingredients:
1x head of lettuce - from CSA
1x red cabbage - from CSA
4 sections of Garlic(half clove) - from CSA 3x zucchinis - from CSA
1 bunch radishes - from CSA
olive oil -6 glugs... so maybe 1/2 cup
salt - 1/2 tbsp
1x lemon- for juice and zest
Parmesan (as desired)
***seasoning
what you'll also need: 2x sheep pans
large mixing bowl
Directions
Pre-heat oven 380F degrees
Do a rough chop of the zucchinis, cabbage and garlic.
Slice radishes into slivers approx same size as the veg above, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the chopped zucchinis, cabbage, garlic, and half of the salt and olive oil together. Coat well.
Place on a sheet pan and spread evenly.
Place on the lower rack of the oven. Roast of approx 30 minutes. Give it a turn once or twice. Add more olive oil if it's looking dry.
In the meantime, slice the head of lettuce in half and place on a sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on top. Place on the top rack of the oven. This should take approx 15min., The desired result is to have a bit of char but the body of the lettuce should be slightly wilted. Remove and plop on some parmesan, it's as much or little as you want. Now, this is ready to eat as is or you can cut it up and set aside to put in with the rest of the vegetables at the end.
Back to the rest of the vegetables- they should be ready at this point (see photo). Remove and place in a salad bowl. Put in the radishes (the only non-roasted member of the team).
Zest the skin of one lemon (or as desired) onto the vegetables.
In a small bowl, you will make a dressing by using 3/8 cup (just a little over 1/4 cup) of OO, half of a lemon's worth of juice, and salt to taste, and beat with a fork until it looks cloudy.
Mix the dressing into vegetables and serve with the lettuce! I've also made a version with some leftover pasta (for anyone who needs a carb version).
Enjoy!
CSA Salad Recipes
The beginning of the CSA season always brings a LOT of greens! It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with salads. One of our CSA member recommends a sesame-ginger dressing to inspire you. Here are some of her favorite combos, and a recipe for the dressing!
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce (or sub coconut aminos)
2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
Optional if you want a creamy dressing: add 1 tablespoon tahini or cashew butter
Make the dressing by whisking together the following in a medium bowl or shaking in a mason jar: sesame oil, olive oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic and fresh ginger. If you want a creamier dressing, add in a tablespoon of tahini or cashew butter.
Combo 1
CSA Oakleaf lettuce
CSA Tomatoes
CSA Cucumbers
Grapes
Manchego cheese
Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Combo 2
CSA Arugula
CSA Scallions
CSA Tomatoes
Avocado
Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Sesame-Ginger Dressing
