Week 13 Box

I didn't do a great job with using last week's box, so this week the goal is to get it gone before another box shows up. We'll see how that goes.

• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Onion
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Okra
• Green peppers
• Sage
• Thyme
• Tarragon
  

Week 11 Box

The city I live in flooded pretty badly this last week, so there has been a lot of distractions around here.  I was actually surprised that our box came on time and full this week.  At the moment, we have all the roads open here and have no restrictions on using water--earlier this week we were limiting to a bare minimum--but we are still boiling everything used for washing dishes and in or on food.  Hopefully it's all over soon.

• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Green beans (from the CSA and my mom)
• Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• Okra
• Jalapeno pepper
• Leeks
• Savory

Week 10 Box

I've been sick the past few days, so you might notice that the entries have less of a description of what the food tastes like.  Mostly I have been tasting metallic, so I don't really feel comfortable talking about how things taste.  The vegetables in the box this week look really good, though.

• Potatoes
• Onions
• Okra
• Zucchini
• Grape tomatoes (those are from my bushes)
• Sage
• Basil

Fried Okra

Usually okra in the box means that I make gumbo in the crockpot at some point.  I'll probably still do that, but this okra was so fresh and so firm that it seemed a shame not to at least try and fry it.  For figuring out a recipe as I went, it turned out well.

Serves 3

3 cups sliced okra
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash ground mustard
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg.  In another bowl, whisk together flour and cornmeal.  Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and mustard to flour and cornmeal.
2. In large saucepan with a flat bottom, heat 1/4-1/2 inch oil over medium high heat.  Heat until flour sprinkled over oil sizzles.
3. Dredge half of the okra pieces in egg-buttermilk mixture, then in flour-cornmeal mixture.  One-at-a-time, drop coated okra pieces into hot oil.  Okra pieces should not touch.  Using a slotted or mesh spoon, turn okra as needed until it is golden.  The okra should take under 5 minutes to turn golden in the oil.  Once okra is cooked, remove it to a plate covered with paper towels.  Sprinkle with more salt and pepper as needed.
4. Repeat step three with remaining okra.  Serve hot.

Week 9 Box

The greens were back in our box this week, so the farm must be recovering from the storm of a couple of weeks ago.  It is still really wet, though, which I have heard from others in the area is taking a real toll on root vegetables and bulb plants.  Our onions have been tasty but very small, which is also how the potatoes have been.  I was awfully excited for the okra this week.

• Potatoes
• Garlic
• Onion
• Okra
• Eggplant
• Cucumber
• Swiss chard
• Kale
• Tomatoes (these were actually from a coworker)
• Rosemary