Week 4 share from the Little River Market Garden CSA
CSA Share 4
1/2 lb. baby pac choi
1 bunch arugula
1 bunch hon tsai tai
1 stalk Cuban oreagno
2 small ripe papayas
2 star fruit
5 small cucumbers (leftover from last week)
1 bunch red yardlong beans (leftover from last week)
Dried red chilis (leftover from last week)
What I Made With My Share
I made a faux pho with some of the beans and the pac choi.
I made a grain salad with the arugula, the remaining beans, the oregano, a few dried chilis and most of the cucumbers.
I served the star fruit in a tangy sauce with the hon tsai tsai and beef.
I used the papaya to make a chutney which I will serve next week.
This week I managed to use everything up except for two of the cucumbers and dried chilis, I still have about half of the allotment I started with of those.
The Best Thing I Made This Week
This week it was the faux pho I whipped up. This was a satisfying bowl of warm, brothy noodles and staunched my craving for noodles for a few days.
Up Next Week
Grits & greens, a green tart, tropical fruit bread & a baked pasta casserole in preparation for holiday indulgence.
New To Me Veggies
Hon Tsai Tai
This is a Chinese green with big green leaves (like cale or collards) and purple stems. The taste is mild and mustard-greeny. Best used in stir-fries or soups. I cooked mine too long and it wasn’t the best green I’ve ever eaten.
Baby Pac Choi
This is really small bok choi, and even tastier than the large varieties.
Cuban Oregano
Cuban oregano is large (the plants can reach 2 feet high), with large fleshy leaf pairs. A popular Caribbean seasoning, the leaves have a strong taste and can be used as a substitute for sage. This wasn’t my favorite herb ever, but now knowing that I should treat it like sage rather than oregano, I will use it to better effect next time.