This box is the beginning of late summer glory. Finally it has cooled down enough that our fall crops are starting to come back, and everything in the field is looking lush and ready for the new season, but meanwhile, our greenhouses are still in their prime. This is my favorite food season of the year, it's cool enough and getting dark earlier that I have more energy to cook, and there are so many fresh flavors to choose from.
This week, we've got the first, most tender bunches of our fall Siberian kale for you. This is my favorite kale because it is so soft and good to eat raw, but also sturdy enough to be cooked. It excels in a kale salad and Kale Caesar is one of my favorites. Kale brings a heartier feel to this salad that I love in the fall and winter.
We also have another flight of fresh beans for you this week for the bean lovers out there. This week we have a choice of those tender romano beans and classic green beans. Romanos really shine when braised, since they hold up to cooking better than classic green beans, here's a recipe to get you started. Personally, I would also slice some fennel and throw it in with these, for fabulous flavor.
Finally, we have the first of the sweet italian peppers, our favorite sweet peppers around. These are just starting to produce well, and we'll have more for you later in the season but we wanted to give you a first taste as soon as possible. Sweet italian peppers can be used just like a bell pepper. They have thinner flesh and thinner skins, but are sweeter and turn into pepper candy when roasted. I love using them in pasta sauces and sauteeing with taco meat.
Happy cooking this week,
Ashley, Caleb and the Sungrounded Crew
