CSA Creations with Friends

My family was extended the opportunity to join my friends for dinner at their home one evening. The catch – we were to cook everything from their weekly Good Food Collective CSA share plus use up what was left from the week prior.

When we arrived we were greeted by a huge bunch of dill, cucumber, goldbar squash, collard greens, curly kale, green beans, beets, radish, corn on the cob, and fresh-from-the-earth white potatoes.

We got right to it and for the next two hours created a 3-course dinner for 4 with some leftovers.

Salad: Pickled beets, pickled cucumber, blanched green beans, matchstick radishes, wilted kale, goat cheese wedges, mustard-garlic-lemon vinaigrette

• Beats: After washing and peeling, slice, chop or shred the beets. Then combine [2-cups] vinegar, [1-cup] water, [1/4-cup] sugar, and salt to taste in saucepan with beets. Bring to a low simmer for 10-15 minutes until beets are tender. Remove from heat and set aside in fridge to chill until ready.
• Cucumber: Using the same pickling ingredients plus a handful of dill pour over raw sliced cucumber and set aside in fridge to chill.
• Green Beans: Blanch green beans in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold water and set aside in fridge to chill.
• Assemble: Make dressing by grating [1] garlic clove in large bowl. Add [1 Tbs] Dijon or grain mustard, juice from [1] lemon freshly squeezed and slowly drizzle in [3/4] high quality extra virgin olive oil whisking constantly. Strip kale from stems and tear into bite size pieces into same bowl as dressing. Using your hands, toss kale with dressing until well coated. 

Soup: Corn and potato "chowder" with dill pesto

Soup: Remove corn from husk and trim kernels from cob. Add cob to water and bring to a boil. Season water with sliced onion, smashed garlic cloves and salt to taste. After 30 minutes remove cobs from the water and add kernels to pot of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Return to pot and add cubed potatoes (skin on). Let simmer for another 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Dill pesto: Begin by blanching dill in simmering water for 30 seconds. Remove and shock under cold water. Squeeze dry. Add to blender and add [1] garlic clove, [1/4-cup] almonds. With blade running, stream in [1-cup] of high quality extra virgin olive oil until smooth.

Entrée: Pan-seared salmon, sautéed squash & greens, dill pesto

• Blanch collards and beet greens in salted boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove and add to sauté pan with [1 Tbs] of butter and [1 Tbs] oil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside until ready to plate.
• Over medium-high heat, add [1 Tbs] butter and [1 Tbs] oil. Sauté goldbar squash until golden brown. Remove and set aside until ready to plate.