CSA share week 8/27 - Bountiful - Post Hurricane Harvest Spared and a Busy Week of Cooking Ahead!

With Hurricane Irene passing over the region last weekend there was a great deal of concern about crop failure at our CSA farm. Thank goodness most of the crops were spared. We enjoyed the beautiful weather while picking beans, hush cherries, cherry tomatoes, and raspberries. It seemed hard to believe that only a few days ago we were having torrential rainfall and 70 mph wind gusts. The crickets and birds were chattering away and my son was running through the tall grass trying to catch a glimpse of the chorus. I wish I'd had my camera with me to capture my daughter sitting in the husk cherries carefully harvesting her own shack with a big juicy grin. Some moments truly are priceless.

Today's share was huge and there were "leftovers" from the pick up held in the pre-hurricane rains!

• 1 cantaloupe
• 1 black eggplant
• 1 summer squash
• 4 lbs heirloom tomatoes
• 2.5 lbs modern tomatoes
• 1/2 lb tomatillos
• 1 cucumber
• 2 yellow peppers
• 4 green peppers
• 6 ethnic sweet peppers
• hot peppers
• okra
• 3.5 lbs Macintosh apples (fruit share was purchased separately)
• 2 quarts cherry tomatoes
• 2 quarts yellow beans
• 1 pint husk (aka ground) cherries
• 1/2 pint raspberries

Last week I made hush cherry preserves. I followed a recipe for gooseberry preserves, to which they are often compared. It is pretty tasty!  I think I may do the same this week, along with some pepper jelly and some roasted peppers.

I also made four loaves of gluten free vegan zucchini chocolate chip bread. This is the BEST recipe for gluten free and vegan bread I have ever made. There is something magical about the combination of coconut oil and applesauce as a replacement for eggs in baking. It acts as a binder as well imparting moisture that withstands the freezing process. I simply replaced the banana with shredded zucchini and it worked beautifully. This has been a hit with the entire family. I still have some zucchini left, so I'll be making more bread tomorrow.

I'm planning on making more roasted tomatillo salsa and a huge batch of marinara for canning. (I purchased 20 pounds of "seconds" tomatoes from the local farm stand. They are not organic but I do know that the family practices integrated pest management. I feel confident in adding them to the mix and supporting a very local farm. Their beautiful farm is less than three miles from my home!) I volunteered my husband to make another big batch of eggplant "Farmer John" with the two eggplants we now have. Last but not least, a batch of applesauce with the apples! A busy week of cooking ahead. Busy, but delicious and well-worth the effort.

Vegan and Gluten Free Southern-Style Fried Okra

I arrived home last week with about a pound of fresh organic okra and one idea on my mind: fried okra. My Grandma Mina made some amazing Southern food. One time I was blessed with her deep fried okra. I still dream about it. Since she has passed and I'm sure that her version was not vegan or gluten free, I set about seeking guidance on the matter.

I referenced this recipe for fried okra and read through the comments, many of which were very helpful.

The recipe calls for the use of eggs in order to bind the corn meal coating. Knowing the properties of okra, namely that it generates a slime when left to sit for a few minutes after cutting, I decided to rely on this to bind the coating. Additionally, it is well known that the secret to fried chicken is the soaking of it in buttermilk. I improvised by soaking the okra in coconut kefir for about 15 minutes. (NOTE: You can purchase coconut kefir at Whole Foods and many health food stores. You can also make your own using a kefir starter or milk kefir crystals. I've linked to the two with which I have experienced success.)

I chose to go half and half gluten free all-purpose flour and corn meal to reduce the grittiness of the coating.

I ended up not deep frying them. I tried one batch in coconut oil and one in grapeseed oil. The coconut oil imparted a rich flavor, but it was difficult to fry as it has a lower smoking point. I ended up with a lot of smoke! The grapeseed oil was better fro frying but didn't have as rich flavor.

These were delicious! I saved the leftovers and put it under the broiler the next morning and it reheated wonderfully. It was a tasty compliment to our breakfast tacos.

Enjoy! Let me know what you do with the recipe!