Twenty Bag | Dec 16

Early gifts from the Towles farm CSA! The season’s first cauliflower, broccoli, baby yellow squash, multi-colored potatoes, first cut arugula, baby pickling cucumbers, chives, and watermelon radish.

My mother typically steamed our cauliflower and served it as a side doused in melted butter and crispy Italian bread crumbs—yum! I’ve discovered this super nutritious crucifer can wear many hats and is delicious so many other ways. I love it simply cut into bite size pieces and roasted on a sheet pan for a quick and easy appetizer. I’ve had great results turning it into an all-vegetable fettucine Alfredo following this recipe from Oh She Glows. Garnish it with chopped chives for a touch of green and delicate oniony flavor.

My longtime friend Wende (!) roasts the broccoli tossed with good olive oil and sprinkled with a couple of spoonfuls of soy sauce. My source for soy sauce is Pearl River Bridge. They offer a selection of authentic tasting sauces that are richer and less salty than commercial brands. Mushroom flavor is my fave!

I’ll be pickling my first ever batch of baby cukes using this super easy recipe that turns out a crunchy sandwich side overnight! And pickling adds sweet/ sour layers of flavor to the spicy watermelon radish as well—a perfect way to perk up a salad of spicy arugula and crunchy romaine tossed with a classic vinaigrette.

A search of my site will produce plenty of ideas for the potatoes and squash.