In the June 1 Twenty Bag: Fingerling potatoes, cucumbers, Japanese eggplant, green leaf lettuce, carrots, broccoli(ni), summer squash, basil and scallions

Thank you Harleston Towles and Rooting Down Farm!

When eggplant and basil show up with zucchini in the Bag, my mind goes immediately to ratatouille—a favorite recipe from farm to table icon Alice Waters. The savory dish makes a great side, or a tasty lunch all by itself. Or perhaps with a bit of crusty baguette.

Bobby Flay’s recipe for Japanese eggplant gives the slender, tender veggie an Asian spin.

I took it to heart when Harleston said Rita advises against mashing the fingerlings, so I’m going to zhush them up with this recipe for tri-color potatoes, which calls for smashing the spuds into chunky bites, not mashing.

This recipe for sauteed broccolini takes minutes to make and really showcases the lovely flavor of the vegetable. Plus you undoubtedly have the handful of ingredients—garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes—in your pantry.

For the rest of the Bag’s haul…a quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all curated with an eye toward the weekly Twenty Bag harvest.

Harleston’s storage tips: If greens of any kind begin to wilt at any point or at pick up, put them in a big bowl of ice water for 20-30 minutes. Almost all produce is already washed and should go in the refrigerator. Potatoes in a cool, DARK place.  Otherwise, they might turn green.  Cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, squash, broccolini, scallions, and carrots all in a plastic bag in the fridge.  Basil, you can try putting in a glass of water.  Otherwise, put in plastic bag, best protected in the fridge as you can.