Spotlight: Sweet Potatoes

About

"Sweet potatoes are as American as apple pie! Native Americans were growing sweet potatoes when Columbus came in 1492, and by the 16th century, sweet potatoes were being cultivated in the southern states, where they became a staple in the traditional cuisine... Today, sweet potatoes are used in cuisines all over the world as a satisfying and versatile vegetable with a well-earned reputation for nutrition." The sweet potato "sweetness intensifies as the sweet potato is cooked, creating the deep caramel flavor we love." [source]

Varieties
There are three main varieties of sweet potato produced in the United States. [source]

A favorite for mashing or roasting, the COVINGTON has rose colored skin and super sweet orange flesh. Eat it whole with your favorite toppings or cut into wedges and bake as a side dish.

Spotlight: Husk Cherries

About

Husk cherries go by many names - ground cherries, golden strawberries, Chinese lanterns, and in French as the very charming Amour-en-Cage, or ‘caged love’, just to name a few. [source] We on the BMSP team were divided about whether they more resemble cherries or cherry tomatoes. They are often overlooked because of their parchment-like outer coating, despite their sweet and versatile flavor. "These little gems are in the same genus as tomatillos - hence the similar papery husk - and the same family as tomatoes. Ground cherries taste slightly sweet and tropical, with a texture that's somewhere between a tomato and a grape." [source]

"What tastes like a cherry tomato injected with mango and pineapple juice, and looks like an orange pearl encased in a miniature paper lantern? No, I'm not just trying to cram as many fruit references into one sentence as possible. It's a real plant: Physalis pruinosa, aka the 'ground cherry'." [source]

Summer Week 6: Recipes for Fresh Herbs

Still have some of your fresh herbs from Thursday? Here are the links to the recipes that our Program Development Intern Maddy Rotman suggests for each herb, as well as the flavor buddy suggestions from The Flavor Bible that were in the newsletter.

PURPLE BASIL goes well with garlic, Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, or ricotta, tomatoes, blueberries, lemon, bell peppers, and in pesto.

Purple Basil Lemonade

Raspberry Purple Basil Ice Pops

Spotlight: Fava Beans

About

"If all you know about fava beans is that Hannibal Lecter favored them with a nice Chianti, it’s time to get better acquainted (with favas, that is). They're an ancient member of the pea family and have a nutty taste and buttery texture all their own." [source] A sweet treat, fava beans often carry a bad reputation because many American recipes require extra peeling that can make it can be hard to prepare them. But never fear! Favas are a delicious staple of many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, and there are many different, enticing ways to prepare them.

"Fava beans are a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. Young favas can be used unpeeled, but as they mature, their tough outer skins need to be removed. It's well worth the effort—their rich flavor is wonderful in everything from light salads to hearty stews." [source]

Spotlight: Hakurei Turnips

Hakurei turnips are small, sweet, juicy white turnips that are harvested young. They are known as "salad" turnips, rather than "cooking" turnips (which tend to be more bitter and/or spicy raw), and can be eaten raw alone or in salads.

"The Hakurei turnip is a Japanese turnip that is truly best eaten raw. Its delicate flavor and crisp texture are perfect as is, and cooking tends to make it soggy. Just slice it, thick or thin as you prefer, and add it to salads, appetizer platters, or serve it on its own as a snack or side dish. You will not believe how delicious they are." [source]

Spotlight: Celeriac

"Greet celeriac, the unsung frog prince of winter vegetables. Pare off its warty exterior and you'll uncover the royal vegetable within: a perfect, ivory-fleshed, winter alternative to potatoes and other starches. It is surprising that a vegetable that is so delicious, wonderfully hearty and eminently storable — and makes such a boldly verdant show in the garden — is practically unrecognized in the try-anything United States." - Jack Staub, NPR

Spotlight: Summer Squash

We are excited to kick off the fall season with Rhode Island's best summer squash, with its tender skin and a creamy texture. Aside from the time of year it is grown, a summer squash is unique from a winter squash because of its soft rind and seeds, making the entire vegetable edible. This is because summer squash is harvested young before the rind becomes tough, and, contrary to popular belief, the smaller ones can be the tastiest. The summer squash family includes zucchini (courgette), yellow squash (crookneck and straightneck), scallopini squash, pattypan squash, and globe squash. Despite the stark differences in size and shape, most summer squash varieties can be used inter-changeably in recipes.

Spotlight: Leeks

Leeks are members of the onion family, also related to garlic, shallots and scallions. Rather than being shaped in a bulb form like an onion, however, leeks grow in long cylinders that look like stems- these are in fact the edible parts of leaks. Although it can be used like an onion to flavor dishes, leeks can stand on their own as well, and be the main ingredients in recipes.

[photo source]

Lettuce Overload? Lett-uce Help...

One of the most common comments on our mid-season survey was that folks are swimming in salad greens. And while this week’s share does seem to call forth a rather delicious salad (romaine, peaches, tomatoes and caramelized onions, oh my!), lettuce can be used for so much more! Check out these recipe ideas below:

Uses for Leftover Bread

Bread shareholders may know that it is a miracle if a loaf of seven stars bread makes it through the day without being eaten. If it does survive the first day and is not stored appropriately, fresh bread dries out quickly. But do not fret! There are many divine recipes that rely on stale bread and the drier, the better. So if you are becoming disenchanted with the crunch of day-old bread, here are a few ways to change things up.

Spotlight: Cucumbers

Part of the gourd family, cucumbers are known for their crispness and fresh, refreshing flavor. While perhaps most commonly used as an addition for salads, cucumbers are good on their own, in sauces, pickled, or even sauteed!

Storage
Wrap loosely in plastic and store in crisper. [source]

Spotlight: Swiss Chard

"Swiss chard is truly one of the vegetable valedictorians with its exceptionally impressive list of health-promoting nutrients." - World's Healthiest Foods

Swiss chard, with its buttery flavor, crisp stalks, and tender leaves, is one of the most delicious local greens. Swiss chard is also one of the healthiest foods in the human diet and should not be overlooked. Skip, of Wishing Stone Farm, grows the best swiss chard you will ever experience (because with all of it's flavor and beauty, that is what it is- an experience). We are thrilled to offer this divine green again this season.

Spotlight: Red Radishes

Juicy, crunchy and crisp, red radishes add a delightful punchy color and flavor to dishes. Their peppery taste stimulates the production of saliva and rouses the appetite. Fantastic with aperitifs (especially chilled Fino Sherry) when served with butter and salt on the side: wipe a radish across the butter before dipping it in salt. - Eat the Seasons

Spotlight: Beets

Health Benefits
Beets are high in many vitamins and minerals: Potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid. These are but a few of the many nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be found in beets and beet greens.
Beets cleanse the body: They are a wonderful tonic for the liver, works as a purifier for the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer.
Beets help your mental health: Beets contain betaine, the same substance that is used in certain treatments of depression. It also contains trytophan, which relaxes the mind and creates a sense of well-being, similar to chocolate. Beets can also lower your blood pressure. So if you’re already steamed about not eating beets, you can get a two-fer by diving into them right away.  [source]

Spotlight: Komatsuna

Chuck Currie of Freedom Food Farm describes Komatsuna as a green that “looks like celery, tastes like bok choy.” It is also known as Japanese Mustard Spinach, but lacks the strong bite of most mustard greens, making it more versatile. Although primarily grown in Japan, Taiwan & Korea, it is growing in popularity in the US because it can withstand cold temperatures and drought, and because of its tastiness!

Spotlight: Fennel

Known for its faint licorice flavor, the fennel bulb is similar to celery in texture and appearance. The greens resemble dill, and also taste like anise and can be used as seasoning like any other herb. Fennel bulb is featured in Italian and Scandinavian cuisines. It is versatile and can be enjoyed raw, grilled, baked, braised or sautéed. [source]

Spotlight: Kohlrabi

Although it looks a bit like something from outer space, kohlrabi is a summer favorite. In the same family as cabbage & kale, it shares their sweet, crunchy flavor as well as their high nutrient content. (source)

Spotlight: Garlic Scapes

While garlic cloves are growing below ground, scapes are the curly, bright green part of the garlic plant that grows above ground. An early summer treat, scapes taste like cloves of garlic, and you can use them just as you would use regular garlic. In the words of a Huffington post food journalist: “cooking with garlic scapes is like getting to have scallions that taste like garlic.” (source)

Spotlight: Mustard Greens

The vibrant, pink stems on mustard greens are such a beautiful sign of spring.

Spotlight: Button Mushrooms

Button mushrooms, recognizable as the small white or brown mushrooms found in supermarkets, were popularized for their mild but delicious, creamy, unique flavor.