CSA Share Week 4, Grilled Romaine and Ask Me Monday

My vegetable and fruit bins runneth over.

This week's share consists of:

Strawberries
Blueberries (NJ is famous for blueberries, corn, eggplant and tomatoes)
Arugula
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Cilantro
Kale
Kohlrabi
Head Lettuce
Oak Leaf Lettuce
Red Leaf Lettuce
Romaine (star of today's show)
Basil
3 zucchini
2 yellow squash
Collard Greens
3 tomatoes (hot house)
scallions
radishes
beets
yellow carrots

You would think that with all of these vegetables every week facing yet another farm box full of greens would be unthinkable, but to my delight and surprise, we are consuming everything from week to week. That is a 1/2 bushel of produce people! Okay, I do tend to "hand over the fence*" a head of lettuce or two here and maybe a beet or squash there, but for the most part, we are incorporating more vegetables (and all the fruit) into our daily lives. Yeah!

*hand over the fence = share with a neighbor

Grilled Romaine: (1 head serves 2, adjust servings accordingly)

One head Romaine Lettuce, washed and sliced in half vertically
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat grill to medium high.

Drizzle romaine with olive oil (or better, spray it) making sure to get a bit into the heart of the lettuce. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and allow to rest for about 30 minutes.

In addition to all the vegetables in my farm share, the market had some corn from Georgia (the farm trades some northern produce with a southern farm "cousin")

I chopped up some fresh herbs, mixed them with olive oil and drizzled on the fresh corn. Keep the husks intact, just peel back the husk, remove the silk, rinse the whole cob in water, making sure to really wet down those husks, drizzle with olive oil and herbs and pull the wet husks back over the corn.

Place on the corn on the grill. It will begin to steam and spit. When one side is toasted, turn, continue until all sides are roasted and husks are crisp.

Back to the romaine. Place cut side down on hot grill. Grill for about 3 minutes, turn, grill for two more minutes or until wilted and marked by grill.

Off the grill, sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan cheese (optional)

The rest of dinner:

tomatoes mixed with avocado and fresh mozzarella and basil

Dessert - fresh berries

My farm share is paying me back twice by the way. All the waste (husks, outer leaves, peels, stems) from the vegetables and fruits goes into my compost bin, the waste degrades, and then gets worked into the soil of my gardens. It's the perfect arrangement between food and human. Grow, eat, degrade, grow again. Eat again.

Fennel growing organically in my garden

Cucumbers. Naturally fertilized with compost. Marigolds around the border of the garden act as a natural insect repellent.

Ask Me Monday:


I've come to realize that many people do their marketing on the weekend. Farmers Markets are popping up all over the country as crops are ripening.

New and wonderful products are appearing - what do you do when you are tempted to buy a bit of produce that you have never had before? Do you simply pass it up because you are unsure of how to prepare it?

Or are you just tired of making broccoli the same way, week in or week out?

Okay - The Good Cook wants to help you expand your palate and your recipe repertoire.

Next time you are at the market and spy a beautiful Kohlrabi or Swiss Chard or Golden Parsnip or an incredible bunch of Kale, BUY IT. And when you get home, email thegoodcooknj@comcast.net

Every Monday I will pick a couple of email questions and supply you with information, cooking techniques and recipes for your Farmers Market buys.

So don't forget, when you are out marketing this weekend, go a little crazy, be brave, support your local farmer and purchase something you have never tried before. Then email me, thegoodcooknj@comcast.net and I'll supply you with a couple of tried and true recipes.

Talk to you all on Monday, happy marketing!