localrootsnyc.

org
@localrootsnyc
For our lovely members
2014

s
a
v
o
r
ing your c
s
a
a
K
itchen F
ield Guide from local roots
n
y
c

I. WHERE YOUR SHARE COMES FROM
II. SEASONALITY CHART
III. BRINGING YOUR CSA HOME
IV. STOCKING THE KITCHEN
V. COOKING YOUR CSA
VII. KNIFE SKILLS
IX. VEGETABLE SUBSTITUIONS
X. COOKING TERMS
XI. PRESERVING YOUR CSA
XII. MAKING PICKLES
XIII. MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS
The best part about being a member of Local Roots NYC is simple: eating locally changes our lives, and the lives of the
producers with whom we work.
How? -- Its changing the way we approach food. Were intentional members of our food system, investing in seasonal
bounty ahead of time. In picking up our shares of produce, were not only acting as consumers, but were engaged:
swapping stories about cooking squash, sorrell leaves and tat soi, and being mindful of waste.
With this guidebook, we share kitchen-tested recipes for making the most of your CSA share. We offer cooking tips,
recipes, and plenty of ideas for substitutions and preservation.
INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THANK YOU TO OUR CONTRIBUTORS:
Aly Miller, Local Roots NYC Education + Outreach
Wen-Jay Ying, Founder + Director
Sarah Goldschadt, CSA Member (pg. 8 & 12)
Local Roots NYC Staf
vegetables: ROGOWSKI FAMILY FARM IN WARWICK, NY (certified naturally grown, organic)
fruit : PHILLIPS FARM IN MILFORD, NJ (integrated pest management)
honey & bee pollan: SWEET THINGS, WILD THYME, AND HONEY IN WARWICK, NY
cheese: CONSIDER BARDWELL IN WEST PAWLET, VT (hormone-free, artisanal) + CHASEHOLM CREAMERY IN PINE PLANES, NY
eggs : MILLPORT DAIRY IN LANCASTER, PA (free range)
milk : RONNYBROOK FARM IN ANCRAMDALE, NY (sustainable methods)
meat : ARCADIAN PASTURES IN SLOANSVILLE, NY (grass-fed, heritage bred)
sh: GABE THE FISH BABE IN NARRANGANSETT, RI (sustainably fished) + Acme Smoked Fish in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
juice : RED JACKET ORCHARD IN GENEVA, NY
bread : ORWASHERS BREAD IN NY, NY
coffee, granola, pasta, and artisanal : IN BROOKLYN, NY
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large blue circle represents
the area that we consider
local: less than 250 miles
from home
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Brooklyn, NY
COFFEE
ARTISANAL
pasta
granola
acme fish
NY, NY
orwashers bread
local roots nyc
Brooklyn, NY
Warwick, NY
Pine Planes, NY
chaseholm creamery
Lancaster, PA
Milford, NJ
West Pawlett, VT
Warwick, NY
Sloansville, NY
Ancramdale, NY
Geneva, NY
phillips farm
ronnybrook farm
sweet things, wild
thyme & honey
red jacket orchard
consider bardwell farm
arcadian pastures
rogowski family farm
millport dairy
WHERE YOUR SHARE COMES FROM
gabe the fish babe
Narrangansett, RI
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BRINGING HOME YOUR CSA
milk + yogurt + meat
Keep coldest in the back of
the bottom shelf.
Cauliflower
Leeks
Lettuce + Greens
Mushrooms (paper bag)
Peppers
eggs + cheese
TIP: To keep cheese fresh,
loosely wrap in paper and
store in a plastic container.
Woody Herbs:
rosemary, thyme,
lavender, sage.
Store in paper towel
in a semi-warm spot.
Botannical Herbs:
cilantro, parsley, basil,
should be stored in a
breathable plastic bag
or in a jar with water.
frozen veggies and fruits for
later (see page 10)
TIP: Freeze your cooking
scraps here until you can
deliver them to your local
farmers market, or turn
into a
vegetable stock.
cool est
{
cri sper
Store veggies in plastic bags
in the crisper, or another spot:
Beets
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
cucumbers, peppers, zucchini
apples (store with a damp paper towel over them)
apricots (keep for 3-5 days)
pears (keep for 3-5 days)
st ori ng frui t i n t he cri sper:
st ori ng
herbs
tomatoes (refrigeration
ruins their membranes)
peaches
nectarines
*If you must refriger-
ate, let them warm
to room temperature
before eating for
maximum sweetness
and juicyness.
st ore on t he
count er:
onions
potatoes
garlic
butternut squash
pumpkins
st ore i n a
dark, cool ,
dry pl ace:
Ti ps for keepi ng your produce fresh:
St ori ng your fresh produce: Refri gerat i on + Organi zat i on
localrootsnyc.org
@localrootsnyc
St ore frui t s and veget abl es separat el y.
Fruits and some vegetables release ethylene, a ripening agent. You can use
it to your advantage if you want to ripen something (try putting a peach and
a ripe banana in the same bag to ripen the peach, for example).
warm
freezer
warmest
1. Trim the greens off of root vegetables like carrots and beets (the greens leach nutrients
and water out of the roots. Use the greens in pesto or soup!)
2. Take off plastic ties or rubber bands around vegetables.
3. Wash them!
4. If you want to save even more time in the kitchen, start chopping up your greens,
radishes, cabbage, or peppers for salads or sandwiches.
Its easy to forget what
youre working with!
M
ake a list of all of your produce
when you get hom
e, and post som
where
visible, like the refrigerator door or
on the cabinet door.

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STOCKING THE KITCHEN
whisk
wooden spoon
slotted spoon
serated knife
chefs knife
box grater
metal spatula
paring knife
vegetable peeler
mandolin
measuring
spoons + cups
MIXING BOWLS
of different
sizes (glass,
metal, and
ceramic are best)
noodles
Eggs
Yogurt + Milk
Honey, Maple
Syrup, or Agave
Nectar
oats cornmeal or polenta
baking powder + baking soda
RICE:short grain + long grain
(brown and white)
FRESH HERBS
parsley, cilantro + basil
ginger
onions
celery
carrots
fresh lemons
+ limes
BEANS:
dried + canned
OILS:
olive oil
sesame oil
dijon mustard
tomato paste
soy sauce
VINEGARS:
balsalmic
rice
white wine
white vinegar
NUTS + SEEDS:
pumpkin seeds
sesame
peanut butter
AROMATICS
SWEETENERS
salt
pepper
corns
KNIVES
Kitchen Tools
fine mesh
strainer
ITEMS NOT PICTURED:
Cutting boards
Sauce pan
Cast iron skillet or frying pans
Stock pot
8x10 baking pan
Immersion blender
Ingredients to have on hand
garlic
miso paste
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One CSA, 5 Meals:
Monday: radish-top pesto over soba noodles garnished with
slices of raw radishes. slice and pickle radishes for later in the
week.
Tuesday: stir-fried broccoli and kale with a ginger-sesame-
garlic dressing. Serve with brown rice.
Wednesday: thyme-roasted beets over massaged kale salad.
save beets for later in the week.
Thursday: feta-thyme spread with pickled radishes and
chickpea salad with a lemon-thyme dressing.
Friday: Use up the rest of your radish-top pesto and serve
over wheat berries and Wednesday's roasted beets.
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This Weeks Share:
1 bunch of Radi shes
1 head of Broccoli
1 bunch of Thyme
1 bunch of Beets
1 bunch of Whi te Russi an
Kale
Grate veggies ahead of time
and make salads
in seconds.
di ce your oni ons, celery, and
carrots i n the begi nni ng of the week AND
STORE IN A TUPPERWARE IN THE FRIDGE.
THE PERFECT WAY TO START A SOUP OR STEW.
roast veggies in the oven. drizzle with
olive oil, salt and lemon juice and
store in the fridge.
soak beans overnight and cook
the next day for an hour.
tips for saving time in the kitchen:
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COOKING YOUR CSA
KNIFE SKILLS
chefs
knife:
serrated
knife:
paring
knife:
minced: usually used for garlic and ginger. Cut into
very small, indistinct pieces by quickly moving your knife
back and forth over the food. Sometimes it might help to
anchor the tip of the knife blade to the cutting board.
chopped:
pieces 1/4 - 1/2
inch in size. used
with onions, bell
peppers, carrots,
and tofu.
coarsley
chopped:
larger, imprecise
chunks that you do
with the chefs knife
Use this cut before
pureeing or
mashing, or if youre
going for a dish with a
rustic feel.
oblique: diagonally cut chunks, usually of zucchini,
carrots, and japanese eggplant. Slice one end diagonally, then
roll the rest of the vegetable a quarter turn and slice on the same
angle. Your knife never changes position; you just keep rolling the
vegetable.
chiffonade: Cut leaves like kale or basil into
strands or ribbons. Make a pile of washed leaves, roll them
from end to end, and slice the roll as thickly or thinly as you
like.
dice:like the julienne, but strive for cubes.
peeling, coring, paring: Youll make these cuts
with your paring knife. Hold the food in one hand and the knife in the
other, and work without a cutting board. You might take the eyes out of
potatoes, or peel an apple this way.
julienne: cut into sticks, as big as French fries or as narrow
as match sticks. If youre slicing a round food, slice off one end so it
lies stable on the cutting board. Slice the food into rectangular strips
and then give the strip a quarter turn to slice to the desired thickness.
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localrootsnyc.org
@localrootsnyc
Pesto:
POUND OR CRUSH BASIL
OR OTHER GREENS WITH
OLIVE OIL, NUTS, AND
GARLIC.
MASHED:
BOIL OR STEAM
THEN MASH WITH
BUTTER OR OIL
COOKED GREENS:
BLANCH, STIR-FRY,
BRAISE, BOIL
RADISH GREENS
TURNIP GREENS
KALE
PARSNIPS
SWEET POTATOES
CARROTS
CAULIFLOWER
KALE
COLLARD GREENS
SWISS CHARD
SPINACH
BROCCOLI RABE
SPIGARELLO
BEET GREENS
MINT
localrootsnyc.org
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GRATED VEGGIES
FOR RAW SALADS
CARROTS
BEETS
RADISHES
KOHLRABI
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IN
G VEGETABLE SUBSTITU
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COOKING TERMS
Blanch: to immerse fruit or vegetables in boiling water for a minute or so, remove and place in a bowl
of ice water. Ex: You can blanch tomatoes to remove its skin. Blanch greens, like collards, to make them
taste less bitter. Remove blanched food with a slotted spoon or tongs.
Braise: simmering food slowly in a moderate amount of liquid, results in tender, full-flavored meat or
vegetables.
Stir Fry: to quickly cook small pieces of food over high heat while constantly stirring the food until it
Broil: to cook under direct heat in the oven. Ex: Toast with melted cheese and roasted red peppers.
Brown: to cook over medium heat or high heat until the surface of food browns or darkens. Ex: Brown escarole
in a frying pan.
Julienne: to cut food into long, thin strips. Sometimes called matchstick. Ex: Julienne carrots and stir-fry.
Puree: to blend food together until it becomes completely smooth. Ex: Puree garlic, basil, walnuts, and olive oil
into pesto.
Saute: to cook quickly in a little oil or butter. Ex: Saute mushrooms with ginger and garlic.
Simmer: to cook in liquid over low heat so that bubbles just begin to break the surface. Ex: Simmer tofu in
salted water.
Brine: heavily salted water used to pickle vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood. Ex: Make a brine of 1 tablespoon
of salt, 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vinegar to pickle your carrots.
Crush: to smash food into smaller pieces, using fingers, a mortar and pestle, or the side of a knife. Crushing
dried herbs releases their flavor and aroma.
Ex: crush oregano between your fingers while adding it to the guacamole.
Dredge: to coat a food, either before or after cooking, with a dry ingredient, such as cornmeal, flour, or sugar.
Marinate: to soak food in a sauce, called a marinade. Ex: marinate strips of steak in a marinade of soy
Mash: to press or beat a food to remove lumps and make a smooth mixture. Can be done with a fork, potato
masher, food mill, fod processor, or electric mixer. Ex: Steam cauliflower and mash them with a fork.
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PRESERVING
pesto
Ingredients:
6 cups any leafy green (try (basil, radish leaf,
carrot tops, turnip greens, kale)
1 cup of basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup nuts or seeds (pine nuts, walnuts,
almonds, sunflower seeds)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 - 1/2 cup parmesean or any hard cheese
(optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1. Rinse leaves and remove stems.
2. Blend half the basil with nuts, cheese,
and garlic.
3. Blend in the rest of the basil.
4. With the blender running, add a stream
of olive oil. Less oil will make a pesto good
for pizza or sandwiches , more oil will be
good for soup or pasta.
pickles
For every pound of vegetables,
bring the following to a boil:
1 cup vingar (any kind except balsalmic)
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
EXTRAS: fresh or dried herbs, red pepper flakes,
mustard seeds, pepper corns, cloves of garlic,
curry powder.
1. Make brine
2. Put vegetables in a jar or container and
cover with brine.
3. Let cool to room temp and cover.
4. Refrigerate + enjoy.
Keeps for up to 1 month.
jam frozen veggies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups diced fruit
1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar, or more
a pinch of salt
1. Slice a 1-inch wedge from the end of the lemon.
Put 2 metal spoons in the freezer to help you
check for taste.
2. Combine fruit, sugar + salt in the pot. Squeeze
in the lemon, and put the wedge in the pot. Mash
until a chunky texture, stirring frequently.
3. When the fruit starts boiling, keep stirring.
Watch for bubbles: when they become smaller
and thicker after 5-8 minutes of boiling, check the
jam for taste using the frozen spoon.
4. The jam is set when you can trace your fnger
through the jam (on the spoon) and it leaves a
track.
5. Pour into glass jars, and let cool. Refrigerate
for up to three weeks, or freeze with 1/2 inch of
space in the jar so the jam can expand.
Blanch your produce first and then freeze to
preserve flavor, color and texture. This works
well with carrots, asparagus, snap beans, brussel
sprouts, cauliflower, peas, corn, sweet peppers
and onions.
1. Get your materials: slotted spoon, bowl of ice water,
and pot of water.
2. Cut vegetables into pieces that are the same size so
that theyll cook evenly.
3. Boil water on the stove and add a few Tbsp. of salt
to add favor, and to fx the color of the vegetables.
3. Blanch your vegetables separately, from lightest in
color to darkest in color.
4. Boil vegetables for 2-5 minutes until almost al
dente.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a
bowl of ice water.
6. Drain and transfer vegetables to a freezer bag or a
plastic container, making sure that there is no air
left in the bag.
Four ways to extend the season or save what you cant eat this week:
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1 cup vinegar
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 lb. cucumbers
making pickles
Refrigerate
+
Enjoy
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equivalent measures
1/4 cup =2 oz = 4 Tbsp.
+
1 TBSP = 3 TSP
1 quart
32 oz
4 cups
1/3 cup
1 cup
8 oz
16 Tbsp
measuring liquids
measuring solids
1 pint
16 oz
2 cups
1/8 cup = 2 Tbsp.
5 TBSP & 1 Tsp
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