The Worm's Voice: Red Wiggler's CSA Newsletter
DON'T KNIFE HACK--USE THIS LIFE HACK!
As I have mentioned many times over they years, I love winter squash! But even with a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board, many varieties can be hard to cut. They have tough skins, they roll around, sometimes they’re big–admittedly, it can be a little daunting. This week, a CSA member sent me a tip to make cutting squash a little easier. In a past newsletter, I discussed cutting and preparing butternuts, but this is a next-level life hack that, honestly, I can’t believe I never thought of before.
The concept is simple, heat softens the squash (specifically, it breaks down cellulose and pectin, complex plant fibers that form much of the rigid cell structures of firm veggies), and a soft squash is easier to cut than a hard one. The hack is simple too–just pop the whole squash in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. It’s not long enough to cook the squash all the way through, but it is long enough to soften the fibers and make it easier, not only to cut, but also to scoop the seeds out, and prep it however you like (it is also long enough to make it hot, so be careful!). Once your prep is done, stick it back into the oven to finish cooking as usual (though the cooking time of your original recipe might be slightly reduced).
The brilliance of this is that your oven is probably already preheating! Just throw the squash in there and take a walk around the block, watch moth videos (see below), stare wistfully into the middle distance–whatever floats your boat–for 20 minutes or so. Maybe, from start to finish, this step adds a few minutes to the whole process. But it saves you the existential stress of possible finger amputation, so it’s a win in my book!
If you give it a try, or already use this trick (if that’s you, why didn’t you tell me!?!), let me know how it works for you. And if you’re curious about where the CSA member learned this hack, here is the blog post and the video she sent to me.
Got 20 minutes to kill? Check out this Wiki page on Pieris rapae, those little white moths that hang out in mud puddles and are (incorrectly) called cabbage moths. Long-time CSA members will know I love to geek out about garden pests (see past profiles on potato beetles, leafminers, and harlequin bugs if you happen to be of like mind), and while this particular Wiki page has lots of interesting facts, the real treasure (time suck) is at the bottom of the page: clip after clip of the stages of Pieris rapae‘s life cycle–sped up, close up, in slow mo: they’re all mesmerizing. Throw that squash in the oven and tune in. You can thank me later.
IN THE SHARE
- Sweet Potatoes & Butternut Squash
- Radishes
- Peppers
- Onions or Garlic
- Napa Cabbage & Cooking Greens
PICK-YOUR-OWN
PICK-YOUR-OWN AVAILABILITY
Look for the BLUE flags on items ready to pick!
RED
Lovage, Oregano, Chives, Lavender, Russian Sage, Thyme, Blanket Flowers, Zinnias, Peppermint, Spearmint, Tarragon, Tithonia, Basil, Coriander, Marigolds, Nicotiana
ORANGE
Lamb’s Ear, Sorrel, Pincushions, Snapdragons, Sunflowers, Statice, Italian Basil, Lemon Basil, Thai Basil, Tulsi Basil
PINK
Zinnias, Cosmos, Roselle, Strawflowers, Gomphrena, Dill, Cilantro, Celosia
YELLOW
Calendula, Lemon Balm, Sage, Zinnias, Marigolds
PURPLE
Fennel
Need help or ideas? Just ask a RWCF Staff member or volunteer. We’re here for you!
RECIPES
VEG – Vegetarian DF – Dairy Free GF – Gluten Free
CABBAGE AND KALE SLAW WITH CREAMY GINGER-MISO DRESSING GF DF Veg
INGREDIENTS (DRESSING)
- 3 tablespoons silken tofu
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely grated, peeled fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
INGREDIENTS (SLAW)
- 3 cups very thinly sliced Napa cabbage
- Coarse sea salt
- 1 bunch kale, destemmed and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shelled peas
- 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed chopped cilantro (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest (optional)
DIRECTIONS
- To make the dressing, put the tofu, miso, lemon juice, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender and process until somewhat mixed. With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until creamy. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Set aside.
- To make the slaw, put the cabbage and kale in a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt. With clean hands, massage the cabbage until soft and wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse the bowl. Put the colander in the sink, put a plate atop the cabbage, and weight it (a 28-ounce can of tomatoes works well). Let sit for 1 hour.
- Next, rinse the cabbage under cold water, then squeeze with clean hands to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer back into the bowl and add the shelled peas and green onions.
- Pour in enough dressing to lightly coat the vegetables (start with about 3 tablespoons). Toss, then taste and add more dressing as desired (reserve any extra for another use). Garnish with the cilantro, chives, and lime zest–or think up your own fun garnishes to personalize the dish!
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH SAGE & LEEK BROWN BUTTER GF Veg DF (with modifications)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 butternut squash, around 2.5 lbs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cloves garlic, crushed or minced (optional)
- 1 handful sage leaves, coarsely chopped (about 24 leaves)
- 1 large or 2 small leeks, cleaned and finely chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425 F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Peel and scoop out the squash (use the hack first, of course!). Cut into 1” chunks.
- Spread squash chunks on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast in center of oven. After 15 minutes, stir and continue roasting until tender and browned.
- When squash is almost done, melt butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until foam subsides.
- Add the leeks, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add garlic, if using, and sauté for another minute or so. Then add the sage and cook just until the butter turns light brown and the sage is crisp, about 2 minutes.
- Pull the squash out of the oven, and immediately pour the butter mixture over the squash.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and toss to coat. Garnish with roasted squash seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.