[CSA]: Week 18

The Menu

Please Choose 8

• Sweet Potatoes!

  • Smaller than we'd hoped but, still tasty.

  • Both white and traditional red. They're cured and ready to go!

• Brussels Sprouts

• Carrots!

• Celeriac

• Garlic

• Red or Yellow Storage Onions

• Hot Peppers

• Sweet Bell Peppers and Carmen/Escamillo

• Daikon Radishes

• Winter Squash: Pie Pumpkins, Butternut, Acorn, Carnival or Delicata

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Parsley, Sage, Thyme

Maybe List

• Cabbage

• Regular Radishes

• Beets

The "Let's See How Bad the Frost is this Week" List 

• Lettuce!

  • Green leaf lettuce is ready to go, along with romaine. We harvested all that we could tonight and we hope it's enough for the week.

• Kale?

  • Sometimes kale can take a hit during the first frost. It's unlikely but, I've seen it happen. We'll know more in the morning!

Recipe Ideas: Daikon (and other) Radishes

Daikon radishes are commonly seen in Japanese and other Asian recipes and are easily identified by their long, often white roots. We offer white or purple more Korean-style daikon, shorter and stubbier roots with a lovely, mild radish flavor.

They can be eaten raw or, roastedto make the flavor a little milder and soften the texture.

But, in the "daikon" bin at CSA, we've actually had a few other random roots thrown into the mix. Beyond the purple or white daikon are also black spanishradishes, 

Black Spanish radish is quite a bit more pungent but, that pungency lies in the skin. The skin is also fairly thick so, it's best to peel the outside if you're unsure about this veggie. 

The third root and radish in the bin would be Watermelon radishes. These mild beauties are great raw or pickled but, can be cooked too. Due to their appearance, it really is lovely to see them in salads or, roasted in wedges.

While trying to use up our Winter share of daikons last year, I discovered that daikon is also a popular veggie in India. Mooli (or daikon) is often used in a dal (judging by the prevalence of this recipe) and, the greens are often combined with the root to make Mooli and Moong Dal. I have created a few less complex things with curry paste and daikons and it was delicious (but, I love curry) plus, I don't have a go-to Indian recipe source just yet.

When in doubt, roast it. Try these spicy roasted daikon french fries to start!

We've thrown any and all of these radishes into meaty roasts or onto sheet pans (along with other veggies) and played a fun game of "which root is that." That's not to say they aren't enjoyable but, sometimes it's just easier to mix them in with other roots. We've also tried just about every veggiein pancake form, including daikons.

Still, whenever I make a stir-fry or a brothy soup, thinly sliced daikon or black Spanish radish make an excellent, crunchy and spicy addition!

If you're really on the fence, try them pickled. Add pickled daikon onto sandwiches, soups, any BBQ or heavy meat dish to lighten it up with freshness and acidity. Try these quick pickled carrots and daikon, that are basically just sugar, vinegar, and good root veggies.