For new members, the early weeks of the CSA can be difficult and overwhelming with the amount of greens that are in each week’s share.  Don’t fear though, before you know it we’ll have onions, tomatoes and all the other goodies that we look forward to each Summer.  For now though, we have lots of greens to use up.  Bob takes steps each Tuesday to prep for salads the rest of the week:

Whenever we get greens from the CSA, I prep them right away.  I know if they go into the fridge as-is, I’m going to be far less likely to use them when I cook dinner subsequent nights.  It may not be the most ideal way of storing them for long periods but I’ve found that they last at least 3-5 days which is perfect for us.  Depending on the type of green, I will stem and/or chop the leaves before thoroughly washing them.  I fill my salad spinner with water and let the greens soak for two minutes (longer for spinach), using my hand to swirl them around before pulling the basket out and dumping the water.  I repeat two or three times until the water that is left behind is mostly clear.  I spin them dry and then bag with pieces of paper towel.

In addition to washing and bagging the greens, Bob goes a step further to make side salads even easier:

I also prep my salad toppings in advance so that when it’s dinner time a salad is only a minute away.  I cut up tomato and cucumber and store them in plastic containers and make a big batch of dressing in a mason jar that I can easily store and shake up.  Another tasty, and simple, addition is quick pickled red onion.  When I’m prepping all of the other ingredients, I will marinade some thinly sliced red onion in a mixture of salt and vinegar.  Go heavy on both because you’ll drain the mixture and give them a quick rinse after they sit for 10-15 minutes.  The quick pickling marinade tames their strong flavor a bit and adds a nice tart kick to your salads (and sandwiches).

That’s all for this week, check back again soon for more Serving Suggestions!

Serving Suggestions is a recurring article that will be posted weekly during the CSA season featuring photos, tips and recipes. Content is provided by Jessica, Shana and Bob. If you would like to submit your own photos or recipes, please email Bob at robertfcowper@gmail.com. To read through previous Serving Suggestions articles, click here for an archive. You can also use the handy search feature at the top of the right hand menu bar to search for the name of a particular ingredient you need help using.