This week your basket contains: zucchini, cucumber, beans, onions, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, basil, sweet corn, tomatillos, beets, and sweet peppers.

As we continue into autumn, one of the tasks we look forward to is harvesting potatoes.  This is a great group task (who can resist sifting through the soil for potatoes after the digger has turned them up?), so this year we are inviting interested subscribers out on SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25^TH AT 10:00 AM for a potato harvest party.  If you are interested, please RSVP by email with the number of people you will be bringing (so we can plan lunch).

This is a great recipe for your tomatillos:

 TOMATILLO TURKEY TACOS

8 small white corn tortillas

1 pound fresh tomatillos

1 onion, quartered

1 jalapeno chile (optional)

¼ bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed

½ tsp. salt

frshly ground black pepper

pinch of granulated sugar

2 cups chopped boneless, skinless roasted turkey

4 Tbsp. light sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wrap the tortillas tightly in foil and place in the oven to heat through for about 10 minutes.  Or, layer with damp paper towels and heat in the microwave on medium for 20 seconds, check and then repeat.  Wrap to keep warm.  Meanwhile, remove the papery husk from the tomatillos, then rinse and cut in half.  Combine the tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, pepper and sugar in a food processor or blender.  Process until combined but still slightly chunky.  Chop the turkey into small pieces.  Put into either a microwave-safe container or a saucepan with the salsa.  Heat through, about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Everyone can build his or her own tacos with the turkey tomatillo salsa and sour cream.  Finely chopped onions and cilantro can be used as garnishes.  From Fooday.

Autumn is soup season.  This is a great one to start off with.

FIRE ROASTED TOMATO AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

1 1/2 cups dried black beans
1 onion
3 carrots
Garlic
1 bell pepper
1-2 hot peppers (optional)
4-6 tomatoes
8 tomatillos
1 bunch kale

Soak the black beans overnight [or cook for 1 minute in pressure cooker at high pressure, natural release]. Drain, cover with 5 cups water, and bring to boil then simmer for 1.5 hour [or cook for 20 minutes in pressure cooker at high pressure, natural release]. Meanwhile, roast the peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos over high heat on the grill till soft and lightly charred. Chop onions, carrots, roasted peppers, kale, and mince garlic. Saute onion and carrots over medium heat till lightly browned, add garlic until beginning to brown, then add tomatoes and tomatillos.  Simmer and stir  until tomatoes break down even more and can be mashed with your spoon.  Add beans and their juice, peppers, and kale, simmer and stir until well mixed and kale is wilted and tender. Add salt to taste. Makes enough for 7-8 servings.

Roasted beets on a salad are amazing!  Try this recipe:

RED LENTIL SALAD WITH FETA AND BEETS

2-3 beets

¼ cup grapeseed oil (or olive oil)

1 Tbsp. minced shallots (or 1 small onion)

1 garlic clove, minced

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. ground fennel seeds

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup red lentils

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 bunch arugula, torn into bite-size pieces

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wrap the beets in foil and roast them for 45 minutes, or until tender; let cool.  Peel the beets (rubbing under cold water) and cut them into wedges.  In a medium skillet, heat the oil until shimmering.  Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add cumin and fennel seeds and cook just until fragrant.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne.  Season with salt and pepper and whisk until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add lentils and cook just until tender.  Drain and transfer to a bowl.  Toss the lentils with half the vinaigrette and let cool.  Stir in parsley.  Toss the arugula and beets with the remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.  Mound the salad on dinner plates and spoon the lentils on top.  Garnish with the feta and serve.  Serves 4.  From Food and Wine Jan. 2001.