This week your basket contains: summer squash, cucumber, carrots, onions, Elephant garlic, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beets, TOMATILLOS, and PARSLEY.

We only give HOT PEPPERS to you if you ask for them.  If you were on our list last summer, you have a couple hot peppers in the bag with the parsley.  If you want to get on the hot pepper list, just email us and let us know you would like some.  We will be giving them out as we can and they will always be in your greens bag.

The recipe below was passed along to us by a subscriber.  She said “When life gives you cucumbers . . ., make cucumber agua fresca! One recipe didn’t require straining, but notably it required peeling the cucumbers (presumably to keep the bitter out or you can leave skin on – makes it more green).  This is a delicious cooling beverage as is, but obviously it presents itself as a great mixer for vodka, gin, rum, or tequila cocktails. Might try that later this evening. . . . .”

CUCUMBER AGUA FRESCA

2 medium cucumbers cut into chunks
4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
juice from 2 limes
mint sprigs (optional)

Blend cucumber chunks and 2 cups water in blender until smooth. Add sugar and lime juice and blend again. Strain through metal mesh strainer into bowl or pitcher. Push down on solids to get all liquid through. Add the remaining 2 cups water (to taste) and any other flavor adjustments you like. Refrigerate until cold. Optional: drink with spearmint garnish, muddled mint, or if you know you want it all minty, blend spearmint into the original mix in the blender.

While it hasn’t seemed like soup weather of late, the recipe below seemed perfect for the veggies in your basket this week.

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. Sauté 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.

This is another recipe sent along to us by a subscriber.  This is a perfect example of a recipe that is more of a suggestion rather than a prescription.  Play with it and make it your own!

This is bar-none my favorite tomatillo recipe. It stands much improvisation. It’s great on enchiladas, but also over pork loin for chile verde, and over fried tofu for the vegetarian version.

2 lbs. tomatillos

4 medium jalapenos or other hot peppers, peeled, seeded and minced

6 T. cilantro, chopped

1 t. salt

½ c. onions or to taste

Peel the dry skins off the tomatillos, wash them, and boil them in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes until they are just soft. Drain, puree them in a blender or food processor, and put them in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Simmer gently for about 40 minutes. Use as dip for chips, enchilada sauce, or chili verde sauce for meat, tofu, or vegetables. From The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two by Anna Thomas