Lettuce | Eating Out of the Local Box

Tag Archives | lettuce

Local Box 07.16.2008

As I write this now, a fellow on the radio is talking about how expensive food is. But this week’s Greenling Local Box was quite a deal! Here’s what I plan to do with the fruits of my $34.99 this week:

We LOVED the watermelonade we made last week, so we’ll do it again this week. A good-sized batch will only use half of this gi-normous watermelon, though, so we’re thinking of turning the other half to sorbet that we can enjoy later in the summer.
For dinner tonight, we’re planning to create an eggplant pasta dish, probably this one I found at epicurious.com by searching for the terms eggplant, basil, bell pepper, and pasta — since I still have basil leftover from last week and I’ve got a hankerin’ for pasta.
As soon as I empty my salad spinner of the basil it’s kept so well all week, I’ll use it to rinse, spin, and store the lettuce in this week’s box for salads later in the week.
As always, we’ll eat the peaches and blueberries straight-up or over yogurt in the mornings.
I’m planning to slice the zucchini and summer squash into ribbons, then cook them like pasta and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper — it’s an idea I got during a conversation with Todd Duplechan, the chef de cuisine at Trio (the restaurant in the Four Seasons Austin) last weekend.
I can’t wait to fry the okra per the comment to last week’s post about okra!
I’m undecided on the mint. I’ve been longing for mint tea, but there’s also nothing like homemade mint-chocolate-chip ice cream…
And then there are the three mystery items in my box this week — some small onions, a pair of small white squash, and two bright-green peppers! I’ll query Fearless Forager about these and let you know what she says.

In the meantime, what are you planning to cook out of your Local Box this week?

Comments { 6 }

Local Box 07.02.2008

By Texas Locavore on July 2, 2008 in Central Texas Local Box, Greenling Central Texas

This week’s box is full of summery goodness! Here’s what I think I’ll aim to do with it:

We’ll snack on the watermelon, cantaloupe, and blueberries. It’s hot out — so the more we can eat without cooking, the better!
I’ll melt a pat of butter with some olive oil in a skillet over high heat, then sauté chopped summer squash with a bit of onion. Then I’ll toss in the sunflower sprouts for the last minute or so to wilt them, season with salt and pepper, and serve for a summery side that won’t heat up the kitchen too badly.
I’ve got a nice pile of red potatoes saved up — enough to make potato salad to bring to a Fourth of July potluck.
For some quick refrigerator pickles that’ll go great in packed lunches, I’ll slice the cucumbers (after peeling them only if the skin tastes bitter) and some onion then, then soak them until I use them in a mixture of one-third part vinegar to two-thirds water and some dried dill weed.
After the peaches soften up a bit, I’ll slice them over cereal for breakfast.
I’ll top a pizza with the eggplant — and plenty of basil and garlic. Fearless Flyer included a recipe for just that!
The lettuce is already rinsed, spun, and refrigerated in my salad spinner. It’ll be great to make quick salads to accompany meals throughout the week.
All those peppers! My husband will eat the banana peppers straight-up, and I’ll use the jalapeño to season some cheesy quesadillas.

What will YOU do with YOUR Local Box this week?

Comments { 2 }

Local Box 06.25.2008

By Texas Locavore on June 25, 2008 in Central Texas Local Box, Greenling Central Texas

My Local Box arrived today containing even more than Fearless Forager had promised — she threw in a butternut squash, too! Here’s what I’m planning to do with it all:

I’ll slice the peaches up over yogurt for breakfast when they feel just slightly soft when squeezed gently.

All this great produce and a great weekend weather forecast calls for firing up the grill! My husband’s the self-appointed grill meister, but I’ll suggest that he slice the eggplant and summer squash, then paint them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper before he puts them over the fire for just a few minutes. We’ll soak a couple of wooden skewers in water for an hour, then string on the cherry tomatoes and grill them, too!

While he grills, I’ll mix the cocktails — cantaloupe granitas from the recipe Fearless Forager included in the box will hit the spot!

Since we’ll be spending time outside, I’ll slice the cucumber and float the slices in a pitcher of ice water. This gives it a refreshing flavor that encourages everyone to drink up — and avoid dehydration.

I’m glad to see I’ll have plenty of options for veggie side dishes this week. I’ll roast the okra (recipe here), then store it in the fridge to use as need with dinner and packed lunches. The sliced tomato should be so excellent this time of year that all it’ll need is a dash of salt and pepper to make a great side on its own. Green salad will be another easy side — I’ve already got the head lettuce rinsed and refrigerated in my salad spinner, so that’ll be easy to pull out and dress with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and sunflower sprouts on top.

Another great use for sunflower sprouts? Omelets. Adding sliced and lightly sautéed baby squash and strips of fresh basil will make them even better. We’ll serve home-fried red potatoes alongside.

And that surprise butternut squash? I think I’ll stash that in a basket under my counter and wait for inspiration to strike. Squash keeps very well as long as it’s free of any skin blemishes