Robin’s Koginut Squash
Hakurei Turnip or Baby Daikon Radish
Napa Cabbage, Bok Choy, or Yu Choy
Shishito Peppers or Green Hot Chilies
Salad Mix or Bibb Lettuce
Baby Ginger
Scallions
Cilantro
This week’s share leans towards Southeast Asian dishes. You will receive koginut squash and the first of our fresh ginger, along with a myriad of greens, aromatics, and peppers. This is our first ginger harvest of the season, so the roots will be tender with thin skin, super easy to grate or slice and with a smooth flavor. You can store it on your counter for a few days but if you want to keep it for a bit, please refrigerate. Ginger is similar to many crops, like potatoes, garlic, onions for example, in that it can be cured (the skin dries back and toughens in order to keep the root interior juicy) so that it is shelf stable and can be enjoyed for a longer period of time. Currently our ginger is still growing and has not begun to cure, so it has a very thin skin and is more permeable. Ginger is a long growing process for us. We plant our ginger in April and continually harvest between October and mid-November, basically until it gets too cold. The koginut squash on the other hand is cured and should store for at least 2 months when kept in a cool, dark location ideally around 60degrees. It is a delicious variety hailing from 7 Row Seeds, a new company formed out of a collaboration of chefs, farmers, and seed breeders. We love this squash, it is high yielding, tastes delicious, and can be used in both savory and sweet applications (it makes a perfect ravioli filling). We believe that it is a cross between butternut and kabocha types, with a creamy texture and rich, sweet flavor. Check out the recipes below and enjoy the share……Brian and Autumn
Shishito Peppers with Ginger Kabayaki Glaze
Stir-Fried Beef with Bok Choy and Turnips
Tri-Tip Steak with Grilled Scallion, Ginger and Cilantro Relish
Philippine Sour Shrimp Stew (Sinigang na Hipon) (radish & yu choy)
Meet the New Squash In Town: Robin’s Koginut
Silky Coconut-Pumpkin Soup – Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffery Alford & Naomi Duguid
3-4 Shallots unpeeled
1 1/2 lbs of Pumpkin or Squash
2 cups canned Coconut milk
2 cups Pork or Chicken Broth
1 cup loosely packed Cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tbls. Thai fish sauce
Generous grindings of Black Pepper
¼ cup minced Scallions
In a skillet or on a grill, dry roast the unpeeled shallots until softened and blackened. Peel, cut lengthwise and set aside. Peel the pumpkin and clean off any seeds. Cut into ½-inch cubes. You should have 41/2 – 5 cups cubed pumpkin. Place the coconut milk, broth, pumpkin cubes, shallots, and coriander leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. **Stir in fish sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste for salt and add a little more fish sauce if you wish. (The soup can be served immediately, but has even more flavor if left to stand for up to an hour. Reheat just before serving.) Serve from a large soup bowl or in individual bowls. Grind black pepper over generously, and, if you wish, garnish with a sprinkling of minced scallion greens. Leftovers freeze very well.
**At this point you can strain out about 1/3-1/2 the pumpkin cubes and blend just for a few seconds, return to the pot and the soup will have a slightly more creamy and emulsified texture.