July 2, 2023
"Now What!?!" Workshop Recap
by Gia Yaccarino

Every year I enjoy the Now What!? workshops so much and I learn from the other members as well! This year the first 2 workshops were well attended and due to member request, we offered the workshops on a second weekend. The second weekend had a lower attendance, but they offered a chance for more one-on-one discussions!

We all know that there is a sharp learning curve for most upon joining a CSA – not only with what to do with the abundance of fresh vegetables but also with successfully incorporating the vegetables into your family’s meals! And once you have figured out what to do with the vegetables – the growing season progresses, and different vegetables are introduced! I strongly recommend keeping a journal or making notes on your recipes with what you did this year so that you don’t have to relearn things next year!

I shared Kale “Pesto” and Kale Stem “Pesto”. I say “Pesto” because there are no nuts or olive oil in my recipes! I often use tomato water or the liquid from Kalamata olives instead of oil. I also shared Bok Choy, Kohlrabi and radishes in a peanut sauce as well as vegetable chips I made with my dehydrator. Some ideas I shared included grilling (on a barbecue or in a skillet) some of the heartier lettuces like endive, escarole, radicchio or even romaine. I usually quarter mine, rinse and let dry (mostly) and then place cut side down in my cast iron skillet. I let that cook for a few minutes then flip over and cook a little longer. Then I spray it with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle parmesan cheese – yum! And this is a great recipe to freeze and save for the winter!

Another way I save some vegetables for the winter is by blanching the greens such as kale, radish or turnip greens. I submerge the chopped, cleaned greens in boiling water for a few minutes and then submerge them in ice water. Once they are cooled, I grab a big handful and squeeze out the excess water. I end up with a little ball of greens that easily fits into a Ziploc freezer bag. You can fit multiple green balls into a sandwich size bag! This is a wonderful addition to pasta, soup or stir-fry in the wintertime!

I also shared my copy of From Asparagus to Zucchini. I think the format of the cookbook is so user friendly and it included information about each vegetable, storage tips and cooking tips along with many CSA tried and tested recipes. I also encourage everyone to explore the recipe section on the website – it has so many wonderful recipes!

I want to thank everyone who attended! I had a wonderful time! I hope I have given you some ideas to help you enjoy more of your share.