I dream about being the type of cook who wanders through a farmers market, gets inspired by whatever is in season, and runs home to make something simple and delicious without consulting a single recipe.
The reality is that I am extremely recipe-bound. I shop with a detailed list, rarely impulse-buy, and often have meals planned weeks, sometimes months, in advance between recipe development and content planning. Ask me to freestyle a farmers market dinner and I immediately forget every vegetable I have ever encountered.
That is why I signed up for a CSA: to bring a little more spontaneity into my cooking, eat more locally, and force myself to figure out what to do with a giant bunch of dill before it starts growing legs in the crisper.
Every couple of weeks, I’m sharing what came in my boxes, what I made, what worked, and what I would make again.
For weeks 5 & 6, my box included: SLICER TOMATOES – RED POTATOES – SUMMER SQUASH – ROMAINE LETTUCE – BABY LEEKS – EGGPLANT – SWEET CORN – CHERRY TOMATOES
SUMMER SQUASH
I’m entering the summer squash and zucchini era of my CSA, which I’ve been warned about because you can end up with so much each week that you’re at a loss for what to do with it. Luckily, the CSA I joined lets you choose from a handful of options each week, so I have a little control over just how much zucchini takes over my life.
What I made:
Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Cold Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce
This was a dream late-summer dish! Outside of briefly boiling the soba noodles, there’s no cooking involved, and the spicy-sweet peanut butter-soy sauce is one of those sauces I want on everything. Once the noodles are cooked and the summer squash, radishes, and bell pepper are sliced, everything gets tossed with the peanut sauce, then topped with roasted peanuts, scallions, and cilantro. It’s cool, crunchy, flavor-packed, and low effort, plus the vegetables are flexible enough to make it a great clean-out-the-CSA recipe. This one is instantly going into the regular rotation.
Other ideas:
- Andy Baraghani’s Sweet and Spicy Grilled Summer Squash
- Molly Baz’s Marinated Zucchini With Hazelnuts and Ricotta
- Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Farro with Summer Vegetables
No-recipe route: Cut into thick half-moons and sauté over medium heat with olive oil until browned but not mushy. Finish with lemon, Parmesan and whatever fresh herbs you have around. Or shave it raw into ribbons and dress with lemon, olive oil, salt and plenty of Parmesan.
To preserve: Shred it, squeeze out the excess moisture and freeze in measured portions for zucchini bread, fritters or soups
SLICER TOMATOES
Big, juicy, and actually better when you don’t do much to them. I’m usually slicing them for sandwiches or salads, but they’re also great in tarts, quick sauces, or honestly just sprinkled with salt and eaten over the sink.
What I made:
My Tomato Toast with Calabrian Mayo
In August, most of my diet consists of tomato sandwiches, often open-faced with toasted bread, a generous smear of mayo, and thick slices of salted tomato, finished with chives, black pepper, or everything bagel seasoning. But when I want to turn up the volume, it’s always my tomato toast with Calabrian chile mayo. And pan-fried sourdough is absolutely the way to go.
Other ideas:
- Ina Garten’s Anna’s Tomato Tart
- The Mediterranean Dish’s Pan Con Tomate
- Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Dumpling Tomato Salad With Chile Crisp Vinaigrette
No-recipe route: Cut it into thick wedges or slices, season generously with salt and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Add good olive oil and a splash of vinegar, then whatever sounds good: torn basil, mozzarella, feta, Parmesan, avocado, or toasted bread
To preserve: If you have more tomatoes than you can eat, freeze them whole. Once thawed, the skins slip right off and the softened tomatoes are perfect for sauce, soup or stew.
ROMAINE LETTUCE
Romaine is sturdy, crunchy, and far more versatile than even I realized a couple of years ago. The crisp ribs hold up to substantial dressings and toppings, but it’s also one of the few lettuces that can take some heat. Sear, grill, or stir-fry it and the leaves wilt while the center keeps some of its crunch.
What I made:
Claire Saffitz’s Beef and Romaine Stir-Fry
If you’ve never cooked romaine, this is a great place to start. Thinly sliced short ribs are quickly stir-fried with ginger and scallions. A chopped head of romaine takes the place of the usual stir-fry greens. The leaves wilt while the ribs stay crisp-tender, and everything gets coated in a savory sauce of soy, rice vinegar and Shaoxing wine.
Other ideas:
- Ina Garten’s Caesar Salad with Pancetta
- Lidey Heuck’s Chopped Salad With Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado
- Woks of Life’s Cooked Lettuce with Oyster Sauce & Garlic
No-recipe route: Cut a head of romaine lengthwise, brush the cut side with olive oil and sear it in a very hot skillet until charred but still crisp. Finish with lemon, Parmesan and lots of black pepper for a warm, almost-Caesar salad.
To preserve: Proper storage is going to be your friend to extend for as long as possible. Martha’s got you covered. And if it does go a little limp, soak it in ice water for about 30 minutes to help crisp it back up.
BABY LEEKS
Baby leeks are milder, sweeter and more tender than their full-size counterparts. Because they’re so slender, you can cook them whole or halved, letting them caramelize while the centers turn soft and silky.
What I made:
Scales’ Baked Haddock with Fumet Sauce | The New Portland, Maine, Chef’s Table, page 164
Scales is one of my favorite spots in Portland for seafood, but I’d never had their Baked Haddock with Fumet Sauce and OMG have I been missing out!!! It’s a bit of a project, starting with a homemade fumet, a delicate fish stock made with fish bones, aromatics, and white wine. The fumet gets turned into a creamy sauce that surrounds haddock fillets dotted with baby leeks, wild mushrooms, and fingerling potatoes, then everything bakes until bubbly. One of the best fish dishes I’ve made at home. Absolutely restaurant quality!
Other ideas:
- Tony Mantuano’s Grilled Baby Leeks with Romesco Sauce
No-recipe route: Halve the leeks lengthwise, wash them well, then sear cut-side down in olive oil or butter until browned. Add a splash of water or stock, cover and cook until tender. Finish with lemon, Parmesan and flaky salt, or a mustardy vinaigrette.
To preserve: Leeks freeze well for cooked dishes. Slice, wash and dry them thoroughly, then freeze on a sheet pan before transferring to a freezer bag.
EGGPLANT
Eggplant is basically a sponge for flavor, which means there are a million directions you can take it. Roast, grill, or fry it until tender and that slightly spongy texture turns soft and silky.
What I made:
J. Kenji López-Alt‘s Japanese Miso-Glazed Eggplant (Nasu no Dengaku) | The Wok, page 243
Remember when Eggplant Friday was a thing? Well, now my Eggplant Fridays just involve J. Kenji López-Alt’s Japanese Miso-Glazed Eggplant. For this quick and easy dish, eggplants are halved and cooked until nearly tender, then slathered with a sweet-savory glaze of miso, sake, mirin, and sugar before getting a final blast under the broiler. The eggplant turns soft and silky while the glaze caramelizes on top. Finish with scallions and sesame seeds and you’ve got a flavorful dish with very little effort.
Other ideas:
- Eli Zabar’s Grilled Eggplant with Sherry Vinegar Drizzle
- Ina Garten’s Spiced Lamb-Stuffed Eggplants
- Woks of Life’s Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
No-recipe route: Cut into thick rounds or cubes, toss generously with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 425°F until well browned and completely tender. From there, finish with lemon and feta, tahini and herbs, Parmesan and tomato sauce, or chile crisp and scallions.
To preserve: Eggplant doesn’t freeze particularly well raw, so cook it first. Roast until tender, cool completely and freeze in portions for pasta sauces, curries, dips or soups. You can also turn it into caponata, which is even better after the flavors have had a little time to meld.
SWEET CORN
Peak-season sweet corn is one of those ingredients that doesn’t need much help. The kernels are crisp, juicy, and so sweet you can eat them raw right off the cob. Toss them into salads, give them a quick sauté or char, or add them to pastas, hashes, and grain bowls. I’ll happily find an excuse to add corn to just about anything this time of year.
What I made:
Smitten Kitchen’s Bacon Corn Hash
I adore a hash in any form, and this version was the perfect way to use the corn and potatoes from my CSA. Since it’s pretty flexible, I also tossed in my purple bell pepper. The bacon is cooked first, then the potatoes are coated in all that glorious bacon fat and cooked until golden before adding the corn and pepper. Topped with a fried egg, also cooked in bacon fat, and a generous sprinkle of scallions, this will cure any hangover.
Other ideas:
- My Creamy Tom Yum Pasta with Sweet Corn and Chimichurri
- My Panzanella with Charred Corn & Goat Cheese
- Chris Morocco’s Corn & Chickpea Bowl With Miso-Jalapeño Tahini
No-recipe route: Cut the kernels from the cob and sauté in a hot skillet with butter or olive oil until just beginning to brown. Finish with lime, salt and chile flakes, then add whatever you have around: feta or Parmesan, scallions, cilantro, cherry tomatoes or a spoonful of chile crisp.
To preserve: Freeze it. For the best texture, blanch whole ears for 4 minutes, cool them immediately in ice water, then cut off the kernels and freeze in portions
RED POTATOES
Potatoes are the vegetable I never have to think too hard about using. The greater challenge is not finding an excuse to serve them with every meal.
What I made:
Sarah Leah Chase’s Salt Potatoes | New England Open House Cookbook, page 268
I may never boil potatoes in unsalted water again. Cooking them in heavily salted water seasons them all the way through and resulted in some of the best potatoes I’ve eaten. They really don’t need much else: a little butter, black pepper, and plenty of dill.
Other ideas:
- Melissa Clark’s Sheet-Pan Chicken With Potatoes, Arugula and Garlic Yogurt
- J. Kenji Lopez Alt’s The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes Ever
- My Extra-Peppery Cacio e Pepe Mashed Potatoes
No-recipe route: When in doubt, crispy potatoes. Boil until just tender, drain well, then roast with plenty of olive oil, salt, and pepper until deeply golden and crisp. Toss with whatever herbs you have around, shower with Parmesan, or top with a fried egg and call it breakfast.
To preserve: Potatoes already have a pretty impressive shelf life, so there’s no rush. Store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot, away from onions.
CHERRY TOMATOES
Cherry tomatoes are one of the easiest parts of summer produce to use up. They’re sweet, juicy, and perfect for tossing into salads, pastas, and grain bowls, or piling onto toast. Half the time, I just eat them straight from the container, saving myself the trouble of deciding what to make with them.
What I made:
Smitten Kitchen’s Tomatoes with Cottage Cheese and Bagel Seeds | Keepers, page 32
I’m often food-trend averse. I still have PTSD from when we collectively decided everything needed to be made from cauliflower. So when cottage cheese started popping up everywhere, I ran in the other direction, so far that I realized I hadn’t eaten cottage cheese in forever. All I needed was Smitten Kitchen to remind me why I loved it in the first place. This isn’t a gimmicky dish – it’s just simple and delicious. A bed of cottage cheese gets drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, then topped with salted, halved cherry tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning. Deb says it serves 1 to 2, but I handled this one all by myself.
Other ideas:
- My Summer Farro Salad with Roasted Veggies and Pistachio Pesto
- Ina Garten’s Israeli Vegetable Salad
- Yewande Komolafe’s Coconut Fish and Tomato Bake
No-recipe route: Sauté whole cherry tomatoes in olive oil with sliced garlic until they blister, burst, and release their juices. Toss with pasta and Parmesan, spoon over ricotta toast, pile onto creamy polenta, or serve alongside chicken or fish.
To preserve: Samin Nosrat’s Cherry Tomato Confit gently cooks tomatoes with basil and garlic in plenty of olive oil until tender and just beginning to burst. Keep them refrigerated in their oil for up to five days, then use on pasta, eggs, ricotta toast, chicken, or fish. And definitely save the tomato-infused oil for vinaigrettes or another batch.
