Winter Week 6 Veggie List & Menu

One Huge Romanesco Beauty

 We’ve just passed the middle of winter, and luckily the bitter cold nights are behind us. Bitter cold in central California is about the same as moderate temperatures in most parts of the country. But our plants, even the natives, aren’t adapted to the weeks of mid-20 degree nights we've had this season.  Violets seem to be the exception, peeping out perkily every morning from beneath the frost, and producing a host of flowers during the past week. I just learned that violets are edible and am curious about their flavor and uses. I found a peculiar cake recipe…to be continued.

This week our CSA provided huge quantities of beautiful Romanesco cauliflower and broccolini. I only wish that my quantity of energy and creativity for using them was as huge. Luckily, they are delicious and satisfying simply steamed. Still have a lot of persimmon pulp in the fridge, and trying to come up with still more recipes so I don’t have to freeze it. Persimmons are never the same after freezing, because I easily forget about them. Thinking of freezing reminds me of the basil and strawberries I froze last summer when it seemed like the season would never end. I’m ready to call back these touches of summer into this week’s menu.

This week’s veggies:

Apples
Broccolini
Green cabbage
Carrots
Romanesco cauliflower (lots!)
Red Russian kale
Lettuce
Yellow onions
Crushed dry-farmed tomatoes 

Leftovers: lettuce, red & yellow onions, cranberries, daikon, cabbage, persimmons, baked chicken, turkey burgers, Mashed Potatoes Florentine, microwaved mini-butternut squash, preserved tomatoes, raisin date persimmon muffins, Meyer lemons

Thursday

leftover chicken

steamed cauliflower

leftover mashed potatoes Florentine

leftover microwaved mini-butternut squash

lettuce with preserved tomatoes

raisin date persimmon muffins

Friday

leftover chicken

leftover cauliflower with Meyer lemon sauce

lettuce with preserved tomatoes

kale hot salad or soup

make persimmon spice cupcakes

Saturday

luau dish: persimmon spice cupcakes

luau drink: strawberry lemonade concentrate with fizzy water

Sunday

baked turkey (also for  weekday lunches)

steamed broccolini

baked apples

Monday

leftover baked turkey

leftover veggies

un-frozen strawberries or strawberry crisp

Tuesday

baked turkey-stuffed cabbage (Weight Watchers)

Wednesday

veggie burgers

leftover veggies