CSA Week 4: Here we go! Lots of great stuff showed up this week (but really, when is that not the case?). We’ve got to make the most of it, since we’ll be travelling all of next week, spending some quality time cabining (is that a word? If not, it should be) in the Apostle Islands and Wisconsin Northwoods and enjoying summer for all it’s worth. And knowing me, you can bet there’s going to be a lot of delicious food involved. Luckily, we’ll be well supplied.

We also hit up the farmer’s market this week for some additional produce (go big or go home, right?). My original motivation was the hope of getting my hands on some early season cherries. I got to the market at 7am, and by the time I found the cherries, there were only 3 boxes left. I call that pretty lucky. Also, I ended up getting sidetracked and buying some other things too. Here’s what we’re cooking with this week:

I don’t have a lot of experience with turnip cookery, so I’m excited to get cooking with these lovely little Hakurei Turnips. I’m thinking this Turnip, Ramp, and White Bean Dip from the Leek and the Carrot sounds lovely. And while ramps are sadly no longer in season, the fresh Scallions that also arrived in our CSA box will make a nice substitute. As luck would have it, we also have plenty of Snap Peas, which are the perfect vehicle for eating said dip.

Because I’m all for any excuse to grill, I’ll be grilling up some deliciously smoky pork chops and topping them with pickled greens, so good thing we have plenty of Kale and Turnip Greens to work with.

Lettuce from the CSA, and still pulling lettuce from the back garden. Time for some more Thai Fried Egg Salad I’m thinking.

Both regular Basil from the CSA and Thai Basil from the farmer’s market. I can’t get enough of the stuff. I absolutely love the way it smells. When I’m not keeping it in big bunches on the windowsill to keep my kitchen smelling summery and amazing, I’m stir frying it up in Pok Pok’s Stir-Fried Chicken with Hot Basil (and subbing Garlic Scapes for the long beans of course).

Zucchini and Scallions in our CSA box this week are making me think these Grilled Summer Squash Tacos with Avocado Salsa were meant to be.

I thought I’d add some variety to my salad game with some Radicchio. Besides, that which does not become salad is going to be delicious grilled up and served with fresh mozzarella and garlic vinaigrette like Bowen Appetit does.

This Peacock Broccoli was just too pretty not to buy. A colorfully purplish variety of broccoli, this one was cooked forever, as in Food52’s Broccoli Cooked Forever because it’s hard for me to resist the thought of slow cooking broccoli in olive oil with plenty of garlic and anchovies. Throw it atop some crusty bread slathered with fresh ricotta, and you won’t be disappointed.

Fresh Peas are sweet, summery tasting, and I love having them on hand so I can make copious amounts of Ottolenghi’s Conchiglie with Yogurt, Peas, and Chili. Also, a good way to use up any extra Basil you still may have hanging around.

More Strawberries means more of this Strawberry Salad with Raspberry Cinnamon Vinaigrette, which is good, because we have no shortage of lettuce.

And last but not least, the elusive Cherries. I was only able to find tart cherries, but that’s okay because tart cherries mean pie, and I can always, always get behind pie. This Sour Cherry Pie from Bon Appetit is simple, classic, and mighty tasty.