CSA Cooking {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 9 + Turmeric Refrigerator Pickles

If you're receiving a CSA basket, you may have reached the point of the season when staggering feelings of overwhelming anxiety hit you as you stand in front of the fridge and wonder where the fifty-third beet will fit in. But instead of becoming frozen in terror by a beet, get down to business. Pull all the produce out onto your counter, look it square in the eye, and show those vegetables who's boss. 

CSA Week 9 Produce

Here was my game plan today after working at Sweet Beet: Roast all the beets in a roaster until fork tender, peel and freeze whole. Use this winter. Shred the carrots and make Carrot Cake (no, I didn't actually get to this recipe, but dammit, I want to SO BAD!). Pickle the cucumbers into refrigerator pickles - eat for dinner and watch the kids' lips pucker. Use the chard for soup. Blanch the green beans to be eaten this winter. Throw the parsley whole, as is, into a freezer bag that you've sucked all the air out of, toss into the freezer for homemade stock that you can make later. Slice up the lemon cucumbers and kohlrabi for easy weekday snacking as you stand in front of the fridge in victory. There. Now don't you feel better? That took all of three hours. Whew. 

Pickling cucumbers is very quick and easy. All you need to do is slice the cucumbers and onions really thin, I used a mandolin which was a billion times faster than a knife, but you have to work with what you have! While I was slicing those, I boiled a quick pickling potion on the stovetop with lemon juice, vinegar, honey and spices. Pour that over the sliced veggies, let sit on the counter for half hour to stew and marinate and then you're done! Pack into jars and you have tangy, sweet, zingy, crisp pickles to serve with sandwiches. 

Printable Recipe Here

Turmeric Refrigerator Pickles

Yield: 2 Quarts

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
3/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon cloves
3 large cucumbers, about 6 cups
1 large onion, about 2 cups

Combine first seven ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, thinly slice cucumbers and onion on a mandolin or with a good knife. Place into a large bowl and pour marinade over vegetables, stir well. Let sit on the counter for 30 minutes, or so, giving a stir every once in a while. Pack into wide-mouth quart jars, pour pickling liquid over, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.