Right now we have okra, tomatoes of all varieties, and cantaloupe. It feels like a summer picnic has arrived when that box gets unpacked. Everything is delicious and juicy. I find myself sounding like a Stark with our CSA box this time of year: winter is coming. Winter will indeed come, and I want the goodness of our Rootbound CSA to last through the cold months. Spending a little extra time now, will extend the life of your CSA share. Here are some ideas and recipes for ways to prolong the bounty! Don’t forget we have blemished BULK TOMATOES available in the store to fulfill all your preserving needs.
Tomatoes that are full of flavor, are something you never want to be short on. One way to add variety to your meals, and use up tomatoes is by slow roasting them. This is one of the easiest, and tastiest ways to cook with tomatoes. You can use whatever tomatoes you have around. Simply roast them, put them in a jar with olive oil, and store in the fridge. They’ll last about a month, and can be added to any dish. Pasta, salads, sandwiches, or give them away as a gift. Here’s a link for more details:
Tomato soup is a hands down classic. Soup is easy to make, and a great way to use up vegetables you have around the kitchen. It can be eaten year round, and stored in a variety of ways. Some folks like to can soup, which is great if you have a small fridge and more pantry space. Canning can be overwhelming and difficult though, so make sure you do it properly for your safety. Soup is even easier to freeze in quart Ziploc style bags, or any container you have at home. A way to conserve space in your freezer is to store soup in a Ziploc style bag, and lay it flat until frozen. Once it’s frozen you can stand them up, stack them flat, or tuck them into any narrow space in the freezer. Here is the best recipe for a creamy take on tomato soup:
Another favorite is salsa. Salsa goes on anything and everything. It’s a food that you make truly to your taste buds. Tomatoes are obviously the base, and then you can add onions, peppers, cilantro, even fruit like pineapple – the possibilities are endless. Salsa can be canned, or stored in a jar in the fridge for frequent use.
We hope you enjoy these recipes. Please send us your recipes as well. We love to see how you’re cooking with Rootbound produce, and we may even feature your recipe in a future newsletter and/or blog post.
Blog submitted by CSA Member, Tori.
