“According to analyses conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100 grams of fresh tomato today has 30 percent less vitamin C, 30 percent less thiamin, 19 percent less niacin, and 62 percent less calcium than it did in the 1960s. But the modern tomato does shame it’s counterpart in one area: It contains fourteen times as much sodium.”
― Barry Estabrook, Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit
Wow – we can manage to ruin anything, can’t we? However, nutritionally dense or not, tomatoes are a crowd pleaser. Lots more yummy tomatoes this week and OKRA!!!
Ok, tired of Okra? Freeze it (just chop it up and put it in freezer bags), dry it (in the oven, low temp until it is crunchy), pickle it (recipe follows) Okra is a star this time of year when we are between seasons. It just keeps coming until fall weather slows it down.
Farm News: Busy planting for fall!! Sweet potatoes look good. Some late melons if the racoons don’t eat them. And fall beans. Lots to look forward to!
What’s in the bucket: spaghetti squash, summer squash, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, OKRA, peppers and/or eggplant, field peas or edamame soybeans, basil.
What’s at market: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, potatoes. Circle S Beef: Roasts, ground beef, stew beef.
Found this recipe on PInch Me I’m Eating. Easy and delicious. It will work with other peppers as well – so substitute bell or another sweet and/or hot pepper in your bucket.
Refrigerator pickled okra
INGREDIENTS
- 13-16 okra pods or however many will fit in a clean spaghetti sauce jar
- 2 banana pepperssliced, seeds removed (optional)
- 3 cloves garliccrushed with the side of a knife but not cut
- 1 tbsp kosher saltplus more for salting pods
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar reduce for a less sweet pickle
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp water
INSTRUCTIONS
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Trim stems off okra pods so the tops are flat, but the pod isn’t opened up. Sprinkle with kosher salt and set aside in a colander, along with banana peppers.
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Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
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Rinse off okra pods and pack tightly into a clean spaghetti sauce jar or other jar, along with banana peppers.
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Let vinegar mixture cool for about 10 minutes, then pour over the okra until the jar is full. If there is slightly too much liquid, make sure you get all the “good stuff” in the jar before disposing of any excess vinegar.
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Screw on the top and refrigerate for 48 hours. Enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
Serve with a charcuterie board, bloody Mary, or straight out of the jar.
Keeps, refrigerated, for at least 2 weeks
Happy Eating and thanks for buying local food at Circle S Farm!!