CSA week 16 is easily the heaviest bundle yet, with the apples, big tomatos, the (surprise!) bok choy, more nice green beans under all the lettuce. Apples, fall is here. Sweet potatoes, more fall. I'm getting pretty goddam tired of those green peppers though. Wish the dog would eat them. I ordered eggs this week $2.50 extra, well worth it. They're a buck more at the farmers market. And I just ate two of them, another Saturday morning favorite: egg sandwich, yolks intentionally broken, fried gently in butter, salt and pepper, topped with chopped bacon and slipped between two pieces of soft white bread fresh out of the plastic, one piece generously smeared with Hellmann's. Yes, Hellmann's mayo. I know I make a stink about making your own mayo and how easy it is. But it's Saturday, I've got a lot of stuff to do, and frankly, I actually prefer Hellman's on a fried egg sandwich.
What I'm most excited about in this week's CSA, is the sweet potatoes. I love to fry things and julienned and fried sweet potatoes may be the best kind of tuber there is to fry. Cut em on your japanese mandoline (if you don't have a benriner, buy one—they're one of the best kitchen tools you can own; here's the one I bought; twenty bucks and well, well worth it).
A quick pass over the julienne blade and into the hot oil, cook till crisp, drain in a paper-towel-lined bowl, shaking shaking as you rain some fine salt down on them. No better snack or side dish.
Carri
Our CSA allows us to say "never, ever send me a green pepper!" Though it's a big one (Full Circle Farms in Carnation, Washington). I can see where a smaller operation wouldn't be able to do that. Sweet potato chips or fries are the best, anyone out there who thinks they don't like sweet potatoes, try frying up a batch...you will never see them the same way again!
Maven
Your breakfast sounded wonderful - eggs and Hellmans just seem to go together.
I love sweet potato fries dipped in curried mayo. Have never made them myself, though and am feeling inspired to give them a try. Was planning to grill some burgers tonight - perhaps with the fries...
Paul
You gotta go with the abundance, like too many peppers, when it happens. Nobody says you have to eat them right now. Cut them up and freeze them in a vacuum bag. There is nothing better in the winter than a decent pepper that you can resurrect from the icebox.
If you are going to go local/CSA or deal with small farmers, have to get accept the fact that you can't always get what you want in the quantity that you want.
Susan
I could eat julienned green pepper strips the way some folks eat carrot sticks. I love'm cold and raw, plain or dipped in just about anything. They are so sweet!
.
They mayo thing is a flashback to youth. When I have a tomato sandwich..it has to be on soft white bread with Hellman's and lots of pepper, just the way my Dad them for us. Nothing else will do!
Brady Vickers
Whenever I get sweet potatoes I think of two things, fries and HASHBROWNS....delicious
Emily
How loyal are you to your CSA? I have Fresh Fork CSA in Cleveland, and as far as I can remember, we've only had green peppers twice this summer. We got sweet potatoes last week and I am planning on making fries-- they're good with some chili powder sprinkled on them too.
Abigail @ Sugar Apple
If you've got many Southern readers, you're gonna get comments on your choice of mayo. Southerners take their mayo very seriously. I'm a Duke's girl myself...no sugar and a good hit of vinegar.
Nanci
You can do what the Italians - at least Boston Italians - do. Cut and seed the peppers and pack in a jar with sliced yellow onions and whole cloves of garlic. Cover with cider vinegar and add a few peppercorns and then stick in the back of the fridge. No need to process them. When you are making pork chops this fall you can dig a few out and deglaze the pan with them. They are delicious when done this way and served on top of the chops.
parkbench
Do you get hot chili peppers out there? I just tried a recipte for homemade Sriricha sauce, that ubiquitous bright red "rooster" sauce on the tables at Thai (and here, Vietnamese) restaurants. Uses red Fresno peppers, garlic, salt, sugar and vinegar. That's it, and it is *wonderful*.
1/2 pound red Fresno peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons palm sugar
white distilled vinegar
Put the chopped peppers, garlic cloves, palm sugar and salt in a jar and cover with vinegar, and let it steep overnight to take the edge off the peppers, because those babies are HOT. Drain the vinegar and put the remaining mixture in a blender until smooth but still a bit thick. Dispatch to a squeeze bottle and enjoy.
Karen Downie Makley
I make a stalwart refusal to hate any food. So, if you are throwing your green peps away I will foster them. Seriously.
Todd
Many suggest a cold water bath before frying. What's your take?
ruhlman
shrug...
Marc Johnson
Just made these today for my 6 year old daughter (sweet potato home fries). Cut them by hand though a little thicker than chips, threw them in some boiling water for 4 minutes, patted dry, then in a bit of olive oil and butter, sprinkled with salt. She is a very picky eater and loved these so I got to add another item to my collection for meal time.
w4werwr
ust made these today for my 6 year old daughter (sweet potato home fries).
Cut them by hand though a little thicker than chips, threw them in some boiling water for 4 minutes, patted dry, then in a bit of olive oil and butter, sprinkled with salt. She is a very picky eater and loved these so I got to add another item to my
JW
Can't you use the green peppers for "cajun mirepoix?" They are pretty elemental in that use. Surely such regional cooking couldn't be all bad, green peppers or not.
Bacon Lettuce Tomato
I've enjoyed reading the constituents of your CSA this summer- as I have loved and somewhat not loved a few ingredients in the wide range of spring to fall produce in my own CSA here in Chicago.
Damn I wanted to buy that mandoline at Northwestern Cutlery while getting my knives sharpened today, but I need kitchen gadgets for the mother-in-law's xmas list! I hope I don't miss out on too many fall vegetables in the meantime....
w4werwr
If she were blond and blue, they would have a different stance. Blond is thank you دليل - منتدى حواء that very nice
صحيفة سعودية
صحف الكترونية
thank you صحيفة - صحيفة سعودية - اخبار محلية - أخبار محلية that very nice
ok but I’m not really that fond of blue(hair or skin) except for maybe those people in Avatar. As for singing ability, one of Idol’s best voices comes from Ruben Studdard….how anyone could vote one year for Ruben and the next year for screechy Fantasia is beyond me.
Joy
Sweet potatoe season screams "Fall is on the way!" in all their yummy golden orange goodness! I just bought a huge bag on the side of the road in the Florida panhandle. We love them everyway imaginable, savory and sweet. One of our favorites is Japanese tempura battered, dipped in a yummy dashi broth(tentsuyu). Check out this recently posted recipe on Whiteonricecouple.com for a delicious looking sweet potatoe bar w/chocolate! Thanks for all your CSA inspirations this summer!
w4werwr
season screams “Fall is on the way!” in all their yummy golden orange goodness! I just bought a huge bag on the side of the road in the Florida panhandle. We love them everyway imaginable,
savory and sweet. One of our favorites is Japanese tempura battered, dipped in a yummy dashi broth(tentsuyu). Check out this recently posted recipe on Whiteonricecouple.com for a delicious looking sweet potatoe bar w/chocolate! Thanks for all your CSA
Micah
It's funny, the night before I saw this post, we made sweet potato fries. They were tasty, but soggy, not crisp like the local bistro makes. Any tips to make them crispy?
ruhlman
try blanching in 275 degree oil for 5 minutes, then cooking in 350.
Micah
Thanks so much! I will try that next time. Love your book!
SWoody
There's nothing wrong with Hellman's. It's a good product which tastes nothing like home-made, and sometimes that's exactly what is needed, more about the mouth-feel than about the flavor. And, unlike a lot of commercial products, it contains no high-fructose corn syrup. (I checked.)
Well, there is one thing that doesn't sit right. I was raised on the West Coast, where the same product is called Best Foods Mayonnaise. I grew up hearing the jingle that told us to "Bring out the Best Foods and bring out the best!" Problem is, now that I'm on the East Coast, I look at the jar of Hellman's with the slogan "Bring out the best!" right there at the top of the label, and it just doesn't sing correctly. It looks wierd. Just saying.
w4werwr
you put in the time to reap and sow your own produce (not to mention setting up your beds, weeding, etc.), you’re less likely to let it go for naught. And while you may have an abundance of crops mid-summer, you’ll learn to cook and can or find neighbors happy to take handouts.
Nicholas L. Hall
I'm gettting pretty goddam tired of you whining so much about the green peppers. I think you owe it to us, and to yourself, to figure out the best possible thing to do with green peppers, sans sarcasm. I double-dog-dare you. Ruhlman readers, don't let him not do it. Pepper him with requests (snerk).
karen
any thoughts on crispy baked sweet potatoes? not a fan of the deep fry
RibDog
I've had a Benriner for over 25 years and the original one is still sharp as can be. I added a wider one a few years ago which was a nice addition. One of my "go to" gadgets in the kitchen!
NYCook
Sweet potato fritters. puree of sweet potatoes mixed with even parts pate choux. fold in choux make quenelles deep fry.
Kimber
Wonder if sweet- potatoes could be made into some kind of spread, as it is so sweet it might be a nice compliment in a wrap? With regards to Hellmans, it is interestingly good with sliced pear and strong shredded cheddar.
Paul
I can only second the comment that deep fried sweet potatoes are just made for dipping in flavored (go for it) home made mayo. Had some this weekend ... tubers from my own garden. I also had an egg sandwich on my own pan rustic (I like the chewy crust) with lotsa pepper but with Miracle Whip (I too like a bit of tart).
lectric lady
I have always eaten my fried egg sandwiches with ketchup. But, because I could eat a whole jar of Hellman's, with a spoon, in one sitting, I am seriously going to try your combo.
Chuck McLean
I don't do much frying anymore, but my wife and I love these oven sweet potato fries. Heat your convection oven to 400 degrees. Cut the potatoes as Ruhlman does. Toss with olive oil and just about any spices you love (I use salt, cumin, and smoked paprika). Bake for ten minutes, turn, and bake for another ten minutes (but keep an eye on them, they might not take the full ten). They don't get super crispy, but they are an easy, delicious side dish while you're cooking something else.
Chad
Smoke the peppers and add to chili perhaps? Or smoke/freeze and add to chili when those cool Fall nights or crisp Sunday afternoons of watching football.....
MW
Sweet potato fries are a favorite of mine- but my CSA has yet to give us sweet potatoes (if ever!). Instead- I used the kale from week 16 to make an equally delicious snack- cashew-parmesan kale chips. If you find kale in your CSA- it's a fast, easy snack. http://www.itsallfare.com/2010/09/chelsea-csa-week-16.html
allen
I recently watched your rant about making your own mayo, been doing that and turning it into all sorts of good stuff like ceasar's salad dressing, and chipotle with a little lime juice for some sweet potatoe fries. I have cheated by using lemon juice from a squirt bottle if I don't have fresh lemons. or skimp by using the zest to make more out of what little lemons I have - they don't grow in my neighborhood.
Chuck
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who prefers a pre-broken yolk on their fried egg sandwich!
luis
Keep it up Michael the green pepper farmers will send you a copy of their book " A hundred and one recipes to enjoy green bell peppers".
I bet the yellow green and orange ones are genetically engineered or man made somehow?.
Must tell you that you are preaching to the choir with the sweet potatoes fries.... But I must tell you frying them is ruining them in my eyes. I use a new fangled nu-wave oven and it air fries them delicious and I enjoy them without all that oil inside them. A truly healthy sweet treat. I can season them with "Season Complete " from Badia and they are sweet and savory. A great crispy side for a French pot roast if I quarter them. (meat browned in the nu-wave and slow braised on low overnight in the crockpot).Try it sometime.
Matter of fact I just reloaded the pantry for this very dish as I head into my week end. Last time I made the dish I used yukon golds and cooked them to perfection on the microwave.. then I married the roast and the potatoes in the sauce to finish it. Great great dish...
luis
Oh, yes the egg sandwich... I had one this morning. Found a plastic gizmo at Walmart that is one side opaque and the other clear. For One egg and similar to the one used for an omelet.
I did melt a pat of butter in it before putting the egg with the yolk broken but not mixed. 35 seconds later I had a beautifully cooked egg for my egg sandwich. Frying is the baseline for taste only because we came up that way back in the day. Techniques such as this are usually years ahead of their time I think. Anyway love the way you have shown me the way to appreciate locally grown fresh ingredients. And I found a locally grown basil plant and now having fresh Basil is not a problem for me.
luis
I may be a reach... but around here somewhere I have a killer recipe for fried green tomatoes I found at a resort in Marco Island. I just got the idea of airfrying it in the nu wave. It works great on Bell and Evans chicken breasts..... so......It might just work beautifully on the seasoned and breaded to perfection green tomatoes.
w4werwr
Oh, yes the egg sandwich… I had one this morning. Found a plastic gizmo at Walmart that is one side opaque and the other clear. For One egg and similar to the one used for an omelet.
I did melt a pat of butter in it before putting the egg with the yolk broken but not mixed. thank you
thank you صحيفة - أخبار محلية that very nice
35 seconds later I had a beautifully cooked egg for my egg sandwich. Frying is the baseline for taste only because we came up that way back in the day. Techniques such as this are usually years ahead of their time I think. Anyway love the way you have shown me the way to appreciate locally grown fresh ingredients. And I found a locally grown basil plant and now having fresh Basil is not a problem for me.