Produce productivity

Things have been just bustin' out all over at Mansion Farms, where I have a share and get to pick up freshly harvested veggies every week.

I am learning a lot about locavorism.  What I am learning is that you have to put what is on hand to use now, or find a way to preserve it for later.  This week's haul included broccoli, radishes, beets, and lots of onions.

The broccoli was steamed and enjoyed with dinner.  That is a no-brainer.

However, owing to a busy week last week, I still hadn't done anything with last week's radishes, beets and onions and I had a lot on hand.

I spent about three or four hours on my feet in the kitchen, but this is what I accomplished:

• Topped all the beets - the freshest I washed and dried, to be sauteed later in the week
• The beets all got cleaned and roasted for an hour, then peeled
• Some of the beets went into a light vinaigrette, to be enjoyed with lunches this week
• Some of the beets were saved to be re-warmed for dinners
• The last of the beets, I pickled with a few of the red onions
• Some of the radishes were cleaned and saved to be eaten raw in salads
• Some of the radishes were cleaned and saved to be roasted - yummy, if you've never tried it
• Some of the radishes were pickled with garlic and fennel.  The jury is still out on this
• The onions were chopped and sauteed in butter and sherry
• Once the onions were cooled, they were spread onto pastry and two rustic tarts were made and frozen for later

Gorgeous and delicious onions!

Radishes ready for pickling

 Golden and regular beets - ready for pickling

Left:  pickled beets and red onions, right: pickled radishes

Two frozen onion tarts, ready for impromptu cocktail gatherings!

It seems like a lot of work, but I think it's worth it.  I'm learning more and more about food.  I believe our bodies were meant to eat things in cycles.  I believe in supporting small farmers.  I believe in not eating food that has traveled thousands of miles.

But I have to be a realist - for now, I don't live this creed every day of the week.  I hope to gradually get to the point where more and more of my food is grown by myself, or those that I know personally.  But for now, I do the best I can.