CSA Share #8

I love my new apartment! I think a housewarming party this weekend is in good order.

Sangria + CSA produce + friends + summer nights = happy people

In fact, my eighth CSA share seems like it was designed just for a nice summer dinner:
- 1.5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 bunch Thai basil
- 1 bunch beets
- 1 Italian eggplant
- 2 heads garlic
- 1 bunch red onions

Extras:
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 bunch carrots

CWTC: POTATOES! Eek! I love new potatoes and these are as new as they get. They look so lovely and waxy and yummy... My absolute favorite dish to cook when I'm in a hurry but need a crowd-pleasing favorite for potlucks or dinners is roasted new potatoes. This "recipe" is super forgiving. Quantities, temperature, and timing are all approximate and have large margins for error, which is excellent news for challenged cooks like me.

1. Preheat oven to 350 ish.
2. Wash potatoes thoroughly.
3. Quarter into bite size chunks. Leave the skin on!
4. Drizzle with olive oil.
5. Add a dash of salt, rosemary, and pepper. Extra points if you can get coarse sea salt flakes, fresh rosemary, and freshly ground pepper. I just love the texture and taste of the giant salt crystals on the potatoes. In lieu of rosemary, feel free to experiment with dill, parsley, or plain.
6. Line a pan with foil for easy cleanup.
7. Evenly spread the potatoes in a single layer.
8. Pop in the oven and wait a while. Depending on the size of the potato chunks, this could take anywhere from 15-40 minutes. Check the potatoes by poking them with a fork (or chopstick). If the fork slides in easily, the potatoes are cooked. If not, best leave them a bit longer. If I'm in a huge hurry, I'll slice the potatoes smaller so they cook faster.
9. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary or other pretty things if desired. ENJOY.

I'm getting hungry thinking about this. Oh man. I'll probably roast them along with the beets and onions. I still have another batch of beets from last week that I need to use up too.

WTF: None. I like all these. And I know what to do with mostly all of these.
TAV: Thai basil. Everything else is pretty garden variety, but I'll admit that I'm less sure of how to use this herb. However, I've eaten it in pho and curry countless times, so I know I definitely like it. Brainstorming ideas for this weekend...my best ideas so far are:
  - Thai basil infused lemonade (spiked :D)
  - Eggplant stir fry with garlic and thai basil

If I still have leftover basil, I suppose I could always try to freeze it. Nahhh...moar cocktails! :D