My oh my, what a day. It was like being in a tomato dream—our most outstanding harvest yet. This is the bounty we speak of in CSA farming. It was a record day, and while we didn’t load 16 tons, we feel like it.

Half the harvest July 10, 2012

So enjoy the tomatos by themselves, or in conjunction with the other veggies in your share. They are at their peak flavor right now. Last year we gave a variety of ideas for using your tomato share. I think the simpler the better and enjoy them by themselves, cut into chunks with olive oil, salt and vinegar.

Principe Borghese and Jaune Flamue drying tomatoes (see bulk list)

Rebecca has been making tahbouleh lately and we are finding it is a cool summer dish. You constitute the bulgar wheat with room temperature water, so there is no need for the stove. This recipe is adapted from The New Basics.

Ingredients
1 heaping cup of bulgar
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 large ripe tomato, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large cucumber and 1 medium squash, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Method

1. Combine the bulgur, water, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup of the olive oil in a large bowl. Mix well, and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then fluff the mixture with a fork.
2. Add the parsley, onion, garlic, pepper, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Toss well with a fork.
3. Add the tomatoes squash, and cucumber, and toss again. Adjust the seasonings if necessary, and allow to stand, loosley covered, for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to come out.

Herbs this Week
Lastly, a little on this week’s herbs. The Thai basil is that basil looking herb with the purple tinge and a bit of licorice aroma. Great if you make an Asian style dish. The thyme is perfectly matched to the potatoes. Simply boil or steam your potatoes, and toss with some salt, butter and thyme leaves and you will have the best fresh potatoes ever. The tabbouhleh recipe above calls for even more parsley than we note, so double the amount if it suits you.