Four Nights A Week

When we get our Clark Farm CSA newsletter on Monday, we know what we can expect to find in the CSA Room for pick up, and we know what the pick-your-own produce will be for the week ahead. For me, this is one of the strengths of this particular CSA. I know ahead of time what to plan to use during the week ahead and can shape our menu and shopping list accordingly. To be able to do so has been a big change for us from our previous experiences with CSAs (community supported agriculture) in our local area. Knowing that this farm is certified organic means no worries unwanted chemical use, also a big factor in our decision-making.

With the inclusion of some beautiful Napa cabbage in our share this past week, I was on the hunt for a way to use it that was not necessarily a slaw – and America’s Test Kitchen came through with a tasty recipe. The bacon on the ingredient list also came from Clark Farm. My grandfather, who was a manager for Producers in Buffalo, kept the quality bar high for bacon and other smoked meats; he grew up around the stockyards in Missouri and knew good practices because of that experience. .

While we are sensitive to how our food gets to table, occasionally consuming humanely raised and processed mets is amazing. Clark Farm’s bacon is THE best bacon I’ve eaten in a great while; commercially produced national brands don’t even come close. If you are local to the Merrimack Valley, it is well worth the short trip to Carlisle to check it – and the CSA – out.

The point here is to branch out beyond the stereotypical slaws made with cabbage. This recipe was refreshing and delicious, even the next day. I am able to gift this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen to you because of my subscription. The ingredient list follows; click on the link here and below for the rest of the story.

Napa Cabbage Salad

Morgan Bolling, America’s Test Kitchen

Enjoy this complimentary ATK recipe—no login required—for the next 30 days. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/12310-napa-cabbage-salad?gifted=f2a9eb3e-dc21-4e6f-8ac3-7b0e5998313b

Ingredients to have on hand:

• Bacon
• Blue Cheese
• Olive Oil
• Lemon juice
• Pepper, salt
• Napa cabbage
• Grape tomatoes
• English cucumber
• Red onion
• Fresh basil