A Late Spring Farm Bag
Our weekly bag of produce from the local farm is like a little snapshot of late spring. Strawberries at their sweetest, young carrots still bright and tender, and summer just around the corner.
One of the things I love about receiving a weekly delivery rather than choosing everything myself is that it gives me ingredients I might not have thought to buy. It asks me to pay attention to what is growing and find a way to enjoy it while it's here.
This week, the strawberries became a strawberry shrub to tuck away for summer drinks, while the carrots went into the oven with a little oil and salt until they were tender and caramelized.
Two very different preparations from the same bag.
Strawberry Shrub
A strawberry shrub is one of those simple preparations that makes a short strawberry season feel a little longer. The berries are macerated with sugar, then combined with vinegar to make a bright, tart syrup.
The only catch is that it takes a little patience. The finished shrub is best after it has had some time to rest in the refrigerator, when the flavors have had a chance to mellow and come together.
I like it mixed with sparkling water for a simple summer drink, and I also use it in my spicy Honeymoon Margarita that my husband and I love to make whenever we're daydreaming of another visit to Palm Beach.
What you need
1 pint fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
How to make it
Remove the leaves from the strawberries and halve the berries.
Place the strawberries in a large jar and add the sugar. Give everything a good stir, lightly smashing some of the berries as you go.
Cover and refrigerate for a day or two, until the strawberries have released plenty of their juices and the sugar has dissolved into the syrup. No need to fuss over it. Just let it do its thing.
Strain the strawberries from the syrup, pressing gently on the fruit to get as much liquid as possible without pushing the pulp through.
Stir the apple cider vinegar into the strawberry syrup until combined.
Pour the shrub into a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate. I like to let it rest for a week or two before using it, when the flavors have mellowed and come together.
Serve mixed with sparkling water, or use it as the base for a cocktail.
Oven Roasted Carrots with Dill and Honey
The carrots didn't need much at all.
I wanted them the way I remember roasted vegetables being made, simply seasoned and left in the oven until their edges become browned and sweet. At the end, I added fresh dill from our garden, a drizzle of honey, and plenty of flaky sea salt.
It felt a little old fashioned and I loved it.
What you need
Fresh carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into rounds
Olive oil
Fresh dill
Honey
Flaky sea salt
How to make it
Arrange the carrots on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt.
Roast until tender and caramelized around the edges, tossing once during cooking.
Transfer to a serving platter and finish with fresh dill, a drizzle of honey, and plenty of flaky sea salt.
A late spring bag of carrots and strawberries, one for now and one for later.