8/6: This Week’s Delivery — What You’ve Got & How to Use It

August is when Midwest farms stop being polite. This delivery is all color, crunch, sweetness, and one very tart green wildcard. Here is what landed in your bag — and the fastest way to put it to work.

What was in the August 6 delivery

From Persimmon Ridge Farm:
Zucchini

From Epiphany Farms:
Purple bell peppers

From Budded Mattah Producers:
Purple Majesty potatoes

From Fruitful Hill Farms:
Leeks

From Fehr Farms:
Green beans

From Gooseberry Acres Farm:
Tomatillos

From Living Roots Farm:
Green crisp lettuce, red romaine, red batavia, dill, oregano, and parsley

Start here

Make the tomatillos earn their place. Pull off the husks, rinse away the sticky coating, and roast them until softened and charred. Blend with onion, garlic, salt, and a splash of water for a salsa verde that wakes up chicken, pork, eggs, or a plain bowl of beans.

Give the purple potatoes high heat. Roast at 425°F with olive oil and salt until crisp at the edges. They hold their color beautifully, so save a handful for a lunch salad with parsley vinaigrette and red romaine.

Use the zucchini first. It is at its best in the first couple of days. Grate it for fritters, slice it for the grill, or sauté it hard and fast in butter with garlic.

Keep the greens dry. Store them in the crisper loosely wrapped and wash just before eating. Stand the herbs in a small glass of water, loosely cover, and refrigerate.

Three things we would make

• Zucchini and leek fritters with dill yogurt
• Tomatillo-braised green beans with oregano
• Roasted Purple Majesty potato and red romaine salad with parsley vinaigrette

Nothing here was picked to survive a cross-country truck ride. Cook it while it is still telling you what season it is.