Welcome to week two of your CSA share! As you can see, there are plenty of amazing things included in everyone’s box this week, and we are particularly excited about featuring Roselle and Yucca.

Roselle, also known as Cranberry Hibiscus or Jamaican Sorrel, is a beautiful, red colored annual shrub that grows exceptionally well in South Florida’s humid weather. Roselle is planted in the late Spring and allowed to grow big and bushy over the Summer.  In the Fall it begins to bloom big beautiful hibiscus flowers, which later develop a fleshy calyx, which is a red seed covering protecting its seedpod. These are peeled off of the seed pod and can be used fresh (as pictured above) or dried for teas and toppings. With the holidays upon us, we have included a recipe for Jamaican Christmas Sorrel Punch, a traditional drink that may add a twist to your holiday menu.

In a large crock, combine the roselle petals, cinnamon stick, orange peel, cloves, allspice and sugar.  Pour boiling water on top, cover, steep at room temp for 2-3 days.

Strain the liquid add the rum. Cover and refrigerate for another 2 days. Serve over crushed ice in pre-chilled glasses. Garnish with cloves and orange peel.

Yuca, also known as cassava, is another delicious shrub. But unlike Roselle, the root is what is being consumed. These roots have a similar taste and texture to potatoes, with an even better carbohydrate content, giving the consumer a burst of energy. They are more commonly grown in tropical and subtropical climates because of their heat tolerance, and can be used to substitute the potato in almost any dish. Below we have listed Miami’s favorite way to consume yuca root, enjoy!

In a large pot, cover yuca with lightly-salted water by about two inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered.

Cook until yuca becomes tender, but NOT mushy - about 15-20 minutes. Remove yuca and drain thoroughly. Let cool.

Important: Remove the "woody" or fibrous core from the center of the yuca.

Cut the yuca in thick slices or strips - like a french fry. The easiest way to do this is to cut each half of the yuca into halves, then quarters, and so on - until you get the size you want.

Heat the oil to 320 degrees F. Drop the yuca fries in the oil in small batches and let cook for just a minute or two.

Remove each batch to a paper towel to drain off excess oil.

Complete the frying process by turning up the flame on the oil until it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees F.

Use this hotter oil to crisp up and fully brown the yuca fries in small batches. Two to three minutes frying at most!

When they are golden brown, you need to retrieve them from the hot oil immediately, set the fries aside to drain while you cook the remaining batches.

Season to taste with salt.