CSA, Week 12
The Central KY cooperative grocery store, Good Foods, is promoting the month of August as a good time for the Eat Local Challenge. We shared information about this concept last season, but thought it a good time to refresh each other on the activities and helpful resources available. By joining a CSA, you already are seeking out healthy food that comes from a farm in your local area grown by people that you come to know. Many of you attend local farmers markets or grow a few items in your own backyard. Several of you have used some share items to freeze, can, pickle and preserve for your use later on in the year. And, a lot of you seek out thought-provoking and influential writings and conversations on food, health, the environment, our economy – all part of the local food system.
Other suggested actions from the Eat Local Challenge folks include:
· taking a field trip to a local farm, orchard, or vineyard;
· finding out what restaurants use locally produced foods and patronize them;
· commit to preparing and eating one local-only meal each week;
· share with family, friends, and co-workers your finds and experiences;
· keep track of your food sourcing and meal preparing as it becomes a valuable resource; &
· start simple and small by replacing one food item each week with a local item.
You can visit the site for tips and links to other experiences:
http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/
Other sites include:
http://www.goodfoods.coop/
http://www.localharvest.org/
http://www.kyagr.com/kyproud
In Your Share
As always, share sizes and harvest days may vary. Each share may not have each item listed below.
Heirloom Green Beans – organic – new this week!
These fat runner beans are an heirloom variety and the seed is saved from year to year for replanting. This first harvest of the season should offer enough to prepare a small bean side dish. Store in the fridge, and be sure to allow time to remove the strings and break before cooking. Start at one end, pulling the string down one side completely; also remove the string from the other side. When breaking into bite-sized pieces, check for an additional hidden string. Any white pod that may be tough can be discarded and the beans added to your pot. Be sure to simmer in water long enough until tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours depending on quantity.
Savoy Cabbage – organic - new this week!
The Savoy type green cabbage is one of the farm favorites. It has a smooth flavor and crisp taste. Savoy contains more Vit. A, calcium, potassium, and iron than other cabbages. Chop with carrots and onion for a mayonnaise or vinaigrette coleslaw. Chop wedges, steam for 5 – 8 minutes and eat with butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Our blog online has a wonderful recipe for Cabbage Pancakes from Bert Greene, look for the newsletter of 6-18-07. Properly stored in your refrigerator, cabbage can keep for a month or more.
Carrots – organic
This week’s harvest is our second planting, direct seeded in early spring. An earlier patch was transplanted from the greenhouse. It had a more octopus–like appearance, although the row was just a few feet away from this later planting. Enjoy raw, or steam, sauté, bake or puree. Keep refrigerated.
Sweet Corn
We are harvesting from two patches this week: the white kernel sweet corn you have enjoyed already, and the bicolor white and yellow kernel supersweet. The white ears are a little odd in shape and size, and may have some open tips from birds or earworms, but we decided to include them rather than put less ears in your share. Just cut off any damaged area. The bicolor is a little smaller kernel as this is the first harvest from this new patch. Lack of rainfall is affecting later plantings, however we are happy to continue having sweet corn for the third straight week. Enjoy boiled, grilled, or cut off the cob for your freezer.
Hard Neck Garlic – organic – new this week!
Our first garlic harvest of the year and the first week you have a head in your share. Store in your pantry or a cool, dark place. We hope you enjoy the flavor of this heirloom hard neck garlic bulb – it is from old seedstock grown for a long time here in KY.
Okra – organic – new this week!
Okra is an item often found on a traditional KY summer menu. Sliced into bite-sized pieces, lightly rolled in corn meal and cooked in oil, it makes a nice addition to other summer veggies. Other options include heating with tomatoes and fresh corn into a succotash-type dish. Store refrigerated and use fairly soon to keep longer spears from be-coming tough.
Sweet Mild Onion – organic
Eggplant
Summer Squash and Zucchini
Heirloom Slicing Tomato and Heirloom Salad Tomatoes – organic
Your salad tomatoes are varieties called Black Prince, Big Cherry, and Yellow Pear. With lower acid and a thin skin, they ripen quickly to become one of our favorites.
Red Slicing Tomato - organic
Specialty Melon – new this week!
We have only a few types of melons in an early planting that are ready to harvest. The bright yellow skin one is a Canary melon with a greenish interior similar to a honeydew-type. The one with orangey color is a Sensation melon having a whitish interior, cousin to a cantaloupe. Chefs and food publications often refer to these varieties as “dessert melons.”
Wash well before slicing.
Recipes to Enjoy
Pressed Chicken with Yellow Squash and Tomatoes
Recipe from new Gourmet issue, August 2008
Notes state that “ under the weight of a second skillet, the “pressed” chicken releases its fat and juices into the pan and ends up cooking in all that sumptuousness. The result is almost unbelievably moist meat.” Try Elmwood’s organic pasture raised chicken breasts.
4 chicken breast halves, with skin, bone-in
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
¾ lb yellow squash, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 lb tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp chopped marjoram, divided
Pat chicken dry and season with ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add chicken, skin side down.
Cover with a round of parchment paper, then a heavy pot or skillet, followed by a 3 to 5 lb weight (such as two 32 oz cans or a brick wrapped in foil). Cook 10 minutes, then remove weight, pot, and parchment.
Turn chicken over, and recover with a clean round of parchment, pot, and weight, then cook until just cooked through, about 8 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.
Add squash, tomatoes, garlic, 2 tsp marjoram, and ¼ tsp salt to fat in skillet. Cover over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until squash is just tender and tomatoes have become saucy, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in any juices from plate and season with salt and pepper.
Spoon over chicken. Sprinkle chicken and vegetables with remaining tsp marjoram. Serves 4.
Honey-Glazed Carrots
4 ½ cups carrots (about 2 lbs)
1 tbsp butter
1 ½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1. Arrange carrots in steamer over boiling water. Cover and steam 4 to 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from steamer and keep warm.
2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add honey and lemon juice, stirring until smooth.
4. Add carrots, tossing gently.
Summer Squash Fantasy
From Notably Nashville
5 medium yellow squash
5 medium zucchini
½ C thinly sliced or chopped onion
½ C sliced celery
½ C tomato chopped, or cherry tomatoes halved
Cut squash and zucchini into very thin slices. Combine with onion, celery and tomato in a bowl. Mix well. Add vegetable marinade (recipe below) and toss to coat. Marinate, covered in refrigerator for 2 – 12 hours. Drain the marinade to serve.
Vegetable Marinade - Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
1/3 C canola or light olive oil
2/3 C cider vinegar
½ C sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
CSA, Week 11
News from the farm . . .
This week brings the halfway point in the season. It really seems like the first half has flown by from the farm perspective. We all seem to stay so busy this time of year – still planting for fall while cultivating and harvesting all the summer crops also. Lots of things are ready to harvest and the challenge is to not give you too much food in your share that may go to waste. We try to stick with the most requested items of corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers right now and will add in more specialty items as the season moves on. We are starting to see the soil and some plants drying as the hot wind and high temperature take a toll; so far the pop-up rains have missed us. We are pleased to have the irrigation set up on most crops we harvest right now and will keep you posted on how moisture affects the veggies. July is one of the driest months in our region, so this type of weather is not unexpected.
In your share . . .
As harvest days and share sizes vary, each share may not have each item listed; and smaller shares may not have the same items as larger shares.
Broccoli – organic
Green Beans - organic - new this week!
This week’s harvest brings the first green snap beans of the year. Just snip the ends and break into bite-sized pieces before putting on the stove to cook in some water. Simmer until beans are tender and cooked through. Be sure to add enough water to not let your pan get dry and burn your beans (and your pan!). Popular seasonings are just one of the following items: onion, bell pepper, hot pepper, pork fat, bacon grease, or just salt and black pepper. Store your beans refrigerated until ready to prepare.
Bell Pepper – organic – new this week!
This week’s harvest also includes the first mild bell peppers – either a green bell or the lavender sweet bell. Either one should be stored refrigerated and can be used in any recipe calling for a green bell, red bell, or mild bell pepper. The sweet red and yellow bells do not ripen locally until later in August.
Sweet Corn
The white kernel sweet corn continues to be ready for harvest. Enjoy this freshly boiled, grilled, or add to your freezer for a nice winter treat!
Eggplant
Eggplant is low in calories, high in fiber, and is often prepared with other foods. It tastes best fresh and will store for up to a week refrigerated. It can be peeled, but is not necessary. Depending on your recipe, eggplant slices can be salted while sitting in a colander or out on paper towels to remove excess moisture. This prevents the taking up of extra oil and salt in your recipe. You can steam, sauté, or bake.
Specialty Melon – new this week!
We have only a few types of melons in an early planting that are ready to harvest. The bright yellow skin one is a Canary melon with a greenish interior similar to a honeydew-type. The one with orangey color is a Sensation melon having a whitish interior, cousin to a cantaloupe. Chefs and food publications often refer to these varieties as “dessert melons.”
Sweet Mild Onion – organic
This week’s sweet onion is the Walla Walla variety. We start organic seeds in our greenhouse in the fall; transplant the slow growing onion plants out to over winter in the field. Once they grow large enough in the spring, we harvest, cut the tops, arrange in a forced air-drying system, and then store in our cooler. The sweet onions will keep for a little while in your refrigerator, but should be used within a month or so. Later on, we will have some storage type onion that can be kept longer. People often ask why more farms don’t grow onions in our area. Our growing season in KY is not as long as places south like Georgia; there is a long commitment of your fields; and it is a challenge to dry them properly in such high humidity. The sweet onion is known for many health benefits, and anti-oxidants are higher when raw before cooking. Store refrigerated if possible.
Flat Leaf Parsley – organic – new this week!
This fresh cut herb can be stored refrigerated, either in a sealed container with a paper towel to absorb moisture, or standing the ends in a jar of water, then covering loosely with plastic wrap. When using the flat-leaf (or Italian) parsley, realize that 1 T fresh is equivalent to 1 tsp dried in your recipes.
You can dry your fresh bunch by lying out on a flat pan in the oven at the lowest setting, or put into a paper bag and air dry. Store away from heat and light in a sealed jar and crush before using.To freeze, rinse, remove the stems, and chop coarsely. Put about 1 T into each cell of an ice tray, add a little water to each cell, and put into the freezer. Remove when frozen and store in a sealed container. Later when using, the water will evaporate when cooking.
Summer Squash Medley
Enjoy a summer squash medley this week. The round or scalloped edge patty pans will hold their shape and are nice to oven-roast whole or use in kabobs on the grill. Sauté all of it in oil or butter with fresh parsley!
Heirloom Slicing Tomato and Heirloom Salad Tomatoes – organic
Several varieties of red, black, gold, and plum heirloom tomatoes are mixed in your share this week. They make a nice snack for the kids, can be used with dips, or added to a pasta, lettuce or marinated salad.
Red Slicing Tomato - organic
Purple Topped Turnips – organic
We are told the turnip is making a comeback! It is a very popular item at our farmers market booth. Offering nutrition, good storability, and acting as a nice complement to other vegetables, purple-topped turnips are nice to have in your crisper. It is believed they prevent cancer, and are a good source of Vit. C, potassium, and calcium. Enjoy raw or cooked.
Recipes to enjoy . . .
Braised Turnips with Poppy-Seed Bread Crumbs
recipe from February 2008 Gourmet
3 T unsalted butter
2 lb medium turnips, peeled, cut into 1” thick wedges
1 ½ C water
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 C fine fresh bread crumbs from a baguette
1 T poppy seeds
1 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
Melt butter in a 12” heavy skillet over medium heat, then add turnips, water, lemon juice, and ½ tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium and stir turnips, then briskly simmer, uncovered, until all of liquid has evaporated and turnips are glazed and just tender, 20 to 35 minutes (they should be cooked through but still retain their shape).
While turnips cook, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it simmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and poppy seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle bread crumbs over turnips.
Note: Turnips can be braised 1 day ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered. Reheat with a little water before serving. Bread-crumb mixture, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Stir in parsley before using.
Excellent Parsley Salad
adapted from a recipe from From Asparagus to Zucchini
Fresh parsley
Very thinly sliced onion
Chopped hard-cooked eggs
Cooked chick-peas or other beans
Garlic chives (optional)
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Clean and cut up lots of parsley, as much as you have on hand. Combine with onion, egg, chick-peas, and chives, if using. Shake oil and lemon juice together (2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice). Toss salad with dressing, salt and lots of pepper. Makes any number of servings.
Parmesan-Stuffed Tomatoes
recipe shared by a friend of the farm
4 medium tomatoes (2 ½ lbs)
3 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp chopped green pepper
1 tsp butter, melted
¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
cooking spray
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1. Slice off top of each tomato and carefully scoop out pulp. Set tomato shells and pulp aside.
2. Cook onions and green pepper in butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in tomato pulp, breadcrumbs, and next 4 ingredients.
4. Spoon into shells and place in 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and broil 5 inches from heat for about 3 minutes.
This week brings the halfway point in the season. It really seems like the first half has flown by from the farm perspective. We all seem to stay so busy this time of year – still planting for fall while cultivating and harvesting all the summer crops also. Lots of things are ready to harvest and the challenge is to not give you too much food in your share that may go to waste. We try to stick with the most requested items of corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers right now and will add in more specialty items as the season moves on. We are starting to see the soil and some plants drying as the hot wind and high temperature take a toll; so far the pop-up rains have missed us. We are pleased to have the irrigation set up on most crops we harvest right now and will keep you posted on how moisture affects the veggies. July is one of the driest months in our region, so this type of weather is not unexpected.
In your share . . .
As harvest days and share sizes vary, each share may not have each item listed; and smaller shares may not have the same items as larger shares.
Broccoli – organic
Green Beans - organic - new this week!
This week’s harvest brings the first green snap beans of the year. Just snip the ends and break into bite-sized pieces before putting on the stove to cook in some water. Simmer until beans are tender and cooked through. Be sure to add enough water to not let your pan get dry and burn your beans (and your pan!). Popular seasonings are just one of the following items: onion, bell pepper, hot pepper, pork fat, bacon grease, or just salt and black pepper. Store your beans refrigerated until ready to prepare.
Bell Pepper – organic – new this week!
This week’s harvest also includes the first mild bell peppers – either a green bell or the lavender sweet bell. Either one should be stored refrigerated and can be used in any recipe calling for a green bell, red bell, or mild bell pepper. The sweet red and yellow bells do not ripen locally until later in August.
Sweet Corn
The white kernel sweet corn continues to be ready for harvest. Enjoy this freshly boiled, grilled, or add to your freezer for a nice winter treat!
Eggplant
Eggplant is low in calories, high in fiber, and is often prepared with other foods. It tastes best fresh and will store for up to a week refrigerated. It can be peeled, but is not necessary. Depending on your recipe, eggplant slices can be salted while sitting in a colander or out on paper towels to remove excess moisture. This prevents the taking up of extra oil and salt in your recipe. You can steam, sauté, or bake.
Specialty Melon – new this week!
We have only a few types of melons in an early planting that are ready to harvest. The bright yellow skin one is a Canary melon with a greenish interior similar to a honeydew-type. The one with orangey color is a Sensation melon having a whitish interior, cousin to a cantaloupe. Chefs and food publications often refer to these varieties as “dessert melons.”
Sweet Mild Onion – organic
This week’s sweet onion is the Walla Walla variety. We start organic seeds in our greenhouse in the fall; transplant the slow growing onion plants out to over winter in the field. Once they grow large enough in the spring, we harvest, cut the tops, arrange in a forced air-drying system, and then store in our cooler. The sweet onions will keep for a little while in your refrigerator, but should be used within a month or so. Later on, we will have some storage type onion that can be kept longer. People often ask why more farms don’t grow onions in our area. Our growing season in KY is not as long as places south like Georgia; there is a long commitment of your fields; and it is a challenge to dry them properly in such high humidity. The sweet onion is known for many health benefits, and anti-oxidants are higher when raw before cooking. Store refrigerated if possible.
Flat Leaf Parsley – organic – new this week!
This fresh cut herb can be stored refrigerated, either in a sealed container with a paper towel to absorb moisture, or standing the ends in a jar of water, then covering loosely with plastic wrap. When using the flat-leaf (or Italian) parsley, realize that 1 T fresh is equivalent to 1 tsp dried in your recipes.
You can dry your fresh bunch by lying out on a flat pan in the oven at the lowest setting, or put into a paper bag and air dry. Store away from heat and light in a sealed jar and crush before using.To freeze, rinse, remove the stems, and chop coarsely. Put about 1 T into each cell of an ice tray, add a little water to each cell, and put into the freezer. Remove when frozen and store in a sealed container. Later when using, the water will evaporate when cooking.
Summer Squash Medley
Enjoy a summer squash medley this week. The round or scalloped edge patty pans will hold their shape and are nice to oven-roast whole or use in kabobs on the grill. Sauté all of it in oil or butter with fresh parsley!
Heirloom Slicing Tomato and Heirloom Salad Tomatoes – organic
Several varieties of red, black, gold, and plum heirloom tomatoes are mixed in your share this week. They make a nice snack for the kids, can be used with dips, or added to a pasta, lettuce or marinated salad.
Red Slicing Tomato - organic
Purple Topped Turnips – organic
We are told the turnip is making a comeback! It is a very popular item at our farmers market booth. Offering nutrition, good storability, and acting as a nice complement to other vegetables, purple-topped turnips are nice to have in your crisper. It is believed they prevent cancer, and are a good source of Vit. C, potassium, and calcium. Enjoy raw or cooked.
Recipes to enjoy . . .
Braised Turnips with Poppy-Seed Bread Crumbs
recipe from February 2008 Gourmet
3 T unsalted butter
2 lb medium turnips, peeled, cut into 1” thick wedges
1 ½ C water
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 C fine fresh bread crumbs from a baguette
1 T poppy seeds
1 T chopped flat-leaf parsley
Melt butter in a 12” heavy skillet over medium heat, then add turnips, water, lemon juice, and ½ tsp salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium and stir turnips, then briskly simmer, uncovered, until all of liquid has evaporated and turnips are glazed and just tender, 20 to 35 minutes (they should be cooked through but still retain their shape).
While turnips cook, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it simmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and poppy seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle bread crumbs over turnips.
Note: Turnips can be braised 1 day ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered. Reheat with a little water before serving. Bread-crumb mixture, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Stir in parsley before using.
Excellent Parsley Salad
adapted from a recipe from From Asparagus to Zucchini
Fresh parsley
Very thinly sliced onion
Chopped hard-cooked eggs
Cooked chick-peas or other beans
Garlic chives (optional)
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Clean and cut up lots of parsley, as much as you have on hand. Combine with onion, egg, chick-peas, and chives, if using. Shake oil and lemon juice together (2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice). Toss salad with dressing, salt and lots of pepper. Makes any number of servings.
Parmesan-Stuffed Tomatoes
recipe shared by a friend of the farm
4 medium tomatoes (2 ½ lbs)
3 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp chopped green pepper
1 tsp butter, melted
¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/8 tsp pepper
cooking spray
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1. Slice off top of each tomato and carefully scoop out pulp. Set tomato shells and pulp aside.
2. Cook onions and green pepper in butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in tomato pulp, breadcrumbs, and next 4 ingredients.
4. Spoon into shells and place in 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
5. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and broil 5 inches from heat for about 3 minutes.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Week 10, CSA
In Your Share . . .
As harvest each day varies along with share sizes, every share may not have every item listed.
Green Cabbage – organic - new this week!
This harvest of organic green cabbage is of crisp, sweet leafed heads. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks, just peel away more outer leaves the longer you store it. Try baked, grilled outdoors in foil with butter, or make a mayonnaise or vinegar based slaw.
Cauliflower or Broccoli – organic
This second harvest of cauliflower from spring plants is tasty when cooked, not so pretty to view (speckled cream color rather than bright white) – a result of the high heat while it grows. The organic variety of broccoli is called Nutri-bud, bred to be “high in free glutamine, a building block of protein and important healing nutrient.” It makes a smaller head than other varieties but maintains a great fresh flavor. Your share should contain one or the other.
Cilantro – organic
This week’s cut herb is the fragrant, popular cilantro. Use in fresh salsa or pico de gallo this week; add to pasta or cabbage slaw; can be frozen or dried. Store refrigerated in very cold area. Find a yummy new recipe below.
Sweet Corn – new this week!
This summer favorite is ready for harvest – the first week of the year for sweet corn! This patch is a white kernel super-sweet variety that has passed the taste test here at the farm. Most popular is to shuck, wash and put in boiling water for 3-5 minutes (depends on how many you cook at once), serve with butter, salt and pepper. You can also grill outdoors in or out of the shuck, or use a microwave if you prefer. Cut off the cob for salads, corn pudding, or to put in the freezer. Enjoy!
Cucumber
Current harvest includes traditional slicing cukes, smaller pickling type that are great for salads when fresh, and long skinny English burpless. All can be used interchangeably in fresh recipes. The English do not hold up to pickling like the thicker-skinned varieties.
Eggplant – new this week!
The black, glossy, globe eggplant is the traditional type most often seen in markets. Eggplant is low in calories, high in fiber, and is often prepared with other foods. It tastes best fresh and will store for up to a week refrigerated. It can be peeled, but it’s not necessary. Depending on your recipe, eggplant slices can be salted while sitting in a colander or out on paper towels to remove excess moisture. This prevents the taking up of extra oil and salt in your recipe. You can bake, steam, sauté, or stuff and bake. Find a recipe below.
Sweet Mild Onion – organic–new this week!
This week’s sweet onion is the Walla Walla variety – so mild that you can enjoy it raw in salsa, salads, or as a topping on dips. Sweet onions are also used in various recipes or added to a grilled burger. The onion is known for many health benefits, and anti-oxidants are higher when raw before cooking. Store in the pantry until cut, then store refrigerated.
Summer Squash Medley
This week’s share has a little of several types of summer squash: yellow straight-neck, green zucchini, round eight-ball zucchini, and the scalloped edge patty-pan squashes in varied colors. Use all in any squash recipe, keeping in mind that zucchini contains a little more water than squashes. The patty pans hold their shape and are nice to oven-roast whole or use in kabobs on the grill. Sauté all of it with olive oil or butter or in your pesto!
Heirloom Tomato – organic
We have several types of lower-acid, sweeter flavor, quick to ripen, thinner skin, organic, sometimes a little ugly, wonderful tasting, heir-loom variety tomatoes planted at the farm. The pink, black, green and yellow zebra, pink and yellow stripy all are similar in their use and storage. Best not refrigerated unless already sliced, tomatoes will continue to ripen at room temperature. Like peaches, you can speed up the pro-cess by putting in a sealed bag. Not bred to be round and perfect, any misshapes or scarring can be forgiven once you enjoy the flavor!
Red Slicing Tomato
Yellow Slicing Tomato - organic
Recipes to Enjoy . . .
Tomato, Cilantro and Cucumber Salad
recipe adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini
1 fresh tomato, coarsely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled if desired
¼ C rice wine vinegar
pinch of sugar
salt to taste
1 T minced cilantro
Cut cumber in half crosswise, quarter the halves, and slice. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or so. Serve at room temperature.
Onions Baked in Cream
A Pinch of This & A Dash of That, by Kaye Johns
4 cups sliced onions
2 T butter, melted
1 C crushed saltine crackers
1 C half-and-half
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Mix ingredients together and put into a one-quart casserole or 10” pie plate. Bake covered at 350° for about 40 minutes. Onions should be cooked but still have a fairly crisp texture. Serves 4 to 6.
Moroccan Eggplant and Pasta
recipe shared by a friend of the farm
1 tbsp + 1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ + ¾ tsp salt
1 lb ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
3 cups chopped tomatoes
½ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
corkscrew pasta
1. Prepare past according to package directions.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and ½ tsp salt. Cook stirring, until tender and just brown, 10 minutes. Transfer eggplant to bowl.
3. Add 1 tbsp oil to skillet. Add ground beef, onion, and ¾ tsp salt. Cook until well browned. Drain fat from skillet. Add garlic, cumin, red pepper, and cinnamon and cook 1 minute.
4. Stir in eggplant, tomatoes, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.
5. Stir in fresh mint.
6. Toss with pasta.
Scalloped Cabbage
Recipe from Virginia Celebrates
1 medium head green cabbage, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 C heavy cream
paprika
Preheat oven to 325°. Sauté cabbage and garlic in butter in covered frying pan until tender and slightly brown. Add salt, pepper and cream. Place in buttered 2 qt. Casserole and bake 25 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Serves 4.
Broccoli, Corn, and Tomato Skillet
5 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 ½ cups fresh sweet corn or one 15 ¼ oz can whole kernel corn
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut up (1 ¼ cups)
1 to 2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp snipped fresh marjoram or 1 tsp dried
½ tsp garlic salt¼ tsp pepper
1. In a heavy large oven-proof skillet, cook and stir broccoli in hot oil over medium-high heat for four minutes.
2. Add the corn, tomatoes, and enough butter to moisten. Cook and stir about 4 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Stir in marjoram, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Saving Our Seeds
CSA, Week 9
With so much discussion around us on worldwide climate change, it is no surprise that some folks are putting big bucks into thinking about the future of mankind on the planet, especially relating to our food production and the seeds necessary to grow crops.
In an isolated sea, near the Arctic Ocean, a cave has been carved out of a moun-tain on Spitsburgen Island, one in a chain of islands belonging to the country of Norway. In a partnership with several seed giant companies, the government of Norway, and other foundations, Bill Gates has invested over $30 million to create a protected seed vault. It will house over three million varieties of seeds to “conserve crop diversity for the future.” The odd partnership of seed companies who hold patents on GMO seed and private foundations who work to protect trad-itional seed saving in third-world African nations is curious. The irony comes to light when we realize the companies who hold patents on “terminator genes” (when inserted in a seed, the plant only grows one season and cannot reproduce itself requiring the grower to purchase new seed each year) are the same companies investing in a seed depository to protect our food supply for the future. Another confounding issue about GMO genes in plants is that once plants are out in the countryside, they cross-pollinate with native plants, resulting in new, non-native species.
The huge seed vault in the frozen north may be of vital interest in the future to researchers, plant breeders, food growers, and even policymakers as we learn more about food growing around the world.
In Your Share . . .
As always, items in your share may vary depending on your harvest day and share size. Each item below may not be ready for harvest every day and may not be in each share.
Sweet Basil – organic – new this week!
So far you have had fresh cilantro and fennel leaf to use as cut herbs. Find a nice bunch of Sweet Basil in your share this week. Make a quick pesto to enjoy as a sauce for pasta, to lightly sauté your squashes, for a sandwich spread, or to pop in the freezer for use later in the year. Fresh basil also is a great companion for sliced tomatoes and mozzarella drizzled with your favorite dressing.
Beets – organic
The beets are really enjoying our weather patterns these days and are some of the best tasting we have had from the farm. Use the leaves as you would spinach, chard, or other greens – they pack a punch with Vit. C, calcium and iron.
With loads of natural sugar, beets will sweeten significantly when oven-roasted in foil; you owe it to yourself to try them again if you haven’t since childhood. They can also be pickled, boiled, baked, or added to soups. Leave some stem when remov-ing the leaves to lessen the bleeding of the beet. Peeling after cooking is easier; make sure they are cooled first.
Broccoli – organic
Our last broccoli planting for spring harvest is now coming on ready to go. The organic varieties come from European types. They are not as dense or domelike heads that we are used to seeing in our California super-market broccoli. The color also varies from a bluish-green to more of a sea-green. Use as you would any broccoli, and be sure to wash carefully. If you plan to eat it raw, you can soak the heads a little bit in light soapy water to remove any loopers. They are very difficult to control in cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) this late in the season. Find a recipe below.
Cauliflower - organic
Cucumber
Eggplant – new this week!
A late edition to your share, find a dark purple or black globe eggplant. Store refrigerated before using. We’ll include a recipe or two next time!
Fresh Cooking Onion – organic–new this week!
Some of the onions harvested this week are included in your share now (as a fresh onion) rather than later after they have cured and dried for longer storage. Keep refrigerated, as you would green onions and use soon. There may be a smallish core in the center of some of them. It is perfectly edible, just a little tough, and can be removed if desired. This core development is why we choose to eat these onions fresh now rather than letting them cure for later use. There are over 70 varie-ties of items in the onion family grown in our region including onion, scallion, shallot, leek, and garlic. Some are so similar, and others have different flavor, so consider interchanging them in recipes; don’t be afraid to experiment a little.
Fresh Green Onion - organic
These green onions should be stored in the refrigerator and you can use as much of the green part as you desire. Along with a fresh herb, it makes a nice pesto.
Yellow Squash
Summer Squash Medley
This week’s share has a little of several types of summer squash: yellow straight-neck, green zucchini, round eight-ball zucchini, and the scalloped edge patty-pan squashes in varied colors. Use all in any squash recipe, keeping in mind that zucchini contains a little more water than squashes. The patty pans hold their shape and are nice to oven-roast whole or use in kabobs on the grill. Sauté all of it with olive oil or butter or in your pesto!
Green Tomatoes – new this week!
Have you had fried green tomatoes lately? You can make your own batter, use a fish batter, or even try an oven-baked recipe. Serve with dipping sauce or Worstershire; or use as the tomato layer on sandwiches.
Red Slicing Tomato – new this week!
We are beginning to harvest our field grown red tomatoes. Some may need to ripen a little more in your kitchen before using.
Zucchini Squash
Heirloom Tomato – organic – new this week!
More explanation on varieties another week, but know that the heirlooms offer the most intense and wonderful flavor, have a thinner skin and are delicate to handle, will ripen quicker than hybrids, and come in all shapes and sizes. These are best for eating fresh.
Yellow Slicing Tomato – organic – new this week!
This yellow tomato has less acid than red tomatoes and is best used fresh rather than in sauces.
Recipes to Enjoy . . .
Easy Basil Pesto Sauce
this recipe is very forgiving and can be adjusted for more or less basil, depending what you have on hand – be sure to remove the stems
1 ½ C lightly packed fresh basil leaves (approx. 3 ounces)
2 minced garlic cloves (try using finely chopped scapes)
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
¼ C olive oil
Puree all ingredients in food processor, adding more olive oil if necessary for proper blending. Serve tossed with fresh hot pasta, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. (If desired, pine nuts or walnuts can be added during processing).
Broccoli with Orange Sauce
this recipe shared by a friend of the farm, from Virginia Celebrates
1 lb fresh broccoli
¼ C water
1 navel orange, peeled and sectioned or 1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
Cut broccoli florets off stems. Put in microwave casserole, add water, cover and cook on high for 3 minutes. Add orange sections to broccoli and microwave for additional 2-2 ½ minutes. Let stand, covered, until ready to serve.
Orange Sauce – pour over broccoli and orange sections when ready to serve
1/3 C orange juice
½ T sugar
½ T cornstarch
dash of ginger
Measure orange juice into glass measuring cup. Add sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Microwave this mixture on high until thickened, about 1 ½ minutes.
Summer Squash Casserole
from Southern Living Magazine, May 2008 thanks to a CSA member for recommending this good veggie casserole
1 ½ pound yellow squash
1 pound zucchini
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 ½ tsp salt, divided
1 C grated carrots
1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (8 oz) package herb-seasoned stuffing
½ C butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash and zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.
Stir together 1 C grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining ½ tsp salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and ½ C melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
With so much discussion around us on worldwide climate change, it is no surprise that some folks are putting big bucks into thinking about the future of mankind on the planet, especially relating to our food production and the seeds necessary to grow crops.
In an isolated sea, near the Arctic Ocean, a cave has been carved out of a moun-tain on Spitsburgen Island, one in a chain of islands belonging to the country of Norway. In a partnership with several seed giant companies, the government of Norway, and other foundations, Bill Gates has invested over $30 million to create a protected seed vault. It will house over three million varieties of seeds to “conserve crop diversity for the future.” The odd partnership of seed companies who hold patents on GMO seed and private foundations who work to protect trad-itional seed saving in third-world African nations is curious. The irony comes to light when we realize the companies who hold patents on “terminator genes” (when inserted in a seed, the plant only grows one season and cannot reproduce itself requiring the grower to purchase new seed each year) are the same companies investing in a seed depository to protect our food supply for the future. Another confounding issue about GMO genes in plants is that once plants are out in the countryside, they cross-pollinate with native plants, resulting in new, non-native species.
The huge seed vault in the frozen north may be of vital interest in the future to researchers, plant breeders, food growers, and even policymakers as we learn more about food growing around the world.
In Your Share . . .
As always, items in your share may vary depending on your harvest day and share size. Each item below may not be ready for harvest every day and may not be in each share.
Sweet Basil – organic – new this week!
So far you have had fresh cilantro and fennel leaf to use as cut herbs. Find a nice bunch of Sweet Basil in your share this week. Make a quick pesto to enjoy as a sauce for pasta, to lightly sauté your squashes, for a sandwich spread, or to pop in the freezer for use later in the year. Fresh basil also is a great companion for sliced tomatoes and mozzarella drizzled with your favorite dressing.
Beets – organic
The beets are really enjoying our weather patterns these days and are some of the best tasting we have had from the farm. Use the leaves as you would spinach, chard, or other greens – they pack a punch with Vit. C, calcium and iron.
With loads of natural sugar, beets will sweeten significantly when oven-roasted in foil; you owe it to yourself to try them again if you haven’t since childhood. They can also be pickled, boiled, baked, or added to soups. Leave some stem when remov-ing the leaves to lessen the bleeding of the beet. Peeling after cooking is easier; make sure they are cooled first.
Broccoli – organic
Our last broccoli planting for spring harvest is now coming on ready to go. The organic varieties come from European types. They are not as dense or domelike heads that we are used to seeing in our California super-market broccoli. The color also varies from a bluish-green to more of a sea-green. Use as you would any broccoli, and be sure to wash carefully. If you plan to eat it raw, you can soak the heads a little bit in light soapy water to remove any loopers. They are very difficult to control in cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower) this late in the season. Find a recipe below.
Cauliflower - organic
Cucumber
Eggplant – new this week!
A late edition to your share, find a dark purple or black globe eggplant. Store refrigerated before using. We’ll include a recipe or two next time!
Fresh Cooking Onion – organic–new this week!
Some of the onions harvested this week are included in your share now (as a fresh onion) rather than later after they have cured and dried for longer storage. Keep refrigerated, as you would green onions and use soon. There may be a smallish core in the center of some of them. It is perfectly edible, just a little tough, and can be removed if desired. This core development is why we choose to eat these onions fresh now rather than letting them cure for later use. There are over 70 varie-ties of items in the onion family grown in our region including onion, scallion, shallot, leek, and garlic. Some are so similar, and others have different flavor, so consider interchanging them in recipes; don’t be afraid to experiment a little.
Fresh Green Onion - organic
These green onions should be stored in the refrigerator and you can use as much of the green part as you desire. Along with a fresh herb, it makes a nice pesto.
Yellow Squash
Summer Squash Medley
This week’s share has a little of several types of summer squash: yellow straight-neck, green zucchini, round eight-ball zucchini, and the scalloped edge patty-pan squashes in varied colors. Use all in any squash recipe, keeping in mind that zucchini contains a little more water than squashes. The patty pans hold their shape and are nice to oven-roast whole or use in kabobs on the grill. Sauté all of it with olive oil or butter or in your pesto!
Green Tomatoes – new this week!
Have you had fried green tomatoes lately? You can make your own batter, use a fish batter, or even try an oven-baked recipe. Serve with dipping sauce or Worstershire; or use as the tomato layer on sandwiches.
Red Slicing Tomato – new this week!
We are beginning to harvest our field grown red tomatoes. Some may need to ripen a little more in your kitchen before using.
Zucchini Squash
Heirloom Tomato – organic – new this week!
More explanation on varieties another week, but know that the heirlooms offer the most intense and wonderful flavor, have a thinner skin and are delicate to handle, will ripen quicker than hybrids, and come in all shapes and sizes. These are best for eating fresh.
Yellow Slicing Tomato – organic – new this week!
This yellow tomato has less acid than red tomatoes and is best used fresh rather than in sauces.
Recipes to Enjoy . . .
Easy Basil Pesto Sauce
this recipe is very forgiving and can be adjusted for more or less basil, depending what you have on hand – be sure to remove the stems
1 ½ C lightly packed fresh basil leaves (approx. 3 ounces)
2 minced garlic cloves (try using finely chopped scapes)
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
¼ C olive oil
Puree all ingredients in food processor, adding more olive oil if necessary for proper blending. Serve tossed with fresh hot pasta, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. (If desired, pine nuts or walnuts can be added during processing).
Broccoli with Orange Sauce
this recipe shared by a friend of the farm, from Virginia Celebrates
1 lb fresh broccoli
¼ C water
1 navel orange, peeled and sectioned or 1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
Cut broccoli florets off stems. Put in microwave casserole, add water, cover and cook on high for 3 minutes. Add orange sections to broccoli and microwave for additional 2-2 ½ minutes. Let stand, covered, until ready to serve.
Orange Sauce – pour over broccoli and orange sections when ready to serve
1/3 C orange juice
½ T sugar
½ T cornstarch
dash of ginger
Measure orange juice into glass measuring cup. Add sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Microwave this mixture on high until thickened, about 1 ½ minutes.
Summer Squash Casserole
from Southern Living Magazine, May 2008 thanks to a CSA member for recommending this good veggie casserole
1 ½ pound yellow squash
1 pound zucchini
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 ½ tsp salt, divided
1 C grated carrots
1 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) container sour cream
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (8 oz) package herb-seasoned stuffing
½ C butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash and zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.
Stir together 1 C grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining ½ tsp salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and ½ C melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
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