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.
