Talkin' Turkey

Our Heritage breed and broad-breasted breed Certified Organic turkeys are sizing up nicely. Elmwood is one of just a few farms in the US that grow heritage breed turkeys that are also Certified Organic, making these holiday turkeys a very special item. We keep the breeding stock hens and toms here year-round and hatch out our own heritage breed poults from the eggs the hens lay.

To reserve your own Certified Organic Elmwood turkey OR receive many more details to make an educated decision, contact the farm by email. Use the Contact Us at Elmwood Stock Farm.

Week 22, Final CSA Distribution for Summer Season

From the Farm . . .

By establishing a relationship with Elmwood through your commitment to share in its production, you are an extremely important partner in the farm and in your local community food system. Thank you for the work on your part to pick up your share each week, make time to prepare healthy dishes from whole foods, and sharing news about our program with friends and neighbors.

We want to give you our whole-hearted thanks for your commitment to Elmwood Stock Farm this year. Your partnership with the farm allows us to make plans in advance of the season of how much to grow, how much seed to purchase, how many employees to hire, and organize a true business plan for the farm. We will continue to work as hard as we can to grow good food, choose tasty varieties, negotiate chal-lenging weather, and get items to you as clean and fresh as we can!

We survey our CSA membership each season to help us improve our CSA program. Some things we cannot change (like a warmer climate to grow olives or figs in KY), but we always appreciate your time in sharing your comments. A survey is being sent by email this week – if you need a paper copy mailed, please let us know.

In Your Share . . .

Acorn Squash

Bok Choy – organic

Butternut Squash

Celery - organic
We are excited to have the celery ready for harvest this week – its fresh vibrant taste puts to shame the more bland supermarket celery that travels cross-country to reach us in Kentucky. West Coast celery plants are hilled with sandy soil, blanching the stalks white, while local celery is grown without the hilling – it results in a more green and flavorful vegetable. Taste it whpreparing to realize you may not need as much in some recipes to get an excellent flavorful result. It really adds to tuna, egg, or chicken salads when used raw – use the tenderer inner stalks, and save the outer stalks for your cooked recipes, as they are not tender since exposed to sunlight and should be cooked. Oven-roast with meats or braise as a side dish- see Joy of Cooking. Leaves can be chopped for use as a fresh herb – in any recipe using parsley, your celery leaf will work great! Refrigerate and keep for up to two weeks.

Cooking Greens: Curly Kale or Lacinato Black Dinosaur Kale, and / or Turnip Greens – organic
Enjoy your fresh cooking greens prepared one of several methods: steam and top with vinegar, sauté or stir fry in olive oil, or steam to use in a frittata or lasagna. As last week, remove any large stalks by folding the leaf in half, and cutting or stripping out the thick portion of the stalk. Refrigerate.

Butterhead Lettuce – organic
Find a small head of the tender butterhead lettuce, similar to Bibb lettuce. We had hoped to have more for you before the summer season ended, but the days of heat and dryness prevented a bountiful lettuce patch. Wash and refrigerate to enjoy one small salad.

Red Onion and Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Pepper

Hot Banana Peppers - organic

Swiss Chard – organic
The Rainbow Swiss Chard is still yummy this time of the year. Use as you would spinach in quiches, pies, lasagna, for wraps, or in soups. You can also sauté with your onions for a quick and easy side dish.

Garlic - organic

Raspberries – organic

Golden Globe Turnips - organic

Tatsoi – organic
Enjoy this Asian green (with dark green round spoon shaped leaves) either sautéed or steamed. Often the leaves can also be enjoyed in a green salad, similar to spicy arugula greens. Refrigerate to store.

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Swiss Chard & Bok Choy in Apricot Sauce with Red Peppers and Cranberries
Thanks to a CSA member for this recipe that uses most any type of fall green.

1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 head of bok choy
2 T of olive oil
1 C of apricot juice
2-3 T dried cranberries
5-6 dried apricots, cut into 1/4” pieces
1/3 of red bell pepper, seeds & white removed, finely diced
½ T of potato starch, dissolved in 2 T of water

Simmer juice with dried fruit in a small pan until reduced by half. Stir in peppers for 30 seconds, then starch; stir for 1 minute; remove from heat. Sauce can be covered and set aside for 30 minutes or more, adding some water or juice if needed to thin.
Wash greens thoroughly. Remove leaves from the stems; roughly chop and set aside. Trim away the base of the stems, then cut stems into ¼” wide pieces; stir-fry stem pieces in a wok with olive oil until soft. Add wet leaves, cover to steam for 3-5 minutes, stirring once. Remove cover, add sauce, mix & reheat thoroughly and serve.

Gingery Butternut Squash Soup from Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert’s Simply In Season

2 onions, chopped
2 T fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 apples, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes, approx. 2 C
4 C chicken or vegetable broth

In a large soup pot, sauté onion and ginger in 1 T oil until onion is translucent. Add other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash and apples are tender. Puree in blender until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (optional) and serve.

Cider-Glazed Turnips & Apples with Sage & Bacon
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this recipe from Fine Cooking, October 2004: Braising turnips transforms them into translucent, buttery, tender morsels. Be sure to peel them or the turnip will be tough and taste bitter. This dish is a perfect accompaniment to roast lamb or pork. Serves four to six.

1 ½ lb. small purple-top white or golden turnips
4 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 T unsalted butter
1 C apple cider
2 tsp granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large firm, sweet apple such as Pink Lady or Braeburn
2 tsp chopped fresh sage

Peel the turnips and cut them in half lengthwise. Cut each half into wedges 1 inch thick at the widest point. Put the bacon pieces in a large skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Pour off the bacon fat from the pan and set the pan back on the burner. Add the butter and, when it's melted, add the turnips, apple cider, sugar, and 1-1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with the lid slightly askew, reduce the heat to medium high, and cook at a steady boil, shaking the pan occasionally, until the turnips are just tender but not soft (a pairing knife should enter a turnip with just a little resistance), 8-10 min.

Meanwhile, peel and core the apple and cut it into ½ inch slices. Uncover the pan, add the sliced apples and sage, and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. The turnips should be soft and the apples should be crisp-tender. (If not, add a few tablespoons of water and continue to cook for another 1-2 min. Toss in the cooked bacon and season to taste with black pepper and more salt if necessary.

Week 21, CSA

In Your Share . . .
Items in your share may vary depending on share size and harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Acorn Squash
This hard-shelled winter squash is one of the most recognizable along with being very easy to prepare. Most recipes call for halving, deseeding, and baking the squash until done. Then, you can mash, puree, incorporate into soups, eat the squash directly from the shell – and you can go either sweet or savory with your flavorings.

Bok Choy – organic
We are glad to have more seasonal temperatures the last couple of weeks so that some of the fast growing greens are ready to harvest for you before your summer season ends. Store bok choy refrigerated until ready to prepare. Know that the white stems are as tasty as the leaves and you should eat both parts when preparing. Find a new recipe below.

Cucumber

Eggplant
This week you have most of the ingredients to prepare ratatouille and there are hundreds of different recipes. Find a couple of winners on this site for Roasted Ratatouille Salad and Squash and Sausage Ratatouille.

Greens Mixture: Curly Kale, Lacinato Black Dinosaur Kale, Turnip Greens – organic
We suggest preparing all three of these fresh cooking greens together – either steam and top with vinegar, sauté or stir fry in olive oil, or steam lightly to use in a frittata or lasagna. Remove any large stalks by folding the leaf in half, and cutting or stripping out the thick portion of the stalk. If you are preparing Southern style greens with a longer cooking time, your stalks will cook until tender and you can leave intact. Store refrigerated.

Okra - organic

Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Pepper, Green

Yellow Squash

Green Zucchini

Raspberries - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Grilled Vegetables with Chipotle Dressing recipe adapted from original in Bon Appetite Magazine

¼ C orange juice
1 T finely chopped canned chipotle chilies, (or more if desiring spicy dish)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/3 C olive oil
3 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut length-wise into ¼ inch-thick slices
1 medium-size yellow squash, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch-thick slices
1 small eggplant, trimmed, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch-thick slices
1 red or yellow onion, cut into 1/3 inch-thick slices
½ acorn, delicata, or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes

Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Add oil and whisk until well blended. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Warm grill to medium-high heat. Place all vegetables on 2 large baking sheets. Brush vegetables with ¼ C dressing. Grill vegetables until tender and beginning to brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes for tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and onion and 15 minutes for winter squash.

Arrange all grilled vegetables on platter, separating grilled onion slices into rings. Drizzle remaining dressing over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sesame Red Curry Chicken with Bok Choy & Sweet Coconut Rice
Our thanks to a CSA member for this yummy recipe she shared using bok choy. She bakes in the oven for 2 hours at 325°F rather than using crock pot. Also, you can substitute firm tofu for chicken if desired.

4 C chopped bok choy (one med-large head, I never measure)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
1/2 C chicken broth (reduced sodium is fine)
1/2 C sake (rice wine)
2 tsp sesame oil
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 T red curry paste
¼ - ½ C sweetened flaked coconut
2 C jasmine rice
2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk (lite is fine, too)
¼ C fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1. Arrange bok choy and red pepper in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Season chicken breasts all over with salt and pepper and place on top of bok choy and peppers.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together broth, sake, sesame oil, ginger, and curry paste.
4. Pour mixture over chicken.
5. Cook Low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
6. Cook rice in coconut milk.
7. In a small skillet toast coconut flakes, 5-8 minutes.
8. Stir toasted coconut into cooked rice, set aside.

Spoon rice onto a serving platter, or individual bowls, and top with chicken, vegetables and sauce from crock pot. Garnish with cilantro.

Amaranth Stuffed Acorn Squash
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this squash recipe she created the last time shares contained acorn squash. It’s a great way to include more amaranth in our diets!

1 acorn squash
2 T butter
2 T brown sugar
½ C amaranth
1 ½ C water
1 onion
2 ribs celery
2 T agave nectar
¼ C pine nuts
¼ C golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Cut the acorn squash in half and remove seeds. Put 1 T butter and brown sugar in each half of the squash and bake until squash is easily pierced with a fork.

While squash is cooking, dice the onion and celery and bring the water to a boil. Add amaranth, onion and celery to boiling water, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until amaranth has absorbed most of the water. Remove from heat.

While amaranth is cooking, toast pine nuts in a skillet over high heat or in the oven. Fold the agave nectar, toasted pine nuts and raisins in the amaranth and stuff into cooked squash. Enjoy.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcake Recipe
from Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook by Audrey Alsterburg & Wanda Urbanowicz. Yields 9 large cupcakes or 20 standard cupcakes.

1 ½ C brown sugar
1/4 C melted butter
3/4 C vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ C buttermilk
2 C grated zucchini
1 C chocolate chips
2 C unbleached flour
1 C cocoa, sifted
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp allspice
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease large muffin pans and line with muffin cups.
In a medium bowl mix together the sugar, butter and oil. Beat in eggs, one at a time until well incorporated. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, zucchini and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients and mix until well combined. Spoon batter into large muffin pans. Bake in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack. Don't overcook them or you will lose all the moist goodness - you want them to look almost done in the oven - they will continue to cook for a few minutes after you pull them from the oven from the residual heat. Use favorite icing to top if desired.

CSA, Week 20

In Your Share . . .
Items in shares may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Each share may not contain every item listed below.

Stringless Green Beans – organic
Store refrigerated until ready to prepare, we have one more planting of fresh string beans ready this week. The protein in beans builds body mass, as does the protein in meat, but does not add cholesterol or saturated fat. Beans also strengthen your kidneys and adrenal glands resulting in overall better health.

Cucumber

Fresh Herb, Sage – organic

Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Pepper, Green

Bell Pepper, Italian Sweet – organic
These sweet red or dark brown or green peppers seem to be producing better than their first cousins, the larger red and yellow bell peppers. Use as you would any red bell: sliced fresh, or roasting and removing the skin for the sweet flavor of “roasted red bells.” Can be frozen.

Raspberries – organic

Spaghetti Squash

Yellow Squash or Patty Pan Squash or Green Zucchini

Swiss Chard - organic

Tomato, Heirloom – organic

Okra – organic
Okra can be easily frozen for use later on in soups, gumbo, or even frying. Wash and let dry. Remove only the stem end and either freeze whole pieces, or go ahead and slice into bite sized pieces. Lie out on a baking sheet and let freeze individually, then scoop up frozen pieces and store in a sealed container in your freezer. Only take out the amount you need when ready to prepare.

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Sage Roasted Squash
From Asparagus to Zucchini recipe.

4 medium sized yellow squash and/or zucchini
2 T olive oil
2 T chopped fresh sage
1 T minced garlic
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut squash and zucchini into 1-inch dice, toss with other ingredients, and roast until tender, 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Oven Zucchini Chips
Recipe from Entertaining with Bluegrass Winners, can use yellow squash and/or green zucchini

¼ C fine bread crumbs or panko flakes
½ C fresh Parmesan cheese
3 T milk
¼ tsp seasoned salt
¼ tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ small zucchini or squash, sliced ¼-inch thick

Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in shallow bowl, dip zucchini slices in milk; then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place slices on ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray. Place rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and crisp. Do not turn. Serve immediately, serves 6.

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp and Scallions
A tasty recipe found online and shared by a friend of the farm.

1 Spaghetti Squash, halved and seeded
1 cup water
1 Tablespoons butter
4 scallions, chopped or 1 small onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (not skim)
about 20 frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

Heat oven to 400° F. Pour water into a roasting pan. Place the squash halves, cut side down, into the pan (slightly raised if possible). Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until tender. After the squash cools slightly, take a fork and gently scoop out the flesh. It will come out in medium-length strands, resembling spaghetti.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, stirring until fragrant and the butter is lightly browned. Stir the flour into the butter and onions; allow to cook ~30 seconds. Stir milk into the pan. Lower heat to medium. Allow the sauce to boil gently until thickened. The sauce should be thicker than milk, thinner than a cream sauce. Add the thawed shrimp, allow to warm through. Stir the sauce into ~4 cups Spaghetti Squash.

Spaghetti Squash with Butter and Herbs,
another easy recipe found online and shared by a friend of the farm.

1 Spaghetti Squash, halved and seeded
1 cup water
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter
1/2 cup chopped herbs – sage is a nice mix with spaghetti squash, but any favorite soft herb will work
salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Heat oven to 400° F. Pour water into a roasting pan. Place the squash halves, cut side down, into the pan (slightly raised if possible). Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake approximately 45 minutes, until tender. After the squash cools slightly, take a fork and gently scoop out the flesh. It will come out in medium-length strands, resembling spaghetti.

Heat butter in saucepan over medium heat, until lightly browned and nutty. Remove from heat. Add herbs. Stir into Spaghetti Squash. Finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Sicilian-Style Roasted Vegetables with Balsamic Syrup
Vegetarian Times, January 2010, serves 8

1 lb green beans, trimmed
1 large bell pepper, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
2 T olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C fresh orange juice
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss green beans and bell pepper strips with oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Spread in single layer on baking sheet, and roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.

2. Bring vinegar to a boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until vinegar is thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

3. Toss green bean mixture with orange juice, lemon juice, and orange zest in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to serving dish, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar syrup.

Okra Goulash
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing one of his favorite okra recipes, originally from Mary Robinson of Montevallo, Alabama.

4 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sliced fresh okra
1 ½ cups corn cut from cob (about 3 ears)
4 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Cook onion in drippings over medium heat, stirring constantly, until tender. Add okra, and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add corn and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

CSA News, Week 19

In Your Share . . .
Items in shares may vary depending on share size and harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Butternut Squash
The butternut is one of the most popular and most recognized of all the hard-skinned fall squashes. It will store very well for you (several months) at room temperature and is very versatile in that it can be substituted for most any other winter squash in recipes.

Butternut squash, like other winter squash, boasts 10 times the amount of vitamin A content of its summer squash relations, and is also an excellent source of potassium and fiber. Butternut squash is easy to steam, bake, roast, boil, and mash. Butternut squash is often the real ingredient in canned “pumpkin” pie filling, as it has excellent sweetness and consistency. Add small amounts to breads, muffins, cookies, and pancake batter for seasonal sweetness and color.

Cucumber
A brand new planting of cucumbers is ready to go – thanks to irrigation once again. Refrigerate.

Eggplant

Red Onion and Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Peppers

Jalapeno Hot Peppers – organic
Find a handful of hot jalapeno peppers this week, you may want to use fresh, freeze for later in the year, or slice and add to vinegar for a quick pickle. Capsaicin produces the pungency of hot peppers. This substance is soluble in milk but not water. Most of the intensity of a hot pepper resides in its seeds and inner ribs, so remove these to reduce heat, but retain them in cooking for the full blast. For greatest safety, wear rubber gloves while chopping and handling them. Do not touch eyes, nose, or mouth.

To freeze bell peppers or hot peppers: Wash and dry peppers, cut into bite-size pieces and place in an airtight container or zip-lock freezer bag. Peppers will soften when thawed, so take out only the amount you need and replace the rest in the freezer.

Radishes – organic
This week’s harvest offers some of the fall planted radishes. Several varieties are ready including the Easter Egg (round red, rose, and white) along with the heirloom White Icicle Radish (long tapered white). Refrigerate prior to use; know that you can use the leaves in a stir-fry or mixed with the kale greens; and enjoy the radish root either as a snack, sliced on sandwiches, or in the salad recipe found below.

Raspberries – organic
The fall bearing red raspberries have lowered their production of ripe berries from when we had such hot temperatures. As we shared with you earlier in the year, ripe berries appeared a full month earlier than we normally expect them. So, we may see them ending earlier than usual as well. As you know, they do not store for very long and are one of the most perishable fruits grown – so enjoy quickly. Find a new recipe below.

Yellow Squash or Patty Pan Squash or Green Zucchini

Tomatoes, Heirloom – organic
We are still harvesting a handful of tomatoes several times weekly, but this late in the season most of the plants have succumbed to all the heat and dryness. We find the flavor has intensified, though, and most of the slicing and salad tomatoes still have a wonderful taste. Store at room temperature.

Sweet Basil – organic

Garlic - organic

Kale Greens - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Angel Hair Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Basil
adapted from The New York Times

1 lb. angel hair pasta
4-5 tomatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Marinate tomatoes in olive oil, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper for 4-6 hours. Boil angel hair in salted water until al dente. Drain, then toss with tomato mixture and as much Parmesan as desired.

Sautéed Yellow and Green Zucchini
Adapted from a 101.cookbooks dot com recipe. If you decide to double the recipe, divide and cook the zucchini in two pans. If you crowd the squash too much, it steams rather than browns, and loses too much structure, which isn't what you're after.

2 T extra virgin olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
fine grain sea salt
2 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick coins
a good handful of dill, chopped
¼ C toasted almond slices

In your largest skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until it starts to take on a hint of color. Stir in the onion and a big pinch of salt, and cook until it starts to soften, a couple minutes. Add the zucchini, stir to get it coated with a bit of oil, and arrange the coins in as much of a single layer as your pan permits. Dial the heat up a bit if needed, add another pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the zucchini browns - ten minutes or so. Remove from heat and fold in the dill and almonds before serving. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serves 2 - 4.

Fire & Ice
Recipe adapted from Hamilton Hill Inn, a small restaurant that was open in downtown Georgetown during the 1980’s. This recipe works well with whatever items happen to be in season. Gets better if marinated overnight and will keep for several days.

4-5 small or 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced into bite-sized chunks
2 larger cucumbers, peeled & seeded if desired, cut into bite-sized chunks
1-2 onions, diced or sliced thinly
1 pepper, seeded –sliced into bite-sized pieces
handful of radishes –diced into bite-sized pieces

Dressing:
¾ cup vinegar
¼ cup water
1 ½ tsp celery seed
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 T sugar
little dry mustard

Mix dressing together and put in saucepan on stove. Bring to a boil. Prepare veggies and mix together in serving bowl. Pour hot dressing over top, stir, refrigerate, and allow to marinate at least 1 hour.

Berry Bombs
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this wonderful recipe for a special treat. She has used both raspberries and blackberries with success. It is dairy and gluten free because of the type of chips and butter. NOTE: She recommends using a "silpat" sheet which is a silicone like baking pad, great substitute for wax paper, can be used for no stick baking as well- very, heat tolerant and easy to clean. Available online many places.

½ pint raspberries
½ C "tropical source" semi sweet chocolate chips (good foods coop)
1 T Earth Balance margarine (good foods coop)
1 T Grand Marnier (not good foods coop)
3 T water

Put the silpat sheet on a baking sheet. Make separate mounds of berries, about 1 T or more for each mound, on the silpat sheet.

Melt margarine and chocolate chips over low heat in a saucepan, whisk, add liqueur and water. Carefully drizzle by tablespoon over each mound of raspberries.

Refrigerate the bombs on the pan for a while, maybe a few hours or more, until stiff enough to lift off with a spatula, or with your fingers if you are in a hurry.

Megabombs
Variation of Berry Bombs, recipe above.

Before covering berries with chocolate sauce mixture, top each mound of raspberries with about 1 T of unsalted creamy peanut butter (good foods coop).

Week 18, CSA

From the Farm . . .

Your summer CSA season runs for 22 weeks. After this box, you have four more weeks with your last distribution the week of October 4th. If you are interested in our Fall/Winter CSA season, we have a few shares available and can send you the signup details by email. During the Fall CSA (October, November, and December) we harvest and distribute every-other-week, 5 times over 10 weeks.

Please just contact the farm for more information as we will not be posting our fall season signup online. If you already signed up for fall along with your summer share, we will be contacting you soon to verify pickup location options.

Another option to continue with fall vegetables is to visit us at the Lexington Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.

We are set up outdoors in Cheapside Park through Thanksgiving, then move inside Victorian Square Shoppes on Saturday mornings during the winter. Though our Fall CSA shares will get the first items harvested, whenever we have plenty of product, we will take the extra to the market along with our eggs, beef, and poultry (both chicken and turkey).

Our Heritage breed and broad-breasted breed Certified Organic turkeys are sizing up nicely. Elmwood is one of just a few farms in the US that grow heritage breed turkeys that are also Certified Organic, making these holiday turkeys a very special item. We keep the breeding stock hens and toms here year-round and hatch out our own heritage breed poults from the eggs the hens lay.

Some of the heritage breeds we raise: Bourbon Red (named for Bourbon County, KY and first recognized in 1909), Slate, Royal Palm, and Narragansett are recognized by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) as breeds in danger of extinction.

As ALBC describes, “These breeds are threatened because agriculture has changed. Modern food production now favors the use of a few highly specialized breeds selected for maximum output in a controlled environment. Many traditional livestock breeds have lost popularity and are threatened with extinction.” Of the four breeds we have at Elmwood, two have moved from the “critical” list to either “threatened” or “watch” during the past six years.

As most farms cannot afford the costs and upkeep of keeping heritage breed animals without a supporting source of income to offset the expenses, Slow Food USA is helping to spread the word and promote heritage breed products as a food source. By creating demand for heritage foods, then farms can work to produce and maintain heritage breeds. Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste is described as a “catalogue of over 200 delicious foods in danger of extinction. By promoting and eating Ark products, we help ensure they remain in production and on our plates.”

We do take pre-orders for Elmwood turkeys either in person or though email. They are processed at KY’s small USDA inspected facility outside Bowling Green and will be ready for pickup the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. Just contact the farm (best by email) and we’ll share more details with you on expected available sizes, the differences in taste and appearance dependent on heritage or broad-breasted breeds, and pricing.

In Your Share . . .

Items in shares may vary depending on harvest day and your share size. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Acorn Squash

Stringless Green Beans - organic

Sweet Corn

This planting of sweet corn offers very few ears to harvest – and it is the last planting for the season. High temperatures during pollination and extremely dry growing conditions have resulted in less than desirable ears. But we did make the decision to include some in your shares rather than just let it all go to the birds. You may want to cut from the cob rather than eat roasting ears – it will sweeten when pan fried – or pop into a freezer bag to enjoy this winter.

Okra - organic

Red Onion and Yellow Onion – organic

Sweet Potatoes – organic

This first harvest includes all sizes of potatoes as we dug out one row and distributed them directly into your share boxes. Later on this month, when the vines begin to die back, we’ll dig the entire crop, cure them for several days to harden the skin, and then store for use later on. One of the most nutritious veggies, fresh sweet potatoes are very delicate with tender skins – they develop more sweetness over time, so the longer you keep them, the sweeter they will be. Do not refrigerate, just store at room temperature.

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic

Swiss Chard – organic

Garlic – organic

Raspberries - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Okra Fritters
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this new recipe. She also brought a sample for us straight from her kitchen, still warm – YUMMY!

2 C vegetable oil
½ C all-purpose flour
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 C okra, coarsely chopped (can use frozen, sliced)
½ C yellow onion, diced (about ½ small onion)
1 large egg
¼ C butter

In a large, heavy skillet, heat oil over medium. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add okra and onion and toss to coat. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk. Add to okra mixture and stir just until combined. In two batches, drop batter in 2 tablespoonful mounds into oil. With a small spatula or butter knife, gently flatten each mound and fry until golden, about 4 minutes per side, flipping once (adjust heat if browning too quickly). Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve warm. Makes about 10.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

from Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert’s Simply In Season. You have several ingredients in your share this week and the amounts can adjust depending on how many quesadillas you want to make.

1 ½ C onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp each dried basil, marjoram, chili powder
1½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
pinch of ground red pepper to taste
4 C sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
8 tortillas
1 C sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Sauté onion and garlic in large fry pan in 1 T oil until translucent. Add herbs and spices and cook another minute. Add sweet potatoes and heat through, frequently stirring to prevent sticking. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread about ½ C filling and 2 T cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a ½ inch border on the sides. Fold tortilla in half and place on oiled baking sheets. Brush tops with oil and bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees until brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Variation: Use shredded raw sweet potatoes, sautéing with onions and garlic in fry pan until soft.

Thai-Spiced Acorn Squash Soup
Adapted from cookbooks 101 website. Serves 6.

2 acorn squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 14-ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon (or more) red Thai curry paste
water or stock (amount to your preference)
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt (or to taste)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the oven racks in the middle.

Carefully cut each squash into halves and remove any seeds. Slather each piece of squash with butter, sprinkle generously with salt, place on a baking sheet skin sides down, and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until the squash is tender throughout.

When the squash are cool enough to handle, scoop it into a large pot over medium high heat. Add the coconut milk and curry paste and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and puree with a hand blender, you should have a very thick base at this point. Now add water a cup at a time pureeing between additions until the soup is the consistency you prefer - a light vegetable stock would work here as well. Bring up to a simmer again and add the salt. (Add more curry paste if you like, but keep in mind that different Thai curry pastes have differing strengths. Start with a teaspoon to start and then build from there until the soup has a level of spiciness and flavor that works for your palette.)

CSA, Week 17

In Your Share . . .
Items in your share may vary depending on harvest day and your share size. Each share may not contain every item listed below.

Stringless Green Beans – organic
The next round of beans are ready – it’s amazing what lower temperatures and several inches of overhead-irrigated water can do!

Garlic – organic
You have had both the hard neck garlic and soft neck garlic heads so far this season – today your share includes the soft-neck. If we left the stalk of the garlic plant attached, it can be twisted or braided into the hanging ristras popular as a kitchen decorative item. As you try to tell them apart, know that heads of our soft-neck variety are a little whiter skinned and the shapes of the cloves are less uniform than the hard-neck variety. The soft-neck will store longer for you, but either one keeps for several weeks in your pantry, or at room temperature. Just break off a clove when ready to use.

Fresh Herb Bunch: Oregano and Thyme – organic

Red Onion and Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Pepper

Hot Pepper – organic
Dark green chiles are Jalapenos – Yellow longer peppers are known as Hot Banana or Hungarian Wax Chiles. Store refrigerated and use care when cutting and remov-ing seeds from hot peppers – wearing gloves is recommended.

Raspberries – organic

Spaghetti Squash
Like any of the hard-shelled fall or winter squashes, the spaghetti squash will store for you at room temperature for several weeks. The idea of “winter squash” is that it stores into the winter months allowing you to have a fresh vegetable at a time of year when we are prevented from growing squashes due to frigid weather.
There are many recipes online using squashes, but you can always bake, steam, or roast and serve topped with your favorite seasonings.

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic

Small Green Cabbage – organic

Lacinato / Dinosaur Kale Greens – organic

Okra - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Cabbage Latkes
Recipe from The Washington Post and adapted from original in Nechama Cohen’s Enlitened Kosher Cooking. The author suggests accompaniments of sour cream and applesauce. Recipe makes 12 pancakes, enough for 4 side-dish servings and can be doubled easily.

2 cups thinly shredded cabbage
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 small onion or 1 scallion, finely chopped
1 ½ T whole-wheat flour
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ T cooking oil, or more as needed

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the cabbage in a large bowl. Add the eggs, onion and flour, mixing just until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (There will not be much liquid.)

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray oil. Add 1 T oil and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches of 4 to 6 at a time, drop enough mixture (about 2 T) to form pancakes that are 1 ½ inches wide into the hot oil. Cook the latkes for 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to move them around until a nice bottom crust has formed. Turn over and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned and crisp.

Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the skillet between batches and add oil as needed for the remaining latkes. Serve warm.

Moldavian Stuffed Chiles
This unusual take on stuffed bell peppers comes from The Whole Chile Pepper Book by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach. We varied the vegetable ingredients when testing to use fresh items we had on hand, and pulled some peas from the freezer. Serves 4 as a vegetarian entrée.

3 yellow wax chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped (USE CARE when handling membrane and seeds of hot peppers, rubber gloves are recommended)
4 bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed
1 large onion, chopped
1 C chopped cabbage
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ C cauliflower, broken into flowerets
½ C green peas
3 T olive oil
1 C sour cream
1 T chopped dill or favorite herb
1 C grated cheddar cheese

Parboil the bell peppers for 3 minutes. Remove and drain. Sauté the hot wax chiles and the vegetables in the olive oil until soft but still slightly crisp. Stir in the sour cream and fresh herb.

Stuff the peppers with the vegetable mixture, top with grated cheese, and place in a baking dish with a cup of water. Bake for 15 minutes until hot and the cheese has melted.

Tomato Salsa

1 ½ lbs ripe tomato
2-3 fresh jalapeno chilies stemmed
½ small onion
4 cloves garlic
¼ C water
1/3 C cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cider vinegar

Heat broiler. Lay whole tomatoes and jalapenos out on broiler pan and broil for about 6 minutes. Flip over and do other side. May develop char spots. Set aside and cool.

Turn oven down to 425°. Separate onions into rings and place on baking sheet with whole peeled cloves of garlic. Roast in oven until browned and wilted, 15 minutes.

Place tomatoes, chiles, and onions in a food processor and pulse several times. Add cilantro, salt, and vinegar and pulse to right consistency.

Red Tomato Rice

Vegetable oil
2 C rice
2 C Tomato salsa (see above recipe)
1 ½ C chicken broth
1 tsp salt
½ C cilantro

Heat oil to medium-high and add rice. Cook until it starts to brown. Add salsa and stir one minute. Add broth and salt. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and cover tightly. Cook for about 25 minutes. Let stand off heat for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve

Heirloom Tomato Salad on Grilled Bruschetta
Our thanks to a friend of the farm for sharing this Bobby Flay recipe.

2 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes, diced
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 T red wine vinegar
¼ C plus 2 T extra virgin olive oil
½ C packed basil leaves, thinly sliced or ¼ C oregano or thyme leaves, minced
salt and fresh black pepper
4 ½-inch thick slices ciabatta bread

Put the tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar ¼ C of olive oil and the fresh herb in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Heat a grill pan over high heat (or a grill to high). Grill the bread on each side until slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side. Remove from the grill and brush the tops with the remaining 2 T of olive oil. Mound the bread with the tomato mixture and some of the juices and serve immediately.

Week 16, CSA News

From the Farm . . .

It has come to our attention that we would be remiss to not give you a report on the current growing conditions at Elmwood. With such scattered pop-up showers and storms over the past month, we realize that many of you may not know of the exceptional dryness we have been experiencing at the farm along with the high temperatures. From speaking each week with other farmers at the farmers market, we are surprised to learn of some areas of the region (and even our own county) not lacking in rain-fall and in fact, hoping that they don’t get anymore rain soon.

Unfortunately, we received only six-tenths of an inch when others got inches during the past 2 weeks, and this past Saturday morning when it rained on our market booth 3 times, the farm received only one brief shower-just enough to dampen the dust.

Some of your crops are irrigated from the day they are transplanted with a drip irrigation system that utilizes less water by trickling it directly to the plants’ roots underneath mulch that prevents the water from evaporating.

Other crops like potatoes, beets, radishes, and corn are being irrigated with our overhead traveling circular water gun – it is more mobile and less permanent that the drip under mulch system – and it can water crops that are planted in dirt as it moves down the rows next to the crop, but it uses more water – so we have it available to use if needed like now, but some years won’t need to, like last season.

Unlike recent dry years (2007 and 2008), this season’s super high temperatures create undue stress on plants as they try to pull more water through their roots to stay cool. Just like people, the plants will feel the high temperatures and begin to “wilt.” In fact, one problem for many growers across the area is the lack of fruit set on vegetable crops. When it is extremely hot, a plant will either drop its blooms, or not even produce blooms that eventually grow into tomatoes or peppers or pumpkins.

Another concern with high temperatures is the inability to get fall season crop seeds to germinate.

A news report came out this week announcing that the six time winner (and 2-time defending champion) of the largest pumpkin at the Kentucky State Fair would not be able to compete this year. With a goal of besting his 929 ½ pound Grand Prize Champion pumpkin of last year, Frank Mudd’s entry for this year finally succumbed to the high heat and died on the vine at only 430 pounds.

The ideal temperature for growing pumpkins is 85°, but watermelons actually prefer closer to 90 degrees. Frank luckily also had a watermelon vine planted, and took home the KY State Fair grand winner blue ribbon with a 224 ¼ pound watermelon.

In Your Share . . .
Items in the shares may vary depending on share size and harvest day. Every share may not have every item listed below.

Acorn Squash
One of the most popular hard squashes, the acorn stores very well for you – no need to refrigerate.

Eggplant
It is not our plan to give you eggplant three weeks in a row any year of the CSA program. Well, why then this year, you ask? This is one of those times you get to “share in the bounty” as we have an abundance of eggplant and your next round of yellow squash and zucchini is just ready to bloom and not quite ready yet. Also, many of you really enjoy eating it at least once weekly. Our farm chef, Sarah, shares her secret special eggplant recipe (that the farm crew happily eats as a sandwich spread because they don’t realize it is eggplant). You might want to try it.

Lacinato / Dinosaur Kale Greens – organic

Red and Yellow Cipollini Onions – organic
These pungent, deliciously sweet onions should be the stars of a meal. A favorite of chefs every-where, these flat onions will store a little while for you if you need them to. Find a recipe below, or sauté with fresh herbs and 2-3 T butter on low heat for 20 minutes or so until they begin to brown and caramelize.

Raspberries – organic

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic

Cabbage – organic

Garlic – organic

Okra – organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Sarah’s Special Eggplant Dip

2 eggplant
juice of 2 lemons, squeezed
¾ C Italian breadcrumbs
¼ C extra virgin olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ C feta cheese
handful pecan pieces
2 T minced parsley

Pierce holes in eggplant and broil whole for 1 hour.

When smashed down and done, remove from oven and let cool. Scoop pulp out into bowl.

Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Add enough breadcrumbs to soak up some of the moisture, depending on how liquidy you want your final product.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with favorite bread, pita chips, or crackers. Store refrigerated.

They Won't Know Raspberry Coffee Cake
Our thanks to a CSA member who shared this recipe she likes from the website food.com. She describes it as SUPER delicious and easy – it gets great reviews and 5 stars! And, they won't know it is low fat . . .

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened raspberry (fresh or frozen, if using frozen do not thaw)
1 tablespoon sliced almonds

GLAZE
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon nonfat milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, combine the flour sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine the egg, yogurt, butter, and vanilla: add to dry ingredients just until moistened.

Spoon two-thirds of the batter into an 8-in round baking pan (a pie or cake pan work great for this) coated with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar and raspberries; sprinkle over batter.

Spoon the remaining batter over the top.

Sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched and is golden brown.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and drizzle over coffee cake.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cipollini with Bay Leaf and Golden Raisins
recipe serves 4, from July 2008 issue of Gourmet, can be adapted for other favorite fresh herbs

¼ C golden raisins
1 T sugar
1 T unsalted butter
¾ lb cipollini onions, peeled
1/3 C dry white wine
½ fresh or dried bay leaf

Soak raisins in hot water until ready to use. Cut out a 10 inch round of parchment paper. Heat sugar in center of 10 inch skillet over medium heat until it starts to melt. Cook, tilting skillet occasionally so sugar melts evenly, until golden brown. Stir in butter, then add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add wine, bay leaf, ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper, and drained raisins. Reduce heat to low, cover with parchment and lid. Gently simmer, shaking skillet occasionally, until onions are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove lid and parchment, then simmer, stirring occasionally until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CSA, Week 15

In Your Share . . .
Items in the shares may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Stringless Green Beans – organic
Your beans are growing fast with all the heat. If you store in the plastic unopened bag, you may see some rusting color appear on the beans with a lack of airf. Sometimes it cooks out and some-times it won’t, but either way it will not affect the flavor or nutrtional benefits of fresh green beans. You only need to snap off the ends – this variety adapts well to a quick saute or blanching for green bean salad.

Eggplant
Eggplant is very low in calories as it is mostly water. It will absorb a lot of oil (if your recipe calls for it) so keep this in mind when considering your preparation. Your eggplant will store well refrigerated, though it prefers the warmest area of your fridge. Use within a week or so, and feel free to peel prior to cooking as most bitterness if found in the skin.

Garlic – organic

Fresh Herb, Sage – organic
Your fresh bundle can be used with the spaghetti squash and a butter or cream sauce. You can hang up to dry; or you can pan fry the sage leaves (see 8/18/08 on Elmwood’s recipe blog); or add to the leek chip recipe below.

Leeks – organic
Related to onions, leeks have a mild flavor and sweeten when cooked. Store refrigerated, they will keep for 2 weeks. Find a soup recipe on the Elmwood blog 8/20/07 and a snack recipe below.

Red Onion and Yellow Onion – organic

Raspberries – organic

Spaghetti Squash
Store this hard skin squash in your pantry until ready to use, as this item will keep for you for weeks. Boil whole; or halve and bake with flesh side down in a little water until done; remove seeds, then enjoy with a little butter, fresh pesto, or your favorite pasta sauce. Find a recipe below.

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic

Swiss Chard - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Stuffed Chard
From Elmwood’s farm kitchen, this recipe can use cabbage, kale, or chard leaves, and any of your favorite meats.

15 large chard leaves with stems removed and reserved
2 medium onions, chopped
2 TBS butter
2 C chicken stock
2 TBS lemon juice
1-2 TBS olive oil

Meat Filling
1 ¼ lbs ground beef, veal or turkey
¼ lbs ground pork
1 large clove garlic, chopped
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
¼ C parsley
1 tsp each fresh oregano and thyme
½ tsp Tabasco sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg beaten
¼ C milk

Mix the meat filling ingredients together until well combined and set aside.
Immerse the chard leaves, 4 or 5 at a time, in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes or until limp. Remove and drain. Repeat until all the leaves are done.

Lay chard leaves out flat. Mound several rounded TBS of the meat filling on the center of each leave. Fold sides of leaf over center, and then fold top and bottom down. Roll each leaf into a compact bundle.

Finely chop reserved chard stems. In a large heavy pot, melt 2 TBS butter. Sauté the chopped onions and chard stems about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Lay chard bundles on top of sautéed vegetables, add chicken stock and sprinkle with lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Drizzle 1-2 TBS olive oil over the bundles. Simmer over low heat until filling is done, about 35 minutes. Garnish bundles with fresh lemon slices and fresh yogurt or sour cream.

Spaghetti Squash and Shrimp or Scallops
This recipe was such a hit, we have included it again this season. Our thanks to a CSA member who shared this great recipe last summer! She was thrilled that her whole family really enjoyed this one-dish meal.

1 med. spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)
¼ C olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
½ pound shrimp, shelled and cleaned (or scallops)
2 T lemon juice
1 ½ T fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 sm. tomatoes, chopped
1 lg. bunch watercress or ½ bag spinach, washed
¼ C toasted pine nuts (optional)
1 C crumbled Feta or grated Parmesan cheese

Cut squash lengthwise; bake face down on oiled cookie sheet at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until easily pierced by fork. Cool; scoop out insides. Heat oil and sauté garlic. Add shrimp, lemon juice, and spices. Sauté, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and watercress or spinach and cook 1 minute longer until vegetables are wilted. Add pine nuts and cheese and toss with squash. Serve heaped in squash shells or individual casseroles. Makes 2 generous servings.

Fried Eggplant Salad
from Greene on Greens

1 large eggplant or 2 small (about 1 ½ pounds)
salt
½ C olive oil, approximately
1 medium onion, halved, thinly sliced; or green onions
1 large clove garlic, minced
juice of 2 lemons
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh parsley
lemon wedges

Cut the stem from the eggplant and slice it in half lengthwise. Cut each half into ¼ inch thick slices. Place the slices in a colander, sprinkle them with salt, and let stand 30 minutes. Brush the eggplant with paper towels to remove the salt; pat dry.

Heat 2 T of the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add enough eggplant slices to cover the bottom. Sprinkle lightly with more oil, and sauté until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Continue to sauté the eggplant slices, adding more oil as needed.

Pour off all but 2 tsp of oil from skillet. Add the onion; cook over medium-low heat 1 minute. Add the garlic; cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Place one fourth of the eggplant in the bottom of a deep, narrow serving bowl. Sprinkle with the juice of ½ lemon. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Top with one fourth of the onion mixture. Continue to layer, squeezing lemon juice over each successive layer of eggplant, until all ingredients are used up. End with the onion mixture. Chill well. Serve garnished with parsley and lemon wedges. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Leek Chips
A Mollie Katzen recipe – reminds you of the old fashioned homemade French-fried onions atop the green bean casserole. A great snack!

1 T extra virgin olive oil
2-3 medium sized leeks (1 ½” inch diameter)
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 250°. Line a large baking tray with foil and coat with the oil.
Remove and discard the dark green leaves from the leeks. Slice off about ¼ inch from the root end as well. (You want the white and pale green portions only.) Use a very sharp knife to cut the leeks into ¼ inch slices, then transfer them to a large bowl of cold water. Use your fingers and thumb to separate the slices into rings, then swish the pieces around vigorously to remove any grit that might be tucked in between the layers. With your hands or a large slotted spoon, lift the leek rings out of the water and transfer them to a colander in the sink. Drain thoroughly, then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Distribute the leek rings onto the prepared baking tray and toss to coat with the oil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Some rings may be ready to remove at 30 minutes, others may take up to 60 minutes or longer – just remove them as they are done.

Transfer the finished chips to a plate, season to taste with a few dashes of salt and pepper and serve at room temperature. Store in a covered container. They will keep for a week or longer, but taste best within a few hours of being made.

CSA News, Week 14

In Your Share . . .
Items may vary in your share depending on share size and your harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.

White Half Runner Green Beans – organic
This most popular of all of the string beans, your half runner beans offer the most “beany” flavor, but come with a price. You do need to remove the string from each bean and then break into bite-sized pieces before cooking. Start by break-ing the end and pulling down the length of the bean until the string is removed at the other end. Repeat the process up the otherside of the bean. Then, when breaking into pieces, remove any string piece that you might have missed the first time. A little time now will result in a delicious result later on. Refrigerate.

Sweet Corn
Though we thought last week was your last corn for a while, we had a few more of the smaller ears available for today. You may recall these are the second ear off of the plant and will not be as long or as full as the earlier harvest. However, you’ve told us you would rather have the small ears than no corn at all! Enjoy this extra surprise in today’s shares.

Eggplant

Sweet Onion – organic

Italian Sweet Pepper – organic
Your cone shaped green pepper is sweet, similar in flavor to a mild red or green bell pepper. Use as you would any sweet pepper, or mix with the hot in making a salsa.

Assorted Hot Peppers – organic
Find just a handful of hot peppers including jalapeno and hot banana. Use caution when cutting, remembering the seeds and interior membrane is the hottest. Refrigerate.

Raspberries – organic

Tomatoes, Heirloom and Slicing - organic

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic
Today’s shares contain the Garden Peach (light yellow skin with peach-like texture), Black Plum, and the popular Sungold.

Watermelon

Garlic – organic

Leeks - organic

Okra - organic

Recipes to Enjoy . . .
For several years we have had someone at the farm in charge of feeding all of us a nutritious home-cooked meal each day at noon. Several people have held this position, and you have seen many of their recipes in your newsletters over the seasons – including the tried and true selections included today!

Tomato Salsa
1 ½ lbs ripe tomato
2-3 fresh jalapeno chilies, stemmed
½ small onion
4 cloves garlic
¼ C water
1/3 C cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cider vinegar

Heat broiler. Lay whole tomatoes and jalapenos out on broiler pan and broil for about 6 minutes. Flip over and do other side. May develop char spots. Set aside and cool.
Turn oven down to 425. Separate onions into rings and place on baking sheet with whole peeled cloves of garlic. Roast in oven until browned and wilted. 15 minutes.
Place in a food processor and pulse to right consistency. Add cilantro, salt, and vinegar.

Fruit Salsa

1 C diced cantaloupe
1C diced watermelon
1 C peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ C chopped red onion
¼ C fresh lime juice
3 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1-1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Stir together in a bowl; cover and chill for 1 hour. Eat on tortilla chips.

Green Bean Salad

1½ lbs green beans
A handful of Sungold tomatoes
1 small sweet or red onion chopped
½ C lemon vinaigrette
Feta cheese

Cook green beans in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes if using snap beans, longer if using half-runner beans – just make sure tender. Drain and plunge into ice water to stop cooking process. Drain and pat dry. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. Add chopped onion, tomatoes, vinaigrette and top with feta cheese.

Lemon Vinaigrette
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
3 TBS white wine vinegar
1 TBS Dijon mustard
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
½ C olive oil

Cajun Succotash

Sauté diced onion and minced garlic. Add corn cut off the cob and okra sliced in bite-sized pieces. Finish with diced tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. To freeze, cut all fresh ingredients (except tomatoes) and put in plastic bag. Add tomatoes when ready to cook later.

Eggplant Casserole

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped
4 slices bread, torn
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, separated
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cover eggplant with water in saucepan. Cook egg-plant in boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Mash eggplant and set aside.

Combine bread and milk. Let stand 10 minutes.
Cook onion and garlic in butter in a large skillet over
medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until tender. Add eggplant, egg yolks, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into eggplant mixture. Pour into well-greased 1 ½-quart baking dish and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until set. Serve immediately.

Classic Southern-Style Green Beans
This recipe is from Ronni Lundy’s Butter Beans to
Blackberries. In her narrative, she says” I’ll wager
just about anything that slow-cooked is the only
way we’ll be asking for them in heaven, with a pan
of cornbread, a platter of fresh sliced garden –warm
tomatoes, and a chilled bowl of cucumbers and
onions on the side.”

2 pounds beans
water
¼ pound salt pork
salt

Snap beans into pieces about 1 inch long. Discard any with blemishes. Rinse in very cold water and drain. Put beans in a large, heavy pot with a lid, and just cover with water. Add the salt pork, using your hand to bury it down in the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

After the hour, add salt if needed (depending on how briny the pork is). Half-cover and simmer for another hour or so, until the beans are very tender and saturated with the seasoning, and the water has boiled down to a bit of rich pot likker. These beans are even better warmed up the second day. Don’t let the water boil completely boil away, so add more if needed during your preparation.

Week 13, CSA

From the Farm . . .

When we first started transitioning from a traditional Kentucky beef cattle and burley tobacco farm to a more diversified farming system in the early 1990’s, farmers markets (specifically Lexington Farmers Market) were busy and thriving with an abundance of truck farmers and a supportive customer base. However, one did not see as much promotion of “Buy Local” in supermarkets and restaurants as we see today. Restaurants imported specialty foods from Europe (like cheese, mushrooms and chocolates) and our groceries promoted convenience over freshness and flavor.

Over the past decade, we have started to see people becoming reacquainted with locally grown foods they may remember eating as a child at the home of a grandparent. Now people are beginning to seek out Kentucky based value-added products (jams, jellies, cheeses, sausages, salsas, and much more) or even learning how to process their own. Issues surrounding food safety and food security give people motivation to get to know their local farmers, purchase a CSA share, seek out certified organic products, and know more about production practices of how their food is grown.

Finally, it seems there is also a resurgence of community as people come together in canning or freezing parties at local church kitchens, organize potluck dinners in their neighborhood with food from their own gardens, or request local farm foods at their wedding and birthday celebrations. The existence of the internet and use of websites and food blogs for people to post or search for favorite recipes has opened up the secrets of food presser-vation and fresh food preparation to all of us. It is not as hard to “Buy Local” as it once was and for this we can all be Kentucky Proud!

Many of you are already aware of many local activities and resources in our Central Kentucky area that focus on this topic. A few that Elmwood feels fortu-nate to be a part of recently are listed here:

Take the Eat Local Challenge during the month of August – you can signup and get helpful information from Good Foods Market and Café in Lexington.

Visit Kentucky Green TV, an internet based television station to learn more on sustainability and visit one or two of the Elmwood farmers.

Local Lexington based web site that promotes, educates, and helps us find all local things to satisfy our taste buds. Enjoy the delicious photos of Savoring Kentucky, along with tried and true recipes, and sometimes some really nice tributes to local farms.

In Your Share . . .
Items in your shares may vary depending on your harvest day and share size. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Stringless Green Beans – organic

Savoy Cabbage – organic
You may recall that the savory cabbage is a little sweeter than traditional green. It will also store for you very well in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Sweet Corn
The last harvest for several weeks – Enjoy!

Garlic – organic
Your garlic head has been air-dried and cured and will store at room temperature.

Yellow Onion – organic

Bell Pepper

Raspberries – organic
Ripening very fast due to the heat, eat these soon!

Tomatoes, Heirloom and Slicing - organic

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic

Watermelon

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Summer Succotash with Bacon and Garlic Croutons
Our thanks to a CSA member for sharing this recipe. She reports that it is “TO DIE FOR” and that she used frozen lima beans as fresh are not in season yet. Original recipe was in Gourmet magazine, but this also appeared on the Smitten Kitchen food blog site. Makes 4-6 servings.

1 pound fresh or frozen baby lima beans
1/4 pound bacon (about 4 slices)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes halved, or other tomatoes chopped
Fresh kernels from 4 ears corn
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
1/4 cup packed small fresh basil leaves (optional)

In a small saucepan of boiling salted water cook shelled beans over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. In a sieve drain beans and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Set aside.

In a skillet cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet. Add oil to bacon fat in skillet and cook onion over moderate heat, stirring, until just softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, corn, and vinegar and cook, stirring, until tomatoes just begin to lose their shape. Remove skillet from heat and gently stir in cooked beans and half of bacon. Cool succotash to room temperature and gently stir in basil and salt, pepper and additional sherry vinegar to taste. Toss with croutons (below, if using) and sprinkle with remaining bacon before serving.

Garlic Croutons

1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 round loaf crusty bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Cut three 1-inch-thick slices from middle of loaf and brush bread with oil. Lightly oil a well-seasoned ridged grill pan and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Grill bread until golden brown on both sides. Alternately, you can run toasts under the broiler for a minute. Remove from heat and immediately rub bread both sides with cut side of garlic and sprinkle with salt. Cut into cubes and toss into succotash.

Corn Cob Jelly
Though this old-time recipe may seem a bit of a novelty, if you are intent on using “everything” in your share this week, this fits the bill. People say it reminds them of honey.

12 corn cobs, kernels removed
4 cups water
1 box pectin (such as Sure-Jell)
4 cups sugar

Place corn cobs in large pot and add 4 cups water. Bring to boil and cook 10 minutes. Remove cobs and drain liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. You should have 3 cups; if not, add water to equal three cups. Return liquid to pot and add pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil. Add sugar, bring back to boil and boil for one full minute. Skim foam and pour into hot jars (I use half pint size), top with sterile lids and rings.

Tomato and Smoked Mozzarella Pasta
Thanks to a friend of the farm for this tasty, yet simple quick pasta recipe. You can customize by using different colors and varieties of tomatoes; adding cooked chicken or shrimp; and changing the type of cheese, perhaps provolone. Serve immediately.

Penne pasta
4 cups chopped tomatoes
8 oz smoked mozzarella, diced
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients except pasta in large bowl. Toss with pasta and serve.

Country Green Beans
recipe from Entertaining with Bluegrass Winners – recipe can be adapted using oil rather than bacon grease and leaving out the bacon

2-3 pounds fresh green beans
3-4 slices uncooked bacon
1 heaping T bacon drippings
1 large onion, chopped
1 heaping T sugar
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Pop off ends of beans and break into bite-sized pieces. Rinse in cold water. Place in large pan with just enough water to cover. Cut bacon into pieces and add to beans with rest of ingredients. Bring beans to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours, adding a little water if necessary. Serves 6 to 8, improves as leftovers.

Week 12, CSA

In Your Share . . .
Share items may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Every share may not have every item listed below.

Stringless Green Beans – organic
These stringless snap beans, the most popular variety it seems, only need the ends removed, then either use whole or break into bite sized pieces prior to cooking. Refrigerate to store.

Blackberries and / or Raspberries – organic
The berries are very ripe and ready to enjoy. We do our best to harvest them as ripe as possible to ensure the best flavor, but know that we still have to cool them and get them to you safely prior to one or two becoming over ripe. Rinse before eating, store refrigerated.

We should tell you that the red raspberries grown at Elmwood are the fall-bearing varieties. We expect them to begin production late August and continue until frost. This hot year, we see that some berry plants have already begun ripening – not having seen this before, we do not know if the plants will continue the rest of the summer, or stop early since they started early. For now, enjoy and we’ll keep you posted on the production.

Sweet Corn
Yeh! More sweet corn is ready for harvest. This super sweet white variety has been the best tasting so far this season according to the taste testers here at the farm (all self-appointed to this job, of course).

Sweet Onion – organic
You are probably familiar with the name brand of sweet onion, Vidalia, only grown in Georgia. Any farm can grow the same variety, but cannot call them Vidalia unless they are grown in Vidalia County, Georgia (or the surrounding counties) as stipulated by law. Our sweet onions are tasty this season. They have not been “cured” for long time storage, but you probably will not want to refrigerate either unless you have pieces left over after cleaning and slicing.

All-Blue Potatoes – organic
Contrary to popular belief, potatoes are not fattening on their own, it’s the butter and cream. High in Vit. B, potatoes are mostly starch with a little protein, sugars, and random other vitamins and minerals.

Find some All-Blue potatoes with a deep blue skin and the same color flesh inside. They keep the color after cooking, have outstanding flavor, and moist texture. Most popular preparations include baking, boiling, and potato salad. Store refrigerated.

Summer Squash

Tomatoes, Heirloom and Yellow Slicing - organic

Tomatoes, Heirloom Salad – organic
We continue with the small salad tomatoes as our early first crop wanes and the mid-season crop begins to be ready for harvest. We still see Tigerella and Black Plum varieties, along with Chadwick Cherry, Gold Nugget, Green Zebra, and the Peach Tomato. Enjoy whole, halved, chunked in salads, as a snack, or put on a kebab for the grill. Store at room temperature.

Watermelon
Today’s melon is the old fashioned variety of Sugar Baby, an icebox seeded red watermelon. Once you cut into it, refrigerate, but it is not necessary when still whole and uncut. It does live up to its name and seems as sweet as sugar this season.

Specialty Asian Melon
The greenish skin Asian melon is a small variety with a creamish to light greenish color flesh inside. The Asian melons are never as sweet as a traditional Southern canteloupe, but do offer an outstanding eating experience. Try mixing with other melon or berries for a fresh salad. Cut into slices or cubes and refrigerate in a covered container to keep.

Okra - organic
Several of you have been asking for fresh okra this season. Store refrigerated until ready to prepare. You only need to remove the stem, then toss in seasoned corn meal and lightly pan fry in your favorite cooking oil. Eat as a snack or serve as a side vegetable. Okra can also be stewed with corn and tomatoes.

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

All-In-One-Pot Using My CSA Share
Our thanks to a CSA member for this recipe she describes as “probably not all that original, but it was easy, forgiving, and used up a lot of my CSA odds and ends. It’s a keeper!”

¼ C chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 C green beans, tip and tailed
2 ears corn, cut into 1" disks
1 lb rope sausage, cut into 1" chunks
3 red potatoes, partially cooked in the microwave and cut lengthwise into wedges

In a small pan, sauté red onion and garlic in a little oil. In your 3-quart Dutch oven, combine green beans, corn, sausage, potatoes and onion/garlic mixture. Pour 1 C water over the mixture and salt/pepper to taste. Cook on medium-low heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Serve with homemade bread.

New Potatoes in White Wine
from Bert Greene

1¼ pound small potatoes
4 T unsalted butter
2/3 C dry white wine
3 T chopped fresh parsley (or other favorite herb)
1 T chopped fresh dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut away a small strip of peel around each potato with a vegetable peeler to give a candy-striped look. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until barely tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Melt 2 T of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and roll them in the skillet until a light crust forms, but do not let them brown. Add the wine; raise the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine is reduced and the sauce is fairly thick, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, the parsley and the dill. Stir gently to coat the potatoes with the herbs. Serves 4.

Cream of Squash Soup
Our thanks to a CSA member who has shared several successful recipes and this has turned into one of her favorites. This soup could also be made with zucchini or broccoli.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

1½ pounds yellow summer squash
2 T butter
1 medium onion, sliced
¼ lemon, sliced, seeds removed
¼ C flour
6 C chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp white pepper
3 to 4 grinds of fresh nutmeg or dash of ground nutmeg
1 C heavy cream or fat-free half-and-half

Wash and trim squash. Slice, reserving 8 very thin slices for garnish. In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently sauté onion and lemon. Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add chicken broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour. Puree soup in blender or food processor. Add nutmeg. To heat, stir in cream with a wire whisk and cook over low heat. Do not allow to boil. Garnish cream of squash soup with reserved squash slices. Squash soup serves 4-6.

Melon Smoothie
recipe adapted from Fresh Start by Julee Rosso. Serves 1

¼ fresh melon, cut into chunks (about 1 cup)
2 T plain yogurt
1 T honey
juice of ½ lime
sprig of mint for garnish, if desired

Process all of the ingredients, except the mint, in a blender until smooth. Garnish with the mint sprig and serve immediately.

CSA News, Week 11

From the Farm . . .

With this being the eleventh week of our harvest and distribution for the summer season, you are halfway through the 22 weeks. Compared to other recent growing seasons, this first half has been as good as one could ask with plenty of sunshine, rainfall, and mostly healthy plants. We are seeing things ripening earlier than ever, plants growing faster then normal due to long hot days. High temperatures during the night increase plant growth as well. Some plants are not setting very many blooms due to the high heat resulting in not enough harvestable fruits (specialty peppers and green beans come to mind).

As is necessary when attempting to grow vegetables, we run irrigation to many of the crops which requires monitoring on the amount of water the plants receive, switching from one block of rows to the next after the appropriate amount of time, cleaning filters, and trying to not let the pipes and water lines get run over with the mower. We have only had to irrigate a couple of fields with the overhead traveling gun irrigator in order to get seeds to germinate on some of your later season root crops; we are seeding some of the fall crops in the greenhouse as transplants are a better way to ensure plant viability and establishment - just much more time consuming and costly to produce than direct seeding. But, we can get a head start on the weeds and a larger plant can better protect itself against strong predatory insect populations or wind-blown plant diseases that are both prevalent this time of the summer.

Everyone is putting in long days right now with all of the harvesting and a little planting and weeding. We are well fed at noon each day, and we appreciate knowing that the items we grow are being eaten and enjoyed by lots of you – thank you for your feedback in the email comments and conversations from time to time at the farmers markets.

NOTE: If you are interested in a box of “canning” tomatoes to can, make salsa, put into the freezer, tomato juice, etc. please let us know soon. We have the #2 tomatoes with nicks, cracks, and a spot here or there that we can make ready for you. You will want to get them right before you are ready to process, so call or email and we can set you up.

In Your Share . . .
Items in the shares may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.

Blackberries – organic
The berries are very ripe and ready to enjoy either with your breakfast, for a snack, or possibly in a cobbler tonight! Store refrigerated and rinse prior to eating.

To freeze, wash and let dry on a paper towel. Lay out on a baking sheet and put the entire pan in your freezer. Once the berries are frozen, gather them up into a container or bag – later on you can remove only the amount you need as they are individually frozen rather than in one mass.

Cauliflower - organic
The last few heads of the season, remove the outer leaves, obviously sunburned by the hot temperatures. Refrigerate until ready to use, and as we told you before – the creamy color is from sunshine and high heat, fall cauliflower will be whiter when the days and nights are cooler.

Sweet Corn

Cucumber

Eggplant

Melon
We have several varieties of melons planted, and they seem to be ripening a little at a time. Today’s harvest includes Pixie, Sugar Baby, and Napoli – some similar to canteloupes others are water melons. Flavor is tasty, but not as sweet as a really dry year (the wonderful rainfall over the past week directly affects melon sweetness).

Red Onion - organic

Green Bell Pepper

Raspberries – organic
Store refrigerated and rinse prior to eating. We should tell you that the red raspberries grown at Elmwood are the fall-bearing varieties. We expect them to begin production late August and continue until frost. This hot year, we see that some berry plants have already begun ripening – not having seen this before, we do not know if the plants will continue the rest of the summer, or stop early since they started early. For now, enjoy and we’ll keep you posted on production.

Retono de Repollo – organic
A new item this year, you can prepare as you might Brussel Sprouts or cooked cabbage. These baby cabbage heads are tender and sweet – find a recipe below.

Tomatoes, Red Slicing - organic
We really sorted through our red tomatoes to try to only include good ones in the shares. With the early blight set into the plants, the leaves have shriveled up resulting in more of the tomatoes being exposed to the sun. This causes sunburn and uneven ripening, both of which result in tomatoes with yellowng, or that will be whitish and unripe inside. We tried to cull those out during our harvest, and find that most of the better quality tomatoes are just not super ripe and ready to eat today. We did inlcude those as they will be really nice tomatoes, but be sure to let them ripen out at room temperature for a day or two prior to use. Try to not ever store your tomatoes in the refrigerator if possible.

Tomatoes, Heirloom – organic
Your share includes some more of the small salad varieties: Tigrella and BlackPlum. Also find some of the sweetest tomatoes on the farm – Sungold. And one or two of the large heirloom slicing tomatoes – varieties right now include Cherokee Purple, Pink Rose, or Arkansas Traveler. These are all quite fragile and will ripen up for you. In general they have less acidity than red tomatoes, wonderful flavor, and often will become your favorite for just slicing and eating.

Stringless Green Beans
We have a handful ready today though many of the beans are still flowering and just producing tiny little beans, another week or so before the full bean set is ready to harvest. These stringless snap beans only need the ends removed, then either use whole or break into bite sized pieces prior to cooking. Refrigerate to store.

Recipes to Enjoy . . .

Summer Panzanella
Thanks to a CSA member for sharing one of her favorite summer recipes. Found on Smittenkitchen dot com, she says, “I leave out the capers, I like the beer bread from Liquor Barn, and I usually use apple cider vinegar instead of champagne vinegar. It’s really good!”

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (I like to use a combination of purple or yellow or orange, to nicely colorize the dish)
1/2 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained

For the vinaigrette :
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/3 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the ingredients.

3. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

4. Serve immediately, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Green Bean Pate’

½ lb fresh green beans, trimmed
1 T oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 hard boiled eggs
3 TBS finely chopped basil
1 tsp lemon rind
Mayonnaise
Seasoned salt and pepper

Cook beans until tender by boiling or steaming them. In skillet, heat oil. Add onion and sauté until softened. Cool.

In a food processor grind green beans, eggs, onions, lemon rind and basil until roughly pureed. Remove from bowl and add enough mayo to hold mixture together. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve with Melba toast or crackers.

Cucumber Salad

3 medium cucumbers
1 tsp salt
2/3 C white vinegar
½ C sugar
1 tsp dill or chervil
1/8 tsp pepper

Salt thinly sliced cucumbers and let stand at least 1 hour with a weight to release liquid. Pour on vinegar and seasonings.

Tomatoes: Peeled, Seeded, and Juiced – Fresh Tomato Pulp
from Julia Child

To peel tomatoes, drop them into a large pan of rapidly boiling water and time the boil for exactly 10 seconds. Cut out the core, then peel then skin down from it. To seed and juice them, halve crosswise and gently squeeze to dislodge jelly and juice, poking out remaining seeds with your fingers. They are then usually chopped or diced into “fresh tomato pulp.”

Fresh Tomato Sauce
Julia Child

For about 2 ½ C, sauté ½ C minced onions in 2 T olive oil, and when tender stir in 4 C fresh tomato pulp (see above) or half fresh and half canned Italian plum tomatoes. Season with a pinch of thyme, a bay leaf, 2 large cloves of pureed garlic, and if you wish, both a pinch of saffron threads and ¼ tsp dried orange peel. Salt lightly and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Retono de Repollo with Tomato and Onion

Caramelize 2 small onions and keep warm in a pan.

Cut baby cabbages in half and using another pan, quickly fry in sesame oil - should only take a minute! Take cabbage out and put on top of onions.

Add a bit more oil to your open pan and throw in 6-8 of your black plum and/or tigerella tomatoes (halved or quartered) and stir-fry quickly. Add to onion-cabbage mixture. Add a bit of salt and top with soy sauce. Serve warm.