News from the Farm
Welcome to the 2008 season of Elmwood Stock Farm’s Community Supported Agriculture program. Our goal is to provide you clean, tasty, beautiful, special, high quality fresh foods. We hope you enjoy eating fresh from the farm and have fun with the experience of sometimes trying new things!
Seasonal eating is an adventure. As each basket comes, you will be exposed to the new colors and flavors of foods you have never cooked with before, as well as familiar favorites. We have a few tips to help anyone through the adjustment period.
· Take a few minutes to assess your basket – look at the listing at top right to scan the contents - you might choose to utilize the swap basket at your pickup location. When you get home, decide what needs to be eaten fairly soon and what can wait until later in the week. A few minutes now will save you time later and often some items are more perishable than others – we will let you know what keeps well.
· Remember to wash your vegetables. We do not offer the produce ready to eat. Some items are rinsed and cooled before you get them, but this aids in removing dirt and reducing the field temperature – things we do to ensure better post-harvest quality.
· Try to refrigerate as soon as possible. This is the number one way to keep everything fresh. We do have tips to refresh your greens or lettuce; so don’t give up if you are not able to go straight home.
· Keep your newsletters handy (a 3 ring binder or file folder) or revisit our web-blog www.elmwoodstockfarm.blogspot.com. Later in the summer when you might be really busy or another family member gets CSA duty the week you are gone, a quick recipe or description of a new vegetable may be needed.Find recipes that fit your lifestyle from vegetable cookbooks or the internet. We have resources if you need them.
Note: Each week we scout the fields ready to harvest each new produce crop at the peak of ripeness. A few plants will be ready early, then the majority of the crop comes, followed by a few more that ripen a little later. Think of the bell curve.If you do not have an item like the spinach, this week, don’t worry, there is plenty planted and warmer weather will bring a much larger harvest soon. We keep track of what goes into each share every week to make sure everyone shares in the bounty!
In Your Basket
Asparagus
Our late, wet season is not holding back the asparagus. It’s fresh flavor makes it a farm favorite and one of the top veggies each year for CSA shares. You don’t have to cut the end on a long piece – just bend lightly until it breaks naturally. Short stalks may not have to be trimmed if the ends are tender or you may want to lightly peel away the outer skin at the bottom of the stalk. Enjoy raw, boiled, steamed, sautéed, baked, or roasted. To store, put the cut ends in water or wrap in a wet paper towel and place inside a plastic container. Below are some recipes.
Salad Mix - organic
This week find young and tender lettuces to make a fresh salad. If you wash gently, they should store very well in the fridge for several days. After washing, a salad spinner will help remove excess water as lettuce will keep better when not soggy and prevents your dressing from slipping off. This week’s mix includes Ruben’s Red Romaine, Jericho Romaine, and Thai Green varieties.
Garlic Greens - organic
Resembling a green onion, the delicate green garlic can be enjoyed only in the spring before the plant’s energy is put into making a bulb under the ground. Use all of the white and as much of the green as you find tender. You can enjoy any way you would a scallion or green onion: sauté in olive oil; chop in salad or pasta, make pesto, or add to soups. A yummy Alice Waters recipe is below.
Radishes – organic
We hope you like both the look and the taste of the Plum Purple round radishes – a newer variety this season. We also are harvesting the cylinder shaped French Breakfast radish that is actually easier to slice! Enjoy with salad, or dip lightly in salt or favorite cream cheese for a nice healthy snack. The leaves are not so tasty and will wilt quickly, but the radish itself stores well refrigerated.
Only in Larger Baskets:
Spinach – organic
This Bloomsdale variety offers enough for an early small harvest. Add to your lettuce for a week of green salads, or lightly sauté with a green garlic and radish. It wilts dramatically when steamed down to a very little portion!
Strawberries–organic
Our strawberries are planted in two sections of our unheated high tunnel, protected from the pelting rains. After Sunday’s day of storms, we are happy to have a few berries ready to harvest, as they would have been ruined if completely outdoors. We try to only pick the reddest, ripest berries; they should be washed right before eating rather than in advance, and will keep best refrigerated. This is the first week of the berry harvest and we expect to have plenty more once a little sunshine comes our way.
Recipes to Enjoy
New Garlic and Semolina Soup from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.
Semolina, coarsely ground durum wheat, turns simple, homemade chicken broth into a more substantial, silky textured soup.
In a heavy soup pot, bring to a boil:
2 quarts chicken broth
1 herb bouquet, tied with cotton string (a few sprigs of thyme and parsley, and a bay leaf)
Salt
Stirring constantly with a whisk, sprinkle in:
½ cup semolina
Lower the heat and continue stirring until the semolina is suspended in the broth and no longer settles to the bottom, about 5 minutes. Add:
3 green garlic plants (bulbs and stalks), trimmed and finely chopped
Cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for 20 minutes. Discard the herb bouquet, taste for salt. Adjust as needed, and serve hot.
[Variation: add cooked, chopped spinach to the bowl when serving.] Makes about two quarts, 4 to 6 servings.
Baked Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Bread-crumbs
from www.calasparagus.com
1½ lb fresh asparagus
2¼ T butter, melted
2 oz fresh white goat cheese, crumbled (¼ C)
½ C fresh breadcrumbs
Coat asparagus spears in 1½ T of the butter, then salt lightly. Arrange in a shallow baking dish large enough to accommodate all the asparagus in a single layer. Evenly distribute cheese over asparagus, then breadcrumbs. Drizzle with remaining butter, and bake at 400 degrees until the asparagus is lightly crisped and the bread-crumbs are browned, about 10 minutes.
Asparagus Vinaigrette
adapted from the food-blog Orangette
1 bunch asparagus, blanched until bright greenSalt2 T lemon juice1 T white wine or champagne vinegar1 T Dijon mustard½ tsp fine sea salt5 T olive oilScant 1/8 t pressed garlic1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)Zest of half a lemon (optional) In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt. Add the oil, and whisk well to emulsify. Taste, and if necessary, add a bit more oil. Add the garlic, and whisk to combine.To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over the asparagus, and top, if you like, with hard-boiled egg. If you choose to use the lemon zest, sprinkle a couple of pinches on top.
Showing posts with label CSA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CSA. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
New Year, New Season!
Now is the time to sign up for Elmwood's CSA organic vegetable program. Visit our website for details and to print out a sign up form.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Outside the Cart
In The News
It seems that about every day, current event reporting highlights a consumer product recall, a newly diagnosed health condition, or a linkage between poor health and a convenience lifestyle. Below are some observations by John Hendrickson published in the seasonal cooking guide From Asparagus to Zucchini, that may help explain why.
§ In the conventional food system, food travels 1,500 or more miles on average from farm to table.
§ Only about 10% of the fossil fuel energy used in the world’s food system is used for producing the food; the other 90% goes into packaging, transporting, and marketing.
§ On any given day more than half the US population eats no fruits or vegetables.Only 1 of 10 children ages 6 to 11 eats the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables.
§ Since the turn of the 20th century, 97% of fruit and vegetable varieties have become unavailable commercially, replaced by only a few uniform varieties.
§ In a typical year, more than 10,000 new food items are introduced in grocery stores – mostly highly processed, packaged convenience foods.
§ Conventional farmers receive less than 25 cents of your consumer food dollar on average.
§ The average US citizen spends less than 12% of his or her disposable income on food.
By joining a CSA, you and your family have taken steps to ensure a weekly supply of fresh, nutritious vegetables. CSA households do increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. People are introduced to lesser known crops, tasty heirloom varieties, and unique varieties of common vegetables. Thanks for thinking outside the shopping cart!
In Your Basket . . .
Brussels Sprouts –organic
These firm little treats are nutritious and can be fun to eat! Remove any damaged leaves, trim the stem end, and if desired cut an X in the stem to speed up the cooking process. The key is to cook just enough but not over-cook them – this avoids the unpleasant aroma that waffles throughout the house.
Sweet Bell Pepper – organic
Celery – organic
This crisp flavorful celery will keep best in the coldest part of your refrigerator, even packed on ice if desired. Slice the stalks and spread pieces out on tray. Place in freezer, then pack into freezer bags for later use in soups and stews. The leaves can be chopped and frozen, or dried.Once you try fresh, local celery, you cannot believe the wonderful flavor. It does not compare to the item with the same name on supermarket shelves.
Garlic - organic
Store in your pantry, not refrigerated, preferably out of direct light. The dry season has affected the heads with less paper covering, but flavor and health benefits are still ever present.
Acorn Squash
Cucumber
Kale Greens - organic
We have both a curly green leaf and a curly red Russian type ready for harvest this week. You may have one or the other or a mixture of both. Sauté or steam and enjoy with vinegar sprinkled on top. Find a new recipe below.
Tomatoes – organic The summer plants are finally giving out after wonderful production in the super high heat, so less to offer now.
Your Choice Basket:
Hot Peppers
Larger Baskets Only:
Stringless Green Beans - organic
Recipes to Enjoy...
Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Greens
Thanks to CSA member, Kim, for sharing this Martha Stewart recipe from What’s For Dinner. Try using Swiss Chard or Kale Greens.
1 T olive oil
1-2 T unsalted butter
4 medium onions, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rings
1 tsp sugar
4 C chicken broth (preferable homemade) or water
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fettuccine
1 head chicory, mustard greens, kale or arugula – washed, with tough ribs removed, leaves torn into pieces
Heat oil and 1 T butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sugar and cook; stirring once or twice, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove half the onions and set aside. Add broth or water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, scraping bottom of pan for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until a little underdone, and drain. Add to the broth and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add greens and cook, covered, until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in additional tablespoon of butter, if desired. Divide among four shallow bowls, garnish with reserved onions, and serve.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette from Angelic Organics Kitchen, serves 4
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 T olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T maple syrup
2 T red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp prepared Dijon type mustard
¼ C water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak the sprouts in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain. Spread the sprouts in a large baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the vinegars, maple syrup, garlic and mustard; mix well. Pour over the sprouts. Add the water to the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until tender-firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
Golden Pepper and Yellow Tomato Soup
In this recipe from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors, she suggests that the yellow-orange peppers and tomatoes offer a softer flavor than traditional red tomatoes with green bells. You can also roast and peel the peppers first if desired, or just chop them fresh with skins on.
1 pound yellow or orange tomatoes
1/3 C white rice
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 yellow, orange or red bell peppers
2 T olive oil
pinch saffron threads
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs, leaves plucked from the stems
1 tsp sweet paprika or ½ tsp smoked paprika
1 T tomato paste
1 quart vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
chopped opal basil, marjoram or parsley
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Slice an X at the base of each tomato. Plunge them, 2 at a time, into the water for about 10 seconds, then remove and set aside. Add the rice and ½ tsp salt to the water, lower the heat to simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Chop the onion. Mince the garlic with a pinch of salt until mushy. Dice the peppers into small squares, removing the seeds and membranes first. You should have about 2 cups. Peel and seed the tomatoes, reserving the juice, then dice the walls and mince the cores.
Warm the oil in a soup pot and add the onions, peppers, saffron, bay leaf, thyme and paprika. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has begun to soften and color, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the tomato paste and 1 tsp salt. Give it a stir and add ¼ C water. Stew for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup with the rice, then ladle it into bowls. Or make a mound of rice in each bowl and spoon the soup around it. Season with pepper and garnish with fine slivers of basil leaves or marjoram chopped with a few parsley leaves.
It seems that about every day, current event reporting highlights a consumer product recall, a newly diagnosed health condition, or a linkage between poor health and a convenience lifestyle. Below are some observations by John Hendrickson published in the seasonal cooking guide From Asparagus to Zucchini, that may help explain why.
§ In the conventional food system, food travels 1,500 or more miles on average from farm to table.
§ Only about 10% of the fossil fuel energy used in the world’s food system is used for producing the food; the other 90% goes into packaging, transporting, and marketing.
§ On any given day more than half the US population eats no fruits or vegetables.Only 1 of 10 children ages 6 to 11 eats the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables.
§ Since the turn of the 20th century, 97% of fruit and vegetable varieties have become unavailable commercially, replaced by only a few uniform varieties.
§ In a typical year, more than 10,000 new food items are introduced in grocery stores – mostly highly processed, packaged convenience foods.
§ Conventional farmers receive less than 25 cents of your consumer food dollar on average.
§ The average US citizen spends less than 12% of his or her disposable income on food.
By joining a CSA, you and your family have taken steps to ensure a weekly supply of fresh, nutritious vegetables. CSA households do increase their intake of fruits and vegetables. People are introduced to lesser known crops, tasty heirloom varieties, and unique varieties of common vegetables. Thanks for thinking outside the shopping cart!
In Your Basket . . .
Brussels Sprouts –organic
These firm little treats are nutritious and can be fun to eat! Remove any damaged leaves, trim the stem end, and if desired cut an X in the stem to speed up the cooking process. The key is to cook just enough but not over-cook them – this avoids the unpleasant aroma that waffles throughout the house.
Sweet Bell Pepper – organic
Celery – organic
This crisp flavorful celery will keep best in the coldest part of your refrigerator, even packed on ice if desired. Slice the stalks and spread pieces out on tray. Place in freezer, then pack into freezer bags for later use in soups and stews. The leaves can be chopped and frozen, or dried.Once you try fresh, local celery, you cannot believe the wonderful flavor. It does not compare to the item with the same name on supermarket shelves.
Garlic - organic
Store in your pantry, not refrigerated, preferably out of direct light. The dry season has affected the heads with less paper covering, but flavor and health benefits are still ever present.
Acorn Squash
Cucumber
Kale Greens - organic
We have both a curly green leaf and a curly red Russian type ready for harvest this week. You may have one or the other or a mixture of both. Sauté or steam and enjoy with vinegar sprinkled on top. Find a new recipe below.
Tomatoes – organic The summer plants are finally giving out after wonderful production in the super high heat, so less to offer now.
Your Choice Basket:
Hot Peppers
Larger Baskets Only:
Stringless Green Beans - organic
Recipes to Enjoy...
Pasta with Caramelized Onions and Bitter Greens
Thanks to CSA member, Kim, for sharing this Martha Stewart recipe from What’s For Dinner. Try using Swiss Chard or Kale Greens.
1 T olive oil
1-2 T unsalted butter
4 medium onions, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rings
1 tsp sugar
4 C chicken broth (preferable homemade) or water
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fettuccine
1 head chicory, mustard greens, kale or arugula – washed, with tough ribs removed, leaves torn into pieces
Heat oil and 1 T butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sugar and cook; stirring once or twice, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove half the onions and set aside. Add broth or water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, scraping bottom of pan for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until a little underdone, and drain. Add to the broth and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add greens and cook, covered, until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in additional tablespoon of butter, if desired. Divide among four shallow bowls, garnish with reserved onions, and serve.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette from Angelic Organics Kitchen, serves 4
1 pound Brussels sprouts
3 T olive oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T maple syrup
2 T red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp prepared Dijon type mustard
¼ C water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak the sprouts in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain. Spread the sprouts in a large baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the vinegars, maple syrup, garlic and mustard; mix well. Pour over the sprouts. Add the water to the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until tender-firm, 30 to 45 minutes.
Golden Pepper and Yellow Tomato Soup
In this recipe from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors, she suggests that the yellow-orange peppers and tomatoes offer a softer flavor than traditional red tomatoes with green bells. You can also roast and peel the peppers first if desired, or just chop them fresh with skins on.
1 pound yellow or orange tomatoes
1/3 C white rice
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
3 yellow, orange or red bell peppers
2 T olive oil
pinch saffron threads
1 bay leaf
2 thyme sprigs, leaves plucked from the stems
1 tsp sweet paprika or ½ tsp smoked paprika
1 T tomato paste
1 quart vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
chopped opal basil, marjoram or parsley
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Slice an X at the base of each tomato. Plunge them, 2 at a time, into the water for about 10 seconds, then remove and set aside. Add the rice and ½ tsp salt to the water, lower the heat to simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
Chop the onion. Mince the garlic with a pinch of salt until mushy. Dice the peppers into small squares, removing the seeds and membranes first. You should have about 2 cups. Peel and seed the tomatoes, reserving the juice, then dice the walls and mince the cores.
Warm the oil in a soup pot and add the onions, peppers, saffron, bay leaf, thyme and paprika. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has begun to soften and color, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the tomato paste and 1 tsp salt. Give it a stir and add ¼ C water. Stew for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup with the rice, then ladle it into bowls. Or make a mound of rice in each bowl and spoon the soup around it. Season with pepper and garnish with fine slivers of basil leaves or marjoram chopped with a few parsley leaves.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Farm News
It seems lately we get more inquiries and surprise when people learn that we grow garlic along with our other produce items. Although we had to set up irrigation several times this spring and summer for the garlic field, this season was sure a tough one for the garlic due to the region’s continued drought – and the lack of papery skin covering the cloves sure shows it.In the fall, we prepare our fields for planting. Garlic cloves are separated from the bulb and planted one at a time in rows or beds. We mulch the plantings with organic straw or hay to moderate the soil conditions. In spring, we pull back the mulch to allow plant growth without smothering. We weed, fertilize, weed, irrigate, weed, break off the flower top (garlic scape), and eventually hand harvest the entire plant. We lay out the garlic in one of the greenhouses to cure. We then clean off the dirt and outer skin, cut the stalk necks, and separate into quality grades. Some is saved for the coming fall to plant for next year’s crop. Most are stored for baskets and sales. And the farm chef uses the heads that come apart when cleaning in our crew lunches. One reason many farms do not attempt a garlic crop is the commitment it takes: your crop field is tied up for 9 months including over the winter, which makes it difficult to get a cover crop in; weed management is necessary at several points during the growth cycle and entails much hand weeding work; and although all of your effort is required up front, you don’t know what you have until you harvest. But, we enjoy fresh garlic as a companion to many other veggies, so it is well worth the work!
In Your Basket
Spaghetti Squash – new this week!
This orange-skinned variety of spaghetti squash is a fun treat for those new to it. Oven roast or boil in water for about 45 minutes until fork tender, or the outer skin cracks. Once cooled, cut in half length-wise and remove seeds. Using a fork, scrape the strands of squash onto a bowl or plate separating into pasta-like strands. Serve with butter, olive oil, or sauce. Store your spaghetti squash in a cool, dry place (not refrigerated) for up to a month or more.
Sweet Basil – organic-new this week!
We harvest mostly the top leaves of our basil in order to lessen the stems you have to deal with. We have found that keeping the basil in a double container allows you to store it in the refrigerator without the leaves turning dark. Put your sealed plastic bag into another sealed bag or a Tupperware-type sealed container. The pocket of air helps to buffer the cold air from the leaf surface of your basil. To dry, lay out in a single layer at room temperature.Find a basil pesto recipe below using your basil and garlic. Serve over your spaghetti squash for a filling, fresh meal.
Hard Neck Garlic – organic
This is our fourth variety of garlic we produced this year. It should store for you longer than other types, but you should have more later on also.
Swiss Chard – organic
Sometimes it seems we just crave the taste of a leafy green. Your rainbow Swiss chard is holding up well in the heat and can be sautéed with a little olive oil and garlic for an easy side dish.
Green Beans– organic
These stringless green beans do not take a lot of time in preparation for cooking. Just snap the ends, if desired, and blanch, steam, or sauté for fresh and crisp bean flavor. These small, tender beans are often referred to as haricot vertes and desired by chefs for their flavor, color and versatility.
Summer Squash
Enjoy steamed, grilled, oven roasted, or stuffed. Find a recipe below.
Cucumber
This late cucumber planting is a new variety that you have not seen yet this season. It has a little thicker skin that you may want to peel. It will also keep longer for you refrigerated.
Eggplant
Your eggplant this week is a traditional shaped variety. You may have heard of peeling and slicing your eggplant, salting the slices and laying out on paper towels to drain out any bitter flavor. Usually a farm-fresh eggplant will not have bitterness, but if you store it for a week or more, the salting step might enhance the texture when ready to prepare it. It is best stored refrigerated.
EXTRA Basket:
Hot Peppers
Jalapeño, Serrano, Hot Banana and Poblano hot peppers to choose from this week.
Roma Tomatoes – organic
We intentionally have fewer tomatoes ready this time of the year. Our experience shows that most home gardens, neighbors’ or relatives’ gardens, and all farmers markets offer an abundance of tomatoes during the dog days of August. We don’t want to overload you and take away from the other seasonal items ready for your baskets. We have plenty on hand though, so we offer them as an extra to add to your baskets this week. The roma is best for sauce, salsa, pizza topping, oven drying, roasting, and mighty tasty for fresh eating as well!
Recipes to Enjoy
Grilled Summer Squash Salad
recipe from Harmony Valley Farm Kitchen
2 summer squash, halved lengthwise
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T Parmesan grated
2 T fresh finely chopped herbs of your liking
1 T green onion, chopped
Lightly oil squash and place on medium hot grill, cooking all sides until tender. (Browning will occur but avoid burning.) Remove from grill and allow to cool. Dice into bite-sized pieces. In bowl, mix remaining ingredients and toss with squash to coat. Serve cooled.
Easy Pesto Sauce
1 ½ C lightly packed fresh basil leaves (approx. 3 ounces)
2 minced garlic cloves
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
¼ C olive oil
Puree all ingredients in food processor, adding more olive oil if necessary for proper blending. Serve tossed with fresh hot pasta, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. (If desired, pine nuts or walnuts can be added during processing).
Baba Ganoush - Eggplant Dip
1 ½ pound eggplant
olive oil
¼ C tahini
¼ C juice of fresh lemon
½ tsp salt
2 cloves fresh garlic
Slice eggplant lengthwise in half. Roast face down in olive oil in baking dish in oven for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees until soft. Scoop cooked eggplant out away from skin with spoon. Process with tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic until well mixed. Serve at room temperature as dip for fresh vegetables or wedges of pita bread.
Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto
recipe adapted from Seed Savers Calendar, 1998
2 tomatoes, pre-roasted
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
3 T pine nuts
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 C fresh whole basil leaves
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and oil in a processor until combined. Add a handful of basil and process briefly. Continue until all basil is combined. Stir in the cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Use on pasta, on pizzas, over grilled vegetables, or on a sandwich or wrap.
It seems lately we get more inquiries and surprise when people learn that we grow garlic along with our other produce items. Although we had to set up irrigation several times this spring and summer for the garlic field, this season was sure a tough one for the garlic due to the region’s continued drought – and the lack of papery skin covering the cloves sure shows it.In the fall, we prepare our fields for planting. Garlic cloves are separated from the bulb and planted one at a time in rows or beds. We mulch the plantings with organic straw or hay to moderate the soil conditions. In spring, we pull back the mulch to allow plant growth without smothering. We weed, fertilize, weed, irrigate, weed, break off the flower top (garlic scape), and eventually hand harvest the entire plant. We lay out the garlic in one of the greenhouses to cure. We then clean off the dirt and outer skin, cut the stalk necks, and separate into quality grades. Some is saved for the coming fall to plant for next year’s crop. Most are stored for baskets and sales. And the farm chef uses the heads that come apart when cleaning in our crew lunches. One reason many farms do not attempt a garlic crop is the commitment it takes: your crop field is tied up for 9 months including over the winter, which makes it difficult to get a cover crop in; weed management is necessary at several points during the growth cycle and entails much hand weeding work; and although all of your effort is required up front, you don’t know what you have until you harvest. But, we enjoy fresh garlic as a companion to many other veggies, so it is well worth the work!
In Your Basket
Spaghetti Squash – new this week!
This orange-skinned variety of spaghetti squash is a fun treat for those new to it. Oven roast or boil in water for about 45 minutes until fork tender, or the outer skin cracks. Once cooled, cut in half length-wise and remove seeds. Using a fork, scrape the strands of squash onto a bowl or plate separating into pasta-like strands. Serve with butter, olive oil, or sauce. Store your spaghetti squash in a cool, dry place (not refrigerated) for up to a month or more.
Sweet Basil – organic-new this week!
We harvest mostly the top leaves of our basil in order to lessen the stems you have to deal with. We have found that keeping the basil in a double container allows you to store it in the refrigerator without the leaves turning dark. Put your sealed plastic bag into another sealed bag or a Tupperware-type sealed container. The pocket of air helps to buffer the cold air from the leaf surface of your basil. To dry, lay out in a single layer at room temperature.Find a basil pesto recipe below using your basil and garlic. Serve over your spaghetti squash for a filling, fresh meal.
Hard Neck Garlic – organic
This is our fourth variety of garlic we produced this year. It should store for you longer than other types, but you should have more later on also.
Swiss Chard – organic
Sometimes it seems we just crave the taste of a leafy green. Your rainbow Swiss chard is holding up well in the heat and can be sautéed with a little olive oil and garlic for an easy side dish.
Green Beans– organic
These stringless green beans do not take a lot of time in preparation for cooking. Just snap the ends, if desired, and blanch, steam, or sauté for fresh and crisp bean flavor. These small, tender beans are often referred to as haricot vertes and desired by chefs for their flavor, color and versatility.
Summer Squash
Enjoy steamed, grilled, oven roasted, or stuffed. Find a recipe below.
Cucumber
This late cucumber planting is a new variety that you have not seen yet this season. It has a little thicker skin that you may want to peel. It will also keep longer for you refrigerated.
Eggplant
Your eggplant this week is a traditional shaped variety. You may have heard of peeling and slicing your eggplant, salting the slices and laying out on paper towels to drain out any bitter flavor. Usually a farm-fresh eggplant will not have bitterness, but if you store it for a week or more, the salting step might enhance the texture when ready to prepare it. It is best stored refrigerated.
EXTRA Basket:
Hot Peppers
Jalapeño, Serrano, Hot Banana and Poblano hot peppers to choose from this week.
Roma Tomatoes – organic
We intentionally have fewer tomatoes ready this time of the year. Our experience shows that most home gardens, neighbors’ or relatives’ gardens, and all farmers markets offer an abundance of tomatoes during the dog days of August. We don’t want to overload you and take away from the other seasonal items ready for your baskets. We have plenty on hand though, so we offer them as an extra to add to your baskets this week. The roma is best for sauce, salsa, pizza topping, oven drying, roasting, and mighty tasty for fresh eating as well!
Recipes to Enjoy
Grilled Summer Squash Salad
recipe from Harmony Valley Farm Kitchen
2 summer squash, halved lengthwise
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T Parmesan grated
2 T fresh finely chopped herbs of your liking
1 T green onion, chopped
Lightly oil squash and place on medium hot grill, cooking all sides until tender. (Browning will occur but avoid burning.) Remove from grill and allow to cool. Dice into bite-sized pieces. In bowl, mix remaining ingredients and toss with squash to coat. Serve cooled.
Easy Pesto Sauce
1 ½ C lightly packed fresh basil leaves (approx. 3 ounces)
2 minced garlic cloves
3 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
¼ C olive oil
Puree all ingredients in food processor, adding more olive oil if necessary for proper blending. Serve tossed with fresh hot pasta, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese. (If desired, pine nuts or walnuts can be added during processing).
Baba Ganoush - Eggplant Dip
1 ½ pound eggplant
olive oil
¼ C tahini
¼ C juice of fresh lemon
½ tsp salt
2 cloves fresh garlic
Slice eggplant lengthwise in half. Roast face down in olive oil in baking dish in oven for 20 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees until soft. Scoop cooked eggplant out away from skin with spoon. Process with tahini, lemon juice, salt, and garlic until well mixed. Serve at room temperature as dip for fresh vegetables or wedges of pita bread.
Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto
recipe adapted from Seed Savers Calendar, 1998
2 tomatoes, pre-roasted
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
3 T pine nuts
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 C fresh whole basil leaves
½ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 T butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and oil in a processor until combined. Add a handful of basil and process briefly. Continue until all basil is combined. Stir in the cheese and butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Use on pasta, on pizzas, over grilled vegetables, or on a sandwich or wrap.
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