Monday, December 17, 2012

WInter Share # 4, Tuesday, December 18th

Butternut squash curing in the greenhouse

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch kale                       ½ lb salad mix
1 head cabbage            2 lb turnips
4 lb carrots                   2 lbs leeks
5 lbs potatoes               5 lbs onions
1 lb kohlrabi                8 lbs mixed winter squash

Farm News:

Snow! Finally it looks like winter around here. Lizzy and christa are spending a cozy morning bagging up veggies for tomorrow’s share. Hope you guys all enjoy it! Less news, more recipes this time!
Thanks!
Christa, Lizzy, and Mike


Recipes:

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

1 butternut squash
3 Tbs unsalted butter or vegetable oil
2 large leeks
4 tsp ginger, peeled and minced
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 tsp salt

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place face down on an oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until squash can easily be pierced with fork, about 1 hour. Let cool a bit, then scoop pulp from squash skin and discard skin.
Carefully clean leeks and chop. Melt butter in a soup pot. Cook leeks and ginger 5 to 10 minutes, then stir in the squash. Add 4 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, cooking for 20 minutes. Use a spoon to periodically stir and to break up squash clumps. Puree or mash until smooth. Then add 2 cups of stock and salt.

Garnish with cream or sour cream, croutons, and/or toasted squash seeds. From The Joy of Cooking.

Turnip and Potato Patties

    1 ½  cups turnips, diced small (About 1 lb.)
    1 ½ cups potato, diced small (About 1 lb.)
    2 1/2 Tbsp thinly sliced scallion greens, optional
    1 egg, beaten lightly
    1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    Grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil (high smoke point vegetable oils)
    Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the turnip and potato cubes for 10-15 minutes, until they are tender, and drain them. In a bowl, mash them with a fork and stir in the scallions, the egg, flour, and salt and pepper to taste.
Coat the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed skillet with about 1/4-inch of the oil. Heat the pan on medium high heat until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke. Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of the turnip potato batter into the pan, flattening them into 1/2-inch thick patties with the back of a spatula. Fry the patties until they are golden, turning them once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain off excess oil.
From:http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/turnip_and_potato_patties/

Massaged Kale Salad with Apples

Due to its cold survival technique of converting starches to sugars, winter grown kale is much sweeter than summer kale…. Very delicious raw!

    1 bunch kale
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    ¼ cup diced red or green onion
    ¾ cup diced apple
    ¼ cup olive oil
    2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

De-stem kale by pulling leaves away from stems. Wash leaves. Spin or pat dry. Stack leaves, roll up, and cut into thick strips. Put kale into a large mixing bowl, add salt, and massage kale with your hands for about 2 minutes. Stir onions & apples into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and mix.

An edited version of http://www.columbiaheightscommunitymarketplace.org/recipe-massaged-kale-salad-with-strawberries

Winter Share #3, Tuesday, December 4th

Our winter salad mix in one of our wash tubs
What You’re Getting:

5 baby pac choi                       1 lb salad mix
1 head cabbage            2 lb beets
4 lb carrots                   2 lbs leeks
5 lbs potatoes               5 lbs onions
1 lb kohlrabi                5 lbs mixed winter squash

Farm News:

It’s beginning to feel a lot like winter around here! Most of our buildings and farm paraphernalia have been shut down and shut up for the winter months. The chickens are in the freezer, all the root veggies, cabbages, and squash are stored for the winter, and all the most important end-of-season jobs have been finished. The hardy greens in the hoophouse are still green under their double layers of extra plastic. The varieties we grow are specially chosen for their winter hardiness, and they can freeze solid at night and still be green, happy, and alive the next day… up until a certain point, of course. We should have greens through January, and we hope to have them through the final share in February, but you never can tell when the temperatures will stay cold enough to finally kill them.
Thanks!
Christa, Lizzy, and Mike

What is it? Kohlrabi!
Kohlrabi, that green bulbous looking round veggie with the tough skin, is a delicious treat in disguise. Peel off the skin to get at the crunchy, slightly sweet broccoli flavored yumminess! Wonderful for eating raw in a salad or slaw, it can also be roasted. More recipes can be found on the blog!

Recipes:

Roasted Kohlrabi with Garlic and Parmesean

1 lb kohlrabi bulbs, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

    Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F. Cut the kohlrabi into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each of the slices in half. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread kohlrabi in a single layer on a baking sheet.
    Bake in the preheated oven until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven to allow the Parmesan cheese to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-kohlrabi/

Creamy Cabbage and Potatoes… yummy comfort food!

Olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 largish onion, halved and sliced
1 pound green cabbage, cored and sliced thinly
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 pounds potatoes, baked
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
 Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a glug of olive oil in a pot (large enough to hold the cabbage) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and when its foam subsides, add the onion slices. Toss to coat with fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and then toss in the cabbage. Continue to stir until the cabbage and onions are completely mixed and the cabbage is beginning to wilt. Pour in the vinegar and a tablespoon of water, cover the pot, and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cabbage is tender enough to eat.
Peel the potatoes and mash them roughly with a fork or your fingers. Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over. Add the flour all at once, turn the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the milk, raise the heat a bit, and cook until the mixture thickens, a few minutes. Stir frequently to break up lumps and prevent the mixture from sticking to the skillet.
Turn the heat off under the skillet and stir the potatoes into the sauce. Stir in the cabbage and onions. When the contents of the skillet are thoroughly mixed up, smooth the top with your spoon and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
From : http://www.seriouseats.com

Winter Share #2, Tuesday, November 13th

Our pumpkins on display at the Common Ground Fair in September

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch kale                ½ lb salad mix
1 head cabbage            2 lb turnips
4 lb carrots                   2 lbs leeks
5 lbs potatoes               5 lbs onions
1 Long Pie pumpkin    8 lbs mixed winter squash

Farm News:

    Last week we spent 4 beautiful days on what we call our annual family “summer” vacation that is, 4 days on the island that Christa used to spend her childhood summers on. These days leaving the farm in the summer is unthinkable, so late fall is usually our get-away time. It’s always relaxing to get away from the farm and the endless to-do lists, but we also love coming back home!
We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving next week. There are lots of things in the share this week to add to your family’s feast. Pumpkin pie, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes? Yum!
In keeping with the spirit of the holiday, we would like to let all of you know how incredibly thankful we are to have such wonderful support from our customers and friends. Thank you!

Christa, Lizzy, and Mike

Recipes:

Maple Glazed Carrots
2 pounds carrots, halved
4 slices bacon, each cut into 4 pieces
1 T fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
    1/4 cup pure maple syrup
    Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in lower third. Place carrots, bacon, and thyme in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
    Drizzle with syrup; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to combine.
    Bake until bottoms of carrots begin to caramelize and turn dark brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and toss carrots carefully. Return to oven, and bake until all sides are well browned, about 25 minutes more. Serve immediately.
(Originally from Martha Stewart, but edited heavily)

Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Kale
1 bunch kale, chopped, about 4 to 6 cups chopped
3 medium leeks, trimmed, washed, and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, russet or baking
 1 cup milk, light cream, or half-and-half

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the leeks over medium heat, stirring, until wilted. Add the kale and chicken broth. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until greens are very tender. Add the salt, to taste, and the pepper. Add milk or cream; remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, cut potatoes into quarters; rinse well. Put potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Heat the kale and milk mixture until hot. Add to the drained potatoes and mash by hand or with an electric mixer until well blended.

Making pumpkin pie from a fresh pumpkin:
What is that weird, orange zucchini thing? It’s an heirloom pie pumpkin called Long Pie. It’s my favorite for pumpkin pies, with it’s smooth, flavorful flesh.
I don’t like to give a pumpkin pie recipe, since most people already have a favorite. However, I do like to give simple directions for turning that hard orange pumpkin into puree. Many recipes call for peeling and chopping the raw pumpkin, which can be a real pain. Here’s an easier way for lazy cooks like me:  Pre-heat your oven to 350. Halve your pumpkin lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Lay the two halves on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the pumpkins are very soft and easily poked with a fork. Let them cool, and then scoop the soft flesh out of the skin. Hand-mash or puree in a food processor, and voila! Pumpkin puree! Most pie recipes call for 2 cups, and you should get between 3 and 4 cups from your Long Pie pumpkin.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Winter Share #1, Tuesday, October 23rd

Carrots!

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
2 heads lettuce
½ lb spinach
2 lb beets
4 lb carrots
2 lbs leeks
5 lbs potatoes
5 lbs onions
8 lbs mixed winter squash


Farm News:

    As fall rolls on, we are getting closer and closer to the “end” of our season… although our to-do list never really ends, there is, at least, a list of “must-do”s that we are almost at the end of. We have a few more big harvests, garlic to plant, some new fields to plow up, wood to split, and our spring spinach to seed before we can breath our sigh of relief and start in on construction projects for the fall.

Recipes:

Roasted Root Vegetables

This is one of our favorite recipes, and we probably eat it 3 times a week or so until we run out of the ingredients. This is a very simple recipe – you can make as much or as little as you want. This makes enough to roast on a large cookie sheet – I would cut the amounts in half if you want to roast them in a roasting pan.

2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups diced onion
1.5 cups cubed squash
1.5 cups diced beets or turnips
1.5 cups diced carrots
1 or two apples, diced.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the veggies in a liberal amount of olive oil – I usually use about ½ cup – as well as salt and black pepper to taste. Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet, and cover with aluminum foil. Roast at 400, covered for about 20-30 minutes (until veggies begin to soften). Remove foil cover, and continue to roast until veggies are soft on the inside, but browning on the out side. Yum!

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Onions


    1 bunch Swiss chard
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped


Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Stack chard leaves and roll up lengthwise into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-wide strips.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onions and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until stems are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves in batches, stirring until wilted before adding next batch, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Swiss-Chard-with-Onions-240560#ixzz2A1y0sm6M

Share # 19 Tuesday, October 16th

Golden and traditional beet bunches


What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 bunch beets
1 lb onions
½ lb green tomatoes
½ lb spinach
1 butternut squash


Farm News:

The last share!!! So sad!
It’s been a great season for us and I hope you guys enjoyed it too! The end of the season is always bittersweet, but there is always next year to look forward to!

Plan ahead for 2013!
This year our CSA sold out by May, so if you are interested in being part of the CSA in 2013 (We would love to have you back!) let us know! We can put your name on the list for next year.

Help us improve the CSA experience!
I will be sending out an anonymous survey in the next month or so asking you guys what we can be doing better! The annual CSA survey is your chance to let us know what you want more of, what you want less of, what isn’t working for you… or what is working great! We want the CSA to be great for all of you as well as us, so if something is bothering you, don’t hold back! When you receive the survey, please take 5 minutes to fill it out!

Last but not least, thank you so much for being part of our 2012 CSA. The CSA is incredibly important to the farm and we love growing for you!

Enjoy your share, and see you next year!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy



Recipes:
Fried Green Tomatoes

    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    1/2 cup buttermilk (plain milk will work fine too)
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
    1/2 cup cornmeal
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
    Vegetable oil
    Salt to taste

    Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
    Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.
    Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
    Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

From Southern Living, July 2003


Spinach and Roasted Beet Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette

4 medium beets, trimmed
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
½ lb fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 450°F. Wrap beets in foil. Roast until beets are tender when pierced with skewer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool beets slightly. Peel beets; cut into wedges. Place in medium bowl.
Whisk vinegar, oil, soy sauce and ginger in small bowl to blend well. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Add red onion and half of vinaigrette to beets and toss to blend.
Place spinach in large bowl. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over; toss to coat. Arrange beet mixture atop spinach.

From epicurious.com

Share # 18 Tuesday, October 9th

Kale and swiss chard on display at the farmer's market
Share # 18
Tuesday, October 9th

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch kale
1 head lettuce
1 bunch carrots
1 lb onions
1 leek
½ lb green peppers
1 buttercup winter squash
1 tomato


Farm News:

Where are the potatoes?
This year we had an almost complete crop failure for potatoes (When you grow 30+ different things, something like this happens to at least one of them every year!) Winter Share Holders, don’t worry… we always buy in potatoes from my friend Molly’s uncle who grows organic potatoes in Aroostook, so there will potatoes galore in the winter shares.

 Mike will be on the tractor all week this week, plowing up our new fields and tilling in our old fields for the winter, spreading lime and manure and disking in winter hardy cover crop seed. Lizzy and I are seeding winter greens and cleaning up the greenhouses to be ready for winter growing and over-wintering spinach for early spring. We have fires in the woodstove at night, and Lizzy is sleeping in footy fleece pajamas. Fall is really here! We are looking forward to our annual vacation to a chilly beach for a few days, and to our trip out to Indiana to visit Mike’s mom for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes

Buttercup Squash with Apples

1 small buttercup or other winter squash

½ chopped tart cooking apple

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 teaspoons butter or margarine, softened

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

      Heat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half; remove seeds and fibers. Place squash halves, cut side up, in ungreased baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches. Mix remaining ingredients; spoon into squash halves.
      Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender.


Caldo Verde Soup

            From leitesculinaria.com

    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 large onion, diced
    2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    10 ounces chorizo or other spicy sauage, diced
    6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
    8 cups cold water
    1 bunch kale, cut into very fine strips
    Salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and half the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes.
When the soup is cool enough to handle, purée it in the food processor and return to the pot. Add the greens, bring everything back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and garnish with the remaining cubes of chorizo.

Share # 17 Tuesday, October 2nd

Winter squash curing in our hoophouse

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb onions
1 leek
½ lb peppers
1 bunch parsley
1 acorn winter squash
3 hot peppers


Farm News:

I sincerely apologize for never getting you guys you newsletters last week. I’ve thrown in some extra recipes this week in case you still have some of those veggies sitting around.

It’s really, truly fall here now…crisp mornings, beautiful leaves in the valley, the occasional frost. We are pulling out the more tender crops that are done for the year – the cucurbits (cukes and squashes) were pulled out last week, and yesterday we pulled out the peppers, basil, flowers and tomatoes. It’s always sad to see them go but also a relief! On to the clean up projects! Old crops are getting tilled into the soil; we are planting cover crops to hold the soil and nutrients for the winter, and plowing up a new field for next year. We will almost double our field space for next year, and we will certainly be increasing our production, which is very exciting.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes


Leek-Potato Pancakes
5 large potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large leeks, white and pale green parts, sliced in small rings
salt & freshly ground black pepper,
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Grate potatoes into mixing bowl and cover with water. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet. Add leeks and cook stirring until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Drain potatoes and dry them well in kitchen towel.
In skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter/oil is hot, spread half the potatoes in the pan and press down with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and half the thyme. Over potato layer, spread leeks in a thin layer and sprinkle with flour. Cover that with the rest of the potato mixture and press down. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and remaining thyme. Cook for 8-10 minutes on one side, then carefully slide pancake out onto plate. Invert plate and put uncooked side down in skillet. Saute for another 8-10 minutes or until very crusty. Serve with sour cream, creme fraiche, or plain yogurt. Thanks to http://www.recipezaar.com/Potato-and-Leek-Pancake-170466

Stuffed Delicata Squash
            One of our favorite meals, we look forward to this simple dish all summer long!
1 Delicata squash, halved lengthwise
            1.5 cups cooked rice
            One large onion, diced
            Three cloves of garlic, diced
Cheese – to taste (We usually use extra sharp cheddar)
1 lb sausage of your choice
            Salt, pepper, olive oil

            Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scoop the seeds and guts from the squash, and then place the halved squash in a baking pan, face-up. Cover the bottom of the pan with water, about ¼ inch deep. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil. Fry the sausage, and then chop cooked sausage as finely as desired. Mix sausage with onions and garlic. Mix in cooked rice, as well as pepper and salt to taste. When squash is soft (is easily punctured with fork, usually after about 20-30 min.), remove from oven and fill with mixture. Grate cheese and cover tops of filled squash. Put it all back in the oven until cheese has melted.

Julia Child’s Potato Leek Soup
3-4 cups of diced peeled potatoes (1 lb.)
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, including the tender greens (1/2 lb)
2 quarts water
1 Tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream or 3 tablespoons softened butter
3 tablespoons minced chives or parsley

Simmer vegetables, salt, and water together, partially covered for 40-50 minutes in a 3-4 quart saucepan. Mash the vegetables into the soup with a fork or pass through a food mill. Julia does not like the texture of soup pureed in a blender, your call. Adjust salt and pepper. You can stop at this point. When ready to serve, bring soup back to simmering. Then off the heat, stir in the cream or butter and top with chopped chives or parsley. It does not get much better than that! Makes 2 quarts of soup for 6-8 servings.

Baked Acorn Squash Rings
From The Martha Stewart Cookbook

1 small acorn squash
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the unpeeled squash crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and place them on a cutting board. Using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter slightly larger than the seed center, cut out the seeds from each ring and discard.

Place the squash rings on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Dot each ring with butter and season to taste. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over each ring.

Bake the squash for 15 minutes. Turn the rings over, dot with more butter and sugar, and bake until tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Swiss Chard and Cheddar Quiche (with simple side salad)

    3  tablespoons  olive oil
    1  bunch Swiss chard, chopped
    1  onion, chopped
    3  large eggs
    3/4  cup  half-and-half
    kosher salt and black pepper
    2  ounces  Cheddar, grated (1⁄2 cup)
    1  prebaked 9-inch piecrust
    4  cups chopped lettuce 
    1  tablespoon  red wine vinegar


    Heat oven to 350° F.
    Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chard and onion and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
    In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the half-and-half; season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the Cheddar and chard mixture and mix to combine. Pour into the prebaked 9-inch piecrust and bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes.
    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the lettuce with the vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
    Serve the quiche with the salad.

From http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/swiss-chard-cheddar-quiche-00000000054978/index.html

Share # 15 Tuesday, September 18th

Mike and two of our apprentices setting up our stand at the fair in 2011
What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 lb tomato
1 pint cherry tomatoes
½ lb green beans
1 cucumber
1 lb onions
1 leek
2 hot peppers


Farm News:

It’s FAIR WEEK! All week long we will be harvesting, bagging, weighing, cleaning and braiding veggies in preperation for the Common Ground Fair in Unity. If you’ve never been I highly recommend it, there is tons to do and see and some really good food.

This week you can enjoy what will probably be the last of the cukes and hot peppers, and possibly the last of the tomatoes, although I hope we will have the tomatoes one more time.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes


Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan

1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic          
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion, diced          
salt to taste (optional)
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

    Heat olive oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.


Cucumber, Tomato and Green Bean Salad

    1/4 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp sugar
    1/4 tsp pepper
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    1 tbsp lemon juice

 
    1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
    3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
    ½ lb. green beans, cut in 1" lengths and lightly steamed until crisp-tender.
 
Whisk together dressing ingredients until well blended. Toss vegetables in a large bowl.
Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to blend.
Chill before serving.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Share #14, Tuesday September 11th

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch carrots
1 bunch kale
¼ lb salad mix
½ lb green beans
1 quart cherry tomatoes
1 lb tomatoes
1 leek
1 bunch parsley

Farm News:

Ahh, love love love this early fall weather! Already there are fewer fruit flies in the kitchen! Ha!
Of course, the fall weather does mean that some things are starting to slow down rapidly, like the tomatoes.

The next week and a half will be spent getting ready for the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity, which we attend every year. If you make it to the fair this year, come say hi! We have a stand in the Rose Gate Farmers Market Area. We’ll have shallot, onion, and garlic braids, dried flowers, winter squash and lots of other goodies.

In answer to several peoples question, there are 5 weeks of the CSA left after today. The last share pick-up is Tuesday, October 16th.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes

Barley Stew with Leeks, Mushrooms, and Kale

    1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
    1 chopped leek
    1 8-ounce container sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
    2 garlic cloves, pressed
    2 1/4 teaspoons minced rosemary
    1 lb diced tomatoes
    1 cup pearl barley
    4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
    1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped

How to wash your leeks:
You might be tempted to skip washing them, but don't—within their folds, leeks trap an impressive amount of grit. Slice off the root end and the dark-green tops. Halve the leeks lengthwise. Splay the folds apart and rinse them under running water, letting the grit run out.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until leeks begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until mushrooms soften and begin to brown, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice; stir 1 minute. Add barley and 4 cups broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until barley is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add kale; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Cover and simmer until kale and barley are tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls as needed for desired stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Barley-Stew-with-Leeks-Mushrooms-and-Greens-356352#ixzz26ACo4gFw

Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
Adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables

½ lb green beans
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 large shallot (Or onion)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Basil or other herb (optional)

Top and tail the beans and cut them into large segments. Parboil the beans in salted water until just tender, about four to five minutes. Drain and immediately spread them out to cool. Stem the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.
Peel and mince the shallot and put it in a bowl with the vinegar and salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the balance with more vinegar, oil, or salt, as needed. Toss the cherry tomatoes in with the vinaigrette; this can sit for a while. Do not add the green beans until just before serving or they will discolor from the acid in the vinaigrette. For variety, the salad can be garnished with basil or some other fresh herb such as parsley, chervil or hyssop.

Share # 13, Tuesday September 4th

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch beets
2 lb mixed tomatoes
1 pint mixed cherry tomatoes
½ lb green beans
1 head garlic
1 lb onions
1 green pepper
¼ lb basil
1 cuke
….if you’re lucky, sweet corn!

Farm News:

We have been very short on greens and lettuce for the last few weeks thanks to the loss of two plantings of lettuce – one to heat and lack of rain, and the other to some very hungry deer last week who took one bite out of almost every head in a 1200 head planting, the jerks!  However, starting next week we should be back to providing you guys with at least kale or swiss chard, and hopefully some mixed salad greens.

Last week we weren’t able to harvest the beets I had hoped for, so I substituted in cherry tomatoes this week. This week we already harvested them yesterday, so I know you are definitely getting beets! Mike is going to check the corn this morning, so there will probably be corn, but I can’t guarantee it. Our corn is not pretty – thanks to mother nature and a wicked dry spell, it is small and at least half the ears have a worm in the tip but…. It is also delicious. Hope we are able to get some for you!

Enjoy!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

    * 1 pint cherry tomatoes
    * 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
    * 1 tablespoons olive oil
    * 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    * 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    * 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
    * 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
\
   1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all the ingredients except the basil in a roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are just bursting. Carefully transfer the tomatoes to a bowl and set aside.
   2. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat (or transfer the liquid to a small saucepan) and reduce the liquid until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Toss the tomatoes with the basil. Drizzle some of the thickened balsamic sauce on each serving.

Tomato Chicken With Garlic

8 chicken thighs
1 lb tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Directions

   Combine the chicken, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, chili powder, turmeric, and salt in a large, heavy pot over high heat; cook and stir until the chicken begins to brown; reduce heat to medium-low and allow mixture to simmer until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with coconut oil to serve.

Share # 12, Tuesday August 28th

What You’re Getting:

1 cantaloupe melon
3 lb mixed tomatoes
¼ lb arugula
1 head garlic
1 bunch beets
1 bunch carrots
1 lb mixed red and white onions



Farm News:

These cooler nights have me dreaming of fall, but summer produce will be here for weeks yet! Looks like we will have corn for next week (Or maybe today, if it’s ready when Mike checks it this morning!)

This summer has flown by. Yesterday I drove Kirsten, one of our apprentices, to the airport so she could go back to school. She will be missed! We have about three more weeks of very busy farm season, and then, after the Common Ground Fair at the end of September, things calm down for us a lot. We’re looking forward to it!

Enjoy!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce Recipe:

    3 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced
    1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
    1 large onion, minced
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 cup olive oil
    salt and pepper to taste


In large saucepan, cook tomatoes and basil over medium-low heat until tomatoes are soft. Meanwhile, in medium skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add onion mixture to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 2 hours or until thick.

Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

    1 bunch beets
    3 tbsp olive oil
    4 oz baby arugula leaves, washed (about 2 large handfuls)
    1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
    1/4 cup rice vinegar
    2 tbsp sherry vinegar
    2 oz goat cheese
    salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash the beets and coat with 1 tbsp of the oil. Wrap in several layers of foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to room temp or refrigerate. This may be done in advance.

Cut in 1-inch cubes. Add to a mixing bowl, and add the rest of the ingredients, except the goat cheese. Toss well to combine, and divide on to 4 plates. Crumble over the cheese, and serve.

Share #11, Tuesday August 21st

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What You’re Getting:

1 cantaloupe melon
3 lb mixed tomatoes
1 head cabbage
1 jalapeno pepper
1 slicing cucumber
1/8 lb purple basil
1 lb sweet onions
1 flower bouquet


Farm News:

The last few weeks have been the peak of the season as far as farmers markets are concerned, and the produce has been coming in to suit the market! We are very excited to be into the melons now – a vine ripe fresh picked melon is 100 times better than any melon anyone ever had from the store! So delicious! We have been eating them nonstop all week. They are ripe and ready to eat!

We are in a little bit of a lettuce hole right now, one of our plantings didn’t make it in the heat last month, so we have to wait another week before we can harvest any more. In the mean time, enjoy the fruits of August!

Corn is taking longer than usual this year – we were hoping to have some for this week, but it looks like we make have to wait for next week.

Enjoy!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
    2 (8-ounce) pieces of homemade or purchased pizza dough, recipe follows
    6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    1 1/3 cups, grated pasteurized mozzarella
    2 Roma tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
    1/4 cup grated Parmesan
    1 large garlic clove, minced, optional
    6 fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
    1/2 teaspoon salt
Position 1 oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cornmeal over 2 rimless baking sheets. Roll out each piece of pizza dough into a 10 to 11-inch-diameter round. Transfer 1 dough to each prepared baking sheet.
Drizzle 2 teaspoons of oil over each pizza dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pizza dough, dividing equally and leaving a 1-inch border around each pizza. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer over the cheese. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Arrange basil leaves on top, drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle garlic all over. Bake the pizzas until the crusts are crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top, about 15 minutes. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over each pizza. Sprinkle with basil for garnish and salt. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pizza-with-fresh-tomatoes-and-basil-recipe/index.html

Delicious Fresh Tomato-Cilantro Salsa

I wanted to give you this great recipe when we could give you both tomatoes AND cilantro, but sadly, our cilantro supply has been pretty crappy this year. I decided to give it to you anyway, so you can try it if you want!

1 lb tomato
2 Tb finely chopped white onion
1 Tb of finely chopped cilantro
1 finely chopped chile (or just add to taste)
1/4 of a lime.
Salt
Chop the tomato and add it--juice skin and all--to a mixing bowl. Add the chopped onion, chile and cilantro. Squeeze your lime quarter into the mixture. Add a pinch of salt and taste, you probably need to add another pinch, but that depends on the size of your pinch! This salsa is all about balance, so taste it and think about whether the sour and the spicy and the savory are all in balance. You can add more lime juice, salt or chile to harmonize the flavors.