Winter CSA Share #6, Thursday, January 29th, 2015

 

What You’re Getting: 

 Standard Share:

4 lbs Shallots	6 lbs Winter Squash
5 lbs Potatoes	3 lbs Turnips
3 lbs Carrots	2 Green Cabbages
2 bulb Kohlrabi	4 ears Popcorn

Family Share:

6 lbs Shallots	10 lbs Winter Squash
10 lbs Potatoes	5 lbs Turnips
5 lbs Carrots	3 Green Cabbages
3 bulb Kohlrabi	6 ears Popcorn

Farm News:

Ahh, the last CSA share. How bittersweet! We hope you guys have all enjoyed your share this winter. We really appreciate all your support!

I’ve talked to a few folks who have been feeling a little bogged down with cabbage and kohlrabi, so I’ve been sure to pile on the cabbage, kohlrabi and turnip recipes this time and last time. Be sure to check out the recipes to get inspired!

The winter share may be over, but summer is coming fast! Already the wheels are turning on the farm to plan, prep, and grow your veggies for the summer months. We hope to see you at farmers markets or in the farmstand, or perhaps you’ll join us for a growing season CSA Share! Check out your many options at www.bahnerfarm.com

Thank you, thank you for being a part of our 2014 Winter CSA…. Happy Eating!

Please bring back your boxes when you come ot pick up your share! Remember, this is the last share!

Enjoy your veggies!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nick

Recipes:

Ground Beef, Cabbage and Mushroom Stir-Fry

1 pound ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb cabbage, sliced thin

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 T minced fresh ginger

Pinch cayenne, optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 t honey

1 bunch green onions, cut on the bias (about 8 onions or 3 ounces after trimming)

In a very large skillet or wok, brown the ground beef with the garlic, ginger and a little salt and pepper. Add the cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry until the cabbage is tender-crisp. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

   

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon

    1 teaspoon vegetable oil

    4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

    2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

    1 medium head green cabbage, cored, cut into 1-inch pieces

    1/4 cup cider or rice vinegar

    1/4 cup sugar

    3 tablespoons soy sauce

    In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high and cook bacon, stirring, until browned and crisp, 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate. Add onion and cabbage to pot and cook, stirring, until cabbage is wilted, 10 minutes. Add vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce and cook until cabbage is crisp-tender, 10 minutes. Stir in bacon and serve.

Root Vegetable Gratin

    3 pounds mixed turnips, potatoes and kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

    1 cup thinly sliced shallots

    1 1/3 cups milk, divided

    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    1 1/2 cups finely shredded Gruyère cheese, divided

    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

    1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, (see Tip)

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Combine flour and the remaining 1/3 cup milk in a small bowl to make a smooth paste; stir into the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, thyme, salt and pepper.

    Combine breadcrumbs, the remaining 3/4 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon oil in a bowl.

    Layer the vegetable slices in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

    Bake the gratin until it is bubbling and the top is golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Winter CSA Share # 6 Tuesday, February 11th, 2014

Seeds are here, and we're starting to plan for the summer ahead...

What You’re Getting:

 Standard:

2 head cabbage

3 lbs onions

6 lbs potatoes

6 lbs carrots

2 lbs beets

3 lbs turnips

4 ears popcorn

3 lbs shallots

Family:

2 head cabbage

6 lbs onions

12 lbs potatoes

12 lbs carrots

4 lbs beets

5 lbs turnips

4 ears popcorn

6 lbs shallots

Farm News:

Hi all,

The last CSA Share! Hope you guys all enjoyed your winter veggies. I can’t believe it’s February… already we are starting to seed for 2014. Some of the slower growing flowers, herbs and peppers will get started this weekend, while the onions, scallions and leeks, our first big seeding project, will get started in two weeks. Spring will come faster than you know, and there is so much to get ready for between now and then!

Thanks so much for joining us this winter. We hope to grow for you again when the warmer months are here! Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, kale, zucchini, melons, basil…. Mmmm, I can taste them already.

See you in the spring,

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes

Colcannon

A delicious traditional Irish dish. It is traditional Halloween fare but good anytime! Kale can be substituted for cabbage.

1 pound cabbage (1 small head)

1 pound potatoes

    2 leeks or 3 large onions

    1 cup milk

    salt and pepper to taste

    1 pinch ground mace or cloves

    1/2 cup butter

    In a large saucepan, boil cabbage until tender; remove and chop or blend well. Set aside and keep warm. Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.

    Chop leeks or onions and simmer them in just enough milk to cover, until they are soft.

    Season and mash potatoes well. Stir in cooked onions and milk. Blend in the cabbage and heat until the whole is a pale green fluff. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter. Mix well.

From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/colcannon/

Caramelized Shallots

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof saute pan, add the shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.

Place the saute pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season, to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

From: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/caramelized-shallots-recipe.html

Popcorn:

To remove kernels, twist ear in hand until loosened kernels fall off. Heat oil in a covered pan. Add ½ cup kernels. Once you hear popping, shake pan (Leave lid on!) every 10-15 seconds until fully popped. Yum!

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 16^th.

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.

Winter CSA Share #6, Feb. 7th

Standard Share:

5 lbs Keuka Gold potatoes

5 lbs onions                                         

4 head garlic                        

1 lb leeks                        

2 lbs shallots

5 lbs carrots

2 lbs turnips

1 lb beets

10 lbs squash, Butternut and Delicata

Family Share:

10 lbs Keuka Gold potatoes

10 lbs onions                                       

6 head garlic                        

2 lb leeks                        

3 lbs shallots

10 lbs carrots  

4 lbs turnips

2 lb beets

15 lbs squash, Butternut and Delicata

Farm News:

            Hopefully some fresh veggies will help make everyone feel better about the game last night!

Last share for the Winter CSA! We are enjoying our last few weeks of (mostly) non-farm activities before the season gears up again with starting our seedlings in late February. After that, it’s busy busy all the time until November! We really hope you all enjoyed your Winter CSA Shares, and if there was anything you had a problem with, or would like to see changed, please let us know! I also hope some of you will choose to join us for our summer CSA, which runs from June to October, has weekly pickups, and a ton of variety, with over 30 types of veggies and even blueberries in August. You can find more info at the website, www.bahnerfarm.com, and if you sign up and pay in full before February 15^th, you can get the Early Bird Discount.

I can’t predict what will be in this share with much accuracy until they’re all put together tomorrow, but what I’ve listed is my best guess. I’m hoping that there will still be something green out there for me to give you guys, but I can’t promise anything.

The shallots we gave you in this share are great not only because of their unparalleled flavor, but also because they have a amazing shelf life – they should be around long after the onions!

Thank you so much for your support this winter! See you in the Spring!

Hope you all enjoy!

Thanks,

Christa, Mike and little Lizzy

Recipes:

Ina Garten’s Caramelized Shallots

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 pounds fresh shallots, peeled, with roots intact
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof saute pan, add the shallots and sugar, and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the shallots start to brown. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and toss well.

Place the saute pan in the oven and roast for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the shallots, until they are tender. Season, to taste, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/caramelized-shallots-recipe/index.html

Three Sisters Soup

• 2 cups canned white or yellow hominy, drained
• 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
• 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 5 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

 Place the hominy, green beans, squash, and potatoes into a pot, and pour in water and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Blend flour into the butter, then stir into the soup. Increase heat to medium, and cook for 5 more minutes, or until soup thickens. Season with pepper, and serve.

From http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Three-Sisters-Soup/Detail.aspx

CSA Share#17, Tues September 27th, 2011

What's in the share this week:

1.5 lb potatoes             1 lb carrots

1 lb beets                     1 head lettuce

1 lb onions                 ½ lb shallots

1 hot pepper                1 bunch swiss chard

           

Farm News:

After a great weekend at the fair, we were ready for our day “off” today (Aka, a day to catch up on clean up). We always have a great time at the fair. Now we’re buckling down to some early fall projects, getting our cover crops seeded, general clean up, caring for the first plantings of winter greens, and starting the work on putting up our new greenhouse.

Next week: winter squash, yum! There will only be two more pickups after this one. Hope you are all enjoying the end of September!

Thanks,

Christa, Mike and Lizzy

Recipes of the Week:

Swiss Chard with Crispy Shallots

• 1 cup canola oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• ½ lb shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and washed, leaves separated from stalks, the stalks cut into 1-inch thick and 3-inch long matchsticks, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

In a medium pot, heat 2 cups oil to 325 degrees. In a bowl, toss the shallot slices with the flour. Test a shallot slice to assure the oil is sufficiently hot enough to fry the shallots. Fry them in small batches until golden brown, removing them with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a large skillet, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the Swiss chard stalks and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl. Heat the remaining oil and quickly saute the leaves until they "wilt", 1 to 2 minutes. Combine in the bowl with the stalks. Stir in the olive oil and sherry vinegar. Top with the shallots.

Hot Pepper Hash Browns

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 lb potatoes, baked, peeled, and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Hot pepper, seeds removed and chopped finely
• Cheddar cheese

In a heavy medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and pepper and sauté until softened and caramelized. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and heat. Add diced potatoes in an even layer in the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes begin to brown on the bottom, 6 to 7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.