CSA Share #3, Tuesday June 25th

Lizzy loves Hakurei Summer Turnips!

What You’re Getting:

Standard Share:

1 head lettuce

1 head Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

2 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

1 bunch scallions

1 Kohlrabi

1 head broccoli (Or 2 small heads)

Family Share: 

2 heads lettuce

2 heads Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

2 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

2 bunches radishes

1 bunch scallions

2 Kohlrabi

2 heads broccoli (Or 4 small heads)

Farm News:

Whew, it’s sticky today!

We hope you guys have been enjoying your veggies! Despite the crazy temperature fluctuations earlier, most things are doing fine. Our late spring spinach, a lot of arugula, and our first few plantings of beets and carrots bit the dust in those heavy rains a few weeks ago, but there are lots of other things doing beautifully. There will be more spinach in the fall, and we’ll just have to be more patient than usual for carrots and beets, but we’ll have lots of other things to keep us happy.

We should have peas, chard, bunching onions and cukes soon, and zucchini and summer squash soon after that. The green beans and tomatoes are growing beautifully, and the peppers and eggplant are looking good – I can’t wait! Of course, there will be lots of radishes, kale, kohlrabi, cabbage, head lettuce, salad and other fun things between now and then. Yum!

Stay cool this muggy week, and stay out of all these thunderstorms coming our way!

Thanks and Enjoy!

Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

Scallion Pancakes

This is one of my all-time favorites – a very simplified version of the amazing Korean scallion pancakes a friend used to make for us.

1 bunch scallions                      

1 t salt                                               

1 ½ cups flour                                    

4 eggs                                               

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup water

red wine vinegar

soy sauce

lemon juice

            Remove the scallion roots and dice the whole bunch (use all the green, right up to the tips!).  In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a smaller bowl, combine the eggs, oil, and water, mixed thoroughly. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture, and mix well, until there are little to no lumps. Stir in chopped scallions. Oil the surface of a large skillet or griddle, and heat until water flicked onto it pops and fizzles. Pour the batter on, about 1 cup per pancake, spreading the mixture out with your spatula to achieve a nice thin pancake. Fry until golden brown on each side.

Serve with a sauce made from ½ soy sauce, ¼ lemon juice, and ¼ red wine vinegar.

Glazed Hakurei Turnips

Simple and delicious. Check out http://blog.cookingchanneltv.com/2011/07/16/hakurei-turnips-recipes-and-tips/ for more Hakurei ideas!

2 bunches baby hakurei turnips trimmed, greens reserved

    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

    3 tablespoons sugar

    Kosher salt

    Place turnips in a large skillet; add water to cover turnips halfway. Add butter, sugar, and a large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and turnips are tender, about 15 minutes. (If turnips are tender before liquid has reduced, use a slotted spoon to transfer turnips to a plate and reduce liquid until syrupy. Return turnips to pan and stir to coat well.)

From: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/11/glazed-hakurei-turnips#ixzz1yEE4lLTH

CSA Share #2, Tuesday June 18th, 2013

 

What You’re Getting: 

 Standard Share:

1/4 lb bag Salad Mix

2 heads Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

1 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

1 bunches Radishes

1 Kohlrabi

Family Share: 

 

1/2 lb bag Salad Mix

4 heads Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

2 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

2 bunches Radishes

2 Kohlrabi

1 head Napa cabbage

Farm News:

We are so excited that this week’s weather looks like it will be sunny (Or, at least, not rainy.). The heavy rains we got over the last few weeks and the generally cooler temperatures this spring have really slowed some things down, so we are really looking forward to a nice stretch of sunshine and warming temperatures (We hope.)!

            Mike and the crew are out planting our melons today. I can’t WAIT for them to ripen, usually in mid to late August.  I also can’t wait for peas, carrots, beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, green beans…. Jeeze, it’s a long list!

            We hope that you and your friends and family find ways to enjoy the beautiful weather as well. Isn’t a Maine summer day something special?

Enjoy!

Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

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 simply roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper. More recipes can be found on the blog!

'Carpaccio' of Kohlrabi with Radishes and Blue Cheese

2 small, young kohlrabi

6 young radishes

4 Tbsp (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

4 tsp (20 ml) white wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar

a pinch of mustard powder

blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or whatever you fancy)

flaky sea salt

freshly milled black pepper

Strip the leaves off the kohlrabi and cut off the tops and bottoms. Using a mandolin, cut the bulbs into paper-thin slices (Note from Christa: We don’t have a mandolin, but the slicing blade on our food processor works well, or just slicing it by hand). Do the same with the radishes. Arrange the kohlrabi and radish slices on a platter, or on individual salad plates. Whisk the olive oil, white wine vinegar and mustard powder together in a small bowl, and drizzle the dressing over the slices. Season well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.

Serve immediately. From http://whatsforsupper-juno.blogspot.com/2009/05/carpaccio-of-kohlrabi-with-radishes-and.html

Grilled Pac Choi

In case you were wondering….Pac Choi is Bok Choy (Just like Beijing is Peking)

    2 head of bok choy

    1/4 cup melted butter

    1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

    1/8 teaspoon paprika

    1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

    1 teaspoon seasoned

    1 teaspoon ground black pepper

    Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

    In a bowl, mix butter, garlic powder, paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Slice the bottom off the head of pac choi, and remove and clean the stalks. Sprinkle seasoned salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper over both sides of the stalks.

    Lay the pac choi stalks on the preheated grill. Brush with seasoned butter mixture, cover the grill, and cook until the pac choi stalks show grill marks and the leaves are crisp at the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the pac choi, brush with butter mixture, cover, and grill the other sides. Brush with any remaining butter mixture, and remove to a platter to serve.

CSA Share #1, Tuesday June 11th, 2013

What You’re Getting:

Standard Share:

2 heads Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

2 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

1 bunch kale

1 kohlrabi

Family Share:

 

4 heads Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

2 bunches Hakurei summer turnips

2 bunches radishes

1 bunch kale

2 mini heads lettuce

2 kohlrabi

Farm News:

Hooray, It’s the first CSA share! Although the first share is always smaller then the many shares to come, it’s still an exciting start to the CSA season. With the cold temperatures in May and the rain in the last few weeks, some things are slow to start this year, but the sun WILL come out, and things WILL grow! All things with patience.

            We have a wonderful crew of apprentices this year. Eitan, Laura and Jess have been a great help, and Lizzy is starting to get in on the action too, seeding her own flat of seeds in the greenhouse and using her tiny hoe.

Our exciting news is that Lizzy will have a baby brother or sister in November! Please forgive me if I am slow returning an email or the like, as I am definitely not operating at 100%. Good thing everyone else is!

Enjoy!

Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes:

Pac Choi and Garlic Sausage Stir Fry

Pac choi, up to 4 heads (We recommend at least 1 head per person)

1 medium onion

1-2 inches hot pepper

½ cup vegetable oil

1 lb garlic sausage

Ginger (a piece about as big as your thumb)

Soy sauce

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Dice the onion and add to hot oil. Add minced ginger, minced hot pepper, and sausage. Sautee, stirring every few minutes, until sausage is cooked through. In the meantime, chop pac choi into large chunks and rinse in cool water. Shake off water, and add to dish with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Cook for about one minute, or until leafy portions are wilted and lightly cooked, while the stem portions remain juicy. Serve over rice.

How to eat Hakurei:

Hakurei summer turnips are very different from fall turnips you may be used to. Hakrurei are delicious raw, slightly sweet and nutty. They’ll make a turnip lover out of anybody! They are perfect sliced into salads or dipped into a tangy sauce. The greens can also be used for any recipe calling for turnip greens. Hakurei do not need to be peeling before eating. If you’d like to try cooking these spring treats, here’s one idea:

Hakurei Turnip Gratin

Recipe from http://www.gfzing.com/2009/white-spring-turnips/

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 bunch of Hakurei turnips
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/8- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup of fresh parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a non-stick 12 inch skillet (make sure you have a top to fit the pan.) Wash turnips well, top and tail them, and slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Layer the slices in the pan.  Sprinkle the sliced turnips salt and herbs. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, then pour cream and 1/2 cup chicken stock over the top.  Cover and cook the turnips over medium heat for 20 minutes.  The turnips will be completely cooked through, but there will be considerable liquid left in the pan.  Remove the cover and cook to reduce the liquid.  When most of the liquid has reduced (about 5-10 minutes), and the sauce is thickened, grate finely parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Watch closely as the cheese melts and make sure that the liquid does not entirely cook away.

Winter Share #5, Tuesday, January 15th

What You’re Getting:

½ lb salad mix                   1 lb kohlrabi

1 head cabbage            2 lb beets

4 lb carrots                   2 lbs leeks

5 lbs potatoes               5 lbs onions

8 lbs mixed winter squash

Farm News:

Happy 2013! It may be January, but it feels like April today. Weird. I hope you guys enjoyed you holidays, and are excited for another round of local veggies. We are in full-on planning mode right now, doing seed orders, field maps, market reports and all the other exciting stuff to get ready for the season ahead. Had to believe we will be starting our seedlings in 6 weeks. This winter has been flying by. Thanks so much to those of you who have already signed up for next year’s CSA!

Happy eating!

Christa, Lizzy, and Mike

Recipes:

Cabbage, Carrot and Kohlrabi Slaw

This slaw is delicious solo, or in tacos.

    3 cups thinly sliced cabbage

    2 carrots, shredded

    1 large kohlrabi, shredded

Dressing:

    ¼ cup olive oil

    juice of one lime

    sea salt and pepper to taste

    To prepare slaw, combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. To prepare dressing, mix all ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Pour dressing over the slaw; toss to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour.

From http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2972191-Cabbage-Carrot-and-Kohlrabi-Slaw

Skillet Potato and Cabbage Pancakes

    1 cup shredded cabbage

    2 1/2 cups grated potatoes

    ¼ cup minced onion

    1 clove minced garlic

    1 egg, beaten

    1 1/2 tsp. salt

    1/2 tsp. black pepper

    2 tbsp. oil

    sour cream or applesauce (optional)

Place the cabbage in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water. Cover, steam until tender, 15-20 minutes. Place the grated potatoes in a dish towel. Gather up, twist and hold over the sink. Squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Combine the potatoes, cabbage, onion, garlic, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and then use your hands to form thin, loose patties. Combine the butter and oil in a large skillet over med-high heat; heat until butter melts. Add patties a few at a time. Cook until browned on one side, 7-10 minutes, periodically pressing down with a spatula. Flip and cook 7-10 minutes more. Serve hot and top with sour cream or applesauce. Serves 4.

From Farmer John’s Cookbook. 2006.

Christa’s “I’m sick of winter cooking!” Squash and Bean Salad

2 cups winter squash, cooked, cooled, and cut into ¾” cubes

2 cups cooked kidney beans

1 cup diced onion

1 diced apple

1 kohlrabi, peeled and diced

Your favorite Vinaigrette dressing (I prefer a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix)

I like this cold salad because it reminds me of the corn-and-bean salads of summer. I love winter, but I also love a little variety in our meals!

Toss everything together in a large salad bowl with the vinaigrette dressing. I usually put in about ½ cup of dressing, but you can add it to your own taste. You can eat it alone or serve it over a bed of salad mix.

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.