Laughing Earth Meat Share 3/11/20

This share includes: 

• 2 pounds ground beef

• 4 chicken thighs

• 4 chicken drumsticks

• 2 pounds Italian sausage, hot or sweet

Only 1 more share!

3/25 for Wednesday pick-up

3/28 for Saturday at-market pick-up

OLIVE OIL ROASTED CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED CARROTS - from The New York Times

2 pounds legs, thighs, or a combination

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 bunch small, thin carrots

2 heads garlic, left unpeeled and halved crosswise to expose the cloves

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed

4 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried)

1 cup olive oil

1.Heat oven to 325*F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. 2. If your carrots are small or thin, cut them lengthwise so they are thinner. 3. Arrange the chicken in a large shallow baking dish or shallow braising pot - about 3 quarts - so that the legs are snug and lying flat. Scatter garlic head halves, carros, lemon slices, and oregano sprigs among the chicken pieces, nestling everything in there. Pour the olive oil over the  chicken and vegetables (yes, you’re using all that oil! Don’t worry, it can be repurposed!) Season again with salt and pepper. 4. Place in the oven, uncovered, and roast until the chicken is so tender it nearly falls off the bone and the carrots and lemons are nicely caramelized, 55 to 65 minutes. 5. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve. Reserve the leftover schmaltzy olive oil for another purpose - strain it into an airtight container and keep in the fridge. Good for making salad croutons or roasting veggies.

________________________________________________________

ZACK’S FAVORITE BISCUITS AND GRAVY - use your own favorite biscuits for this recipe. If you’ve never had this hearty breakfast food, he’d say you’re really missing out.

1 lb spicy Italian sausage

4 cups milk

¼ cup flour

While your biscuits are baking, brown the sausage in a large skillet. While it browns, whisk together the flour and milk until there are no lumps. Once the sausage is browned, mix in the milk/flour mixture. Stir regularly until the mixture starts to simmer, then turn down the heat and keep stirring until the gravy thickens up. It will thicken a little more after you turn it off and let it sit about 5 minutes. Cut a biscuit in half, lay the halves on a plate, and then top with gravy. Enjoy with a cup of hot coffee!

GREEK MEATBALLS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh leaf parsley

• 3 tablespoons grated onion

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• Zest of a lemon

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

• 2 ounces feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

TZATZIKI

• 1 cup shredded cucumber

• 1 1/2 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic or 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray. In a large bowl whisk together the panko, parsley, grated onion, garlic, lemon zest and juice, egg, spices, salt and pepper. If you aren't planning to stuff the meatballs with a cube of feta add the feta crumbles to the mixture. Add the ground beef to the mixture and combine with your hands being careful not to over-work the meat mixture. Form approximately 1 tablespoon sized meatballs. If you are stuffing the meatballs with feta, stuff a small cube of feta into the center of each meatball making sure it is completely covered. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spray the tops with cooking spray, then place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Make the tzatziki sauce while the meatballs are baking. Remove the meatballs from the oven and serve with the tzatziki sauce. TZATZIKI SAUCE: Combine all of the ingredient in a medium sized bowl, whisking or stirring together until combined.

Laughing Earth Meat Share 2/26/20

This share includes: 

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 1 beef steak - porterhouse, t-bone, or ribeye

• 1 pork butt roast

2 more shares!

3/11, 3/25 for Wednesday pick-up

3/14, 3/28 for Saturday at-market pick-up

BAKED CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS

3  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half 3 green onions, chopped

1/4 teaspoon paprika 1 garlic clove, minced

½ pound mushrooms, sliced ½ teaspoon salt

1 T butter ⅛ teaspoon pepper

½ cup Sherry or chicken broth ¾ cup shredded mozzarella

Arrange chicken in a 13x9" pan. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350*F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add Sherry, onions, garlic, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour over chicken. Bake 10-15 minutes longer, or until chicken is done. Top with cheese. Bake til cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes.

REVERSE-SEARED STEAK for more details check out seriouseats.com

Thick-cut beef steak(s)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil (if finishing on the stovetop)

1 tablespoon (15g) butter (if finishing on the stovetop)

1. Generously season steak(s) all over with salt and pepper. If desired, set steak(s) on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to dry out the exterior. Otherwise, proceed with the next step.

2. Set steak(s) on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat oven to anywhere between 200 and 275°F (93 and 135°C); if your oven goes lower, you can set it to an even lower temperature, though it will take longer to cook.

3. Place steak(s) in the oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 105°F (41°C) for rare, 115°F (46°C) for medium-rare, 125°F (52°C) for medium, or 135°F (57°C) for medium-well. This will take about 20 minutes for rare steak and up to about 40 minutes for medium-well; cooking time can vary dramatically depending on many factors, so check often.

4. Just before steak(s) come out of the oven, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil to a cast iron, carbon steel, or heavy stainless steel skillet and heat over high heat until smoking. Add steak(s) and butter to skillet and cook until each side is well browned, about 45 seconds per side. Using tongs, hold steak(s) sideways to sear edges. Serve right away; there's no need to let reverse-seared steaks rest.

GARLICKY CUBAN PULLED PORK

• 8 garlic cloves

•  Juice of 1 grapefruit (about 2/3 cup)

•  Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1 4- to 5-pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4 pieces

• 1 bay leaf

•  Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

•  Lime wedges, for serving

•  Hot Sauce, for serving

•  Tortillas, for serving (optional)

•  Fresh tomato salsa, for serving (optional)

In a blender or mini food processor, combine the garlic, grapefruit juice, lime zest and juice, 2 tablespoons of the oil, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and salt; process until blended. Transfer to a large bowl and add the pork and bay leaf; toss to combine. Marinate, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour (or refrigerate for up to 6 hours).Using the sauté function set on high if available, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the pressure cooker (or use a large skillet). Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and shake the meat to remove any excess liquid. Cook until it is browned on all sides, about 12 minutes (you will need to do this in batches, transferring the browned pork pieces to a plate as you go). When all the pork is browned, return the pieces to the pot along with any juices from the plate. (If you used a skillet, add 1 tablespoon water and use a wooden spoon to scrape the skillet well to include all the browned bits stuck to the bottom.) Add the reserved marinade to the pot. Cover and cook on high pressure for 80 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Remove the pork from the cooking liquid (jus). Taste the jus, and if it seems bland or too thin, boil it down either in the pressure cooker on the sauté setting or in a separate pot on the stove until it thickens slightly and intensifies in flavor, 7 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and add a bit of salt if necessary. If you’d like to degrease the jus, use a fat separator to do so, or just let the jus settle and spoon the fat off the top. Shred the meat, using your hands or two forks. Toss the meat with the jus to taste (be generous—1 1/2 to 2 cups should do it), and serve with cilantro, lime wedges, and hot sauce.

Laughing Earth Meat Share 2/12/20

This share includes: 

• 2 lbs ground beef

• 1 pack pork chops

• 1 pack chicken drumsticks

• 1 pack chicken tenders

The rest of the dates are as follows - every two weeks.

2/26, 3/11, 3/25 for Wednesday pick-up

2/29, 3/14, 3/28 for Saturday at-market pick-up

MUSHROOM AND BEEF BURGERS

From the New York Times, adapted from Martha Rose Shulman

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 pound roasted mushroom base (see below)

• ½ cup finely chopped onion

•  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley or a mix of parsley, mint, cilantro and dill

• 1 egg

•  Canola or grapeseed oil for the pan (1 to 2 tablespoons)

•  Hamburger buns, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and the usual burger fixings

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, roasted mushroom base, onion, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and egg. Form 6 to 8 patties and place them on a plate or a lightly oiled sheet pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Heat 1 or 2 large, heavy skillets over medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom (about 1 tablespoon). When the pans are hot, add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to the parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for a couple of minutes, and serve.

Mushroom Base: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl mix together the olive oil, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheets. Bake 1 sheet at a time on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender. They will reduce considerably in volume. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Process in a food processor fitted with the steel blade until chopped fine but still retaining some texture. Taste and adjust seasonings.

HONEY MUSTARD BAKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

4 chicken legs

2 teaspoons olive oil

Sauce:

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or whatever you have, but spicy English mustard will make the dish VERY spicy)

¼ cup honey

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon cornflour/cornstarch

Pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sauce ingredients together. Line a 9x12 baking dish with foil. Place the drumsticks on the foil, then spoon the sauce on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the drumsticks and spoon over juices. Bake for 10-15 minutes until sauce reduces and drumsticks are golden and sticky. Remove from oven. Serve with potatoes and veg, or other sides of your choice. 

PORK CHOPS FOR RICE BOWLS - (Honey Ginger Pork Chops from The Spruce Eats)

A favorite meal in my house is rice or noodle bowls - I just cook one of those two starches, and then serve buffet-style with an assortment of toppings. I love to cook a pork chop and then slice it very thinly into strips, to serve as one of the protein options. Other toppings could include: sliced hard-boiled egg, strips of seaweed, carrot/radish slaw, sauteed greens, scrambled egg cut into strips, pickled veggies like beets, sprouts, hot sauce, sauteed mushrooms … this is sort of limitless.

Marinade for 2 pork chops:

⅛ cup honey ½ teaspoon powdered ginger

1 ½  tablespoons soy sauce ½ teaspoon sesame oil

½ tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 clove garlic, minced

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork chops in a shallow glass dish. Pour marinade over chops, cover, and allow to marinate in the fridge for 1-3 hrs. Preheat a large skillet for medium heat. Cook the chops for about 10 minutes, turning once. Check the temperature; they are done once they reach 145 degrees F in the center. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly.

CHICKEN TENDERS FOR WEEKNIGHT TACOS

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Toss in the tenders, sprinkle on salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of cumin, and saute about 3 minutes per side, turning once.  Once they have started to brown on the outside, they are likely done on the inside - I usually cut into one, and if it is no longer pink, you’re done. Remove from the skillet and squeeze a lime over the meat. You can either chop or shred this as a taco filling, or just eat them as your meat portion with whatever sides you like. They’re the peak of convenience for me!

Celeriac Challenge

This week I have been challenging myself to use celeriac in every meal, to try to get myself (and you, my social media followers) to appreciate celeriac, its versatility, its textures, and its flavors. This sprang out of a need to get our Winter Share members to take more celeriac, since we have a LOT in storage!

I have now had celeriac at 10 meals straight, and I am not sick of it. I’m here to share the ways I’ve used it, and the things I’ve learned.

Tacos with celeriac slaw

Celeriac and carrot slaw. This is a basic recipe that I use for many, many different vegetables and combinations of vegetables - straight carrot, a mix of kohlrabi, carrot, and radish, straight radish (I mean like Daikon radish, not the round red ones), celeriac, carrot, and radish, beet and carrot, beet and kohlrabi … I think the limitation here is, will the vegetable go through the food processor grater attachment? If yes, I will use it for slaw. All I do is grate up about 4 cups of veggies, transfer the grated veggies to a bowl large enough to mix in, then top with about half a cup of white wine vinegar (or rice vinegar, or plain white vinegar if that’s what you have, or apple cider vinegar if you’re in to that flavor!), 1 tablespoon of lime juice (or lemon if you prefer that flavor), and a teaspoon of salt (more or less to your taste). Mix well. Use as a topping, a side dish, or even the base of your meal if you are looking for low-carb and refreshing. If you use radishes in the mix, the leftovers will get kind of pungent after a day or two in the fridge, but the flavor doesn’t actually get much stronger (translation: your fridge will smell like farts) - the celeriac does not have this problem. If you use beets in the mix, the whole thing will be magenta!

Whole Roasted Celeriac with Pan Gravy

I followed this recipe: https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/whole-roasted-celeriac-with-herbs-olive-oil-and-sea-salt/ except scaled up. I THOROUGHLY scrubbed 5 celeriac, put them in a 9x12 baking dish, generously drizzled them with oil (she says olive, but I used sunflower oil because my olive oil was solid - yes my pantry is that cold!), salt, and rosemary (although she calls for 3 T for one celeriac, and I did about that for all 5 and it was PLENTY), covered the pan tightly with foil, and then roasted at 375 F for about 90 minutes until fork-tender. I use this same technique to roast beets, which then peel very easily, but I did NOT peel the celeriac, just moved them to a cutting board and sliced them as if they were a roast. Because I had oiled them so generously, I also made a quick pan gravy, where I put the roasting pan on the stovetop, mixed together about a cup of milk/water (I did 50/50) with 2 tablespoons of flour, and whisked that in, whisking and simmering until it thickened up. I wish I had strained the gravy, because, as you can see in the picture, there was a LOT of rosemary in it, which wasn’t super fun to eat. I served this as the starch with a lovely cole slaw and a steak, but I can see that it would be a versatile dish at many different meals.

Breakfast hash. Put an egg on it!

Celeriac for breakfast. Here, I used the leftover slices of the whole roasted celeriac from the night before, some leftover sauteed shredded beets and carrots, and some leftover browned ground beef (taco filling). I fried them all together in a skillet, fried a couple eggs, and boom, a hearty, VERY satisfying breakfast! 10/10 would make again. Breakfast hash is a WONDERFUL way to use a wide variety of leftovers.

Reruns! But colorful reruns!

Sometimes the fridge is just too full of leftovers to justify making anything new. Plus, leftovers let you have a quick meal without a lot of work. The celeriac/carrot slaw went really well with the leftover cole slaw! Here served as a side dish rather than a taco topping.

Can you see the celeriac? My child can’t!

Carrot/celeriac quick bread. This recipe is a perennial favorite. The original recipe is a Zucchini bread recipe from the Schaghticoke Bicentennial Cookbook (thanks, Mom!). I have used this recipe for so many different fruits and vegetables, in a variety of combinations (apples/carrots, zucchini, winter squash, parsnips, and now celeriac/carrot!) - and you can also make it chocolate whatever bread by adding 3/4 cup of cocoa powder (I’ve only tested that with zucchini, which is really wet, so the resulting bread stays moist even with all that cocoa powder!), and you can throw in a cup of chocolate chips if you’re feeling ultra decadent.

This was dessert, as we went over to a friend’s house for dinner (shout out to Gwen http://massageatlux.com/ a wonderful massage therapist and a QUEEN of a human being!)

Here’s the recipe, as written:

2 cups sugar (I subbed 2 cups maple syrup; I’ve also done 1/2 c honey and 1 cup sugar)

1 cup oil (I used coconut oil in this instance; I’ve also done sunflower oil or melted butter)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon each ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves (I even put these in if I’m adding the cocoa, just for the depth of flavor)

3 cups flour (I used Farmer Ground Flour all-purpose whole wheat - available in the bulk section at Honest Weight!)

2 to 3 cups grated zucchini (or whatever vegetable! For this, I did about 1 cup carrots and about 2 cups celeriac)

Mix all ingredients together, adding vegetable last after mixing all else. Pour into a well-greased 9x12 pan, 2 8x8 pans, or 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour (longer for a loaf!). You could also mix in nuts or raisins, I just don’t because my audience isn’t in to that (I would love these with about 1/2 cup walnuts! A little toothsome texture!)

A sweet version of breakfast celeriac.

The inspiration for this breakfast came as I was lying in bed, trying to convince myself to get up, and I thought, “is there such a thing as celeriac porridge?” so, of course, I Googled it. Here’s what I came across: https://cultureatz.com/andalusian-polea-porridge/?doing_wp_cron=1579795229.4968950748443603515625

This is not porridge made from celeriac, but rather topped with it. I decided that was something I could do. The article is fascinating, but I thought the porridge would not be a hit with my people, so I opted for our usual oatmeal. For the celeriac, I followed her instructions for roasting it. I peeled and chopped one celeriac into about 1/4”-1/2” cubes, spread them on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzled them with maple syrup and oil, and roasted at 375 until very golden and tender, about 30-45 minutes. I stirred them around every 15 minutes or so for even browning. I put them right on top of my regular old oatmeal - we like to eat our oats with peanut butter, yogurt, and maple syrup added. The celeriac was a nice addition to the oats, adding some variety to the texture and flavor.

Guest celeriac chef!

Lunch: celeriac/beet hash!

We have the distinct privilege of having a guest chef in our kitchen with great regularity. Frida, the associate director of Arts Letters and Numbers http://www.artslettersandnumbers.com/ in Averill Park, cooks our crew lunch at least once a month year round. This is such a joy for me, as she brings so much creativity to the kitchen, and she is unafraid of showing up and working with whatever is on hand, whether it’s leftovers or weird vegetables or meat she has never used before. Here is a layered hash, with the bottom layer made up of steamed celeriac and sauteed shallots, then topped with steamed beets, then eggs cracked in and the whole shebang put in the oven until the eggs were done. Frida doesn’t really work from a recipe, she just follows where the ingredients take her, so recreating her dishes is somewhat of a challenge, but generally a worthy one. There were NO leftovers.

dessert celeriac!

Here’s the pinnacle of my Celeriac Challenge: Celeriac Ice Cream. I followed this recipe from this lovely celeriac article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/dec/14/celeriac-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall

The resulting ice cream is very scrumptious, but is truly a custard - it is quite eggy. It is actually the eggs that gave it this lovely yellow color, as the celeriac was very pale, especially after being simmered in milk for half an hour. I would definitely put celeriac in ice cream again, but I think I’d use my regular vanilla ice cream recipe (I love the Ben and Jerry’s recipe) and just add celeriac puree, to cut down on that egginess.

Is it breakfast or dessert?

So here’s the celeriac/carrot quick bread again, this time as BREAKFAST! Paired with Argyle Cheese Farmer’s plain yogurt (an essential in our house) and some strawberries from our garden that I froze in June, this becomes a filling breakfast, acceptable even to my tiny tyrant - she cleaned her plate.

As I said earlier, embracing leftovers is an essential part of being successful as a person who wants to prepare all the family’s meals with as little pre-processed food as possible. Consolidating your labor by making larger batches of things when you’re cooking, or preserving your harvest when you have the time so that it is easy to use when you don’t have the time, is a vital skill if you plan to be the sole chef for years. Sometimes leftovers are the key to retaining some sanity. Instead of making breakfast this morning, I did yoga while the sun rose, then pulled the yogurt and fruit out of the freezer and plunked quickbread on some plates while the coffee brewed. Now I have the energy to make a healthy lunch from raw ingredients!

Hash browns.

Celeriac Hash Browns - recipe here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sage-celeriac-hash-browns

Grated celeriac and potatoes, mixed with minced onion (I used shallot, because I had it!), sage, egg, and cornmeal. A wonderful vessel for toppings of your choice - I have hot sauce, yogurt, pickles, still some of the leftover carrot/celeriac slaw, and leftover pan gravy from the roasted celeriac. You can’t really go wrong with those choices.

I am not sure how many more meals I’ll try to go in a row, but after a few days of this, I definitely admire celeriac for how versatile it is. I am eager to make this Celeriac and Hazelnut Soup: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/celeriac-hazelnut-truffle-soup - that may be dinner, but we will see!

I will surely use celeriac more often now, after this self-imposed crash course in how to use it in any meal.

How have you used celeriac? What’s your favorite way to use it?

Farm Share Newsletter November 4 2019

New hoop house

The farm’s latest addition, a 30’ wide 96’ long hoop house is going up in the garden! This is twice as large as one of our old hoop houses, and much taller. It will allow us to grow more crops under protection, enabling year round growing. Hoop houses are unheated greenhouses that benefit crops by protecting them from wind, rain, snow, and providing extra warmth. Crops that benefit from dry, warm conditions like tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are more productive. Crops that are cold hardy can survive the winter better without exposure to wind and snow, like spinach, kale, and other greens. Unfortunately it is too late to plant in it this year, but next spring we are planning on 50 spring shares, which is up from 25.

Broccoli raab

On leave since June, broccoli raab is back! There aren’t quite as many flower heads as I hoped to have on it, which means I need to adjust the seeding date, but it is very tender and delicious even with mostly leaves and stalks. Broccoli raab cooks best when you add a little moisture to it when sauteeing, and it also can be boiled for a few minutes. It actually gets better with more cooking, so it’s better to cook a little longer. Good on its own with garlic and crushed red pepper, tossed with pasta, as a pizza topping, in a stir fry, or maybe even blanched, chopped fine and tucked into a lasagna. -Aaron

Vegetables

Kale, collards, or chard Carrots Garlic Onions Broccoli Raab Potatoes Broccoli

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Raab, White Bean & Fontina Pasta

8 ounces whole-wheat shells, fusilli or chiocciole

1 large bunch raab, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese

2/3 cup Toasted Breadcrumbs, optional (see Tip)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, according to package directions. Stir in rapini (or spinach) during the last 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Dry the pot. 2. Whisk broth and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Heat oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth mixture and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until it thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Add beans, vinegar, salt and pepper and the pasta and rapini (or spinach). Cook, stirring, until the mixture is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add cheese, stirring until it melts. Serve immediately, topped with Toasted Breadcrumbs, if using. from eatingwell.com

Roast Chicken with Rapini, Fennel, Olives, Pine Nuts

4 whole chicken legs, bone-in, skin on

2 bunches rapini, chopped or mix with kale

1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

3 T pine nuts

1/2 c green olives, pitted and very roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 450. Heat a large (12 inch), heavy skillet on the stovetop until very hot. Season the chicken legs all over with salt and a little bit of pepper. Add a little olive oil to the skillet and then sear the chicken legs, outside side down, until deeply golden, about 6-10 minutes. Flip the legs over, toss in the sliced fennel all around, and transfer immediately to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove, put the legs on a sheet pan and cover loosely with foil while you finish the dish. Put the pine nuts and olives in a very small skillet and put into the oven (that has been turned off) and allow to sit in the residual heat from the oven until you are done with the dish. If there is more than 2T of chicken fat left in the skillet, pour off the excess. Heat the skillet with the fennel still in it, then add the rapini, stirring well. Wilt for a few minutes, then add a little salt and the garlic cloves. Cook until the rapini is as soft as you like it. Taste for seasoning. Remove to a serving plate. Top with the pine nut/olive mixture, then the chicken legs. If there is any juice left in the skillet at all, pour it over the dish now. Serve warm. From mariquita.com

Baked pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage

1 lb pasta

1 bunch broccoli raab, cut into 1”

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

6 oz mozzarella, cubed

2 cups milk

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

grated nutmeg

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta, add broccoli raab during last 5 minutes of cooking time. Drain, pour into large bowl. Heat 1-2 T oil in a large sauce pan, add sausage, brown it. Remove from pan. If there’s fat left, delete 1 T butter for the béchamel. Start heating your oven to 400. Melt butter in same pan over medium heat. Add flour, stir until smooth, cook for a minute. Whisk in milk slowly at first, once half of it is in, add the rest, whisking well. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg. Simmer 10 minutes. Add sausage and béchamel to pasta. Stir in mozzarella and half of the parmesan. Pour into 9x13 pan, top with remaining parmesan, bake 20-30 minutes. from smittenkitchen.com

Let my words, like vegetables, be tender and sweet, for tomorrow I may have to eat them. - Author Unknown

Farm Share Newsletter October 26 2019

Thanksgiving share

I’ve started thinking about what might be in the Thanksgiving share this year. If you are unfamiliar, this is an optional share you can sign up for, only 25 bucks for a festive mountain of produce. This year, we have a beautiful crop of brussels sprouts waiting in the field, getting sweeter with each frost. I also put some celery in the cooler, so with some luck we may have some for the share. We will have kale, and possibly spinach as well. For roots, there will likely be a mix of potatoes, carrots, celeriac, watermelon radishes and rutabaga. Onions, shallots and garlic will be part of the share, and maybe a small amount of pie pumpkins or squash.

Savoy Cabbage

It’s like lacinato kale and cabbage got mixed together. Savoy cabbage is extraordinarily good in soup, the crinkly texture is like kale, but way more tender. It is also good for most other cooked cabbage recipes, like stuffed cabbage, casseroles, stews. I’ve never tried it for slaw or kraut. Next week is the last week Don’t skip the last week, I’m hoping to have spinach, broccoli raab, maybe regular broccoli, beets, and other goodies for you. -Aaron

Vegetables

Savoy, green, or red cabbage Carrots Garlic Onions Radicchio or Bok Choi Potatoes Kohlrabi or Fennel

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Cabbage and rye panade

1 garlic clove and butter for the dish

2 tbsp chopped sage

3-4 cups veg or chicken broth

2 lbs savoy or green cabbage

3 T butter salt, pepper

1 small onion, thinly sliced

4 slices rye bread

1/2 tsp juniper berries, crushed

1 cup grated Gruyere or Teleme

Heat oven to 350, rub 2 qt gratin dish with garlic then butter. Melt butter in wide skillet until it begins to brown a little. Add onion, juniper, and sage, cook until onion begins to brown. Add cabbage to pan, sprinkle 1 tsp salt, add 1/2 cup water. Cook until cabbage is tender and browned in places, 20 minutes. Season to taste. Place half of the cabbage in the dish, cover with bread, then cheese, then remaining cabbage. Pour broth over all, bake until bubbling and cabbage is a little browned, 45 minutes. Serve in bowls with extra broth. from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Tomato-cabbage soup

2-3 tbsp oil

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

1 small head cabbage, quartered, cored, thinly sliced

1 onion, halved, thinly sliced

28 oz can diced tomatoes

6 cups chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large soup pot. Add sausage and cook until completely browned, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add remaining tbsp oil if sausage didn’t leave much fat. Add cabbage, onion, sauté until golden, 8-10 mins. Add tomatoes, broth, cumin, and sausage.Bring to boil, then simmer 1 hour, until cabbage is completely tender. Taste and season with salt and pepper. from Serving up the harvest by Andrea Chesman

Oven roasted potatoes with fennel and tarragon

2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 fennel bulb, large, cut into julienne or sliced thin on a mandolin

3 green onions or shallots, finely chopped (1/2 yellow onion)

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

2 teaspoons anise seed, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place potatoes on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with one-third of the olive oil. Toss with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to start roasting. In the meantime, in a skillet over medium heat, saute fennel and onions/ shallots in another third of the oil until slightly softened but still crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in tarragon and anise seed. Add the fennel mixture to the potatoes in the oven. Toss well and continue roasting, until potatoes are tender but not soft, about 25 Adjust seasoning and serve hot.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

Farm Share Newsletter October 16 2019

Chicory

This week in your share there is a mix of hearty greens and roots for you to enjoy. We have a few different types of chicories this year that we will give out over the last few weeks. If you are new to escarole, it is a green that looks like a head of lettuce, except that it is a bit tougher with a slight bitterness. I prefer to cook it, which softens it and reduces some of the bitterness, especially when combined with something a little sweet, like onion. It’s the classic “green” part of greens and beans, and also goes very well in soup, added in the last few minutes. Radicchio is a close cousin of escarole, with a bit more bitterness. It can be nice thinly sliced into a salad that has sweet elements. Radicchio can also be cooked, however it will lose its wonderful color. Pan di Zucchero (sugarloaf) is a chicory that is similar in form to romaine lettuce, but has a lovely mild escarole flavor. It is mild enough to use raw, but also takes well to cooking. I haven’t tried grilling, but it is highly recommended to prepare it that way, perhaps served with pears and gorgonzola.

Garlic is in the ground

We got it planted and mulched on Monday thanks to a few good volunteers.

Picking garden clean up day

I’m planning on a few hours of picking garden clean up later this month. We will be removing plants, mulching beds with straw, taking down signs, and mulching pathways with wood chips, and perhaps expanding part of the garden. Stay tuned for the date. -Aaron

Vegetables

Chard or Kale Beets or Turnips Garlic Onions Escarole or Pan di Zucchero Lettuce Sweet Potatoes or Squash Cardoon (optional)

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Escarole Pasta

1 head escarole, pan di zucchero, or radicchio

1 lb chard or kale, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 onion

2-4 T olive oil

4 T chopped preserved lemon, caper, or kalamata olives

1 bunch parsley toasted almonds, roughly chopped

1 can great quality tuna or salmon in oil, flaked (opt)

3/4-1 lb pasta, cooked

Saute the onion in olive oil until soft. Add all cooking greens plus garlic, cook until really wilted and soft. Toss hot wilted greens with pasta, add in preserved lemon and fish if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a small pile of chopped almonds on top. Pass lemon quarters and hard cheese for grating. fom mariquita.com

Orzotto with radicchio

Our radicchios are smaller than this, you could add some chard, kale, or beet greens to compensate. Should also work with the other chicories.

1 lb radicchio, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 lb pearled barley

1 shallot or onion, chopped

3 oz diced prosciutto

1 tbsp olive oil

2 oz parmigiano, grated

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 qt veg broth, boiling

Saute radicchio and shallot or onion in oil until wilted. Add barley, stir for 2 minutes. Add wine, allow to cook off completely. Add boiling broth, salt, and pepper, cook at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. A few minutes before the end, add prosciutto cubes. Transfer to serving bowl, add vinegar and cheeses. Allow the cheeses to melt a bit for a couple minutes, then serve. from mariqita.com

Sweet Potato Puree with roasted garlic

1 head garlic

2 lbs sweet potatoes

2 lbs potatoes

salt, pepper

2 cups milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil or butter

Roast garlic: Wrap head in foil, bake 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees, until completely soft. Cool, cut top, separate cloves, set aside. Peel, quarter sweet and Irish potatoes. Steam over medium high to high heat until fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain, add garlic cloves, pass through a food mill using the fine disc. Return to pot, reheat over low heat. Scald milk in separate pan, add from 1 to 2 cups of milk, depending on how dry the potatoes are. Add extra virgin olive oil (or butter) to taste, season. Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

"The scarlet of maples can shake me like a cry

Of bugles going by.

And my lonely spirit thrills to see the frosty asters like smoke upon the hills."

- William Bliss Carman

Farm Share Newsletter October 9 2019

Why early renewal helps

This week, I am handing out renewal forms for next year. We offer a discount if you sign up before the end of December, because it is SO beneficial for us to have at least some of the money well in advance of the season. Many of our expenses for the following growing season happen between November and April - seeds, supplies such as irrigation, repairs to the greenhouses and equipment, and the like. In fact, we already had to plant the cover crops on the garden areas for next year, so we purchased those seeds back in July. Even though members don't see the first vegetables until June, there is an awful lot of work that happens many months in advance of that. Then, once we hit April, we are out there planting seeds and seedlings every day, weeding and pruning and caring for the veggies until we finally see you all in June for the first share. So, that is why we ask for payment so far in advance. The CSA/Farm Share model was developed as a way for farmers to avoid having to take out an operating loan to cover their expenses until the harvest came in, and it works! -Annie

Cardoon recipe error

The instructions for preparing cardoon say to simmer it for 4 minutes. It should be 40 minutes! I am sorry if your first try of cardoon was a disappointment, consider trying again but cooking it longer. We will have cardoon again next week.

Garlic planting delayed

Looks like the rain is going to spoil our garlic planting day, so I’m re scheduling it for next Monday, October 14th at 10:00 AM.

Vegetables

Carrots Mini daikon radish Sweet peppers Onions Escarole Spinach or Napa cabbage Potatoes

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Dahlia, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Willa’s favorite carrot bread

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil (coconut oil preferred)

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

3 cups flour

2-3 cups grated carrots

(optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 cup raisins)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together all ingredients except carrots. Mix in carrots. Grease a 9x9 square pan or a 9- inch round pan (or muffin cups, if you prefer). Fill the pan with the batter. Bake about 1 hour (about 20 minutes for muffins), until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Makes a great breakfast cake served with yogurt, or a great dessert if served with whipped cream.

Escarole frittata

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 sweet pepper, chopped

1 head escarole, chopped

8 eggs, beaten

1⁄2 c grated fontina or gruyere

3 T parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a 10 inch skillet, preferably cast iron. Sauté the onion and pepper until softened but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the escarole and some salt and sauté until wilted and soft. Combine the eggs, the cheese, and the parsley together and pour into the skillet, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Cook over low heat, covered, until the eggs are set, another 5-8 minutes or so. Alternatively, finish the top of the frittata under the broiler. Allow to cool and then unmold to a serving plate. Top with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, your favorite salsa, and some sliced tomatoes on the side. fom mariquitafarm.com

Roasted daikon radish, carrots and peppers

2 daikon radishes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds

1 bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 shallot or small onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

salt, pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine vegetables and oil on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast 25-30 minutes, stirring several times. Drizzle veggies with balsamic vinegar and return to oven for 5 minutes. Toss well and transfer to serving bowl. sarahscucinabella.com

"Lo! sweeten’d with the summer light,

The full-juiced apple, waxing over- mellow,

Drops in a silent autumn night.

All its allotted length of days

The flower ripens in its place,

Ripens and fades, and falls, and hath no toil,

Fast-rooted in the fruitful soil."

- Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Lotus- Eaters

Farm Share Newsletter October 5 2019

Did you know?

You can use the picking garden not only during pick up, but also before pick up, after pick up, and any other day of the week! We only ask that you limit your visits to the daylight hours. We’ve got three farm events coming up: a tea walk in the picking garden at 4:00 this Saturday where we will sample and identify plants that can be used to make herbal tea with a tea sampling. After the tea walk is a potluck at 5:30. Next week on Thursday, at 10:00, we will be planting garlic, and then mulching it with a thick layer of straw. We will also plant some overwintering onions that will be ready to harvest next June. In the garden, we are removing our warm weather crops such as tomatoes and peppers (this is the last week for them) and sowing cover crops. It looks like we may get our first frost early on Saturday morning, so we will prepare for that by putting row covers on our tender greens such as lettuce. On one hand, it is always sad to say goodbye to the flowers, but on the other hand, galinsoga, a weed in our garden, dies with frost. -Aaron

Vegetables

Hakurei turnips Celery or celeriac Sweet peppers Onions Kale or chard Lettuce Fennel or eggplant Cardoon (optional)

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Dahlia, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Roasted Fennel Pesto

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

3/4 cup fennel fronds

2 cloves garlic

salt

Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet toss fennel with a little olive oil and roast, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 12 mins. Meanwhile, scatter almonds on another sheet and toast 5 minutes. Let both cool a bit. In a food processor or blender, pulse fennel, fronds, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil until pureed.Add almonds and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pulse to combine. Add remaining oil and pulse. from Serious Eats (Daniel Gritzer)

Cream of celery soup

3 tbsp butter

2 cups chopped onion

5 cups chopped celery

1 1/2 cups diced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 to 1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 to 1/3 cup cream

pepper, chives

Saute onions, 5 cups celery in 2T of butter 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic for 1 minute more. Add stock, bay, salt then simmer for 15 minutes. In separate pan, braise remaining celery. Melt 1 T butter, add celery and 1/2 cup stock from other pan. Simmer on low to soften the celery then set aside. Remove bay leaves then puree the soup, return to pot and stir in braised celery and cream. Season to taste, serve with freshly ground black pepper and chopped chives or parsley. simplyrecipes.com

Mushroom, Parmesan and celery salad

1 lb mushrooms, washed, very thinly sliced

2 oz Parmesan cheese, in small pieces

3/4 cup sliced celery

2 tbsp lemon juice

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

coarse salt, freshly ground pepper

Combine the mushrooms, Parmesan and celery in a serving bowl. In a separate bowl, mix lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and toss to mix. Serve at once, does not keep well. New York Times

Farm Share Newsletter September 28 2019

Just recipes

It’s nothing but recipes this week! Enjoy. -Aaron

Vegetables

Potatoes Hakurei turnips Bol choi Sweet peppers or Anaheims Lettuce Tomatoes- last ripe this year Green (unripe) tomatoes Garlic

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Dahlia, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Green tomato cake

4 cups chopped green tomatoes

1 tablespoon salt

1⁄2 cup butter or oil

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cup raisins

1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts

Place chopped tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand 10 minutes. Place in a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13” baking pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Add raisins and nuts to dry mixture; add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Dough will be very stiff. Mix well. Add drained tomatoes and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Serves 24

Cheese and chile spoon bread

3/4 cup stone ground cornmeal

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles

salt, freshly milled pepper

1/2 cup grated Jack or other cheese

4 tbsp cubed butter

4 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly butter a 2 quart baking dish. Stir together cornmeal, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt, then add butter and pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over all. Stir to break up lumps, let stand until butter has melted. Add eggs, chiles, and milk, pour into baking dish. Scatter cheese on top, bake until puffed, golden and set, 45 to 50 minutes. fom VCfE

Fried green tomatoes adapted from The Joy of Cooking

6 large green tomatoes (unripe, that is), cut into 1⁄2 inch slices

2 cups cornmeal

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley or thyme

1 cup milk or beer

Vegetable oil or bacon grease for frying

Combine cornmeal through parsley in a shallow bowl. Dip the tomato slices one at a time into milk (or beer – that’s what I used) and then coat with the cornmeal mixture. Heat in a large skillet until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water (I had the oil heating while I cut the tomatoes) – 1 inch vegetable oil or bacon drippings (I used the bacon grease, and it was only 1⁄2 inch deep). Add as many tomatoes as will fit in a single layer and fry until golden and crisp, turning once. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Serve immediately, plain or with Ranch dressing, mayonnaise, or remoulade (we ate them plain). (I discovered that the greener the tomato, the better it fries, and still gets so sweet – the tomatoes that are turning color but are still hard turn to mush in the frying, but are very, very delicious). Serves 6

Stuffed green chile omelet

2 large green chiles, roasted

1/4 cup or more grated Cheddar, Jack, goat cheese, or Muenster

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tbsp sliced scallion

3 eggs

salt

2 tsp butter or oil

Slip skins off chiles, cut a slit down the middle of each and pull out seeds. Mix cheese, cilantro, and scallions and loosely stuff chiles. Whisk eggs with salt and add any leftover cheese mixture. Preheat the broiler. Heat butter in a 10 inch oven safe skillet and set chiles in it slit side up. Cook over high heat a few minutes then add eggs. Loosen edge a few times to pull the cooked eggs toward the center. When eggs are no longer fluid, slide under broiler and leave until golden and barely set. Serve with warm tortillas, black beans or plain pinto beans, and a side of salsa. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison

Farm Share Newsletter September 21 2019

Garlic planting

Our next community work day will be our garlic planting, which will be in early October. I will have a date and time as we get closer. Garlic that was harvested in July gets planted in the fall because it needs exposure to cold to form heads the next year. October is the ideal time because the garlic will grow some roots but not sprout much, so that it won’t get damaged by winter cold. A layer of mulch ensures extra protection from heaving.

Poblano & Anaheim peppers

These are mild chili peppers that are typically used in southwestern cuisine. Poblano are dark green with a noticeable burst of heat, and Anaheims (our variety is NuMex Joe E. Parker) are somewhat milder and lighter in color. They can be used interchangeably as far as I can tell. Both benefit from roasting to remove the tough skins.

Fall favorites

As October approaches, cool weather crops begin to show up in the share. Fennel is at its best in the fall, sweet and tender. Try sautéing it with onions and peppers for an easy way to cook it. When grown in the fall, fennel doesn’t put any energy into flowering, so it stays tender and mild. What else is in the pipeline? Napa cabbage, celeriac, cardoon, daikon, and watermelon radishes are more crops that are at their best in the fall. -Aaron

Vegetables

Chard Carrots Fennel, cucumber or eggplant Sweet or Anaheim peppers Lettuce Tomatoes Scallions

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage

Flowers: Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Slow cooker pork shoulder with tomatoes, fennel, and pasta

6 lb bone in pork shoulder

2 tbsp tomato paste

kosher salt and pepper

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp red pepper

1 large carrot, peeled, cut on bias

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 large onion, sliced

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp dried sage

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 Parmesan rind

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 lbs cooked pasta

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Season pork with salt and pepper, place in large slow cooker. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high. Add fennel and carrot, cook until they start to brown, 6-10 minutes. Add onion, cook 4 mins longer. Reduce heat, add garlic, cook another 3 minutes. Add wine, bring to boil. Simmer 1 minute, stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, herbs and spices, 1 heaping tsp salt, a scant tsp pepper, and Parmesan rind. Pour over pork in slow cooker. Cook on low 10-12 hours, basting occasionally. When pork is fall apart tender, transfer to bowl, discard herb stems and leaves, and rind. Season to taste. When meat is cool enough to handle, shred with 2 forks, discard bone and unwanted fat. Top pasta with meat, spoon sauce over and garnish with shredded Parmesan. from SeriousEats.com

Oven roasted potatoes with fennel & tarragon

2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 fennel bulb, large, cut into julienne or sliced thin on a mandolin

3 green onions or shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped

2 teaspoons anise seed, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place potatoes on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with one-third of the olive oil. Toss with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to start roasting. In the meantime, in a skillet over medium heat, saute fennel and onions/shallots in another third of the oil until slightly softened but still crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in tarragon and anise seed. Add the fennel mixture to the potatoes in the oven. Toss well and continue roasting, until potatoes are tender but not soft, about 25 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve hot. from thedailygreen.com

Green chile enchiladas

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos

3 cloves garlic, with peels

2 Jalapeño peppers

1/2 cup cilantro

salt

4 large Anaheim or Poblano chiles

12 yellow corn tortillas

oil for frying

1/2 to 1 lb Monterey jack cheese, grated

Prepare tomatillo sauce: remove husks from tomatillos, rinse. Cut in half, place cut side down on roasting pan with garlic and jalapeños. Broil for 5-10 minutes until tomatillos are lightly charred. Let cool a but, discard garlic skins. Seed the peppers. Blend all together with 1 tsp salt and cilantro until pureed. Roast chiles under broiler, turning until blackened all over. Place in bowl , cover with plate for 5 minutes. Peel off skin. Seed and stem chiles, slice into strips. Heat a few tbsp oil in a frying pan. Once hot, add a tortilla to the pan, turn it over and cook until little bubbles show up. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Cook remaining tortillas this way, separate with paper towels. Preheat oven to 350. Spread a little tomatillo sauce in a 9x13 pan. One by one, place a little cheese and a strip or two of chile in the tortillas, roll up and place seam side down in pan. Once done spread remaining sauce over them and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro. simplyrecipes.com

Farm Share Newsletter September 14 2019

Potato success

Thank you to all who came on Monday to help with the potato harvest. I haven’t figured out how much we have harvested, but it is certainly over 1,000 lbs. Now they are resting in the cool barn, where they will toughen and heal any minor wounds that occurred during harvest. In 1-2 weeks we will sort them into sacks and put them into long term storage at ~40 degrees with high humidity. Potatoes usually keep for about 10 months this way.

Golden beets

We’ve got a treasure trove of beets for you this week. These gold colored beets can be used for any recipe calling for red beets. They don’t stain as much as red beets do, and have a milder flavor. If you like raw beets, you may want to use them that way. I prefer all beets cooked, and I think these would be nice in salads, since they won’t stain everything else. Don’t forget about the greens, they can be used as you would chard.

Winter squash blues

This year we had our smallest harvest of winter squash in recent years. We will have a very small amount available, but it will not come close to what we have been able to give out in the past. Why such a poor harvest? I suspect that several factors were involved, such as soil nutrient deficiency, sopping wet soil, a heat wave during flowering which may have reduced fruit set, and once the plants were weakened, insect pests weakened them further. Thankfully we have many other crops for this fall that are doing very well. -Aaron

Vegetables

Lacinato kale Golden beets Cucumbers or fennel Peppers Lettuce Tomatoes Onions

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Summer vegetable bread pudding

1 large tomato, diced

1 onion, diced

1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced

2 tsp salt

1 red pepper, diced

5 eggs

1 carrot, grated

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 lb cheese, grated

12 cups dried bread cubes

2 sprigs sage, chopped

2 tbsp butter

2 sprigs thyme, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

black pepper

Combine tomato and zucchini with salt in a colander, drain for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350, lightly grease a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with butter. Whisk together eggs and milk. Add bread cubes, let soak while you prepare vegetables. Melt butter with the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and bell pepper and sauté until softened. Add zucchini, tomato, and carrot, cook until all are tender, another 3 minutes. Add these vegetables, the cheese and herbs and zest to the bread mixture. Toss gently, season generously with pepper. Pack into prepared pan, place on a baking sheet and bake about 1 hour, until the top is crusty and a knife comes out clean. Cover with foil if it is browning too quickly. Let cool before serving. fom Serving up the harvest by Andrea Chesman

Sauteed grated beets

4-5 medium beets

3 tbsp butter

1-2 tbsp lemon or orange juice

salt, pepper

Peel and grate beets using food processor or box grater. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beets, stir to coat with butter. Add 1 tbsp juice, cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add more juice if beets stick. Cook until tender but not mushy, 7-10 minutes. Remove cover, season to taste.

Roasted beet salad with beet greens & feta

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. minced garlic

7 med.-lg. beets (about 3 inches in diameter) with greens

1 cup water

2 tbsp. chopped drained capers

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375¡F. Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper. Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover; bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely. Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing. marqita.com

Farm Share Newsletter September 4 2019

Turkeys

Our turkeys have just been moved out to the pasture this week. They have a new home this year, a re-purposed hay wagon that we have dubbed “the tur-caboose”. Our turkeys are raised in a day range system, which differs from the broiler chickens, and is similar to how we manage the laying hens. Turkeys are free to roam around their fenced area, and have a sheltered home to sleep in at night. We encourage everyone to visit them, they are a short walk up the hill. We are accepting turkey orders now, and as always, the sooner you order, the more likely you will get your preferred size bird. Turkey pick up this year is Sunday November 24th. Seems far away, but it’s less than 3 months.

How to roast & peel red peppers

Roasted red peppers are used in many recipes and are very useful to have around. To make them, I use the broiler. Broil peppers, turning them with tongs so they are charred on all sides. Remove from oven and put in a paper bag, or glass bowl with tight fitting lid. The steam will loosen the skins after about 10-15 minutes. Pull off the skin with your hands. Be careful, they may still be hot! Now they are ready for use in your recipe. -Aaron

Vegetables

Celery Potatoes Cucumbers or squash Peppers Lettuce Tomatoes Onions

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Tomato and red pepper tart

yeasted tart dough (recipe follows)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 red onions, finely diced

1/8 tsp saffron (optional)

3 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp anise seed (opt.)

1 1/2 lbs tomatoes

2 tbsp chopped basil

3 large red peppers

16 Nicoise or 8 Kalamata olives

Make dough and set aside to rise. Cook onions in the oil over medium heat until soft, about 12 minutes. While they’re cooking, peel, seed and chop tomatoes. Roast the peppers. Set aside 2/3 of 1 pepper, finely chop the rest. Add garlic, tomatoes, and diced peppers to onions, crumble the saffron and anise into the mixture, season with 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be quite thick. Add basil leaves and additional salt if needed. Heat oven to 400. Roll out dough and drape over 10 inch tart pan or pie dish. Trim and crimp dough. Add filling. Cut reserved pepper into narrow strips and make a lattice design over the top. Place halved olives in the squares. Bake 35 minutes. Remove, brush crust with olive oil.

Yeasted tart dough

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 egg, beaten slightly

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup warm water

1 3/4 cups flour, as needed

3 tbsp olive oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar in water, let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Add oil, egg, and salt, stir in flour. When dough is too stiff to stir, turn onto the counter, knead until smooth adding more flour if necessary. Rise in an oiled bowl until doubled, about 45 minutes. Turn out, roll into a thin circle and line a tart or pie pan or make a free form galette. from Vegetarian cooking for everyone by Deborah Madison

Roasted red pepper soup with polenta croutons

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 small potato, peeled, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp marjoram

1 tbsp tomato paste

3-4 large red peppers, roasted, peeled

1 tsp sweet paprika

salt and pepper

1 qt water or stock

balsamic vinegar to taste

Crisp polenta croutons (recipe follows) or regular bread croutons

Heat the oil in a soup pot and add onion, potato, garlic, bay leaf, and marjoram. Saute over high heat until potato and onion begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, cook for 1 minute. Add peppers, paprika, 1 tsp salt. Pour in water or stock and scrape bottom of pot. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer partially covered 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, blend soup until smooth. Add salt and pepper if needed, then add a teaspoon or so of vinegar. Serve with croutons and chopped marjoram.

Crisp polenta croutons

2 cups cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp salt

Bring 6 cups water to boil. Add salt, gradually add cornmeal while stirring to prevent lumps. Lower heat and cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often. When done, pour into a sheet pan, spread to an even thickness, and cool. Once firm, cube the polenta. Heat an inch of oil in a skillet until hot. Add several cubes, frying until crisp. Remove to paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

Farm Share Newsletter August 31 2019

Peak tomato

It’s almost September and in the garden we are at the tail end of our planting. Just a few hardy greens remain to be planted, such as spinach and arugula. As temperatures moderate, cool weather crops, such as broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, beets, escarole, and carrots, breathe a sigh of relief. Their growth is slower during hot weather and speeds up when it is cooler. It seems counter intuitive but these crops get planted during the hottest part of the summer. It is important to have them already established once this cool weather arrives, because the amount of daylight is decreasing, so they only have about a month to do some serious growth. Warm weather crops keep chugging along, I regret that I chose a poor place to grow the last crop of summer squash which is why you have seen such small amounts of it this month. I think we will have tomatoes for at least another two to three weeks. The plants are showing some early blight, which is normal for us. Also, once the night temperatures are regularly in the 40s, tomatoes lose some of their flavor (like when you put a tomato in the refrigerator).

Picking garden flood

Last Wednesday the picking garden flooded for a few hours. Make sure anything you intend to eat from the lower garden gets washed thoroughly! -Aaron

Vegetables

Melon Potatoes Eggplant, squash or cucumber Peppers Tokyo Bekana Tomatoes Garlic

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers: Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Tomato Tart

dough:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

6 tbsp ice water

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Add butter and mix until butter pieces are pea sized. Add ice water and mix until dough forms. Shape into a disc, wrap and chill at least 30 mins.

topping:

1 1/2 lbs tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

black pepper

1 cup grated Gruyere

Cut tomatoes into 1/2” slices, set in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes.

filling:

1 1/2 cups fromage frais or whole milk ricotta

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp minced basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/3 cup Parmesan

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

cayenne

If using fromage frais, mix all ingredients by hand. If using ricotta, mix all except herbs in a blender or food processor until smooth then stir in herbs. Heat oven to 400, roll dough to a 14” circle for a 10” tart pan. You could make this like a galette and use a baking sheet and fold the edge over. Spread filling on dough, leaving a 2 inch border, then add tomatoes, garlic and black pepper. Fold border over to make a crust. Bake 15 minutes, then sprinkle with Gruyere. Bake for 20-30 minutes longer. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, allowing it to cool before serving. from DavidLebovitz.com

Tokyo Bekana spring rolls

1 can coconut milk

6 oz boneless chicken breast

1 bunch Tokyo Bekana, shredded; reserve largest leaves

2 scallions thinly sliced

4 carrots, grated

10 basil leaves, julienned

10 mint leaves, julienned

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp honey

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

10 rice paper wrappers

peanut or ponzu sauce for dipping

In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk and chicken and bring to a simmer. Poach until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cool in liquid. Remove and shred, discard liquid. Combine chicken, shredded Tokyo bekana, scallions, carrots, basil, and mint. Combine vinegar, oil, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and sesame oil, then pour over filling. Chill 1 hour. When ready to serve, lay reserved leaves on work surface. Divide filling between leaves and roll each into a bundle. Fill pie plate with cold water. Dip one rice paper into the water then lay on smooth surface. Put vegetable bundle in center, wrap it up and set aside in a covered container. Serve immediately with dipping sauce. from nesfp.org

Farm Share Newsletter August 21 2019

Meat & Winter Share

Maybe it seems a little early to be thinking about winter, but I figured I’d highlight our three our cold season offerings for the 2019-2020 season. New this year, we are offering a meat share that will run from December through March. It’s an every other week share of Laughing Earth beef, pork, and chicken. This will come as a pre assembled box, so it’s going to be a mix of different cuts. Pickup is on-farm or at the Troy farmer’s market. Thanksgiving share is a stand-alone share. It’s usually a mix of late season greens, roots, onions, garlic, squash and pumpkins. The brussels sprouts are looking especially good this year! We are also offering a winter vegetable share again. This year, we are offering a 15 lb share size, and it is going to be free choice as we have done in the past. I expect that we will have potatoes, onions, shallots, winter squash of several kinds, carrots, rutabaga, garlic, turnips, beets, daikon, cabbage, and watermelon radish, though it is subject to vary from date to date. Signup forms are available with complete details. Space is limited for all of these shares.

Our potato harvest is going to be within the next few weeks, we will have a date for it soon. It’s a good opportunity to get involved with the farm. -Aaron

Vegetables

Melon Potatoes or Carrot Squash or Cucumber Pepper or Eggplant Lettuce or Choi Tomatoes Onion

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Spanish Ratatouille (Pisto Manchego)

12 oz zuccchini, 1/2” cubes

3/4 tsp cumin

1 lb eggplant, cubed

1 1/2 tsp oregano

8 tbsp olive oil, divided

14 oz diced tomatoes

1 large onion, quartered and sliced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 sweet peppers, 1/2 inch pieces

2 oz Manchego cheese

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Toss eggplant with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, add 6 tbsp oil. Cook eggplant in a single layer until golden, 3-5 mins. Cover, reduce heat a bit, until tender, 3-5 minutes, stirring every so often. Remove. Add 1 tbsp oil, increase heat to med-high. Add zucchini, cook undisturbed 4 mins. Stir and cook until browned on all sides. Remove. Add 1 tbsp oil, onion and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 3-5 mins, then add peppers, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Cover and cook, stirring until peppers soften, 3-5 mins. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, cook 30 seconds, then tomatoes, cover, simmer over medium heat 5-7 minutes. Lower heat, add zucchini and eggplant. Stir in parsley, transfer to platter, top with shaved cheese. from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street via members Rob & Jen Limoges

Baked orzo with eggplant & mozzarella

1 lb eggplant, 3/4” dice

1 tsp tomato paste

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cup veg or chicken stock

1 carrot, 1/4” dice

1-3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

1 celery stalk, 1/4” dice

1 tsp lemon zest or more to taste

1 onion, diced

4 oz mozzarella, 1/3” dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup parmesan, grated

8 oz orzo

3 tomatoes, diced

If your eggplant isn’t fresh, salt and drain it for 1/2 hour. Heat oven to 350, and a large pan over medium high. Add oil and eggplant. Fry 8 minutes, then remove. Add celery and carrots, cook 3 minutes, then add onion and garlic, cook 5 more minutes. Stir in orzo, tomato paste, cook 2 more minutes. Off heat, add all other ingredients including eggplant and 1 tsp salt and pepper, mix well. Tip into 2 quart baking dish, cover and bake 20 minutes, then another 20 minutes without the foil. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Smitten Kitchen

Cantaloupe Soup

3 cups cubed melon

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/8 tsp powdered ginger

zest of 1 lime

1 tsp honey

2-3 mint leaves

2-3 basil leaves (optional)

pinch salt

Combine in blender, blend until smooth. Serve cold. Serves 2. from member Chris Kelly

Farm Share Newsletter August 14 2019

August weeds

It’s mid August, and in the garden, we are spending about half of our time harvesting. There are still seedlings to transplant, but their numbers are dwindling, because in two months from now, we’ll be in the middle of October. August is notorious for weeds, because if you’ve put off weeding until now, those weeds are probably five feet tall with roots so deep they’ll pull out half the garden with them! Thanks to the hard work of our interns and a 70 year old cultivating tractor, we have avoided that scenario. The weeds seem to know, though, that their time is waning, and they seem to put extra effort into producing great quantities of seed this time of year.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green heirloom tomato

A tomato that’s ripe AND green! One of our all time favorites, I think Aunt Ruby’s German Green is best used raw. I like it in salsa, or in sandwiches, or just on its own. Tart and tangy, it is a delight. Color is most vibrant when uncooked, when cooked it is still tasty but not as pretty. Don’t use for fried green tomatoes, it will turn to mush.

Celery

I’ve been hemming and hawing about whether to harvest celery this week and I decided why wait? We are giving you the whole plant, which includes the tender heart, the central light colored stalks, and the darker outer stalks. These outer stalks have great flavor and most aren’t too tough for using raw. I found two tasty stir fry recipes that use lots of celery, in case you’re having trouble using it. Celery also freezes well, just slice and bag it up. It won’t have the same texture, but is good for cooking. Mirepoix! - Aaron

Vegetables

Melon Celery Squash or Cucumber Pepper or Eggplant Carrots Tomatoes Garlic Lettuce

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Pasta with roasted tomatoes, grilled eggplant and smoked cheese

1-2 lbs eggplant

fresh ground pepper

2 1/2 lbs tomatoes

3/4 cup red wine

1/2 large onion

parsley to taste

1 clove garlic

4 oz smoked Provola or Mozzarella (cut in 1/4” dice)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 lb fusilli or other pasta

Slice eggplant 1/2” thick, sprinkle with salt on both sides. Leave 1/2 hour then squeeze out excess water. Brush lightly with olive oil. Grill over hot coals a few minutes on each side, until browned and tender. Cut into bite size strips. Core and quarter the tomatoes, lay on baking sheet skin down, and roast at 375 for 30-45 minutes until browning on the edges. Scoop out pulp, reserve. Chop onion and garlic, sauté in 1 tbsp olive oil until they begin to color. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano and wine. Simmer until you have a medium thick sauce. Cook fusilli, drain. Toss fusilli with sauce, eggplant strips, and smoked cheese cubes. Serve sprinkled with parsley. The Vegetarian Epicure (web), Anna Thomas

Gazpacho Andaluz

3 lbs tomatoes

2 tsp salt

3 medium bell peppers

black pepper

2 medium cucumbers

1 tsp sugar, if needed

1 onion

1 cup water

2 oz bread, crusts removed

2-3 tsp chopped garlic

1/3 cup fruity olive oil

5 tbsp sherry vinegar

garnishes:

diced bell pepper

diced cucumber

cherry tomatoes, halved

Blanch tomatoes in boiling water, peel, core, coarsely chop. Chop bell peppers, peel, seed and slice cucumbers. Chop onion and taste- if it is too hot to eat raw, only use some of it. Cut bread into chunks, soak in water until soft, then squeeze out excess. Mix all together in large bowl, then puree in blender, working in batches. Puree to desired texture. Taste and add more salt, vinegar, or sugar until piquant but well balanced. Chill thoroughly. Serve with garnishes and extra olive oil. The Vegetarian Epicure (web), Anna Thomas

Celery stir fry

2 tbsp oil

3 small dried chile peppers, broken in half (or 1/8 tsp red chili flakes)

4 cups julienned celery (2 inch long pieces)

1-2 tbsp soy sauce

a few drops sesame oil (opt)

Heat oil and chiles over high heat until chiles become fragrant. Add celery and stir fry 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, stir fry 1 minute. Add sesame oil if using. Serve hot or at room temperature. from simplyrecipes.com

Stir fried celery in meat sauce

1 bunch celery

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce

1 tbsp dry sherry

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 cup canola or peanut oil

1 clove garlic, lightly crushed

2 tsp minced ginger

1/4 lb ground pork

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp sesame oil

Remove strings from outer celery stalks. Trim leaves, slice stalks into 1/4 by 1 1/2 inch sticks. Combine soy sauce, hot sauce, sherry, sugar. Heat wok over high, add 2 tbsp oil, celery, cook 1 minute. Remove celery. Reheat, add 2 tbsp oil, garlic, then ginger, pork, stirring to break up. Add sauce mixture, return celery to pan, toss. Add stock, cover, steam 2 minutes medium-low heat. Uncover, increase heat to high, stir until liquid has evaporated. Add sesame oil, toss well. Discard garlic clove. from wednesdaychef.typepad.com

Farm Share Newsletter August 7 2019

What is an heirloom?

Once unknown except to gardeners and farmers, heirloom vegetables are in the spotlight these days. Even Price Chopper is selling “heirloom tomatoes”. So what makes them different? One important difference is that an heirloom must be open pollinated, which means that it is a stable, self replicating population. In contrast, hybrid vegetables are the result of a cross between two specific parent lines. Their seeds will not produce plants similar to the hybrid. Heirlooms are usually older varieties introduced before WWII, or recent stabilized crosses of older varieties. They tend to exhibit wildly different colors, tastes, and shapes, with little standardization. Sometimes they suffer from cosmetic defects and uneven ripening when compared with hybrids, but the flavor makes up for these shortcomings.

Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato

This is typically the first of the heirloom tomatoes of the year. Cherokee Purple is a very dark maroon on the bottom, with green around the top. When cut, the flesh is dark red with contrasting green. They have a good balance of sweet and tart with a little smokiness. Best used raw, but would add complexity to a sauce along with a good deal of water to cook off.

Rossa Lunga di Tropea onion

The name means red long from Tropea, and this is indeed an elongated red onion. It has a mild flavor and is good used raw, but also can be cooked. It is a good candidate for grilling, whether skewered or just cut in half. The long shape makes it ideal for cutting into evenly sized rounds. These onions have not been fully cured yet, so I recommend removing the tops and storing in the refrigerator if you won’t use them within a week. -Aaron

Vegetables

Melon Cucumbers or Peppers Eggplant or Zucchini Carrots Tomatoes Rossa di Lunga Onions Lettuce

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Flowers Bachelor’s Button, Nasturtium, Snap Dragon, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea, Nigella, Zinnia

Chilled carrot soup with tarragon

2 tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup white rice

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

1 lb carrots, sliced

salt, pepper

3 cups chicken broth

sugar

1/2 cup white wine

Heat oil in large pan. Add onion, sauté 3-4 minutes until soft. Add carrots, 2 cups broth, wine, rice, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered until carrots are completely soft, about 45 minutes. Cool briefly. Puree in blender, return to pot, add remaining broth, taste and season adding a little sugar if needed. Chill before serving or reheat to serve hot. Garnish with sprigs of fresh tarragon. Serving up the harvest by Andrea Chesman

Panzanella

Heat oven to 350. Spread on a baking sheet:

5 cups 1 inch cubes of crusty bread Bake until browned, 10-15 minutes.

Whisk together:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp minced fresh parsley

1 tsp minced garlic

salt, cracked black pepper

Toss the croutons in a salad bowl with:

2 cucumbers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/3 cup pitted halved black olives

1/3 cup torn basil leaves

Add dressing and toss well. Remove to large platter or bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan shavings. from The Joy of Cooking

Farm Share Newsletter July 31 2019

Pesto Time

This time of year, when it’s hot and humid, I keep an eye out for signs of disease. Tomatoes are very susceptible to fungal diseases, and in the past I have used copper based fungicides to control blight. This year I am trying out some of the newer bio fungicides that are derived from giant knotweed (the invasive plant found along stream banks) and bacteria. They are much safer for the applicator and also have no “re-entry interval” after use. So far the plants look healthy.

Basil is in your share this week. You can store it in the refrigerator, in the crisper drawer, but not in the coldest spot of your fridge. It can also be stored in a vase of water on the countertop. A quick and easy way to preserve basil for the winter is to simply puree it with a bit of olive oil, then freeze into cubes. Look out for a pesto recipe in Annie’s monthly newsletter.

At our Pesto Party, we made a Sicilian style pesto (Pesto a la Trapanese), a tomato based pesto that we found delicious. To preserve the green color, quickly blanch the leaves in simmering water, then cool in ice water. We also found that pesto made in a mortar was the most flavorful version- versus a food processor or knife.

-Aaron

Vegetables

Basil Cucumbers Kale Potatoes Yellow Squash/Zucchini Tomatoes Sweet or Red Onions

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil Flowers Bachelor’s Button, Nasturtium, Fancy Pants Daisy, Cerinthe, Snap Dragon, Sweet Pea, Shasta Daisy, Dahlia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Dyer’s Coreopsis, Echinacea

Fattoush (toasted pita with veg & herbs)

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, diced

2 7” pita breads

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, finely diced

1 small green pepper, diced

1/3 cup chopped parsley

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tbsp chopped mint

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 tsp ground sumac (optional)

Put cucumber in colander, toss with 1 tsp salt, set aside to drain. Heat oven to 350, open breads, bake until crisp and light brown, about 10 minutes. Break into bite size pieces. Press excess water from cucumber, rinse quickly, blot dry. Put in bowl with rest of vegetables and herbs. Shake together oil, lemon juice, garlic, sumac and 1/4 tsp salt. Add to salad, toss, add bread, toss again.

Chile lime chicken tacos with zucchini

6 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved and sliced

1 lb boneless skinless breasts, cut into thin strips

3-4 tbsp lime juice

2-4 tsp minced chipotle en adobo

4 tbsp olive oil

2 ripe tomatoes, seeded & diced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

flour or corn tortillas

sour cream

lime wedges

Combine squash and salt in colander, drain 30 minutes. Combine chicken, lime juice, chipotle. Set aside 20 minutes. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large skillet over medium high. Add chicken and marinade, cook about 4 minutes until no longer pink. Remove and set aside and keep warm. Add remaining oil to pan over high heat. Blot excess moisture from squash and add to pan along with the onion. Saute about 5 minutes. Add in chicken with juices, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic and cook about 5 minutes. Season to taste. Serve with warm tortillas, sour cream and lime wedges. from Serving up the harvest by Andrea Chesman

Yogurt soup with crushed nuts and garlic

1 qt yogurt, drained 25 minutes

1 1/2 cups milk or buttermilk

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup walnuts, pine nuts or almonds

2 cucumbers, peeled

1 tbsp best quality olive oil

few drops lemon juice

4-6 mint sprigs, for garnish

Combine yogurt and buttermilk in a bowl. Pound nuts with the garlic in a mortar with some salt. Add a little yogurt to loosen the mixture as you work. Cut cucumbers in half, scrape out seeds, finely dice. Stir cucumber, garlic-nut mixture and oil into the yogurt. Taste for salt and add pepper and lemon juice. Chill well and serve with mint sprigs. from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Farm Share Newsletter July 20 2019

First garlic, last cabbage

Yes, it’s the third week in a row we are giving out cabbage. But it’s the last for awhile (probably until September/October). Cabbage will keep in your fridge for 1-2 months if in a bag. This week we are also giving out some of the freshly harvested garlic. This garlic is uncured, so keep it in the fridge. Uncured garlic really means garlic that has not been dried. When you use it, you’ll find that there is a hard layer encasing the cloves; this would eventually dry out and become papery. Just peel it off and use the cloves as you would any garlic.

Broccolini is in your share this week. It’s a cross between Chinese broccoli and European broccoli that has very tender and sweet stems, leaves and buds. The entire plant is edible and can be sautéed or stir fried.

Farm Tour

Join us at 10:00 AM on 7/27 for a guided farm tour. This is open to the public and will be a walking tour. The tour will be tailored to the interests of the attendees.

Pesto Party

Come learn to make pesto! We will make the classic and a few non-traditional types of pesto, using food processors and a mortar and pestle, then taste them all on some good bread! Potluck to follow. -Aaron

Vegetables

Green Beans or Cucumbers Lettuce Carrots or Beets Yellow Squash/Zucchini Cabbage Garlic Broccolini

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil Flowers Bachelor’s Button, Nasturtium, Fancy Pants Daisy, Cerinthe, Snap Dragon, Sweet Pea, Shasta Daisy, Poppies

Macaroni & Cheese Lite

1/2 lb dry pasta

2 tbsp butter

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced

4 cups shredded cabbage, about 1/2 head (you could add some broccolini to this as well)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 lb cottage cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt

2 tbsp fresh dill, minced

2 cups grated cheddar

handful sunflower seeds

Heat oven to 350, grease a 9x13 pan. Cook pasta until just tender, drain and dump in large bowl. Melt butter in a large deep skillet, add onions, cook 5 minutes. Add garlic, mushrooms, cabbage, salt and caraway. Cook covered until cabbage is just tender. Add to pasta. Stir in cottage cheese, buttermilk, dill, pepper, and half the cheese. Add more salt if needed, spread into pan, top with remaining cheese and sunflower seeds. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes. from The Moosewood Cookbook

Zucchini- Crusted Pizza

2 cups packed grated zucchini

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/2 cup grated parmesan

fresh herbs

2 tbsp olive oil

Heat oven to 400, oil and flour a 10 inch pie pan. Combine zucchini, eggs, flour, cheeses and herbs and 1 tbsp olive oil; mix well. Spread into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes. Remove to cool a few minutes, then loosen from pan. Top with your favorite toppings, bake at 400 until heated through. from The Moosewood Cookbook

Cabbage Salad with peanuts

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup plus 1 T rice vinegar

3 tbsp brown sugar or honey

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

7-8 cups shredded cabbage

crushed red pepper to taste

garnish: 1/2 cup peanuts

grated carrots

fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, mash peanut butter and hot water until uniform. Mix in vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce and sesame oil. Add cabbage in 2 cup increments, mixing well after each addition. Add red pepper to taste. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate 4 hours. Add garnishes right before serving. adapted from Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen

Farm Share Newsletter July 9, 2019

The July Garden

Early to mid July is a very distinct time in the garden. We’ve started to get some hot days, and the soil dries out between rains. Lots of plants have green fruits- the melons, peppers, tomatoes- that are using this heat to ripen. I’m going to head off the tomato question by saying it will be a few weeks before you get them in your share. (I won’t be any more specific than that!) So far the “peak summer” crops look healthy and vigorous. This year I’ve planted more zucchini than yellow squash since it seems to disappear faster. It’s also easier to harvest since the plants are more open, so that means fewer scratched arms for us! Last year’s problem with onion thrips appears to be a non-issue this season. The onions are now enlarging their bulbs, and we will probably give out the first sweet onions in a few weeks.

Fennel (Anise, Florence Fennel)

What to do with this anise flavored vegetable that looks like a flattened onion? The bottom is the part you eat; the stalks are usually not used, but you can use the leaves. For using raw, it’s best to slice the bulb very thin across the grain. If you’re going to cook it, make thicker slices. Cooking mellows the anise flavor, becoming soft and sweet. It pairs well with Italian sausage, makes a good pizza topping, or, if you want to try something really good, makes a delicious pesto (recipe on back). -Aaron

Vegetables

Green Beans or Cucumbers Lettuce Carrots Yellow Squash/Zucchini Cabbage Scallions Fennel

Herbs

Upper Garden: Mint, Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage, lemon balm

Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory, cutting celery, Borage, Basil

Okonomiyaki

Half a small head of cabbage

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/2 cup water

9 slices bacon (optional, I usually don’t add it)

other shredded/diced vegetables (onion, carrot, garlic)

Finely shred the cabbage and combine with the scallions and flour and toss to distribute everything evenly. I usually mix it with my hands. Add eggs and water and whisk together until it’s all evenly incorporated. If you want to add other ingredients, this is the time to add them. Lay out the bacon in a cold pan, overlapping the slices slightly. If you aren’t using bacon then add a few tablespoons of oil. Add enough of the cabbage mixture to cover the bacon about 3/4 inch thick. Cover with a lid and cook until well browned, 7 minutes. Flip the okonomiyaki and cook uncovered another 7 minutes. I like this with tamari or a mixture of tamari, rice vinegar and sesame oil.

Roasted Fennel Pesto

1 cup chopped fennel bulb

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds

3/4 cup fennel fronds

2 cloves garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400. On a rimmed baking sheet toss fennel with a little olive oil and roast, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 12 mins. Meanwhile, scatter almonds on another sheet and toast 5 minutes. Let both cool a bit. In a food processor or blender, pulse fennel, fronds, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil until pureed.Add almonds and 1/4 cup oil, season with salt and pulse to combine. Add remaining oil and pulse. from Serious Eats (Daniel Gritzer)

Zucchini Fritters

1 lb grated zucchini

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

1 large egg

1/2 cup flour

3 scallions, minced

1 tsp minced thyme

1 tsp minced basil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup oil

Salt and drain zucchini with 1 tsp salt for 10 minutes, then press out excess water. Wrap in a towel and squeeze out water. Mix sour cream, garlic, zest, juice and pinch salt to make sauce. Mix squash with egg, flour, scallions, herbs, zest, salt and pepper in large bowl. Heat oil in large skillet until hot. Drop tablespoons of batter, flatten slightly, brown on both sides. Serve with dipping sauce. Can be reheated under the broiler. adapted from simply recipes.com