Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 15

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9-18-18

Large shares: Charentais melon, chard, cauliflower, eggplant, yellow onions, Austrian crescent fingerling potatoes, kohlrabi, beets, garlic, cilantro

Small shares: Charentais melon, cauliflower or kohlrabi, eggplant, yellow onion, red or fingerling potatoes, beets, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro

Green shares: perpetual spinach, red cabbage, lettuce

Roots shares: daikon radish bunch, parsley root, red carrots

Juicing shares: red kale, Charentais melon, chard, Italian parsley, carrot seconds, green cabbage

 

Dear CSA members,

Hello from an absolutely gorgeous fall day. Today besides CSA and deliveries we are finishing up our big winter squash harvest. Sometimes it can be a really fun group harvest for the crew while we all work to toss squashes to each other chain-gang style to fill the big bins on the tractor forks.

Today we brought in several tons of winter squash of many varieties! We will store the squash in our storage barn where it will stay warm and cozy and safe from rain and frosts. In the next several weeks it will cure and sweeten up for our fall and winter enjoyment.

Charentais Melon: A true French cantaloupe that originated in the Poitou-Charentes region circa 1920. Considered by many to be the most divine and flavorful melon in the world. Smooth round melons mature to a creamy gray or golden with faint ribs. Sweet, juicy, orange flesh with a heavenly fragrance. Store dry on the countertop until ready to eat, they don’t hold for long and so asap is best. . Small cracks are ok and just represent true ripeness. These are heirlooms that have been bred for flavor and not convenient pack ability for grocery stores.

Perpetual spinach: Perpetual spinach is actually a chard (beet family) but is very similar to true spinach in flavor. We prefer it as it is much easier to grow and far more vigorous than true spinach. It also has the advantage of constantly producing a new crop when picked and so is ideally suited to gardening in a small space. It’s a biennial that is grown as an annual for its big crinkly leaves. The stalks are red or white with large, dark green leaves that can be used as lettuce or spinach is used.

Daikon Radish: these long white winter radishes are primarily grown in Southeast and East Asia. Daikon is characterized by large, rapidly growing leaves and a long, white root. It is technically considered a cruciferous vegetable, and therefore has many of the same benefits in its leaves as those other popular vegetables. It is also praised for the nutrient content of its root, which is commonly pickled and eaten as a vegetable in Japan, China, and other Asian countries as a part of their cuisine. Daikon is also commonly used in diced form as an ingredient in soups, salads, curries, rice dishes, and various condiments, while the leaves are often consumed as typical green salad vegetable. The juice is most commonly marketed as a healthy beverage for a wide range of conditions. Daikon is extremely high in nutrients and antioxidants and low in calories.

Hope you all have a great week,

Asha

 

 

Charentais Melon Salad: In a small bowl combine 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Halve and seed a large Charentais melon, then slice into 1-inch thick wedges. Arrange the melon slices over 6 salad plates. Top melon slices with a slice of Prosciutto di San Daniele, scatter basil leaves on top and dress with the balsamic vinaigrette and freshly ground black pepper. From thecooksatelier.com

Melon smoothie:     1 (1-1/4 pound) Charentais melon 1-cup low fat vanilla yogurt 1 teaspoon lemon juice ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom (or cinnamon or nutmeg) Peel and seed melon. Chop into large chunks. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (don’t freeze completely). Place the yogurt in a blender. Place the chilled melon chunks on top of the yogurt. Add lemon juice and cardamom. Blend until frothy. Chill until ready to serve.

Spicy Cantaloupe Salad adapted from The Splendid Table’s How to Eat   1 medium and very ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into strips 2 limes, zested and juiced 1-2 tablespoons sugar 2 drops Asian fish sauce Dash of cayenne pepper, or 2 dashes if you’re serious Salt and pepper to taste. Put everything in a bowl. Stir! Refrigerate for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.

Peach and Tomato pasta: Prepare 12oz of spaghetti or linguine according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the spaghetti cooking liquid. Drain spaghetti and return to pot. Keep warm. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook 3 cloves of thinly sliced garlic in 1 tbsp hot oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1-pint cherry tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add 2 lbs of pitted and sliced peaches. Cook for 4 minutes or more until peaches are just soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in ½ cup halved, pitted kalamata olives, 1/3 cup chopped basil leaves, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, 1/8 tsp black pepper; heat through. Add Peach mixture to cooked spaghetti along with reserved spaghetti cooking water. Toss to combine, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with slivered toasted almonds. From Better Homes and Gardens August 2010 issue.  

Sautéed Daikon Greens with Onion, Garlic and Lemon 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 onion, cut in thin half-moons pinch of sea salt 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped small 3 bunches daikon greens (1 bunch is the amount from 1 radish), washed and chopped a few slices of fresh lemon 1.  Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the oil. Add the onion and sea salt as soon as a little piece gently sizzles in the oil. Sauté, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until onion starts getting translucent.   2.  Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 3.  Add the daikon greens and stir until the greens get coated with the oil and onions. Add a Tbsp or two of water. Cover and let cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. 4.  Remove from heat. Add squeezes of lemon juice when serving.

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice: Cut 1 lb of cauliflower into peices and put in a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. Into a medium skillet over medium heat add 1 tsp olive oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, then cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper and fresh squeezed lime juice to taste. Heat for 5 to 10 minutes ( fluff with a fork). You just want to heat it not burn. Once cauliflower is heated add 1/2 to 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro, mix and enjoy.

Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Dressing: Cut one large eggplant into ½ inch dice. Place in a steamer basket and steam until the cubes are tender and silky but still hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cayenne, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cold water, and 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley. Stir the dressing into the eggplant, 1 tbsp at a time, until the eggplant is evenly coated but not drowning in dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with parsley.

 

Perpetual Spinach Salad: Chop 1 bunch chard, 4 cups perpetual spinach, shred 3 medium carrots, ¼ head of red cabbage, ¼ of a sweet onion. Toss together with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Toast ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds. Add spicy herb salad dressing (see below) and top salads with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Smoky Eggplant Raita: Heat your grill t o 450 to 550 degrees with an area left clear or turned off for indirect heat. Peirce 1 lb of eggplant in several places with a knife. Grill Eggplant over indirect heat, covered, until very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to touch. Meanwhile, toast about ½ tsp of cumin in a small dry frying pan over med. Heat until fragrant and beginning to darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Pound fine with a motar and pestle. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in pan over medium heat. Saute ¼ large onion for 3 minutes. Add 1 lg minced garlic clove and continue to sauté until both are softened, about 2 min more. Let cool slightly. Slit the eggplant lengthwise and scrape flesh from the skin. Chop flesh coarsely and set aside. Combine 1 cup whole milk yogurt, the onion mixture, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, ¼ tsp sugar. Add eggplant and stir gently. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and cayenne pepper. Garnish with a little more cilantro. From the September 2010 issue of Sunset

Swiss Chard Quesadillas: Wash but do not dry 1 bunch of chard. Cut off the stems and slice them 1/4 inch thick; cut the leaves into 1/4 inch ribbons. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup finely chopped scallion and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 3 min. Add the chard stems and cook, stirring often, until they are tender but retain a slight bite, 6 to 8 min. Add the leaves and cook, stirring, until they wilt and become quite tender, 3 to 5 min. For each quesadilla, spread 1 tbsp sour cream on a flour tortilla. Top with 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, 1/4 of the chard mixture, and 1/4 cup Cotija. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, and a dash of hot sauce. Squeeze lime juice over the top. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling. Brush a large skillet with vegetabl oil and place over medium heat. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook, turning once, until the tortilla is golden on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes total. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 10

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8-14-18

Large shares: beets, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, yellow finn potato, padron peppers, romano beans, sungold cherry tomatoes, eggplant, red tomato, basil

Small shares: Beets, lettuce, bell pepper, cucumber, green beans, red tomatoes, basil, eggplant, garlic, Italian plums

greens shares: dandelion greens, lacinato kale

roots shares: gold beets, mixed potato, yellow onions

juicing shares: beets, kale, cucumbers, bell peppers, basil, dill

Dear CSA members,

The weekend of overcast and wet was a nice break in all this heat and smoke. The smoke is intense but I do appreciate the red and orange haze over the sun caused by our smokey skies. It is quite pretty.

Some changes have been occuring, one being, we have a new pack shed manager as of this week! He jumped right into our longest harvest and packing day, which is Mondays, so props to him. Some new crops this week are romano beans, padron peppers and sungolds. Romano beans are one of my favorites vegetables and I cannot wait to snack on them.

The small shares are getting Italian plums today. While these are delicious fresh, I like to scavenge all the dropped plums off the ground and dry them for winter eating! Also in the small share box is red beets, red leaf lettuce, slicing cucumber, eggplant, green beans, bell pepper, garlic, red tomato, and basil. This is a summer medley and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did packing it. It looks beautiful.

The large shares really has a lot going on! Today’s share has red beets, red leaf lettuce, romano beans, sungold tomatoes, eggplant, slicing cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, red tomato, bell pepper, basil and padrone peppers. The padrone peppers can be gently sauted in olive oil similiar to a shishito pepper. They are meant to be mild but we’ve found often they can be spicy. So, heads up.

A couple of things :

The field tomatoes are just getting started. They have been looking beautiful and so not too many blemishes yet for those of you waiting on seconds. The bulk tomato orders WILL be coming your way if you ordered them as we have availabilty! Hopefully for next week. Thank you all who did order seconds, it really helps us out and gets you prepared for winter eating! More and more tomatoes will start rolling in, for those of you who haven’t ordered, there’s still lots of time.

Sungold cherry tomatoes are bright tangerine orange cherry tomatoes that are citrusy and sweet with floral and grape notes. Considered by many to be the best cherry tomato, Sungolds are delicious raw in salads, grilled on skewers with other vegetables, or cooked into a relish or jam. Store cherry tomatoes at room temperature and use up within 3 or 4 days. Sungolds have a tendency to crack when ripe so watch out for that.

A friendly reminder to remember to return your boxes each week. If we don’t get those returned we could run short for the following week!

Hope you all enjoy this abundance.

Have a great week,

Asha

Baba Ganoush

Makes: approximately 1 1/2 cups 

• 1-2 medium sized eggplants sliced longways 1/2″
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon tahini
  
• 1 clove garlic
  
• 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
  
• 5 leaves of basil, chopped
  
• Salt + pepper (to taste)

1. Place eggplant on baking sheet and coat heavily with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees for approx. 25 minutes.
2. Once the eggplant has cooled, put into food processor or blender with other ingredients.
3. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with herbs and toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds, and serve with pita chips or bread.

Long Cooked Romano Beans with Pancetta

Serves: 4

• 1pound Romano beans
  
• 3 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes
  
• Olive oil
  
• sea salt
  
• Fresh ground black pepper
  
• 1teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  

1. Place a three quart enameled Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add a glug or two of oil and the pancetta while the pan is still cold. Render the fat from the pancetta and cook it till crispy but not overly so.
2. Add the Romano beans and stir them around to coat with the fat, season them with a good amount of salt, fresh ground pepper, and red pepper flakes if you choose. Cover the beans, reduce the heat to low and cook them for one hour occasionally removing the lid and giving them a stir.
3. The idea is to let the beans cook in their own juices, become tender but not mush. If you think they need a little water then add a tablespoon or two to the pan.
4. Serve the beans.

Blistered padron peppers: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until just smoking. add 1/2 lb of whole padron peppers; cook, tossing occasionally, until the skins are blistered and flesh is softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.

Sungold Tomato Caprese Salad: Combine 3 cups halved Sungold cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped Cherokee Purple tomato, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 3 oz. fresh mozzarella balls, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper. Mix gently and top with 1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves.

Basil-Blackberry Crumble: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2-3 apples, chopped, 2 pints blackberries, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 large handful of chopped basil leaves, ¼ cup of honey, or more depending on the tartness of the berries. Put all of this in an oven-proof dish, mix and set aside. Cut 1 stick of cold butter into 5 Tbsp flour and 3 heaping Tbsp brown sugar, then rub with your fingers to make a chunky, crumbly mixture. Sprinkle it over the top of the fruit, bake 30 minutes until golden and bubbly. (from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.)

Sesame ginger romano beans: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium high heat, heat 1 cup vegetable oil. Add 3 small shallots, thinly sliced, and fry, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 lb fresh romano beans (stem ends trimmed), with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, and 1 tsp salt to coat. Roast beans until tender but still green, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer beans to a serving dish and toss with sesame seeds. Top with reserved shallots.

Lemony pasta with cherry tomatoes: in a large bowl, whisk together the zest and juice of one large lemon, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ tsp sea salt and pepper to taste. Gently fold in ¼ cup finely chopped basil leaves, ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 4 cups halved cherry tomatoes, and set aside. Cook 1 lb penne pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and immediately place the pasta in the bowl on top of the tomato mixture. Let sit for 1 minute to soften the tomatoes, then toss until well combined. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp red pepper flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 8

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7-31-18

Large share: green beans, lacinato kale, butter head lettuce, green leaf lettuce, Walla Walla sweet onions, carrots, cucumbers, purple new potatoes, beets, cilantro, cherry tomatoes

Small share: green beans, lacinato kale, butter head lettuce, Walla Walla onion, cucumbers, purple new potato, beets, cilantro

Greens share: romaine hearts, Italian parsley, nasturium greens

Roots share: red new potatoes, red onions, garlic

Juicing share: carrot seconds, chard, Italian parsley, cucumbers, romaine hearts

Dear CSA members,

Another very hot week on the farm! We did some harvesting last Friday to try to beat the super hot days this weekend that we feared might toast our lettuce and greens in the field. I think the lettuce was better off chilling in the cooler all weekend than out there. We hit 98 degrees on Sunday!

I was very pleased with our fresh onion harvest this week. The Walla Wallas have sized up to gargantuan proportions this year. In fact, all the onions in the field are looking huge. One thing hot dry and windy weather is good for is curing onions in the field. As long as the bulbs are somewhat protected from sunburn we should be good to go.

We have harvested our first new potatoes this week! New potatoes have thin, wispy skins and a crisp, waxy texture. They are young potatoes and unlike their fully-grown counterparts, they keep their shape once cooked and cut. They are also sweeter because their sugar has not yet converted into starch, and are therefore particularly suited to salads. We have purple potatoes ready first this year.

You don’t need to peel new potatoes; just rinse to remove any dirt and cook whole. To boil, place potatoes into a pan of lightly salted water, bring to the boil, simmer until tender (about 10 minutes) and drain. Dress new potatoes as soon as they are cooked to help them absorb the flavor of the butter or oil. This would be an excellent week for a cold potato salad with green beans! Store new potatoes in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use up within a few days.

Greens shares received a bunch of nasturtium greens. This is the first year I have grown these as a crop. Both the flowers and leaves are edible. Nasturtium leaves are best suited for raw preparations and add a spicy or peppery flavor to dishes. They can be chopped and shredded into salads, used as the base for pesto, or chopped and combined with softened cheeses for spreads. The leaves can also be used as garnish atop savory muffins, mixed with chives in potato salads and omelets, and stuffed with rice and herbs for a take on Greek dolmas. Nasturtium leaves and blossoms can be added to a vinegar solution with a clove of garlic and left for four to five weeks to create a hot, pungent vinegar for salad dressings. They are also commonly boiled and used in tea. Nasturtium leaves pair well with aromatics such as garlic, chives, and onions, pine nuts, Dijon, dill, parsley, tarragon, capers, lemons, beets, microgreens, spinach, potatoes, and parmesan cheese. Nasturtium leaves will keep up to five days when stored fresh in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Thanks to everyone who ordered bulk basil and garlic this week! If you didn’t get your order in on time don’t worry, I’ll let you know next time we have basil available!

Have a great week,

Asha

Lemon Potato Soup with Feta: in a 4 quart dutch oven heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat, add 1 cup chopped onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in 4 cups chicken broth and 4 cups chopped potatoes. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in 2 cups chopped kale or spinach and 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until kale is wilted. Remove from heat. Stir in the juice and zest of one lemon and an additional tbsp of olive oil. Let stand for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with 2 oz crumbled feta cheese and additional lemon zest if desired. Serves 4.

 

Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Olive Dressing: Place 1 lb tiny new potatoes (halved or quartered if large) in a 4 qt dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add 1 lb thin green beans, stem ends trimmed. Cover, simmer 5 minutes or more or until potatoes and beans are just tender. Drain well. Meanwhile for Olive dressing; place ½ cup pimento stuffed green olives, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar, and ½ tsp pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Drizzle dressing over potatoes, green beans, and 1 12oz can solid white Albacore tuna, drained and broken into large chunks. Sprinkle with a bit of fresh thyme, and additional olives. Serve with lemon wedges.

Refrigerator Dilly Beans: place 2 pint sized canning jars and their lids in a pot of boiling water and heat for 1 minute. Lift out, drain and place on the counter. Divide 1 bunch fresh dill, 2 garlic cloves, peeled, 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds, 1 tsp dill seeds, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 lb green beans, ends trimmed between the 2 jars, packing beans in lengthwise. In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 1 1/3 cup water, 2 tbsp kosher salt, and 1 tbsp sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour boiling liquid over the green beans and seal. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate for 2 days before serving.

Thai Cucumber Salad: in a strainer, allow 3 thinly sliced cucumbers and 1 tsp Celtic sea salt to sit for 1 hour while water drains. Combine ½ cup finely chopped onion, ½ cup sesame oil, 2 Tbsp lime juice, 2 T fresh basil, finely chopped, and ½ tbsp fresh ginger, minced with the cucumbers in a mixing bowl and mix well.

Pesto Potato Salad 

4 pounds fingerling potatoes, quartered

1 pound green beans, cut into one-inch segments

1 to 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

2 bunches of basil (about one ounce each)

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

¨6 tablespoons (or more to taste)

mild vinegar, such as champagne, white wine or a white balsamic

1/4 cup chopped green scallions

1/2 cup pine nuts toasted

Parmesan cheese to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook four minutes longer. Drain well and let cool, then transfer potatoes and beans to a large bowl. Wash and dry the basil. Puree in a food processor with garlic, drizzling in enough olive oil that it gets saucy. Season the pesto with salt and pepper. Toss the beans and potatoes with pesto. Stir in vinegar, green onions, pine nuts and season with salt, pepper and/or additional vinegar to taste. Finally, shave some parmesan over the salad. Serve immediately, or make this up to two hours in advance. It can be stored at room temperature.

 

Cucumber Salad with caramelized onions and herbs: slice onions into ¼ inch thick slices (enough to yield 1 cup) and toss to separate into rings. Have a slotted spoon and double layer of paper towels ready. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil to 275 in a small, deep heavy saucepan and drop in onion rings. Cook onions, stirring often, until they turn a uniform light brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. They’ll brown faster toward the end, so be careful. Lift onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tsp onion oil for vinaigrette; let cool. For the vinaigrette: whisk together 1 tbsp each champagne and rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tp salt, and ½ tsp pepper together in a bowl until salt and vinegar dissolve. Add reserved onion oil and 1 tbsp minced onion and whisk well to blend. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice. Slice several fresh cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices with a knife. Toss cucumbers and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes with vinaigrette. Add 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, and 1 tbsp roughly chopped red or green shiso (optional). Arrange salad on a platter and top with finely diced mild cucumber pickles and fried onions.

NASTURTIUM LEAF SALAD (serves 2)

Ingredients

Cos lettuce, washed and torn
Cherry tomatoes, halved
2 sticks celery, sliced
5cm of a cucumber, thinly sliced
spring onions, chopped
a handful of fresh nasturtium leaves
1 Tbsp capers (optional)

Method

Toss the salad ingredients together and dress with a lemony vinagrette dressing.  Delicious with pizza.

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 6

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7-17-18

Large shares: Cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, purplette onions, shell peas, lettuce, fennel, summer squash/zuchinni, fresh garlic, dill

Small shares: green cabbage, beets, kohlrabi, snap peas, summer squash/zuchinni, lettuce, dill

Greens shares: green cabbage, lettuce, chard

Roots shares: carrots, fennel, purplette onions

Juicing share: carrot 2nds, red cabbage, chard, dill, fennel

 

Dear CSA members,

Well, we survived some pretty intense heat these last couple of days. Highs have been in the high nineties – and on the ground in the open field and inside the greenhouses it is much hotter than that.  I’m guessing 105 degrees or more. Yikes! The crew gets a shout out for working a very long day yesterday. That intense afternoon heat really takes it out of you. I am hoping for cooler temps in the next week.

We have harvested our first cauliflower of the year. It looks pretty nice though a bit smaller than usual for us. Next week the small shares should get cauliflower.

Bulb fennel is the large white bulb with abundant green fronds. From the same family as as the herb and seed of the same name, bulb fennel has an assertive anise like flavor, and is excellent shaved fresh into salads and roasted until caramelized. The fronds can be used in salads and as a garnish.

Purple Kohlrabi is part of the Cruciferous family of vegetables, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes. The word ‘Kohlrabi’ comes from the Germanic words for cabbage, ‘kohl’, and turnip, ‘rabi’. It was given its name for the close resemblance to both a cabbage, and a turnip, with its bulbous stem sitting on top of the ground. To eat you must peel off the slightly tough outer skin in order to enjoy the crisp sweet interior that is best eaten raw in slices with a dip or grated into a salad.

Summer squash is coming on strong with the heat. We harvested many hundreds of pounds yesterday. I tried to give everyone a generous portion without going overboard.

Peas are on their way out with this heat. We should have greeen beans soon though!

I have been seeing ripe cherry tomatoes as well of hints of color on the large tomatoes. The heat and warm nights is helping kick them into ripening mode.

The next month we will be entering into the peak of summer crops. Compsing the harvest list is so much fun this time of year and you can expect your shares to get a bit larger!

Have a great week,

 

Asha

Creamy Cauliflower Soup: In a soup pot saute in olive oil for 5 minutes: 1 chopped Walla Walla onion, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 large head cauliflower that has been broken into florets, 3 to 4 medium potatoes, cubed, 3 chopped carrots, 1 tsp caraway seeds. Simmer the veggies in just enough water to cover them, and cook until soft.  Puree the mixture until smooth. Return to the soup pot and add 1 cup milk, 2 cups grated sharp cheddar, salt to taste, and several tbsp chopped fresh dill. simmer very gently for 5 to 10 min more. Serve with toasted sourdough rye. (adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook)

Roasted Cauliflower: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Break 1 2 lb head of cauliflower into bite sized peices. Toss the cauliflower with 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 chopped cloves of garlic, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 2 tsp kosher salt and 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves and toss again. Roast until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Pickled Cabbage: Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Core a cabbage and chop into large pieces, you will need about 4 cups. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds, then drain in a colander. Let cool to room temperature. When cool enough to handle squeeze leaves to soften them and release some water. Meanwhile, combine3/4 cup vinegar, ½ cup sugar, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar, and pour into a bowl to cool. When cool, add the cabbage and toss to coat well. Pour all of this into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for 2 days, turning the jar occasionally to coat all the leaves with the brine. Serve cold.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry: Cook for 5 min in a saucepan of boiling water 1 2 to 3 lb cauliflower, cut into florets. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Add to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes: 2 medium potatoes (or equivalent ) that have been cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain well again; transfer to the bowl of cauliflower. Process in a food processor until minced: 1 large tart apple ( peeled, cored and sliced) 3 large garlic cloves, 1 2 inch peice of freh ginger, peeled and sliced, 2 hot chile peppers such as jalapeno (seeded and sliced). Then heat a large dutch oven over medium heat; 1/4 cup vegetable oil or ghee, add 2 medium coarsely chopped onions,  add the apple mixture and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened and starting to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add: 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tbsp all purpose flour. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly brown the curry powder and flour. Add: 1 14 oz can of unsweetened coconut milk, 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock, 1 tsp salt. Bring to gently boil over medium heat, then add the cauliflower and potatoes and add 1 16 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in, cover and cook until wilted 10 to 12 oz washed and chopped greens such as spinach, chard, turnip greens or kale. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked rice.

Beet salad: Scrub 2 to 3 large beets, place in a large pot and cover with water; boil until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 thinly sliced purplette onions to a medium sized bowl. Combine together in a saucepan ½ tsp ground cardamom, ½ cup red wine vinegar, 3 tbsp agave nectar, and 3 tsp salt; bring to a boil and pour over the onions. When the beets are cooked, strain them and allow to cool. Slice off the tops and tails and use your hands to slide off the peels and discard. Slice the whole beets into rounds, sticks or cubes, and place in a large serving bowl. Add the pickled onions, ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds, a handful of golden raisins, and a handful of arugula or dandelion greens. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste, toss and serve. (above recipes from the Olympia Food Co-op)

Lemony Fennel and Radish Salad: Wash 1 bunch of radishes and remove the green. Zest ½ of a lemon, and juice the whole thing. Put the zest in a salad bowl and toss with 3 thinly sliced scallions. Trim a fennel bulb and slice as thinly as possible. Quarter the radishes, and toss both with the lemon zest and scallions. Add the lemon juice and 5 tbsp olive oil and toss with salt and pepper to taste.

Honey Balsamic Beet Salad: place 2 lbs trimmed and scrubbed baby beets in a baking pan. Combine ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp olive oil; pour over the beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender. On a platter combine ½ cups cooked quinoa, 2 cups watercress or arugula, and the beets and roasting juices. Top with chopped fresh tarragon.(from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine November 2012)

Cabbage with dill and fresh peas: chop one small onion into half moons, heat 1 tbsp butter in a medium saute pan. Add in onions and a pinch of sea salt, allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Add in 8 cups shredded cabbage and another pinch of sea salt. Stir throughly to combine. Allow to cook for 6 to 8 minutes before adding in 1 cup fresh shell peas or snap peas with stems and strings removed. Cook another 5 to 8 minutes or until peas are cooked through and cabbage is wilted and a little browned. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted fennel with Parmesan: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 9 x 13 inch pan. Chop 2 large fennel bulbs into 1/3 inch slices and reserve some of the fronds. Place fennel bulb slices into the pan and cover with salt and pepper to taste, 4 tbsp olive oil, and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Roast until tender and golden brown about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to make about 2 tbsp and sprinkle over the roaste

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 5

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7-10-18

Large shares: French lavender, Italian parsley, lettuce, purplette onions, beets, snow peas, kohlrabi, summer squash

Small shares: French lavender, Italian parsley, purplette onions, carrots, shell peas

Greens share: turnips, lacinato kale, lettuce

Roots share: beets, carrots, turnips

Juicing share: green cabbage, carrot 2nds, beet 2nds, Italian parsley, lacinato kale

 

Hello everyone,

It has been a very busy start to our week at Wobbly Cart. We have been putting in some long hours as things are starting to ramp up a notch around here. We begin the add-on shares this week and also start twice weekly deliveries to our wholesale customers.

If you ordered an odd on share or juicing share you will find them at your dropsite in a separate box labeled with your name. Greens shares have a green dot, roots shares a red dot, and the juicing shares will have a blue dot.

Out in the fields the shell pea planting is coming on, garlic is almost all harvested and I saw and tasted ripening cherry tomatoes in the green house as well as the field! Also, the potatoes are flowering which means new potatoes in the near future.

I had the pleasure of harvesting the lavender rows yesterday! It is always one of my favorite jobs of the year to harvest and bunch the wonderfully fragrant flowers. These plants are over 6 years old and it is hard to believe- still producing!

French lavender: Both shares will receive a bunch of French lavender this week. You can keep the lavender as a flower arrangement, dry the blossoms and use it for teas and sachets, or cook with it. I have used lavender to make cookies, ice cream, and even for a honey lavender glaze for roast chicken. You can toss the stalks on the grill to add flavor and aroma to grilled meats. Lavender is a known medicinal herb with soothing and relaxing properties as well. I love this variety for its long full flower spikes and heady fragrance. Enjoy!

Shell peas: For those who don’t know the shell peas are the large, long, thick pods. You break these open to reveal the tiny little peas inside. Shell them out with your thumb into a bowl. 1 lb will get you about 1 cup of fresh peas. They are excellent just lightly steamed with a sea salt and butter. Overcooking may turn them to mush!

Italian parsley (which is also known as flat parsley or flat-leaf parsley) has dark flat leaves and slender stems, with a bright and slightly bitter flavor. Amazingly, the stems have more flavor and aroma than the leaves! Parsley stems are one of the traditional ingredients in the bouquet garni and sachet d’epices, which are used for flavoring stocks, soups and sauces. Parsley is also very nutritious and is very high in, iron, calcium, folate, and vitamin K, C and A.

Purplette onions: are a yummy and cute spring onion that is a nice change from scallions this time of year. You can cook them just like regular onions, roast them whole with your beets and garlic, add fresh to salads, or pickle them. The tops can be used like scallions but are a bit stronger in flavor.

Kohlrabi: this bulbous member of the same family as broccoli and cabbage is amazingly delicious when peeled. The inside is very tender, sweet and crisp. You can eat raw, grate it into a salad or slaw or saute with olive oil and garlic. greens are also edible and are good sauteed. You should separate the greens and store the root for a week or more, and greens for a couple of days.

Have a great week,

Asha

 

Italian Style Salsa Verde: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup coarsely chopped Italian Parsley, ¼ cup each coarsely chopped chives, fennel fronds, or dill, mint leaves, tarragon and shallots; 2 tbsp finely chopped capers; 2 tsp coarsely chopped sage leaves, and ¾ tsp kosher salt. Whisk in 1 ¼ cups fruity extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust salt. Chill overnight if possible, so flavors can marry. Makes 1 ¾ cups.

Lavender and Honey Roasted Chicken: In a non-reactive bowl combine; 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, 1 tsp fresh lavender, ½ cup honey, 1 ½ tsp fresh marjoram, 1 minced garlic clove. 1 minced shallot, ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar and stir thoroughly. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Season a whole roasting chicken with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Baste the chicken with the lavender honey mixture every 5 minutes or so for an additional 30 minutes or until completely cooked. The bird is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees. Do not overcook. Once finished you can brush additional marinade over the flesh and skin. (from food.com)

Tabbouleh: Cook 4 cups coarse bulgur or quinoa, and cool slightly. Combine bulgur or quinoa, 1 large grated carrot, 2 cups tightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves and 2 tbsp dried currants. In a jar combine, 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 large clove roasted garlic, 1/3 cup fresh mint, minced, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and ½ tsp sea salt. Shake well to blend. Pour the dressing over the bulgur mixture and toss to thoroughly coat the grains. Taste and add more olive oil, lemon juice, mint or salt as needed.

Kohlrabi Home Fries: Peel 1 ½ to 2 lbs kohlrabi and cut into thick sticks, about 1/3 to ½ inch wide and about 2 inches long. Heat 2 to 4 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil over med-high heat in a heavy skillet (cast iron is the best). Meanwhile, place 1 tbsp rice, chickpea or semolina flour in a large bowl, season with salt to taste and quickly toss the kohlrabi slices in the flour so that they are lightly coated. When the oil in rippling, carefully add the kohlrabi to the pan in batches so that the pan isn’t crowded. Cook on one side until browned. About 2 to 3 minutes. Then, using tongs, turn the pieces over to brown on the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. The procedure should only take about 5 minutes if there is enough oil in the pan. Drain on paper towels, then sprinkle right away with the seasoning of your choice ( chili powder, curry powder, cumin or paprika). Very satisfying and healthy! (from NY times).

Summer Squash, white bean, and pesto soup:

Saute chopped onion and cubed summer squash in olive oil with salt and pepper until tender. Add chicken or vegetable broth, drained and rinsed canned white beans, and chopped fresh oregano and parsley. Bring to simmer. Top with a dollop of homemade pesto.

Lavender Tea Cookies: Ahead of time: prepare lavender frosting and set aside: combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers, let sit for 1 day, then strain out the flowers and combine the powdered sugar with 2 tbsp milk, and 2 tsp corn syrup. Set the frosting aside. Then, with a mortar and pestle grind 1 tbsp dried lavender flowers. In a medium bowl cream together 1 cup butter at room temp, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp lemon extract. Add 2 cups flour and 1/8 tsp salt. Mix until combined. Dough should be together, but not sticky. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until firm. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from frig. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from pan and cool on wire cooling racks. When cool frost with lavender frosting. Makes 2 dozen.  (from whatscookingamerica.net)

 

Roasted Beet Crostini: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim greens from 1 bunch beets, reserving stems and greens. Place beets in a baking pan, cover with foil, and roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size of beets, uncover and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350. While beets cool, arrange 16 ½ inch slices of baguette in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, turning slices over once halfway through, until toasted but not browned, about 14 minutes. Thinly slice beet green stems and finely chop leaves; keep stems and leaves separate. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add greens, 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp water and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and liquid had evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ tsp salt and remove from heat. Peel cooled beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place ¾ cup beet pieces, 4 oz creamy goat cheese and ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth (reserve remaining beets for another use).  To assemble crostini, spread about 2 tsp beet-cheese spread on each slice of toasted baguette and top with sautéed greens. (lifescript.com)

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 3

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6-26-18

Large shares: 2 heads lettuce, mustard greens, fennel, turnip, sweet onions, scallions, beets, snow peas, garlic scapes, rosemary

Small shares: lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes or fennel, sweet onions, snow peas, garlic scapes, rosemary

Dear CSA members,

Here we are at week 3 of the csa and we are starting to get into the groove of how our summer weeks will pass. We hope you are getting into the groove of things as well!. Part of joining a CSA is making a commitment to support local agriculture as well as a commitment to yourself to cook and eat fresh and healthy food at home. So, I thought I would share a few tips on making the most of your csa membership this summer.

1. Read the newsletter and recipes: reading the newsletter will give you not only quick updates on what we are doing around the farm but also information about new and different vegetables, storage tips, as well as recipes to try.

2. The night before your pickup, take inventory. I recommend going through your fridge and making use of anything leftover from the previous week so you don’t end up with a ton of back stock clogging up your fridge. I like to make a soup stock or pesto (both freeze well) for later use or juice any leftovers for a quick nutrient dense snack.

3. When you get home with your share do some prep-work. Remove any greens from root crops that you won’t be using. Cutting off radish, beet and carrot tops helps the roots stay fresher longer. If you are going to use the greens pre soak them in cold water, drain, and pack in a separate bag. Soak your lettuces and then spin them dry in a salad spinner. They will also keep better when clean and dry. I like to keep my herbs in a jar of water with a plastic bag tented over it on the self in my fridge. Change the water every couple of days. (except for rosemary which can be left out to dry or stored as is in the fridge). Later in the season, onions, garlic, tomatoes will keep better when they are dried thoroughly and placed on a shelf in a cool dry location.

4.Try out pickling, freezing and canning. There are many great books and blogs out there that have amazing suggestions.

5. And last, enjoy eating more and different vegetables! The less processed foods you eat the better fresh fruits and vegetables taste – replace processed foods with whole foods. I like to add vegetables into breakfast scrambles, green juices, make oven roasted chips out of summer squash and kale… find ways to increase your intake of fresh produce, its good for you! Or, make a meal for someone in need of some good food and share the wealth.

A run down on new crops this week:

We were able to harvest some sweet onions that we overwintered from last fall for you. They are a bit small but should be delicious. We have snow peas again this week. They are really tasty but I hope to have some shell peas next week to change things up a bit.

The long frondy herb with the large flat white bulb on the end is fennel. (This is in the large share box only this week). It is one many may be unfamiliar with but is very delicious if you give it a try. Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet with a licorice or anise flavor. It is often used in Mediterranean cuisine, especially in Italy and France. Store your fennel in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use as soon as possible as it rapidly begins to loose its flavor once harvested.

Mustard greens: These Ruby streaks mustard greens are very young and tender and can add a wonderful peppery dimension to many dishes. You can temper the pungency of mustard greens use a combination of heat, salt and fat to cook them. Mustard greens are found in Southern American, Indian, Japanese, Chinese and African cuisines. The link below has an in depth write up on the many health benefits of eating mustard greens.

Fresh rosemary: Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb with a bright woodsy-citrusy scent. The fresh herb is more subtle that dried and is great for roasted meats and vegetables, in soups, or infused in oil to use for dressings. To make your own rosemary-infused oil, place a sprig or two of completely dry rosemary leaves into a glass jar, top with olive oil, replace the lid, and shake lightly. Store in a warm, dark place for two weeks, strain, and then simply pour back into the glass jar. Use ¼ cup for a fragrant bath or blend with balsamic vinegar to drizzle all over a salad for a delicious dressing. You can dry the rosemary by just leaving out on the counter until competely dehydrated.

Have a great week,

 

Asha

 

Wilted greens: Cook in a large skillet until crisp 4 to 5 slices bacon. Drain on paper towels, cool and crumble. Pour all but 2 tbsp of the bacon drippings out of the pan. Reheat and add ¼ cup cider vinegar, 2 to 3 tsp sugar, the bacon and 2 tsp mustard seeds and 1 tsp minced onion. Mean while place in a salad bowl al large bunch turnip or mustard greens, coarsely chopped. Pour the hot dressing over the greens and toss. Serve at once garnised with 2 sliced hard boiled eggs.

Caramelized Fennel: Wash and trim a large bulb of fennel, removing the root and stems. Slice diagonally as you would an onion into thin slices. Discard any tough core if present. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add fennel and ¼ cup chopped onion. Reduce heat to medium low and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until fennel softens. Add 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp kosher salt and continue to cook until fennel is caramelized and tender about 7 to 10 more minutes.

Quick Pickled Beets: Combine 4 medium beets, scrubbed, trimmed, halved, and cut into ¼ inch slices. 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced. ¾ cup apple juice or water, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, and a pinch of sea salt in a pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat by running cold water over the cooker in your sink. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. To serve, lift the beets out of the liquid with a slotted spoon. Serve warm or chilled. (from Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen by Lorna Sass).

Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens: trim one bunch medium beets with tops to 1 inch. Wash and chop greens and stems. Scrub beets and wrap tightly in heavy duty foil. Roast in the 400 degree oven until tender, 50 minutes. Cool, peel and cut into wedges. Sauté greens, stems and 2 tsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat until tender, 6 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, 2 tbsp each pistachios and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. ( from Prevention magazine June 2012)

Honey Balsamic Beet Salad: place 2 lbs trimmed and scrubbed baby beets in a baking pan. Combine ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp olive oil; pour over the beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender. On a platter combine ½ cups cooked quinoa, 2 cups watercress or arugula, and the beets and roasting juices. Top with chopped fresh tarragon.(from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine November 2012)

Rosemary Potatoes with Sweet Onions: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice 3 lbs potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Skin 2 cups worth of sweet onions, cut into 1-inch chunks. Toss onions and potatoes with 3 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl. Add 2 tbp crushed fresh rosemary and sea salt and pepper to taste. Roast the potatoes until they are brown and crispy.

Nori Radish Toasts: Slice a 12 in. section of baguette in half length-wise, cut into 2-in. pieces, and toast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown on edges. Using scissors, snip 1 large sheet toasted nori into bits, then pulverize in a spice grinder. Mix nori powder with about 5 tbsp butter; smear thickly onto toasts. Top with thinly sliced radishes and radish greens.  (from the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine).

Bacon wrapped garlic scapes: cut 12 6 to 8 inch long peices of garlic scape.tightly wrap each scape with a peice of thin cut bacon. When all the scapes are wrapped heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.Cook until the bacon browns on one side, then turn them. Cover the pan with a lid and cook turning occasionally until the bacon is brown and the scapes tender. Remove from the pan, drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

Fennel Gratin with Pecorino and Lemon: lightly oil a shallow 2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Heat 5 tbsp oil in a large wide pot over medium heat. Add 1 sliced onion and 3 cloves minced garlic; sauté until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add 5 large fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and cut into ¼ inch slices. Increase heat to medium high and saute until fennel is slightly softened and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 18 minutes. Stir in ½ cup chicken broth, 2 tbsp minced fresh Italian parsley, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer until most of the broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the baking dish. Make the crumb topping: melt 3 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ¾ cup panko bread crumbs and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley, and 1 ½ tsp finely grated lemon peel. Preheat oven to 425. Sprinkle panko mixture over fennel. Bake until gratin is heated through and topping is deep golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Roasted carrots: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss together 1 ½ lbs carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks, olive oil to coat, several sprigs fresh thyme, and salt and black pepper to taste. Spread the carrots in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until golden and tender, about 1 hour.

Sauteed Snow Peas with Scallions and Radishes: Trim ¾ lb Snow Peas. Slice 8 scallions(white and pale green parts only) into 2- inch lengths. Trim and quarter 8 radishes. In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt 1 tbsp butter. Add the snow peas; cook stirring frequently, until just beginning to soften (do not brown), 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions and radishes; season with coarse sea salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until scallions soften and snow peas are crisp-tender. 1 to 2 minutes more. (From Everyday Food, June 2004)

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 21

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11-14-17

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 21

 

Large shares: Lower Salmon River winter squash, leeks, carrots, beets, purple potatoes, red Russian kale, vitamin green, sweet peppers

 

Small shares: Lower Salmon River or orange kabocha winter squash, leeks, carrots, beets, fingerling potatoes, red Russian kale, vitamin green, sweet peppers

 

Greens share: arugula, mustard greens, raddichio Varigata di Chioggia

 

Roots share: celeriac, red potatoes, parsley root

 

Juicing share: beets seconds, carrot seconds, chard, cilantro, green cabbage

 

Storage share: 10lb yellow Finn potato, 10lb delicata squash, 10 lb mixed winter squash, 3 lb red cipollini onions, garlic, 5lbs mixed root vegetables (beets, daikon, parsnips), 10lb carrots

 

 

Dear CSA members,

 

A windy and blustery start to our week on the farm! Yesterday we had a pretty tough day out harvesting in the 40 mph gusts and periodic heavy rain. Around the barn boxes and other loose things were definitely blowing around. There is a part of the barn called the “breezeway” where we pack CSA boxes that basically becomes an intense wind-tunnel. We stayed out of there and we were quite surprised that we didn’t loose power! In our case, no power means no running water and that makes washing crops and seeing in the barn after dark pretty difficult.

 

We got though yesterday and were happy to pack shares for you this morning! It was less rainy and windy so that was nice. This week I am sending out the storage shares for winter and next week will be our final box for the season! Be sure to round up any CSA totes you may still have for returns and check that your balance is paid.

 

 

Storage shares: We made some slight variations to the original storage share that is listed when you ordered these. Due to our lack of garlic this year and smaller onion crop we had to change around the quantities a bit and added some mixed root vegetables. Potatoes should be stored cool and dry and in the dark. Winter squash and onions should be kept at room temperature and dry. Carrots and other roots must be refrigerated. You should check through your stores periodically and remove /prioritize anything that might be failing in quality, this will prevent any rot from spreading.

 

Lower Salmon River winter squash: This Pacific Northwest heirloom squash variety was discovered in the Lower Salmon River area of Idaho, where it has been grown for generations. The pretty salmon pink skin with slight mottling can be quite thick and hard, a characteristic that makes it an excellent keeper. Under ideal conditions it has been known to store for up to one year! The Culinary Breeding Network calls Lower Salmon River a big flavor winner: “The texture was on point in each cooking method [raw, steamed, roasted]….will perform well in a variety of processes including a quick and mild pickle, sweet and sour, simple preparations such as roasted, skin on slices or cubed and cooked with hearty herbs and spices. Great squash for home and restaurant alike.”

 

Orange kabocha squash: These squat orange winter squash are popular in Asia and are also known as Japanese pumpkin. The flesh is an intense yellow-orange color with a sweet velvety and slightly dry texture. Great for making sauces, soups, sauteeing, and baking with. Before eating make sure the stem is very corky and dry which shows maturity. The squash itself will keep for many weeks if kept in a cool, dry location.

 

Raddichio Varigata di Chioggia: This raddichio variety that comes from the Chioggia region of Italy. It is an excellent winter keeper in our fields and has a nice variegated pink, red and green color pattern. It has a bitter taste that mellows with the onset of cold weather and also when you grill or roast it. Raddichio is an excellent addition to salads particularly when paired with cheese, fruits and toasted nuts. I liked this article from the New York Times  http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/21/garden/radicchio-tasty-but-so-misunderstood.html?pagewanted=all

 

Vitamin Green: White stalks and very glossy green leaves. Mild-flavored for salad, steamed, or stir-fry. Easy to grow, unfazed by heat, very cold-hardy. Good choice for winter and early spring salads. Eat stalks, leaves, and flowers!

 

Have a great week,

 

Asha

 

 

 

Roasted Kabocha squash with pancetta and sage: Preheat oven to 400 degress. Halve and seed 1 4 lb kabocha squash. Roast squash cut side down, in an oiled roasting pan in the middle of the oven until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle scrape flesh from the skin. heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a small deep sauce pan until it registers 365 on a deep -fat thermometer. Fry 20 whole fresh sage leaves in 3 batches until crisp, 3 to 5 seconds. transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Cool 1/4 lb sliced pancetta that has been coarsely chopped in a heavy 4 quart pot over moderate heat, stirring until browned. Transfer pancetta with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pancetta fat remaining in pot, then cook 1 large chopped onion, until softened. Stir in 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 1/2 tbsp of chopped fresh sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add squash, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 3 1/2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. Stir in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled wiht pancetta and fried sage leaves.

 

Potato-Leek Vinaigrette: Wash 4 leeks well. Slice the bulb and tender green parts into ½ inch pieces. Drop the sliced leeks into boiling water, cook them for about minutes, drain, set aside to cool. Cut 4 medium potatoes into 1 ½ inch chunks. Drop them into boiling, salted water and cook them until tender, but firm, about 10 minutes. Drain, set aside. Slice 1 or 2 sweet pepper into 1 inch strips. Whisk together ¼ cup vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 ½ tsp chopped fresh dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Then combine the leeks, potatoes and peppers in a serving bowl, Pour the vinaigrette over and chill well before serving.

 

Garlicky Vitamin g\Green: heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add 1/3 cup finely chopped mildly spicy red peppers and cook until they begin to soften. Add about 4 or 5 cups chopped vitamin green and cook until wilted and bright green and the stems pierce easily with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with a bit of tamari.

 

Winter Squash Tacos with Spicy Black Beans: Preheat broiler. Place 2 jalapenos and 1 serrano chile in a broiler pan and broil, turning a few times, until charred and blistered in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Change oven setting to bake at 400 degrees F. In a large bowl toss 5 cups diced Lower Salmon River Winter squash or other variety ( peel and seed first then dice to ½ inch cubes) with ½ cup diced onion, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 ½ tsp ground coriander, 2 tsp ancho chile powder, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to coat. Divide the mixture between 2 rimmed baking sheets, spreading the squash thinly and leaving some space between pieces. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the squash and onion edges begin to caramelize. Rotate the pans and stir halfway through. Meanwhile, peel, stem and seed the peppers and finely chop. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add 2 minced cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute; add 1 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Allow to bubbly briskly for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle on 3 tsp ancho chile powder and add the roasted peppers and 2 15 ounce cans of black beans, one of the cans drained. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring carefully to keep the beans whole. When they reach your preferred consistency, remove from heat, stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro and adjust seasonings as needed. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high. Warm 12 small corn tortillas one by one, about 10 seconds per side. Assemble tacos by placing a few tbsp of beans on each tortilla, place on that a mound of roasted squash and onions, them sprinkle with Cotija cheese, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

 

Oven Roasted Beets with Winter Citrus Vinaigrette: preheat oven to 400. Wrap 3 large beets individually in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast unitl fork tender about 40 to 60 minutes. Carefully open packets and allow to cool. Then remove skins and discard. Chop the beets inot ½ inch chunks. Combine ¼ cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice, ¼ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, and 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat , and simmer gently until reduced to ¼ cup. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar. Add in 6 tbsp olive oil in a slow steady stream whisking until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the beets with 1 tsp blood orange zest, and ½ tsp lemon zest and ¼ cup of the vinaigrette; marinate for at least 20 minutes. Garnish with 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme.

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 18

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10-24-17

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 18

Large shares: Acorn squash, red cipollini onions, winter kale, rapini, rosemary, fingerling potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sweet peppers, jalapenos   

Small shares: Acorn squash, red cipollini onions, winter kale, rapini, beets, parsnips, sweet peppers, jalapeno   

Greens share: baby lettuce, rainbow lacinato kale, Italian parsley   

Roots share: shallots, carrots, daikon radish   

Juicing share: carrot seconds, beet seconds, apples, lacinato rainbow kale, cilantro, rapini     

Dear CSA members,

Well, we have come through an intensely rainy and windy week and back into the gorgeous fall blue skies and sun. Our fall colors seem to be at their peak in the trees, cover crops are coming up and looking very green, salmon are running again and so it is a very beautiful time out here on the farm.

I think we got over 5 inches of rain over the last seven days here, and our Chehalis river is looking completely different than it did two weeks ago! This time of year we have to start watching the hydrologic forecast to be sure to be aware and ahead of any flooding that may be eminent. Often times in this valley we are disrupted by flooded roads and blocked access to some of our fields and our beautiful rivers and wetlands do their thing throughout the winter. Its something we have learned to live by and around.

I really can’t believe that the sweet peppers and jalapenos in the high tunnel are still doing so well and even came through a solid week of frozen nights! We have an abundance of them right now and so I wanted to make sure you got a good share. I expect you may see more peppers before the CSA is over!

This is the last week for one of our farm hands Trevor, who hails from Maine, and has been with us for just over a year. We had a really fun crew party last Saturday to celebrate and hit the bowling alley for some fun, beer and pizza. We all work really hard all summer and its nice to finally have some time and energy to relax and have a good time together!

New crops for you this week:

Acorn squash: this winter squash is a very familiar one to most of us. Acorn squash has a sweet, nutty flavor and is excellent baked, sautéed, or steamed. Acorn squash is also delicious made into soups. The seeds can be cleaned and roasted and make a tasty and nutritious snack. This and all the other squash will keep for quite some time in a cool dry place – in fact flavor will improve over time!

Rapini is essentially the Italian equivalent to turnip greens. Used extensively in Italian and Chinese cooking, it is not as popular in the United States but is gaining popularity. The stems are generally uniform in size (hence cook evenly) and need not be peeled. Clean it as you would other greens, removing the bottom portion of the stems, which appear tough (sometimes the stems are tougher than other times depending on the age of the rapini). They stems can be removed up to where the leaves begin, and sautéed before adding the leaves to the pan. This vegetable is a source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium.  To maintain crispness, refrigerate, unwashed, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag or wrap for up to 3 days.

Parsnips: parsnips are a root vegetable member of the carrot and parsley family that has been eaten in Europe for centuries. These sweet white roots are excellent served mashed, baked, boiled, roasted, made into fries, and cooked into soups and stews. You can store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for quite some time to come if desired. We plant parsnips very early in the spring in order to have them ready for harvest when the cold weather sets in as they sweeten up with the cold and frosty weather.

Winter kale: This variety is the hardiest of kales, with finely curled, thick blue green leaves. Here are some great tips for success with kale. https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/tricks-making-delicious-tender-kale-salads-every-time-0157621/  

Have a great week,

Asha

Lentil and Vegetable Stew with Kale: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 1 large chopped onion, and 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped, 1 medium celery root, peeled and chopped, and 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and chopped; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Stir in 1 lb brown lentils, rinsed and 1 Tbsp herbes de Provence. Add 8 cups vegetable broth and 1 large bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped. Bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate Kale. Reduce heat to med-low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add more broth to thin, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. (From the March 2011 issue of Bon Appétit magazine).

Maple-Braised Acorn Squash with Fresh Thyme: Melt 6 tbsp butter in a heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add 1 3 to 3 1/2 lb Acorn squash, halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes, sauté 1 minute. Add 1 ¼ cups low-salt chicken broth, 1/3-cup pure maple syrup. 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme, 1 tsp coarse sea salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer, to cook squash until almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer squash to a large bowl. Boil liquid in skillet until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return squash to skillet. Cook until tender, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with more pepper, if desired. (From Bon appétit.)

Fusilli with Rapini, Garlic and Tomato Wine sauce: Fill a sauce pan with enough water to cover 1 bunch of Rapini that has been trimmed and cut into 1 inch peices. Sprinkle in some salt and bring the salted water to a boil, and add Rapini, cook until bright green and just starting to becoem tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain well. Fill a pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling , stir in 1/2 cup uncooked fusilli pasta. Cook the pasta, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through but is still firm, about 12 minutes. Drain well. While the pasta is cooking heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add 2 chopped cloves of garlic and cook and stir the garlic for about 2 minutes, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and stir in 1 spring fresh rosemary, 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb mix, and 1/4 tsp crushes red pepper flakes. Stir in the blanched Rapini, 1/4 cup white wine, 1 can diced tomatoes; remove the rosemary sprig, and bring the mixture to a boil. Mix in the cooked pasta, 2 sliced green onions, 1 minced clove of garlic; simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Parsnip Puree: cover 2 c. peeled and chopped parsnips with water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a food processor with ¼ cup milk, 1 tbsp butter and salt and black pepper to taste. Puree until smooth.

Baked acorn squash with brown sugar and butter: Preheat oven to 400. Cut 1 acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds and stringy pulp. Mix together 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp softened butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Rub the inside of the squash with this mixture. Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet and bake the squash for about 1 hour or until tender when pierced with a fork.

Winter Squash Shepherd’s Pie: Preheat oven to 400 with rack in top third of oven. Put 2 ½ lbs cubed, peeled winter squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast squash, covered, until tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, wide pot over high heat. Add 2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until meat is browned on all sides. Add 1 medium onion, cut into wedges, and 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook until vegetables are starting to soften, about 2 minutes, transfer lamb mixture with juices to a bowl; add 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks and 8 oz medium mushrooms, stems removed. Reduce heat to medium low. Add ¼ cup flour to the same pot and cook, whisking continuously, until flour smells toasted, about 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup red wine and 1 cup beef or chicken broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Pour over the lamb mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into 6 individual ramekins. Mash the squash in a bowl with 1 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup cream, adding more cream if needed until mixture is consistency of mashed potatoes. Dollop over the lamb. Bake until browned and sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes; sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley. Serves 6. (from Sunset October 2012)

Roasted Winter Squash and Beet salad: Preheat oven to 400. Tightly wrap 1 lb small beets in aluminum foil bundles. Place on middle shelf of oven. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Peel beets and set aside. Place the slices of 1 ¼ lb of winter squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Place on middle shelf in oven; roast 15 minutes. Drizzle 1/3 cup maple syrup over the squash, and roast another 10 minutes, or until tender; cool. To make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup maple syrup together. Add 1/3 cup olive oil and whisk until smooth. Season to taste. To assemble, place 3 cups mixed salad greens in the middle of a large plate. Arrange beets and squash on the greens. Pour half of dressing over salad. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds. Pass remaining dressing. Serves 6 to 8.

Easy Rapini: wash and chop 1 large bunch rapini greens (discard stems). Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add 1 chopped shallot, 1 clove chopped garlic, and 1 tsp chopped cayenne pepper (or to taste) and sautee until tender. Add the washed and chopped turnip greens and cook down for 3 minutes. Season with pepper. Mix together 1 cup chicken stock and 2 tbsp Dijon mustard. Add to the turnip greens and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add 1/3 cup toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Grilled pepper and herb relish: heat a grill to medium-high ( 400 to 450 degrees). Grill 1 ½ lbs sweet frying peppers, covered and turning occasionally, until softened and lightly charred. 7 to 12 minutes then transfer to a medium bowl as done. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull off pepper skins that come off easily ( no need to remove all of them), pull off stems, and swipe out seeds with your hand, working in a strainer over a bowl to catch juices. Finely chop peppers, then return to bowl with juices. Stir in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh marjoram, oregano or basil leaves. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.  (from Sunset September 2017 issue)

Pepper, cucumber, and chickpea salad: toast 2 tsp ground cumin in a small frying pan over medium high heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 min. Pour from pan and into a large bowl. Stir in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, zest of one large lemon, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp each minced garlic and kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Seed 1 lb sweet peppers and cut into 1 inch pieces. Slice 1 large thin skinned cucumber into ¼ inch rounds and cut in half again if large. Add peppers, cucumber, and 1 can chickpeas that has been rinsed and drained to the salad and toss to blend well. Let stand about 1 hour, then stir in 1 cup loosely packed chopped Italian parsley.  (from Sunset September 2017 issue)

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 17

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10-17-17

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 17

Large shares: Kabocha squash, carrots, yellow Finn potatoes, celeriac, red cipollini onions, chard, beets, mizuna, garlic, cilantro  

Small shares: Kabocha squash, yellow Finn potatoes, celeriac, watermelon radishes, chard, cilantro, red cipollini onions  

Greens share: green cabbage, escarole, yukina savoy  

Roots share: parsnips, black radishes, turnips

Juicing share: Green cabbage, carrots, beets, cilantro, chard

 

Dear CSA members,

The last week has brought us freezing nights, even down into the high 20’s here. With today’s’ rain and wind I’m starting to feel like were getting deep into the fall season. I am truly amazed that my high tunnel tomatoes and peppers actually survived to see another week!

We are starting to harvest many of our fall root crops that are beautiful and at their best during the fall. Parsnips, many types of hardy radishes, parsley root, sun chokes and much more. Things get difficult to dig out in the field once the ground becomes saturated. The soil becomes mud and sticks to everything, not to mention difficulty moving around while carrying heavy crates, and eventually even the trucks get stuck in the deep mud. At that point we transition to using the 4×4 tractor and a trailer to haul stuff out of the field. Our crew gets even more props for working so hard out there as conditions become less pleasant!

We are at the beginning of another farm improvement project down at our big barn. Joseph and the crew are starting to build a new insulated room for us to store root crops and potatoes for the winter. It’s going to be great to have a place to stash them for when the weather gets really cold. If we ever get down into the teens for any amount of time our ground will freeze and we will lose those crops. This time of year and into the winter is really the only time that we can get any infrastructure improvements done! The summer is just too slammed with planting and harvest!

This really is a fitting box this week for the fall vibes that are going on, and there are quite a few new crops.

Celeriac: the large and unusual knobby root with celery-like tops is celeriac. When the root is scrubbed and peeled, inside is a firm ivory flesh. The celeriac roots is very low in starch and is a nice alternative to potatoes and other starchier root vegetables. It tastes like a subtle blend of celery and parsley. You can use it in soups, grated into salads, roasted in a pan of other root vegetables, or even French fried instead of potatoes. Stores well in the crisper drawer for several weeks with the tops removed.

Kabocha Squash: A deep green skin, squat shaped squash with an intense yellow-orange color on the inside. The meat is sweeter than a butternut squash and fairly dry, good for making sauces and soups with. Before eating make sure the stem is very corky and dry which shows maturity. The squash itself will keep for many weeks if kept on the counter and dry. I think these are very beautiful and make a nice decoration in the kitchen.

Mizuna is a Japanese green that has a mild earthy, peppery taste. It is very tender and makes excellent salads and stir-fries. It will keep for 3 to 4 days loosely wrapped in plastic and stored in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Yukina Savoy: An Asian green that looks a bit like spinach, but tastes like a mild mustard. It is pretty, and easy to grow, cold tolerant, nutritious, and great steamed or in stir-fries.

Black radish: This is the first year we have tried to grow black radishes. I think they are very cool looking with their textured black skin in contrast to the pretty white insides. Its flesh is crisp, white and slightly bitter and offers a hot radishy bite. The skin of the Black radish is particularly piquant, for a milder radish flavor peel Black radishes prior to serving. Black radishes can be enjoyed raw or cooked in a variety of different preparations. Sauté and braise to be served as a vegetable side dish. Cook like a turnip and smother in cream or butter. Dice and add to soups, stir-fries and stews to add a radishy bite. Grate or chop into matchstick size and add to mixed green salads. Their size makes them ideal as an hors d’oeuvre when sliced and served alongside an assortment of dips. Their flavor is enhanced by chervil, chives, sea salt and parsley. To tone down the heat of radishes slice, salt and rinse with water prior to using. To store, remove greens and wrap radishes in plastic. They will keep refrigerated for up to two weeks.

Turnips: Turnips are creamy-white with a lovely purple, red or greenish upper part where the taproot has been exposed to sunlight. Like swedes, turnips are a root vegetable and member of the cabbage family. They are a good source of vitamin C and, before the arrival of the potato, turnips were one of the main sources of sustenance for the English peasantry. These turnips are pretty mild, don’t necessarily need to be peeled and will keep for several weeks in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Great roasted in butter, boiled and mashed, braised or made into soups.

Now that we are at week 17, for those of you who haven’t signed up for the automatic payment plan now is a great time to check your balances and send in checks to take care of what remains. We have 5 weeks of CSA to go!

Have a great week,   Asha

Roasted Kabocha squash with pancetta and sage: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve and seed 1 4 lb kabocha squash. Roast squash cut side down, in an oiled roasting pan in the middle of the oven until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle scrape flesh from the skin. Heat 1-cup vegetable oil in a small deep saucepan until it registers 365 on a deep -fat thermometer. Fry 20 whole fresh sage leaves in 3 batches until crisp, 3 to 5 seconds. Transfer leaves with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Cool 1/4 lb sliced pancetta that has been coarsely chopped in a heavy 4-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring until browned. Transfer pancetta with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pancetta fat remaining in pot, and then cook 1 large chopped onion, until softened. Stir in 2 minced cloves of garlic and 1 1/2 tbsp of chopped fresh sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add squash, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 3 1/2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. Stir in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with pancetta and fried sage leaves.

SWEET AND SPICY ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH: 1/2 small to medium sized kabocha squash, 3 Tbs light brown, natural cane, plus a bit more for sprinkling, 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper or hot chili powder, more or less to taste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 Tbs soy sauce Oil for drizzling – pumpkin seed oil is preferred, or use toasted sesame oil, argan oil, or walnut oil.  Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet or two with silicon baking liner or parchment paper. De-seed and cut the squash into slices about 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick. (Use a sturdy knife for cutting squash or pumpkin, on a stable surface, and be careful!) Combine all the dry ingredients. Toss the squash slices in this until coated thoroughly. Add the soy sauce and toss well again. Spread the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle over them with the oil, and optionally sprinkle more sugar on them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn over, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle more sugar, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Buttered Turnip Puree: peel and chop 3 large turnips. Combine with 1-quart milk, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 1 clove of smashed garlic in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the turnips are tender. 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, discarding the thyme but reserving the liquid. In a food processor, puree the turnips with 1 stick butter and 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Celeriac and Apple Slaw: Trim, peel, and cut into 1-inch matchsticks, 1 12oz Celery root. Cut 1 large Johnagold apple into matchsticks (2 cups). Combine together with 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp fresh cider, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, and 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Celeriac Mash: Peel and dice 3 ½ cups of celeriac. Cook celeriac in a large saucepan of boiling slated water for 15 minutes. Add 1 12 oz potato that has been peeled, and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks, and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 Tbsp butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Braised Turnips: Cook in boiling water, uncovered, over high heat for about 6 minutes: 1 ½ lbs turnips. Peeled, left whole if small, quartered if large. Drain. Melt in a large, heavy skillet over high heat 3 tbsp butter. Add the turnips and cook, stirring, until coated with butter, about 5 minutes. Add 1-cup chicken stock, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. The stock should come to bout ¾ inch up the side of the turnips; add more stock or water if needed. Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer until the turnips are tender but still slightly resistant to the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the turnips to a serving dish. Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until reduced to a thin, syrupy glaze. Pour it over the turnips and serve immediately.

Caramelized Onions: Heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat until the butter is melted. Add 3 lbs onions, thinly sliced. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Cook stirring constantly, 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and brown, about 40 minutes. Add ½ cup dry white wine or water. Stir and scrape the pan to dissolve the browned bits. Remove from heat and season well with salt, black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.

Mushroom, Chicory (Escarole), and Celery Root Salad: Preheat oven to 375. Wipe dirt from 1-½ lbs mixed wild and cultivated mushrooms such as Maitake, oyster, and chanterelles. Trim any tough ends, and cut mushrooms to make all pieces about the same size. Toss in a bowl with ¼ cup olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until browned, 30 t 45 minutes. Let cool. Make dressing: sprinkle a peeled garlic clove with ¼ tsp salt, mince and then flatten with the side of a chef’s knife into a paste. Scrape paste into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and add 2 tsp whole grain mustard, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, ¼ cup Champagne vinegar and ¼ cup olive oil. Cap jar and shake until emulsified. Peel 1 8 oz celery root, then cut into matchsticks, dropping them into a bowl of water to prevent darkening. Pat dry, then put in a large salad bowl and add 12 cups loosely packed escarole, endive and radicchio, leaves torn into bite sized pieces. Add mushrooms. Toss gently with dressing. (Also from Nov 2011 issue of Sunset)

Honey Balsamic Beet Salad: place 2 lbs trimmed and scrubbed baby beets in a baking pan. Combine ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, and 1 tbsp olive oil; pour over the beets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender. On a platter combine ½ cups cooked quinoa, 2 cups watercress or arugula, and the beets and roasting juices. Top with chopped fresh tarragon. (From Better Homes and Gardens Magazine November 2012)

Potato-Swiss Chard Curry: Cut 3 medium, unpeeled purple potatoes, into 1-inch cubes, Put in a large pan, cover them with water and bring to the boil. Boil them for 4 to 6 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the cooked potatoes, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Stir in 3 cups chopped chard, and 1 lb diced tomatoes (canned is fine too). Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Serve over rice.

Roasted Winter Squash and Beet salad: Preheat oven to 400. Tightly wrap 1 lb small beets in aluminum foil bundles. Place on middle shelf of oven. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Peel beets and set aside. Place the slices of 1 ¼ lb of winter squash (delicata or kabocha) on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Place on middle shelf in oven; roast 15 minutes. Drizzle 1/3-cup maple syrup over the squash, and roast another 10 minutes, or until tender; cool. To make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup maple syrup together. Add 1/3-cup olive oil and whisk until smooth. Season to taste. To assemble, place 3 cups mixed salad greens in the middle of a large plate. Arrange beets and squash on the greens. Pour half of dressing over salad. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds. Pass remaining dressing. Serves 6 to 8.

Yukina Savoy sauté: Heat 2 Tbsp sesame oil in a large skillet. Add 1 thinly sliced leek, white and light green part only, thoroughly washed, or 4 cloves chopped garlic, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in I bunch Yukina Savoy, de-stemmed and coarsely chopped. Sauté until just wilted. Remove from heat and add ½ Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp Tamari. Season with black pepper and serve over rice.

Yukina Savoy with Sesame Ginger Dressing: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 2 heads of yukina savoy that have stems removed and leaves torn into pieces. Cook 1 minute. Remove immediately and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain. Whisk together 4 tsp soy sauce 1 ½ tsp sesame oil, ¾ tsp minced fresh ginger, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar. Toss greens with the dressing and garnish with 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. (Both recipes from http://www.twoonionfarm.com).

Swiss chard with lentils and feta cheese: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic, and 2 red cipollini onions chopped. Sauté until tender. Add in 1-cup brown or green lentils and stir. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 min. meanwhile, wash 1 bunch of chard and trim off the stem ends. Chop the stems into ¼ inch pieces, and the leaves into bite-sized pieces. In another sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil, add the chard stems and salt and pepper to taste and sauté until tender, about 5 min. add the chard leaves and cook until wilted, about 2 min. stir in 4 tsp red wine vinegar and the reserved lentil mixture. Sprinkle with about ½ cup feta and more salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 14

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9-26-17

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 17

Large share: beets, carrots, cipollini onions, garlic, yellow finn potatoes, lettuce, radicchio, sweet peppers, sweet corn, rosemary, heirloom tomatoes, bell pepper

Small share: beets, carrots, cipollini onions, garlic, yellow finn potatoes, lettuce, bell pepper, rosemary, heirloom tomatoes

Greens share: lettuce, lacinato rainbow kale, chard

Roots share: parsnips, red carrots, shallots

Dear CSA members,

This is going to be a quick letter this week. Our big potato harvest is in full swing on this gorgeous fall day! Joseph is digging the rows with the potato digger attached to the tractor and the crew is out picking them up and bagging them. We will place them in temperature-controlled storage for the rest of the year so they won’t rot or start sprouting again. Last week we harvested all 6 tons of our winter squash and placed it in storage at our big barn!

This is likely to be our last round of heirloom tomatoes for the year. Large shares got sweet corn, and smalls should get it next week! New this week we have sweet peppers, cipollini onions, radicchio, and parsnips for the roots share

Radicchio: This hardy winter green is in the chicory family, it has a bitter taste that mellows with the onset of cold weather and also when you grill or roast it. Raddichio is an excellent addition to salads particularly when paired with cheese, fruits and toasted nuts. I liked this article from the New York Times  http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/21/garden/radicchio-tasty-but-so-misunderstood.html?pagewanted=all

Cipollini onions:  Pronounced chip-oh-LEE-nee, this is a smaller, flat, pale onion. The flesh is a slight yellowish color and the skins are thin and papery. The color of the skin ranges from pale yellow to the light brown color of Spanish onions. These are sweeter onions, having more residual sugar than garden-variety white or yellow onions, but not as much as shallots.

The advantage to cipollinis is that they are small and flat and the shape lends them well to roasting. This combined with their sweetness makes for a lovely addition to recipes where you might want to use whole caramelized onions.

Parsnips: parsnips are a root vegetable member of the carrot and parsley family that has been eaten in Europe for centuries. These sweet white roots are excellent served mashed, baked, boiled, roasted, made into fries, and cooked into soups and stews. You can store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for quite some time to come if desired. We plant parsnips very early in the spring in order to have them ready for harvest when the cold weather sets in as they sweeten up with the cold and frosty weather.

Have a great week,

Asha

Quick Pickled Beets: Combine 4 medium beets, scrubbed, trimmed, halved, and cut into ¼ inch slices. 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced. ¾ cup apple juice or water, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, and a pinch of sea salt in a pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat by running cold water over the cooker in your sink. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. To serve, lift the beets out of the liquid with a slotted spoon. Serve warm or chilled. (from Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen by Lorna Sass).

Grilled Radicchio: heat grill to high heat. Slice your radicchio vertically, and discard any bruised leaves. Brush the greens with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with good sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Turn grill down to med-low. Place the greens on the grill and cook turning every 1 to 2 minutes until the leaves turn a rich crusty brown on both sides. 5 to 10 minutes. Cut the greens into 4 to 6 servings and serve warm or at room temperature with additional vinaigrette.

Radicchio salad with pear, goat cheese and hazelnuts: In a large bowl whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 ½ tsp sugar and season with salt and pepper. Tear up about 1 pound radicchio into bite sized pieces, add 1/3 cup blanched and toasted hazelnuts (almond and walnuts would work too) chopped. Serve salad topped with 1-cup goat cheese and diced pear.

Parmesan Potato Gratin: preheat oven to 325. Brush the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish with 1 tbsp olive oil; set aside. Shave 4 cups parmesan cheese into thin strips; set aside. In a small bowl combine 4 slices of crisp cooked and crumbled bacon, 2 thinly sliced green onions, 2 tbsp snipped fresh chives. In the prepared baking dish place 2 lbs peeled and finely sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with ½ tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper, half the bacon mixture and ½ tbsp snipped fresh rosemary and ½ tbsp snipped fresh thyme. Top with half the parmesan (2 cups). Dot with 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Repeat layers using 2 more lbs potatoes, and additional fresh herbs, and 2 additional tbsp butter. In a small bowl whisk together ¾ cup whole milk, ¾ cup heavy cream, and 3 tbsp all purpose flour; pour evenly over potatoes. Bake, covered, for 1 ½ hours. Increase temperature to 400. Bake, uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and top is golden brown.

Pepper, Cucumber, and Chickpea salad: Toast 2 tsp cumin seeds in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour from pan into a large bowl. Stir in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, zest from one large lemon, 1tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp kosher sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Seed 1 lb bell peppers and or sweet thin skinned frying peppers and cut into ¼ inch rounds. Slice 4oz of peeled cucumber into ¼ inch rounds and cut in half again if large. Add peppers, cucumbers, and 1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas to the salad dressing and toss to blend well. Let stand about 1 hour, then stir in 1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley. ( from Sunset Magazine September 2017 issue)

Grilled pepper and herb relish: Heat grill to medium-high. Grill 1 ½ lbs bell, sweet frying or pimento peppers, covered and turning occasionally, until softened and lightly charred, 7 to 12 minutes, transferring to a medium bowl as done. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull skins off the peppers, pull off stems and swipe out seed with your hand, working in a strainer over a bowl to catch juices. Finely chop peppers, then return to the bowl with the juices. Stir in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp sherry or wine vinegar, and 2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh marjoram, oregano, or basil leaves. Smear this spread over bread with goat cheese, as a topping for grilled fish, chicken or steak; even pasta sauce. (from Sunset Magazine September 2017 issue)

Corn Chowder with Wild Rice: remove the kernels from 4 ears fresh sweet corn, reserve. In a stock pot over medium heat, combine the halved cobs of the corn and 7 cups of water, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cobs with tongs and discard; reserve stock. In a stockpot over medium heat, cook 6 slices diced thick cut bacon, stirring often, until cooked through but not crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Add 1 peeled and diced large carrot, 1 large red onion, diced. And 3 tbsp butter. Season with ½ tsp salt and cook until carrot and onion soften, about 15 minutes. Add 4 minced cloves of garlic and 2 tsp fresh minced rosemary, and cook for 1 minute. Add corn kernels, 5 cups of reserved corn stock, ¼ tsp pepper,  and 1 tsp salt and bring to a simmer. Transfer half a cup of soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a fine mesh sieve, transfer pureed soup back into stock pot. Stir in 3 cups cooked wild rice and reserved bacon into soup. Serve immediately.

Kale Caesar Salad: Preheat oven to 300. For croutons, mince 2 garlic cloves, in a medium saucepan warm ¼ cup olive oil and the minced garlic over low heat; remove. Add 4 cups bread cubed into 1 inch pieces. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Stir to coat. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake 20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, stirring once. Cool completely. Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a blender combine 4 cloves garlic, ½ cup olive oil, 6 anchovy filets, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 2 egg yolks. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove stems from 3 large bunches of lacinato kale and thinly slice the leaves. Add the dressing, and using your hands work the dressing into the kale. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. To serve, sprinkle with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and top with croutons.

Fall Potato Salad: Toss 2 lbs cubed potatoes with salt and olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Combine with various fall vegetables of your choice; onion, shallot, garlic, carrots, roasted winter squash,celariac or parsnips for example. Toss with fresh tomato wedges, basil, thyme or other herbs of your choice. Dress with ¼ cup olive oil whipped with 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.