August 15, 2018 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 10

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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)

Place eggplant on baking sheet and coat heavily with olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees for approx. 25 minutes.
Once the eggplant has cooled, put into food processor or blender with other ingredients.
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)

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.
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.
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.
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.

October 24, 2017 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 17

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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.

October 3, 2017 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 14

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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.

September 5, 2017 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 11

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

9-5-17

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 11

Large share: beets, fennel, carrots, Yellow Finn potatoes, Yellow onions, green beans, Italian parsley, Purple Bell pepper, Shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes, Heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, arugula

Small shares: beets, fennel, Yellow Finn potatoes, Purple bell pepper, Italian parsley, Heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, arugula

Greens shares: Arugula, mustard greens, red Russian kale

Roots shares: carrots, gold beets, shallots

Juicing shares: carrots, beets, green cabbage, Italian parsley, tomato seconds

Dear CSA members,

September is here and we have had some productive time on the farm. Our entire onion crop has been harvested and spread out to cure in the barn, tomatoes are finally ramping up production, we purchased our garlic seed for next years crop and we are finally done with seeding and transplanting for the season.

Now that we have plenty of tomatoes I thought I would go over some of the varieties that we grow as well as a bit about their characteristics. Many of these varieties are among the originals that we chose when starting Wobbly Cart Farm and a few are new to us in recent years.

Cherokee Purple: Dates to 1890 or before. Dusky purple pink in color. Superb sweet smoky flavor.

Persimmon: Dates to 1781 or before. Supposedly grown by Thomas Jefferson. Bright orange gold large in size. Creamy low acid flavor, few seeds.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green: Large beefsteak size with excellent citrus, melon and old fashioned tomato flavor.

Green Zebra: small but beautiful chartreuse with lime green stripes. Very rich flavor, sweet with an acid bite.

Cosmonaut Volkov: Originally from the Ukraine this large red tomato is sweet, tangy, balanced and complex in flavor. Often has green shoulders.

Pork Chop: True yellow tomato with light green stripes that ripen to gold. Citrusy flavor.

Japanese Black Trifele: smaller pear shaped fruit, dark chocolatey brown to brick red when ripe. Almost never cracks. Flavor is rich and chocolately

Prudens Purple: Pruden’s is early for its size and makes a great sandwich tomato. Irregular pink 1 lb fruit with very few seeds, a silken texture and rich tomato taste, nicely tart with a balanced undertone of sweetness neither insipid nor cloying.

There are literally thousands of tomato varieties from around the word. Tomatoes are actually native to South and Central America. In Mesoamerica, the fruit was used in cooking and by 500 BC being cultivated in Mexico. In the early 1500’s, Spanish conquistadors starting exporting tomatoes, beginning the global exploration of the tomato as food.

The Latin name for tomato is Solanum lycopersicum. Interestingly, the scientific epithet lycopersicum means “wolf peach”. The German werewolf legends said that deadly nightshades were used by witches and sorcerers in potions to transform into werewolves, so the tomato’s similar, but much larger, fruit was called the “wolf peach” when it arrived in Europe, which may be one of the reasons why tomatoes were used only ornamentally in Europe until the 1700’s.

Heirloom refers to the seeds being true bred and open pollinated. Traditionally, it refers to seeds that get handed down from generation to generation. These seeds saved from these fruit will produce fruit alike to their parent’s plant year after year. In contrast, Hybrid seeds which are more commonly used today are seeds that are cross pollinated to create characteristics best representative of two different parent plants. The seeds from these fruit cannot be used to grow plants that will express the same characteristics year after year. Whereas with an open pollinated or heirloom variety you can save the seeds and expect it to grow out like its parent.

Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A, C, B2, folate, chromium, potassium and are high in fiber. The vitamins act as anti-oxidants and the minerals help our bodies function well. Tomatoes have a variety of carotenoids which are thought to help chronic disease prevention. Lycopene is more readily absorbed by cooking the tomatoes! Store your tomatoes out on the counter for several days. Some more firm tomatoes may benefit from a bit of ripening time.

If you are interested in getting some boxes of #2 heirloom tomatoes, we have them priced at $20 lb for $20. We can deliver them with your CSA share or you can pick up at the farm. It’s a great deal if you are into making sauce or salsa. You can order on our webstore. http://wobblycart.smallfarmcentral.com/store/wobbly-cart-farm

Have a great week and enjoy,

Asha

Heirloom Tomato Salad

serves 4

Cut 3 lbs of tomatoes into large chunks, a variety of colors will make for a pretty salad.

Add coarse sea salt to taste.

Stir in 1 Tbsp of good olive oil.

It’s ready to eat or let marinate in its juices for awhile and it will be even better.

Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup

serves 4

4 lbs Heirloom Tomatoes or Roma Tomatoes

4 cloves of garlic

1/4 c olive oil

salt

1 sprig rosemary

6 tbsp heavy cream

Black Pepper, coarsely ground 4 sliced of rustic bread toasted with olive oil for serving  Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lay the tomatoes cut-side up. Add the garlic cloves (with skins on). Sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Add the ¼ cup olive oil, the rosemary and thyme to a small saucepan and place over low heat. Let warm until you begin smelling the herbs, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Peel the tomatoes and add the pulp and juices to a soup pan. Squeeze the garlic from its skin and add it to the pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and begin mashing the tomatoes with a potato masher until it’s pulpy, but not chunky (if you prefer to use a food processor, go ahead – just make sure you leave it pulpy). When the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir in the cream. Season to taste with salt. Add a pinch of sugar, if needed. Ladle into bowls and season with pepper. Sprinkle a little herb oil on top of the soup. Pass the toasts at the table.

Roasted Tomato Jam

makes about 3 cups

2 cups sugar

3 lbs tomatoes, sliced thinly 1/4″

large pinch of salt

grated zest of 1 lemon

juice of 1 lemon

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

2 cayenne peppers or chiles

Pour 1/3 of the sugar over the base of a 12-inch braising pan or other baking dish. Layer half the tomatoes, overlapping the slices, in the pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar, and top with the lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds, and chiles. Top with the remaining tomatoes, followed by the rest of the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the pan, uncovered in the oven and let cook for 1 hour. The tomato juices should simmer actively. Check every 20 minutes, spooning the juices over the top tomatoes, and removing the chiles if they char.
Continue roasting and checking every 20 minutes — the tomato juices should begin to gel at 2 hours, but it could happen a little sooner or later. Test the juices by spooning a little onto a plate, letting it cool, and running your finger though it. If it holds the line, the jam is ready. Remove the jam from the oven and let cool. I eat this jam fresh so I put it into jars and keep it in the fridge.

Arugula Pesto: in a food processor combine, ½ cup walnuts, 1 large garlic clove, 2 cups packed arugula leaves, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup olive oil and kosher salt to taste. Puree until smooth. You can also cut back the arugula and substitute in some basil leaves. From epicurious.com

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 temperatiure garnished with slivered toasted almonds. From Better Homes and Gardens August 2010 issue.

Eggplant and Zucchini Fries with Roasted Tomato Dip: Heat oven to 375. Toss 1 cup chopped heirloom tomato in 1 tsp olive oil and roast on a sheet pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and puree with 1 cup greek yogurt, 2 tsp cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and chill. Place 5 large egg whites in a bowl and beat, then place in a separate bowl and mix 2 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs and and additional 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Cut 1 medium yellow squash, 1 medium zuchinni, and 1 small eggplant into 1/2 inch fries. Dip in egg whites, roll in bread crumbs, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with Roasted Tomato Dip.

Roasted Golden 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)

Fall Salad with Apple Dressing: prepare the dressing: combine 2 small apples, peeled and chopped, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup good cider vinegar, and ½ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until apples are translucent, 25 minutes. Puree in a blender, slowly adding 1 ½ tbsp St-Germain elderflower liqueur. Adjust with more vinegar or liqueur to taste. Chill. For the salad: toss 4 cups loosely packed fall greens (arugula, escarole, kale, frisee, lettuce) with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and ½ tsp kosher salt. Spoon dressing onto plates, divide salad among plates and top with 1 large apple that has been cut into thin wedges, 6 tbsp shelled pecans and 1 ½ oz shaved Pecorino cheese (divide amongst the plates). Serves 8

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.

Eggplant Caponata: peel and cut into cubes 1 medium (1 lb) eggplant. Sprinkle generously with salt, place in a colander, and let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, about four minutes. Add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, 1 garlic clove, minced, and cook, stirring often until onion is soft and lightly colored, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the vegetables to a bowl; add to the skillet 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the eggplant cubes and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the celery mixture, along with 1 ½ cups canned plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped, 12 green olives, pitted and coarsely chopped, 1 ½ tsp drained capers, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp minced fresh oregano or ¼ tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with additional salt, pepper, and or vinegar if needed. Remove to a serving bowl, let cool and garnish with 2 tbsp minced parsley.

August 22, 2017 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 9

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 9

8-21-17

Large shares: cauliflower, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, Walla Walla onions, summer squash, Yellow Finn potatoes, Romano beans, lettuce, carrots, cilantro

Small shares: cauliflower, red tomatoes, Walla Walla onion, jalapeno pepper, summer squash, Yellow Finn potatoes, beets, Romano beans, garlic or extra jalapeno pepper, cilantro

Greens share: lettuce, Italian parsley, bulk chard

Roots share: red carrots, yellow onions, red potatoes

Juicing share: carrots, beets, green cabbage, cilantro, tomato seconds

Dear CSA members,

What a gorgeous late summer day to be packing your CSA shares. The fields are looking really nice right now with ripening melons, tons of tomatoes on the vines and tasseled sweet corn standing tall. Our pepper plants are also super loaded with fruits and we are excited to start harvesting more of those.

We have begun pulling our onion crop to dry down in the field. It’s kind of nice to live in a climate where are summers are so dry that we can often field cure our onions right where they lay. It is still a huge job to haul them out of the field and into the barn for further processing though! I expect we will begin that process in a week or two. We were worried this spring that we were getting our onion transplants in really late due to the wet weather, and we are completing the harvest pretty late but they seemed to have sized up and we have plenty of dry weather for curing so it all worked out well after all.

We’re also planning our purchases for next years’ garlic seed and layout for building a new insulated storage facility for root crops over the winter in our big barn down the road at the Scatter Creek Farm and Conservancy. If you haven’t heard of the South of the Sound Community Farm Land Trust they have purchased this large farm property on James Rd near us and are doing great work to preserve farmland in Thurston County and make it accessible to small farms that are providing local food to our area. Here is the link to their website so you can read more if you are interested. http://www.communityfarmlandtrust.org/scatter-creek-farm–conservancy.html

New crop this week is Romano beans: Romano beans are broad and flattened in shape, averaging about five inches in length at maturity. The beans have a stringless seam that opens rather easily while still young. The pods cling loosely to a series of about six tiny lime green to white colored peas. The beans are crisp and fleshy in texture, extremely succulent, offering a subtlety sweet and grassy flavor. They are great both raw and cooked but hold up longer to cooking than regular green beans. Here is a nice article about them from the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/dining/romano-beans-arent-just-any-green-beans.html

Red carrots: Orange carrots are actually a relatively new breeding development in the history of the cultivation of carrots. Orange carrots were apparently developed in Holland in the 17^th century, while carrots in general have been cultivated since around 900 and probably originated in the Middle East. Originally carrots were probably yellow, purple and red like these carrots. Red carrots are higher in vitamins and lycopene than orange carrots, are slightly less sweet and have stronger flavor than what we know as regular carrots. They are excellent roasted and cooked into stews as they are more robust and hold up very well to cooking.

Have a great week,

Asha

Garlicky Roasted Romano Beans: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim 1 lb Romano Beans and toss whole with ¼ cup olive oil, 3 cloves smashed garlic, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the beans are browned and tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

Heirloom Tomato and Romano bean salad: bring a small pot of salted water to the boil, then blanch ¼ lb romano beans, tops trimmed, for 3 to 4 minutes, until just tender. Transfer with tongs to a baking sheet to cool. Make balsamic vinaigrette: using a mortar and pestle pound 1 tbsp fresh oregano, ½ clove fresh garlic and a scant ¼ tsp salt to a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and pour in 2 ¼ tsp red wine vinegar, 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar. Whisk in 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and taste for balance and seasoning. Whisk 3 tbsp roasted hazelnut oil, ½ tsp lemon zest, and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Finely chop 1/8th cup skinned, toasted hazelnuts and stir into dressing; coarsely chop another 1/8th cup and stir in. drizzle hazelnut dressing over romano beans, season with salt and pepper, and toss together. Hold 1¼ lbs of heirloom tomatoes on their sides and slice into ¼ inch slices. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange slices on a large round platter, overlapping them, and spoon on about half of the balsamic vinaigrette. Scatter with ½ bunch baby arugula leaves. Stir1 cup of cherry tomatoes, stemmed and cut in half, with remaining vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Pile in center of platter, then top with romano beans. Spoon on a few dollops of crème fraiche and sprinkle about a 1/3 cup pesto onto and around salad.

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 (or green) 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.

Lemon Ricotta Summer Squash Galette: thinly slice 2 medium zucchini ( about 2 ½ cups) and sprinkle lightly with salt. Transfer to a colander; drain for 15 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, on a large piece of lightly floured parchment, roll ½ of a 15oz package of refrigerated unbaked dough to a 12 inch circle. Transfer parchment and dough to a large baking sheet; set aside. For ricotta filling; in a medium bowl whisk together ¾ cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Using a spatula spread the ricotta filling over dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border. Top with squash rounds. Drizzle with more olive oil. Gently fold over pastry edges, pleating as necessary. In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water. Lightly brush pastry edges with egg mixture. Transfer galette to oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh dill weed, if desired. Serve warmor ar room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Cilantro Pesto: In a food processor or blender combine. 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 cup tightly packed minced fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, finely chopped, 2 large cloves roasted garlic, or 1 small clove raw garlic peeled and minced, 1 tsp mild chili powder, 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 3/4 tsp sea salt. Great served over beans and grains, bean and grain salads, this pesto is delicious brushed onto grilled corn on the cob or tossed with cooked corn kernels.

Grilled Potatoes with Fresh Dill: preheat grill to 350 degrees. Slice thinly 2 lbs potatoes. Toss with ½ tsp salt, 4 tbsp olive oil, and pepper to taste. Lay out 2 large sheets of foil 12x 26 inches. Oil the foil and arrange the potatoes in a single layer over one side of the foil. Fold the foil over and crimp the edges forming a packet. Grill the packets, covered, rotating once, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and browned. Open packets and transfer potatoes into a serving bowl. Toss with 2 tbsp butter and ¼ cup chopped fresh dill. Sprinkle with coarse salt and serve.

Zuchinni and Tomato Frittata: preheat broiler. In a medium bowl whisk together 8 eggs, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper. In a 10 inch oven going skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat, layer in sliced of 1 small summer squash evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Cook 3 minutes, turning once. Top with ½ cup cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables in the skillet. Top with 2 oz bite sized fresh mozzarella balls and 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until sides begin to set, lifting with a spatula to allow the uncooked portion to run underneath. Transfer to a broiler. Broil 4 inches from the heat 2 to 3 minutes or until set. Cut into wedges to serve. Serve with fresh tomato slices, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cauliflower and Potato Curry: Cook 1 cauliflower cut into florets, for 5 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Add to the boiling water 2 medium potatoes (or equivalent) that have been peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks, cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain well again; transfer to the bowl of cauliflower. Meanwhile, combine in a food processor; 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and sliced, 3 large garlic cloves, 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced, and optionally; 2 hot chile peppers such as jalapeno or Serrano, seeded and diced. Process until minced but not pureed. Heat in a dutch oven over medium heat; ¼ cup vegetable oil, clarified butter, or ghee. Add 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped, and the apple mixture and cook, stirring, until the onions are softened ands starting to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 tbsp curry powder and 1 tbsp all purpose flour. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes to lightly brown the curry powder and flour. Then add 1 14 oz can of coconut milk, ½ cup water or chicken stock, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, then add the reserved cauliflower and potatoes and 1 16 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in, cover and cook until tender 10 oz fresh shell peas. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve the curry over cooked rice and garnish with golden raisins and chopped cashews if desired.

October 22, 2015 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 16

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

10-6-15

Large shares: spaghetti squash, leeks, chard, yellow finn potatoes, bulk carrots, green beans, lettuce, Italian parsley, garlic, hot peppers, Liberty apples, green cabbage

Small shares: spaghetti squash, leek, chard, yellow finn potatoes, bulk carrots, kohlrabi or green beans, Italian parsley

Fall Song

Another year gone, leaving everywhere

its rich spiced residues: vines, leaves,

The uneaten fruits crumbling damply

in the shadows, unmattering back

from the particular island

of this summer, this Now, that is nowhere

except underfoot, moldering

in that black subterranean castle

of unobservable mysteries-roots and sealed seeds

and the wanderings of water. This

I try to remember when time’s measure

painfully chafes, for instance when autumn

flares out at the last, boisterous and like us longing

to stay – how everything lives, shifting

from one bright vision to another, forever

in these momentary pastures

-Mary Oliver

Dear CSA members,

Absolutely gorgeous, if a bit unseasonably warm, fall week on the farm. Beautiful fall colors of reds and golds in all the decidious trees and shrubs in our surrounding country side right now. I love the contrast of the clear blue skies with the golden leaves fluttering down into the roads and fields.

It has been a fun week in the kitchen for me as well. I canned another round of tomato sauce (just cant resist those slightly blemished tomatoes that keep piling up around the barn), salsa, apple butter, and some escabeche too. My family hopes to press cider within the week as well. We make both hard and sweet cider for our winter indulgence. I love stocking up the pantry this time of year as we all know the clock is ticking on alot of this produce!

Our backs are sure feeling the ache of week 17 of CSA deliveries. We have started selling our winter squash and are moving bulk quantities of carrots, onions and potatoes day in and day out. The crew also had a record breaking kale and chard harvest on Monday, many hundreds of bunches. It was quite a long day so I want to give them a shout out for all their long hours and hard work this season. It is amazing to think we have come through 17 weeks of deliveries already, and seen the season and the food change from the light greens filled boxes of spring all the way to these heavy boxes of winter squash, cabbages and bulk carrots. All this made possible through many many hours of hands on planting, tending, and harvesting. Once the summer CSA ends, there will be a slight down tick in the work load, so relief is in sight for all of us hard working folks. Though, within the next two weeks we will be planting next years garlic crop and having a gigantic potato harvest in which we bring in several tons of potatoes!

Speaking of bulk carrots, we had soo many in the cooler we just had to share the love. My kids like the little ones in their lunch boxes, but they are generally great all around and will keep for quite awhile in your fridge for cooking, juicing etc. You will also receive this week:

Spaghetti Squash: this large yellow football shaped squash is an excellent grain free substitute for pasta. It is very low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients. Halve it and bake or steam it until tender. Then use a fork to tease out the long strands of flesh that can be used just like pasta. The squash itself will keep for many weeks if kept cool and dry. Here is a great article covering all aspects of Spaghetti squash from the food blog Quick Easy Cook. https://www.quickeasycook.com/spaghetti-squash/

and

Leeks: this long and lovely member of the Allium family (onions, garlic and the like) is one of our star winter performers. They will stay alive through most winters here as long as the temperature dosen’t go below 10 degrees or so. They are much prized by chefs for their mild and tender flavor. To use them, first slice the whole thing vertically. Then fan out the many layers under running water to remove any trapped sediments. Slice off the tougher deep green tops, and use the white and light green parts in your recipes. Leeks will also keep for many weeks in your fridge crisper drawer. By peeling away outer layers, you can remove any discolored parts if you do decide to keep them for an extended time.

Have a great week,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

Potato Leek Soup: Melt 3 tbsp butter in a soup pot over low heat. Add and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned about 20 minutes 2 large leeks, chopped. Stir in 1 1/4 lbs peeled and thinnly sliced yellow finn potatoes. Add 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer until the potatoes are soft about 30 minutes. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Shallots, Parmesan and Herbs: halve a med/large spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash halves face down on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until the squash flesh is tender. In a large sauce pan melt 1 ½ tbsp butter over medium heat. Add 2 diced shallots and 2 diced garlic cloves. Cook until softened. Stir in 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, and ¾ tsp chopped fresh rosemary and cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Add in 6 cups spaghetti squash that has been scooped from the rind and toss to combine. Cook until warmed through. Stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley and 2 tbsp grated parmesan and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve. Serves 6.

Spaghetti Squash with Feta and Sautéed Vegetables: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place a spaghetti squash cut side down on the baking pan. Bake for 30 min or until the squash is tender when pierced by a knife. Set aside to cool until it can be handled. Meanwhile heat 2 tbsp oil, add 1 chopped onion and sauté until tender. Add 1 minced clove of garlic and sauté for 2 min more. Add 1 ½ cups chopped tomatoes, and cook only until the tomatoes are warm. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the spaghetti squash and place it in a large bowl. Toss with the sautéed vegetables, ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, ½ cup sliced black or kalamata olives, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil. Serve warm.

Cabbage Soup: In a medium stock pot over medium low heat, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add 2 leeks, chopped, 2 medium onions, diced, 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic. Stir in and bring to a boil 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock. 2 cups water, 2 large carrots sliced, and 2 small potatoes peeled and diced. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are mostly cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in; 4 cups shredded green cabbage. simmer until the cabbage is wilted, about 15 minutes, adding a little water to cover if necessary. Stir in: 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 cup chopped parsley. Sprinkle each serving with crumbled blue cheese.

October 14, 2014 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #18

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #18

October 14^th 2014

Large share: Delicata squash, Jonagold apples, cauliflower, kale, cipolinni onion, sweet peppers, beets, carrots, yellow finn potatoes, cherry tomatoes

Small share: Delicata squash, Jonagold apples, broccoli, cipolinni onion, kale, Italian parsley, sweet pepper, garlic

Dear CSA members,

Wow, it’s the last box of the summer season! First and foremost I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for joining us on this 18- week local eating journey. It is so fantastic to think back on the all the hard work behind us, and the seasonal progression of the fruits and vegetables that have made it all possible. From the first tender lettuce, and garlic scapes, through all the heat loving summer crops like tomatoes and cucumbers and now on to winter squash and luscious Jonagold apples.

As always there are successes and failures throughout the season, and there is not always time to reflect on them, but overall it seems that our land and hard work has provided us with such a dazzling array of beautiful, tasty and nourishing food. I feel a great sense of satisfaction to have provided so many people with locally grown, fresh and organic vegetables. I hope you all have enjoyed the season and have the same sense of satisfaction at having contributed to helping this small organic farm remain sustainable.

This week’s box has some absolutely gorgeous and delicious produce. The Jonagold apples are a special project of mine (36 trees in all). They are about 35 years old and need lots of tender loving care. (read lots and lots of work!). The orchard produces a ton of fruit, but in this climate it is difficult to produce blemish free apples organically. Lets just say of the 750 lbs my husband and I harvested Sunday about 230lbs were deemed worthy of CSA. The rest will go to our personal cider for the winter! Normally I give them to the fall CSA share but this year they are ripened 2 weeks early. That’s what a long lot summer will do for you. They are very delicious and juicy and also are tree ripe and thus bruise easily – it will be best to enjoy them a.s.a.p either fresh or baked into a dessert.

Delicata squash is my family’s favorite winter squash. The flesh is uber sweet and the skins are tender enough to eat! It bakes quickly and the seeds are great roasted too. This squash will keep for several weeks in a cool dry place, but I doubt it will last that long!

We continue to have beautiful broccoli and cauliflower from our late planting, as well as sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes in the big high tunnel. They should all hold out for some time. Unfortunately though, we are all out of garlic for the year. Last week we planted our beds for next year and are really excited because it will be our largest garlic planting ever. Here’s looking forward to next season!

If you haven’t already done so, I hope you will join us for the Fall share. It begins next Tuesday October 21^st and will go for four weeks until November 11^th. We will have many amazing fall/winter vegetables that haven’t been available for the summer season. For example; leeks,celeriac, sunchokes, several varieties of winter squash, asian greens, rutabaga, burdock, endive and escarole and lots more! The small share is only $66 and the large $110. Please sign up on our website http://www.wobblycart.com.

It has been a pleasure growing for you this season. Please take care of any remaining payments you need to and also remember to return your empty boxes so that they may be reused.

Thank you all,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

Broccoli with Green Herb Sauce: Break 1 large head of broccoli into florets, peel the stalk and chop into chunks. Steam in a steamer basket over simmering water, covered, until tender to the core when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Put in a serving dish. Meanwhile mix ½ cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves, 1 tsp each fresh thyme and oregano leaves, zest of 1 large lemon, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp brined capers, rinsed and chopped, 2 tbsp finely diced shallot, 1 small garlic clove minced, ½ cup olive oil, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about half the green herb sauce over the broccoli and turn gently to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature, with extra sauce on the side.

Delicata Squash with Thyme and Cider Glaze: Peel 2 medium Delicata squash with a vegetable peeler, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece in half lengthwise again, then crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Melt 3 Tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add and 1 Tbsp coarsely chopped Thyme and cook, stirring, until the butter just begins to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown the herbs. Cooking the herbs in butter mellows their flavor and improves their texture. Add the squash to the skillet, then 1 ½ cups unfiltered apple cider or juice, 1 cup water, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and additional salt if needed. ( from The Herbfarm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld).

Delicata Squash Rings: Preheat oven to 375. Take a whole delicata squash and slice it across sideways. This will make ring shapes out of it. Scoop the seeds out of the middles of your squash rings. Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet with olive oil. Lay the rings out in a single layer across the skillet. Place in the hot oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then flip the rings with a spatula. Bake the other side until both sides are lightly browned and the squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve.

Fall Salad with Apple Dressing: prepare the dressing: combine 2 small apples, peeled and chopped, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup good cider vinegar, and ½ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until apples are translucent, 25 minutes. Puree in a blender, slowly adding 1 ½ tbsp St-Germain elderflower liqueur. Adjust with more vinegar or liqueur to taste. Chill. For the salad: toss 4 cups loosely packed fall greens (arugula, escarole, kale, frisee, lettuce) with 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and ½ tsp kosher salt. Spoon dressing onto plates, divide salad among plates and top with 1 large apple that has been cut into thin wedges, 6 tbsp shelled pecans and 1 ½ oz shaved Pecorino cheese (divide amongst the plates). Serves 8

September 30, 2014 by wobblycartfarm

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #16

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #16

9/30/14

Large share: mixed red and gold beets, yellow finn potato, Czech black hot pepper, shallots, arugula, green cabbage, spaghetti squash, 1 pint cherry tomato, green leaf lettuce, garlic, rosemary

Small share: mixed red and gold beets, fingerling potato, Czech black hot pepper, shallot, green beans, eggplant, spaghetti squash, garlic, rosemary

Dear CSA members,

Here we are at week 16. It’s amazing how the week’s fly by and suddenly the summer CSA is drawing to a close. I suppose it is the life of a vegetable farmer to have the summer blow by in a whirlwind of bountiful produce. It’s like go go go until the summer crops give out. Our fields are looking just like that after last week’s cold rains virtually shut down the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil and what is left of the pickling cucumbers. The high tunnel is still holding out with an abundance of red and cherry tomatoes as well as beautiful peppers and eggplant.

This week you will receive a bit of what is left of summery vegetables, as well as our first taste of winter squash and shallots. The eggplants are from the last of the field planting and do have some relatively minor blemishes. We were careful to limit it to those with only cosmetic flaws, and wanted to be sure the small share got eggplant one more time before the summer CSA is over.

Shallots: Shallots are like onions and garlic, but their flavor is richer, sweeter, and more potent. They add great depth of flavor to sauces, soups, sautes and stews. Shallots can be used interchangeably with onions in a quantity about half that of onion.

Rosemary: This fragrant evergreen herb is used for seasoning a wide variety of dishes, particularly those of Mediterranean or Italian origin. Rosemary is excellent for seasoning stuffings, sauces, and compliments roast meats such as chicken and lamb. for cooking you will want to remove the leaves from the woody stems before chopping. If not used right away you can allow your rosemary to dry and use it for seasoning later by just leaving it out in a dry place.

Czech black pepper: this pepper is an heirloom from Czechoslovakia. it is very similar to a jalapeño in heat, but quite a bit sweeter. store in the fridge until ready to use.

I hope you enjoy this week’s box. Also, as we are winding down the summer share please remember to send in final payments and also to return any and all CSA totes to the drop sites.

Thank you,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

Blueberry, Beet, and Basil Summer Salad: cook about 4 cups halved gold and red beets in lightly salted boiling water 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool. Remove skins, cut into wedges. Finely shred the peel of one lemon; juice lemon. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the beets, 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup arugula, 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 medium fennel bulb (trimmed, cored, and cut into wedges), 1 medium red onion sliced, and reserved lemon juice. For dressing: in a small bowl stir together 1 6oz carton plain greek yogurt, lemon peel, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, and 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper. Whisk in 1 tbsp olive oil. Serve dressing with the salad. Makes 6 servings.

Arugula Walnut Pesto: place in a food processor 3 to 4 cups fresh arugula, ½ cup walnuts, toasted, 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, ½ cu olive oil. Process until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.

Caramelized Shallots: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium low. Thinly slice 6 to 8 oz of shallots and saute them in the oil for about 2 min. add 1 tsp salt and saute for 5 min more, or until soft. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent them from browning too quickly. Add 1 tsp sherry or apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp sherry or white wine, 2 tsp brown sugar, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Sautee for another 20 min, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed to prevent sticking and burning, about a tsp at a time. Remove sprigs of thyme before serving.

French Shallot Soup: Prepare 2 batches caramelized shallots and/or onions (see above). Melt 2 tsp unsalted butter over med-low heat in a deep pan or dutch oven. Add the caramelized shallots and stir to warm through. Add 1-quart beef stock, at room temperature and 1 cup red or white wine. Simmer at least 20 minutes and up to 40 minutes. Near the end of cooking preheat the oven broiler. Divide the soup into 4 oven-proof bowls, and stir in 1 to 2 tsp cognac into each bowl. Gently float a thick slice of day old baguette in each and top with 4 oz slices of Gruyere cheese. Broil until golden and bubbly about 3 to 5 minutes.

Rosemary Roasted Potaoes: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Quarter 1 ½ lbs potatoes and place in a bowl with 1/8 cup olive oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, ¾ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary. Mix to coat the potatoes. Dump into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for at least one hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula to promote even browning. Remove from oven and serve.