July 24/25, 2008, CSA Week 7
The rain dance worked! We woke to the patter on the windows around 4:30 this morning and were able to drift back to sleep happily knowing that our plants are getting the drink they need. When Chris got to the farm this morning, the rain gauge read 2 inches already. With the 3-5 additional inches predicted for tonight into tomorrow, we’re hoping now that nothing gets washed away!
Last week, one of our members pointed out that the last couple of newsletters have been rather negative. He suggested that we should focus first on the positives that are going on, because there are most certainly lots of good things happening to us, both on the farm and personally. On the farm, we are learning a lot about the land; what we can grow, what areas need work to grow more, what crops do well in our conditions, which ones can and cannot handle different types of stress. We are getting some new ideas about how to plan our gardens for next year, and have found some excellent sources of advice on when to plant what. While it was still dry this past week, Chris and his cousin dug out a couple of potential pond spots with a backhoe and now that it’s rained, we see that both will hold water, which is good news for our irrigation issues. On a personal level, Alex just had his first birthday, and he is more and more of a joy to us with each passing day. We are expecting another baby in January; the pregnancy is going very well and I can feel the little one swimming around every day now. In this rough real estate market, we were able to find a buyer for our house in a short amount of time. We finally found a house that we both like that’s only a couple of miles from the farm…hopefully we will be lucky enough for the sellers to accept our offer on it.
Growing food for people is a responsibility we take seriously. We committed to all of our members for the entire season and when conditions (some within our control, some not) combine to make us question whether or not we can meet that commitment, it is hard to look on the bright side. It upset us to have to supplement the shares with produce from another farm. So, we apologize if the tone of the newsletter has been negative; the point of writing these notes is not to evoke sympathy or to make you feel down. We simply want to let everyone know what we are working on and thinking about while we learn just how different farming vegetables is from growing a vegetable garden. We are enjoying our time on the farm, working together to harvest and plan. We have chosen a profession that may not always be easy, but it allows us to spend time together even when we are working long hours, so all in all we remain optimistic about the remainder of this season, as well as seasons yet to come.
This past week, as I said, Chris dug out a couple of pond sites, he also did a lot of weeding around the tomato plants and planted more lettuce. The seeds that had germinated already were envigorated by the small amount of rain earlier in the week, which was encouraging. During the coming week, we plan to do more weeding, and also to plant our fall cabbage, kohlarabi, kale, asian greens and more carrots, along with our regular harvesting.
This week’s shares include summer squash, beets & lettuce. The beets and lettuce are from Stoneledge Farm again, and the summer squash are ours. We have green beans ready to pick but the rainy weather has delayed our harvest; picking beans while the plants are wet makes them susceptible to fusarium wilt (a fungus) that can attack and kill the plants very quickly, so we opted against harvesting them Wednesday & Thursday. Next week we will have plenty for everyone.
Roasted Beet Crostini
1 bunch beets with greens attached
16 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, preferably whole-grain, cut on the diagonal
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces creamy goat cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.2. Trim greens from beets, reserving stems and greens. Place the beets in a baking pan, cover with foil and roast until very tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the beets. Uncover and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.3. While the beets cool, arrange baguette slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, turning the slices over once halfway through, until toasted but not browned, about 14 minutes. 4. Thinly slice the beet green stems and finely chop the leaves; keep stems and leaves separate. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the greens, vinegar and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender and the liquid has evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in salt and remove from the heat. 5. Peel the cooled beets and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place 3/4 cup beet pieces, goat cheese and pepper in a food processor and puree until smooth (reserve the remaining beets for another use). 6. To assemble crostini, spread about 2 teaspoons beet-cheese spread on each slice of toasted baguette and top with sautéed greens.
From Eating Well January/February 2008
Zucchini-Potato Latkes
1 pound zucchini, shredded
2 cups shredded cooked potato
2 medium shallots, minced, divided
1 egg, beaten
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and shredded
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 450° F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.2. Toss zucchini, potato, 3 tablespoons shallot and egg in a large bowl. Add breadcrumbs, feta, 1 tablespoon dill, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. Form the mixture into 12 patties.3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 patties, cover and cook until crispy and browned on one side, 2 to 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the latkes to the prepared pan, browned-side down. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and patties. 4. Transfer the latkes to the oven and bake until firm and heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.5. Meanwhile, prepare tzatziki: Combine yogurt, cucumber, vinegar, the remaining minced shallot, 1 tablespoon dill and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Serve the latkes with the tzatziki on the side.
From Eating Well August/September 2006
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Farm Notes, CSA Week 6
July 17/18, 2008, CSA Week 6
Rain, rain, where are you? Not on our farm, that’s for sure. Last Sunday we got about 3/10 of an inch, and that’s been it for at least 3 weeks. It is dry!!! Not great for our crops, to say the least. Lettuce, arugala, and braising greens that had been looking great went to stunted and now burnt. The beets and other root crops are staying small because they need the water to get any size. The winter squash plants and melons are all smaller than they should be at this point in the season. Chris tells me that lettuce needs the equivalent of 1 inch of rain per week in order to grow properly, so that’s why it’s so far behind where it “should” be. By next year’s growing season, we will dig a couple of ponds that we’ll be able to pump water from for irrigation, but we currently have no real way to irrigate. It is a very frustrating place to be. So, where do we go from here? We spoke to Deb Kavakas of Stoneledge Farm this week about supplementing our shares with some of their produce. Stoneledge is a certified organic vegetable farm located in Cairo, NY. They have a 700 share CSA and sell some wholesale produce. They have been in business for over 15 years and have very kindly helped us out with produce and advice while we work through this rough patch.
Our summer squash seem to be faring ok through the lack of rain; their production was significantly more this week than last and we have several new plants in flower, so hopefully next week’s share will be all of our squash. Our green beans are flowering, so we should have those next week or the week after. And, a positive note about lack of water…the vegetables tend to be sweeter!
This week’s share includes Baby Onions, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Beets and Lettuce. All of the lettuce and beets and about 1/3 of the squash are from Stoneledge, and the rest of the squash, chard and onions are ours.
Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
Serves 4
A 12-ounce bunch Swiss Chard (or collard, mustard or beet greens), thick lower stems cut off
1 ½ tablespoons oil, lard or bacon drippings
1 large white or red onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through garlic press
About 1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
Salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled fresh cheese, such as queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese, for serving
About ¾ cup salsa or hot sauce, for serving
Cut the chard crosswise into ½ inch slices. In a very large (12 inch) skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but still crunchy, about 4-5 min. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, until aromatic, then add the broth or water, ½ tsp salt and the greens. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the greens are almost tender, chard needs about 5 min, collards 7-8 min.
Uncover the pan; raise heat to med-high and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is nearly dry. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve with warm tortillas, crumbled cheese and salsa.
For a heartier meal, you could add leftover chicken or steak the greens during the final few minutes of cooking. Flaked tuna or smoked salmon is a nice add-in, as is cubes of smoked firm tofu.
From Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
Beet Salad with Lemon, Cilantro and Mint
Serves 4 to 6
1 ½ pounds beets, cooked and peeled
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tablespoons juice
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and fresh ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 handfuls salad greens
¼ cup oil-cured black olives (optional)
Cut the beets into quarters or sixths. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, onion, herbs, coriander, ¼ tsp salt, pepper to taste, and oil in a small bowl. Taste dressing on a beet and correct if needed. Toss the beets with enough dressing to coat lightly. Toss the greens with remaining dressing and arrange on salad plates. Add beets and olives to serve.
From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison
Zucchini Noodles
Serves 4
4 small zucchini
1 cup prepared pasta sauce or creamy low-fat salad dressing
Run a vegetable peeler down the length of zucchini, creating long strips ("noodles"). Steam or microwave for 2 minutes; toss with pasta sauce or salad dressing.
From www.eatingwell.com
Rain, rain, where are you? Not on our farm, that’s for sure. Last Sunday we got about 3/10 of an inch, and that’s been it for at least 3 weeks. It is dry!!! Not great for our crops, to say the least. Lettuce, arugala, and braising greens that had been looking great went to stunted and now burnt. The beets and other root crops are staying small because they need the water to get any size. The winter squash plants and melons are all smaller than they should be at this point in the season. Chris tells me that lettuce needs the equivalent of 1 inch of rain per week in order to grow properly, so that’s why it’s so far behind where it “should” be. By next year’s growing season, we will dig a couple of ponds that we’ll be able to pump water from for irrigation, but we currently have no real way to irrigate. It is a very frustrating place to be. So, where do we go from here? We spoke to Deb Kavakas of Stoneledge Farm this week about supplementing our shares with some of their produce. Stoneledge is a certified organic vegetable farm located in Cairo, NY. They have a 700 share CSA and sell some wholesale produce. They have been in business for over 15 years and have very kindly helped us out with produce and advice while we work through this rough patch.
Our summer squash seem to be faring ok through the lack of rain; their production was significantly more this week than last and we have several new plants in flower, so hopefully next week’s share will be all of our squash. Our green beans are flowering, so we should have those next week or the week after. And, a positive note about lack of water…the vegetables tend to be sweeter!
This week’s share includes Baby Onions, Swiss Chard, Summer Squash, Beets and Lettuce. All of the lettuce and beets and about 1/3 of the squash are from Stoneledge, and the rest of the squash, chard and onions are ours.
Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile
Serves 4
A 12-ounce bunch Swiss Chard (or collard, mustard or beet greens), thick lower stems cut off
1 ½ tablespoons oil, lard or bacon drippings
1 large white or red onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through garlic press
About 1 tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
Salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled fresh cheese, such as queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese, for serving
About ¾ cup salsa or hot sauce, for serving
Cut the chard crosswise into ½ inch slices. In a very large (12 inch) skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but still crunchy, about 4-5 min. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, until aromatic, then add the broth or water, ½ tsp salt and the greens. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the greens are almost tender, chard needs about 5 min, collards 7-8 min.
Uncover the pan; raise heat to med-high and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is nearly dry. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve with warm tortillas, crumbled cheese and salsa.
For a heartier meal, you could add leftover chicken or steak the greens during the final few minutes of cooking. Flaked tuna or smoked salmon is a nice add-in, as is cubes of smoked firm tofu.
From Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless
Beet Salad with Lemon, Cilantro and Mint
Serves 4 to 6
1 ½ pounds beets, cooked and peeled
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon plus 2 tablespoons juice
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and fresh ground pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 handfuls salad greens
¼ cup oil-cured black olives (optional)
Cut the beets into quarters or sixths. Whisk together lemon zest and juice, onion, herbs, coriander, ¼ tsp salt, pepper to taste, and oil in a small bowl. Taste dressing on a beet and correct if needed. Toss the beets with enough dressing to coat lightly. Toss the greens with remaining dressing and arrange on salad plates. Add beets and olives to serve.
From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison
Zucchini Noodles
Serves 4
4 small zucchini
1 cup prepared pasta sauce or creamy low-fat salad dressing
Run a vegetable peeler down the length of zucchini, creating long strips ("noodles"). Steam or microwave for 2 minutes; toss with pasta sauce or salad dressing.
From www.eatingwell.com
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Farm Notes, Week 5
July 10/11, 2008, CSA Week 5
Growing pains…I think that’s what we’re feeling. We were harvesting carrots this evening and bunching them up for tomorrow when we found that we didn’t have enough for everyone. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to juggle…some of you get this and some get that so that we have enough of something for everyone. We really hate doing this, because every member deserves to get to taste all the wonderful flavors and textures that variety offers. There are several reasons for this juggling act, the first being how new we are to this. Last year, was our first year, but the number of shares was much smaller, so we always had more than enough of everything, even when the weather didn’t cooperate or we ran out of time for weeding. This year has been very different. We used a variety of charts and different CSA resources to figure out how much of what we would need to plant for our number of shares. The numbers were surprisingly different from different resources, but I suppose it really depends on what you like to give in the shares. Anyway, we are learning that some of the numbers we used were too low, so we are playing catch up while we wait for what we planted later to start producing. The weather has been another contributing factor; until lately it has been consistently inconsistent. One week it was so dry we had to irrigate to get seeds to germinate and stop transplants from dying, and then the next week we had so much rain there was standing water in the fields. Then there was the hail…we are still seeing some of the effects of that storm in that the squash and tomatoes are and will be later than we hoped. Since this is the kind of thing that farmers always complain about, I guess the weather will never be quite right – it’s just something you learn to work with. And, of course, we mentioned several weeks ago, our soils need a lot of work. Any time this is the case, weeds and pests can become (and usually are) a problem. As a short term remedy to all this, we are putting calls in to a couple of other organic growers in the area to see if we can supplement what we have until our production is up to what we need; we expect this to only be for a couple of weeks, and we will inform you about anything we have not grown that you do get in your shares.
On a more positive note, we just want to share some thoughts on biodiversity. As growers and big fans of heirloom vegetable varieties, we are supporting diversity by keeping lots of different genetics alive and productive. But biodiversity on our farm goes deeper than the varieties of vegetables we grow.
While we were picking our peas last Friday, we found a bird’s nest tucked right into the pea plants with 4 little brown speckled eggs in it. Mama bird sat on one of our posts and chirped at us while we picked, leaving a wide berth around the nest so as not to disturb it. Today while we were picking, we saw that the nest is still there, and the eggs haven’t hatched yet. We left it alone and when Chris came through with the tiller to turn the peas under, he left a nice oasis for the birds.
We have some milkweed growing in the pasture around the gardens (as well as some inside). Milkweed is the host plant for Monarch Butterfly caterpillars – it is the only thing they eat. We have the pleasure of finding those little striped beauties quite often, and last year we were also able to see them in their chrysalis and some after they had just hatched from it, hanging on our kale and Brussels sprouts, drying their new wings.
Clean tillage and eradication of weeds are not top priorities for us. Weeding is important, of course; we weed around plants and try to catch them before they go to seed, but there is so much biodiversity that we would miss if we didn’t have them at all!
This week’s share includes sugar snap peas, turnip greens, early onions, and carrots, beets, or summer squash. (All ours) We hope you are enjoying everything and we appreciate your patience with us as we muddle along.
Pasta Con Cime Di Rapa (Pasta with Turnip Greens)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 lb pasta (I prefer orecchiette, but any hearty shape will work, like rigatoni, etc)
1 lb turnip greens (or broccoli rabe, kale, mustard greens, etc) cut into manageable pieces
6 garlic cloves, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar garlic)
2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
6 flat anchovy fillets (they really make this dish, but you can omit them)
3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir gently with a wooden spoon until golden brown. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, drop the pasta and turnip greens and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet sauté the garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovies in the remaining olive oil until the garlic is lightly browned.
Drain the pasta and turnip greens, add to the skillet and sauté for a couple of minutes. Mix well, top with breadcrumbs and cheese and serve.
Fresh Breadcrumbs
1 loaf stale Italian, French or potato bread (You can use "white" bread—but the flavor is not as good)
Dried herbs (optional)
Cut bread into slices and lay slices on a board or table to dry overnight. Alternately, you can dry bread in the oven set on the lowest setting for about 2 hours or until totally dry.
You can cut crust off or not—your preference. Put into food processor about 3 to 4 slices at a time, depending on size. Process for crumbs to your preference—fine, coarse, and medium. For this dish you would use fine breadcrumbs.
Take about 2 tbsp dried herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, sage, thyme—either one or a combination of your preference) and mix thoroughly with crumbs.
Store in airtight container. Use as you would regular crumbs.
By Nancy Caivano
Sesame Snap Peas with Carrots & Peppers
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 2 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips (about 1 cup)
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pan. Put peas, bell pepper and carrot in a steamer basket and place in the pan. Cover and steam, stirring once, until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; add soy sauce, oil, sesame seeds and pepper; toss to coat. Serve warm.
From Eating Well June/July 2005
Method for Oven Roasting Vegetables
Evenly sized vegetables, such as beets, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes or onions (may be cut in pieces)
Olive oil
Salt, Pepper & Herbs to taste
Preheat oven to 425. Toss veggies in olive oil and seasonings to coat. Lay flat on baking sheet – works best in one layer.
Roast for until fork tender and slightly browned; the time will differ based on the vegetables and their size.
Roasting caramelizes the sugar in vegetables and makes them more palatable for some picky eaters.
Growing pains…I think that’s what we’re feeling. We were harvesting carrots this evening and bunching them up for tomorrow when we found that we didn’t have enough for everyone. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to juggle…some of you get this and some get that so that we have enough of something for everyone. We really hate doing this, because every member deserves to get to taste all the wonderful flavors and textures that variety offers. There are several reasons for this juggling act, the first being how new we are to this. Last year, was our first year, but the number of shares was much smaller, so we always had more than enough of everything, even when the weather didn’t cooperate or we ran out of time for weeding. This year has been very different. We used a variety of charts and different CSA resources to figure out how much of what we would need to plant for our number of shares. The numbers were surprisingly different from different resources, but I suppose it really depends on what you like to give in the shares. Anyway, we are learning that some of the numbers we used were too low, so we are playing catch up while we wait for what we planted later to start producing. The weather has been another contributing factor; until lately it has been consistently inconsistent. One week it was so dry we had to irrigate to get seeds to germinate and stop transplants from dying, and then the next week we had so much rain there was standing water in the fields. Then there was the hail…we are still seeing some of the effects of that storm in that the squash and tomatoes are and will be later than we hoped. Since this is the kind of thing that farmers always complain about, I guess the weather will never be quite right – it’s just something you learn to work with. And, of course, we mentioned several weeks ago, our soils need a lot of work. Any time this is the case, weeds and pests can become (and usually are) a problem. As a short term remedy to all this, we are putting calls in to a couple of other organic growers in the area to see if we can supplement what we have until our production is up to what we need; we expect this to only be for a couple of weeks, and we will inform you about anything we have not grown that you do get in your shares.
On a more positive note, we just want to share some thoughts on biodiversity. As growers and big fans of heirloom vegetable varieties, we are supporting diversity by keeping lots of different genetics alive and productive. But biodiversity on our farm goes deeper than the varieties of vegetables we grow.
While we were picking our peas last Friday, we found a bird’s nest tucked right into the pea plants with 4 little brown speckled eggs in it. Mama bird sat on one of our posts and chirped at us while we picked, leaving a wide berth around the nest so as not to disturb it. Today while we were picking, we saw that the nest is still there, and the eggs haven’t hatched yet. We left it alone and when Chris came through with the tiller to turn the peas under, he left a nice oasis for the birds.
We have some milkweed growing in the pasture around the gardens (as well as some inside). Milkweed is the host plant for Monarch Butterfly caterpillars – it is the only thing they eat. We have the pleasure of finding those little striped beauties quite often, and last year we were also able to see them in their chrysalis and some after they had just hatched from it, hanging on our kale and Brussels sprouts, drying their new wings.
Clean tillage and eradication of weeds are not top priorities for us. Weeding is important, of course; we weed around plants and try to catch them before they go to seed, but there is so much biodiversity that we would miss if we didn’t have them at all!
This week’s share includes sugar snap peas, turnip greens, early onions, and carrots, beets, or summer squash. (All ours) We hope you are enjoying everything and we appreciate your patience with us as we muddle along.
Pasta Con Cime Di Rapa (Pasta with Turnip Greens)
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 lb pasta (I prefer orecchiette, but any hearty shape will work, like rigatoni, etc)
1 lb turnip greens (or broccoli rabe, kale, mustard greens, etc) cut into manageable pieces
6 garlic cloves, chopped (or 1 tbsp jar garlic)
2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
6 flat anchovy fillets (they really make this dish, but you can omit them)
3 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir gently with a wooden spoon until golden brown. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, drop the pasta and turnip greens and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet sauté the garlic, red pepper flakes, and anchovies in the remaining olive oil until the garlic is lightly browned.
Drain the pasta and turnip greens, add to the skillet and sauté for a couple of minutes. Mix well, top with breadcrumbs and cheese and serve.
Fresh Breadcrumbs
1 loaf stale Italian, French or potato bread (You can use "white" bread—but the flavor is not as good)
Dried herbs (optional)
Cut bread into slices and lay slices on a board or table to dry overnight. Alternately, you can dry bread in the oven set on the lowest setting for about 2 hours or until totally dry.
You can cut crust off or not—your preference. Put into food processor about 3 to 4 slices at a time, depending on size. Process for crumbs to your preference—fine, coarse, and medium. For this dish you would use fine breadcrumbs.
Take about 2 tbsp dried herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, sage, thyme—either one or a combination of your preference) and mix thoroughly with crumbs.
Store in airtight container. Use as you would regular crumbs.
By Nancy Caivano
Sesame Snap Peas with Carrots & Peppers
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed (about 2 cups)
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips (about 1 cup)
1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pan. Put peas, bell pepper and carrot in a steamer basket and place in the pan. Cover and steam, stirring once, until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; add soy sauce, oil, sesame seeds and pepper; toss to coat. Serve warm.
From Eating Well June/July 2005
Method for Oven Roasting Vegetables
Evenly sized vegetables, such as beets, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes or onions (may be cut in pieces)
Olive oil
Salt, Pepper & Herbs to taste
Preheat oven to 425. Toss veggies in olive oil and seasonings to coat. Lay flat on baking sheet – works best in one layer.
Roast for until fork tender and slightly browned; the time will differ based on the vegetables and their size.
Roasting caramelizes the sugar in vegetables and makes them more palatable for some picky eaters.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Farm Notes, CSA Week 4
July 3/4, 2008, CSA Week 4
Our busy summer is in full swing. As some of you know, we have been trying for some time to sell our home in North Greenbush so that we can move to New Baltimore to be nearer to the farm and expand on what we’re doing there. Well, we have found a buyer and expect to close by September 1st! So…expect us to be a little harder to get a hold of over the next couple of months; between packing and hauling and, of course, harvesting and taking care of the gardens, we don’t expect to be home much. We will do our best to keep up on email and have the website and blog updated regularly, but can’t make any promises!
Along the same vein, we had been planning to host a tomato tasting party and potluck at the farm in August. We feel that having a party at the farm might be biting off a bit more than we can chew this year, so we talked to the board of the New Baltimore Farmers’ Market (which we participate in every Saturday) about having our tomato festival there, instead. They emphatically agreed that this would be a wonderful market event. So, mark your calendars for Saturday, August 23rd!
The market runs from 9am – 1pm at Wyche Town Park in New Baltimore. For directions to the market and more details, visit their website at www.newbaltimorefarmersmarket.org. We will set up our tasting table between 9:00-9:30, and will keep the samples coming for the duration of the market. There will be live music and chef demos that day (using our tomatoes, of course!) We have 60 varieties of heirloom tomatoes growing, and the vast majority of them will be available to try. If anyone is free during the week before the festival, we would love to have some volunteer help with harvesting tomatoes for this event; mostly on Wednesday and Friday. Contact us if you think you can help!
Yesterday, Chris spent most of his time squashing potato beetles in their larvae state. Since we are catching them before they reach maturity (and start laying eggs!) we think that it’ll just take a couple more weeks of watching them before we are in the clear. The potatoes have grown into nice, healthy plants, some of which are flowering now, so we should have some new potatoes in about a month’s time. Our tomato plants seem to have recovered from the hail damage they sustained a couple of weeks ago, and are looking nice and healthy with some beautiful fruit coming on.
In this week’s share, you’ll be enjoying cabbage, peas, turnip greens, mustard greens and lettuce.
As a reminder, if you are unable to pick up your share or send someone to get it for you, it is donated to a local food pantry. We do not hold unclaimed shares, and we need to know in advance if you have an extenuating circumstance. Thank you, and enjoy the holiday!
Smokin’ Chipotle ‘Slaw
6 cups finely shredded cabbage
¾ cup Sweet Chipotle Dressing
Toss cabbage in dressing in large mixing bowl
Sweet Chipotle Dressing
1 Tablespoon diced onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ cup diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 chipotles in adobo (canned in Mexican section of grocery store)
½ cup olive oil
Place all ingredients, except oil in a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth. Slowly add the oil, in a thin stream, while the blender is running and blend until all the oil is incorporated and the vinaigrette is completely emulsified. Will keep for 3-5 days in airtight container.
Also a nice dressing for hearty salad greens.
Note – this is a very forgiving recipe; I substitute and leave out ingredients I don’t have, and it still comes out great!
Chevy’s & Rio Bravo Fresh Mex Cookbook
Fresh Herb and Snap Pea Salad
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed2 tablespoons sliced almonds2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, walnut or almond oil2 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry or pomegranate 1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper4 cups packed lettuce1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (1/2-inch pieces)1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add snap peas and cook until bright green but still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. 2. Toast almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. 3. Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add lettuce, chives, tarragon and the snap peas and toss. Serve sprinkled with the almonds.
Eating Well Magazine, May/June 2008
Pea and Tomato Pasta Salad
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese1/2 cup buttermilk1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest1 teaspoon lemon juiceSalt & freshly ground pepper to taste8 ounces whole-wheat bowtie pasta8 ounces fresh sugar snap or snow peas, trimmed2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking pasta.2. Meanwhile, puree cottage cheese until smooth in a blender or mini food processor. Add buttermilk and oil; process until smooth. Scrape into a storage container and stir in dill, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.3. Cook pasta in boiling water until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Add peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. 4. Place pasta and peas in a large storage container and toss with tomatoes and scallions. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.
Eating Well Magazine, July/August 1997
Our busy summer is in full swing. As some of you know, we have been trying for some time to sell our home in North Greenbush so that we can move to New Baltimore to be nearer to the farm and expand on what we’re doing there. Well, we have found a buyer and expect to close by September 1st! So…expect us to be a little harder to get a hold of over the next couple of months; between packing and hauling and, of course, harvesting and taking care of the gardens, we don’t expect to be home much. We will do our best to keep up on email and have the website and blog updated regularly, but can’t make any promises!
Along the same vein, we had been planning to host a tomato tasting party and potluck at the farm in August. We feel that having a party at the farm might be biting off a bit more than we can chew this year, so we talked to the board of the New Baltimore Farmers’ Market (which we participate in every Saturday) about having our tomato festival there, instead. They emphatically agreed that this would be a wonderful market event. So, mark your calendars for Saturday, August 23rd!
The market runs from 9am – 1pm at Wyche Town Park in New Baltimore. For directions to the market and more details, visit their website at www.newbaltimorefarmersmarket.org. We will set up our tasting table between 9:00-9:30, and will keep the samples coming for the duration of the market. There will be live music and chef demos that day (using our tomatoes, of course!) We have 60 varieties of heirloom tomatoes growing, and the vast majority of them will be available to try. If anyone is free during the week before the festival, we would love to have some volunteer help with harvesting tomatoes for this event; mostly on Wednesday and Friday. Contact us if you think you can help!
Yesterday, Chris spent most of his time squashing potato beetles in their larvae state. Since we are catching them before they reach maturity (and start laying eggs!) we think that it’ll just take a couple more weeks of watching them before we are in the clear. The potatoes have grown into nice, healthy plants, some of which are flowering now, so we should have some new potatoes in about a month’s time. Our tomato plants seem to have recovered from the hail damage they sustained a couple of weeks ago, and are looking nice and healthy with some beautiful fruit coming on.
In this week’s share, you’ll be enjoying cabbage, peas, turnip greens, mustard greens and lettuce.
As a reminder, if you are unable to pick up your share or send someone to get it for you, it is donated to a local food pantry. We do not hold unclaimed shares, and we need to know in advance if you have an extenuating circumstance. Thank you, and enjoy the holiday!
Smokin’ Chipotle ‘Slaw
6 cups finely shredded cabbage
¾ cup Sweet Chipotle Dressing
Toss cabbage in dressing in large mixing bowl
Sweet Chipotle Dressing
1 Tablespoon diced onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ tsp ground cumin
½ cup diced fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 chipotles in adobo (canned in Mexican section of grocery store)
½ cup olive oil
Place all ingredients, except oil in a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth. Slowly add the oil, in a thin stream, while the blender is running and blend until all the oil is incorporated and the vinaigrette is completely emulsified. Will keep for 3-5 days in airtight container.
Also a nice dressing for hearty salad greens.
Note – this is a very forgiving recipe; I substitute and leave out ingredients I don’t have, and it still comes out great!
Chevy’s & Rio Bravo Fresh Mex Cookbook
Fresh Herb and Snap Pea Salad
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed2 tablespoons sliced almonds2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, walnut or almond oil2 tablespoons fruity vinegar, such as raspberry or pomegranate 1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper4 cups packed lettuce1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (1/2-inch pieces)1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add snap peas and cook until bright green but still crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. 2. Toast almonds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. 3. Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add lettuce, chives, tarragon and the snap peas and toss. Serve sprinkled with the almonds.
Eating Well Magazine, May/June 2008
Pea and Tomato Pasta Salad
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese1/2 cup buttermilk1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest1 teaspoon lemon juiceSalt & freshly ground pepper to taste8 ounces whole-wheat bowtie pasta8 ounces fresh sugar snap or snow peas, trimmed2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for cooking pasta.2. Meanwhile, puree cottage cheese until smooth in a blender or mini food processor. Add buttermilk and oil; process until smooth. Scrape into a storage container and stir in dill, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.3. Cook pasta in boiling water until just al dente, about 10 minutes. Add peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. 4. Place pasta and peas in a large storage container and toss with tomatoes and scallions. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Just before serving, toss salad with dressing.
Eating Well Magazine, July/August 1997
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)