2013 CSA Week 5

From our farm to your table this week…

Item	How to Store it	How long will it last?
broccoli	washed or unwashed in fridge	1-2 weeks
Cucumber	unwashed in fridge	1-2 weeks
Lettuce	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
Tomatoes	at room temp	~1 week
Yellow Squash	unwashed in fridge	1-2 weeks

More information…

Broccoli
We’re so pleased that the weather cooperating in allowing us to provide you with another week of broccoli!  If you didn’t try broccoli apple salad or broccoli cornbread last week, you’ll have another chance!  Just check last week’s post, CSA Week 4, for the information.

Cucumber
If you used up the cucumbers in the week 4 share just by snacking, you might like to try something new this week.  One of our favorite ways to enjoy cucumbers in the summer is by making quick, easy refrigerator pickles.  Check out this recipe for more information.

Refrigerator Dill Pickles
- About 1 lb cucumbers thinly sliced or cut lengthwise    
  into spears
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill ( or 1/2 – 1 tsp dry dill weed)
- ¼ onion thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
-  2 cups water
-  2 cups white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp canning saltoptional – 1Tbsp – ¼ cup sugar if you like your pickles a little sweet.


Prepare canning jars or reused glass jars by thoroughly washing in hot, soapy water.  *Note – heat sterilization by boiling is not necessary for these containers because the pickles will be kept in the refrigerator. 

Wash and slice cucumbers, and place in prepared glass jar(s).

Make pickling brine by combining the remaining ingredients in a Dutch oven and boiling to dissolve salt (and sugar, if using).
Remove from heat and cool.
Pour over cucumbers in prepared jars.  Adding a little water, if necessary, to completely drown your cucumbers.  In about 24-48 hours, your cucumbers will be pickles and they’ll taste even better a few days later. 

Lettuce
Folks, I just don’t know what to say.  If you have some interesting, creative ways to enjoy this delicious lettuce, please share them.  We’re still munching away on the lettuce in salads and sandwiches but we’d love to hear any ideas you’d like to share for new spins on one of our old favorites!

Tomatoes

Okay, for the first time this year, I’ve decided it’s time to branch out and do something slightly different with my tomatoes.  My second favorite way to enjoy tomatoes (second only to eating them raw with salt) is Caprese Salad.  A simple French salad made by layering the following delicious flavors in this order: a thick slice of tomato on the bottom, salt & pepper to taste, a thin slice of fresh mozzarella, one basil leaf, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and oil or balsamic vinaigrette.  Ah – delicious!  Here’s what it looks like on a serving dish Caprese Salad from The Pioneer Woman.  I’m going to serve up a platter just like this for a little lunch gathering on the farm this Friday if I don’t eat them all in the kitchen first!

Yellow squash
We’re like proud parents unveiling a tiny new member of the family this week by sneaking in the very first harvest of yellow squash into your share!  These small, tender yellow summer squashes (just one per share) are a hint of what we expect to come in abundance for many weeks.  We hope you enjoy them.  I actually like the small ones raw but this week I’d suggest tossing them in with your refrigerator pickles for an interesting color variation.  Enjoy!  (Don’t worry, they won’t all be as small as these new babies!  …but aren’t they cute?!?!)

 As always, please feel free to contact me for clarification, further information, or to share your own adventures in cooking local, USDA-certified organic produce.  amanda.waterstrat@gmail.com

2013 CSA Week 4

From our farm to your table this week…

Item	How to Store it	How long will it last?
Cucumber* (Saturday pickup only)	unwashed in fridge	1-2 weeks
Butternut squash* (Saturday pickup only)	In a cool, dry, dark place	1-2 weeks, they’ve already been stored through winter
broccoli (Thursday pickup only)	washed or unwashed in refrigerator	1-2 weeks
kholrabi (Saturday pickup only)	Unwashed, in fridge	2-3 months
Lettuce	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
Green onions	Lightly rinsed, dried, and stored in plastic wrap of fridge container	1-2 weeks
Greens (mustard, kale, or Swiss chard) (Saturday pickup only)	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
Sage (Saturday pickup only)	unwashed, in fridge, in sealed container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
Tatsoi (Thursday pickup only)	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
Tomatoes	at room temp	~1 week

*These items are not included in mini shares.
More information…

Cucumber
Fresh, crisp “Little Leaf” pickling cucumbers are just beginning to reach harvest size.  Despite the designation as a pickling cucumber, these little veggies are delicious raw in salads or just to snack on.  This week even Finley agreed that they are tasty and he’s not a fan of many raw, green vegetables!

Butternut squash
Ah, the last of the 2012 autumn harvest is vanishing.  Butternut squash happens to be one of my very favorite vegetables and, although it stirs up thoughts of fall and cool weather, this vegetable is very versatile and delicious any time of year.  In our first CSA newsletter of the 2013 season, I showed you a photo of a salad topped with crisp sweet potatoes alongside a sweet potato soufflé.  Since you’ll have both butternut squash and sage this week, I strongly encourage you to give this soufflé a try.  Pick up some farm fresh eggs at the Farmers’ Market and you’ll have almost everything you need for this tasty dish.  To obtain cooked squash, simply wash the squash and pierce it multiple times all around OR slide it in half, remove the seeds and roast upside down in a pan with a bit of water.  It will take 1-1.5 hours to roast the uncut squash and 45 minutes to 1 hour for the cut squash, both at 375^oF.


Butternut Squash Souffle with Sage*adapted from Southern Living 2007

1 large squash, baked

3 large eggs

½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

¼ cup sugar

2 Tablespoons butter
¼ cup flour
1 Tbsp fresh sage, minced
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg.

Preheat oven to 350^oF.
Grease an 8” square baking dish and set aside.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor in the order listed above.
Pour into prepared dish and bake 55-60 minutes or until set.

Broccoli
If you’ve never known the joy of eating fresh, home-grown broccoli you’re in for a real treat.  Everyone who tries it seems to immediately notice the contrast between freshly harvested broccoli and the supermarket variety.  This time of year, I like to make fresh broccoli salads (see recipe) but if you’re not into that sort of thing and you prefer it cooked, there are also LOTS of great options from roasting to tossing into a soup or casserole.  If you’d just like to save it for later, broccoli is easy to preserve by blanching (quick immersion in boiling water), drying, and sealing tightly in an a freezer bag. (Just be sure to remove all the excess air!)  We still have a few bags of frozen broccoli from last year and it’s great to toss into quiche or a delicious dish called broccoli cornbread.

Broccoli Apple Salad
3 cups washed, chopped broccoli
1 large firm, crisp apple such as Gala or Fuji, cut into small cubes4oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded or in very small cubes)½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup sugar
1.5 Tablespoons red wine or cider vinegarSalt and pepper to taste.
Optional crumbled bacon as garnish

Combine broccoli, apple, and cheese in large bowl.Stir together remaining ingredients and pour over broccoli/apple/cheese mixture.Garnish with crumbled bacon if desired.

Kholrabi
Kholrabi is a root vegetable with big, leafy greens that comes in green and bright purple varieties.  It is in the same family as cabbage and you’ll notice the familiar cabbage flavor.  Although roots and leaves can be eaten, I have not yet prepared the leaves myself.  The roots are firm like a turnip but coated in a thick skin that should be removed before eating.   There are a number of ways to enjoy kohlrabi but since you’ll only find one in your share this week, try it raw in very thin slices.   Experiment with the unique flavor in a salad or layered on a hearty sandwich.

Lettuce

These tender heads of leaf lettuce are, in my opinion, among the best crops of spring and early summer here in Kentucky.  We eat lots of salad all year long, but salads made with the crisp, tender leaves of our own fresh lettuce are among the best.  A light oil-based salad dressing and a few slices of other fresh seasonal vegetables are all you need to showcase the excellent flavor of the lettuce.  Lettuce wraps are another great way to enjoy the large leaves.  Stuff them with your favorite cheesy spread, a light deli meat or chicken salad, wrap and enjoy a light healthy lunch or create a tray to serve as an appetizer for a summer gathering.

Green onions
Tender green onions are often one of the first crops that can be harvested in the spring.  My parents and grandparents have gardened or farmed here in Laurel County for many years now and, although they didn’t usually plant greens like kale and lettuce, they always reserved plenty of room in the spring garden for a bed of fresh green onions.  The preferred method for enjoying green onions in my family was alongside a giant pot of soup beans and hot, buttery cornbread.  Yum!  I still love to eat green onions this way (white bulb and the tender green shoots) but I’ve also learned to appreciate the pleasant flavor that finely sliced green onions lend to a variety of salads.   ….so if  you think it’s too hot to cook up a pot of soup beans and a pan of cornbread, just slice up the onions and stir them into a creamy dip, a big salad or a light summer soup and enjoy!

Greens – Mustard, Kale, or Swiss chard
Once again this week you’ll be receiving a mix of greens because the unique growing conditions this spring didn’t produce a booming crop of spring greens.  This is quite a change from the last two years so we appreciate your patience and flexibility.  While you have this mixture of field greens, it would be a great opportunity for you to try a hearty Cajun dish like jambalaya or gumbo and boost the nutritional value by adding a mixture of the boiled greens. 

Tatsoi
You saw photos and a description of this lovely green in your first box of the season, CSA week 1, but some of the first crop of Tatsoi bolted (produced flowers and became bitter) so not everyone ended up with Tatsoi in their box for the Saturday pickup.  ….so, if it’s your first time trying tatsoi, I think you’ll really enjoy it.  It’s dark, oval leaves and pale green stems are tender and edible and are excellent chopped and served raw in a salad.  Just last night, Ford’s mom Janet had the great idea of slicing into thin ribbons and tossing into a big pasta salad.  The tender green leaves were just perfect with the oily salad dressing, noodles, and other vegetables. 

Tomatoes
Several times each week in the summer, Ford and I make a lunch of sliced cheddar cheese, thinly sliced avocado, fresh tomato and onion slices, and mustard.  It is a delicious way to enjoy fresh tomatoes and have a healthy vegetarian lunch with enough healthy fats and protein to keep us full through the afternoon.  A good old tomato sandwich is hard to beat, but try this version sometime and I think you’ll be hooked!

As always, please feel free to contact me for clarification, further information, or to share your own adventures in cooking local, USDA-certified organic produce.  amanda.waterstrat@gmail.com

 

2013 CSA Week 3

From our farm to your table this week…

Item	How to Store it	How long will it last?
fresh peas	washed or unwashed in refrigerator	1-2 weeks
radishes	washed or unwashed in refrigerator	several weeks
turnips	washed or unwashed in refrigerator	several weeks
Greens (mustard OR kale OR Swiss chard OR tatsoi )	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag	1-2 weeks
thyme (Saturday delivery only)     sweet potatoes (Thursday delivery only)	washed & thoroughly dried (my preference) or unwashed, in fridge, sealed in container or plastic bag     cool, dry, dark place	~2 weeks         ~2-4 more weeks, they’ve been in storage all winter
tomatoes	at room temp	~1 week

More information…

Fresh peas
Sugar snap peas can be enjoyed many ways.  From salads to soups and stir fries, they are crisp and delicious uncooked or lightly steamed.  There never seem to be enough of them around for me to want them any way other than fresh and raw as a light, crisp snack.  Serve them alongside sandwiches or as a standalone afternoon snack with a creamy dip or hummus. 

Just rinse , peel the strings, and enjoy!  Finley’s favorite method involves carefully opening each pod and extracting the big round peas! 

Radishes

The first year we farmed together here in Laurel County, we were blessed with a bumper crop of radishes.  I don’t know about you, but the extent of my radish eating until that time consisted primarily of a few pink and white slivers in a salad and an occasional flower-shaped carving that remained untouched on the side of a serving dish.   Well, you can imagine those approaches don’t go very far in using up a vegetable crisper full of radishes.   ….so, the search began for radish recipes and, believe it or not, there are a lot of great recipes out there.  Thinly sliced, radishes are excellent in salads, pair well with fresh sugar snap peas and they are also delicious layered on top of cream cheese in a light sandwich.  Only in the last year or so, did I venture out into the world of cooked radishes when I found this recipe from Martha Steward Living – Glazed Radishes.  It was a big hit in our home so, if you don’t love raw radishes, give it a try.

Turnips
Last year we shared a recipe with you for Sorghum Glazed Turnips and, I must say, it remains my favorite.  The small, mostly white turnips you’ll find in your share this week are intended to be harvested small while the flavor is pleasant and mild.  They’re great as a raw snack, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you try the glazed version above.  Like the radishes, it softens the texture slightly and makes the unique flavor of the vegetable more interesting.

Greens
I wish I could be more specific with you about the exact variety of greens you will receive but at this time of year, when the coolness of spring fades into the heat of summer, we never know exactly when tender greens will go through a process called “bolting.”  It’s the plants response to the stress of heat.  In an effort to produce flowers and seeds before it’s too late, the plant undergoes a sharp change in flavor, producing bitter, rather than mellow leaves.  
In general, the strongest tasting greens are mustard and turnip greens, followed by the Asian greens bok choy and tatsoi, and then Swiss chard and kale.  In the images below you’ll see an example of the leaves of each.  Most folks in this area boil mustard and turnip greens vigorously, discard the boiling water and cook for a long time with a bit of meat for flavoring.  It is a delicious southern method for preparing greens that have a strong flavor.  They’re great with soup beans or creamy mashed potatoes.  The milder greens – kale, Swiss chard and Asian greens don’t require such extensive cooking and are best fresh or only lightly boiled or steamed.  Kale is also excellent in green smoothies!

 

Thyme
Thyme is a lovely, versatile herb that adds a nice, subtle fresh flavor to almost any dish.  It’s a great addition to rubs for roasting meat but it’s also great in salads and pasta.  Get creative and enjoy adding a little thyme to a variety of your meals this week and see which ones you like best!

Sweet potatoes
Well, I was wrong last week!  A few of you WILL be receiving sweet potatoes (in place of thyme) this week because the heavy rains made the thyme too wet for harvesting.  We hope you don’t mind the substation and enjoy one last sweet potato dish this week.  

Tomatoes

I’m still basking in the joy of eating fresh tomatoes so I haven’t begun cooking with them, but if you’re interested in something beyond slices or diced tomatoes, there are LOTS of great recipes for savory tomato pies, tarts, stuffed tomatoes and more.  I’ll be sure to post some of our favorite warm tomato dishes later this year.

As always, please feel free to contact me for clarification, further information, or to share your own adventures in cooking local, USDA-certified organic produce.  amanda.waterstrat@gmail.com