Filed under: What's In The Bag
csa#4 7.1.09
hi everybody,
in response to one of you who mentioned seeing small bugs on the greens:
The little bugs might be aphids-the wet weather is prime for them and the lady bugs are just hatching. I have seen a couple of lady bug larvae and they are what keep the aphids in check. We really do try to rely on what mother nature has given us as far as some insect control. One aphid can hatch thousands and they are also self fertile which makes even one very prolific. A little soapy water and a good rinse or just water will take care of them.
i also inquired if the farm could ‘recycle’ their rubber-bands – i’ve already collected a large handful – if any of you do not have need of the bands that hold some of our produce each week & you wind up throwing them out, bring em back on wednesdays & i’ll get them to Arliss – he’s our farmer that delivers.
Sure a rubberband seems inconsequential but at the end of the season that could be a few dozen rubberbands!
thanks to Carter Smith, Colleen Kapklein and Jacki Lhoumeau we’ll have an archive of recipes and weekly harvests up soon. i’ll send the link in my next email.
and now a message from our farmers;
Dear CSA Member,
More rain-we are really starting to feel a bit starved for sunshine. I’m sure it will come in time.
I write this short piece and send the list of vegetables before we really start picking. It is based on a good guess and a hope. This week we are planning and hoping to send Sugar Snap Peas. The rain has been a trial and the peas will wait until they are dry to pick. We will take every small bit of dry weather that comes and try to get everyone’s share picked this week. When the peas do arrive, you should use them right up. I don’t think it should be too much of a burden because the Sugar Snap Peas are delicious. Just pull the string that lines the back of the pea and use the whole pod. These are a pea that is grown for the sweet pod and not for the peas inside. They are great raw or quickly steamed.
I am taking photos of each of the vegetables for the photos section of the farm website. There are all of the different Summer Squash that we grow photographed and labeled this week.
Enjoy the vegetables-Deborah, for everyone at Stoneledge Farm
Sugar Snap Peas-1 pound
Garlic Scapes-4 each-this is the last of the scapes
Red Leaf Lettuce-?
Cabbage-?
Escarole-1 head
Silverado Swiss Chard-1 bunch
Summer Squash-2 pounds
Parsley-1 bunch
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: black beans, chicken broth, chili powder, cilantro, collard greens, corn, cumin, garlic, green chili, onion, oregano, pepper, pumpkin seeds, salt, tomatoes, vegetable broth, zucchini
This spicy vegetable soup is full of flavor and easy to prepare. Our Healthy Sauté method of cooking makes this recipe healthier since you don’t have to use heated oils. This soup is a great way to get many vegetables into one meal. It actually gets better with time, so feel free to make a big batch to have around. It is a perfect quick meal on a cold day.
Prep and Cook Time: 40 minutes
Directions:
- Heat 1 TBS broth in a medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add red chili powder and mix in well. Add broth, zucchini, collard greens, and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes and add beans, corn, green chili, oregano, and cumin.
- Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes longer. (Simmering uncovered enhances the flavor.) Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt, and pepper.Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 TBS red chili powder
- 3 cups + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 small to medium green bell pepper, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 cup finely chopped collard greens
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup frozen yellow corn
- 1 4 oz can diced green chili
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: arugula, edible flowers, kale, mizuna, mustard, olive oil, pepper, salt, shallot, spinach, tatsoi, vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 lb mixed baby greens such as kale, mizuna, tatsoi, mustard, arugula, and spinach (16 cups)
- 1 1/2 oz edible flowers (optional)
Whisk together vinegar, shallot, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add greens and flowers and toss until coated well.
Note: Greens can be washed and dried 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with cloth towels. · Vinaigrette can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: balsamic, garlic, onion, pasta, penne, pepper, pine nuts, raisins, red pepper, salt, swiss chard, vinegar
Penne with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, and Raisins
1 lb Swiss chard
1/3 c olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
_ t salt
_ t pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes
_ c raisins
1 T balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 lb. penne pasta
1/3 c pine nuts, toasted
Separate Swiss chard into ribs and leaves; cut into i-inch pieces. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook Swiss chard ribs for 7 minutes. Add leaves and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again and set aside. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes for 5 minutes or until softened. Add chard, raisins and vinegar; toss together. Keep warm over low heat. Meanwhile, in large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne for 8 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions) until tender but firm. Drain pasta and toss with chard mixture. Garnish with pine nuts and serve.
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: cabbage, caraway seeds, fettucine, ham, heavy cream, onion
1 pound fettuccine
2 onions, chopped
4 cups chopped Napa cabbage
2 T vegetable oil
_ pound cooked ham, chopped
1 t caraway seeds
2/3 c heavy cream
Cook fettuccine in boiling salted water until al dente, reserve 1 c of the cooking water, and drain the pasta well. While the pasta is cooking, cook the onion and the cabbage in the oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the veggies are golden. Stir in the ham and the caraway seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Add the cream and simmer the mixture of 1 minute. In a large bowl toss together the pasta and the cabbage mixture, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency, and salt and pepper to taste.
Filed under: What's In The Bag
hello everybody -
as this is coming from sustainable hastings i would be remiss if i did not bring our attention to two notes regarding some recent recipe & greens keeping instructions.
when susan porcino refered to paper towels to wrap your greens in, it is as last resort – she & i’m sure many of us would rather not create that waste. so grab the reusable cloth.
- and speaking of waste – when in preparing dishes it calls to ‘discard’ stems or edges…i hope those of us who’re able, are composting these ‘discards’.
just curious, how many of us are composting? (please reply – not reply all. thanks)
if any of you are interested in getting started in composting let me know – i’d be happy to tip you over that edge.
as a reminder, the hours of pick up are 11:30a - 1p & 3:30p - 6:00p
ok onto week three:
What’s In the Bag
Week #3
Welcome CSA Member,
We are feeling a bit cold and soggy but the greens are in their glory. This week there is a rainbow of colors and textures: Bright Lights Swiss Chard, Summer Spinach, Escarole, Red Leaf Lettuce and Nappa Cabbage.
We are always working a season or two ahead and this time of year is so busy with many jobs that need to be accomplished all at once. The early greens are hitting their peak and need to be picked. The summer vegetables are growing by the day and so are the weeds. We are still planting transplants in the field trying to finally empty the hoop houses. Fall cauliflowers, broccoli, kale and collards are all little seedlings that are the last of our transplants. I have been tending for baby plants since February and will be glad when they are finally all in the fields. Days go by so quickly.
Last week was the first scheduled delivery of Coffee Shares. Members that have not signed up have inquired about still adding a Coffee Share. If you would like to add a Coffee Share, we will make another “first delivery” next week for the members just signing up. Please download the form from the farm website www.stoneledgefarmny.org and mail it to the farm. Deliveries will then be made on the regularly scheduled week in the following months. The delivery schedule is on the farm website, Up Coming Events listing.
Enjoy the Vegetables-Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm
Bright Lights Swiss Chard-1 bunch
Summer Spinach-1 bunch
Napa Cabbage-1 head-a lighter, crinkly cabbage.
Red Leaf Lettuce-1 head
Escarole-1 head
Garlic Scapes-6
Oregano-1 bunch
Summer Squash-I will send the amounts later in the week. It is ready, but we’re not sure how much per share until we start picking.
Filed under: Recipes
THIS WEEK WE USED THE SUMMER SPINACH TO MAKE A HOT SALAD:
Wash and chop spinach and put in a big bowl with sliced mushroom, sliced hardboiled egg, and sunflower seeds. Chop up a few rashers of bacon (especially that nice smoked bacon from the Farmers’ Market) and fry until crisp. Turn heat down a little, and add: 1-2 teaspoons of sugar (really—it won’t kill you. Use organic or demerara or something, or leave it out—do NOT substitute with artificial chemical sweetener), a wee bit of salt, a sprinkling of ground black pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard powder and 3 Tablespoons of mild vinegar (or a tiny bit more, if necessary). Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then pour over the salad and toss. The spinach will wilt just a bit, which is good. Eat and enjoy, unless you’re a vegan, in which case I apologize.
-Bronwyn T.
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: black beans, bok choy, garlic, ginger, rice, rice wine, scallions, sherry, shrimp, soy sauce
HERE’S A BOK CHOY DISH WE LIKE:
Wash and chop the bok choy. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat and cook bok choy for 3-5 minutes, stirring just once in a while (so there may be dark cooked spots here and there). Remove to a dish with a slotted spoon. Turn down the heat and add a little more oil if needed; toss in a spoonful or two of peeled, minced fresh ginger and 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until it smells nice but before the garlic turns brown. Add a pound or so of raw, peeled shrimp and cook for about 4 minutes (til done). Add about 3 spoonsful of soy sauce and 1 spoon of rice wine (or dry sherry). (If you have fermented black beans handy, you can soak a small amount in the wine while cooking the rest of the dish, and then add beans and wine together at this step. Or you can add a little commercially prepared Asian black-bean sauce here, if you have that.) Put the bok choy back in and stir just until heated through. Sprinkle with chopped scallions—or we used those yummy garlic chives from last week’s delivery. Serve over rice.
-Bronwyn T.
Filed under: Recipes | Tags: bok choy, garlic, ginger, salmon, scallions, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar
