CSA Week 11! Summer is winding down…
Hello folks!
Announcements: We hope that all of you will be coming to our Hoedown and Community Potluck. All CSA members and their families (neighbors and friends too!) are welcome. SUNDAY AUG. 23rd. Come tour the farm at 3 and do chores with us and 4pm the music will start and eating will commence. Bring a dish (made from the harvest of course!) and your own tableware, b.y.o.b. See you on Sunday!
PS Let us know if you wish to be a volunteer for the cattle drive from 11-2. Mandatory training at 10:30.
On the Farm: We are still bringing in some of our second cut of hay with this nice weather all week. Exciting news for our poultry- Our 145 newer layer hens have started to lay eggs! We are collecting a few each day so soon we’ll be back in the swing of larger egg production. Also, we got 75 replacement turkey chicks because the first group had many deaths due to rickets. They are fairing well and the surviving 40 from the first group was moved out on pasture today! Our turkeys will remain organically certified- put in your reservation for one by the fall for Thanksgiving!
In the Garden: Yes, its true, the tomato crop is basically gone. The blight just took over. It all happened so fast. But the good news is we will share some of the few ripe ones and send home some green tomatoes for you to make chutney or fried green tomatoes! Maybe they will ripen on your window sill!
The other good news is our melon crop looks plentiful!
Flowers are colorful- enjoy another PYO bouquet!
This weeks Harvest: A few tomatoes (savor them!), 1 huge head of white cauliflower (see 2 easy recipes below!), Eggplant (recipe below as well), Leeks! Yeah! Drumroll please…. melon! (Some may need to be on your counter for a few days) A nice variety of golden beets and a few chioggas. The standbys: cucumbers, patty pan, yellow and green zucchini, bunched chard or kale (maybe both last week was too much.?) and some basil. WOW! Enjoy.
Reminders: Bring back your glass jars for more syrup please. Bring Canvas bags and curb excessive use of produce bags if possible. Thank you.
Recipes: No recipes for leeks, I’ll let you submit one! They are wonderful in egg dishes and in place of onions or in a soup!
Lighting Quick Cauliflower Curry
Yields: 4 cups
Serving size: 2 cups
Servings: 2 main-dishes or 4 side-dishes
Heat over medium heat in a large, heavy pot with lid:
- 2 Tbs. oil
When hot add:
- 1.5 tsp. dark mustard seeds
When the mustard seeds starts to pop (it should be just a few seconds), take the pan off the heat and stir in:
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cumin, ground
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
Meanwhile prepare the cauliflower and add to the pan:
- 1/2 head medium cauliflower (about 1.25? lbs after removing leaves and core), sliced
- 1/4 cup water
Stir to mix, then cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, adding more water if needed. Add and cook for 1 minute:
- 1 cup frozen peas
Shake on:
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- a shake or two of crushed red pepper
- 1.5 Tbs. lemon juice
Stir in:
Notes
The colors of the peas and tomatoes contrast beautifully with the golden cauliflower, and they add some sweetness. The cauliflower is “sliced” into pieces rather than being broken into florets, because when you slice it you’ll cut through the cells, and the cauliflower will absorb the spices better.
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
4-inch segment of a thin day-old baguette
1 medium head of cauliflower, washed
extra-virgin olive oil
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh red chile pepper, minced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place racks in the middle.
Give the baguette a spin in a food processor until you have textured, not-too-fine bread crumbs.
Trim the cauliflower. Get rid of the big stalks and stems and strive for uniform, bite-sized little florets. Little trees.
In a big bowl toss the cauliflower with a few generous tablespoons of olive oil and the salt. Toss until the cauliflower is well coated and then place it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. You are going to bake for about 25-30 minutes total.
There will be some residual olive oil in the big bowl you used to toss the cauliflower. If not, add another tablespoon or two. Add the bread crumbs, garlic, and chiles. Mix.
After the cauliflower has been baking for about 15-20 minutes anything in contact with the pan should be nicely browned. Pull the pan out of the oven, rotate each piece of cauliflower so that another side will get some color, and then sprinkle the entire pan with the breadcrumb mixture. Return the pan to the oven and finish with another ten minutes or so. The cauliflower should be tender throughout and the breadcrumbs nicely toasted. Serve immediately, it really isn’t half as delicious after it has been sitting on the counter getting cold.
Serves 4
- Puree the roasted cauliflower (and crumbs) with some broth and a splash of cream for an easy soup
Broiled Eggplant with Capers and Mint
Adapted from Epicurious
Makes 4 appetizer-size portions
1 pound thin Italian or Asian eggplants (2 to 3), cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped mint
2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed
Preheat broiler. Arrange eggplant in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil (total). Broil about 4 inches from heat, turning once, until golden, 8 to 12 minutes total.
Stir together vinegar, mint, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil and toss with warm eggplant. Marinate at least 20 minutes.
Marinated eggplant can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.
