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Vegetable List
Nufar Basil Swiss Chard Garlic Scapes Lacinato Kale Red Tide Head Lettuce Muir Head Lettuce Cherry Bomb Radishes Notes from the Farm I'm going to be completely honest, I'm not 100% sure I've seen a colder, rainier, spring. We are up to our armpits in muck and mire... it's enough to make a man wonder if it'll ever dry out. The good news is that the plants are situated... they didn't dry out, that's for sure. The rain made it hard for us to get our feet up and under us, but when we did, we were able to get the plants into some pretty primo ground. And that's the thing, it all usually works out. We haven't had a summerless summer since 1816... well before my time... in my time, things tend to work out with the growing season... I mean, 2009 wasn't super fun, but it worked out. We don't get nervous with a late start, we get impatient... Like a kid that's been told at breakfast that they are going to the beach, only to have to wait for the grownups to finally motivate around noontime... we're excited, super excited, and we just want to farm. You see, the thing is, as of today, we are 3/5ths of the way done with our season... the part you see, the tall corn and red tomatoes, is the showy end... a farm is kind of like a butterfly. The larval stage is the biggest part, takes the most work, does the most heavy lifting... then comes along the chrysalis and butterfly... everyone loves the butterfly... so colorful and delicate. But by butterfly stage, the critter is almost done, call it a life-cycle. We've been busting our humps since January to get ready for this, and just like you, we want to see the butterfly... NOW! We want fresh corn, eggplant and broccoli... it's coming, but not this day... not this day. What we do have is some super tender, super sweet greens. The never ending rain is growing the dickens out of some lettuce right now. And, as one of my top three favorite crops to grow, I'm pumped on the lettuce. So welcome back, we're tickled to have you aboard for this season. Recipes Garlic Scape Pesto 1 Bunch Garlic Scapes .1# Fresh Basil ¼ Cup Olive Oil ½ Cup Kalamata Olives ¼ Cup Fresh Grated Parmesain Cheese Salt & Pepper to taste Put the scapes, basil and oil into a food processor and blend to rough paste. Mix in cut up olives and cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Good on almost anything. Keeps a couple days in the fridge. Sauteed Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts 1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (keep stalks and leaves separate) 2 tablespoons pine nuts 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup golden raisins 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Coarse salt and ground pepper 1. Wash chard, leaving some water clinging to stalks and leaves; set aside. In a large saucepan with a lid, toast the pine nuts over medium-high heat, shaking pan to brown evenly, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside. 2. In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add stalks, and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add leaves, raisins, and garlic. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pull lid back slightly, and tilt pan to pour off water. Stir in vinegar and pine nuts; season with salt and pepper. Serve. Kale Pesto 3 garlic scapes 1/2 cup blanched almonds, toasted 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan 1 bunch kale 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt 1. In a food processor, pulse garlic and almonds until finely chopped. Add cheese and half of kale; pulse until combined. Add remaining kale; pulse to a paste. With motor running, pour in oil. Season with salt.
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Vegetable List
Somali Amaranth Astro Arugula Husk Cherries Lincoln Leeks Concho Peppers Red Bell Peppers White Sage Tomatoes Delicata Squash Honey Nut Squash Butternut Squash Notes from the Farm Lets get one thing straight... a leek is just a long skinny onion. I mean, it's fine in soup, lots of people use it in soup... but it doesn't have to be only used in soup... really, leeks are not a hard nut to crack... they are an onion, a mild long skinny onion... sort of. You can use all parts excepting the hard green leaves just like onion. We use leeks instead of onions in our tomato sauce. We eat them in eggs, on sausages, with rice, on pizza, in salads, on our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches... yes, pb&j... grape jelly is best, with thinly sliced leek or onion in the middle... it's amazing, trust me. Gina starts almost every meal with some kind of onion like food (onion, shallot, garlic, leek)... cut up, in a pan with oil, butter or wine (or all three) and slowly sauteed until translucent. This makes everything better... it just makes everything so much more flavorful. And while we're on the general leek topic, potato leek soup, it's so much better with red onion in place of leeks. Now is the time, shake off your hangups about the order of food in the shape of your life... put red peppers and leeks in your oatmeal (it's amazing)... blend husk cherries with hot peppers and maple syrup to drizzle over roasted squash... chop up your amaranth and stew it with white beans and sausage... turn your butternut into pumpkin pie... turn your delicata into gnocchi... now is the time, today is the day... we only have one life to live, and one pie-hole for cramming... so take this last share and cram that pie-hole like you've never crammed before! And have a great winter... Recipes Leek and Red Pepper Mayonnaise 2 large egg yolks 1 roasted red pepper, patted dry ½ leek, minced 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 cup vegetable oil salt and pepper to taste 1. Place egg yolks in a food processor. (To avoid using raw eggs, substitute yolks from pasteurized eggs.) 2. Add red pepper, leek, mustard, and lemon juice. Pulse ingredients until well combined. 3. With motor running, add oil in a slow, steady stream (mixture should become thick and emulsified). Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container, up to 1 week. Roasted Red Pepper Sauce 2 red bell peppers 1 small clove garlic, peeled 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Roast peppers on a grill or open flame until skin is blackened. Place in a medium bowl covered with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Using a paper towel, remove charred skins. Slice peppers into 2-inch pieces; discard membranes and seeds. Place peppers in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, lemon juice, cumin, red-pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and process until pureed, 1 to 2 minutes. Creamed Leeks 2 tablespoons butter 4 leeks, whites and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise and cut 1 inch thick crosswise, cleaned (see note below) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/3 cup heavy cream Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. 2. Add wine and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. 3. Uncover skillet; increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Add cream; simmer until it has thickened and coats leeks, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Vegetable List
Astro Arugula Basil? Oh Boy! Beets! Brussels Sprouts German Extra Hearty Garlic White Russian Kale New Red Fire Head Lettuce Red Bell Peppers Corvair Shallots Tomatoes Honeynut Squash Notes from the Farm Funny how things come to an end. We have one more week for the CSA but things are definitely cruising to a halt... sort of a slow coast, not unlike running out of gas. We've had a light frost in the field, and it looks like more coming in the next week or so... Three weeks ago we were farming half naked just trying to deal with the humidity... and now, now the squash is all up, the cherry tomatoes are tapped, the eggplant is in the active retching process of giving up the ghost... we have more bare ground than not, just a few last hangers on, the last willing participants of the 2018 growing season. I love this time... the later fall harvest is a little less sexy, but nourishing in its own right. The yearly farm harvest is like the beach. In the spring it doesn't matter whats going on, we just are excited to be going to the beach again... the summer is the best time for the beach, its hot, we're in the mood and brings a special level of satisfaction... but the fall is magic, the crowds have thinned, there is enough time & space to breathe deeply and take the time to feed that part of ourselves that has been neglected all summer. As beautiful as it is here in the summer, its easy to become a prisoner to the wind... the fall brakes those binds and brings us long awaited deep souled vegetables. Thank god for fall. Recipes MUHAMMARA! Make this... you won't regret it! Roast 2 Red Peppers... in the oven, 425 till roasted. 2/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs 1/3 cup walnuts (or any nut), toasted lightly (put them on the roasting sheet with the red peppers) 2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste 1 tablespoon honey 1teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil In a food processor blend together the peppers, the bread crumbs, the walnuts, the garlic, the lemon juice, the honey and , the cumin, the red pepper flakes, and salt to taste until the mixture is smooth and with the motor running add the oil gradually. Eat it with bread! Honeynut Squash, Shallot, and Brie Gratin 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish 2 shallots, sliced into thin rounds, well washed (2 1/2 cups) Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup dry vermouth 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs 6 no-bake lasagna noodles (4 ounces), broken roughly into thirds 1 honeynut squash or 1/2 butternut squash (10 ounces), peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch slices 4 ounces Brie, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 1/3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, such as Swanson 1/3 cup heavy cream Salad greens, such as romaine and endive, for serving 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees; butter a 10-inch, 1 1/2-quart gratin dish. In a skillet, cook 2 tablespoons butter, leeks, and a pinch of salt over medium-high heat, stirring, until soft, 8 minutes. Add vermouth; cook until mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. In another pan, melt remaining butter. Toss with panko; season with salt and pepper. 2. Scatter half of pasta, leeks, squash, and cheese in gratin dish. Season with salt and pepper; repeat with remaining half of each. Pour broth and cream evenly over top; cover with parchment-lined foil and bake until squash is tender, 25 minutes. Sprinkle panko mixture over gratin. Bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes; serve with greens. Brussels Sprout Puree 1 pound (about 4 cups) Brussels sprouts 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1. Trim tough stems from Brussels sprouts. With a knife, mark base of each brussels sprout with a shallow "x." Remove about 25 large outer green leaves; set aside. 2. In pot of boiling salted water, cook Brussels sprouts until just tender but still bright green, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain, and transfer to ice water to stop cooking. 3. Blanch reserved leaves in pot of boiling water, until bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Strain; transfer to bowl of ice water. Drain; reserve. Transfer sprouts to food processor. 4. Heat cream and butter in saucepan over low heat until butter has melted. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg; add to sprouts. Process until combined. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange reserved leaves around edge of bowl. Vegetable List
Somali Amaranth Greens Bunch 'o' Beets Bag 'o' Carrots German Extra Hearty Garlic Husk Cherries Lincoln Leeks New Red Fire Lettuce Sweet Baby Bells Poblano Peppers Red Bell Peppers Tomatoes Delicata Squash Notes from the Farm Sometimes you just get lucky... I feel like I just get lucky... kind of a lot. I could have chosen any line of work, but I chose farming. I could have picked any place to farm, but I picked western Maine. I could have chosen any marketing outlet, but I chose the Kennebunk Farmers' Market... and all those choices led me directly to the farmers of The New Roots Cooperative Farm. New Roots is a cooperative farm run by Somali born farmers in Lewiston... and let me tell you, they are not kidding around... they farm hard. Their produce is beautiful, their farm is well organized and their ambition is inspiring... but I'm not really here to give you a point for point tour of their cooperative, I'm here to tell you about my friends Seynab and Batula. Seynab Ali is one of the most comforting, loving, matriarchal figures I've ever met. She is a leader, a mentor, a friend, and from time to time a pretty tough (and welcomed) critic. Seynab's opinion clearly carries weight in her community. It doesn't take long to feel comfortable in her presence... Batula Ismail is absolutely hilarious. She brings a smile and a laugh to almost any conversation... and she has a real talent of explaining culture and food in a way that I can understand. Batula has a natural disarming empathy for people around her, an enviable interpersonal generosity... not easily achieved. There are two other primary farmers with The New Roots, Abdi and Mohammed, who I don't know all that well, but have always been extraordinarily generous with their time and thoughts. Together, this group makes up an absolutely inspiring and dynamic farm force. I've been fortunate to be in the position to learn a little bit about their food and culture. Last year they started sharing some of their native foods with us here at the farm. They brought us bunches of Amaranth Greens (the name of which in Somali I won't try and spell here, because I'd butcher it... I know I would, because whenever I say the word, Batula and Seynab laugh at me in the most lovingly way). These greens are by far my favorite cooking green I've ever eaten. They brought me bunch after bunch, and finally some seed for me to grow my own... the seeds were a greater gift than I could have ever imagined, a bridge of self, of culture, of friendship. The Somalian Amaranth in the share this week is from those seeds... it was a gift so precious, I had to share it with you. These greens should be cooked almost any way you cook spinach. It's not great raw. I like it chopped (stems and all) and cooked with some vinegar, salt, mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook the garlic and onion first, then add the mushrooms and when they are cooked, add the chopped Amaranth leaves, and cook until they are wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. These leaves are also delicious cooked hard like Collard Greens. Take any Collard Green recipe and substitute the Amaranth. You could also access the world wide network of information and find some more traditional Somali recipes... there are some super fun ones out there... But most importantly, I'd like to encourage all of you to take a look at The New Roots website, newrootscooperativefarm.com, and learn a little bit more about these folks. We are fortunate to have them in our communities, they are good neighbors, and they have taught me so much about farming, friendship and the remarkable capacity for love in the world. I'm a better person, and my life is notably improved, because of The New Roots Cooperative Farmers. Recipes Amaranth in Coconut Milk 1 pound Amaranth Leaves, chopped, stems and all. 2 cups water ¾ cup coconut milk 1 large onion 2 large tomatoes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 lemon Bring water and salt to the boil in a large pot. Add washed amaranth leaves and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. In a separate pan, heat the oil and cook the chopped onion until golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the well drained amaranth leaves and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning or add lemon juice to taste. Delicata Squash with Caramelized Seeds 2 delicata squash 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1. Halve squash, and scoop out seeds and stringy fibers; reserve seeds. Cut each squash half in half again, and slice into 1 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Place in a large saucepan, and set aside. 2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add seeds; cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sugar, and cook until seeds are browned and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. 3. Season reserved squash with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Add 1 cup water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, and simmer until squash is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; transfer to a serving platter. Serve immediately, garnished with seeds. Vegetable List
Arugula Quart 'o' Baby Bells Brussels Sprouts Beatrice Eggplant German Extra Hearty Garlic Jericho Romaine Lettuce New Red Fire Head Lettuce Italian Flat Leaf Parsley Big Ole' Bell Peppers Soma Sweet Sage Corvair Shallots Sungolds Tomatoes Butternut Squash Notes from the Farm I am unnaturally excited about the food in this week's share, and I can't fully wrap my head around the reasons... It might be that there are some new foods we haven't had yet this season. It might be that we have more time in our days, these days, to take some appreciative cooking moments. It might be that I'm just excited... Any way you spoon the pudding, I'm excited, and really it's only the outcome that matters in the throws of epicurean ecstasy. So, lets do this... cook something great this week... I mean, farms are great, it's good to support local agriculture, and thank you for the support, but when we get right down to the meat of this whole CSA scene we're a part of, well, it's really about cramming your pie-hole with nutritively dense, flavorful fresh food... so break out the salt, butter and bacon... it's pie-hole time... Recipes Butternut Squash with Sage 2 tablespoons butter 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) 1. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add butternut squash. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until squash is lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. 2. Add 1/4 cup water, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until squash is fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 3. Toss with sage. Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne 1 Stock brussels sprouts, taken off the stock, trimmed and halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss brussels sprouts with olive oil; season with salt. Roast until brussels sprouts are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine syrup and cayenne pepper. Drizzle brussels sprouts with maple syrup mixture, stir to coat, and roast 1 minute. Eggplant Bolognese 8 tablespoons olive oil 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 green bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), finely chopped 1 zucchini (about 8 ounces), quartered lengthwise, sliced 1/4-inch-thick crosswise 1 garlic clove, minced Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 pound ground beef chuck 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 pound rigatoni or other short tubular pasta Parmesan cheese, shaved 1. In a Dutch oven or large (5-quart) saucepan with a lid, heat 6 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside. 2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan; reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have softened, 7 to 10 minutes. 3. Add beef; cook, stirring and breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 5 minutes. 4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, add tomatoes, oregano, and eggplant to beef-vegetable mixture; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thick and eggplant is tender, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; serve topped with sauce and, if desired, Parmesan. Vegetable List
Astro Arugula Nufar Basil Husk Cherries Ride The Red Bull Onions Concho Peppers Bell Peppers San Marzano Tomatoes Tomayo Tomatillos Tomatoes Red Kuri Winter Squash Notes from the Farm Our fields are bare-ass naked... wide open. I mean, we've got food still, lots of it, but we've also got some wide open spaces. This is the way it always is with us, but somehow, it's still shocking. There is a huge buildup to the farm season, and the way we farm, in the classic analog New England agricultural tradition, the market season is short... the time we market food is short and feels like a runny-mascara, full-volume-screaming, road race over white hot glass... it's intense, it feels intense... but it's fun, so that's a plus. But as our fields unattire themselves of food, we start to get the questions of what we're going to be doing with all our free time... and I don't really know how to answer succinctly (to be fair, I don't know how to much of anything succinctly). Our farm, and most farms I would assume, are much like icebergs... big dirty icebergs... and the market season is the up out of the water part. To the drivers-by, it seems like we're only moving from June to September, and we definitely do the bulk of our work, the most intense work, in the warmest 3 or 4 months of the year... but really, June to September are just the glory months. The year starts on January One. Federal reporting, taxes, seed & supply ordering, field mapping and market outreach. In February the greenhouses are fired up and some of the longest season plants are started... and then on out the daily greenhouse work increases and comes to a head in mid-May. In April and May we prep the fields, work on new infrastructure, fiddle with the perennials, set ourselves up for a (hopefully) successful season. In May we start planting out, and typically are done by June with a few exceptions of smaller lettuce plantings and the like. June, July and August are set aside as the most intense and exciting part of the year, a 7 day a week food foot race... we just hold on tight. September rides the coattails of the summer, but with at least a nap a week scheduled in... and in October we start putting the farm to bed, cleaning up the best we can, fixing everything we broke (we break a lot of stuff... like, a lot) all summer long... October slides into November and we get the last of the cleanup done, the records from the year pulled together and organized. The goal is to be wrapped up in the middle of November... and we almost always hit the goal. But this time, laid out up above the water, at the top of the iceburg, is wonderful, the last gasp before we slide back down into obscurity for another 8 months. Tomatillo Guacamole 6 tomatillos (about 13 ounces), husked and halved 1/2 jalapeno with seeds (about 1/4 ounce) 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt 1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and coarsely chopped Puree tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and salt in a food processor or blender until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup salsa; the remaining cup salsa can be served separately. Puree avocado and the reserved salsa until smooth. Spicy Cold Tomatillo Soup 1 pound tomatillos, hulled and washed 3 garlic cloves 1 concho chile 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped 1/4 cup roughly chopped onion 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro 1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, skimmed of fat 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt 1/2 cup water 1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes, for garnish 1. Heat broiler. Place tomatillos, garlic, and concho chile in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tomatillos are soft and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Turn all items; continue cooking until other side is soft and browned, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. 2. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool completely. Peel garlic; place cloves in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add tomatillos, concho, and any accumulated juices along with cucumber, onion, cilantro, stock, lime juice, and salt; blend until mixture is smooth. Add yogurt and the water; process until they are just combined. 3. Transfer to a large bowl or plastic storage container; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, ladle into bowls; garnish with avocado. Spiced Red Kuri Squash Butter This Squash Butter is great to spread on bread! 1 medium red kuri squash, halved and seeded 1 cup apple cider 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Pinch of kosher salt 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast squash cut-side down until soft, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly, then scoop flesh into the bowl of a food processor (discarding skins). Process until smooth (if it's too dry, add up to 1/3 cup water). 2. Combine 2 cups squash puree (reserve remainder for another use), cider, maple syrup, spices, and salt. In a medium saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight jar in refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Vegetable List
Sweet Baby Bells Quart 'o' Beets Romanesco Cauliflower Swiss Chard Classic Eggplant... classic. German Extra Hearty Garlic Napa Cabbage Ride The Red Bull Onions Green Bell Peppers Sungolds Tomatoes Twin Grown Watermelon Notes from the Farm Well, it's been real. Thanks a ton summer folks... thanks a ton for the memories. Thanks so much for making this season a season to remember. Farewells are hard to really wrap my head around... I've always preferred the quiet dissolve... into nothingness. I mean, if you don't say it, you can ignore it. You can ignore another 11 months without corn, 8 months without arugula, 10 months without tomatoes. As long as we don't talk about our feelings, or about the real scene that we're in, we can all simply dissolve, into a new scene, a new nothingness. So, with a knowing look, I acknowledge you, appreciate you, and I see you fading away... and in that same look, I hope you see how grateful I am to have had you here with us this season. The food is always good enough, the days are good enough... but having you along for the ride made it great, and our memories of the 2018 season will be greater because of you. So thank you summer folks, thanks for everything, enjoy the winter and hopefully we'll see you around the bend. Recipes Stuffed Eggplant Italian eggplants (about 1 pound) 2 teaspoons coarse salt 2 quarts water 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 pints diced chunky tomatoes 1 small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano 1 large egg, lightly beaten 3/4 cup fresh mozzarella cheese, grated 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, and use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edges. Place flesh in a sieve set over a medium bowl, and toss with 1 teaspoon salt; let sit 20 minutes to drain excess moisture. Coarsely chop until pieces are about the size of peas. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan, and add the eggplant shells. Cook 2 minutes; transfer to drain on a baking sheet, cut side down, and let cool slightly. 2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add half the garlic, the chopped eggplant, and remaining teaspoon salt; saute, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 2 cups tomatoes; increase heat to medium-high, and continue cooking until the tomatoes stop releasing juices, about 3 minutes more. Add half the red pepper and the parsley and oregano. Transfer to a medium bowl; add egg, cheese, and 6 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Stir well to combine. 3. In an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish, mix remaining 2 cups tomatoes with remaining garlic and red pepper. Scoop heaping amounts of filling into eggplant shells, and arrange on top of tomato mixture in baking dish. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and teaspoon olive oil; sprinkle over eggplant filling. Bake until the tops begin to brown, about 1 hour. Remove from oven, and serve hot. Eggplant Rollatini Eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick, to get about 12 slices 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese 1- to 1 1/2- pound piece of fresh mozzarella (1/2 cup to be shredded, the rest will be sliced) 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (plus extra for sprinkling) 1/2 pound sliced prosciutto or ham (optional) 1 egg white 2-3 cups prepared tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought 1 loaf Italian bread, for serving 1. In a large skillet, fry eggplant slices in olive oil until eggplant is flexible for rolling, about 3 minutes per side. (Eggplant can also be roasted in the oven: Brush slices with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in 400-degree oven for 20 minutes, flipping eggplant halfway through cooking.) 2. While eggplant is frying/baking, make filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of fresh ricotta, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of fresh shredded mozzarella, 1 egg white, salt and pepper, and mix well. 3. Drain eggplant on paper towel if fried. When eggplant has cooled about 10 minutes, begin the rolling process. On each slice, put about 2 tablespoons of ricotta cheese mixture. Spread it on the eggplant. Next, place a slice of ham/prosciutto on top of the cheese, if using, and then roll. Repeat with all eggplant slices. 4. Coat the bottom of a deep baking dish with tomato sauce. Start placing the rolled eggplants at the bottom of the pan. When pan is filled, put some sauce on the top of the eggplant. Sprinkle some more grated cheese on top. Finally, cut slices of fresh mozzarella cheese to place on top of each rollatini. 5. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes. (If the eggplant was baked, 30 minutes is better.) The cheese should be melted and a little bubbling should be going on. Serve. Vegetable List
Booya Broccoli Delectable Corn Fairy Tale Eggplant Poblano Peppers White Russian Kale Musk Melon Red Bull Onions Ailsa Craig White Onions Flat Leaf Italian Parsley Green Peppers Sungolds Tomatoes One Measly Summer Squash or Zucchini Notes from the Farm The thing about corn is that it's the best... it really is, it's the staff of life. Corn is one of those things that even if you don't like it, you likely have some sort of cherished memory featuring corn. It shows up at all the best times... cookouts, family gatherings, holidays, in early winter (when winter is still exciting) as chowder... corn is frigging everywhere... it has fully occupied all of our happiest moments, an Overlord of sugar, Commander of joy, General of our most intangible familial comforts. And the love of corn isn't just an American phenomenon... everybody everywhere loves corn. It might be the most agreed upon, beloved, whole unprocessed food.... everywhere. Corn simply spreads joy. Now, there are some sobering downsides to corn... the commodity world is weird and hard to totally understand, and I'm not well situated here, in this little space, to get into the complex repercussions of a world willingly bound to chemically produced corn... what I'm interested in here is sweet corn, people corn, joy corn. Just about half of our growing space at the HFF is taken up by corn. It's not super profitable, it uses a lot of resources to produce, is one of the most intensive crops to manage... but it brings the most joy. We're into our 5th block of corn... 5 of 6... so we're getting to the nearly done stage of corn... another 10 days to two weeks, and that'll be it for 2018. Looking out over the mowed corn, the finished corn, it stands as a significant gap in our field... this funny scar across our midsection that reminds us that summer is nearly over. Yesterday, we had our first corn gap, one day without corn in the stand, and we might as well have told folks that they now needed to eat glass... they were so horrifyingly disappointed. We knew it was going to happen, we're fortunate to have a lot of support here at the farmstand, and when we don't have corn, or our own corn, it is very disappointing to us, the customers, everybody... because corn is joy... the act of buying corn is joyful, of thinking about eating it, the eating, the immediate post mastication ecstasy... corn is joy... and part of the magic is that local corn season is so short... something to love and long for.. you can't really ask a whole lot more of a vegetable... Recipes Onion Focaccia 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 pounds homemade or store-bought pizza dough 2 large red onions, thinly sliced Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons oil. Place dough on sheet, stretching to fit (if dough springs back, let rest 20 minutes and repeat). Drizzle edges with 1 tablespoon oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden brown in spots, 12 minutes. Add vinegar and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, 1 minute. 3. Remove plastic from dough. With your fingertips, poke dimples all over dough, then top with cheese, browned onions, and red-pepper flakes. Bake until golden brown around edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheet 5 minutes. Cut into 20 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature. Onion Jam 3 large onions 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Olive-oil cooking spray 1. Cut onions in half lengthwise; peel. Cut off ends; cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. 2. Coat a 13-inch skillet with cooking spray, and set over medium heat. Add onions, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 15 minutes. 3. Add sugar; re-cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are deep golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge any brown bits. 4. Cover, and cook until dark brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and another 1/4 cup water. Continue cooking until liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container up to 1 week. Rum Punch with Melon Balls 1 melon (honeydew or cantaloupe) 2 1/4 cups fresh pineapple juice 1 1/2 cups light rum (optional) 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 limes) 2 tablespoons Angostura bitters 2 liters ginger ale 1. Make melon balls (about 3/4 inch each) using a melon baller. (You should have about 2 cups.) Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, and freeze, about 1 hour. 2. Stir together pineapple juice, rum, lime juice, and bitters in a punch bowl. Slowly add ginger ale, being careful not to disperse the bubbles too much. Add frozen melon balls. Serve immediately. Vegetable List
Golden Beets Sweet Summer Carrots Romanesco Cauliflower American Dream Sweet Corn Cucumborama Orion Fennel Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions Bell Peppers Concho Hot Peppers San Marzanos Tomatoes Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm The cows are a big part of the farm... we don't keep many, and we don't do all that much with them, but they are an intense regulatory force in our scene. I really think that the cows are the ticking heartbeat of our farm. In the winter when the days are slow, the cows are consistent. In the summer when the days are hot and long, the cows are consistent. The cows are consistent. Every day they need some grass, some water, some space to walk around, and a moment to ruminate. Its the perfect beating heart outside of my body. The two girls we have right now have been with us for a while... and we love them. They've been with us since the Porter days. Mutha', I picked up outside of Concord New Hampshire in 2012, picked her out of a big herd, just had a good feeling... and Beltie, added a year later, was a breeder reject, the belt around her midsection wasn't all that good, a cull cow we picked up on the cheap, she doesn't moo, she coos... coos when she's happy, coos when she's sad. And the both of them have thrown a ton great calves over the years. We've had dozens of cows, but these two have stuck, they are the still point of our turning world. I mean, we don't keep them because it's profitable, or for meat (although we do eat them), or because of any logical reason... we keep cows because we love them. They are our very calm friends. We all have those friends... the ones that when you get together, all your troubles melt. We are, for better or worse, terrible at maintaining human friendships, so we keep cows. We keep cows for a calming force in our lives... And really, they are not pets, they are not commodities... they are something different. At our farm, our cows exist beside us, in a Hinduian autonomy, like some kind of in this arcane hyper-pre-modern-ultra-animalistic equanimity. Equally stewards and stewarded, yanged yin, unchasamably united. Recipes Sliced Fennel with Parmesan 1 bulb fennel, fronds reserved 1 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon Freshly ground pepper 1. Using a vegetable peeler or sharp chef's knife, peel or cut the cheese into thick, bite-size shavings. 2. On a work surface, cut fennel in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. 3. Season fennel salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with fennel fronds and cheese shavings. Mexican Corn Coarse salt 4 ears corn, husks removed 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 cups freshly grated queso fresco Cayenne pepper Lime wedges, for serving 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. 2. Place a thick wooden skewer or dowel lengthwise up through base of each ear of corn. Working with one ear at a time, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over kernels. Using a spoon, sprinkle 1/2 cup queso fresco over mayonnaise. Season with cayenne pepper and serve with lime wedges. Corn Fritters 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder Coarse salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 cup whole milk 1 large egg 2 cups yellow corn kernels (from 2 ears corn) Vegetable oil, for frying Honey, for serving 1. In a large bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and cayenne. Add milk and egg to flour mixture and stir together to create a batter. Add corn and fold to combine. 2. Heat 4 inches oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees. Working in batches, using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, drop batter by the tablespoon into the oil. Cook, turning occasionally, until cooked through and deep-golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes; adjust heat as needed to keep oil temperature between 350 and 360 degrees. Transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season to taste with salt, and serve immediately with honey. Vegetable List
Oh Boy, Beets! Carrots Collard Greens Allure Bi Color Sweet Corn Cucumborama Beatrice Eggplant Fairytale Eggplant Ailsa Craig Onion Bell of a Pepper Sungolds Tomatoes One Measly Zucchini or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm A brotherhood is a hell of a thing... brotherhood, sisterhood, sorority, fraternity, mongrel horde... whatever you want to call it... you know, that feeling you get when you're in a group of folks that operates with a quiet collective understanding... that feeling of simultaneously being nurtured and nurturing, being in an ultimate form of family... I'm a dyed in the wool introvert. I love my alone time, I thrive on it really... but the human scene is a social scene, and there is no way of avoiding the need for a brotherhood (I'm using brotherhood here because it's true to my experience... feel free to swap the concept that works for you). I don't know if it's true for everyone, but I get all weird if my nurtured/nurture ratio is way out of wack. There are times when I need a little more support than I can give, and there are times when I've got excess stores of support to dole out... but on the whole, I tend to get all psychically garbled when I feel like I'm taking more than I'm giving, or the when I get caught in the inverse. And maybe that's one of the reasons I love alone time, when I'm alone, I'm not worried about taking to much or giving to little. But no person is an island... We're fortunate to be a part of so many familial scenes... our farmer scene, the customer scene, the town scene, all the scenes. We are, for some reason, well buffered in our lives here on the farm... we are well taken care of by our collective brotherhoods. I feel like I get that knowing look from people every day... that look of compassion and support, of gratitude and benevolence. There are a lot of different kinds of people that pass through this farm... a huge diversity of politics, life choices, life experience... and it all kind of works, everything kind of melts away, here in this place, around the corn table, we're all kind of in this brotherhood of farm... this sorority of the most basic joy... a familial bond of pure humanism. So thank you... and don't peel your eggplant. Recipes Eggplant Caviar Purple-globe eggplant 1/4 cup minced onion 2 tomatoes, seeded, finely chopped 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Pita or rye bread, for serving 1. Roast eggplants: Using a wooden skewer, pierce eggplants all over. Turn two gas burners or a gas grill to high flame; place one eggplant on each. Cook, turning with tongs as each side blackens and softens, until skins are completely black and flesh is falling-apart tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from flame; transfer to a nonreactive baking dish. Place one end of dish on a slant so that the juices can run from the eggplants. When cool enough to handle, peel away all blackened skin. 2. Place eggplant flesh in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the onion, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread. Hoisin-Glazed Eggplant \ 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons canola oil 4 baby eggplants (1 1/4 pounds) or 1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick slices and scored Salt Heat grill to medium. In small bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce and 1 tablespoon oil; set aside. Halve eggplants lengthwise; slice a bit off the skin side so they lie flat, and score both sides in a crisscross pattern. Brush both sides of eggplant halves with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and season with salt. Grill until charred and tender, 4 to 7 minutes per side. Brush both sides generously with reserved hoisin mixture; grill each side again just to glaze, about 1 minute per side. Serve hot. Garlic & Parmesan Collard Chips Bunch fresh collards 5-6 clove garlic , minced sea salt , to taste 3 teaspoon olive oil 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Remove stems from Collards. Chop into chunks and wash well Place collardsin a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, sea salt, and garlic. Lay flat on a large baking sheet. For best results, don't overcrowd the baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes. Stir and toss on baking sheet. Cook 8 more minutes, or until the edges are crisp and light brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve warm or store in an airtight container to save. |
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