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Vegetable List
King Carroll Carrots Over The Rainbow Chard Beatrice Eggplant Classic Eggplant Muir Head Lettuce Ride The Red Bull Onions Green Peppers Sungolds Acorn Squash Honey Nut Squash Butternut Squash Notes from the Farm Hey, Thanks a ton for a great season... this is it... the end of the road for 2019. This was a very good year... It was a very good year for small town farmers, and soft summer nights... It was a very good year for CSA chatting, with sweet loyal members... It was a very good year for farmstand friends, who'd visit and linger... But now the days are short, and we're in the autumn of the year, and now I think of our farm as vintage wine, from fine old kegs, from the brim to the dregs, and it poured sweet and clear... It was a very good year Hope you have a great winter... and hope to see you in 2020! Recipes Honeynut Squash, Red Onion, and Brie Gratin 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for dish 2 medium red onions, 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, onions, 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, onions, 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. 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 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. Carrot Puree 2 pounds carrots, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces 1 teaspoon coarse salt Freshly ground pepper 1. Place carrots in a medium saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. 2. Puree carrots in a blender or with a potato masher, adding cooking liquid as needed, until thinned but still chunky. Stir in salt, and season with pepper.
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Vegetable List
Bahtiti Brussels Sprouts King Carroll Carrots Sweet Corn Muir Head Lettuce New Red Fire Head Lettuce Flat Leaf Italian Parsley Green Peppers Corvair Shallots Sungolds Tomatoes Acorn Squash Butternut Squash Notes from the Farm Surprise attack! We've got all kinds of new stuff this week, including shallots, squash, bahtiti and more... Most all y'all have tried most of this before, with the one exception of Bahtiti. Bahtiti is kind of like an amaranth green we've been turned onto thanks to our friends from The New Roots cooperative (in Lewiston, worth a google). Its the best, maybe my favorite cooking green... nope, not maybe, it is my favorite. We don't have much Bahtiti this year, but we're saving seed, and we'll have more next year. For now, try it out, don't eat it raw, and if none of these recipes look good, just cook it in a pan with onion and balsamic vinegar until it's tender... The world we live in is an ever expanding kaleidoscope of color... go towards the light... you won't regret it. Recipes Bahtiti with Tomatoes and Coconut milk 1 bunch Bahtiti 1 can coconut milk 1 large shallot 2 tomatoes 2 tablespoon Olive Oil Salt to taste lemon (optional) Heat the oil and cook the chopped shallot until golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft. Add chopped bahtiti leaves and stir to combine. Add the coconut milk and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning or add lemon juice to taste. Roasted Squash with Shallots and Parsley 1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks 2 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves Coarse salt and ground pepper 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the squash, shallots, oil, and parsley in a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper, and toss. 2. Roast until squash is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once and rotating sheets halfway through. Stuffed Peppers 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large shallot, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 12 ounces fresh chicken or turkey sausage, removed from casing 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes 3/4 cup couscous 4 green bell peppers (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add sausage, and cook, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and 1 cup water; cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Fill pepper halves with couscous mixture. Arrange peppers in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake until peppers are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil, and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, until cheese has melted and peppers are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes more. Acorn Squash Soup with Bahtiti 4 strips bacon (4 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 bunch of Bahtiti, leaves finely chopped 4 cups baked acorn squash puree. Bake the squash, halved, open side down until soft enough to scoop out with a spoon. Coarse salt and ground pepper 1. Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. 2. Add shallot to fat in pan, and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add bahtiti; cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. 3. Add squash puree and 3 cups water (or more if necessary to achieve desired consistency); bring just to a boil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with reserved bacon. Vegetable List
Quart 'o' Beets Bunch 'o' Carrots Cookin' Corn Classic Eggplant Bunch 'o' Leeks Muir Head Lettuce New Red Fire Head Lettuce A Bell 'o' Peppers Corvair Shallot Sungolds Tomatoes Notes from the Farm There's this guy that fills in for his buddy at maple syrup booth at the Kennebunk Farmers' Market... he's not there a lot, but some, to help out when he can. I know him from the old Kezar Falls Hardware store... kind of a soft spoken guy with a generally upbeat look on life. This guy filled in last week and we got to talking about canning. He and his wife put up hundreds (hundreds) of jars a year... Sweet carrots, pickled beets, canned corn, chunked tomatoes, sauced tomatoes, pickles and string beans, onions, squash and red peppers... he cans just about most everything you can grow up here... and, according to him, a meal doesn't go by without something from the pantry. Food is as basic and necessary as water, air and the human touch... and the culture of food, the traditions, the agriculture, are an important part of our images of ourselves. We're defined by the foods we do and don't eat... the drinks we will or wont drink... it's a funny hook at the end of the existential line. The process of putting up food is a wonderfully antiquated concept... olde timey to the core. We put up sauce and eggplants, corn and sungolds, pesto if we get around to it, but it's not all that much really... kind of a token amount of food in our ever expanding diet. But the effort that goes into putting up food is intense... it's a labor of love... a labor of culture. I'm not sure we save much of any money, we certainly don't save time, but there's something comforting to opening a can of sauce in February... something primal, something mesmerizing... like staring into a great cosmic agricultural bonfire. I don't know if you're eating all the food or not, but if you're not, I'd recommend taking a shot at freezing some of it, or pickling, or whatever... Join back up with your ancestors in the great river of off-season culinary self-satisfaction... it's really fun, not hard to do, and a great way to keep your calories local this winter. Shallot Mignonette 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (from 3) 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons sugar 1. Stir together all ingredients; let stand at least 15 minutes before serving. Mignonette can be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days. Bacon-Lobster-Tomato Sandwiches 4 lobsters, preferably new-shell (each 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds) 1 loaf white sandwich bread, sliced 2 1/2 pounds assorted tomatoes, such as beefsteak, heirloom, and vine (about 6), cut into 1/4-inch slices 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and sliced into rounds 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Chipotle Mayo Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, for serving Shallot Mignonette In a large, deep pot lined with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Drop lobsters headfirst into pot; cover, reduce heat to medium, and steam until shells are bright red, 12 to 16 minutes, depending on size and shell thickness. Transfer to a tray; let cool slightly. Remove meat and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bread on baking sheets and bake, flipping once, until lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Arrange tomatoes, lobster meat, eggs, avocados, basil, and toast on a large platter. Drizzle tomatoes with mignonette. Stir together butter and lemon juice; season with kosher salt and pepper and drizzle over lobster. For each sandwich, spread mayonnaise on toast, then top with tomato, lobster, avocado, egg, and basil. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve with more mignonette over top, if desired. 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 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. 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
Beets, Oh BOY! Brussels Sprouts Cuyahoga Carrots Rainbow Chard Classic Eggplant Kossak Kohlrabi Little Leighton Leeks Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions Flatleaf Italian Parsley Green Bell Peppers Sungolds Tomatoes Notes from the Farm This time of the year, the vegetables seem to just swing in, like a surprise visit from a neighbor... oh, hey Brussels Sprouts, how you doin'? Yeah, sure, we'd love to have you in the share this week... When I started growing food, before the farm years... in the homesteadish years, the large gardens and heritage fruit trees, with the bantam chickens and hand split wood... in those days, food was like a warm blanket. I'd prep and plant in the spring, minimally tend through the summer, and spend the rest of the time laying out in that Western Maine Mountain Sunshine... when I'd think of it, I'd swing into the garden for something to eat... a pepper or radish, green beans like I'd never had in my life, tomatoes for miles... it was always just kind of there, food fit for the Dionysian life I was living. And at a certain point the garden would break, like a giant wave, swelled up and cascading down, and I'd start to put up food for the winter... shredded zucchini, tomatoes, oil packed peppers, dry onions. Those were lovely days. These days, we take a different approach... we're still doing this for the love of it, but we're also muscling the ever loving life out of it. The hard push from April to the end of August takes a toll... we're squeezing as much nutritive calories out of this dirt as our wills can manage... we're not surprised buy the production of the farm, it's there because of the blood we left in the field... and then, just like that, there's really nothing left to push... we have what we have... and in a wonderful collapse of time and space, we're back at those old homesteading days... we're not pushing anymore, I'm not sure we could push if we had to... Now, in September, in the low filtered light, it's easier to walk slowly, smile with a greater sense of satisfaction, and open ourselves to farm we built before us... and it's the ruins of a farm really, the last remnants of a shoulder-to-the-wheel season, where we can whoa up a bit, take in that light, and look over to see that, as it turns out, the leeks are about as ready as they're going to get... and, you know, Brussels Sprouts would be good with leeks I think... I think they'd be great together. Lean back, this is the last push, none of us have anything to prove anymore... time to slack ourselves into appreciating the twilight of the farm season... it's been a good one... but, really, aren't they all? Recipes Brussels Sprouts with Maple and Cayenne 2 pounds brussels sprouts, 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 1. 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. Leek and Brie Bruschetta 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 6 medium leeks, (about 2 1/4 pounds), whites and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, cleaned 1 teaspoon dried thyme Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 4 large slices (1/2 inch thick) hearty country bread 8 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise 1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are very tender and just beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Arrange bread on a broilerproof baking sheet. Dividing evenly, layer bread with Brie, cooked leeks, and sliced tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 3. Broil until cheese has melted and tomatoes start to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately. Sauteed Kohlrabi with Onions and Cream Cubes of peeled kohlrabi Thinly sliced white onion Unsalted butter Finely shredded kohlrabi leaves Heavy cream Salt and pepper Grated nutmeg 1. Cook kohlrabi and onion in butter over medium-high heat until almost tender. Stir in kohlrabi leaves, and cook until wilted. Add a generous splash of heavy cream, and cook for a few seconds to reduce. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with chicken, pork chops, or steak. Vegetable List
Gonzales Cabbage Deep Digger Carrots Rainbow Chard Eggplant Red Tide Lettuce Ailsa Craig Onions Bell Peppers Sungolds Tomatoes Twin Grown Watermelon Notes from the Farm So the thing about a CSA is that it's a gamble... a gamble on the weather, the wind, the work and the weight. I can explain some things, and somethings I can't explain. I can't always explain why the farm does what it does. The peppers essentially all died, but the eggplants are the best I've ever grown. Eggplants and peppers are the same, they need the same nutrients, the same care... but the season has different ideas. Sometimes things just happen, the logic doesn't matter, the math might not make sense, it just happens... and the work isn't figuring it out, the work is in finding the joy. The absolute best parts of my life are surprises, things I didn't expect to unfold the way they did... and, I feel like I fight a lot of surprises... but the most meaningful, life affirming, surprises are the ones I choose to embrace. Openly loving eggplant can be daunting, I get it... but the eggplant is here, and right in front of us, it was a surprise that it came so beautifully... but it did, and we just went for it, and ultimately, the eggplant might not be this good again, so we're leaning into it now... we love eggplant... we see endless possibilities in it, and hopefully we can help you love it too. We didn't mean for it to be so great, it just was, and we're pumped to share it with you this season. Caponata 2 lb small Italian eggplants (about 4) 1 tablespoon kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup chopped onion (1 medium) 4 medium celery ribs, cut crosswise into very thin 1/3 cup large green Sicilian olives (1 3/4 oz), pitted and coarsely chopped 1 3/4 oz Italian capers packed in salt (1/3 cup), rinsed well 2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste 1/3 cup white-wine vinegar 1 (14- to 15-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained and chopped (1 cup) Peel eggplants, leaving some strips of peel, then cut into 1-inch cubes and spread on half of a kitchen towel. Sprinkle eggplant with salt, then cover with other half of towel and weight with a baking sheet topped with 2 or 3 large cans for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1/2 cup oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, stirring, until pale golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring, until onion and celery are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add olives, capers, and 2 tablespoons sugar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir in vinegar and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. If sauce is very acidic, add 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar (to taste). Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered. Rinse eggplant in a colander under running water, then squeeze dry in small handfuls. Heat remaining cup oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant in 2 batches, turning occasionally with tongs, until tender and browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer as cooked to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow serving dish in an even layer. Spoon sauce on top, spreading evenly, and let stand, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature, at least 8 hours (for flavors to develop). Stir before serving. Sicilian Eggplant Puree Spicy Roasted Eggplant 2 eggplants (1 pound each), cut into 1-inch cubes 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Porridge 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, diced small 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric Pinch of red-pepper flakes 4 fresh or canned whole peeled tomatoes, roughly chopped 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 1/2 cups cracked wheat, washed well and drained 6 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 cups roughly chopped arugula, for garnish 2 jalapeno chiles, sliced into thin rounds, for garnish 1. Make the spicy roasted eggplant: Preheat oven to 475 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss to combine eggplant and oil. Add cayenne and season with salt and black pepper. Spread eggplant in an even layer and roast until golden and tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. 2. Make the porridge: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium deep pot over medium-high. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in coriander, cumin, turmeric, red-pepper flakes, tomatoes, tomato paste, cracked wheat, stock, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer, then transfer pot to oven. Cook until wheat is soft and liquid has reduced by one-third, about 2 hours. 3. Remove pot from oven and use a large spoon to vigorously beat the porridge until the mixture is thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in shallow bowls, topped with eggplant and garnished with arugula and jalapeno. Vegetable List
Nufar Basil Culiver's Carrots Delectable Sweet Corn Eggplant Lacinato Kale Kossak Kohlrabi Ailsa Craig Sweet Onion Sungolds Tomatoes Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm Snap your clapper, and whammo, just like that, summer is gone... Today is the last day for the summer members. Summer members, thank you... thanks for being a part of the farm this season. The farm season always feels very long in a hyper-short kind of way. I feel like, when I'm just goofing around in the farmstand, chatting up some poor unsuspecting customer, I'm always giving either predictions or explanations... looking forward or back 6 weeks... it's a fun game to play... the what's coming or the why'd it do that. Every season is unique, some are more average, some are more medium, some are remarkable. This has been a remarkable season... but not because it was the best one ever... although, it wasn't the worst either. This season was marked by two very distinct periods. The cold, rainy spring, and the dry, hot as all blazes summer... there was not a medium setting this season, it was all gas pedal in whatever direction it happened to be going... and that was cool. This season laid more than a few challenges at our feet, and rising to meet them made for one of the most fun summers we've had on the farm. Most things worked out... some did not... but the fun came from the grind of willpower over imminent disaster. Thank you all for enduring the relative madness of the Hancock Family Farm. Because of you, we get to do what we love, and there isn't an effective, or eloquent, way for me to express my humble gratitude. I am grateful. Thank you. Have a wonderful winter, and swing in for a visit every now and again... years of farming have left us only boarder-line capable of integrating with civil society... it's best we stay put on the farm, for our sake, for your sake... really for the good of humanity... it's just better that way. Recipes Sauteed Kohlrabi with Onions and Cream Cubes of peeled kohlrabi Thinly sliced white onion Unsalted butter Heavy cream Salt and pepper Grated nutmeg 1. Cook kohlrabi and onion in butter over medium-high heat until almost tender. Add a generous splash of heavy cream, and cook for a few seconds to reduce. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with chicken, pork chops, or steak. French Onion Soup 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch into half circles 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dry sherry 3 cups beef stock 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 small French baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups) 1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, about 1 hour. 2. Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 3. Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler; set aside. Ladle hot soup into six ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking pan. Place 1 or 2 slices of toasted bread over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under the broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. Watch carefully that bread doesn't burn. Serve immediately. Caramelized Onion Tart with Olives 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, leaves All-purpose flour, for dusting 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 1/4 cup oil-cured small black olives, pitted and halved lengthwise 4 to 6 anchovy fillets (optional), rinsed 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter with oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and thyme, and cook until onions are golden and soft, about 10 minutes. 2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry, and trim to an 8 1/2-by-15-inch rectangle. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, transfer to oven, and immediately reduce oven to 400. Bake until pastry begins to rise, about 12 minutes. 3. Arrange onions in a single layer over pastry, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Top with olives and anchovies if using. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees, and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes more (tent with foil if crust browns too quickly). Cut into squares. Vegetable List
Nufar Basil Gonzales Cabbage Flaubert's Carrots Sparkly Rainbow Chard Allure Sweet Corn Fairytale Eggplant Magic Beans Ride The Red Bull Onions Sungolds Tomatoes Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm So, the thing is, this whole farming thing is like living in a real life fairytale... it really is. The blue skies are always bluer, the sun always twinkles, and woodland animals show up everyday to see what we have going on that might be new... honestly, waking up to a farm life everyday is not unlike waking up in a hyper-realistic fantasy of an idealized reality. I mean, calves still die, crops still fail, the money can be inconsistent and the best laid plans usually fall apart... and setting aside the harder realities of modern life, of bills and climate collapse, war and economic injustice... in the passing moments when we can set those things aside... in the corn, in the cut flowers, at the top of the cherry tomato rows... something melts away in a shimmer, and there we are, in a joyful catatonia... That near psychedelic spot in the center of the Venn diagram of bliss, stewardship and nature... a place we, as humans, were designed to inhabit... Fairytales are real, magic is real, it's all real... it's fleeting, and can't always be captured, but it can be found... I know, I'm lucky enough to find it... almost everyday... even if it's just for a minute. Recipes Grilled Cabbage ½ red onion, chopped 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon honey 6 slices bacon, cooked, 1 tablespoon fat reserved ¼ cup olive oil, plus more Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 head green cabbage, cut into quarters Croutons (for serving) Whisk together onion, vinegar, mustard, and honey; gradually whisk in bacon fat and ¼ cup oil. Crumble in bacon; season with salt and pepper and set aside. Drizzle cabbage with oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred, 15–18 minutes. Serve topped with vinaigrette and croutons. You can also replace the grilling by using a broiler setting in the oven, flipping once after the top side is slightly crispy. Skillet Corn With Basil 3 tbs butter ½ cup thinly sliced green onions (scallions), white and light-green parts Pinch red pepper flakes Kosher or sea salt 3½ cups fresh corn kernels (from 7 to 8 medium ears), plus any corn “milk”* 2 tablespoons water ½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons Freshly ground black pepper *To cut the kernels from an ear of corn, stand a shucked ear of corn, tip end up, firmly on a cutting board (or inside a shallow bowl if using a smaller cutting board). Using a sharp knife and a sawing motion, slice the kernels from the ear, removing a few rows at a time. Be careful not to include the fibrous base of the kernels or cut into the woody core. Once you’ve removed all the kernels, use the back of the knife to scrape the ear and extract a few teaspoons of corn “milk”. Heat half of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the green onions, the red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about three minutes. Add the remaining butter and the corn along with any corn “milk”. Season with a good pinch of salt, and increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the corn is tender and beginning to caramelize, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the water and stir to scrape up the caramelized corn sugars from the bottom of the pan. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir in the basil and plenty of black pepper. Taste for salt. Serve warm. Basil Butter 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil Coarse salt and ground pepper 1. In a small bowl, combine butter and fresh basil; season generously with coarse salt and ground pepper. Stir until combined. 2. Transfer to an 11-by-10-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a cylinder, about 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter; twist ends to seal. Refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours. To serve, unwrap and slice crosswise. Vegetable List
OH BOY! Beets Booya Broccoli Carrots Romanesco Cauliflower American Dream Sweet Corn Classic Eggplant Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions Green Peppers Sungolds Tomatoes Some Kind Of Zucchini and/or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm There is an inevitable Turn that happens at a certain point ever summer, a Turn from the waiting and cultivating, to the passing of crops. The earlier crops are in, and some, are now on their way out. This is the last of the broccoli, we've mowed two blocks of corn, the baby greens have come and gone... the Turn happened, and now we're into the heart of the season. Today, for the first time, we picked a lot of tomatoes... we also picked the first peppers of the season... those are both real milestones in a farm year. The eggplant is in, the corn is in full swing and the first watermelon was harvested... The turn is here. With the Turn in the field, there is also a change in the vibes of the farm crew... these are the great days. The long push up the hill to this point is over... the biggest hoeing is behind us, the long plant-out days are behind us, the endless preparation is behind us... now, now we are riding that bolder down the hill, it's picking up steam and we're holding on for dear life... these are the days of bounty and barbecues, margarita Mondays and pre-harvest pep-talks, the days of grueling hilarity, of well orchestrated movements, of the hive mind... the heady haze of pride and produce... these are the days we'll remember... Recipes Eggplant Caviar 2 purple-globe eggplants, (1 1/2 pounds each) 1/4 cup minced onion 2 plum 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. Eggplant Focaccia 1 medium eggplant (1/2 pound), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices Coarse salt All-purpose flour, for rolling 1 ball (1 pound) homemade or store-bought pizza dough 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup shredded Emmentaler cheese (4 ounces) or other type of Swiss 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1. In a colander, toss eggplant with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Press slices between a double layer of paper towels to dry and set aside. 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees; place a rimless baking sheet or inverted rimmed baking sheet in oven. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Sprinkle cornmeal on another baking sheet or inverted rimmed baking sheet or lightweight wooden board; top with dough (you will transfer it onto the preheated sheet to cook). 3. Brush dough with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Layer on eggplant; top with 3 tablespoons oil, oregano, and 1/2 cup cheese. Let stand 30 minutes. Give sheet a gentle shake to ensure dough isn't sticking. Carefully remove baking sheet from oven and slide focaccia onto sheet. Return to oven and bake until bottom of focaccia is crispy and edges are golden, 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Beet Chips 2 medium beets 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Peel beets and slice 1/16 inch thick with a mandoline.d In a large bowl, toss beets with extra-virgin olive oil. On two rimmed baking sheets (or use one sheet and bake in two batches), arrange beets in a single layer. Stack another rimmed baking sheet on top of each. Bake until edges of beets begin to dry out, about 20 minutes. Uncover and rotate sheets. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, removing chips as they become lightened in color. Transfer to a wire rack; chips will crisp up as they cool. Vegetable List
Booya Broccoli Rainbow Chard Early Queen Sweet Corn Cucumb'o'rama Kossak Kohlrabi Red Tide Lettuce Ailsa Craig Onions Sungolds Tomato Some Kind Of Zucchini And/Or Summer Squash Notes from the Farm What a week... We've had the best week ever. The weather is hot, the food is growing great guns, and we're having the time of our lives. First off, we've got corn... corn makes everything better. We started picking it late last week, and once we start, we don't stop till fall. Corn becomes the beating heart of our farm. Every day, sometimes twice a day, sometimes three times a day, we head out with our corn bags and start counting to 16 in fours. It's something I can do in my sleep. The rhythm of corn picking... it's hard on my back, but it has a way of resetting my soul with some kind of ancenstral vibration... a giant subsonic gong radiating through me, out in all directions, like ripples in the water, warping the world around me in a hazy paralyzing shimmer. Every ear is loaded for bear, ringing out as it's picked in ear-shattering drum beats, one after another, ear after ear... like a prymordial war song, marching through space and time. Corn is not just sweet, it is meaningful. Corn unites. It united our Great Grandmothers and Grandfathers, and it unites us today... regarless of skin color or religion, politics or sexual preference... With corn, we all walk in lock-step... ear after ear, gong after gong, 7 billion strong, together, united... in corn. Recipes Kohlrabi, Apple, and Mint Slaw 3 1/2 cups peeled and julienned kohlrabi (from 2 pounds) 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon finely grated zest (from 1 lime) 1 tablespoon thinly sliced Fresno chile 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt 1 1/2 cups julienned sweet, crisp apple (such as Fuji) 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped Soak kohlrabi in a bowl of ice water until crisp, 10 minutes. Drain well. Whisk together lime juice and zest, chile, and oil. Season with salt. Toss with kohlrabi, apple, and herbs. Season with more salt, if desired; serve. Broccoli With Olives 4 bunches broccoli, about 3 pounds, cut into medium florets 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup pitted and slivered Kalamata olives 1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Put broccoli in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and steam until just tender, about 7 minutes. Briefly plunge into ice-water bath. Drain; pat dry. 2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide saute pan over medium heat. Add half of the broccoli, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in half of the olives. Cook until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish; cover. Repeat with remaining oil, broccoli, salt, pepper, and olives. Combine batches. Serve immediately. 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 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. 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
Nufar Basil Whittledon's Broccoli Cucumborama Orion Fennel German Extra Hearty Garlic Lacinato Kale New Red Fire Head Lettuce Ailsa Craig Sweet Onion Tomato Sungolds Notes from the Farm Change is a funny thing... the process of change always seems to make more sense in the rear view mirror. Like a lobster slowly being boiled to death, I find it hard to notice that the world around me is changing, that it is something differnet today than it was yesterday. The days seem to blend together here, like thoughts during a long dehydrated meditation... but then, broccoli... I looked up and there was broccoli... and an onion... and before too long, if the deer stay at bay, we may pick some green beans... that hazy unfocused stare is broken, snapped back to attention, and I pick my head up and relize that even though its been a slow wet season, change is coming... and so is the corn. Recipes Sauteed Cucumbers 1 large green cucumber 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 teaspoon salt Chopped fresh dill, or parsley Peel cucumber (optional), and cut into large chunks. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cucumber and salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with dill or parsley. Cucumber Tapas 2 cucumbers 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar 2 ounces feta cheese, diced 1/4 teaspoon salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh basil, leaves, coarsely chopped 1. Slice cucumbers lengthwise, and remove seeds. Cut 1 cucumber half into 1/4-inch dice, and transfer to a small bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, feta cheese, salt, and pepper, and toss well to combine. Add basil, and toss again. 2. Use a vegetable peeler to remove 1 or 2 long strips of peel (if cucumbers are already peeled, remove a strip of flesh) from the underside of each cucumber half so they will sit without tipping. Divide cucumber-and-feta mixture among them. 3. Slice cucumbers on a slight diagonal into 1 1/2-inch sections, and serve immediately. Sausage with Fennel and Olives 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 12 sweet Italian sausages (about 2 pounds) 1 cup dry white wine 6 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 cup large green olives, squashed and pitted 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 large white onion, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 1. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages; cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half. Transfer sausages to a platter; pour over cooking liquid. 2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add crushed red pepper flakes and cook 30 seconds. Add olives and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes more. 3. Add fennel & onion and stir to combine. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover skillet, and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until fennel & onion are soft and begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Add a little water to skillet if fennel does not begin to soften. 4. Return sausages and their cooking liquid to skillet. Toss together with fennel mixture and cook, uncovered, until mixture is caramelized and well coated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve immediately. |
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