CSA Week 9, So Long Summer Members!

Vegetable List

Brussels Sprouts
Some Kind 'O' Kale
Ride The Bull Red Onion
Bell Peppers
Dante Hot Peppers
Mini Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Salad Turnips


Notes from the Farm

Today is the end of the road for some of our members... summer members... it is, after all, the end of the summer.
Eating seasonally is not normal anymore for most folks, in and around where we live. I mean, we all have our things, squash in the fall, radishes in the spring, summer tomatoes in august, corn on the cob in summer... it's good to have these totems, I have them, but I also eat oranges anytime I get an itch for one... when I was a boy, we didn't get our first oranges until Christmas... this world.
Barbara Kingsolver wrote a pretty great book 12 or 13 years ago, Animal – Vegetable – Miracle, about her family's journey though a year of eating seasonally and locally... it has it's gaps, but is largely charming, and very illuminating. As it turns out, when you can get anything you want, whenever you want it (presupposing means), limiting oneself to eating seasonally is super tricky.
We are not a full diet CSA, we don't give you everything you need to get by in a week, but we try and give you some pillar ingredients to ground the meals you are making. Local, seasonal, on your dinner plate.
Normalcy is not the 2020 way, but we did the best we could to try and bring a little bit of normalcy to your week... normalcy and hopefully a little seasonal grounding.
Thank you summer folks for your commitment to us, we hope you enjoyed the ride and hopefully we'll see you around the bend... and don't forget the Maldon Salt Crystals...


Recipes

Tomato Confit

3 lb. medium, ripe beefsteak tomatoes (about 6)
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; meanwhile, cut a shallow X into the bottom of each tomato. Set a medium bowl of ice water by the stove.
Gently drop the tomatoes, 2 or 3 at a time, into the boiling water and cook just until the skin loosens, 20–30 seconds. Immediately transfer to the ice water using a slotted spoon or spider. Using your hands, peel the skin off each tomato (it should slip off easily at the X; if it doesn’t, return to the water for about 10 seconds more). Remove the peeled tomatoes from the ice water immediately; repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Slice each tomato in half crosswise, then use your fingers to gently squeeze out the seeds into a bowl. Discard the seeds and juice, or reserve for another use.
Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Arrange the tomato halves, cut-side up, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (it should be just large enough to hold them snugly in a single layer). Sprinkle evenly with the salt, sugar, and pepper. Distribute the garlic and herbs on top, and drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 minutes, then gently turn the tomatoes so they are cut-side down. Bake for 1½ hours, then turn again. Continue cooking until the tomatoes are completely soft but not falling apart, about 1½ hours more. Let the tomatoes cool in the baking dish, then transfer to an airtight container and pour the oil and herbs over the top. The tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

Maldon salt
1 lb. dry penne pasta
2 cups fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup (7 oz.) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (5 oz.) diced cucumber
1⁄2 cup chives, cut into half-inch pieces
1⁄2 cup (3 oz.) diced red onion
1⁄3 cup (½ oz.) mini sweet peppers, thinly sliced
1⁄3 cup (1¾ oz.) roasted, salted sunflower seeds
1⁄4 cup (1½ oz.) roasted, salted pepitas
1 cup (6 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1⁄2 cup buttermilk
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 1⁄4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp. Louisiana-style hot sauce, such as Crystal brand
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
1 tsp. chile flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with salted water, and bring it to a boil. Add the penne, and cook until just al dente, about 10 minutes (the pasta will further soften as it soaks up some of the dressing). Drain, discarding the cooking liquid, and rinse the pasta well under cold running water. Drain well.
Transfer the penne to a large serving bowl, and add the basil, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, chives, red onion, peppers, sunflower seeds, and pepitas. Toss well and set aside.
In a medium bowl, add the feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, hot sauce, garlic, and chile flakes; mix well. Add the dressing to the pasta, and toss to coat. Season with kosher salt and a generous amount of black pepper. If desired, squeeze a little more fresh lemon juice over the top of the pasta salad, then serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

1⁄2 cup panko-style bread crumbs
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. minced flat parsley
2 tsp. lemon zest, 1 lemon
1 1⁄2 oz. grated gruyere cheese, divided
1 1⁄2 tsp. Maldon salt, plus more to taste
1⁄2 tsp. pepper, plus more to taste
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, rinsed, peeled and quartered
6 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. flour
1 cup heavy cream
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 oz. grated parmesan

Make the gratin topping: In a small mixing bowl, combine panko, butter, parsley, 1 1⁄2 tsp. lemon zest, 1 oz. gruyère, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently and set aside.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and bacon, stirring frequently until the bacon is rendered and the shallots begin to caramelize, about 7-9 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and garlic and cook until they are just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the lemon juice and remove from heat.
Make the Mornay sauce: In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux and cook until it smells toasted and the color is a light brown, about 30 seconds. Add thyme and cream, stirring vigorously with a whisk to avoid lumps. Heat to a simmer, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour the sauce through a strainer. Return the sauce to the saucepan and, over very low heat, add remaining gruyère and parmesan, stirring until the cheese has melted. Season with 1⁄2 tsp. salt and 1⁄4 tsp. pepper.
Pile the sprouts into a 10-inch oval gratin dish. Pour the Mornay sauce over the sprouts and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Cover loosely with a sheet of tin foil and bake until bubbling, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and cook another 12-15 minutes until the top is nicely browned. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm.