Good Eats Newsletter - September 2, 2009
This Week's Vegetable Share Contains
Head of Lettuce; 2 lbs Mixed Potatoes; 1.5 lb Mixed Tomatoes; 1 European Cucumber or 2 nice Slicing Cucumbers; 1 lb Mixed Zucchini, Patty Pan and Summer Squash; 1 lb Mixed Pac Choi; 1 lb Walla Walla Onions; 1 lb Romanesca or Mixed Cauliflower; 1 Cayenne or Jalapeno Pepper; Sweet Corn (6 ears)
Localvore Share Members Also Receive
Elmore Mountain Country French Bread
VT Soy Maple Ginger Fried! Tofu
Les Aliments Massawippi Tamari
Hen of the Wood Members will also get the eggs they missed last week!
Meat Share Members - reminder! This is a meat pick up week.
Pete's Musings
Secure your winter food supply! It's time to sign up for our October-February share period and it is going to be better than ever. Storage crops look great, we have big plans for our greenhouses, and the localvore offerings continue to increase in diversity. Join us on this local eating adventure and feed your family the best stuff from Vermont's soil. We appreciate your support as we strive to build a healthy, nutritious, people and land sustaining, year-round food system. ~Pete
Fall/Winter Good Eats Sign Up
Fall/Winter Good Eats sign up has begun! The harvest is coming along well and we'll have more diversity than in any previous Fall share. Last year we learned how to better utilize our moving greenhouses and we'll be growing baby greens in them into December. In addition, good friend and exceptional farmer Mike Collins will grow additional crops like head lettuce, chard and scallions in his greenhouses. Combined with our storage crops we will have an excellent mix of crops to offer.
Please visit the Fall/Winter Share page for details and to download a sign up form.
Sign Up Early and Receive a Pete's Greens T-Shirt
The 1st 100 people who sign up and pay in full will receive a free Pete's Greens T shirt!
We will continue to sign new members up for remaining summer share and meat share deliveries.
Summer Share
Meat Share
Tim Fishburne our wholesale sales and Good Eats
delivery person sports his Pete's Greens T.
Harvesting Optimism
Join Pete and the Vermont Land Trust for VLT's Annual Celebration
On Saturday September 12th, the Vermont Land Trust will hold their annual event from 9:30am - 2:30pm beginning at the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro. Field trips in the morning take attendees to businesses that have been integral to the Hardwick area renaissance, including Pete's Greens. Midday a panel featuring Pete, the Kelhlers of Jasper Hill, Andrew Meyer of Vermont Soy, and Tom Stearns of High Mowing will discuss the challenges they have faced and the opportunities that abound in the development of their farm based endeavors and a food based local economy. If you have been reading with interest all the stories about Hardwick, this is a great opportunity to meet the folks involved and hear about it all first hand. Fee is $25/person, children under 12 free.
For more information please visit the VLT website or email annie@vlt.org.
Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse visits in September
The interest in what's happening in Hardwick continues to spread and now Emeril Lagasse will come and film what's happening here for his Emeril Green program which focuses on healthful, organic food. Emeril will visit Pete's, High Mowing and Jasper Hill while shooting for several episodes of the program.
Pete's Pastured Chicken
Fill your freezers soon! Chicken orders will be available through October. You can now order as few as 3 chickens and have them delivered to your Good Eats pick up site. Visit the Pastured Chicken page for order info including available delivery dates and to download an order form. These are great tasting chickens raised on an abundance of greens and grass throughout their lives. This is healthy, nutritious, vitamin packed meat that you can feel great about eating. Only $3.75/lb.
Localvore Lore
Elmore Mountain Bakery have taken the time off from their oven project to bake for us this week. We have their Country French Loaf made with the Quebec Milanaise Winter Wheat, Rye Flour, Whole Wheat flour and sea salt and their sourdough yeast. It's a great standard loaf for all uses. How was the pizza dough last week? Would love to hear comments so please email amy@petesgreens.com if you have feedback.
The tofu in the share today is a special treat for you. Vermont Soy prepared Baked Maple Ginger Tofu and then fried it in organic soy oil. No kidding. This is not a standard product, they created this especially for Good Eats this week because a couple folks from VT soy have made it recently and it's so darn good, they decided to share.
Our Baked Maple Ginger Tofu is made with organic and wheat free ingredients that include, ginger, garlic, tamari, and Vt maple syrup. Our tofu in marinated, baked and then fried to deliver a crispy texture with a sweet and savory flavor. This is a ready to eat Tofu, enjoy it cold right out of the package, or serve it hot in your favorite stir fry dish.
And finally, we have some very special tamari for you. This is Les Aliments Massawippi's Miso Damari aka Tamari. A few weeks ago in the August 12th newsletter I shared with you the process of how Suzanne and Gilbert make their miso. The tamari is a continuation of that story. Remember how the miso sits and ferments in an anaerobic environment for weeks or years in its second fermentation? Tamari literally means liquid pressed from soybeans, and for centuries it meant the thick brown liquid that pooled in casks of fermenting soybean miso. This tamari was a rare delicacy reserved for special occasions. The tamari in the share today was made by this slow natural process. It is an unpredictable process in terms of flavor and yield. When I called Gilbert to ask if he had enough tamari I had to wait for him to press the miso before he could confirm that indeed he did.
Eventually producers learned to brew tamari-like liquid soy sauce that had similar characteristics as the original by-product of miso. Even most high end tamari is brewed from whole soybeans, sea salt, water, and koji (Aspergillus hacho) rather than pressed from naturally fermented miso. The newer method is a fast way to turn out a fairly consistent product that is similar but not nearly the quality of the real thing. Commercial soy sauces (even some labeled as shoyu or tamari) are another step down and are usually made from soybeans that have been defatted with hexane, a petroleum derivative. Other common shortcuts are artificial fermentation methods including genetically engineered enzymes. Most soy sauce is actually caramel colored water with lots of salt, hydrochloric acid treated soy isolate, and sugar added.
This tamari is pretty special and rare stuff, and it's a live food andhas never been pasteurized. This is a Soy Oats Barley Tamari and it is not the tamari pressed from the Japanese miso you received a couple weeks ago so the flavors in each will be distinct. Please transfer this miso to a small glass jar and for best quality store in your fridge. It will last a very long time.
Meat Share
Many thanks to everyone who took the time to help us by filling out the meat survey. We really appreciate the feedback and your comments will shape the meat share going forward. Somehow, through the comments of a few people in past months I had begun to think that the most important attribute of the meat share for people was value and as such I have tried to provide more value type cuts in the last couple shares. But from the results of the survey, it seems that though you want good value (who doesn't?), you also hope that we will introduce you to new producers, bring you meats out of the ordinary, things you can't just pick up anywhere, things you might not otherwise try. The survey also indicated that people are interested in more variety in the meats for the share - lamb, ground poultry and poultry parts, duck were popular choices. I am really looking forward to fulfilling these expectations. I have been talking to a number of new producers and in the coming months you can expect some great selections.
Pete's Greens Pastured Chicken - Once again we have for you a whole chicken raised here on the farm. Our chickens spend their days doing exactly what chickens like best - foraging for bugs and seeds with lots of room to roam, feasting on greens and chicken feed, and lounging around under their shelter. The meat from pastured poultry is significantly higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin A. It is also lower in fat. This is very, very healthy (and tasty) meat.
Applecheek Farm - Smoked Polish Sausage
This is a real treat. This sausage is a dry ready to eat delicious sausage perfect as an hors d'oevre or in a sandwich. We don't have many options locally for a sliced "deli" meat so I am thrilled that John and Rocio created this. Made with 80% organic beef, and 20% organic pork from the farm in Hyde Park.
Applecheek Farm - Veal Cutlets or Veal Sirloin Chops - Because the farm is on my way to Craftsbury I stop at the Clark's farm fairly often. It's peaceful, the animals are happy and well cared for, the cows always on beautiful pasture. Often, I have to park down the drive from the barnyard because the cows amble back to their pastures slowly on their own as they each finish up in the milking parlor using a lane that crosses the driveway. Some of the calves are alongside their mothers. The veal you are receiving today were raised alongside these happy mother cows in a great environment. The Clark's don't have a veal business, they have a really nice organic dairy. But male calves are part of the reality on a dairy. The veal in the share today comes from these calves raised on pasture and their mother's milk. Veal cutlets are the cut of meat used for veal parmesan and many other dishes, and the veal sirloin chops can be prepared many ways.
Shuttleworth Farm Ground Lamb - In Westfield, VT Todd and Kelli Shuttleworth raise entirely grass fed lamb, as well as beef, pork, and chickens. Their sheep receive nothing throughout their lives but their mothers milk, lush pasture, and the farm's own high quality hay in winter. The sheep are moved to fresh pasture every evening. This is very low fat healthy meat. Enjoy!
Recipes
Chinese Noodles with Golden Tofu and Pac Choi
A flavorful spicy fresh dish perfect for these nights with cooler temps coming on. If using the tofu from the share, you can skip the tofu prep here and just toss the Vt Soy Baked/Fried tofu right in at the end. You could toss this all together with cooked brown rice just as easily. From A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop.
1 lb fresh Chinese Noodles (or dried)
2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp sunflower oil
2 TB hoisin sauce
2 TB tamari
2 TB rice wine or sherry
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB gingerroot, minced
1 medium fresh chile, stemmed and minced
1 TB fermented black beans (optional)
8 ounces tofu
6 cups stemmed and thinly sliced Pac Choi
1. Cook the noodles according to the directions and then drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the noodles with 1 Tb of the oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
2. Whisk the reserved cooking water, hoisin, tamari, and rice wine together and set aside.
3. Place the ginger, garlic, chile and black beans in a bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 1 TB of oil in a large, deep non stick skillet over medium/high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu and cook stirring sdeveral times until the cubes are golden on most sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
5. Add the greens and 1/2 cup of water to the empty pan and stir fry until the greens have wilted and water has evaprated, about 1 minute. Clear the center of the pan and spread the garlic/ginger over the empty spot, drizzle the remaining 1 TB of oil over them, and cok until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir the mixture together with the greens. Add the noodles and the hoisin mixture using two forks to separate and spread the noodles around and mix until well coated and mixed together with the sauce and greens. Add the tofu and toss together to heat through. Serve immediately.
Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes
Gourmet Feb 2009.
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water
Accompaniment: lemon wedges
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and place a shallow baking pan on rack. Preheat oven to 475°F.
Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.
While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occionally, 5 minutes. Serve.
Potato, Cucumber and Tomato Raita
Raita is an integral part of an Indian meal. It can be prepared with raw and/or cooked vegetables. Often I make just a simple cucumber raita but I like that this recipe uses more ingredients from the share. If you want to save your potatoes and tomatoes there are lots of recipes for cucumber raita available on line.
4 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 cups low-fat (do not use nonfat) plain yogurt
1 English hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 large tomatoes, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Fresh cilantro leaves
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes well. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and cool.
Heat vegetable oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add chopped jalapeño chilies and stir until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour onion mixture over potatoes and stir to coat. Mix in low-fat yogurt, cucumber and tomatoes. Season raita to taste with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours. (Raita can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerate.) Garnish raita with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.
Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs
With these distinctly Middle Eastern kebabs, the minty coolness of the yogurt sauce offsets the allspice, pepper, and cinnamon in some of the most succulent and juicy meatballs you have ever tasted. Gourmet January 2006.
For sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole-milk)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
For zucchini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium zucchini (1 1/4 lb total), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
For kefta (lamb meatballs)
2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 lb ground lamb (from shoulder)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
Special equipment: 12 (10-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
Preparation
Make sauce:
Stir together yogurt, mint, garlic, and salt in a small bowl and chill.
Prepare zucchini: Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil in a large bowl and stir in zucchini slices. Marinate at room temperature while making meatballs.
Make meatballs:
Cover bread with water in a bowl and soak 10 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of bread to remove as much excess water as possible, then transfer to a bowl. Pulse onion and herbs in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to bread along with lamb, salt, spices, and pine nuts. Mix with your hands until well blended. Form lamb mixture into 36 balls (1 scant tablespoon each).
Assemble and grill kebabs:
Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas; see cooks' note below). Thread 6 meatballs 1/4 inch apart onto each of 6 skewers. Thread zucchini lengthwise onto remaining 6 skewers (5 slices per skewer), so cut sides are on the grill, leaving 1/4 inch between slices. Grill zucchini and lamb on oiled grill rack, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve warm, with yogurt sauce.
Broiling: Kebabs can be broiled on 2 large shallow baking pans 5 inches from heat, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.
Grilling procedure: · Charcoal grill: Open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows. Hot: when you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds; medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds; low: 5 to 6 seconds.· Gas grill: preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.
Classic Veal Parmesan
In honor of Emeril's impending visit to the farm, I thought I should include something of his. Here's his version of the classic.
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 cup dry red or white wine
2 (28 ounce) can of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
4 double-cut loin veal chops, bone-in, butterflied and pound out 1/4-inch thick
1 cup flour
Essence, recipe follows
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups fine dried bread crumbs
1 pound fresh fettuccine
Mornay sauce, recipe follows
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and clear in color. Add the garlic and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30 minutes.
Whisk the tomato paste and water together. Add to the tomatoes. Stir in the dried herbs. Bring the liquid to a boil, over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Season the veal chops with salt and pepper. Season the flour with Essence. Season the egg wash with Essence. Season the bread crumbs with Essence. Dredge the veal chops in the flour. Dip each chop in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Finally, dredge the chops in the seasoned bread crumbs, coating completely. Add 1/4 cup of the oil to two large skillets. When the oil is hot, add two chops to each skillet. Pan-fry the chops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with Essence.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Place the chops on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes, or until hot. Remove the pasta from the heat and drain. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta with the Mornay Sauce.
To serve, mound the pasta in the center of each plate. Lay the veal chop over the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the veal. Garnish with the grated cheese.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Head of Lettuce; 2 lbs Mixed Potatoes; 1.5 lb Mixed Tomatoes; 1 European Cucumber or 2 nice Slicing Cucumbers; 1 lb Mixed Zucchini, Patty Pan and Summer Squash; 1 lb Mixed Pac Choi; 1 lb Walla Walla Onions; 1 lb Romanesca or Mixed Cauliflower; 1 Cayenne or Jalapeno Pepper; Sweet Corn (6 ears)
Localvore Share Members Also Receive
Elmore Mountain Country French Bread
VT Soy Maple Ginger Fried! Tofu
Les Aliments Massawippi Tamari
Hen of the Wood Members will also get the eggs they missed last week!
Meat Share Members - reminder! This is a meat pick up week.
Pete's Musings
Secure your winter food supply! It's time to sign up for our October-February share period and it is going to be better than ever. Storage crops look great, we have big plans for our greenhouses, and the localvore offerings continue to increase in diversity. Join us on this local eating adventure and feed your family the best stuff from Vermont's soil. We appreciate your support as we strive to build a healthy, nutritious, people and land sustaining, year-round food system. ~Pete
Fall/Winter Good Eats Sign Up
Fall/Winter Good Eats sign up has begun! The harvest is coming along well and we'll have more diversity than in any previous Fall share. Last year we learned how to better utilize our moving greenhouses and we'll be growing baby greens in them into December. In addition, good friend and exceptional farmer Mike Collins will grow additional crops like head lettuce, chard and scallions in his greenhouses. Combined with our storage crops we will have an excellent mix of crops to offer.
Please visit the Fall/Winter Share page for details and to download a sign up form.
Sign Up Early and Receive a Pete's Greens T-Shirt
The 1st 100 people who sign up and pay in full will receive a free Pete's Greens T shirt!
We will continue to sign new members up for remaining summer share and meat share deliveries.
Summer Share
Meat Share
Tim Fishburne our wholesale sales and Good Eats
delivery person sports his Pete's Greens T.
Harvesting Optimism
Join Pete and the Vermont Land Trust for VLT's Annual Celebration
On Saturday September 12th, the Vermont Land Trust will hold their annual event from 9:30am - 2:30pm beginning at the Cellars at Jasper Hill in Greensboro. Field trips in the morning take attendees to businesses that have been integral to the Hardwick area renaissance, including Pete's Greens. Midday a panel featuring Pete, the Kelhlers of Jasper Hill, Andrew Meyer of Vermont Soy, and Tom Stearns of High Mowing will discuss the challenges they have faced and the opportunities that abound in the development of their farm based endeavors and a food based local economy. If you have been reading with interest all the stories about Hardwick, this is a great opportunity to meet the folks involved and hear about it all first hand. Fee is $25/person, children under 12 free.
For more information please visit the VLT website or email annie@vlt.org.
Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse visits in September
The interest in what's happening in Hardwick continues to spread and now Emeril Lagasse will come and film what's happening here for his Emeril Green program which focuses on healthful, organic food. Emeril will visit Pete's, High Mowing and Jasper Hill while shooting for several episodes of the program.
Pete's Pastured Chicken
Fill your freezers soon! Chicken orders will be available through October. You can now order as few as 3 chickens and have them delivered to your Good Eats pick up site. Visit the Pastured Chicken page for order info including available delivery dates and to download an order form. These are great tasting chickens raised on an abundance of greens and grass throughout their lives. This is healthy, nutritious, vitamin packed meat that you can feel great about eating. Only $3.75/lb.
Localvore Lore
Elmore Mountain Bakery have taken the time off from their oven project to bake for us this week. We have their Country French Loaf made with the Quebec Milanaise Winter Wheat, Rye Flour, Whole Wheat flour and sea salt and their sourdough yeast. It's a great standard loaf for all uses. How was the pizza dough last week? Would love to hear comments so please email amy@petesgreens.com if you have feedback.
The tofu in the share today is a special treat for you. Vermont Soy prepared Baked Maple Ginger Tofu and then fried it in organic soy oil. No kidding. This is not a standard product, they created this especially for Good Eats this week because a couple folks from VT soy have made it recently and it's so darn good, they decided to share.
Our Baked Maple Ginger Tofu is made with organic and wheat free ingredients that include, ginger, garlic, tamari, and Vt maple syrup. Our tofu in marinated, baked and then fried to deliver a crispy texture with a sweet and savory flavor. This is a ready to eat Tofu, enjoy it cold right out of the package, or serve it hot in your favorite stir fry dish.
And finally, we have some very special tamari for you. This is Les Aliments Massawippi's Miso Damari aka Tamari. A few weeks ago in the August 12th newsletter I shared with you the process of how Suzanne and Gilbert make their miso. The tamari is a continuation of that story. Remember how the miso sits and ferments in an anaerobic environment for weeks or years in its second fermentation? Tamari literally means liquid pressed from soybeans, and for centuries it meant the thick brown liquid that pooled in casks of fermenting soybean miso. This tamari was a rare delicacy reserved for special occasions. The tamari in the share today was made by this slow natural process. It is an unpredictable process in terms of flavor and yield. When I called Gilbert to ask if he had enough tamari I had to wait for him to press the miso before he could confirm that indeed he did.
Eventually producers learned to brew tamari-like liquid soy sauce that had similar characteristics as the original by-product of miso. Even most high end tamari is brewed from whole soybeans, sea salt, water, and koji (Aspergillus hacho) rather than pressed from naturally fermented miso. The newer method is a fast way to turn out a fairly consistent product that is similar but not nearly the quality of the real thing. Commercial soy sauces (even some labeled as shoyu or tamari) are another step down and are usually made from soybeans that have been defatted with hexane, a petroleum derivative. Other common shortcuts are artificial fermentation methods including genetically engineered enzymes. Most soy sauce is actually caramel colored water with lots of salt, hydrochloric acid treated soy isolate, and sugar added.
This tamari is pretty special and rare stuff, and it's a live food andhas never been pasteurized. This is a Soy Oats Barley Tamari and it is not the tamari pressed from the Japanese miso you received a couple weeks ago so the flavors in each will be distinct. Please transfer this miso to a small glass jar and for best quality store in your fridge. It will last a very long time.
Meat Share
Many thanks to everyone who took the time to help us by filling out the meat survey. We really appreciate the feedback and your comments will shape the meat share going forward. Somehow, through the comments of a few people in past months I had begun to think that the most important attribute of the meat share for people was value and as such I have tried to provide more value type cuts in the last couple shares. But from the results of the survey, it seems that though you want good value (who doesn't?), you also hope that we will introduce you to new producers, bring you meats out of the ordinary, things you can't just pick up anywhere, things you might not otherwise try. The survey also indicated that people are interested in more variety in the meats for the share - lamb, ground poultry and poultry parts, duck were popular choices. I am really looking forward to fulfilling these expectations. I have been talking to a number of new producers and in the coming months you can expect some great selections.
Pete's Greens Pastured Chicken - Once again we have for you a whole chicken raised here on the farm. Our chickens spend their days doing exactly what chickens like best - foraging for bugs and seeds with lots of room to roam, feasting on greens and chicken feed, and lounging around under their shelter. The meat from pastured poultry is significantly higher in Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin A. It is also lower in fat. This is very, very healthy (and tasty) meat.
Applecheek Farm - Smoked Polish Sausage
This is a real treat. This sausage is a dry ready to eat delicious sausage perfect as an hors d'oevre or in a sandwich. We don't have many options locally for a sliced "deli" meat so I am thrilled that John and Rocio created this. Made with 80% organic beef, and 20% organic pork from the farm in Hyde Park.
Applecheek Farm - Veal Cutlets or Veal Sirloin Chops - Because the farm is on my way to Craftsbury I stop at the Clark's farm fairly often. It's peaceful, the animals are happy and well cared for, the cows always on beautiful pasture. Often, I have to park down the drive from the barnyard because the cows amble back to their pastures slowly on their own as they each finish up in the milking parlor using a lane that crosses the driveway. Some of the calves are alongside their mothers. The veal you are receiving today were raised alongside these happy mother cows in a great environment. The Clark's don't have a veal business, they have a really nice organic dairy. But male calves are part of the reality on a dairy. The veal in the share today comes from these calves raised on pasture and their mother's milk. Veal cutlets are the cut of meat used for veal parmesan and many other dishes, and the veal sirloin chops can be prepared many ways.
Shuttleworth Farm Ground Lamb - In Westfield, VT Todd and Kelli Shuttleworth raise entirely grass fed lamb, as well as beef, pork, and chickens. Their sheep receive nothing throughout their lives but their mothers milk, lush pasture, and the farm's own high quality hay in winter. The sheep are moved to fresh pasture every evening. This is very low fat healthy meat. Enjoy!
Recipes
Chinese Noodles with Golden Tofu and Pac Choi
A flavorful spicy fresh dish perfect for these nights with cooler temps coming on. If using the tofu from the share, you can skip the tofu prep here and just toss the Vt Soy Baked/Fried tofu right in at the end. You could toss this all together with cooked brown rice just as easily. From A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop.
1 lb fresh Chinese Noodles (or dried)
2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp sunflower oil
2 TB hoisin sauce
2 TB tamari
2 TB rice wine or sherry
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 TB gingerroot, minced
1 medium fresh chile, stemmed and minced
1 TB fermented black beans (optional)
8 ounces tofu
6 cups stemmed and thinly sliced Pac Choi
1. Cook the noodles according to the directions and then drain, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Toss the noodles with 1 Tb of the oil to prevent sticking and set aside.
2. Whisk the reserved cooking water, hoisin, tamari, and rice wine together and set aside.
3. Place the ginger, garlic, chile and black beans in a bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the remaining 1 TB of oil in a large, deep non stick skillet over medium/high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu and cook stirring sdeveral times until the cubes are golden on most sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
5. Add the greens and 1/2 cup of water to the empty pan and stir fry until the greens have wilted and water has evaprated, about 1 minute. Clear the center of the pan and spread the garlic/ginger over the empty spot, drizzle the remaining 1 TB of oil over them, and cok until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir the mixture together with the greens. Add the noodles and the hoisin mixture using two forks to separate and spread the noodles around and mix until well coated and mixed together with the sauce and greens. Add the tofu and toss together to heat through. Serve immediately.
Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes
Gourmet Feb 2009.
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water
Accompaniment: lemon wedges
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and place a shallow baking pan on rack. Preheat oven to 475°F.
Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.
While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occionally, 5 minutes. Serve.
Potato, Cucumber and Tomato Raita
Raita is an integral part of an Indian meal. It can be prepared with raw and/or cooked vegetables. Often I make just a simple cucumber raita but I like that this recipe uses more ingredients from the share. If you want to save your potatoes and tomatoes there are lots of recipes for cucumber raita available on line.
4 large red-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3 cups low-fat (do not use nonfat) plain yogurt
1 English hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 large tomatoes, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Fresh cilantro leaves
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes well. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and cool.
Heat vegetable oil in heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add chopped jalapeño chilies and stir until beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour onion mixture over potatoes and stir to coat. Mix in low-fat yogurt, cucumber and tomatoes. Season raita to taste with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours. (Raita can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerate.) Garnish raita with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.
Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs
With these distinctly Middle Eastern kebabs, the minty coolness of the yogurt sauce offsets the allspice, pepper, and cinnamon in some of the most succulent and juicy meatballs you have ever tasted. Gourmet January 2006.
For sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (preferably whole-milk)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
For zucchini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium zucchini (1 1/4 lb total), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
For kefta (lamb meatballs)
2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 lb ground lamb (from shoulder)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
Special equipment: 12 (10-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
Preparation
Make sauce:
Stir together yogurt, mint, garlic, and salt in a small bowl and chill.
Prepare zucchini: Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and oil in a large bowl and stir in zucchini slices. Marinate at room temperature while making meatballs.
Make meatballs:
Cover bread with water in a bowl and soak 10 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of bread to remove as much excess water as possible, then transfer to a bowl. Pulse onion and herbs in a food processor until finely chopped, then add to bread along with lamb, salt, spices, and pine nuts. Mix with your hands until well blended. Form lamb mixture into 36 balls (1 scant tablespoon each).
Assemble and grill kebabs:
Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas; see cooks' note below). Thread 6 meatballs 1/4 inch apart onto each of 6 skewers. Thread zucchini lengthwise onto remaining 6 skewers (5 slices per skewer), so cut sides are on the grill, leaving 1/4 inch between slices. Grill zucchini and lamb on oiled grill rack, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve warm, with yogurt sauce.
Broiling: Kebabs can be broiled on 2 large shallow baking pans 5 inches from heat, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.
Grilling procedure: · Charcoal grill: Open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows. Hot: when you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds; medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds; low: 5 to 6 seconds.· Gas grill: preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.
Classic Veal Parmesan
In honor of Emeril's impending visit to the farm, I thought I should include something of his. Here's his version of the classic.
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 cup dry red or white wine
2 (28 ounce) can of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
4 double-cut loin veal chops, bone-in, butterflied and pound out 1/4-inch thick
1 cup flour
Essence, recipe follows
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups fine dried bread crumbs
1 pound fresh fettuccine
Mornay sauce, recipe follows
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and clear in color. Add the garlic and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 30 minutes.
Whisk the tomato paste and water together. Add to the tomatoes. Stir in the dried herbs. Bring the liquid to a boil, over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Season the veal chops with salt and pepper. Season the flour with Essence. Season the egg wash with Essence. Season the bread crumbs with Essence. Dredge the veal chops in the flour. Dip each chop in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Finally, dredge the chops in the seasoned bread crumbs, coating completely. Add 1/4 cup of the oil to two large skillets. When the oil is hot, add two chops to each skillet. Pan-fry the chops for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with Essence.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Place the chops on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 4 minutes, or until hot. Remove the pasta from the heat and drain. Drizzle the pasta with olive oil. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta with the Mornay Sauce.
To serve, mound the pasta in the center of each plate. Lay the veal chop over the pasta. Spoon the sauce over the veal. Garnish with the grated cheese.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
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