Good Eats Newsletter - March 7th, 2012

This Week's Vegetable Share Contains:  Carrots; Red & Yellow Onions; Mixed Potatoes and either Rutabagas, Goldball Turnips or Gilfeather Turnips plus... Bag of Salad Greens Bag of Coleslaw Mix Jar of Tomato Puree Package of Frozen Jalapeno Peppers Localvore Offerings Include: PaPa Doodles Farm Fresh Eggs Butterworks Black Turtle Beans Blythedale Green Mountain Gruyere Cheese This is a Meat Share Week Good Eats Summer Share Join us for the most diverse and delicious Good Eats season.  Reserve your share now!  Payment checks forSummer won't be deposited until  Jun 4th. More information below Add-On Localvore & Meat Orders Order your favorite localvore, pantry, bulk vegetables or meats any week and have them delivered to your pick-up location. Go to our homepage to download an order form Seeding Begins Rich brown freshly tilled earth in the log house today, all prepped for spinach seed. Changes to Your Delivery? If you will be away some upcoming week, and need to make changes to your share delivery,let us know at least 1 week before the change. You can have your share donated to the Food Pantry, or you can skip your share delivery and you will retain a credit on your account toward the purchase of your next share. Reserve Your Good Eats Summer Share Now! June 20th - October 10th, 2012 Our Summer Share spans three seasons of vegetable production on the farm.  The share begins with loads of Spring veggies all Pete's Greens has to offer from yummy overwintered crops to summer favorites and lots of new stuff in between. During the summer growing season we have incredible abundance and variety providing you with over seventy varieties of locally grown vegetables with unique flavors, colors and shapes as well as all the summer staples you are familiar with. In June we will start out with tender salad greens, fresh basil, European cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh picked zucchini, spring salad turnips, Napa Cabbage, Asian greens, chard and lots more spring vegetables.  And then come all your summer favorites like peas, beans, carrots, sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, sweet corn and much more! The Localvore Share brings you the same fresh vegetables and wonderful local staples and artisan products to fill your pantry.  Monthly delivered Meat Shares are available too! Join now and be rewarded with a healthy, local and delicious season of Good Eats! Storage and Use Tips This week we have a shredded Coleslaw Mix for you. It is made with our shredded savoy cabbage and carrots. All you need to do is just add your favorite dressing! I have included a few suggestions below. We will have coleslaw mix once a month so you will have a chance to try out a few dressings through the course of the share. Pete's Mixed Potatoes include Nicola gold potatoes, Adirondack Red (red on inside and out), Adirondack Blue (blue on inside and out), Purple Viking (white inside, purple skins) and our Russian Banana Fingerlings. Each variety cooks a bit different. The best way to cook these all together is roasting until all are soft and creamy delicious. Chop and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and other herbs of your choice. Set oven to 475F and roast for 30-40 minutes. These potatoes will melt in your mouth. At this time of year it is best to store potatoes in a paper or plastic bag in the fridge. Since they are not treated with an anti-sprouting agent these guys are getting ready to start their next cycle of life and tend to sprout quickly if kept at room temperature. Your root vegetable this week is either Rutabagas, Goldball Turnip or Gilfeather Turnip all of which are in the Brassica family of plants and provide a packed full punch of vitamins and minerals to get you through the last of the cold season. Rutabagas are really a cross between a turnip and a cabbage and are large waxy bulbs sometimes with a hint of purple on the top. They have a cream colored inside. Goldball Turnips are yellow turnips that tend to have a long tail rather than a round shape, they are creamy yellow on the inside. The Gilfeather Turnip is a long loved heirloom vegetable from New England, it is thought to be in fact a rutabaga. They have a pointed shape and white flesh with green shoulders. All three of these varieties can be used similarly and have a similar flavor. Store in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer indefinitely. This week's Frozen Jalapenos should warm you up a little. To use your peppers thaw in the fridge overnight, remove from package and rinse. Or if you just need a pepper to spice up a dish, just take a single frozen pepper from the bag and chop it while just off frozen and add in to whatever you are making. The seeds and the inner ribs where the seed attaches are the hottest part of the pepper. For a rich and earthy jalapeno flavor without intense heat simply cut peppers open and remove inner ribs and seeds with a pairing knife. This may still give you a bit of spice but not nearly as much as before. Localvore Lore Blythedale Green Mountain Gruyere Cheese is a small natural rind wheel made from unpasteurized milk. It has been judged first in its class several times by the American Cheese Society. All of Blythedale Farm's Cheeses are free from added animal enzymes and are made with a microbial rennet.  This is a great cheese for baking, having a distinctive but not overpowering quality. In quiche, it adds savoriness without overshadowing the other ingredients. It is also a good melting cheese, particularly suited for fondues. Gruyere cheeses have been traditionally used in French onion soup, as well as in 'croque monsieur', a classic French toasted ham and cheese sandwich and in chicken cordon bleu. It also makes a supurb cheese all on its own, or grate on top of salads and pastas.  This week brings you Butterworks Farm Black Turtle Beans, the result of prevailing over the elements here in Vermont where dry beans can be extremely hard to grow in our wet summers. This heirloom bean originates from Southern Mexico and Central America. Its history can be traced to over 7,000 years ago. The black turtle bean has a dense, meaty texture and is very high in protein, which makes it popular in vegetarian dishes. It is an excellent choice for making into soups and chilis as it broth cooks down to a paste like consistency. You can also cook and add to salads, rice or use in my favorite dish huevos rancheros (see recipe below). It is common to keep the boiled water of these beans and consume it as a soup with other ingredients for seasoning (known as sopa negra, black soup), as a broth (caldo de frijol, bean broth) or to season or color other dishes. Here are some of my tricks and instructions for cooking these little black nuggets. Number one, some sort of pre-soak is required to cook beans and will significantly reduce cooking time. Cover with 2 inches of water and soak overnight or for 6-8 hours. Drain and cover with fresh water and simmer until beans are soft, about an hour. In warm conditions, refrigerate black beans while they soak to prevent fermentation. A quick-soak method involves covering beans with water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes and then remove from heat and let sit for 2 hours. Drain, cover with fresh water and simmer until soft, about an hour. The beans may prematurely break up with a quick-soak method. Use the overnight method for dishes where it is essential the beans stay whole, such as salads and relishes. Important! Do not add salt or acidic ingredients such as lemon, vinegar, wine, and tomatoes until the beans are finished or nearly done cooking. Adding earlier can cause the beans to toughen. If additional water is needed during the cooking process, use boiling water rather than cold water. Addition of the herbs known as summer savory and epazote can help reduce the flatulence suffered by many who eat beans. This week is a PaPa Doodles Farm Fresh Egg Week!  Meat Share This week's meat share includes: Greenfield Highland Beef Steaks Maple Wind Farm Summer Sausage Pete's Whole Chicken Pete's Pastured Pork Sausages and Spare Ribs Greenfield Highland Beef provides this week's selections of Round Steaks, some folks will get Eye of the Round Steaks others will receive Top Round Steaks. Both cuts are from the rear of the cow that gets well exercised resulting in very lean meats. I have included Janet's recipe below for marinated steaks. If using your favorite recipe at home take note that cooking times may be faster for lean grass-fed meats so take caution not to overcook. Greenfield Highland Beef raises Scotch Highland Cattle. This breed was first imported from Scotland to North America in the 1880’s and remain unchanged over the centuries. Due to their isolation in the cold, wet, climate and rough forage of Northern Scotland the breed developed the traits of hardiness, longevity, vigor and reproductive efficiency. Highland Cattle are thrifty, slower growing and fiercely maternal, yet docile. The breed is known for its healthful, lean, richly flavored beef. The Highland Cattle’s ability to digest a variety of plants and grasses make it a perfect choice for those who want to consume 100% Grass Fed beef. Ray and Janet of Greenfield Highland Beef continue to raise cattle on the same rugged hillside farm where Ray’s parents, Carroll and Polly began raising these magnificent animals in 1967.  This month we have Maple Wind Farm Summer Sausage made from our friends down in Huntington, Vermont who naturally raise grass fed,  pastured animals. Their summer sausage is great for eating along side cheese (especially Green Mountain Gruyere in the share this week) or dicing up and tossing with eggs and greens, my favorite. It is a convenient little sausage to take along with you for lunch or for dinner at a friend's home. This week's Spare Ribs, Sausages and Whole Chickens come straight from our farm to your home. All of the animals we raise at Pete's Greens are free-range and spend their lives in the outdoors. Our pastured chickens clean up after our greens are harvested and our pigs live a healthy life on open pasture. Sausages in this weeks share will be Breakfast Links or Sweet Italian Links. Recipes Dave's Mom's Best Slaw When reviewing our survey data from the fall share about our Coleslaw this dressing kept popping up as a favorite of our members, so I am passing it along. It is taken from the Moosewood Daily Special cookbook. 1/2 c mayo (sub sour cream or yogurt) 1/4 c evaporated milk 1/4 c sugar 2.5 Tbs cider vinegar salt and pepper to taste Curried Apple Slaw If you have apples left over from last week this is a great way to liven up your slaw. If you do not have raisins on hand try to substitute with something else that has a sweet flavor like raisins. 1-2 apples, shredded 1/4 c sour cream 1/4 c mayonnaise (sub yogurt or more sour cream) 1/4 c apple cider vinegar 2 tsp curry powder ginger, shredded or minced lime zest salt and pepper to taste Vegetarian Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeno This is a great week for a warm black bean soup to tickle your nose with spices and fill your belly with protein.  3 c dry black beans, cooked (1 c uncooked) 2 Tbs olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2-1 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (to taste) 4 c Pete's tomato puree salt and pepper Cook beans ahead of time (see instructions in Storage and Use Section). Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in cumin and 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno. Add cooked beans and tomato puree; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot. Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining jalapeno, as desired. Serve with chopped cilantro and sour cream. Turnip Hash We have included this recipe before and have gotten great comments about how nice it is to have a flavorful easy recipe for these root crops. Feel free to use related root crops such as rutabaga, Gilfeather turnip or Goldball turnips from your share this week.  6 Tbs olive oil 1 onion, small dice 1 lb. turnips, small dice 2 c hot chicken or vegetable stock 2 Tbs unsalted butter 1/2 cup gruyere cheese, shredded 1/2 cup parsley, rough chop Salt and pepper, to taste Warm the chicken stock in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil into a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. Toss in the onion and cook until translucent. Add the turnips and cook for 2 minutes. Ladle in some of the hot chicken stock and cook until absorbed. Continue until all of the stock has been added, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the butter and grated cheese off the heat. Garnish with parsley. Spicy Gruyere Flan  We have all the ingredients for a superb spicy flan this week. If you like, bake it in a crust and call it a quiche. To make a vegetarian version sub the summer sausage with butter or cooking oil to cook the onions in. 1/4 c Summer Sausage, cubed 1/8" 1 large onion, chopped 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced thinly 5 eggs 1 1/2 c milk salt and pepper to taste 3/4 c Green Mountain Gruyere, grated  Preheat oven to 350F. On the stove top, start to fry the summer sausage on medium heat. Once oil from the sausage coats the pan add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Stir gently and often to prevent burning. Remove seeds and ribs from inside of jalapeno and discard. Thinly slice the jalapeno and sauté with onions and sausage briefly for one minute. Remove from heat. Whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt. Without a crust: stir the onions and cheese into the eggs. Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until set and a knife comes out clean. With a crust: layer half the cheese then onions in crust and pour over the egg mixture. Then top with remaining cheese and bake as above. Janet's Highland Round Steak  If anyone would know how to cook a steak it has to be Janet. Here is her marinated steak recipe. If you would like to use your own recipe it may be helpful to browse the cooking instructions below. Grass fed beef tends to be leaner and requires less cooking time in general. 1-1.5 lb Round Steak 2 Tbs olive oil 2 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp wine vinegar 2 tsp maple syrup 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper ¼ tsp salt 4 tsp fresh chopped parsley (optional) Mix all ingredients; pour over steak in glass or non-porous dish. Put in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight, turning steak over at least once. Remove from refrigerator ½ hour before cooking to bring steak to room temperature.  Cook on a hot grill, pan fry or broil in oven 5 minutes/side for Top Round Steaks and decrease cooking time to 3 minutes/side for Eye of the Round Steaks. Remove steak from heat, let rest for 5 minutes before slicing diagonally across the grain into thin slices, approx. ¼ inch thick. Enjoy! Teriyaki Spare Ribs Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 c Chinese five-spice powder 1 rack pork spareribs For the Teriyaki Glaze: 1 c soy sauce 1 c lemon juice 1/4 c hoisin sauce 3 Tbs tomato puree (sub ketchup) 3 Tbs rice vinegar 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped 2 garlic cloves, smashed 2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1-inch coins Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl with the five-spice powder. Rub the mixture all over the ribs and arrange the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast for 2 hours. To make Teriyaki Glaze: In a pot, combine the soy sauce, lemon  juice, hoisin sauce, tomato puree, rice wine vinegar, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of Teriyaki Glaze in a small bowl and set aside. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze. When they are done, the meat will start to pull away from the bone. Just before you're ready to eat, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze again and stick them under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes to make the spareribs a nice crusty brown. Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, cutting at every second rib so there are 2 bones per piece. Pile them on a platter, and pour on the reserved Glaze.