Good Eats Newsletter - August 20, 2014

Localvore Members  & Regular Veggie Only Share Members take a LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag will contain: Braising Mix; Broccoli; Onions; Fennel; Peppers; Eggplant; Cabbage; Kale; Jalapeno And OUT of the bag: Brown bag of Tomatoes Localvore Offerings Include:   Slowfire Country French bread for Wednesday shares Patchwork Farm and Bakery Polenta Bread for Thursday shares Bonnieview Ayersdale cheese McFarline Apiaries Honey Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Braising Mix; Onions; Lettuce; Peppers; Eggplant; Cabbage; Kale

Our big weekend is coming up! We're SO excited for all the fun events coming up this weekend - OITF, KFF, WYSIWYG, and our open farm day.  I wish I could clone myself so I could go to everything! I do hope you make it out to our Annual Open Farm Event.  This is one of the best opportunities to show you our farm and share some of our bounty with you.  The weather's looking pretty good so bring your family, friends and neighbors up to the farm on Saturday!  ~Sara See below for more info on all the events!

Saturday August 23rd Pete's Greens Annual Open Farm Please join us for our annual open farm event this Saturday! We look forward to this day each year.  Our open farm gives us the opportunity to connect with our neighbors, CSA members and friends and visitors and enjoy some music, food, and farm tours.  Come out to the farm this weekend and see the growing fields, learn about what we do, how we grow, where we process and store vegetables. We will be giving tours of the farm, the washhouse, and our processing kitchen.  We'll have live music and some great food for the occasion.  We are very much looking forward to connecting with everyone and having some fun.  Hope you can make it! The schedule: 11:00 am - First farm tour 12:30 pm - Second farm tour 2:00 pm - Third farm tour   We'll have a lovely local spread laid out under the tent, cheeses to sample from Cellars at Jasper Hill, a farm fresh buffet prepared by NECI students (all free).  We'll also have some excellent bluegrass music with "Watch out for Dinosaurs" featuring fiddler Kalev Freeman from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm!         One more special treat for you all is Champlain Orchards will be there with their early apples as well as a selection of hard and ice ciders to sample, including their newly released ORIGINAL Vermont Hard Cider. Hope to see you there! Kingdom Farm and Food Days August 22, 23, and 24th Join us for a fun weekend in the Northeast Kingdom! Friday 12 - 3pm - Agape Hill Farm in Hardwick and the Log Cabin Alpaca Farm in East Albany will offer tours of their llama farms. 3 - 6 pm - Hardwick Farmers' Market 4pm - Outstanding in the Field dinner Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Craftsbury Farmers Marketon Craftsbury Common. Children’s gardening activities are on the agenda at Craftsbury School Gardens that morning, taught by Green Mountain Farm to School. 11 am to 3pm - Pete's Greens Open Farm Day!   3:30 to 5:30 - Sterling College tours and workshops. That evening - Treat Yourself! Dine at Positive Pie, Bees Knees, Craftsbury General Store, or Downstreet Eats.  These establishments will offer a special for KFF attendees that evening. Sunday 10 a.m. Eden Ice Cider orchard in Charleston, Also visit the Northeast Kingdom Tasting Center, where you can see the cidery in action, and visit with local food vendors, bakers, maple syrup producers and more! 1 to 4 p.m. High Mowing Organic Seeds will host field days and workshops. New England Culinary Institute will put on a dinner — a local food showcase — at High Mowing Seeds starting at 4:30 p.m., and everyone is invited to a bonfire afterward. What You See is What You Get Festival (WYSIWYG) Saturday, August 23rd and Sunday, August 24th 11 am - 10 pm We are really excited to take part in this inaugural festival on the Burlington waterfront!  We're pleased to once again partner with Hen of the Wood who will use our veggies in preparing dishes for the event. WYSIWYG is a Farm Food Music and Art Festival.  Top tier Farmers and Chefs will be paired to create unique and delicious menus featuring the best that Vermont farms have to offer.  Speakers and educators will entertain and host talks to shed light on the key issues facing local and global food systems.  Cold beer from brewers across the state will flow, music from fantastic nationally- touring bands and homegrown bands will fill the air, and art that reflects the ethos and humor of WYSIWYG will dot the land.  It's going to be a great party, a celebration really: full of friends and neighbors and family.  It will be a fabulous time and we'd love you to come out and play!    More information can be found here.  Storage and Use Tips Our braising mix is a mix of various brassica greens. They are great tossed in the saute pan with garlic and oil on their own, but are terrific added to many dishes.  I use this mix as salad as well - the leaves are heartier than some salad greens, but they taste great! Fresh, organic broccoli!  What could be better?  Large share folks will get some of this great broccoli this week. Everyone's getting some yellow onions this week.  These are freshly harvested and washed, so you may want to unpack your bag and dry these off once you get home. Our tomato harvest is starting to slow down, so we're only sending tomatoes out for the large share.  Half share members please don't pick up any! Small share folks are getting a head of lettuce.  Enjoy this on sandwiches or made into a salad. Large share members are getting some fennel heads.  It's crunchy and slightly sweet with the flavor of anise. It is delicious and slightly sweet served raw but is just as often served cooked on its own or in other dishes. Though most often associated with Italian cooking, it has an uncanny ability to blend with other flavors adding a light and fresh note. It is delightful in many dishes, and in soups and stews and sauces. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds. The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible. To prepare, trim off the fronds and stalks and reserve them for garnish or seasoning. Cut off the hard bottom and slice vertically or into quarters. Or cut the bulb in half lengthwise, cut out the core, and cut into strips. Add it raw to salads or try some thinly sliced fennel on your sandwich. Top thinly sliced fennel with plain yogurt and mint leaves. Or braise, roast or saute' it. It is done when tender enough to pierce easily with a skewer. Our sweet peppers are exceptional this year.  With not a ton of rain and lots of sun these peppers just take off!  Enjoy these sliced in a salad, added to soups or stews, stuffed, or roasted.  To roast, simply core and seed, quarter them, brush them with olive oil (or not), and then roast them in the oven, skin side up at n oven temp of anywhere from 45o to broiling. The hotter the oven, the quicker they will roast. With a very hot oven, you may want to turn them a time or two for even roasting.&n bsp; Roast until the skins blister and brown or char a bit. Then remove from oven to cool. Most cooks like to remove the charred skins from the peppers before using in a dish. This is done easily if you cover the cooling peppers with a cloth for 10 minutes. The steam loosens the skin and peeling is easier. Eggplant is a great healthy vegetable!  It provides iron, calcium and other minerals that are essential nutrients required by the body.  It also contains certain essential phyto nutrients which improve blood circulation and nourish the brain - these are mostly found in the skin so don't remove.  It prefers to be kept at about 50 degrees, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters, so it will do best with extra protection of your crisper drawer. Wrapping unwashed eggplant in a towel is a bit better than in plastic because the towel will absorb any moisture.  Keep your wrapped eggplant in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator. Used within a week it should still be fresh and mild. All members will get either an arrowhead cabbage or green cabbage.  Arrowhead is an unusually shaped cone cabbage.  It's a really delicate cabbage with a soft, buttery leaf.  It's very mild in flavor and a great substitute for lettuce in a sandwich.  Make slaw, your favorite cabbage dish, or quarter it and drizzle olive oil on it, sprinkle with salt, and grill it.  Add a little teriyaki sauce if you like. Redbor Kale is in the super veggie club and is just about the healthiest vegetable you can eat. 1 cup packs 1300% of your daily requirements for Vitamin K, 200% of your Vitamin A, and nearly 100% of vitamin C, along with lots and lots more vitamins and minerals.  Over 45 different flavonoids have been identified in kale that combine to provide both anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. It is now believed that kale offers risk-lowering benefits for five types of cancer including bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate cancer. It also has the ability to lower cholesterol (and for this purpose steaming is best). It is also now recognized that kale provides much support for your body's own detox system. We are lucky that it is also one of the longest season northern vegetables.  And what's more, it's tasty, so eat lots. Keep kale loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. Strip the leaves from the stems and wash them well before chopping and cooking. Jalapeno peppers are a great way to add a little zing to your food!  My only advice in using the jalapeno pepper is to use gloves when cutting.  I learned this again the hard way after recently making some  salsa.  I didn't use gloves and my hands were burning for 2 days!   Store the pepper in a paper bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Veggie Storage and Use Tips are on our website too, so please bookmark the recipe and storage tip section.  I am sure you will find it useful. Localvore Lore Wednesday folks are going to get a loaf of Country French bread from Slowfire Bakery in Jeffersonville, VT.  I spoke with Scott this morning about the bread and he wanted me to let you know their breads are all hand mixed and hand made from start to finish.  He uses all local flours.  This French bread is light enough to eat on it's own  but versatile enough go with everything - sandwiches etc.  For the Thursday folks Patchwork Farm and Bakery is once again making their Polenta Bread.  This is an outstanding bread made with Butterworks cornmeal and other local ingredients.  I got some feedback from a share member who got this bread earlier in the season; she sadi it was outstanding and she's a bread baker! Ayersdale cheese is a relatively new cheese from Bonnieview Farm.  This cheese is made with milk from the farms' 15 grass-fed cows. Neil and Kristen Urie are our neighbors who run a 470 acre farm with 170 milking ewes.  This  cheese is buttery and smooth with a slight tang.  A special treat for you this week is raw Vermont honey from McFarline Apiary.  Tim McFarline is a beekeeper from Benson, VT.  Tim's honey is raw, and has never been heated so it retains all vitality and enzymes.  His website is filled with interesting information about bees so be sure to check it out!  We are grateful for the bees without whom our crops could not be pollinated. On the topic of bees, I read a really interesting book recently on bees - A Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson.  It was a fascinating book on the habits of bees, the history of bees, and how to protect them for future generations. 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. Recipes Arrowhead Coleslaw I always add apple slices to sweeten any coleslaw that I make.  Apples gives the slaw a nice, sweet crunch. 1 medium Arrowhead cabbage 1 carrot 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably home-made 2 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, or 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard Using a large, sharp knife, remove the hard core from the cabbage and then cut the cabbage very finely.  While it may be tempting to use a food processor, the best results are achieved by hand.  You should have about 8 firmly packed cups.  Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, scrape the carrot and then cut it into long, fine strands or paper-thin slices about the length of the cabbage shreds.  Place the cabbage, carrot, and onion in a large bowl.  In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise, water, vinegar, caraway seeds, salt, and mustard.  Using your hands, combine the mayonnaise dressing with the cabbage mixture.  Cover and refrigerate the salad for up to 3 hours. Simple Baked Arrowhead Cabbage Here's a nice, easy side dish that showcases these lovely cabbages. 1 Arrowhead Cabbage, cut in two lengthwise Olive oil Salt Pepper Chopped Scallions Grated Parmesan Place the cabbage halved on a baking sheet or in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped scallions. Roast for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven, sprinkle with grated parm and return to oven to bake a few more minutes until cheese is lightly browned. The result was very light and lovely without any of the heaviness sometimes associated with cabbage. The best description of the taste I can come up with is buttery crunch — not at all tough, but a velvety texture. Mild, sweet, delicious. Spicy BLT Soup This recipe comes courtesy of Martha Stewart's website.  This no-cook chilled soup is made for times when you have a bonanza of ripe tomatoes on hand. The toppings really make it a meal. I like to add a few leaves of tender butterhead lettuce, crumbled crispy bacon, and toasty croutons made from a loaf of country-style bread. 2 pounds assorted tomatoes, roughly chopped Coarse salt and ground pepper 1 small cucumber, roughly chopped 2 medium Fresno chiles or jalapenos, stemmed and chopped 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar 1 slice white bread, crust removed, torn into pieces 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sugar Chopped Egg and Garlic Vinaigrette Croutons, crumbled cooked bacon, and sliced lettuce Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt; let sit 10 minutes. In a blender, combine tomatoes, cucumber, chiles, onion, garlic, vinegar, bread, oil, and sugar and puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, pressing on solids; discard solids. Cover soup and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette and desired toppings. Tomato and Fennel Salad Fennel pairs very well with tomatoes.  This easy salad is a wonderful way to combine the 2! 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar, or white-wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 pound tomatoes, cut into wedges 2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, (see Tip)   Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add tomatoes, fennel, parsley and pine nuts; toss to coat. Tip: Toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.   Fennel And Kale Pasta Sweet fennel and bitter greens also work beautifully together. 1/2 c olive oil 1 onion, minced 1 medium fennel bulb fronds removed, halved and thinly sliced salt and pepper 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 lb spaghetti up to 3 lb kale or other cooking green washed and chopped 1 c grated parmesan Heat oil in a large braising pan or skillet with a cover. Add onion; saute over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel; saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until fennel is tender, about 8 minutes longer. Stir in vinegar; simmer to blend flavors, 1 minute longer. Adjust seasonings. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; return to boil. Add greens; continue to cook until pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta and greens; toss with fennel mixture and cheese. Transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Garnish with reserved minced fennel fronds. Serve immediately with more cheese passed separately. Fennel, Feta and Kalamata Olive Salad I couldn't resist adding just one more fennel recipe.  This recipe comes from chef and author George Kyrtatas. This adaptation of a greek salad will be fantastic on it's own, but could also be placed on a bed of greens. 1/2 pound fennel bulbs (1 bulb) 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 TB olive oil 1/4 tsp sugar 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 4 oz feta cheese—crumbled 1/4 cup kalamata olives—pitted and chopped Clean fennel well and remove outer layers and top stocks. (Top portion may be frozen and used for flavoring at a later time.) With a mandolin or food processor shredding attachment, slice fennel as thin as possible. Then soak fennel in ice water for 1/2 hour. Then drain. In a bowl mix sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Toss in the shredded fennel and toss to coat. Top with chopped olives and crumbled feta cheese. Roasted Eggplant Salad I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of eggplant.  I keep trying it in different recipes to find one that I enjoy.  Last summer I discovered baba ganoush which I absolutely love, and I just made this salad for lunch which was pretty tasty, especially with the honey lemon dressing (recipe below).  Do you have any favorite eggplant recipes or ways to prepare that may sway me further into the eggplant camp?  Send them to me - I'd love to hear from you. 1 medium eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices Salad Greens Tomatoes Cucumbers Peppers Chicken or other protein Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush two rimmed baking sheets with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil each. Arrange eggplant slices on sheets. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. On a serving platter, layer eggplant onto salad greens. Add tomatoes plus any other veggies you want in your salad.  Top with honey and lemon dressing. Honey and Lemon Dressing It's amazing what a little bit of honey does to this basic salad dressing! 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon good honey sea salt freshly ground black pepper Mix everything together in a bowl and season to taste. Roasted Pepper-Chicken-Pale Ale Stew I thought this recipe sounded pretty awesome.  I know we are only sending out 1 jalapeno so feel free to add some extra Cajun seasoning to make it spicier. 2 medium chicken breasts 2 tablespoons Cajun seasonings 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon olive oil (or lower calorie spray oil) 2 carrots, chopped 2 red onions, chopped 2 jalapeno peppers, roasted and chopped 1 red bell pepper, roasted and chopped 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 12 ounces Pale Ale 1 cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon Cajun seasonings 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried parsley Salt to taste Heat a large grill pan to medium heat and add olive oil (or coat with spray oil).  Season chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons Cajun seasonings and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Sear the chicken breasts about 2 minutes per side to brown. Remove from heat and chop.  Add chopped chicken to a slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix well. Heat to medium heat and cook 3.5-4 hours, or until chicken and vegetables are tender.     Salt to taste and serve!