Good Eats Newsletter - November 5, 2014

Localvore Members  & Veggie Only Share Members take a TAN / LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag will contain: Braising Greens Blend; Potatoes; Brussel Sprouts; Lettuce; Chard; Cabbage; Parsley And OUT of the bag: 1 Kabocha Squash Localvore and any share with pantry items Include: Golden Crops Organic Rolled Oats Champlain Orchard Mcintosh Apples Pete's Kitchen Kimchi  Tangletown Farm Eggs Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Braising Greens Blend; Potatoes; Brussel Sprouts; Cabbage; Chard And OUT of the bag: 2 Sweet Dumpling Squash

Have you been to our Waterbury Farm Market yet? Not only is it loaded with our fresh, organic veggies but it's filled with all your other pantry needs as well! We have a huge selection of local cheeses, dairy, meats, breads, and treats. We have pantry staples such as oats, local organic flours, organic beans, Maine sea salt, and maple sugar. We also have treats from Laughing Moon Chocolates, Fat Toad, and Nutty Steph's. Soon we will carry VT beer and wine! Come check it out! 2802 Waterbury Stowe Rd.

Spotlight on the Vermont Farm Fund As many of you know, Pete’s Greens is intimately involved with the nonprofit Vermont Farm Fund (VFF), whose mission is to make low-cost, no-hassle loans to Vermont farmers and food producers. The fund grew out of the barn fire here on the farm, with Pete paying back the donations into the newly created fund so that the money could keep doing good in the local ag economy. The loans have helped farmers recover from emergencies like flood and fire, and have also helped farmers and food producers improve their businesses, becoming more efficient and sustainable. Of the 29 loans the VFF has made thus far, almost half have been in this latter category of 3% Business Builder loans. Tangletown Farm is one of the farms that shines through as an example of a farm who needed a little bit of no-hassle, low-cost money after the move to their new farm stretched their budget thin. When a small farm is in the process of expanding, a $10,000 investment can make a big difference in generating income. Lila and Dave used their loan to more efficiently store grain for their animals, as well as buy their first flock of laying hens and the equipment to support them. This initial investment has grown over the past year to continually supply farm-fresh pastured eggs to the Good Eats CSA, as well as the Montpellier Farmer’s market and other retail stores. According to Lila and Dave, “The VFF loan turned out to be a lifesaver for us. The hens we bought with the money provided income at a time when we were faced with significant unexpected expenses and grew into a thriving new egg business for the farm.” Tangletown has now paid back over half of their loan. Like all loan payments to the VFF, the money goes back into the coffers to be loaned out to the next farmer recovering from disaster, or food producer with a bright idea.   Storage and Use Tips Our braising greens blend 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! Everyone's getting a good bunch of brussels sprouts this week - per Emilie it's about 3 hand fulls! They're loose in your bag.  Store the sprouts wrapped in a plastic bag in the fridge. Don't leave them too long because they are better the fresher they are! Brussel sprouts can be cooked a variety of ways, and can be eaten raw as well (they can be shaved fine and tossed into a salad for example). They are really great roasted as it brings out their sweetness - see the recipe below. **Please take care in picking up your squash this week! Large share members get 1 large kabocha squash and half share members get 2 smaller sweet dumpling squash.** The small size of the sweet dumpling squash (pictured at right) makes them perfect for stuffing with peppers and onions and roasting in the oven.  But these squash are also unbelievably sweet so just roasting and then adding a little butter and (yum) maple syrup and it's hard to improve upon.  Winter squash stores best in a cool, dry, dark place with good ventilation.  Once cut, you can wrap the leftovers in plastic and store in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Large share members are getting a large kabocha squash (pictured below). You could make many things with it - soup and some puree to use in another recipe or to enjoy as a side dish. Kabocha is a Japanese variety of winter squash. It is one of the sweetest winter squash, with a vibrant deep orange interior, and a very rich, almost meaty texture.  The skin is edible making this squash ideal for stuffing.  This squash makes a really nice thick, creamy soup or is also wonderful in baked goods. This week's lettuce for the large share is called salanova. It's a fairly new variety from Johnny's Selected Seeds that we're excited to share with you. The leaves are full size, but the flavor is that of a baby leaf. Enjoy this lettuce in a sandwich or salad. It's best to store this and all lettuces wrapped in a damp paper towel, inside a bag, in your crisper drawer. The delicate leaves can bruise easily so don't stuff too many veggies in there - give it some room to breathe. Red chard is a delicious nutritious green, high in Vitamins A, K, and C.  It works great as a spinach substitute but needs to be cooked down a bit longer.  It also works well in soups and stews, or sauteed as a side. Parsley isn't just a pretty garnish on the side of your plate - it's actually a very nutritious herb. It's an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin A, folate, and iron. Try adding parsley stems to your simmering stock, both to impart flavor and help clarify the broth. A nice way to store is to place the parsley bunch stems in a glass of water, like flowers in a vase, and then cover loosely with a plastic bag and keep in the fridge. If this is too finicky, just store loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in crisper drawer. Also known as Chinese cabbage, the flavor of Napa cabbage is somewhat milder and a bit sweeter than that of regular green cabbage. It is delicious raw or cooked, and can be substituted for regular cabbage in most recipes. A head of Napa Cabbage in the fridge lends itself to a wide variety of meal options, from salads and slaws, to sandwich greens, stir fries, soup additions, and more. Nearly all of the head can be used, just not the tough center core. If your Napa sits a while in the fridge and some leaves are limp, you can refresh it with a good soak in cold water. Napa cabbage should be stored unwashed in your crisper drawer, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. 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 Localvore and pantry members will receive a bag of Golden Crops Organic Rolled Oats from organic grower Michel Gaudreau of Golden Crops, across the border in Quebec. Michel grows quite a few different grains on his farm and mills grains for organic growers in his area. He has a great operation in a beautiful setting surrounded by his fields. Michel's mill makes many organic grains available locally that we might not otherwise have local access to and we are grateful for his commitment. These are beautiful, clean organic rolled oats ideal for oatmeal, granola, cookies, streusel toppings etc. We love sending out fruit from Champlain Orchards. This week it's Mcintosh apples for all your baking, saucing, or fresh eating needs. Located in Shoreham, Vermont, Champlain Orchards and organic farm overlooks Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. They are a family-owned Vermont orchard that takes pride in growing a diversity of ecologically-grown fruits and vegetables. Pete's Greens Kimchi is a wonderfully spicy kimchi that we collaborated with Michelle Guenard of Michelle's Spicy Kimchi to make.  We used our vegetables and her recipe (thanks Michelle!).  Her kimchi has received rave reviews so we are excited to have the opportunity to bring it to you.  This spicy condiment is a real treat and is extremely healthy for you.  It's loaded with vitamins A, B, and C, but most importantly has "healthy bacteria" in it that aid in digestion.  It's one of the world's healthiest foods!  This kimchi was made with our own organic napa cabbage, carrots, onion, plus daikon radish, red chile pepper flakes, rice flour, sugar, garlic and ginger root.  The non-vegetarian version also includes fish sauce made with anchovies, salt, and sugar. What to do with your kimchi?  Eat it as a banchan as some Koreans do (serve a little bowl of it with every meal), stir it into rice or eggs, fry it into kimchi pancakes, or include on a grilled cheese sandwich (my favorite way to eat it). **Please be careful selecting your kimchi!** Vegetarian members' kimchi will be labeled with their names. All others should select non-vegetarian kimchi. Both kimchis are clearly marked on the lids - please don't pick a kimchi with someone's name and site on it unless you are that person. Thank you! The girls at Tangletown Farm have been busy laying eggs for you! Enjoy these nutrient filled eggs and might I recommend including some kimchi with your next egg dish? Yum!   Meat Share For the first meat share of the season we are excited to send out a Pete's Greens chicken, rib chops and Chorizo sausage from the pigs we raised at the farm, and a McKnight Farm organic steak. This year we raised a bunch of chickens and pigs. They all enjoyed a good life on the farm with lots of our culled veggies and grass, as well as lots of time outside. Both animals were great fun to have around and make for great eating due to the easy life they led on the farm filled with lots of organic veggies! Pete Colman of VT Salumi made the sausage for us from our pork; this is the same delicious recipe he uses for making his Benito. Chorizo is a sausage with a good kick to it with a traditional sausage flavor in Spanish and Mexican cuisine. This sausage is not overly spicy, it has a great taste that is amazing in paella, on pizzas, tossed in pasta, in soups, with black beans and it's wonderful in scrambled eggs. Rib chops are a pork chop cut from the rib roast. They can be cut boneless or with a baby back rib attached.  Rib attached delivers more flavor when cooking. Because they are lean, they are great for stuffing, and benefit from brining.  Chops are great because you can do so many things with them. They are just waiting to be flavored up in a recipe. The organic steaks come from our friend and neighbor Seth Gardner at McKnight Farm in East Montpelier.  Seth is a long time organic dairy farmer  who regularly supplies beef to our meat share.  You'll receive either Porterhouse, Rib, or T-Bone Steaks. 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 Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanuts and Ginger This recipe from Martha Stewart is a great way to use your napa cabbage. 2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch long), peeled and grated 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil coarse salt and ground pepper 1/2 medium napa cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and cut into bite-size pieces 1 red bell pepper (seeds and ribs removed), thinly sliced 1/4 cup chopped fresh, cilantro 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, ginger, and oils until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro, and peanuts. Add dressing to taste, and toss to combine. Serve. Warm Potato Salad Tossing boiled roots with flavorful herbs and oil while they're still hot is amazing. The warm vegetables soak in the flavors of the herbs beautifully, and the salad only gets better after a few days in the fridge. 2 pounds potatoes 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, smashed 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon salt-packed capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 medium red onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup) 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced crosswise on bias 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Salt to taste Place potatoes in a medium-sized saucepan covered 2 inches by salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, combine olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, capers, lemon, and red onion. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Drain the potatoes, halve lengthwise, and toss with warm dressing, celery, and parsley. Salt to taste and serve warm. Chard with Ginger This is a simple, slightly spicy side dish or snack. Try adding just a little tamari or miso to the pan if you have any left, but make sure not to add more salt if you do! 1 bunch chard 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger 2 sliced jalapenos Coarse salt and ground pepper Directions Separate stems and leaves from chard. Chop leaves and dice stems small. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high. Add chard stems, minced peeled fresh ginger, and jalapeno slices; cook until stems soften, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chard leaves, cover, and cook until wilted, 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until tender, 4 minutes. Fried Eggs with Kimchi Kimchi goes really well with eggs. This is a nice version with fried eggs; you could also just add kimchi to scrambled eggs once they're almost set. Serves 1. 2 teaspoons oyster sauce* 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil 2 large eggs 1/4 cup chopped kimchi 1 scallion, thinly sliced or shredded In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce and soy sauce and stir until well-mixed. Set aside. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then once the oil is hot enough, carefully pour the eggs into the hot oil. Spoon the chopped kimchi over the egg whites as they are setting so they get cooked into the eggs. After 1 minute, lower the heat to medium so the bottoms get crisp without over-browning while the egg yolks are still setting. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to your desired level of doneness. (If the egg whites around the yolk are taking a while to set, use a fork to poke holes around the outside of the yolks. This way, the uncooked egg whites on top can seep through, make contact with the pan, and get cooked.) With a wide spatula, carefully transfer the eggs to a plate. Spoon the oyster sauce mixture of the eggs and top with scallions. Serve alone or with rice on the side. Note: This dish can be made completely vegetarian by using vegetarian oyster sauce, which gets its flavoring from mushrooms. Maple Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon This is a good recipe for those people are skeptical of brussel sprouts. Caramelized and crispy, these sprouts gain a nutty flavor from the roasting process. 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch piece 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).    Place Brussels sprouts in a single layer in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup; toss to coat. Sprinkle with bacon; season with salt and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until bacon is crispy and Brussels sprouts are caramelized, 45 minutes, stirring halfway through.   Chard and Brussels Sprout Salad Chard and sprouts aren't thought of as typical salad ingredients but they work great in this raw recipe. The key to this salad is fine chopping – you want to cut the chard and Brussels sprouts in to tiny ribbons, really more like slaw than salad. 2 teaspoons minced shallot 2 teaspoons smooth Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon lemon juice (preferably fresh) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound Brussels sprouts (about 20), bottom and outer leaves trimmed 1 bunch red chard 2 ounces shredded pecorino cheese 1 ounce toasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped Prepare the dressing in the bottom of your salad serving bowl - it's easier to toss it in to the greens from the bottom. Whisk the shallot, mustard and lemon juice together, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper Using a sharp knife, finely chop the Brussels sprouts and chard leaves. Add to the dressing in the bowl and toss to coat. Add about half of the shredded pecorino and toss again. Top with remaining pecorino and almonds; serve. Serves 4 as a side dish or 2 really hungry people.   Baked Sweet Dumpling Squash This recipe is great because it shows you the very basic way to cook this type of squash, plus it's yummy! 2 Sweet Dumpling Squash 2 tsp Cinnamon, ground 1/2 tsp Nutmeg, ground 2 tpsb butter 2 tpsb    Maple Syrup Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon. Use a fork to poke several holes in the outside skin of each half of the squash. Place squash in baking pan with hollow side up. Add 1" of water to bottom of pan. Place 1 Tbsp. of butter, 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon in the hollow of each squash half. Pour 1/4 cup of maple syrup on each. Bake uncovered on middle rack for 30-45 minutes or until the flesh is soft. Serve hot. If using sweet dumpling squash, each half will serve one person and can be served with dinner "as is". Alternately, you may allow the squash halves to cool partially, remove the skins, and mash or puree the squash. Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup This soup is a beautiful golden yellowy-orange color. It is thick, smooth, buttery, cream, rich, and a bit sweet and savory all at the same time.  And it's very easy to make! 1 medium to large size kabocha squash 1 Tbsp. + 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, separated 2 small, or 1 large, yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 14-oz. can coconut milk (I used light coconut milk) 2 cups chicken stock (can use whatever kind of stock you prefer) salt and pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cut kabocha in half, scoop out seeds and stringy insides, then prick flesh with a fork. Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil on flesh and set halves face down in baking sheet in approximately 1/2 inch of water. Bake for about 45 minutes until flesh is soft. While kabocha is baking, caramelize onions in 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.  After kabocha is finished cooking, scoop flesh out of skin.  In a food processor, add kabocha, onions, coconut milk, stock, salt, and pepper and process until smooth. Serve. *I suggest adding half of the coconut milk and half of the stock and then tasting it. Depending on your tastes, you may want to add all of the coconut milk, or you may want to add more stock. Also, if the soup is too thick, add additional stock until it reaches the consistency you desire. Soy Braised Kabocha Squash 2 tbsp. canola oil ½" piece ginger, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 scallions, minced, plus more for garnish ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock 3 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tbsp. mirin 1 tbsp. sugar ½ medium kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1"x4" wedges Heat oil in 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic and scallions, and cook until fragrant, about 1–2 minutes. Add stock, soy sauce, mirin and sugar; bring to a simmer. Add squash and cook, turning once, until softened, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender, turning once to evenly glaze, about 15 minutes more. No Bake Energy Bites I love this easy recipe - the balls make great lunch snacks, after school treats, a quick protein fix before the gym, or an after dinner treat. Feel free to sub out any ingredients below that you don't like  or have on hand. The first time I made these I realized that no one liked flax seed, so the next time around I subbed in an equal amount of wheat germ. Success! 1 cup (dry) oatmeal (I used old-fashioned oats)     2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes     1/2 cup peanut butter     1/2 cup ground flaxseed     1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional)     1/3 cup honey or agave nectar     1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)     1 tsp. vanilla extract Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like. (Mine were about 1" in diameter.) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Makes about 20-25 balls. Roast chicken cooked with red cabbage and apples I realize that red cabbage isn't going out in this week's share, but I still wanted to share this recipe with you as it has become my favorite roasted chicken recipe. Slow braised cabbage with meltingly smooth apples form a bed for a delicious roast chicken.  A scoop of mashed potatoes alongside will make a perfect evening meal. 1 whole chicken 1 head red cabbage (core removed and discarded and shredded) 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or olive oil 1 onion sliced 3 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices 1/4 cup apple cider (or water) 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup balasamic vinegar 1 tablespoon honey salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 375F/185C. Wash the chicken, pat dry and season it well with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the cabbage In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat and gently fry the cabbage, onions, garlic and apple slices until slightly softened, moving them in the pan to prevent burning (about 8 minutes) Add the cider, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and honey and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well to make sure all the cabbage is coated. Place the chicken on top of the cabbage (I had half a lemon left over from something else I'd made so popped it into the cavity of the chicken to add a little extra flavour), put the lid on the Dutch oven and place in the oven for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. During this time the apples melt down and are creamy smooth, so you get a bite of the sweet cabbage and onions along with a lovely 'appley' taste. If there is too much liquid in the cabbage once the chicken is cooked you can remove the chicken to a plate and reduce the cooking liquid over high head on the stove top, don't let it dry out, it just needs to reduce and thicken a little.