Storage and Use Tips
The salad greens this week is our meslun mix. Enjoy these lovely salad greens!
Once you get past the gnarly exterior, celeriac is a delicious vegetable. Once you peel away its gnarled outer layer, you find a sparkling-white interior with a clean, refreshing taste. My favorite way to enjoy this is in a cold salad or slaw. It also roasts up beautifully with other root veggies. The easiest way to prepare it is lay it sideways then slice it into about 4 equal sections and then cut off the peel. If that seems too wasteful you can certainly peel like any other veggie, but I find this the quickest way to prepare. Remove the core if it seems pithy or hollow. Like apples, celeriac will darken if exposed to the air for too long. If you don’t plan to cook it immediately, submerge the celeriac in a bowl of water with lemon juice squeezed in. Store unwashed celeriac in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where it will keep for several weeks.
Our carrots are sweet and crunchy. They should be stored loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer, where they will keep for a couple of weeks. Store them away from apples, pears and other produce that create ethylene gas, which causes them to become bitter.
Large share members will get pink radishes this week. Fresh radishes are delightfully crisp and their flavor ranges from mildly peppery to a bit sweet. They're a dainty, zesty and colorful little bite and are wonderful raw or equally as good cooked. Heating removes both the radishes' crunch and their peppery bite; to avoid that you can add them at the end of the cooking process. Try glazed radishes made by placing a 2:2:1 ratio of butter, sugar, white vinegar in a pan and gently cooking until diced or quartered radishes are tender and the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
Large share members will also get a bunch of mustards greens. Re lated to kale, cabbage, and collard greens, mustard greens are the peppery leafy greens of the mustard plant. They are delicious in steamed or stir-fried dishes or even added raw to a pizza! The varieties are golden frill, green wave, and ruby streak - you will get 1 of those varieties.
Half share members will get a bunch of either Red Russian kale or chard. Both greens are chock full of nutrition and cook up great in a stir fry, a braised dish, or added to a soup.
Chard is a delicious nutritious green, high in Vitamins A, K, and C. Chard 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.
Keep chard and 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.
Half share members  will also receive a head of lettuce. These tender heads don't need a whole lot to enjoy them - peel leaves off the head and make into a salad or add to your sandwiches. There's a nice mix of our various lettuces so you'll get a nice surprise when you pick up this week!
A member of the brassicas family along with cabbage and kale, pac choi originated in China where it has been grown for over 1500 years. It was introduced into the US during the late 19th century by Chinese immigrants. It packs in nutrition with high scores for vitamins A and C and calcium. Pac Choi is mild enough to be chopped up for a salad, particularly if you give it a quick wilt in a hot pan. It's also great in stir-fries and sautes and in asian soups (and other soups too). As leaves become more mature they are more often served cooked. Pac Choi has a mild flavor. The leaves taste similar to Swiss chard and the stems (called ribs) are deliciously crispy and can be substituted for celery in recipes. We grow both purple and green varieties. My favorite way to cook it is to halve or quarter it lengthwise (depending on the size), brush it with olive or sunflower oil and throw it on the grill. Prepared this way, it makes an excellent and easy side. Store pac choi loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.
Shallots are in the onion family. They look like a small, elongated onion with copper, reddish or gray skin. Once you peel it it separates into cloves like garlic. They are well known for their ability to be caramelized or cooked down to where the sugars are reduced or concentrated. When eaten raw, they are much sweeter and milder than even sweet onions. You can slice them thin and saute them in recipes that benefit from a sweet, mild onion flavor. When minced, they are fantastic in homemade vinaigrette and pan sauces. Store them in a cool, dark place.
In an ideal world the cucumbers like to be kept at about 50 degrees or they may go soft in a couple days. I keep mine bagged and toss them in the crisper drawer and they keep a few days longer than that.
Frozen roasted peppers are whole peppers that have been washed and then roasted in a barrel flamer, cooled, bagged and frozen. You will notice our roasted peppers are not skinned or seeded. You can easily wash off seeds and peel away skin for use. To use these vegetables let the package thaw in the fridge till soft, or if you are in a rush take straight from the freezer and submerge bag in warm water till usable, usually takes about 15 minutes. Remove from plastic bag before heating . Since frozen foods are often blanched (or lightly cooked) the cooking time tends to be reduced and all they really need is a warm up.
Frozen Tomatoes - we freeze tomatoes in the peak of summer when they are sweet and abundant. They freeze very well, but keep frozen til ready to use. Best to use when they are frozen or just off frozen, easier to handle this way. If you run a frozen tomato under warmish water in your hand the skin will separate and come right off and you can pinch the top and bit of core out at the same time. And then toss the fleshy tomato into the pan you are cooking in. If you are looking for chopped tomatoes, just let them thaw a bit and chop away before they completely thaw and are to soft to handle.
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Summer CSA
June 17th through October 7th
Each week of our summer share is filled with the season's best bounty. Want to get in on a summer of deliciousness? Here's a sampling of the summer veggies we'll be sending out this summer:
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European cucumbers
 
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Asian greens
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Zucchini
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Herbs
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Radishes
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Scallions
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Lettuce
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Kale
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Chard
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Mustards
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Tomatoes
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Peas
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Broccoli
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Cauliflower
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Eggplant
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Sweet peppers
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Hot peppers
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Fresh carrots
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Cucumbers
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Cabbage
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Beans
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Corn
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Tomatillos
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Squash
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Melons
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Garlic
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Onions
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Lots and lots of greens!
Sign up now to get in on a summer filled with the best fresh, organic
Vermont grown goodness!
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Mark your calendars for a very special event!
Saturday, June 6th at 11am
at the Pete's Greens Waterbury Farm Market
Lindy Ly, author of "The CSA Cookbook" and blogger at Garden Betty, is coming to Waterbury for a book signing, Q&A, and a special presentation on our CSA veggies. She's an expert on gardening, cooking, and chicken keeping and she can answer all your questions on top-to-tail farm-to-table cooking.
We'll have some copies of her book available for purchase, or you can purchase a copy ahead of time. I've seen a copy of it and it truly is a great resource to have around!
The CSA Cookbook will help you cook your way through a CSA box  (or farmers’ market or backyard bounty) with 106 seasonal recipes that utilize every edible part of the plant, from leaves and flowers to stems and seeds. Think of it as a nose-to-tail approach — for vegetables!
With innovative ideas for preparing the lesser-known but no-less-delicious parts of plants, tips for using the odds and ends of vegetables, and easy preservation techniques, Linda Ly helps you get from farm to table without a fuss. Chapters include tomatoes and peppers, leafy greens, peas and beans, bulbs and stems, roots and tubers, melons and gourds, and flowers and herbs. You’ll find globally-inspired, vegetable-focused recipes that turn a single plant into several meals. If you grow your own food at home, you might be surprised to learn you can eat the leaves from your pepper plants, or pickle the seed pods from your radishes.
The CSA Cookbook aims to inspire curiosity in the garden and creativity in the kitchen. You’ll look at vegetables in a whole new way and think twice before you discard your kitchen “scraps”!
Saturday, June 6th at 11am
at our Waterbury Farm Market
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Localvore Lore
I hope you're ready for a special treat this week - frozen raspberries from North DerbyBerry Farm. We sent these berries out fresh last summer and they are some of the biggest, sweetest berries I've ever had! I was so glad that we were able to get some in the freezer for a winter distribution. Greg and Sharon Smith grow around 5 acres of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries on their farm in Newport. They grow using organic methods, but choose not to certify their farm because of the expense of doing so. These beautiful raspberries are frozen so you can enjoy them right away or throw back in your freezer to use at a later date. They are great added to baked goods like the muffin recipe below, smoothies, or in yogurt.
Pete's kitchen basil pesto is made with our own basil blended with olive oil, romano and parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, garlic, lemon juice and salt. If you like yours garlicky - add some minced fresh garlic to your cooked pasta before mixing the pesto with the pasta. The pesto will come to you frozen. To use, simply thaw and eat as is or add to your dishes. It will keep in your fridge a couple weeks, but if you won't use the entire tub right away, just throw it back in the freezer! It keeps really well.
The hens at Tangletown Farm have been busy laying lots of eggs for you this week. These eggs are rich and delicious as the hens enjoy lots of time being outside, roaming and pecking. They eat a lot of leftover veggie scraps which adds a lot of quality, flavor and color to the eggs. Enjoy!
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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.
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Recipes
Braised Mustard Greens
Here's a basic recipe for your mustard greens.
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp chicken broth or vegetable broth (vegetarian option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.
Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Simple Tomato Garlic Sauce
5 large frozen tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil
pinch salt
Optional - oregano, basil, or black pepper to taste
Run frozen tomatoes under warm water to remove skins. Set aside in a bowl. Saute the garlic in oil until just turning golden. Add the tomatoes and crush them as they thaw. Add a bit a of salt and cook until the tomatoes are saucy and not too watery. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Butter-braised radishes with greens and farro
From Linda Ly's CSA Cookbook: As with many roots, heat does beautiful things to transform radishes into a totally different vegetable: smoother, mellower, and slightly sweeter. Cooked radishes have little of the bitter or spicy kick of their crunchy raw selves. But they don’t turn tasteless either—a buttery braise forms precious caramelized
bits for sweetness, while a balsamic-spiked broth adds tang to their naturally peppery flavor. I like the bite of whole-grain farro with tender radishes and creamy feta, but feel free to use your favorite grain here.
1 cup uncooked whole-grain farro, rinsed
1 bunch radishes
1 bunch greens - mustards, chard or kal
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the farro and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes until the farro is tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain the farro, cover, and keep warm.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the greens. Cut the radishes into quarters or eighths (depending on how large they are) and set the radishes and greens aside separately.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the radishes in a single layer, with most of the cut sides down, and cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes until the bottoms start to brown and caramelize. Give a stir, then add the broth, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes until the radishes are tender. Stir in the greens and cook for about 3 minutes until wilted. Turn off the heat, add the farro, and toss to combine. Serve warm with a sprinkle of feta and parsley on top.
Celeriac Slaw
This is so refreshing, it's good alongside anything rich. Highly recommended alongside grilled cheese.
2 medium bulbs celeriac, (celery root), 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total
2 stalks celery
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
Peel celeriac with a paring knife. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices, then cut into very thin ribbons (use a mandoline if you have one), placing in cold water to prevent browning. Drain and blanch briefly in boiling salted water. Squeeze out water, and set aside. Peel celery and slice on an angle as thinly as possible. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, combine buttermilk, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. Add capers and herbs, and process until coarsely chopped, about 5 seconds. Combine celeriac and celery in a bowl, and toss with dressing.
Oatmeal Raspberry Scones
These scones are buttery, light and airy even with the addition of the oats. If you don't want to make the whole batch you can freeze the shaped scones before baking, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap and store in a freezer lock plastic bag. When you are ready to use them, remove the foil or plastic wrap and bake them straight from the freezer. Just add a few minutes to the original baking time, until they are warmed through. They taste just like you made them that day!
1 large egg
½ cup cold buttermilk
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
Pinch of nutmeg
10 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, grated on a large grater or cut into small pieces
¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Combine the egg and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup. Stir together; set aside.
Whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and toss. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture so that the mixture is crumbly. Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork just until incorporated (the mixture will be sticky). Fold in the berries just until incorporated (be particularly gentle if using fresh berries). Gently knead the dough 6-10 times, just until it comes together into a sticky dough. Portion the dough out into 8-12 scones, depending on the size you prefer, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (A large dough scoop is a good tool, but not necessary.)
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
BBQ Country Style Ribs
Country style ribs require long slow cooking and deserve to be cooked to the meat is nearly falling from the bone. You can do this in a slow cooker in about 6-8 hours, or you can go the oven route and get there in a shorter amount of time. Either way, the results should be delicious. This recipe was reviewed by over 200 users of allrecipes.com, most giving it 5 stars. Not surprising as the method is perfect for this cut of meat and the lemon slices on top help tenderize the meat while it cooks. You could use any BBQ sauce for this, or just serve the ribs plain if you have picky kids in the house. They'll be yummy regardless. Some reviewers covered the ribs with foil for the first 2 hours to keep the more moist.
10 country style pork ribs
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
In a shallow baking pan or roaster, place ribs in a single layer; salt if desired. Spread the garlic on the ribs, then place the lemon slices on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 2 hours - the ribs should be tender. Drain any grease and liquid. Pour BBQ sauce over the ribs. Return to oven and bake one more hour at 200 to 250 degrees F.
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