Thanks for joining Good Eats this Spring!
It has truly been a pleasure providing you with food for the past 17 weeks. I hope you've been happy with your share and will join us for a summer share or another share in the future.
Please share the news about Good Eats with friends, family, co-workers. Word of mouth is the most powerful means of spreading news about Good Eats. We could use your help to reach new members and sincerely appreciate it.
Later this week I'll be sending you all a simple end of share survey that I'd love for you to fill out. We want to know how we did, what you liked and what you didn't so that we can improve. Please take a few minutes and tell us what you think when the survey comes your way.
From all of us at Pete's Greens THANK YOU for being a share member! ~Sara
|
Our Summer CSA starts next week!
June 17th through October 7th
You are experiencing just t he beginning of an action packed season of great food. Lots of greens now, but in just a few more weeks we will begin to see a lot of summer favorites filling Good Eats share bags like fresh basil, spring salad turnips, tomatoes, new beets, fresh picked zucchini, peas etc. Right behind them come carrots, sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, sweet peppers, eggplant, sweet corn and SO much more! During the summer growing season we'll provide you with over seventy varieties of our organic vegetables.
The localvore share (or pantry share add on) rounds out your pantry with the selection of local pantry staples that our members have come to love and depend on.
Join now and be rewarded with a healthy, local and delicious season of Good Eats!
|
Pete's Musings
Big rain. Much needed for a deep soaking which we haven't had since snow melt. But in general we prefer it dry and have had a very good spring season. It's great to be able to prep land, plant, and cultivate for several contiguous weeks in the spring without rain interruptions. Crops are looking very good and now we're ready for some heat to make things pop.
Yesterday we had a visit from Richard Behm, father of Emilie our greenhouse manager. I met Richard 17 years ago when I had just begun farming, he was an ag extension agent in Quebec. We've kept in touch over the years and Emilie joined our team over a year ago. Richard is really great at spotting problems in crops well before the rest of us see them and is helping us with greenhouse nutrition and soil care. It's really amazing how helpful expert eyes from the outside can be.
The boys started clearing an area for our new greenhouse yesterday. We bought it last year at an auction in southern VT. It's a very modern structure with automated ventilation and energy curtains that close at night to save 40 percent on heating costs. We are going to connect several of our current greenhouses to the new structure in order to have full access to all the houses even when there is 3 ft of snow outside. This is an important development for us and will help us produce alot more greenery in the winter months along with earlier tomatoes and other hot weather crops.
We hope you will join us for our summer Good Eats share. It's looking like it will be a very bountiful season. ~Pete
|
Storage and Use Tips
This week's potatoes are Yukons. They're very versatile and can be used in a number of recipes. They're starchy enough to bake and firm enough to boil, making it as close to the everything potato if it existed. A good potato can be incredibly delicious sautéed in a little garlicky olive oil, simmered in stock, boiled and drizzled with the tiniest amount of butter and a sprinkle of mint or mashed with greens.
You may think parsnips are a pale version of a carrot but they're not. These spring dug parsnips have a nutty-sweet taste and a tender-hearty texture that is entirely distinct.The parsnip is native to Eurasia. It has been used as a vegetable since antiquity and was cultivated by the Romans, although there is some confusion in the literature of the time between parsnips and carrots. It was used as a sweetener before the arrival in Europe of cane sugar. It was introduced into the United States in the nineteenth century. The parsnip is usually cooked but can also be eaten raw. It is high in vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. Refrigerate unwashed parsnips in a loosely wrapped or perforated plastic bag for up to two weeks.
We're pretty much at the end of our storage crops from last year so some half share members may get celeriac instead of parsnips.
The season's first cilantro is here! This herb, commonly used in Mexican cooking, is a member of the carrot family and related to parsley. It has a very pungent odor and it's been scientifically proven that you either love it or hate it. The leaves and stems can be chopped and added to salads, soups and sauces, and can garnish many meals. I toss cilantro into any Mexican dish I am making, and love it in summer when I have tomatoes to make salsa. If you can't use all your cilantro just yet and wish to save it for a future dish, you can freeze it. Wash and gently dry your cilantro with paper towels. Then either put sprigs loosely in a plastic bag and freeze them. Or lightly chop cilantro, measure by the tablespoon into ice trays, fill remaining space in ice tray with water, and then after cubes are frozen, store in a plastic bag. You can take one out and thaw anytime you need to use it.
Eat more kale! This veggie has gotten extremely popular in recent years. Luckily we have lots of it which is pretty amazing considering there's a seed shortage. This week you will get Red Russian or Lacinato kale. Both varieties are full of nutrients, it's tasty and an easy addition to so many dishes. Strip the leaves from the stems and wash them well before chopping and cooking. Saute with a little lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, throw it into any soup, or blend it into a (very healthy) smoothie. This is very tender spring kale and would also make a delightful salad. Try making yourself a kale Caesar, made exactly as you would a regular Caesar - just with the kale (see recipe below). Keep kale loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.
All members will get either red or rainbow chard. Both chards ares 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.
Beet greens are just as they sound - the greens from our growing beets! They are a nutritious green, best enjoyed cooked. I find that even though the farm w ashes the greens extremely well it pays off to swish them around in a bit of water to make sure all the dirt is off of them. They are related to Swiss chard and may be used exactly the same way. I love them sauteed with a bit of oil and vinegar (balsamic or apple cider) and salt & pepper. You can also toss them into most recipes that call for other greens (mustard greens, spinach). They are milder in flavor than mustard greens, but a bit stronger than spinach. They are delicious.
Scallions are a young onion with a small, white tip and a bright green, tall stem. You can use the whole thing in a recipe but I usually chop off the very bottom of the bulb, and then keep chopping up the stem until the chopped parts become less moist/crisp and more fibrous/leafy. The remaining parts make an excellent addition to soups or salads bringing a mild onion flavor and nice hint of color. I throw scallions into pretty much everything I'm cooking to bring out just a hint of onion flavor.
Large members will also get frozen sweet peppers. These peppers are great added to soups, stews, chili, or cooked into some scrambled eggs. Half share members do NOT take a frozen veg this week.
Below: the crew today packing your shares. Molly wanted to give you a perspective on just how much food goes out every week!
|
Localvore Lore
Red Hen is baking their Apple Oat Bread for us this week. Red Hen is one of our great local artisan bakers. They are focused on using locally grown ingredients as much as possible. They recently entered into a partnership with a Canadian farm, Le Moulin des Cedres, to get all the certified organic flour for their breads within a 150 mile radius.This bread features locally grown oats from the Rogers Farmstead.
We have fresh rhubarb for you from a few different local sources. Some comes from our neighbor Tim Colman and another neighbor, Allison Van Ackran. Neither is a certified organic grower but they both use organic practices. Rhubarb is a pleasantly tart spring treat. Commonly, it is stewe d with sugar or used in pies and desserts, but it can also be put into savory dishes or pickled. It is wonderful made into chutney, a compote served over ice cream, yogurt or oatmeal, baked into a dessert, or combined with strawberries and made into a classic strawberry rhubarb pie.
The spring edition of Edible Green Mountains has a great article about rhubarb. Check it out!
Niles at left packaging your rhubarb
Pete's 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!** We leave enough vegan kimchi at sites for Vegetarian Localvore and Vegetarian Pantry Members. All others should select non-vegan kimchi. Both kimchis are clearly marked on the lids and the vegan kimchis will include the members' name. If you aren't certain of your share type, please check the names list when you check off at your site.
|
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
Cilantro Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. Serves 5-6.
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds potatoes, cooked and halved (unpeeled)
1/3 cup finely minced onions
In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise with cilantro, garlic, salt and 7 turns black pepper. Add potatoes and onions and toss to combine thoroughly; cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.
Spicy Sauteed Kale with Lemon
Probably the easiest way to prepare your kale, this is a very nutritious, warm side dish.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Thai or jalapeno chile, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed and slices quartered
1 tablespoon honey
1 handful kale, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
In a large skillet, heat oil and chile over medium-high heat. Add lemon and honey and cook, stirring, until lemon begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Add kale and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add leeks, season with salt, and cook 1 minute. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Kale Caesar Salad
This is a great kale salad recipe that comes from a blog I frequent, Diary of a Localvore.
for the salad:
1 bunch kale
1/4 cup whole wheat Panko or bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
for the dressing:
1 head garlic
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon capers
2 anchovy filets, plus extra for serving
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
First make the dressing. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Take the outer layers of skin off the garlic and chop off the top 1/4 inch of the head so you can see the individual cloves inside. Place the garlic in the center of a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap tightly. Roast for 30 minutes, until the cloves are soft. Remove the foil and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, toast the Panko crumbs. Spread them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with the olive oil, and toast until golden brown—about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
When you can tough the garlic, squeeze the cloves into a food processor. Puree along with 1/3 cup olive oil and the lemon juice, capers, two anchovies, and the mustard and salt. The dressing should be thick.
Now put together the salad. Cut the kale into thin ribbons, removing any thick parts of the stalks. Put the kale in a bowl and toss with 1/2 cup of the dressing, the Parmesan cheese, and the Panko crumbs. Serve at once. If you like anchovies, I recommend layering a few on top.
Sesame Ginger Beet Greens
Here's a fun recipe for your beet greens or kale.
1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
4 cups loosely packed beet greens
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp grated gingerroot
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil
In small skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds until golden, about 3 minutes; set aside.
Trim stems from small young beet greens or remove centre rib from larger mature beet greens.
In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beet greens, garlic, ginger and salt. Cover and steam until greens are wilted, about 3 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil; sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds.
Scallion Pancakes
This same formula can be used to make pancakes with other members of the onion family, especially shallots and spring onions. I use peanut oil for this recipe, but that's only because I associate it with soy sauce. If you omit the soy -– making these pancakes a perfect accompaniment to braised foods that use European seasonings -- you can use any vegetable oil or even a good olive oil. Recipe from The New York Times.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches scallions or spring onions, about 1 pound
1 egg
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup flour
Peanut, canola or olive oil as needed
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil while you trim the scallions. Roughly chop three bunches, and mince the fourth. Add the larger portion of scallions to the water, and cook about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in a blender, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work.
Mix the puree with the egg and soy, then gently stir in the flour until blended. Add pepper to taste, then the reserved minced scallions. Film a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter into the pan by the tablespoon or quarter cup, and cook about 2 minutes to a side, or until lightly browned. If necessary, the pancakes can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Parsnip Herb Fritters with Garlic Yogurt Sauce
I heard from a sad member the last time parsnips were sent out who was lamenting the fact that parsnips were in the share again. BUT then she found this recipe and rejoiced! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Carolyn! From from the Dishing up the Dirt blog.
Fritters
1 pound parsnips (about 3 medium sized ones) peeled
1/2 pound russet potato (one large) peeled
1 bunch of scallions (about 1/3 cup) diced, white and light green parts only
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced dill
1 1/2 Tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup grapeseed oil for frying
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain goat milk yogurt (or cows milk yogurt)
2 Tablespoons minced dill
2 Tablespoons minced parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt + Pepper to taste
Prepare the yogurt sauce by combining all the ingredients and whisking until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 250F. Prepare the vegetables by grating them on the large wholes of a box grater OR use the shredder attachment on a food processor. Transfer the grated vegetables to a dishtowel and wring out any moister (don’t skip this part!) Let veggies sit for 1-2 minutes and then wring them out once more. The dryer you get them the more crisp they’ll be!
Transfer the grated veggies to a bowl. Add scallions, herbs, salt and flour. Toss until well combined. Stir in the lightly beaten eggs and mix until everything is well incorporated.
Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon scoops of the mixture into the skillet, flattening gently with a spatula. Cook until golden brown and crisp. About 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer cooked fritters to a baking sheet and keep warm in the preheated oven until ready to serve.
Serve fritters with garlic yogurt dip and enjoy!
Rhubarb-Lemon Squares
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it was amazing, especially with Butterworks cornmeal. Recipe from spring 2015 Edible Green Mountains.
Shortbread
¾ cup butter, diced
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornmeal
⅓ cup sugar
Rhubarb-Lemon Filling
¾ pound rhubarb, washed and diced
¼ cup maple syrup
4 egg yolks
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter, diced
For the shortbread: Preheat oven to 350° and butter a small gratin dish (any variation on the 8- by 8-inch size will do). Place all of the ingredients for the shortbread in a bowl and knead the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers. When it has the consistency of moist breadcrumbs and all the butter is incorporated, pour into the gratin dish and press down into the bottom. Put in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes or until it just begins to brown. Remove from the oven.
For the filling: Put the rhubarb in a saucepan with the maple syrup and place over medium heat. Let the mixture simmer and break down until the rhubarb has “melted” into a purée and most of the liquid is boiled off. Set aside.
In a medium-sized pot put the yolks, sugar, zest, juice and butter. Stir with a whisk over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved and it starts to thicken (about 5 minutes). Add the rhubarb purée and cook an additional 3 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, being careful not to let it scorch. Pour the mixture over the shortbread and return to the oven for 8 minutes. Remove when the rhubarb purée has just begun to set.
Let cool, cut into squares and dust with some confectioner’s sugar if you wish.
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.
|
|
Comments