Good Eats Newsletter - September 30th

Localvore Members  & Regular Veggie Only Share Members take a LIGHT GREEN BAG This week your bag will contain: Baby Pac Choi, Carrots, Potatoes, Parsley, Cauliflower, Chard, Leeks, Green Tomatoes, Garlic And OUT of the bag: Delicata Squash Localvore Offerings Include: Rogers Farmstead Rolled Oats Champlain Orchards Silken Apples Vermont Bean Crafters Hummish Half Veggie Only Members take a YELLOW BAG containing: Baby Pac Choi, Potatoes, Parsley, Chard, Cauliflower, Green Tomatoes, Garlic And OUT of the bag: Delicata Squash Help Your Neighbors through the NOFA Farm Share Help us reach our goal of funding 7 more CSA shares this fall through the NOFA Farm Share Program. For each four members who donate at the $25 level, we can offer a veggie share to an income eligible family. It's one more reason to sign up for our Fall/Winter share and spread the love! Click here to read about the Fall/Winter Share

It's the Perfect time to Sign Up for the Fall/Winter Share! If you're not ready for the fresh veggies of summer to come to an end, you can keep the good food coming by signing up for the Fall/Winter Share now. Deliveries start the week after the summer share ends, so you won't miss a beat! We'll send you greens every week (spinach, shoots salad mix, pac choi), root veggies (onions, carrots, potatoes, beets), squash, and frozen veggies we have preserved from summer harvests (broccoli, corn, peppers). Join now and keep eating wholesome foods while supporting your local economy. Delivery times and locations are generally the same as the summer share. Click Here to Sign Up Now! If you'd like to learn more, check out our Fall/Winter Share Description page, or send us an email. You can also support the NOFA Farm Share program when you shop at participating stores next week. Share the Harvest when you shop at participating local businesses, and a portion of the day's proceeds will support the NOFA Farm Share Program! Make a difference in your community this fall! Around the Farm Potato harvest is under way this week on the farm. Our crew has been enjoying the magnificent views from the storage potato field, up on a hill above the Craftsbury farm. Localvore Lore This week's pantry items include Rogers Farmstead Organic Raw Rolled Oats, Champlain Orchards Silken Apples, and Vermont Beancrafters Harvest Hummish.  Champlain Orchards is an ecologically-minded orchard. While it is not completely organic, they do follow a low-spray regimen to balance the quality of the apples they produce with the environmental and health impacts. Silken Apples are a unique white gold porcelain color and have an outstanding texture and flavor. Vermont Beancrafters make their products at the Mad River Food Hub in Waitsfield. Harvest Hummish is made with roasted squash and toasted fennel seeds. “Hummish” is a local take on hummus, substituting chickpeas for beans that grow well in Vermont. This flavor has a subtle sweetness and a full fall flavor.  A visit to Rogers Farmstead in Berlin VT, owned by Nate and Jessie Rogers, gave me a deep appreciation of the hard work and consideration that goes into the oats and other grains they grow. They cultivate nearly 100 acres of wheat, oats, spelt, and other cereal grains on their land in the Dog River valley, where their crops reap the benefits of the rich, fertile soils found there. They also milk a small herd of Jersey cows and sell organic raw milk from the farm, as well as a variety of meats. The Rogers got their start in Berlin the spring after Hurricane Irene, and the young family has been building a viable and diversified business ever since. Nate grew up on a dairy farm, and for a while swore he would never milk cows again. But after landing on such a prime spot for growing high quality grains, his mindset changed. He has found himself perfecting the art of grain growing in the northeast, a goal shared by only a small handful of farmers. In addition to producing grains for their fellow Vermonters, the Rogers saw a logical extension in feeding a dairy herd with their nutritious grains. Nate and Jessie are planning to expand their production of yogurt from the rich milk produced by their cows- the perfect complement to their oats! The Organic Raw Rolled Oats in your share were rolled by Nate this week on the oat roller pictured below. This is such a unique and rare product because not only are there so few farmers in our area growing oats, but they are also so very fresh! Jessie and Nate dug out some of their favorite recipes to share with you this week so you can enjoy their oats as much as they (and their young boys) do!  Apple Crisp Topping (Try this over your apples this week, sliced and tossed in lemon juice and sugar/maple syrup.) 6 Tbsp butter ½ cup brown sugar, packed 2/3 cup flour ½ cup rolled oats ¼ cup chopped walnuts ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Cut butter into ½ inch cubes and put in a bowl with all the other ingredients. Pinch the mixture with your fingers until all the ingredients are evenly coated and crumbly. Sprinkle topping over fruit and bake. Oat “Risotto” (Recipe from Salf Café) 4 Tbsp butter 2 cups local oats 8 cups chicken stock 1 tsp salt Juice of 1 lemon ½ tsp pepper Seasonings to taste (parsley, sage, etc) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. When it bubbles, add the oats and cook, stirring constantly, as they darken to a toasty brown (you’ll notice a pleasing, nutty aroma). Add chicken stock and salt. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until the grains are mostly tender (it’s okay if they remain a little chewy, as long as you enjoy that), about 30 minutes. If the pan starts to dry out, add more stock if you have it, or another complementary liquid, like wine, cider, or water. You want to have a little thick, starchy sauce when it is all said and done. Add lemon juice and pepper, stir, and taste. What does the dish need to achieve balance? You could add more lemon juice or salt, for instance. Suzanne of Salt Café in Montpelier served this dish with smoked rabbit, but says it’s great with chicken or pork dishes too! Storage and Use Tips  You may notice that this is the second week in a row without mesclun (or spinach or arugula) in your share. This is because the successions of greens we had planned for right now are battling a foliage disease that affects quality. But this is also a great excuse to try another leafy green in your salad bowls - baby pac choi! Word on the farm is that it is a favorite amongst the crew. Baby Pac Choi - You'll see a bag of baby pac choi this week. Pac choi is often overlooked green that is mild, tender, and great for salads. Store in your crisper, cook it up if you'd like, or enjoy it tossed in oil and vinegar. You an even blanch and freeze it for later. Or eat it by the handful. The options are endless! Carrots - Store these carrots unwashed and loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Parsley - Your parsley this week ay either be curly or flat leaf. Much more than a garnish, parsley has lots to offer. Chopped parsley can be sprinkled on a host of different recipes, including salads, vegetable sautés and grilled fish. Combine chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, and use it as a rub for chicken, lamb and beef. Add it to soups and tomato sauces. It is a key flavor ingredient in the mediterranean dish tabouli. Parsley is one of those vegetables with huge nutritional benefits, even when using just a couple tablespoons of the minced green.  Red Chard - The tender red chard (i.e. red-stemmed) in your share is from our tender greenhouse plantings. Chard is in the same family as beets- see if you can taste the similarity! Chard stems are good eating, as well as the leaves. Strip the greens from the stems before cooking. Add the chopped stems to your pan a few minutes before the softer greens to ensure an evenly cooked dish. Store chard loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. Wash thoroughly before use. Leeks - Often loved for their buttery, mild-onion flavor, leeks are a versatile vegetable and popular both as a star-player and/or substitute for onions in a variety of dishes such as tarts, soups, casseroles, everyday sautés and scrambles. Depending on what dish you’re making, you’ll use a small or large amount of the green stem. For stocks, most of the leeks can be used. For stir-fries or braising, use only the white part of the leek. Cut in half lengthwise then rinse the inner layers before chopping. Store whole in your fridge loosely wrapped for up to one week. Potatoes - These slightly waxy potatoes are golden skinned and golden fleshed and are truly all purpose. They are great for boiling, mashing or roasting and are plenty waxy enough to make excellent potato salad. Nicola potatoes have a very special attribute among potatoes - they are low on the glycemic index compared to all other varieties. This means they do not cause blood sugar spike the way that other varieties may, if you are sensitive to blood sugar ups and down then you know this is an issue that can wreak havoc with people with insulin resistance. They also have a yummy slightly nutty flavor.  Store in a cool dry place away from onions.  Delicata squash - Delicata is an heirloom squash whose presence in your share is a sure sign of fall! It’s great roasted, and get this- you can eat the skin! Slice it into rings or bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil and salt, and roast on a baking sheet at around 400°F until they start to brown on the edges. This brings out their delicate sweetness and gives the squash a creamy texture. Cauliflower- Store wrapped in plastic in the crisper of the fridge. Should be okay for a few days, but will start to speckle and brown if not eaten right away. Try roasted, or dip raw bite-sized pieces into your Hummish! Green Tomatoes – Green tomatoes are great to make chutneys and relishes out of, not to mention the dish that made the movie famous, Fried Green Tomatoes. You can also ripen them yourself, if you don't like green tomatoes. Store them in a box or in plastic bags with a few holes for air circulation. If you have a cool, moderately humid room, simply place them on a shelf, just keep them out of direct sunlight. They may be stored in the dark. As tomatoes ripen, they naturally release ethylene gas, which stimulates ripening. To slow ripening, sort out ripened fruits from green tomatoes each week. To speed up ripening, place green or partially ripe fruits in a bag or box with a ripe tomato. Garlic - We suggest keeping your garlic in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space. Once you've broken the head and used the first clove, try keeping the remainder in a small, open bowl in your deli drawer. To remove the paper skin from cloves, try trimming the ends, then giving the clove a whack with the side of your butcher's knife. 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. 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 Fried Green Tomatoes Adapted from a recipe in Southern Living. Serves 4 - 6. 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided 1/2 cup cornmeal 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices vegetable oil Salt to taste Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside. Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt. Parsley Pesto 1 cup parsley leaves (thin stems are okay), rinsed and dried salt 1/2 clove garlic 1/4 cup sunflower or extra-virgin olive oil, or more 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice Combine the parsley with a pinch of salt, the garlic, and about 1/2 the oil in a mini-food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary, and adding the rest of the oil gradually. Add the vinegar, then a little more oil or some water if you prefer a thinner mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Fettucini with Balsamic Delicata Squash & Bitter Greens serves 6 1 pound fresh or dried fettucini  2 Delicata squash (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total) 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 sweet yellow onion (or leek), sliced 1/4 pound pancetta, diced (about 2/3 cup) 1/4 teaspoon dried red chile flakes 10 ounces bitter greens (or baby pac choi!), washed, stem removed, chopped crosswise into 1/2-inch ribbons freshly cracked black pepper, to taste Parmesan cheese, to taste Preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Slice crosswise into 1/4-inch thick crescents, discarding the root and stem ends. Grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange the squash slices in one layer and sprinkle with the vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place the baking sheet on the lower rack of the oven and roast, agitating every ten minutes, for 25-30 minutes until squash skin shows some wrinkling. Remove from oven and set aside. Set 4 quarts of water with 1 tablespoon salt to boil in a stockpot. While the water is heating, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion slices and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions caramelize to a light brown color, about 10 to 12 minutes. Scrape from the pan and set aside. In the same pan over medium heat, cook the pancetta and chile flakes, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to high and add the greens, stirring until wilted. When the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a few tablespoons of pasta water, and add that water to the pan with the greens. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked pasta, greens, roasted squash, and caramelized onions. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and Parmesan. Blue Cheese, Apple & Leek Tart with a Spiced Whole-Wheat Crust Entertaining some guests? Try this sophisticated dish with your family and friends. For the tart shell: 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) sifted unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (2 oz) sifted whole-wheat pastry flour 1 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp ground mace pinch cayenne 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits 4 - 6 TB ice water For the filling: 1 medium leek, light and green parts only, split lengthwise, sliced crosswise, washed and drained 1 TB unsalted butter 1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4 dice 3 large eggs 1 cup half-and-half or light cream 1 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 1/2 lb blue cheese, trimmed of rind and crumbled To make the shell, stir the two flours, coriander, mace, cayenne and salt together in a medium bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter bits resemble oatmeal. Mix in just enough ice water to form a ball of dough. Gently flatten into a smooth disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and place over a 10-11 fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit into pan, trimming any excess, making sure there are no holes in the pastry dough where the filling may leak out. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 375F. To make the filling, heat butter in a medium skillet; add the leeks and apples. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the leeks are brightly colored and the apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Lightly beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Place the tart pan with dough on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Distribute the cooled leek mixture evenly over the tart dough. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the mixture. Pour the custard over the top. Bake until the custard has set in the middle and the top begins to turn golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.