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Localvore Members
& Full Veggie Only Share Members
take a LIGHT GREEN BAG
This week your bag contains:
Bag of Greens, Parsley, Cilantro, Chard, Red Beets, Yellow Onions, Russet Potatoes,
And OUT of the Bag:
Frozen Pumpkin Puree
Frozen Sweet Corn
Please, only take 1 of each
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Half Veggie Members
take a YELLOW BAG containing:
Bag of Greens, Parsley, Cucumber OR Red Beets, Pac Choi, Yellow Onions, Russet Potatoes, and
And OUT of the Bag:
Frozen Pumpkin Puree
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Localvore / Pantry Offerings
Patchwork Farm and Bakery Bread
Ploughgate Creamery Butter
Mary's Granola
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Around the Farm...
More and more planting is happening everyday at the farm! Potatoes, onions, and greens, and more successions of greens, need to get in the ground while the greenhouses need constant check-ups. Every sunny day the sides of the greenhouses are rolled up to let in light and natural warm air. Farm equipment is getting painted and tuned up. Pete's a blur as he rushes by to one field or another. Eloise is busy stocking the farmstand for its first opening on Thursday, May 18. And we're back at the Montpelier Farmers Market! Find us there every Saturday until 2 pm.
Driving by freshly tilled fields is a beautiful sight, and watching them turn brown to green is a sure sign of summer! So are the tomatoes in the greenhouses... slowly growing bigger every day!
After this week, there are just 3 deliveries left of the spring share - sign up for summer today so you don't miss a week!
~ Taylar
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SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!
June 14 - October 4
Same great produce, different season! Enjoy all the best summer delights!
Now with a delivery stop in Waitsfield! Spread the word - tell your friends!
And, we now accept payment with a credit card! Woo hoo!
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Storage and Use Tips
Braise Mix or Arugula: You'll receive either a bag of braise mix (can be eaten raw or cooked; includes spinach, baby kale, mizuna, and upland cress) or arugula (also known as rocket, a spicy Italian green for fresh salads or eaten sauteed). Greens are already washed and ready to eat. Store your greens in plastic in the crisper. They should last at least one week, longer if kept cool and moist. This is our first week of field harvesting greens (these aren't greenhouse greens!), which is actually about 10 days later than usual, given our rainy and cloudy spring so far. Here's a picture Pete sent this morning (Tuesday) as they were harvesting greens:
Chard: Rainbow Chard is a delicious nutritious green, high in Vitamins A, K, and C. The beautifully colored stems are why it's called rainbow chard! 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. Store in your crisper drawer loosely wrapped in plastic.
Pac Choi (half shares): Bunched pac choi coming your way this week. Part of the cabbage family, this green 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-inspired soups. As leaves become more mature, they are often served cooked; these are still fairly young. Pac choi has a mild flavor with leaves tasting similar to Swiss chard and the stems (called ribs) deliciously crispy - substitute for celery in many recipes. Store pac choi loosely wrapped in plastic in your crisper drawer.
Cilantro (full shares): Actually a member of the carrot family, cilantro is the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. Cilantro has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean, and Asian cooking. The leaves and stems can be chopped and added to salads, soups, and sauces, and can garnish many meals. If you can't use all your cilantro just yet, you can freeze it. Wash and gentry dry it with a towel. Then either put sprigs loosely in a plastic bag and freeze them, or lightly chop it, measure by the tablespoon into ice trays, filling remaining space with water, and after the cubes have frozen, store it in a plastic bag. Take it out to thaw anytime you need to use it. Store fresh in your fridge - you can even try the jar of water trick with a plastic bag over the top.
Parsley: First parsley of the season! Parsley has lots of benefits: many claim that flat-leaf parsley has more flavor than curly but all parsley has huge nutritional benefits - high in vitamins A, C, and K, and in folic acid (great for pregnant women!). The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, meaning it can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens. Try adding parsley stems to your simmering stock, both to impart flavor and help clarify the broth. It can be sprinkled on a host of different recipes, including salads, vegetables sautés, and grilled fish. It can be a rub for chicken lamb, and beef when combined with garlic, lemon zest, and salt. It's a key flavor ingredient in the Mediterranean dish tabouli (see recipe below). Parsley goes very nicely with beets. 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.
Euro Cucumber OR Red Beets (half shares): We have enough cucumbers to offer half of the half veggie share members. We plan to send cukes, or something similar, to the other half of the veggie share members next week. This week, half share members may receive either a European cucumber or beets. The Euro cukes are seedless and distinguishable by their long, skinny share. They are nice for making into dressings, relishes, and sauces or for eating plain. Beet colors stay true while cooking, but if boiling together red and gold beets (which some of you will have!), the red will take over! Try halving and roasting them in the oven at 350 degrees F. When beets are soft, the skins are easily removed. Cool the beets and then dice or slice how you would while preserving the colors of individual beets. Toss in dressing, etc. when cool or reheat as a meal. Try grating them to use on greens salads or in slaw. Make sure to keep beets in fridge until you want to use them.
Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes, also known as Idaho or baking potatoes, are in the class of starchy potatoes, as opposed to waxy varieties like red and fingerling. They are high in vitamin C and B6, as well as natural sugars. Russets make great baking potatoes, and are ideal for mashing and roasting. Store potatoes in a cool dark place, away from onions.
Frozen Pumpkin Puree (both shares): Both full and half veggie members are receiving a 2-quart package of frozen pumpkin puree. This puree was made last year in partnership with High Mowing Seeds. We utilize their "trial" pumpkins in our puree, so your package is a blend of different pumpkin varieties. Try using your puree for a pie, as a base to a soup or pasta sauce, or bake it in a casserole. You could also try making a pumpkin bread or other sweet treat.
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Need to Skip a Week?
If you're ever not able to pick up your share, please let us know at least one week in advance. We can either skip your share and give you credit, send it the next week, or donate it to the food pantry. It's up to you!
Sorry, we cannot skip a share or change pick-up sites after noon on Monday.
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Localvore Lore
This week's localvore / pantry items are:
Patchwork Farm and Bakery: Anna Rosie's Country French Bread makes an appearance this week, baked fresh from Charlie Emers at Patchwork Farm and Bakery in East Hardwick.
Ploughgate Creamery Butter: A very special butter this week from Ploughgate! We get to try Marisa's Ramp Butter, made with locally foraged ramps from the Mad River Valley. Tis the season to enjoy what is both planted and found naturally in the wild. Ramps are a wild leek so this butter will have a nice oniony/ garlicky flavor to it. It's not available outside of our CSA and is only available for a limited time (due to ramp seasonality), so I hope you enjoy!
Mary's Granola: Amy's kids have done it again! Amy Skelton, longtime Pete's employee and former CSA Manager, and her daughter Mary Jane came up with this granola recipe as a low fat, high protein granola for everyday eating. It's made with organic rolled oats from Compton, Quebec, organic seasame seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic shredded coconut, cinnamon, vegetable oil, and honey. The honey comes from their family's bees. Mary decided to start making granola because she loves eating it and wants to have her own business. Mayhaps you have some yogurt left to top with this granola?!
Above: Mary with the granola, delivering en route to school
Right: Mary helping Amy with the bees
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Recipes
You can find more recipes by searching our website and/or our blog.
Tabouli
Tabouli is such a great dish to have sitting in fridge to ladle on as a side to grilled meat and green salad. Or just as a quick snack. Make sure you give it time to marinate in the fridge as it's best after having a chance to sit to bring flavors together. Serves 6.
1 cup bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice -- and/or lime juice
1 teaspoon garlic -- crushed
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 teaspoon dried mint flakes
1/4 cup olive oil -- (good quality)
fresh black pepper
2 medium tomatoes -- diced
1 cup fresh parsley -- chopped and packed
Optional: 1 cup chopped cucumber and/ or 1/2 cup coarsely grated carrot
Seared Beets with Walnuts over Wilted Chard with Greens
5 small beets
3 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch swiss chard leaves, stems removed and leaves finely chopped (or other cooking green)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Sea salt
Aged red wine vinegar
small handful of walnut halves or pieces
Feta or goat cheese
Crushed aniseeds or dried oregano
A handful of greens
Steam the beets in simmering water, covered, until tender but still a bit firm when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes for small beets, longer for larger ones. When cool, either slip off the skins with your hands or peel them neatly with a knife. Cut them into wedges.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the beets and cook them, turning as needed, until seared, 10 to 15 minutes.
While the beets are cooking, rinse the chard and drain in a colander but don't dry. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a second wide skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chard, garlic, and a few pinches of salt. Turn the greens as they cook, taking care that the garlic doesn't burn. The water clinging to the chard will steam the greens then evaporate. When shiny and tender, add 1 tbsp vinegar and toss it with the chard. Taste for salt.
Loosely arrange the chard on a small platter and cover with the beets, walnuts, and cheese. Crush a pinch or so of aniseeds and sprinkle them over the salad, then drizzle the remaining oil over all and sprinkle with more vinegar and salt. Finish with the greens and serve.
Parsley Potatoes
Here's a delicious, easy recipe to serve alongside any dish. I was a little skeptical at first when I saw this recipe, but I was very surprised at how delicious it was! I substituted veggie bouillon for chicken broth.
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place the potatoes into a large pot full of salted water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce heat. Simmer covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour in broth and 3/4 cup of the parsley; mix well. Bring to a boil.
Strain potatoes from the cooking water and place in a serving bowl. Sprinkle the black pepper into the skillet and stir. Pour the peppered sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
Cilantro Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy 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.
Sweet and Sour Pac Choi
This is a great dish - the greens are a little tangy and the sauce is sweet. Serves 4.
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, cut in slivers
pac choi, left whole, bigger ones cut in half the long way
2 tbsp maple sugar
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
Combine sugar, vinegar, soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet. Stir fry the onions until browning, remove to a bowl. Add remaining tbsp oil, stir fry the pac choi in a couple batches until they have a few browned spots, the green tops wilt and the stems are crisp tender. Add the onions back into the wok with all the greens and stir in the sauce. Cook another 30 seconds. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if you like.
Cold Sesame Noodles
A Martha Stewart Living recipe from 2004. Feel free to play around with the ingredients and the noodles in this recipe.
1 package (10 1/2 ounces) dried udon noodles
1 baby bok choy
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
5 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (or canola oil)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar (not seasoned)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
Sesame seeds and cilantro, for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a boil; cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; let cool completely.
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; boil bok choy 30 seconds. Drain; rinse well. Let cool; coarsely chop.
Whisk together the peanut butter, oil, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and red-pepper flakes. Put sauce, noodles, and bok choy into a bowl; toss well. Sprinkle with seeds and cilantro.
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