Just four weeks left of the Summer CSA Share!
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Localvore & Regular Veggie Only Share Members take a LIGHT GREEN BAG
This week your bag contains:
Mesclun, Red Russian Kale, Celery, Poblano Peppers, Fennel, Beet bunches, Leeks, Garlic, Green Tomatoes, and
Out of the Bag:
Red/ Heirloom Tomatoes
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Half Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:
Mesclun, Broccoli, Poblano Peppers, Chard, Garlic, Yellow Onions, Green Tomatoes, and
Out of the Bag
Red/ Heirloom Tomatoes
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Localvore Offerings Include:
Patchwork Bakery Bread
Cellars at Jasper Hill Willoughby
Champlain Orchards Pears
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IT'S A MEAT WEEK!!!!
Don't forget your RED Meat Share bag!
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Fall / Winter Share starts October 11!
Sign up today!
Check out the new share options and sign up today!
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Storage and Use Tips
Leeks: Early season leeks are here! Leeks are a member of the allium family, a type of onion. For cooking, use just the white and light green parts. A bit of investigation reveals that the light green color extends farther up the stalk on the interior of the leek. Thus, to prepare the leek, cut off the dark green sections leaf by leaf, working your way towards the center of the stalk. To clean the leek, cut it lengthwise from just above the root end all the way up through the top, making sure to keep the root end in tact. Turn the leek a quarter turn, then repeat. You'll end up with four long sections of leek still joined together at the root. Now, swish the leek around in a tub or bowl of cold water, keeping the root end higher than the stem, so that the dirt flows out the "top" of the leek. Once thoroughly rinsed, cut the leek for your recipe as desired. To store, loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and keep in your crisper drawer.
Poblano Peppers: I spent some time looking through our archives and didn't find anything about poblano peppers! We don't send these out often because we don't typically have the quantity. I tried one last week; I charred it over a burner of my gas oven. It got a nice blackening that I scraped off before sauteing with other peppers for some enchiladas. Poblanos can be hot, or they can be mild. The spiciness varies from pepper to pepper. Red poblanos in particular tend to be spicier, but these are a nice deep green. They're good for stuffing or for mixing in with other peppers. Peppers don't like extreme cold, so store in a paper bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
Celery was harvested from our high tunnels this morning! Bunches are included in the full veggie bags. This upland cress has a deep pungency with a unique twist between arugula and horseradish, pledging its allegience to the mustard family. Below the Mason Dixon line, upland cress is known as "creasy greens" and when stewed with ham hocks, is as loved a dish as black-eyed peas or cornbread. Traditionally gathered by foragers in the Appalachian Mountains who started looking out for the hearty winter leaves while there was still snow on the ground, the leaves were believed to have medicinal benefits and used in many folk recipes to help heal wounds. Those claims may not be entirely far-fetched as the cress is indeed rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and calcium.
Fennel (half shares): crunchy and slightly sweet with the flavor of anise, fennel is delicious served raw but is just as often served cooked on its own or in other dishes. Though most often associated with Italian cooking, it has an uncanny ability to blend with other flavors adding a light and fresh note. It is delightful in soups and stews and sauces and is particularly at home with tomato sauce dishes. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. To prepare, cut off the hard bottom and slice vertically or into quarters. Or cut the bulb in half lengthwise, cut out the core, and cut into strips. Add it raw to salads or try some thinly sliced fennel on your sandwich. Top thinly sliced fennel with plain yogurt and mint leaves. Or braise, roast or saute it. It is done when tender enough to pierce easily with a skewer. I love a good fennel with tomatoes over pasta. Cook down the fennel and onions and then add in the tomatoes. It becomes sort of this gooey dish full of flavor. There are lots of recipes out there; try experimenting with the heavenly taste of fennel and tomatoes!
Green Tomatoes: Green tomatoes are of course red tomatoes that haven't changed color yet. Green tomatoes are great to make chutneys and relishes out of or fried green tomato
es (recipe below). 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.
And, bunched beets for full share members!
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.
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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 Shelf, 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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Localvore Lore
This week's pantry items are:
Willoughby cheese washed in Shacksbury Cider from the Cellars at Jasper Hill
Shacksbury Cider in Vergennes makes a seasonal cider using wild apple varieties. This cider was used to wash wheels of Willoughby. The cheese was washed in spent lees, the yeast that remains after cider fermentation. Can you taste the landscape of the places that made this cheese?
Anna Rosie's Country French Bread from Patchwork Farm & Bakery
A fine table bread - great for eating with bruschetta or as your morning toast!
Pears from Champlain Orchards
Clapp's Favorite variety; a juicy, sweet, fine textured American pear; good source of Vitamin C, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, and potassium; use this pear for fresh eating, canning, and cooking/ baking. They do not store well so eat or process quickly. To use immediately, store at room temperature. To last longer, store in the refrigerator. Eat when the stem gives.
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Meat Share
This month's meat share is a bevvy of products! We have chicken pieces from Maple Wind Farm in Richmond/ Hinesburg, VT99 Pork Belly and Spare Ribs, Burger meat from McKnight Farm, and Maple Breakfast Sausage from VT Salumi!
Maple Wind's movable chicken huts
VT99 is our collaboration project with Jasper Hill Farm. These pigs are well fed and well raised! Enjoy them two ways this month with spare ribs and pork belly. Pork belly comes from the same cut as bacon but the difference is that belly is not cured. You can roast it or cook it whole, or slice or cube it and cook it. It's also nice in soups.
Pete Colman of Vermont Salumi learned his trade through apprenticeships in Italy and is passionate about applying what he learned there in making his sausage and dry cured meats here in Vermont. Vermont Salumi only sources pork raised on pasture without hormones or antibiotics. Everything is made in small batches by hand without the use of nitrates or preservatives. This week we have his maple breakfast sausage.
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Recipes
Find more recipes by searching our website or our blog of newsletters.
Broccoli with Asian style dressing
This recipe can be addictive! For variety try adding matchstick-size strips of steamed carrots.
1 medium head broccoli
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp soy sauce, or tamari
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp hot chili oil (optional)
Separate the florets from the stalk; break into smaller florets. Cut the stalk into 1-inch lengths and then into matchstick size strips. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well combined. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and mix well. Enjoy!
Chile Rellenos Poblanos
I’ve taken some liberties with this recipe and taken away the number of peppers, tomatoes, etc. that the official recipe calls for. Your tomato sizes and pepper sizes will all vary, so adjust the proportions according to your peppers. These are some large chiles so they will change your proportions.
Sauce:
Red tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup chopped white onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chiles:
1 - 1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Poblano chiles, charred, seeded, and deveined *see Cook's Note
1 - 3 egg whites, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for frying
Sauce: Put the tomatoes, garlic and onion in a blender. Blend until smooth. In a medium saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Chile rellenos: Mix the cheese and oregano in a small bowl. Cut a slit through 1 side of the charred chiles and fill each chile with 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture. Close with toothpicks to hold the filling in place. In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the egg yolk and continue to beat for about 1 minute.
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.) Dredge the filled chiles in flour until fully covered. Shake off any excess flour, then dip the chiles into the egg mixture, until well coated. Fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels.
Arrange the chiles on a serving platter, spoon the sauce on top and serve.
Cook's Note
To char the chiles (or any fresh chile): Put the chiles over a gas flame or underneath the broiler and cook until they are blackened on all sides. Enclose them in a plastic bag and let stand for 10 minutes to steam, which will make them easier to peel. Peel, stem, and seed the chiles. Once peeled, the chiles may be chopped, sliced or stuffed.
Fried Green Tomatoes
This is a great recipe I have used many times. It originally came from Southern Living (but I may have adapted in somewhat along the way). Serves 4 - 6. Cut down on the proportions for fewer tomatoes.
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (or use the substitute of 1 tsp lemon juice in a 1/2 cup of milk)
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.
Green-Tomato Relish
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar
2 medium green tomatoes, diced small
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer; stir until sugar has dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a rapid simmer, and cook until tomatoes are just tender and liquid has almost evaporated, about 14 minutes. (To store, refrigerate, up to 2 weeks.)
Tomato Fennel Salad
1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 small fennel bulb
2 tbsp good olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Core the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Remove the top of the fennel (save some fronds for garnish) and slice the bulb very thinly crosswise with a knife or on a mandoline.
Toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, season to taste, and serve.
Teriyaki Spare Ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c Chinese five-spice powde
1 rack pork spareribs
For the Teriyaki Glaze:
1 c soy sauce
1 c lemon juice
1/4 c hoisin sauce
3 Tbs tomato puree (sub ketchup)
3 Tbs rice vinegar
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into 1-inch coins
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Mix the salt and pepper in a small bowl with the five-spice powder. Rub the mixture all over the ribs and arrange the ribs in a single layer in a roasting pan and slow-roast for 2 hours.
To make Teriyaki Glaze: In a pot, combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, hoisin sauce, tomato puree, rice wine vinegar, jalapeno, garlic, and ginger over medium heat. Bring to a slow simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of Teriyaki Glaze in a small bowl and set aside.
In the last 30 minutes of cooking, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze. When they are done, the meat will start to pull away from the bone. Just before you're ready to eat, baste the ribs with the Teriyaki Glaze again and stick them under the broiler for 5 to 8 minutes to make the spareribs a nice crusty brown. Separate the ribs with a cleaver or sharp knife, cutting at every second rib so there are 2 bones per piece. Pile them on a platter, and pour on the reserved Glaze.
Momofuku Pork Belly
David Chang is well known for his Momofuku restaurants and in particular, his use of pork belly. This is a little time intensive but worth it.
1 pound skinless pork belly
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 teaspoons sugar
a few grinds of black pepper
Instructions
Season pork belly with salt sugar and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Roast pork belly for 30 minutes, fat side up. Reduce heat to 275°F and roast for an hour or more, until tender but not mushy. (Larger pieces of pork belly will take longer. Our one-pound belly was done after an hour at 275°F.)
Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate until chilled through - at least a few hours and up to 2 days.
Once chilled, slice into thick pieces and brown in a small amount of oil or warm in stock or water if you're making ramen or...??
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