Good Eats Weekly Newsletter - October 4, 2017


LAST WEEK of the Summer CSA Share!

IT'S A MEAT WEEK!!!



Localvore & Regular Veggie Only Share Members take a LIGHT GREEN BAG

This week your bag contains:

Arugula, Chard, Broccoli, Eggplant, Cilantro, Jalapeno Pepper, Tomatillos, Red Beet Bunches, Yellow Cippolini Onions, and 

Out of the Bag
Tomatoes




Half Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:

Arugula, Romaine Lettuce, French Breakfast Radishes, Sweet Salad Turnips, Broccoli, Red Beet Bunches, Yellow Cippolini Onions



Localvore Offerings Include:

Pete's Greens Pizza Dough
Pete's Greens Pizza Sauce
Cellars at Jasper Hill Little Hosmer

Pickup Notes
--------------
RICHMOND:
A reminder to folks who pick up in Richmond... Wednesday, 10/4, is the annual Chicken Supper! Please pick up your shares from the Town Center front porch (on the side facing Bridge St).


MORRISVILLE:
Driveway repaving at Concept2 means you'll pick up your shares from the building to the north - one driveway to the north. Follow the signs!

Enjoy Fall with Us!

All the fresh, local, seasonal, and organic goodness continues throughout the fall and winter!

Join us for a diverse, exciting, and hearty share!

Sign up today so you don't miss a week without your Pete's share!

Share the Harvest on Thursday!

On Thursday, October 5th, 2017, restaurants, coops, and food stores statewide will participate in Share the Harvest by donating a portion of their day’s sales to the NOFA-VT Farm Share Program. NOFA Vermont thanks these participants and all of the people who eat out or shop at participating establishments on this date! 
Our Waterbury Farm Market is one of the participating stores! Shop at our store and we'll donate a portion of the sales to our Farm Share Program - helping Vermonters afford fresh veggies! This summer, we had 12 participants receive a Good Eats CSA share through this program!

Share the Harvest is a win-win scenario! Here's how it works:
  1. The public eats out or shops at participating businesses on the Share the Harvest date.
  2. Those generous businesses donate to Farm Share.
  3. The $ goes to our local farmers.
  4. Folks (who might not otherwise be able to afford it) can join a local CSA and recieve delicious, healthy local food!
Find out more info here.

Around the Farm
This the last week of the Summer Share!!! It's been a pleasure sending you such delicious food the past 17 weeks, as well as emailing with you, talking with you, occasionally running into you at pickup, and meeting some of you at our Open Farm day! 

This fall we're transitioning our CSA shares into what we hope will be more household-friendly share options. Every season, and sometimes during the season, we send out a survey to members. These surveys are really important to us, as are your comments/ feedback/ suggestions throughout the season! These surveys have helped us re-define the CSA shares starting this fall. We do take your input seriously and want to hear what you like - and don't like - about Good Eats. Watch for that survey at the end of this week - there will be a separate one for veggie shares, pantry shares, and meat shares. 

There is still room in the Fall/ Winter Share. If you haven't signed up yet, please sign up today! If you're able to help us out by hanging up a poster at work at your favorite community location, or if you can post to your local Front Porch Forum, we'd really appreciate your help in spreading the word about our veggie delivery program (email me!). We believe that Vermont can feed itself, and so we thank you for helping us achieve that mission.

See you this fall!

~ Taylar

Brussels sprouts! Squash! And more on deck for the Fall/ Winter Share!!!

Storage and Use Tips 

Arugula is also known as Rocket or Roquette. It's a very popular and versatile green that can be eaten raw, but also stands up well in the sauté pan. It has a peppery mustardy flavor and is great on sandwiches to give them pep, and into salads to take it up a notch. It also does well with a quick wilt added to pastas, frittatas or calzones, or as a stand-in for lettuce on an Italian-inspired sub. It blends particularly well with goat cheese and balsamic and olive oil. It is delicious simply sautéed in a pan with olive oil with a sprinkle of coarse salt & pepper.

Jalapenos - The little peppers in your bag this week are jalapenos and have a moderate amount of heat.  These will keep 7-10 days in the fridge, but they also freeze well.  If you won't use right away, or if you don't know you will use right away, just put them in a freezer bag and toss in freezer.  When you pull them out frozen and chop a little for a dish you are making, you won't notice much difference.

Tomatillos - A tomatillo is a Mexican fruit similar to a tomato that remains firm and green when ripe. Tomatillos grow inside lantern-shaped paper husks, which must be removed. Wash the tomatillos well to remove the sticky substance that keeps the husks in place. Because they are acidic, tomatillos are rarely used raw. Roast them to rid them of excess liquid and soften their texture. Roasted with some fresh chiles, they can be turned into a quick salsa in the blender.  There's a nice recipe on our website. Tomatillos exude a lot of liquid and seeds as they roast. Scrape all the flavorful juices into the blender. Store tomatillos in their husks in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Cippolini Onions - Cippolini onions (pronounced chip-oh-lee-knee) were once a treat you'd find mostly at fancy restaurants and the occasional gourmet market, but now are more and more available and commonly used. Their name literally means “little onion” in Italian, and they are indeed smaller than yellow onions and have a flattened shape. They’re thin-skinned and have translucent white flesh with more residual sugar than your average yellow or white onion, which makes them incredible for roasting or caramelizing. Roasted whole in the oven or cooked in a little butter on the stove top, cippolinis become soft and ready to melt in your mouth. Those residual sugars caramelize and concentrate, leaving behind none of the astringent raw onion flavor.
Sweet Salad Turnips (half shares): Separate greens from turnip roots before storing them (both keep better that way), but don't toss the greens, they make terrific eating!  Salad turnips are a raw, tasty treat. Slice them and mix in with salad greens, or dip them in dressing and eat them on their own. Chop the greens and mix in with other salad greens for a peppery bite. Or, serve the greens chopped and steamed or sauteed. Both greens and roots can be kept loosely wrapped - seperately - in plastic bags in the fridge.
Tomatoes: Surprise... one more week of tomatoes! We've been able to include tomatoes almost every single week of the share... which doesn't happen often! Full veggie shares, please pick up 1 bag.
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 Shelf, or you can skip your share delivery and you will retain a credit on your account toward the purchase of your next share.

Localvore Lore
For your pantry this week...

It's a pizza party!
This week you're receiving pizza dough and sauce from our farm kitchen. The pizza dough is made with unbleached flour from Meunerie Milanaise in Quebec. The sauce is made with our own farm-grown organic tomatoes. It has a tendency to be runny when thawed; if so, I recommend heating it up in a saucepan on low/ simmer to let some of that liquid evaporate. Let the dough come to room temperature before trying to make into a crust. I typically leave it out on the counter in the morning in an oiled bowl, covered with plastic, so it can rise. Then it's a perfect temperature when I get home and ready to make into crust.

The veggies this week make for some creative topping ideas. Try caramelizing the cippolini onions, roasting the eggplant, or topping with arugula as you pull it out of the oven. Arugula on pizza - the way Italians enjoy it!

Coat a smooth surface with flour and cornmeal (just flour ok) so that the dough does not stick to the surface. Form dough into ball and flatten with heels of palms. Stretch dough with hands or use a rolling pin to form shape of baking pan (I use a cookie sheet so I form it into a square). Once dough is slightly stretched on surface you can stretch dough in the air with hands by making two fists held together with dough on top. Move each hand up, down and out turning the dough clockwise. Each dough can be stretched to a 16" round, for thicker crust make smaller. If you like light fluffy crust I put my baking sheet on the top of my oven while preheating and let rise. Otherwise set aside in neutral area till oven is ready at 425F. Cook 12-14 minutes until crust is golden brown and cheese bubbles.

Little Hosmer is a new cheese from the Cellars at Jasper Hill, released just two weeks ago. This is a small version of their Moses Sleeper wheels, a brie-style cow's milk cheese. Little Hosmer is the name of one of our local ponds - a great place for year-round recreation (I love to ski on the Craftsbury Outdoor Center's groomed trail there). Because these are tasty little wheels, we're sending two! 

Meat Share Offerings

Pete's Pastured Chicken, from our 2017 chickens! These chickens were raised on our farm and slaughtered just a few weeks ago. Use the chicken, then save the bones for your winter soup stock!
A very special strip loin steak this week from Greenfield Highland Beef. "Greenfield" refers to Greensboro Bend and Plainfield, where Janet Steward and Ray Shatney (right) own and operate their Scottish Highland cattle farm. Greenfield uses a grassfed model. Their award-winning Scottish Highland beef is different from other beef; it's generally leaner and has a marbled flavor. Don't overcook or allow meat to dry out! Because of the lower fat content and resulting quicker cook time - lower the heat by 50°F, cook for 30% less time than grain fed beef recipes. Marinating in oil will add moisture and help seal in juices. Pan is better than grill for same reason of retaining juices. Turn with tongs, not a fork to hold in the juices. Cook to medium rare. 

Rounding out this share... sausage from Maple Wind Farm! Maple Wind Farm pasture- raises chicken, pork, and beef in Huntington and Richmond. You'll receive andouille sausage or sweet Italian sausage. Enjoy on a bun or sliced and added to your pizza, pasta, eggs... get creative!

Recipes

Find more recipes by searching our website or our blog of newsletters.

Stir Fried Turnips with Greens
From Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen. This is a simple and tasty way to use your turnips and their greens.

3/4 cup orange juice
2 TB tamari
3 medium scallions (sub in some leeks!)
4 med garlic cloves
1 TB minced ginger
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 TB plus 1 tsp peanut oil
1.5 lbs salad turnips, cut into 3/4 wedges or chunks
5 cups packed, stemmed greens

Combine orange juice and soy in measuring cup. Place scallions (or leeks), garlic ginger, red pepper flakes in small bowl. Heat 1 TB oil in large skillet over med high heat until shimmering. Add turnips and stir fry until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Push turnips to edges of pan, spread garlic mixture in center of pan. Drizzle remaining 1 tsp oil over mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir to combine with turnips. Add orange juice mixture to pan, cover and cook, until turnips are creamy and tender and liquid has reduced to a few tablespoons (2-3 minutes). Add greens, cover and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. (If the contents of the pan are too soupy, simmer with the cover off to reduce the liquid to a sauce consistency.). Serve immediately.

Caramelized Onion, Cheese & Arugula Pizza
The trick to this pizza is cooking the onions long enough to caramelize them.  A nice slow cook over medium heat will bring out their natural sweetness. 

2-3 onions
Butter or olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Pizza dough or crust
Your favorite cheese
2 handfuls of fresh arugula
Salt & pepper

Caramelize the onions – slice and cook over low heat with 1-2 tbsps. of butter or oil until they are dark brown and sweet, mine took about 45 minutes.  About three minutes before they are finished, add 1 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar.
Top your pizza crust with the onions and cheese.  Bake for 5 minutes in a 550 degree oven.  In the meantime, toss the arugula with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Top the pizza with the arugula and bake for another 5 -10 minutes.  Slice and enjoy!

Tomatillo Chicken
Here's a fun delicious tomatillo recipe for you.

2 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), washed and halved
(can sub 1 lb tomatoes for 1 lb tomatillos)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (wings reserved for another use)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 jalapenos, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) hominy, drained (hominy is optional but you can find it at grocery store and it will be fun and more delicious)
1/4 cup chopped fresh, cilantro
In a food processor, puree tomatillos; set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down. Cook until browned on one side, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add jalapenos and onion to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatillo puree and hominy, if using; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in sauce. Cover pot; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

1 pound tomatillos, husked
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 jalapeño chile pepper, minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 cups water

Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.  Taste.  Add salt or sugar to taste.

Stovetop Broccoli Mac and Cheese
This recipe comes from the Yankee Kitchen Ninja blog.  She has some awesome recipes on her blog, gardening tips, and the CSA Share Rescue which features some of those hard to use veggies people get in their shares.

4 cups broccoli florets, cut into very small sections with NO stems left attached (about 2 broccoli crowns)
8 ounces elbow pasta (I use multi-grain)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups skim milk
4 ounces grated cheddar cheese (I like Cabot's Seriously Sharp)
2 ounces grated pepper jack cheese (this makes it nicely spicy -- if you don't want spice, substitute an equal amount of regular cheddar cheese)
salt and pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the broccoli. Wait for the water to reboil then cook the broccoli for about 3 minutes. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. When done, drain and stir until the broccoli breaks down.

While pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is thick and bubbly (a couple of minutes). Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to cook and whisk until the mixture thickens (just a few minutes, really). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese until it melts.

Add the cheese mixture to the pasta-broccoli mixture and stir thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cast Iron Strip Loin Steak

Striploin Steaks
Oil with high smoking point (use Extra Light Olive Oil, Sunflower, or Safflower)
Garlic cloves; Two cloves minced, one clove sliced in half long ways.
Coarse sea salt
Coarsely ground pepper
Butter, or clarified butter
Thyme sprigs
Rosemary sprigs
Cast Iron skillet

Remove steaks from refrigerator, and let rest at room temperature for one hour. The steak needs to be at room temperature to ensure even cooking.

Heat oven to 360 degrees.

Place your cast iron skillet on the stove, and turn heat to medium high/high.

Pour oil over the steaks, cover evenly.

Pat sea salt and ground pepper on all sides of the steaks until they are well coated.

Place steaks in the pan. You should hear loud sizzling. This is good!

Cook for 3 minutes. Flip steaks.

During the second 3 minute set of cooking, add the butter, minced garlic, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs to the pan. Baste the steaks with the melting butter until the second 3 minute set is done.

Remove skillet from stove and place in preheated oven for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on desired doneness (3 minutes will yield a medium steak).

Remove skillet from oven and place on stove. Cover and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Mark Bittman's Grilled Chicken With Chipotle Sauce

2 tablespoons lard or neutral oil, like corn or canola, plus more for brushing chicken
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
2 dried chipotle chilies, or to taste
2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes
8 chicken thighs, legs or drumsticks
2 garlic cloves, cut in half

Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish.

Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill; fire should be moderately hot, part of grill should be cooler than the rest and rack should be 4 to 6 inches from heat source.

Put lard or oil in a medium saucepan or skillet and turn heat to medium. When hot, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Add chilies, tomatoes and 1/2 cup water. Adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily but not violently. Cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chilies are soft and tomatoes break up. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. When chipotle sauce is ready, cool for a few minutes, then remove stems from chipotles, put mixture in a blender and purée. (The sauce may be made up to a couple of days in advance.)

Meanwhile, rub chicken with cut side of garlic cloves, brush on oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place chicken skin side up on coolest area of grill. When fat has rendered a bit, turn chicken over. After 20 minutes or so, move chicken to hottest part of grill. When chicken is just about done, brush it with chipotle sauce on both sides, and cook just another minute or 2. Serve, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges. 
  

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