Good Eats Weekly Newsletter - 07.22.20

Employee Spotlight: Catalina and Araceli Today we would like to introduce you to the wonder sisters, Catalina Reyes Tenorio and Araceli Reyes Tenorio. Cata is 23 and Araceli is 20. They represent the second generation from the Reyes family who have come to work with us here on our farm. Their dad was one of our first Mexican employees over 10 years ago.  These gals are from Atlixtac, Guerrero, Mexico. I was lucky to visit a few years back. It's beautiful mountain country (see photo below of their village). The climate is much like southern California; you can grow anything there. They live in a compound with several houses. Their grandparents have the central house and their aunts and uncles all have houses within a few dozen meters. There is a central building for unmarried adults and visitors. When we visited between all the families there were about 9 kids old enough to walk. They traveled around in a pack all day long with various dogs following along hoping for handouts. Seemed like a great place to grow up.   Cata went to 12 years of school and Araceli 9 years. In Mexico you're required to go to school for 6 years, after that it's voluntary. They started in a very small one room school near their house and then went to the larger town nearby for later years. They have 4 younger siblings.  They are our harvest specialists. They have quick hands and are precise pickers and bunchers.  When they leave Vermont in November and return home it is corn harvest time. It takes twelve 55 gallon barrels of shelled corn to feed the family of 8 for the year. It takes them 2 weeks to harvest the corn and another 2 weeks to shell it off the cob. All this work is by hand. They make tortillas every day. First the corn is soaked with lye for an hour, then in fresh water for a few hours. It's ground into molino and fresh tortillas are made for the 10 am meal and the 4 pm meal. Each person eats around 10 tortillas per day with beans, salsa, rice, chicken, etc.  In December their dad buys the rights to graze harvested corn fields. The family has 2 horses and 5 cows and they are taken from field to field to graze the harvested corn.  Christmas is a big deal, a week of traveling and visiting and big meals. Piñatas filled with candy is a common present.  In January they travel an hour to Chilapa, the largest nearby town. There they rent a room and Araceli works in a laundry washing clothes. Catalina works in a chicken store in which customers pick out live birds and she kills and cleans them. The laundry pays $5 per day and the chicken store $10 per day. They rent the room for $70 per month and eat from roadside stands while in Chilapa. There are very few jobs available close to where they live.  Both gals are studying for their Vermont permit driving test. It's been a challenge but they are gaining and are almost ready to take the test. The hardest part has been learning English road sign words. They are also practicing parallel parking and have thus far avoiding having any significant fender benders.  They tell me there are no young men with broken hearts waiting for them to return to Mexico this fall. I don't believe them.  When they first arrived in Vermont they were amazed by the quantity of trees and found the houses to be very pretty. They enjoy the changing seasons, in Mexico they only have wet and dry season variations. They also find the nights to be much quieter than at home.  They miss the fiestas from home when they are here. The culture there is thick with parties, special events, all sorts of celebrations. They really take time to enjoy their friends and family.  Thanks Catalina and Araceli! -Pete Catalina and her little cousin at home in Atlixtac Alejandra (another family member who has been with us most of the last decade!) making the daily tortillas. This week in your share: Fancy / Localvore Mesclun Pac Choi Romaine Parsley Garlic Scapes Scallions European Cucumber Broccoli OUT OF THE BAG: Tomatoes* Everyday Standard Mesclun Red or Pink Radish Bunched Carrots Bunched Onions Snap Peas Parsnips Arrowhead Cabbage Lean & Green Spinach Pac Choi Green Beans Cauliflower OR Broccoli Zucchini Take a purple bag! Take a yellow bag! Take a green bag! *Your tomatoes will be packed separately in brown paper bags. Pantry/ Localvore Shares and Pantry Add-Ons This week's pantry/ localvore pantry items are: Les Aliments Misawappi Soya-Oat Miso OR Barley Tamari Rhapsody Natural Foods Tempeh Champlain Orchards Snow Sweet Apples Cheese Shares: Cheese is OUT OF THE BAG in a cooler. This week's cheese share is Halfpipe from Mansfield Creamery. The cheese is labeled with your name.  Egg Shares: These are delivered OUT OF THE BAG. You'll find your dozen labeled with your name. Bread Shares: These are delivered OUT OF THE BAG. This week's bread share comes from Elmore Mountain Bread. Your bread share loaf will be labeled with your name. Milk Shares: These are delivered OUT OF THE BAG. They are in a cooler. Our milk share comes from Sweet Rowen Farmstead in West Glover. This milk is bottled fresh for you on Tuesday nights! These are delivered OUT OF THE BAG in a cooler. Store orders: If you placed a store order your items will be packed separately and labeled with your name. If you ordered multiple items, look for a brown paper bag with your name on it. A Few Notes... To help us plan out our veggie availability and schedule with our non-veggie producers, we need to have all orders for the coming week placed by Friday night for the next week's delivery. If you ordered any items in the store this week, they will be OUT OF THE BAG. They will have a label with your name on it. Store orders must be placed by Friday night of the week before delivery. Need some help getting the hang of our online member portal? Check out our tutorial below! Settings Instructional Video Access your member account here! Pantry/ Localvore Items Les Aliments Misawappi Soya & Oat Miso OR Damari: This week you will either be receiving tamari or miso from Québec. They are both organic, and add a nutty flavor to whatever you cook them with. Rhapsody Tempeh: Tempeh is a soy protein. It is firm, and acts as a flavor sponge. It will retain its unique nutty flavor whilst soaking up the flavor of whatever you cook it with. I recommend slicing it thin and frying it before cooking it with any sauce. This will help it to retain a good texture during the cooking process. Champlain Orchards SnowSweet Apples:  SnowSweet apples are a hybrid between Sharon and Connell Red apples. They are sweet/tart with a buttery finish to them. These apples have a crisp, white flesh. They are slow to oxidize (turn brown) making them perfect for preparing snacks ahead of time!  Visit our blog for more storage tips and recipes! STORAGE TIPS  Mesclun/Spinach: Store your baby greens in an airtight food storage container lined with a paper towel. For longest-lasting freshness, toss your greens in their container every couple of days to improve air flow and keep them from wilting down on themselves. Zucchini: Store your zucchini in a perforated or loosely closed bag in your crisper drawer Tomatoes: Store your tomatoes in a dark, cool spot on your kitchen counter. They will be sad if you store them in the fridge! Parsley: Store your fresh herbs like you would flowers: Stem-side down in a glass of water. Cover the tops with a plastic bag and store in your fridge. Romaine: Store your romaine wrapped in plastic in your crisper drawer. Cauliflower: Store your cauliflower in your crisper drawer wrapped in plastic. Beans: Store your beans in their bag in your crisper drawer. THIS WEEK STORE ITEMS Do you need some pastured chicken, cheese, yogurt, dried beans, flour or cornmeal or oats next week?  All of these are available in our online store, you can add these items and have them delivered along with your share next week!  Orders must be placed by Friday at midnight for the following week’s share. In stock today: Spinach, Arugula, or Mesclun Fresh Dill Chard Red Russian, Lacinato, Green, and Red Kale Mustard Greens Pac Choi Romaine Morningstar Farm dried beans in 6 varieties Organic Flours - All purpose Part white/part wheat flour Whole wheat flour Whole wheat pastry flour White high-gluten flour for bread baking Various cheeses Pearled barley Cornmeal Whole chickens from Pete’s Greens and lots more! Check it out! RECIPES We know a lot of you are baking and cooking up a storm these days! If that's you and you've found a great way to use your CSA ingredients, we want to know! Share with us in our Facebook group or email us your recipe (pictures, too)! We'd love to feature it in a future newsletter, and to know what our members are eating these days. Tabbouleh: Ingredients: 0.5 c bulgar wheat 0.5 c diced tomato 1 cucumber 2 scallions or onion tops, sliced thin 1.5T Lemon Juice 1/4 c olive oil 1/4 bunch parsley, chopped 2 sprigs mint, sliced into thin ribbons To Prepare: Cook bulgar according to package directions. Allow to cool. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Allow to cool for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight, before serving. Achiote Chicken Tacos with Cabbage Shells: Ingredients: 2 pounds skin-on boneless chicken thighs or chicken tenders 2 tablespoons ground annatto seeds 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 to 2 tablespoons chile powder preferably arbol 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano 2 teaspoons agave nectar 4 cloves garlic crushed 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 freshly squeezed orange juice To Prepare: In a small bowl, combine the annatto seeds, allspice, turmeric, chile powder, salt, oregano, agave nectar, garlic, vinegar, and orange juice and mix well. Put the chicken in a glass or ceramic bowl, add the spice mixture, turn the chicken to coat evenly, and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to overnight, turning the chicken a few times to marinate evenly. Prepare a medium fire for direct heat cooking in a grill. Bring the chicken to room temperature and remove them from the marinade. Place the chicken, skin side down, on the grill rack directly over the fire and cook, turning after about 10 minutes. Cook for another 10 minutes on the other side. If the chicken is starting to burn or cook too quickly, move to a part of the grill with indirect heat and continue to cook. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and chop into small pieces, leaving the skin on. Serve the chicken with the tortillas, salsa, and toppings of your choice. Pickled Carrots/Radish/Onion: Ingredients: 1 bunch radishes, sliced thin 3 carrots, sliced thin 1 onion, sliced thin 3 serrano or jalapeño chiles, sliced thin handful cilantro, minced 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup sugar kosher or sea salt To Prepare: Slice your veggies and add them to a jar. In a small saucepan, heat the two vinegars, sugar and a spoonful of salt until it starts to simmer and the salt and sugar has dissolved. Pour the vinegar mixture over the radishes, carrots, and chiles. Mix together and add the cilantro. Store in a jar and enjoy within the next two weeks. Allow to cool at room temperature overnight and then refrigerate. Pac Choi with Garlic Scapes: Ingredients: 2 tbsp coconut oil ¼ onion, thinly sliced crushed red pepper to taste 6 garlic scapes 1 bundle of bok choy, tough ends trimmed a few splashes of shoyu (or soy sauce) ½ tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp ground ginger salt and pepper to taste   To Prepare: Prepare garlic scapes. Rinse and pat dry then trim the ends. Cut stems into about 2-inch long pieces. Halve the flowers then set aside. Heat a skillet on medium-low heat. Add coconut oil to coat the pan. Add onions and allow to cool down for a few minutes. Season with crushed red pepper. Add garlic scapes and flowers and cook for about a minute. Add bok choy and remaining ingredients. Cook until scapes and bok choy are tender for about 8–10 minutes. Sesame Broccoli: Ingredients: 1 pound broccoli, chopped 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds  2 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil  1 tablespoon sesame seed oil  2 teaspoons soy sauce  Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste To Prepare: Preheat oven to 425°. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, sesame seed oil, and soy sauce. Whisk to combine. Place the prepared broccoli on a baking pan. Drizzle the oil mixture over the broccoli. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the broccoli and season with black pepper. Toss to coat evenly, then spread the broccoli into an even layer over the baking pan. Roast for 10 minutes, turn the broccoli, then continue roasting for 5 more minutes, or until tender and the edges are crisped. Season with additional soy sauce and black pepper if desired, and then serve warm or at room temperature. Lemon- Ginger Salmon with Snap Peas and Rice: Ingredients: 2 10-Ounce Skin-On Salmon Fillets ½ lb Orzo Pasta 1 Lemon, juiced ¾ lb Carrots, sliced thin on a bias 2 cloves Garlic, minced ½ lb Sugar Snap Peas, vein removed and chopped 1 1-Inch Piece Ginger, minced 4 Tbsps Butter 1 Tbsp Honey To Prepare: Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Add the honey to the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of warm water. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 7 to 9 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add half the butter; stir until melted and combined. While the pasta cooks, in a large pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced carrots; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add the halved peas and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Transfer to the pot of cooked pasta; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the fish, skin-side down and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Flip and cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Add the chopped ginger to the hot pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and remaining butter. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom until thoroughly combined and the butter has melted. Miso Glazed Tempeh: Ingredients: Tempeh, sliced 1/4" thick 1 tbsp each white and brown miso, or all white 1 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp acacia honey or maple syrup 1 rounded tsp grated ginger root and its juice 1/2 green chili, finely minced OR chili oil 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp tamari sauce, soy sauce, shoyu or coconut aminos Juice 1 lime Small drizzle of honey or maple syrup To Prepare: Steam the tempeh slices for five minutes. Let cool just enough to handle. Meanwhile, mix together the marinade ingredients. When the tempeh is steamed, rub the marinade all over the tempeh. Cover and leave for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors. Mix the ginger root, minced chili, sesame oil, lime and honey in a small bowl or jar. Heat a griddle pan or sauté pan on medium-high flame. If using a sauté pan, add a tiny bit of oil. Slap on the tempeh slices and griddle or fry until browned in patches; flip carefully and brown some more. Remove from heat once seared to your desired level and pour sauce on top. Miso Glazed Cod: Ingredients: 1T dry white while 1T miso 2t brown sugar 1t soy sauce Salt & Pepper 1T vegetable oil Two 6-oz cod fillets To Prepare: In a small bowl, combine the wine, miso, brown sugar, and soy sauce and stir well with a fork to make a glaze. Set aside Heat a 12-in ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the cod fillets to the pan. Cook the fish for 2 minutes without moving them, then carefully spoon the miso glaze over the top of the fish, being careful not to spill any on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the pan to the broiler and broil the fish until it is cooked through, and the top is golden and glazed, about 5 minutes. Wilted Cabbage Slaw:  Ingredients: 2c thinly sliced red cabbage 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks 1 apple, cored and cut into matchsticks 2 scallions, sliced thin 1/2c chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 c chopped peanuts 1 seeded and minced serrano chile 1t brown sugar 3T rice vinegar (unseasoned) 1T vegetable oil To Prepare: Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, apple, green onions, cilantro, serrano, and peanuts and toss to mix well. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, 1/2t salt, and vegetable oil. Pour into the hot pan and bring to a boil, immediately pouring the dressing over the cabbage slaw and toss to combine the flavors. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Cauliflower Rice: Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped scallions juice of 1/2 lime sea salt and freshly ground black pepper To Prepare: Make sure your cauliflower is fully dry. Chop the cauliflower into large pieces. You can include the cores, but discard the leaves or save for another use. Place the cauliflower pieces in a food processor and pulse until it has the texture of rice. Work in batches so that the cauliflower will not get pasty. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and cauliflower and sauté until heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime juice. Breaded Zucchini: Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided) 4 medium zucchinis 1 large egg 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs) 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated) 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground) To Prepare: Heat oven to 425 F.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over a baking sheet to evenly coat. Set aside. Wash, trim, and slice zucchini into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Beat egg in a small bowl. Spread breadcrumbs out in a shallow dish. Stir Parmesan cheese, salt, basil, and pepper into breadcrumbs. Dip 5 to 6 zucchini slices into the beaten egg. Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture, pressing on both sides to coat. Shake off excess and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini slices. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the zucchini. Bake in heated oven 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn zucchini so the other side gets crispy. Bake another 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on pan 2 minutes and then serve hot Arrowhead and Parsnip Slaw: Ingredients: FOR THE DRESSING 2 Tbsp spectrum avocado oil 2 Tbsp Bragg's apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp maple syrup 2 tsp stone ground mustard 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste) 1 tsp dried thyme 1/4 tsp ground black pepper FOR THE SLAW 2 medium organic parsnips, peeled and shredded or cut julienne 2 medium apples 1/2 head arrowhead cabbage, grated or sliced thin 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts 1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped (optional) for garnish To Prepare: Whisk together all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Combine the apple, parsnips, cabbage and shallots in a bowl, and toss with the dressing. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the chopped hazelnuts and parsley and serve!