Good Eats Newsletter - June 19, 2013



Welcome to Summer Good Eats!

The first pick-up is TOMORROW  Wednesday June 19th for most sites
or Thursday June 20th for Newport and St J


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

This week your bag will contain:
Mesclun; Chioggia Beets; Lacinato Kale; Fennel; Pearl Onions; Zucchini; Cilantro; Potatoes; Carrots

Localvore Offerings Include:
Pete's Pizza Dough
Pete's Pizza Sauce
Vermont Butter & Cheese Fresh Chevre
Echo Hill Farm Maple Cream



Small Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:

Mesclun; Red Beets; Lacinato Kale;
Zucchini; Potatoes; Carrots

Save the Date!
August 17th & 18th


Pete's Greens
Annual Farm Picnic &
Kingdom Farm and Food Days

More info to come!




The first Meat Share Delivery is July 3rd or July 4th

St J and Newport will both be open on Thursday, July 4th.


Our Weekly Good Eats Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the Good Eats Summer share.  Thanks for joining us! 

Welcome also to the weekly Good Eats Newsletter.  You'll receive this newsletter each Tuesday evening letting you know what to expect in this week's share. We also include storage and use tips, localvore information, recipes and anything else we think you might find interesting or useful. Pete and/or other crew members on the farm will often chime in with farm updates, thoughts and pleas for feedback.

The picking for the weekly share begins on Monday and the packing of shares is finished late Tuesday afternoon in order to give you extremely  fresh produce. Although we try to get the newsletter out just as early as we can, we do like to wait until the share is packed up and finalized. Sometimes there are last minute changes to the contents and we want to make sure that you have the right information to accompany your pick-up.
 If there are changes to the share that occur after the newsletter has been sent (which happens occasionally), you may receive a follow-up email Tuesday night or Wednesday.

If you have any feedback on the newsletter, recipe contributions or just general questions about the CSA, feel free to email us. 
We also post each newsletter on our blog and on our website. It generally gets posted to the web sometime on Wednesday or Thursday. You can also search our archive of recipes, farm stories and share contents at these sites.

Please add GoodEats@petesgreens.com to your address book to limit the possibility of having newsletters filtered as spam.

Feel free to contact us anytime with questions or comments about Good Eats.  ~ Amy and Sara



Site Changes and Updates

It's been busy these last few weeks looking for new sites to better accommodate members in different communities! We added 2 new Burlington sites at Petra Cliffs on Briggs St and in the Laurel Hill neighborhood on Sebring Rd (S. Burlington, to east of Shelburne Rd)

For all you Barre folks, we have heard from a good number of you who want a Barre site and we have a couple locations we are looking at. We'll nail that down over the next few days.

If you would like more information or to move to either of  these new locations please email us as soon as possible.



Picking Up Your Share
Please review your confirmation email or visit our Delivery Site page for pick up times and locations of pick up sites. If you have any questions about your pick-up please email us. The quickest way to reach me is really by email, but you may leave a message on voice mail at 802.586.2882 x2.

Share Pick-Up Instructions! Please review.

Whether you are a seasoned CSA share member or new to Good Eats, it's important to review the pick-up instructions before you head out to pick up your share!

Clipboard #1,
Find your name on the Names List - Find your name on the pick-up list and check it off.  The first clipboard contains a list of all share members at your site. Note that only one name is listed for each share. If you can't find your name on the list, look for your share partner's name (only one of you is listed). Checking off your name lets us know who has picked up and is extremely helpful in solving any mysteries at the end of the day. If you can't find your name or your share partner's name, please don't take a share! Call or email us and we'll figure it out.

Check your share type on the Names  List. Share types are Localvore, Localvore Vegetarian, Veggie Only, Small Veggie Only, Pete's Pantry or Meat Share. If you are listed incorrectly or have questions, let us know.

Clipboard #2,
Pick-Up Instructions - Select your items by following the Pick-Up Instructions. These are posted on the second clipboard. Follow the specific item list/instructions to assemble your share. The top section of the pick up list describes what to select for the vegetable portion of the  share. The bottom section of the Pick-Up Instructions lists the localvore (non-vegetable) items that Localvore and Pete's Pantry members should select.

If you are sharing a share with someone - coordinate with your share-mate to make sure that you DON'T take double the amount of any items. All shares are packed and delivered to the sites are whole shares.

Please note that the first Meat Share pick up is not this week, it is the first Wednesday of every month starting July 4th.

 



What To Do If You Have a Problem at Pick Up

Although we do our best to make sure that every delivery and pick-up goes smoothly, there are the occasional shortages and disappointments. Should you arrive at your pick-up site to find that your name (or share partner's name) is not on the list, one or more of your items are missing or that some of your produce is in unsatisfactory condition, please let us know right away!

Our goal is 100% satisfaction. If you email us (or call if you can not email) as soon as you discover the problem, we may be able to resolve it the same day or the following day. If you would like to receive an item that you missed at pick-up, you must contact us by Thursday morning.

If we have not heard from anyone, by Thursday afternoon our site hosts are instructed to donate leftover food, ensuring that they do not end up with bad food on their hands.

If we can not resolve your issue right away, email us to arrange a replacement or substitution.  These will generally come in the next week's delivery.


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.



Storage and Use Tips

Each week I'll give you storage tips if there are veggies in the share some of you may not be familiar with.  Most of these tips are our website too, so please get acquainted with and bookmark the recipe and storage tip section of our website. I am sure you will find it useful.


Hector modeling with picture perfect beds of baby greens today

This week's mesclun harvest is abundant and beautiful.  The bags you're receiving this week are about 3 times the normal size because the harvest was so great!  Enjoy this in salads, sandwiches, or pizzas.

We have a mixture of beets for everyone this week!  Large share is getting chioggia beets, and the small is getting red. Both types of beets have a smooth round shape and a deep red color; the chioggia beets are red and white striped.  The red beets will bleed when cooked so if preparing with other veggies be mindful of that fact that you will end up with a uniformly technicolor dish.  Beets may be eaten cooked or raw. Grated beets make a fabulous addition to salads and slaws. Grate some early in the week and place them in a tupperware and then sprinkle them into salads all week.  Roasted beets are extra delicious, roasting carmelizes the sugar in the beets. Cube beets and roast them in the oven with a drizzle of oil at 400F until they are tender and just browning at the edges. If you don't eat them all right away, cool and toss into a container and add these to salads.

Fennel - Fennel is crunchy and slightly sweet with the flavor of anise. It is delicious and slightly sweet 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 many dishes, and in soups and stews and sauces. Fennel is composed of a white or pale green bulb from which closely superimposed stalks are arranged. The stalks are topped with feathery green leaves near which flowers grow and produce fennel seeds. The bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds are all edible. To prepare, trim off the fronds and stalks and reserve them for garnish or seasoning. 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.  Save the fronds and use them to flavor soups, stews, or salads.  The stalks can be chopped up and used in place of celery!




Zucchini has a delicate flavor and requires little more than quick cooking with butter or olive oil, with or without fresh herbs.  The skin is left in place.  Quick cooking of barely wet zucchini in oil or butter allows the fruit to partially boil and steam.  Zucchini can also be eaten raw, sliced or shredded in a cold salad, as well as lightly cooked in hot salads, as in Thai or Vietnamese recipes.

Pearl Onions - the little onions in the share this week are like little treasures.  It's so nice to have fresh onions.  Use them wherever you need onions, and don't forget about the tops.  You can chop the tops as far up each onion as you want to.  The flavor will be zestiest at bottom and mellows as you go up.   They have a real zing and are quite a treat in salads and on sandwiches.



Lacinato Kale - the dark leathery bunch of leaves in your bag is Lacinato kale aka dinosaur kale, one of my favorites of the bunch of kales we grow at the farm. I love the flavor and texture of this variety. It's particulary good sauteed with olive oil, garlic and a bit of red pepper flakes.

The last two weeks I have been in love with Kale Ceasar Salad.  Just a big ole bowl of shredded kale, Caesar dressing (homemade), croutons and shredded parm and a sprinling of lemon one day when I had some.  You gotta try it...
Eat More Kale!


 Cilantro is a member of the carrot family and related to parsley.  Cilantro is the leaves and stems of the coriander plant (the seeds of the same plant are the spice known as coriander). 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. I toss cilantro into any Mexican dish I am making, and love it in summer when I have tomatoes to make salsa. If you can't use all your cilantro just yet and wish to save it for a future dish, you can freeze it. Wash and gently dry your cilantro with paper towels. Then either put sprigs loosely in a plastic bag and freeze them. Or lightly chop cilantro, measure by the tablespoon into ice trays, fill remaining space in ice tray with water, and then after cubes are frozen, store in a plastic bag. You can take one out and thaw anytime you need to use it.

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.


Localvore Lore

 It's a pizza week!

We make the Pizza Dough at the farm and then freeze it for delivery. This pizza dough is made with Quebec Milanaise organic unbleached flour, Gleason Grain Snake Mountain Sifted whole wheat flour, local sunflower oil, salt and yeast. Use within four to five hours of thawing (ready to go the night you pick up share or store in freezer for later use). 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.

We also made Pizza Sauce to go along with the share. Deb made the pizza sauce in our kitchen using our organic tomatoes, onions, sunflower oil, garlic, oregano, basil, fennel seed, salt, & black pepper. It's pretty yummy and it's coming to you frozen.  Thaw out and use on your pizza or of course on pasta too, or keep frozen.
The log of Fresh Chevre from Vermont Butter and Cheese Co. will pair well with many ingredients this week.  Goat cheese and beets are a natural together, as are goat cheese and greens.  It would also be amazing on a pizza with some greens and other veggies!   This cheese is considered by some to be a staple because a small amount added to so many dishes turns them into something a little special. The log keeps quite a long time in the fridge unopened, it will last several weeks after it's been opened. If you won't use it right away it will freeze beautifully. It's a little crumbly after being frozen but that can actually be nice when crumbing for salads or into various dishes.

We have a special treat for you this week to kick off the share.  Echo Hill Farm owners Louise and Randy Calderwood make this special treat.  Maple Cream is made by taking the fanciest syrup (color, flavor, testing for quantity and type of invert sugars) and boiling it up to 22 degrees above boiling water and then cooling rapidly without disturbing it until it reaches room temperature. If you agitate it at all before it is cooled, it will form larger crystals. The goal is to have a light and creamy consistency....not grainy. When it reaches room temp, you stir it until it changes from a dark mahogany color to light sand, looses its glossy sheen and starts to "set up." At this point you package it and refrigerate until sold. You can keep maple cream for ages in the freezer or refrigerator. If you find some maple liquid on top of the cream, it is a natural settling process and can be stirred back into the cream.  Maple Cream is great spread on toast, mixed with cream cheese for a yummy spread or topping for sweet breads or spoon into your favorite cup of tea.  Dare I say that it would even be wonderful mixed with some goat cheese?


Recipes


Mesclun Greens Salad with Goat Cheese
This salad, or something similar to it, will be on my table all week.

Mesclun Greens & Arugula (and/or head lettuce leaves)
Beet Slivers (either roasted or boiled and sliced up)
Peeled and shredded carrots
Toasted walnuts or pecans
Goat Cheese

Add the above to a bowl in whatever amounts appeal to you, toss with the dressing below, crumble the goat cheese on top and serve.

 

Mesclun Salad with Veggies, Goat Cheese and Crispy Garlic
Go crazy with this salad- everything is interchangeable!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, minced
Juice of 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup pine nuts
About 10 cups mesclun
1 large orange bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
4 cooked beets, thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon dried onion flakes
4 ounces fresh goat cheese

In a small sauté pan over moderate heat, melt the butter until it begins to bubble slightly. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Pour the garlic and butter into a small bowl and let cool. Do not clean the pan.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the shallots, lemon juice, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. Whisk to combine then season to taste with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Return the small sauté pan to the stove over low heat and toast the pine nuts, stirring occasionally, until aromatic and light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In a large bowl, layer the mesclun, pepper, beets, tomatoes, cranberries, and pine nuts. Add the dill, dried onion flakes, and fried garlic, including the butter from the bowl. Shake the dressing thoroughly then drizzle it over the salad and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, crumble goat cheese over top, and serve.


Fennel And Kale Pasta
Sweet fennel and bitter greens work beautifully together.

1/2 c olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 medium fennel bulb fronds removed, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 lb spaghetti
up to 3 lb kale or other cooking green washed and chopped
1 c grated parmesan

Heat oil in a large braising pan or skillet with a cover. Add onion; saute over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel; saute until golden, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until fennel is tender, about 8 minutes longer. Stir in vinegar; simmer to blend flavors, 1 minute longer. Adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the pasta; return to boil. Add greens; continue to cook until pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes.

Drain pasta and greens; toss with fennel mixture and cheese. Transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Garnish with reserved minced fennel fronds. Serve immediately with more cheese passed separately.



Fennel Orange Salad
I tried fennel for the first time in this salad last night.  It only took about 10 minutes to make, was very tasty, and looked down right gourmet! 

4-5 large seedless oranges (about 3 pounds)
1 fennel bulb
1/4 medium red onion, very thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
1 cup large black olives, cut in half
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped (about 2 tbsp)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
fennel fronds, minced for garnis

Use a sharp knife to peel the oranges, removing all white pulp and the membrane on the outside of the orange sections.  With your fingers, separate the sections and cut into 1-inch pieces.  Place in a large bowl. 

Remove the fronds from the fennel and reserve a few for garnish.  Cut the ends off the fennel bulb, and slice it very thinly, crosswise.  Add the fennel, onion, olives, and mint to the oranges.  Gently combine.

In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, paprika, cayenne, coriander, garlic, salt and pepper.  Add the oil in a slow drizzle, whisking continuously.  Pour the dressing over the oranges and toss gently to blend.  Let the flavors meld for about an hour before serving.  Taste, adjust seasonings, then top with minced fennel fronds.



Maple Cream Salad Dressing
This is a great way to dress up a salad.

1/4 c rice vinegar
2 Tbs apple cider
4 Tbs maple cream
1 Tbs red onion, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c heavy cream (to taste)

Put vinegar, apple cider, maple cream, onion, sea salt and pepper into a small blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and cream until smooth and emulsified.



Goat Cheese Pizza
Here's a fresh spin on pizza.  Feel free to improvise by adding any veggies - I think some olives would be fantastic!

2 1/2 cups green or red grapes, halved
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound store-bought pizza dough
8 ounces soft goat cheese
Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat  oven to 450° F.  Toss together the grapes, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil; set aside.

Prepare pizza dough as described above.  Place the dough in the oven until cooked through, about 6 minutes.  Distribute the grapes, spoonfuls of the goat cheese, and the remaining olive oil on the pizzas.  Cook until the cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.




Baked Kale Chips
Kale chips are a low calorie nutritious snack. Like potato chips, you cannot stop at just eating one.  Play around with the spices to change the flavor- cayenne, cumin, garlic, even parmesan cheese are great on the chips.

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
Optional - add a splash of lemon juice too!

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner or the old towel spin. Drizzle kale with olive oil, and rub with fingers to spread oil all over the surfaces of the torn kale. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

 


Simplest Zucchini Saute
Zucchini is such a great vegetable!  Here's a basic saute recipe to enjoy this gem

1 zucchini
butter
olive oil

Turn on a burner to warm a saute pan, cast iron great.  Slice zucchini into rounds.  Add olive oil and a 1/2 TB of butter to the pan, and coat.  Add the zucchini rounds in one layer.When they are beginning to brown on side A, flip them and allow side B to brown a bit.  Then remove from pan and put on a plate.  Salt if you wish but no need.  They are nutty, tender and delicious!



Carrots with Curry and Cilantro
Here's a cilantro and curry based recipe for this week's share.  This one's a four star from Bon Appetit.

3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons apricot preserves (OK, you might not have these, how about a half of an apple, diced?)
1 pound medium carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 3 cups)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic and curry; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth and preserves. Add carrots; cover and simmer until carrots are crisp-tender and coated with sauce, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in cilantro.



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