Good Eats Weekly Newsletter - August 16, 2017



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

This week your bag contains:

Mesclun, Lettuce Head (Romaine or red leaf), Parsley, Lacinato Kale, Sweet Peppers, Zucchini/ Summer Squash or Slicing Cucumber, Fennel, Shallots,

Out of the Bag:
Sweet Corn
Blueberries




Half Veggie Only Members
take a YELLOW BAG
containing:

Lettuce head, Parsley, Chard, Sweet Peppers, Orange Carrots, Fresh Beans, Zucchini/ Summer Squash, and

Out of the Bag:
Sweet Corn




Localvore Offerings Include:

Slowfire Bakery Bread
Tangletown Farm Eggs
Ploughgate Creamery Butter

Glean with us!
This Saturday, spend a couple hours gleaning! Then enjoy a delicious lunch up at the farmstand. 
Meet at the wash house at 9 am and look for Salvation Farms' silver truck. We will do our best to carpool to the field, since parking at the field is limited.
Wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes. Try to avoid anything overly dirty with manure or compost. Long sleeves and gardening gloves are highly recommended, since we will likely be harvesting zucchini and their prickly hairs can be irritating!
You're encouraged to bring anything else that will keep you comfortable in whatever Vermont summer weather brings; sunscreen, sun hat, raincoat, layers, etc.
Be aware that there is no cell service on the farm, so lookup directions and ask questions beforehand!
When you come in to the farm at 266 S Craftsbury Rd (look for the farmstand), head down the long driveway towards our big barn/ wash house. 
Around the Farm

Gearing up for our annual fiesta, Pete's Greens Open Farm and Tours this week Saturday! I do hope you'll plan to join us at the farm on Saturday for an afternoon of good eating, farm tours, and fun! The festivities kick off at 11 am, with tours at 11:30 am and 1 pm. A crew from NECI is busy preparing food for us using our farm-grown ingredients. Eden Ice Cider will be here doing drink tastings. Our farmstand will be well stocked and the roof will be bursting with squash!

If you're up for the full experience, Salvation Farms will be leading a crew of folks on a glean in the morning. If you're interested in attending, you can sign up online or show up! Then stick around for lunch after the glean. (See the sidebar above.)

~ Taylar

Storage and Use Tips 

Mesclun: This week's greens is a bag of pre-washed, field harvested baby greens.
Fennel (full shares): 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.
Shallots (full shares): A close onion relative, shallots are sweet and mild with a hint of garlic flavor. They work well raw, thinly sliced in salads or dressings. They can also be carmelized, like in this heavenly recipe, or sliced and carmelized like onions on your stovetop. Store in a dark, cool, dry place for up to one month.
Orange Carrots (half shares): Store carrots in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer for the longest shelf life. Here are some ideas for using carrots: eat carrots raw, add them to yogurt with mint for an Indian raita, grate them and add into banana and other quick breads or muffins, add to stir fries and fried rice dishes, make them into a soup, or turn them into pickles. 
Fresh Beans: These green and purple beans are great for snacking and cooking up. Store in your fridge wrapped in plastic for up to 5 days. Try them braised, roasted, or grilled. Beans pair well with garlic, balsamic, and parmesan. We have three varieties of beans and you may receive one kind or a mix of colors - yellow, green, or purple!

Kale (full shares): Lacinato kale is the big, dinosaur ear-like kale. Keep kale loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer. Strip the leaves from the stems and wash them well before chopping and cooking. I've been asked in the past for more paleo-diet recipes. A quick search brought up this site with lots of ideas for how to use kale in paleo cooking!
Sweet Corn: First of our summer corn is up! We've tried to find some nice medium sized corn for you, but there may be some smaller ears mixed in - no less delicious, though. Store corn in the fridge if you're not going to eat it right away, but it's best when fresh. Our crew picked this late in the day Tuesday, so eating it Wednesday or Thursday is ideal. There are different methods of cooking sweet corn on the cob I prefer the boil method (remove husks and silk, cook in salted boiling water that just barely covers the corn) but you can try grilling it in the husk or steaming it. Corn will be left at site "out of bag".  Full share members take 6 ears; half share members take 4 ears.
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.

Sorry, we cannot make changes to the week's delivery after 8 am on Monday.

Localvore Lore

Fresh eggs from Tangletown Farm, one of the Kingdom Farm and Food Days participants! Visit Lila Bennett and family (and her free ranging chickens, cows, pigs, and goats) at the farm on Friday, August 18 to see this diversified farm in action. I've heard from a couple members that they've had rotten eggs; unfortunately, this can happen. I have talked with Lila about it. The eggs are collected and washed within three days, and only nest eggs are being collected. She has been the only one collecting the eggs lately to see if this helps anything. If you have rotten eggs in your Tangletown dozen, please let me know.   
Ploughgate Creamery made the artisan, fresh butter in your shares this week. In 2013, Marisa Mauro worked with the Vermont Land Trust's Farmer Access Program to buy the Bragg Farm in Fayston. Through extensive community fundraising, Marisa was able to buy this century-old farm at an affordable rate. She's been making cultured butter since 2014. Cultured butter is richer than other, everyday butters. Live bacteria are added to the cream and allowed to stew for 48 hours. Then, it's churned. Sea salt is added at the very end before the butter is handwrapped. Store this butter in your fridge to prolong freshness. It'll last for many weeks. 
Slowfire Bakery made this Classic Country Sourdough. A blend of different grains with different degrees of refinement creates the classic everyday loaf. Whole & sifted wheat and whole spelt & rye from Maine Grains provide the heart, earthy backdrop, and white flour from Quebec provides the lightness.

Recipes

Find more recipes by searching our website or looking through past newsletters here.

Kale Pesto Pizza with Caramelized Onions
This is a great twist on your classic pizza. Make some substitutions to work with your on-hand ingredients: hard or soft cheese, kale or other greens, onions or shallots... be adventurous!

Pizza dough
Basil pesto OR Pistachio kale pesto (see below)
fresh mozzarella
freshly grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups roasted kale
1 red onion, sliced 
1 tsp sugar
olive oil

Pesto
1 cup raw pistachios, toasted
4 cups kale, roasted and roughly chopped 
fresh lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons)
1 tsp lemon zest 
3 cloves garlic
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 dgF. Place pizza stone in the oven to preheat for 15 minutes. Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough. Brush the dough with olive oil and transfer to the pre-heated stone; bake until dough edges begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, thinly slice a red onion and saute with olive oil and a little honey until caramelized. Remove pizza from oven and paint the crust generously with the pesto. Spread caramelized onions over the pizza, top with kale and fresh mozzarella, and finish with a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan. Return the pizza to the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese begins to bubble and crust is browned.

Shallot Vinaigrette

1 large shallot, minced
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt to taste

Stir together shallot and vinegar and let stand 10 minutes. Whisk in mustard, oil, kosher salt, and pepper to taste until blended. 

Fennel And Kale Pasta

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; sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in fennel; sauté 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 kale; 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.

Couscous and Feta-Stuffed Peppers
Adapted from Epicurious

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup couscous
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers, mixed colors
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 oz zucchini, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
6 oz yellow squash, quartered lengthwise then sliced across thinly
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1 cup)
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the couscous, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Cut the stems and top half inch off the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds and membranes. Place peppers upright in a baking dish and roast them for 15 minutes or so, until they soften, then remove them from the oven until the filling is ready. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel seeds, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Remove from heat and stir in the tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Using a fork, scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in the crumbled feta. Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Broken Pasta with Pork Ragu
This dish hails from the restaurant Maialino in New York, where it’s on the menu as malfatti al maialino. 

1 bone-in pork shoulder, about 4 pounds
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
1 large rib celery, cut into large pieces
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into large pieces
1 quart chicken stock, plus a splash or two more, if needed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 9-ounce boxes dry lasagna, broken into 3-inch shards
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons (although I use more) grated or shaved parmesan or grana padano cheese
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Large handful arugula leaves, cleaned

Prepare pork: Use a sharp knife to remove the thick skin from the pork, but not trimming off all the fat — leave a thin sheen. Season generously with salt and place in fridge until ready to use — overnight is ideal but a few hours will cut it as well.

Braise the pork: Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat a deep saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When it shimmers, gently cook the onion, celery and fennel until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and thyme and bring to a simmer, then season well with salt and pepper.

Rinse pork to remove excess salt, dry with a paper towel and add to seasoned broth. Cover and place in the oven for 90 minutes or more, until the meat just begins to pull away from the bone.

Allow both meat and broth to cool in the braise out of the oven for 30 minutes, or until you can touch the meat with your hands. Remove the pork and gently pull the meat from the bone, then tear the chunks into bite-size shreds. Place these in a large bowl.

Strain the braising liquid, pouring enough of it over the pork to barely cover it and keep it from drying out.

Pour the rest back into the pot, simmering it until it is reduced by half. Add pork and cooking liquid that has covered it, and warm it back to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Add the butter and stir to emulsify.

Bring large pot of well-salted water to boil. Cook pasta until al dente, or usually a minute shy of package directions. Drain and add to the pork ragu, simmering for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, half the cheese and parsley, if using. Ladle into wide pasta bowls with and top with arugula and remaining cheese. We enjoyed this with an extra lemon wedge on the side.’

Do ahead: Should you wish to freeze this — we froze half and I was overjoyed to find it again last month — shred the pork and return it to the reduced cooking liquid, stopping short of the butter; freeze them together in a bag. Once defrosted, rewarm to a simmer, add a splash or two of pasta cooking water if needed to loosen it, and then the butter (this ensures you get the most flavor from it). Add freshly cooked pasta, lemon and parmesan from here.

Harissa Carrots and Fennel with Lentils
Harissa is a north African chili pepper paste traditionally added to meat and fish stews. Harissa can be used to spice up any dish and keeps well in the fridge. You can also buy pre-made harissa paste at ethnic grocers and gourmet markets. You can make it with crushed chili flakes if that’s all you have – maybe add more tomato paste and peppers.

Harissa Paste
Makes about 1 ¼ cup

25g dried chilies of your choice (choose a few types and include one smoked and one spicy variety, if possible)
2 red bell peppers
6oz / 170g can tomato paste (1 small can)
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. coriander seeds
2 tsp. caraway seeds
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
a couple pinches sea salt
cold-pressed olive oil, to cover

Soak the dried chilies in just-boiled water for about 30 minutes until softened. Remove stems and seeds (wear gloves if you’re handling really spicy ones). Save soaking liquid.

Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Rub the bell peppers with a little coconut oil and place on a line baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes until blistered and turning black in spots. Remove from oven and place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool for 15 minutes (this process will help steam the peppers making them really easy to peel). Once cool enough to handle, simply slip the skins off of the peppers, remove the stem and seeds, and the discard them. Put flesh aside.

While the peppers are roasting, toast the spices in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and grind until powder-y.

Peel garlic and place in the food processor. Pulse to mince. Add the soaked dried chilies, roasted red peppers, ground spices, tomato paste, lemon juice, and salt. Blend on high until relatively smooth (add some of the chilli soaking liquid to thin, if desired). Season with salt to taste and add more lemon juice if desired.

Transfer harissa to a clean glass jar and cover with a thin layer of olive oil – this will help prevent it from spoiling. Cover with a tightly-sealed lid and store in the fridge for up to one month.

Roasted Carrot and Fennel with Harissa, Black Lentils and Yogurt

1 pound carrots (this week's share is 1 pound; last week's bunches were about 1 pound)
1 pound fennel (about 2 medium bulbs)
2 medium red onions
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil
a couple pinches salt and pepper
1 cup Greek-style yogurt (preferably goat or sheep)
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of sea salt
1 cup black lentils (Du Puy or French lentils would also work), soaked if possible
½ tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil
a handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
flaky sea salt, to garnish

Harissa Dressing
¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
1-4 tsp. harissa paste, to your taste (I used 3 tsp.)
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ Tbsp. maple syrup
pinch sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Scrub carrots well and slice them in half lengthwise (if they are relatively large, slice them in quarters lengthwise). Wash fennel and slice lengthwise into thin sections. Peel and slice red onion into eights. Place carrots on a baking sheet and rub with a little coconut oil. Place fennel and red onion on a separate baking sheet and rub with a little coconut oil. Place in the oven to roast for 25-35 minutes until tender and charred around the edges (the fennel and onions may take longer than the carrots, so remove carrots first if necessary). Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper.

While the vegetables are roasting, cook the lentils. Wash lentils well, drain and rinse until water runs clear. Place in medium saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for about 15 minutes. Add about a half teaspoon of salt, stir and continue to simmer covered, until the lentils are tender, about 5 more minutes. Drain and rinse. Stir in olive oil and season to taste.

While the lentils are cooking, whisk the dressing ingredients together. Start with a teaspoon of harissa paste and add more to suit your taste. The dressing should be spicy, but palatable. Add the roasted vegetables and fold to coat well.

Combine the lemon zest and yogurt.

To assemble, divide the yogurt and lentils among four plates. Pile the vegetables on top, sprinkle with flaky salt, mint, and drizzle any remaining dressing over the top. Enjoy.

Tarragon String Bean Salad

4 cups green beans
1.5 cups cooked beans (romano, pinto, lima, navy, chickpeas)
1/2 red onion or a few shallots
1 bunch fresh tarragon
½ cup hazelnuts or almonds, toasted
300 grams feta cheese (preferably goat feta)
Freshly ground pepper
Dressing:
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp strong mustard
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pinch sea salt

Wash and top green beans. Steam for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy (do not over steam!).

Make dressing: Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously.

When beans are cooked, remove from heat and rinse in cold water. Place in a large bowl and add all other salad ingredients.

Toss green bean mixture in dressing; season to taste with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Provençal Zucchini and Swiss Chard Tart

Pie pastry 1 crust
1 lb Swiss chard
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 pounds zucchini, cut in small dice (1/4 to 1/3 inch) 
2 to 3 large garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped 
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary (to taste) 
2 oz Gruyère cheese or aged cheddar cheese grated (1/2 cup, tightly packed) 
3 large eggs, beaten Freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens, and wash them. If the ribs are wide, wash and dice them, then set aside. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add a generous amount of salt and the chard leaves. Blanch for one minute, until just tender. Drain and cool quickly in several changes of fresh water. Squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet, and add the onion and diced chard stems, if using. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the zucchini. Season to taste with salt, and cook, stirring, until just tender and still bright green, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary, and cook with the zucchini and onion until the garlic is fragrant, about one or two minutes. Stir in the greens, toss everything together, and remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste), the zucchini mixture, and the Gruyère. Mix everything together, add pepper, taste once more and adjust seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 10-inch tart pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the pan, with the edges of the dough overhanging. Freeze the remaining dough. Fill the lined pan with the zucchini mixture. Pinch the edges of the dough along the rim of the pan. Place in the oven and bake 50 minutes, until set and beginning to color. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before serving (preferably longer). This can also be served at room temperature.
   

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