CSA Harvest #18

I can't believe that last week I actually said we were able to put our feet up at this point.. it must have been wishful thinking! We still have a lengthy "to do" list before us before the end of the season. We are watching the weather forecasts at this point with eagle eyes to be prepared for our first frost and try to get as many things covered or picked before. As many of you know so many of our favorite garden goodies cannot withstand frosts. The first to go is always the basil, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and beans. Tomatoes actually are a little hardier but not much. After a good "hard" frost the long vines turn black and signal the end of the tomato year. Each year before the frost we try to pick off as many tomatoes as we can.. green, pink, reds the color at harvest is unimportant at that point as they will ripen eventually if kept dry and at room temp. Maybe you will be able to enjoy tomatoes with your Thanksgiving meal!
We are eyeballing our fall crops with anticipation..calculating in our head if we have enough. Seeds that we planted two weeks ago are just sprouting up.. everything is slowing down with the shortening days and cold nights... where did summer go??
At this time of year when we are forced to come in by 8 pm as it is dark out I finally find myself standing in front of the stove "attempting" to cook a meal (poor Asinete!) It is so much easier for me to grow it than try to prepare it! But we do hope you find the recipes I have included useful.. I try to find the easiest ones for those of you who may be as challenged by cooking as myself!

Enjoy this week's harvest.. and now 8 more to go!!

This Week's Harvest Includes:

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes (some not quite ripe.. leave at room temp 'til ready)

Heirloom and Sweet Cluster Tomatoes

Charentais French Cantaloupe

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Big Top Red and Detroit Golden Beets

Garlic

Lacinato Kale (also called Dinosaur Kale do to the bumpy green skin)

Summer Squash

Yellow Onion

Basil

Dill

Cucumbers


Recipe ideas for your goodies:

Lacinato Kale (store in fridge in plastic bag to keep fresh)
This variety of kale hold more nutrients than other varieties of kale as it has the darkest leaf color.. so enjoy it while at the same time knowing it's doing your body good!

Using Kale

Kale leaves have thick fibrous stems. They stems are edible, so leave them in if you enjoy crunchy foods. Or you can take them out, if you are not used to eating lots of fiber, or if you want to make a more delicate dish. To strip out the stems, grasp a kale leaf with one hand by the stem. Wrap your other hand firmly around the lower end of the leafy part. Slide your hand up the leaf, staying close to the stem, to strip off the leafy part. Drop the leaf onto the cutting board, and do another one. If you are making a blended soup or green smoothie, leave the stems in.

To chop kale, lay a bunch of kale on the cutting board and cut crosswise into strips. Turn the cutting board 90°, and cut again if you want smaller pieces. Or cut kale leaves crosswise with a kitchen scissors. Or just tear into pieces with your hands.

SPICY RICE AND KALE

2 1/4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole or Cajun seasoning
1 cup converted white rice
4 ounces kale (about 1/2 large bunch), stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped (2 cups
packed)

Bring broth and Creole seasoning to boil in heavy large saucepan. Stir in rice and kale and bring to
boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Serves 4.
Per serving: calories, 204; total fat, 2 g; saturated fat, 0.5 g; cholesterol, 1 mg.
Bon Appétit

Kale with cream (Irish) 4-5 servings

1 3/4 lbs Kale
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp double cream (I used heavy whipping cream) a pinch or so of nutmeg, salt, pepper
2 Tbsp stock (I dissolved a vegetable bouillon) Wash kale and strip leaves from stalk, then plunge into heavily boiling water. Cook 'til tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain well and chop finely. In saucepan, combine butter, cream spices, then add kale and stock.Mix well.
Cook until well heated and sauce is slightly reduced.
(The sauce is just enough to offer flavor but not drown the kale.)


Braised Lacinato Kale
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
12 turns freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 cups (firmly packed) torn and stemmed kale pieces
1 cup Basic Chicken Stock, or Veg Stock
Splash cider vinegar (I like it with Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar, or White Wine as well)

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes; add a splash of cider vinegar in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat. Serve immediately!!

You can also include a handful of the Sun Gold cherry tomatoes to the sauté for added flavor. Red pepper works well also. It tastes great on its own or try it added to mashed potatoes!
Sweet!


We love Beets and with these recipes you will
too!


Beet and Feta Cheese Appetizer

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 2 large fresh beets
* 1/2 cup tarragon vinegar
* 1/4 cup lemon juice (optional)
* 1/2 cup feta cheese
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the beets 25 minutes, or until tender. Cool, peel, and slice 1/3 inch thick. Place slices in a bowl with the tarragon vinegar, and marinate 15 minutes.
2. Place a few beet slices on a microwave-safe dish, reserving vinegar. Sprinkle beets with some of the reserved vinegar, lemon juice, feta cheese, and walnuts. Top with more beet slices, and sprinkle again with vinegar, lemon juice, feta, and walnuts. Repeat, building the stacks as high as you like.
3. Place stacks in the microwave, and cook 40 to 60 seconds on Medium. Cool slightly before serving.


Beet Greens~ don't throw them away ~cook them!

Beet Greens Recipe


While this recipe calls for discarding the stems, if you want you can use them too if they aren't too woody. Just cut them into 1-inch segments and add them to the onions after the onions have been cooking for a minute.
Ingredients

* 1 pound beet greens
* 1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped (or a tablespoon of bacon fat)
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* 3/4 cup of water
* 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/6 cup of cider vinegar

Method

1 Wash the greens in a sink filled with cold water. Drain greens and wash a second time. Drain greens and cut away any heavy stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

2 In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat (or heat 1 Tbsp of bacon fat). Add onions, cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

3 Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar. (For kale or collard greens continue cooking additional 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness.)

Serves 4.

Roasted Beet and Beet Green Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch beets
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste

nice bunch of fresh beet greens from the beets
1 cup baby greens tossed in good olive oil and balsamic vinegar
goat cheese
2 TBS pine nuts, toasted

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 425 F. Wash and trim beets, leaving their skins on. Wash and reserve beet greens.

Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Place beets on cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper. Shake cookie sheet so that beets get coated with oil and spices. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 45 minutes or until beets are fork tender.

Take beets out of the oven and peel skins off. Note: If you care about your nails, which some people do, wear gloves, or you will have red dye under your nails for days after wards. Do not run under water as it will wash away a lot of flavor. Cut into quarters. Drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. Toss and set aside.

In a skillet warm 1 tsp olive oil. Add beet greens and cook until wilted.

To plate put baby greens down, top with wilted beet greens, spoon on top roasted beets with dressing, goat cheese and pine nuts. Serve.