CSA Harvest # 24~ 2 more to go!!

Hooray for 2 more weeks of farm fresh produce! I have a suspicion many of you are as excited as we will be to see a lull in the produce. For those of you who cannot get enough we will still have things available after the CSA is completed. What we hope to do is send out an email to those of you interested each Monday to let you know what we have avail for that week. You can call us or email and we can drop off your requested items at a central pick up spot each week (like Bi-Mart's parking lot). This will help you continue eating locally and organically and it will help us in our darkest hours of need as winter faces us with no other income on the horizon until spring. If this is something you may be interested in please give us a call (863-2646) or email us. Also if you have friends who were green with envy all season that you were getting such great produce for such a great price we can now offer them produce as well.. feel free to pass on our number and email!

And now on to some important news:
Because our final CSA delivery would fall on Thanksgiving day we are hoping to deliver baskets for the final time on Monday the 23rd (Monday before Thanksgiving). If any of you will be going out of town the other option is we could do two deliveries in one next week. We look forward to hearing back from you to see which you would prefer. We will try to find a plan that accommodates everyone. Also for the last delivery we will expect all baskets back and we can check your baskets off and refund you the basket deposit (if you gave us one). We think the best thing to do would be if everyone brought bags or boxes to transfer your produce into, this way we get all the baskets back at once and we're not trying to track down missing ones. For those of you who pick up at the farm or in Myrtle Creek we will mail your deposits back since unfortunately we hardly ever get a face to face encounter with you.

Some of the surveys are in (27 out of 54). We are hoping we will get more this week but so far we have found out a few interesting things: 1) many of you have an extreme dislike of kale! 2) beets were a common item on the "overabundance" list (sorry we have more this week!) 3)quite a few of you wrote that you did not care for the tomatillos (more of those this week too.. last of 'em though!) The disdain for the tomatillos leaves me only to believe that these people do not read the blog and don't know what to do with them.. because how could you make salsa verde and not love it?? Of course a few tomatillo die hard fans like myself said they really loved them.. so this week's harvest is for you! For the rest of you not completely sold on the tomatillos please try the easy, tasty, melt in your mouth salsa recipe below and then tell me if you still don't like them! Universal favorites were heirloom tomatoes, corn, fresh herbs, garlic, carrots, onions, lettuce, potatoes and melons. Thank you for taking the time to fill these out and we will read them again over the winter as it gets time to order seeds for 2010 and we can include items you like that we did not have avail this year. For those of you who have yet to fill out the survey~ we need you!

This week we would like to give a big shout out thank you to fellow CSA farmers Norm and Cinda Lehne. Norm and Cinda have been farming out in Garden Valley since before I was even born. They cultivate 30 acres and run a u-pick operation, CSA and they attend Farmers Markets as well. Norm and Cinda were wise to end their CSA earlier than us and emailed to offer to share some of the bounty still left in their fields. This week we have some fragrant, tasty leeks started from Territorial Seeds out of Cottage Grove. While Norm and Cinda do not grow organically they are committed to not growing any GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) crops. If you are a strict organics only eater hopefully you can find a willing neighbor to enjoy it!
Thank you Norm and Cinda for sharing the bounty of your fields and for your friendship!


For those of you who were unable to attend last Friday's movie night of the film Food, Inc.. wow!! The movie was awesome (albeit a bit horrific to watch at moments) but seeing the horrific parts really pumped me up again about the importance of eating locally and for us to raise as much of our own meat as we can.. we are looking at raising pasture poultry next season. Would any of you be interested in buying locally produced chickens from us? Let us know!


This Week's Harvest Includes:

Lehne Leeks

Garlic

Delicata Winter Squash

Red or Green Cabbage

Tomatillos (try recipe below!)

Beets (try recipe below~ ("all we are saying is give beets a chance"!)

Lettuce Mix

Hot peppers (see recipes below)

Daikon Radish

Tomatoes (these were picked green and ripened off the vine so not as good as warm weather ones but a local tomato nonetheless)


Recipe Ideas for Your Bounty:


Leeks~ Leeks are in the onion family and are related to onions and garlic. They were extremely muddy when harvested and we did the best we could to get them clean enough for your basket however before you cook them here are some ways to get them cleaner. Slice the leeks down the center and rinse under cold running water to remove all dirt and sand, being careful to get in between the leaves. Drain on dish towel and proceed with recipe.

To clean leeks for cooking whole, slice lengthwise about two inches up from each end, leaving a center portion intact to hold the leek together. Rinse under running cold water while separating leaves.

You may also slice them into 2-inch lengths and soak in a bowl of cold water. Swish them in the water to remove dirt, drain, refill bowl, and swish again until no more dirt is released. Drain and dry.
Fresh leek storage: They can spread their special fresh oniony smell around, so keep in plastic bag in the fridge. Don't trim or wash before storing, it makes them break down faster. BUT if space is at a premium, you can chop off the dark green stem part before storing them. you can store them in plastic in the fridge for 5 days or more.

Leeks are rich in allicin, an organosulfur compound that has been shown to inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells, including breast, endometrial, and colon cancer cells. Leeks also contain calcium, iron, vitamin C, and fiber.

Lemony Risotto
from Almost Vegetarian by Diana Shaw

serves 4-6

1 lemon (or 2 small)
3 cups broth: vegetable or chicken
1 large leek, white & green part, cleaned and chopped
1 bay leaf
1 T butter, unsalted
2 shallots, minced
1 T chopped parsley
1 cup arborio rice
2 T white wine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Halve and juice the lemon and remove the zest with a vegetable peeler. Leave half the zest in strips and mince the rest. Set aside the juice and the minced zest.

Place the strips of zest in a saucepan with the broth, leek, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes.

Stain the broth through a sieve, discard the leek and bay leaf, and pour it back into the saucepan. Cover and bring it back to a gentle simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan melt the butter. Saute the shallots, parsley, and minced lemon zest over med-low heat until the shallots are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it’s just about evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and lemon juice, turn up the heat, and stir until it’s just about evaporated, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat.

Using a ladle, add about 1 C hot broth. Stir constantly over med heat until the broth has been absorbed. Add another ladleful of broth and keep stirring until it’s been absorbed.

Continue the process, adding broth a half cupful at a time and stirring in this way, until the kernels are plump and no longer chalk white in the center. This should take 25 to 30 minutes altogether. The rice is almost done when the kernels are still separate but starting to bind and there are pools of broth on the surface. It’s done when the liquid has been absorbed, and the kernels are bound in what looks like very ricey, yet somewhat creamy, rice pudding.

When the risotto is nearly done, stir in 2 T more broth, along with the Parmesan cheese, and stir well until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 3-4 minutes.

Calories per serving: 179; protein: 6 grams; fat: 3.4 grams. I don’t know the fiber.

Risotto with Beet Greens and Leeks

Recipe from Cooking Light March 2001
6 servings

5 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 2 large)
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups coarsely chopped beet greens
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 lemon wedges

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, saute 4 minute or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; stir in greens. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth is absorbed before adding the next portion (about 25 minutes). Stir in cheese and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.


For all you tomatillo haters these recipes are for you!

Rick Bayless's Salsa Verde Recipe~ easy to make and delish! I prefer the deeper flavor of the roasted tomatillos..

Ingredients

* 8 ounces (5 to 6 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
* Fresh hot green chiles, to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed
* 5 or 6 sprigs fresh cilantro (thick stems removed), roughly chopped
* Scant 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
* Salt

Directions

Whether you choose the verdant, slushy, herby freshness of the all-raw tomatillo salsa or the oil-colored, voluptuous, sweet-sour richness of the roasted version, tomatillos are about brightening tang. The buzz of the fresh hot green chile adds thrill, all of which adds up to a condiment most of us simply don't want to live without.

For the All-Raw version: Roughly chop the tomatillos and the chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, chiles, cilantro and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree, then scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.

For the Roasted version:

Preheat a broiler.

Roast the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until darkly roasted, even blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side, 4 to 5 minutes more will give you splotchy-black and blistered tomatillos and chiles. In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos and chiles, including all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup water, blend to a coarse puree, and scrape into a serving dish. Rinse the onion under cold water, then shake to remove the excess moisture. Stir into the salsa and season with salt, usually a generous 1/4 teaspoon.




Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa
Salsa Verde Crujiente con Aguacate

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Recipe from Season 7 of Mexico - One Plate at a Time
Ingredients

8 ounces (about 4 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped cilantro
Hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 small serranos or 1 small jalapeño), stemmed and roughly chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Salt
Directions

Roughly chop half of the tomatillos and scoop them into a food processor with the cilantro and green chiles. Measure in 1/4 cup water and process to a slushy, coarse puree. Roughly chop half the avocado, add it to the processor and pulse until it is incorporated into the salsa. Scrape into a serving dish. Scoop the onion into a small strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to the salsa. Finely chop the remaining tomatillos and add them, too. Finally, chop the remaining avocado into 1/4-inch pieces and stir them into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon.

Alternative Method: Put all the tomatillos (quartered), cilantro and chiles through a meat grinder to chop them (no water necessary), then stir in finely chopped avocado and rinsed onion.


Beet Recipes Even Beet Haters Might Love!

Beet Salad With Goat Cheese
Ingredients

* 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
* 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
* 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 ounces goat cheese

Directions

1. Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
2. While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.

Other Ideas for beets:
The Italian way. Trim off the tops must 1/4 inch or so above the root. Rinse. Wrap all the beets together in a double-thickness of aluminum foil, crimping the edges together to seal tightly. Roast in a 400ºF oven until tender, 1-2 hours. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets (the skin will pull away) and slice into thin rounds or half rounds. Just before serving, dress with good-quality red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature. I especially like it after lamb dishes.

Beets roasted as above can also be used in fancier salads. Try combining them with orange sections and watercress or lamb's lettuce -- or with walnuts and goat cheese -- in a sherry vinegar dressing.

BTW, if the beet tops are in good shape, you can also use them for a salad. Separate the leaves from the stems. Drop the stems in boiling salted water, boil 5-7 minutes, then drop in the leaves. Cook until tender, 2-4 minutes. Drain well. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Or add to the beet salad described above.