CSA Harvest #8

Here we are another week deeper into summer and still lamenting the rainy weather! The silver lining to all this rain is that we have not had to run around irrigating. Of course with the wet, warm weather we are worried about fungal diseases breaking out in our crops. Especially susceptible to diseases in this wet weather are the melons, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and squash. We have to take preventative measures to avoid fungal outbreaks by not working in these crops when the leaves are wet. Beans are notorious for becoming diseased when you work in them and their leaves are wet. For this reason we had to wait until this afternoon when the day was late enough that the leaves of the beans were as dry as possible before we could harvest them. The beans in your basket this week are a variety called Italian Flat Pod. They are delicious and we hope you think so too!
Also today marks the first potato harvest of 2011! Thank you to our helper Geronimo who braved the mud to get them to you. Please do not wash them until just before cooking them. Once the skins get wet they will not keep. This variety in your basket today is an early maturing variety of potato called Red Pontiac.
Hooray also we wanted to start thinning out the largest Walla Walla onions and share them with you. Walla Wallas are a seasonal treat and we like to use them first since they do not store well.

We hope you enjoy these new tastes in your basket this week!

Locally yours~

Suzie, Asinete, Tione, M.A, Violet and Sally

Harvest This Week Includes:

Broccoli (last harvest until Fall)

Chinese Cabbage

Radishes

Raspberries (use quick! Rain made them soggy. Won't store)

Strawberries (also use quickly!)

Red Pontiac Potatoes

Walla Walla Onions

Lettuce

Italian Flat Leaf Parsley

Yellow Zephyr Squash

Italian Flat Beans


How to Cook it and Store it:

Potatoes~ wash only right before cooking. Store at room temp in a dark place (paper bags work well).

Walla Walla Onions~ these will keep best in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. They will store for a week before drying out and losing their flavor. We like to chop us the green leaves of the onion and use that in stir fry. Walla Wallas are the perfect sweet onion to top your favorite burger or however you can enjoy them raw!

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Salad

2 Walla Walla Sweet Onions thinly sliced
4 Cucumbers thinly sliced
1 Cup mayonnaise
2 Tbls. white vinegar
1 Tbls. of sugar
Separate sliced onions into rings and combine with cucumber in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour sauce over onions and cucumbers and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hr. Serve well-chilled.

Walla Walla Sweet Onion Rings

1 Large Walla Walla Sweet Onion
12 oz Beer (light or dark)
1 1/3 Cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
2 1/2 tsp. sweet Basil leaves
Peel and cut onion into 1/4-inch slices and separate into rings.

Heat oil (1 inch deep) to 375 degrees in a large skillet. Beat remaining ingredients with rotary beater until smooth. Dip each ring into batter, letting excess drip into bowl.

Fry a few onion rings at a time in hot oil until golden brown, turn once, drain.

Mixed Green Salad with Apples and Walla Walla Sweet Onions
Serves 4 - 6
INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 medium Walla Walla Sweet Onion, peeled and cut into 1/8ths

1 large Granny Smith, or Red Delicious apple, unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced

8 cups (about 6 ounces), blend of greens

12 basil leaves

1 cup thinly sliced shaved Parmesan cheese, (about 2 ounces)


DIRECTIONS:

1.Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2.Toss Walla Walla Sweet Onion together with the slices of apple, greens and basil in a large bowl. Add dressing, toss to coat. Top with shaved Parmesan cheese.


walla walla sweet onion and cherry tomato bruschetta

Servings: 8
Ingredients:

•20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
•1 medium Walla Walla Sweet Onion, cut into thin slices
•15 kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
•2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
•1-tablespoon capers, drained
•1/2 cup olive oil
•2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
•1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
•Freshly ground black pepper
•8 slices Italian country bread, about
•1/2 inch thick and 4 inches wide
•4 ounces mascarpone cheese


Instructions:

1.Mix together tomatoes, onions, olives, basil, capers in a small bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and black pepper. Pour over the tomato-onion mixture, and toss. Set aside.
2.Brush the bread with olive oil and grill slices directly over medium heat, turning once, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes total. Divide the mascarpone evenly among bread slices, spreading it with a knife. Spoon the tomato
onion mixture over the mascarpone cheese, dividing evenly and serve at room temperature


Italian Flat Beans~~ these beans are an Italian variety that are very tasty. They can be used the same way you would use any green bean. Please be aware that overcooking will cause them to become mushy. They will store best for up to a week in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Italian Flat Beans with Tomato and Garlic
4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian green beans or string beans, ends trimmed; cut on the diagonal into 2- to 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices (a scant 1/4 cup)
1 medium tomato, preferably peeled, cored and seeded, then cut into 1/2-inch dice (8 ounces)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (stacked, then rolled tightly and cut into very thin strips; optional garnish)
Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Drain immediately.

While the beans are cooking, heat the oil in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic slices, distributing them evenly. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the slices become almost translucent and start to brown on the edges; be careful not to let the garlic burn. Add the diced tomato and salt and pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, so that the tomato is heated through. Add the cooked green beans and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes; mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with the basil, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Italian Style Fried Potatoes
Ingredients:

*Two large potatoes
•1/2 pound of flat green (Romano) beans
•3 cloves of garlic
•2 tablespoons of tomato paste
•1-2 teaspoons of hot pepper flakes (optional)
•1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
•Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Process:

Begin by peeling the potatoes and cutting them in 1/8 inch slices. Next, submerge the potatoes in a large bowl of water and repeat process until the water turns clear (you're looking to remove the starch from the exterior of the potato as it will help during the cooking process). Add the olive oil to a large fry pan and add your potatoes (making sure the potatoes are well dried). After adding the potatoes, allow them to cook, untouched, for 5-7 minutes. Stir the potatoes and make sure both sides begin to brown and crisp up. Remove the cooked potatoes and place in a bowl with a few paper towels. Next, remove the stems from the green beans and quickly steam the beans for 2-3 minutes. Chop your garlic cloves into think slices and add to the fry pan with oil. Next, add the steam green beans and the tomato paste. Season the ingredients with salt and pepper and add the fried potatoes back the fry pan. Combine the ingredients until the tomato paste is dissolved and the potatoes and beans are coated with the paste.