CSA Harvest #12!!

Good day! It is with renewed vigor, hope and enthusiasm that we deliver your 12th week of produce to each of you this week! Wow.. maybe that spirulina and bee pollen energy combo actually works! We hope you all have managed to stay afloat upon the rising tide of squash, berries, basil and beans.. I don't think we could keep up with a weekly basket at this point. A friend of ours at the Sat farmer's market asked us how we liked to prepare those beautiful ringed chiogga beets and we told him that we don't eat produce.. he thought we were joking but it is partly true! At the end of day we can't muster up enough energy to get creative in the kitchen. Mono meals rule the farmer's life in mid summer. We thrive on quesadillas, nachos and Thai flavored kettle chips. Anything that is quick and easy to stuff into the mouth to fuel the next round of weeding, planting and irrigating. In fact 99% of the produce we eat is eaten out in the field while we work.. is this carrot sweet enough? quick wipe on the jeans to remove most of the mud and then popped into the mouth.. yes! beans, lettuce leaves, tomatoes, cukes even Asinete's infamous sweet, luscious corn is peeled open and eaten raw while hoofing it around the fields. Speaking of sweet corn it should be making an appearance in your baskets next week! Hooray! It is usually everyone's favorite part of the season (and we even find enough time to fire up the grill and throw fresh picked ears on a few nights a week).

In other farm news melons are really growing now as summer progresses and we finally see little eggplant! Peppers will also be making an appearance in baskets next week and we have quite a few tasty varieties for you to sink your teeth into. Also the heirloom tomatoes are turning from green to red (or green to light green as is the case of the tangy green zebra tom). The early glacier tomatoes you all have been getting are winding down. Also winding down sadly are the seascape berries we thought would be in the baskets until the first rains. Since this is our first time growing strawberries we are learning as we go.. we hope they will get a second wind and carry on until October we know they have become a favorite item for many of you.

Please don't forget the potluck date of Sunday, September 12th from 2-6pm. Come out and see where/how your food is grown, meet the friendliest and cutest bacon and pork chops you've ever seen and let the kids try their had at making homemade ice cream the hand cranked way! Also get a chance to meet other CSA members!

Enjoy!

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


Harvest This Week Includes:

Royal Burgundy and Green Bush Beans

Cucumbers (finally!!) mix of green marketmore, lemon and white boothby blonde

Cherry Tomato Medley (mix of orange sungold, white cherry and black cherry)

Red Marble Onions and Walla Wallas

Strawberries

Savoy Cabbage (the last cabbage for many a month we promise!!)

Michelle's Easter Egg Radishes

Summer Squash (patty pan, zucchini, yellow crookneck) recipe ideas below!

Glacier Tomatoes



How to Store it and Cook it!

More cabbage! What were we thinking?... I know! Well at least this variety is different and to us more attractive and more tasty than the standard green cabbage you have gotten before. This variety is called a Savoy leaf cabbage because of the frilly leaves. To many Savoy cabbage is the queen of cabbages. It is believed to have originated in Italy, or more precisely the ‘Savoy’ region, which is on the border of Italy, France and Switzerland. The earliest record of this variety dates back to the early 1500s. It is tender enough to be eaten raw in salads. A drawback of its tenderness is that it does not have the keeping quality of the standard green cabbage you've gotten. A week is generally the longest a head of Savoy cabbage will stay fresh in the refrigerator.

Simple Savoy Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 lbs. fresh wrinkly-skinned Savoy Cabbage
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:

1. Peel away the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard them. Then slice the rest of the cabbage into thin 1/4" strips.
2. Heat the garlic cloves in the oil in a large nonstick pan.
3. When the oil is hot add the cabbage and salt.
4. Mix often until the cabbage is thoroughly cooked.
5. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes:

If the cabbage gets to dry while cooking just add a little water to keep it from sticking. Note that the volume will reduce by 60 or 70% when cooked.

Cabbage and Potato Pancakes (from Simplicty - from a Monastery Kitchen)

1/2 head small green cabbage
4 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
a small bunch of parsley, chopped
8 TBS vegetable or olive oil

1. Quarter the cabbage and steam it for about 6-7 minutes. Drain and chop the cabbage finely.
2. Place chopped cabbage, grated potatoes, and chopped onion in a big bowl. Mash them thoroughly with a masher and mix them well with a spatula.
3. In a separate deep bowl beat the eggs. Add the milk and beat some more. Add the cabbage-potato-onion mixture. Add some salt and pepper and the chopped parsley. Mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 250. To make the pancakes use a crepe pan or nonstick skillet. In the pan heat about 1 tablespoon of oil (each time) to low-med and pour in about one eighth of the potato mixture. Flatten the mixture evenly with a spatula and cook over medium heat until the pancake turns brown at the bottom. Turn the pancake over carefully and continue cooking the other side. When the pancake is done, slide it carefully onto an ovenproof platter. Repeat the process until all the pancakes are done. Keep the pancakes in the warm oven until ready to serve.

Italian Stuffed Savoy Cabbage (‘Casseola')

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds of Savoy Cabbage
3 carrots
1/2 large onion
6 slices of bacon (or pancetta),
4 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Remove eight good looking outer leaves from the cabbage. Blanch them briefly in boiling water and lay on a paper towel to drain.

Chop the remaining cabbage, the carrots and the onion. Fry briefly in the olive oil until wilted but not browned; add the bacon, and season with salt and pepper.

Place a well-drained cabbage leaf on a plate or chopping board, fill with 1/8 of the stuffing mix and sprinkle with half a tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Fold the sides towards the middle and roll the leaf up, place with folded side down on a baking sheet. Repeat until the ingredients have been used up. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan.

Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees

Serves four.

(courtesy of: Italian Food Recipes)


Recipes ideas for the summer squash bounty!


Zucchini Chips

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
* 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
* 2 1/2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini (about 2 small)
* Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately.


Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash Salad with Citrus Splash Dressing


Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons grated orange rind
* 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)
* 1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 2 red onions
* 4 zucchini, each halved lengthwise (about 1 1/4 pounds)
* 4 yellow squash, each halved lengthwise (about 1 pound)
* Cooking spray
* 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Peel onions, leaving root intact; cut each onion into 4 wedges. Add onion, zucchini, and yellow squash to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Drain vegetables in a colander over a bowl, reserving marinade. Place vegetables on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 8 minutes or until tender; turn and baste occasionally with 3/4 cup of the marinade. Place the vegetables on a serving platter; sprinkle with the basil. Serve the vegetables with the remaining marinade.
Nutritional Information

Calories:
168 (16% from fat)
Fat:
3g (sat 0.4g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:
4g
Carbohydrate:
36.1g
Fiber:
4g
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Iron:
1.3mg
Sodium:
302mg
Calcium:
70mg


Zucchini Relish

Ingredients

* 1 cup chopped zucchini
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
* 2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the zucchini, onion, sugar, basil, red pepper, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Royal Burgundy Beans

These beans are beautifully colored but have the tendency to turn green when cooked. There are two ways you can prevent this from happening. One is to place a pinch of baking soda in the boiling water as you blanch the beans. The soda helps preserve the color. Another option which has been shown to work is sauteing the beans in a butter base in a skillet.

Thank you and enjoy!