Hooray for summer that is actually outside and now reflected in your CSA baskets! Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash and berries. The luscious bi-color sweet corn will not be far behind. We would have been getting ready to harvest the first crop by now if our first two sowings had not rotted in the cold, wet spring soil. Many of the other U-Pick farms in our area will have corn long before us since the seed they plant is treated with chemical fungicides to protect them from rotting in the uncertain Spring weather. Due to our certification with Certified Naturally Grown we are not allowed to use these seeds and chemicals and instead we need to rely on Mother Nature to let us know when the time is right for the corn to grow on its own. Of course this method resulted in quite a bit of wasted seed that rotted and time planting and replanting only to have nothing sprout. Still we would not farm any other way!
We wanted to include a picture of our faithful helper who arrives every Monday and works nine hours straight stopping only for an occasional sip of water. Geronimo comes from Oaxaca,Mexico and is a great help to us this season. His help allows us more time to play with Tione and make sure his needs are met. The pictures above show Geronimo digging up the potatoes that you will be enjoying in your baskets this week. Potato digging is hard work and I am not very good at it. I seem to find the potatoes best by spearing them underground with my digging fork. If you see spuds in your basket that have nicks or cuts it's a safe bet that they are ones I harvested. Please enjoy nicked ones first since they do not store as well. In your baskets this week is a mix of Red Pontiac potatoes, Mountain Rose (look inside when you cut them and see the beautiful rose colored hue!) Also the magnificent but stingy yielding Purple Majesty Potato. We have over 8 other varieties of potatoes growing at the farm yet to harvest!
Enjoy your bounty!
Suzie, Asinete, Tione, M.A, Violet, Sally and Jeanne
Harvest This Week Includes:
Potato Mix
Romano Beans
Carrots (new crop! yummy!)
Green Onions
Strawberries
Rainbow Chard
Summer Squash Mix
Cucumbers
Raspberries (this week we do hope for everyone! If not enough for all those who did not get last week will!)
How to Cook it and Store it!
Rainbow chard is one of the favorite crops we grow at the farm for a number of reasons. First of all every time we pick a bunch we don't know whether to cook it up or put it in a flower vase to enjoy its vibrant colors! Another reason is that chard is a crop that we can keep harvesting from almost all season. As we harvest the outer, largest leaves the new leaves keep coming up from the middle. The majority of the crops that we grow at the farm are harvested once and done (carrots, potatoes, beets, onions, turnips, radish, head lettuce). The last reason we love chard is because it is so darn tasty, easy to prepare and so good for you! Chard has high levels of magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E. Not only beautiful but good for you too!
Your chard will keep best wrapped in plastic bag in crisper drawer. Use by the weekend in one of the recipe ideas below.
Stuffed Chard Leaves
ingredients
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 medium shallots, minced, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
8 large Swiss chard leaves, stems removed (see Tip)
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
directions
1.Gently mix beef, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon shallot, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until just combined. Divide the mixture into 8 oblong 3-inch portions.
2.Overlap the two sides of a chard leaf where the stem was removed and place a portion of beef there. Tightly roll the chard around the beef. Place each roll, seam-side down, in a large nonstick skillet. Pour in broth, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll reads 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any remaining broth.
3.Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining shallot, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Serve the chard rolls topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
4.Tip: Remove chard stems, including the widest section of the rib at the base of the leaf, by making narrow triangular cuts.
Chard with Olives and Goat Cheese
ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped (see Note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives (can use kalamata)
1/4 cup currants
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (2 ounces)
directions
1.Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chard stems, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in olives and currants. Dot goat cheese over the top, cover and cook until the chard is tender and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes more.
2.Note: After washing the chard for these recipes, allow some of the water to cling to the leaves. It helps steam the chard and prevents a dry finished dish.
recipe source
eatingwell
Easy Chard Recipe
Ingredients
1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
1 small clove garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon butter
Salt
1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe. Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.
2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.
No comments:
Post a Comment