Tuesday, August 25, 2009

This Week's Share--More of the Same

This week's share is looking just like last week's with the exception of a "weed" that I am offering up--purslane. Purslane in actually packed with important nutrients and is one of the only vegetable sources of Omega-3. Click here to read more about purslane (or verdolaga as it is referred to in Mexico). Its slightly sour taste is a nice addition to salads that contain sweeter vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers. Click here for a salad recipe.

This Week's Share:
Beans
Potatoes
Summer Squash (on to a new planting of mainly patti pan and zephyr)
Carrots
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Edamame
Okra
Purslane
Basil

Monday, August 17, 2009

Frying Peppers

Last week I noticed the sweet and fruity frying peppers have be picked over in the sweet pepper bin. This week I separated them out so you all can be sure to try this delicious variety. To read more about the special variety I am growing click here--Jimmy Nardello's. Here is another recipe fitting for these week's share that uses frying peppers, potatoes, and jalapenos

This week's share-Beans and Basil

This week's share marks the return of the beans--roma, provider, and of course the haricot vert--joining the greens beans is something new though--Edamame--the versatile edible soybean. Click here for the wiki how lesson on cooking Edamame.










This Week's Share:
Beans--haricot vert, roma, and provider
Potatoes
Baby Squash
Carrots and/or Baby Beets
Sweet Peppers
Frying Peppers
Hot Peppers
Edamame
Okra
Basil

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Perfect Recipe for This Week's Share



I will be posting more about this week's share very soon--click here to read about a recipe featuring purple potatoes, haricot vert, mint, and new this week--edamame--the edible soybean.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

This Week's Share--More Peppers

Every once and a while I will have a week where Monday's share is different from Wednesday's share--unfortunately vegetables don't seem to adhere to a work week schedule and tend to ripen as they see fit. So this week I won't list what's included in the share, instead I will just give you some recipe ideas for all those peppers.

One of my most favorite culinary treats is the versatile roasted pepper--great in sandwiches, on toast with sheep cheese, in salads, on pizzas--the perfect way to enjoy all the nutritional goodness in a ripe pepper.

Here are a couple of links to the roasting peppers:

From e-how--how to roast a pepper.

From the Wednesday Chef blog--roasting in an oven

And finally a video from Forkable blog.

Moving on the hot peppers---your choices are poblano, jalapenos, and a chile. I will post more about hot peppers in a future entry. In the meantime I thought I would share a blog all about poblanos--who knew. Poblanos by the way are the dark green, thinner skinned pepper in the hot pepper basket.

Finally a recipe from Fine Cooking using bell peppers, poblanos, and potatoes--perfect for this week's share:
Potato & Rajas Tacos
by Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger

Though cream may seem a little unexpected, a thick, slightly sour version plays an important role in Mexican cooking, adding a luxurious silkiness to special dishes. Here we use regular heavy cream and add shredded cheese for flavor and as a thickener.
Yields enough for 12 small tacos.
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3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium onions, halved and cut into 1/4 -inch slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 medium red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and julienned
4 medium poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and julienned
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup shredded manchego or Monterey Jack cheese
2/3 cup grated queso aƱejo, Romano, or Parmesan cheese

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Bring a medium saucepan full of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook just until tender, 6 to 8 min. Drain, pat dry, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, 15 to 18 min. Stir in the roasted red peppers and poblanos. Add the cream; bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and let the mixture simmer it until begins to thicken, about 4 min. (You can make the filling up to this point a day or two ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently over medium-low heat when ready to serve.) Stir in the grated cheeses. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

photo: Rita Maas
From Fine Cooking 26, pp. 49-50
April 1, 1998

Thursday, August 6, 2009

National Farmers Market Week-Vote For Your Favorite Market

August 2-8th marks National Farmers Market Week--the perfect time to come on out and support your favorite market. This week long acknowledgement of the value of farmers markets to the community is the brain child of the Farmers Market Coalition --an organization with some fantastic materials related to farmers market promotion. Partnering with the FMC, FoodRoutes (the good folks behind the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign) and American Farmland Trust. AFT is hosting a vote for your favorite market campaign that ends this Sunday at Midnight. Of course I hope you will vote (and vote for the Kennett Square Farmers Market, not that I am biased or anything). .
Speaking of the Kennett Farmers Market, if you were eyeing up the North Star Fruit Share and would like to purchase some fruit for yourself, good news--North Star will be at the Kennett Market this Friday--along with a host of extra vendors and the beautiful harmonies of Sisters 3

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

This Week's Share--Burger and Fruit


As August seems to usher in those hot and steamy days where indoor cooking seems less than appealing--I have the perfect solution--delicous Dr. Elkins angus burger, great on the grill. Starting this week burger will be available for purchase ($6 a one pound packet) in the freezer section of the refrigerator located in the distribution shed. Also beginning this week is the Fruit Explorers share from North Star Orchards. This fruit is ONLY for those who have signed up with the good folks at North Star ahead of time.

This Week's Share:
Beets
Carrots
Radish (an asian variety with a fair amount of heat and edible tops)
Cook Greens
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Sweet Peppers
Hot Peppers
Dandelion Greens
Herbs


This week's menu suggestion --burger topped with sauted peppers and onions, a cucumber/radish/carrot salad, grill roasted potatoes, sweet corn (available at the kennett market), and a dessert of fresh fruit from North Star Orchards. Yum!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Sunday Times

As I search the web for the perfect recipes for this week's share I thought you would appreciate Michael Pollan's latest reflections on our American culture's relationship to cooking. Click here to read article or click here for more on his NPR radio interview

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Vicarious Living

Although farm work has kept me firmly rooted in the immediate area this season, my wanderlust is tempered by the ability to live vicariously through others. I feel blessed to have friends and colleagues visiting places of interest and generously blogging and sharing pictures of their travels.

Check out Holly Tyson's trip around the world--SOS to the World.

Hoots and Hellmouth's latest farm visits.

And finally perhaps the posting I am most envious of, is by Tim Mountz of Happy Cat Organics regarding his visit to Eliot Coleman's Four Season Farm and the Good Life Center in Maine. Like Tim these sustainable agriculture/living forces have played a major role in my "career path".

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy a little on line travel as much as I.