Roots Farm

Join us at the Saturday Farmers Market!

2011-12-01T09:11:00.002-05:00

Roots Farm Farmers Market: Saturday, December 3

This Week at the Market:
-Lettuce!: Sylvesta Green Butterheads & Red Cross Red Butterheads
-Carrots!
-Broccoli!
-Cauliflower!
-Green Savoy Cabbage
-Kale: Red Russian, Winterbor (Curly Green)
-Bright Lights Swiss Chard
-Easter Egg Radishes
-Sweet Potatoes: Beauregard, Georgia Jets
-Mixed Peppers
-Arugula
-Cilantro
-Dill

It’s frosty out there! Georgia is doing its usual weather flip flop of balmy-chilly, balmy-chilly. Last week I got a sunburn on Tuesday. Today, I’m watching ice melt off the kale. So it goes. The great thing about the ice is that is makes winter hardy veggies SWEET. Why is that? I’m not entirely sure, but somehow, some plants produce more sugar in reaction to the cold as a kind of anti-freeze. Plants regularly produce sugars as a part of their photosynthesis process, but the cold weather seems to trigger even greater sugar production. Sugar water has a lower freezing point that just plain water, so it acts as a natural anti-freeze. Ice crystals may form on the edges of the leaves, but the cells themselves will not freeze and burst (resulting in frost damage). Magic, I tell you, magic. Or really intelligent design. Smart nature? You choose. Either way, ice = sweet in the realm of winter veggies.

Are you missing your weekly supply? Never fear--we're still providing. Come see us at the Saturday Morning Athens Farmers Market! 9am-noon through December 17th! That’s 3 more weeks of farm-fresh produce for you! So come out and see us! Tender and delicious butterhead lettuce, crisp and sweet winter carrots and greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli, oh my! Surprisingly enough, early winter is one of the best times for fresh veggies in the Southeast. Come see us!

CSA Pickups -- Week 7 -- Kale

2011-11-15T17:18:00.001-05:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 7: November 15 & 18

This Week:
-Lettuce!: Sylvesta Green Butterheads & Red Cross Red Butterheads
-Kale: Red Russian, Winterbor (Curly Green)
-Peppers: Green Bells
-Broccoli!
-Sweet Potatoes: Beauregard, Georgia Jets
-Dill
-Garlic

Last Week of CSA Pickups!!
Can you believe it? 7 weeks have come and gone. Welcome to your last week of CSA pickups. We’re excited to have a loaded basket of lettuces, broccoli, kale, and sweet potatoes to send your way. Wondering what you’ll do for veggies for the rest of the year? Come get them from us! We’ll be at the Saturday Morning Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park until Saturday, December 17! The market runs from 9am-noon. You can also find us online at Athens Locally Grown where we’ll be offering all our veggies individually, as well as CSA-style baskets. We also sometimes sell to the Daily Grocery Co-Op on Prince Avenue--last week they had our kale and lettuce mix. So never fear--Roots still has plentiful produce for you. Come and get it!

You’re Invited! Roots Farm Thanksgiving Feast!
Sunday, November 20th at 1pm here at Roots! It’s a vegetarian potluck dinner, so bring yourself, your friends, a dish to share and preferably your own plates/cups/spoon/etc. We’ll be feasting it up, so come join us for our annual celebration of community and vegetables.

On the Farm . . .
It’s cleanup time, so we’re pulling trellises, weeding, mowing, and making it all look nice. That’s one thing I like about winter--everything slows down and looks so well kept and orderly. We keep clearing out the rows, tilling them up and planting them into winter rye and crimson clover. I love the rye and clover mix--so green through the winter! Then the rye gets tall and blows in the breeze and the clover blooms a red carpet underneath it in the spring . . . wow! Winter seems so peaceful compared to the rush and bustle of spring and summer. Hope you enjoy your winter time this year. Get some rest.

Kale
This brassica is back in the spotlight. Winter is absolutely the best time for kale. The frosty nights prompt the plants to make more sugars to keep from freezing (sugar has a lower freezing point). So even though there’s ice on the leaves, the cell walls don’t burst, the leaves thaw, and they taste sweet from their anti-freeze sugary protection. Delicious! Storage: Keep your kale wrapped in a plastic bag. The leaves respire and if you leave them exposed to the air, they do get wilty. If wilting occurs, just soak them in cold water for a while and they will revive some. Usage: kale is good raw, steamed, boiled, baked, in soups, salads, stews, and more! Kale chips anyone? Here are some recipe suggestions for you . . .

RECIPES
Kale Chips
1 bunch kale (de-stemmed)
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or pan with a light layer of olive oil. Place kale leaves in a single layer on the pan and drizzle with a little more oil. Bake for 12 minutes. Salt to taste and enjoy! Makes 2-3 servings. Jane tells us these are as good as potato chips. I've had them and I'd have to agree that they're pretty yummy. As well as an easy way to use up a bunch of greens in a pinch. Yum!

Sesame Kale Salad
1 lb. fresh kale (or other greens)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp honey (or other sweetner)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
dash of black or ground red pepper

Separate kale leaves from stems. Chop stems and greens. Steam stems a couple of minutes, then add the greens and steam until just tender. Drain; let kale cool enough to handle it. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Place in serving bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients in another bowl; add to greens. Mix, chill, and serve. Makes 4-6 servings. I also like to make this recipe RAW--omit the soy sauce, add a little more vinegar or lemon juice, shake the salad or massage it, chill for 1 hour or more, and serve. Enjoy!

Kale & Potato Tarragon Salad
2 lbs small potatoes, scrubbed
7 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 bunch kale, large stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4— 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
salt & pepper to taste

Steam or boil potatoes until fork-tender. Drain, cut into large bite-size pieces, place in large bowl, and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onions; saute until translucent. Add kale and garlic; cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes more (you can cover pan to help wilt kale). Combine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/4 tsp tarragon, remaining 6 Tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper. Add kale mixture to potatoes and pour dressing over everything. (It’s important to toss the dressing while the mixture is hot, to soak in the flavors.) Add more salt, pepper, or tarragon if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Colcannon
1 1/2 lbs medium potatoes (~ 3 taters)
2 tsp salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 1/2-2 lbs kale (15-20 large leaves)
1 cup chopped leeks or scallions
1 cup half-and-half or milk
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted

Put the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add 1 tsp of the salt and boil until the potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mash. Put in a heatproof dish and keep warm in a 200 degree oven. Meanwhile, put the kale in a pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add the remaining 1 tsp salt and cook until the kale is tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and finely chop the kale. Place the leeks or scallions in a small pot, cover with the half-and-half, and cook over low heat until very soft, 15-20 minutes. Add the kale to the warm potatoes and mix well. Ad the half-and-half with leeks or scallions. Add the pepper; season with salt to taste. Spoon a little of the melted butter over each serving and serve hot. Makes 6 servings. (from Farmer John’s Cookbook)

Simple Greens Soup

2 Tbsp butter or oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 lb peeled root vegetables, diced

4 cups water or vegetable stock

1 bunch kale, chopped

salt & pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Heat butter or oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent (don't let them brown). Add the root vegetables and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork, approximately 15 minutes. Add the greens and cook them until they wilt, about 5 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender or food processor) until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. For a creamy version, add heavy cream at the end and heat through. Makes 4 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook. Patrick has made this soup twice now and it's actually really good. We recommend it. Farmer approved.

CSA Pickups -- Week 6 -- Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-08T14:47:00.001-05:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 6: November 8 & 11

This Week:
-Lettuce!: Ermosa Green Butterheads & Red Cross Red Butterheads
-Kale: Red Russian, Winterbor (Curly Green)
-Peppers: Red, Yellow, Purple, & Green Bells, Carmen, Lipstick
-Broccoli!
-Sweet Potatoes: Beauregard, Georgia Jet (GIANTS)
-Cilantro

On the Farm . . .
We’re beginning the process of breaking down old summer crops. This week, we’re clearing out bean trellises, old cukes, and summer squash. We’re also still planting. Onion plants should be arriving sometime in the next couple of weeks--over 2000 of them! Then we’ll be transplanting sweet onions for the Spring. In the meantime, we’ve got salad mix, arugula, maybe radishes, maybe some mixed greens, perhaps some more cilantro and dill to plant in the hoop house for winter production. It’s nice to feel things slowing down a bit. The shadows are long now, days ending early. We’re moving into the shortest days of the year. Time to turn inwards, reflect, rest, and rejuvenate. Spring will come again, but for now we welcome Winter at our doorstep.

In Your Basket
Broccoli! Yay! The second round of broccoli is finally here. I’ve been watching the 2 rows in our lower garden for weeks now, wondering when they would be ready. They’re the same transplants as the broccoli that you got a few weeks ago, and transplanted at the same time. The garden location was different, though, and our lower garden is bordered by trees on the West side, so it’s getting shade now by 1or 2pm. Less sunshine for the plants. There are also some old tomato plants on the East side of those rows, so the sunshine has really been limited. Hard to believe that those factors would make that broccoli more than 2 weeks behind its fellow transplants in the full sun, but that is indeed the case. Enjoy these later season treats!

Also, GIANT sweet potatoes. Even though we dug our taters earlier than ever, we still produced a large percentage of really large roots. So we’re sending them your way. Don’t be intimidated by these gentle giants--they’re sweet and delicious. I recommend making soups, stews, souffles, pies, and fries with these big guys. They’re our featured veggie of the week, so check below for recipe suggestions.

Lettuce! The flow of butterhead lettuce continues. It’s come to my attention that you may be encountering insects tucked in the leaves of your lettuce. Aphids! Yes, they’ve infiltrated the ranks of lettuce and have set up camp in the rows. Never fear! A good steady stream of water from your sink faucet as you wash the leaves will send them down the drain. And if you happen to mistakenly eat a few, just consider them supplemental free protein--they won’t hurt you.

Sweet Potatoes!
Thought to have originated in Central or South America, sweet potatoes have been cultivated for a long, long time--some say over 5,000 years! Rich in complex carbohydrates, vitamins A, C, and B6, sweet potatoes have long been a dietary staple in the Southeastern US. Sweet potatoes and greens have fed many a folk through hard times, and in the last hundred years or so have fallen out of favor with the upper class because of their association with poor folks and as a survival food. Thankfully, the sweet tater is making a comeback. Now even the fancy restaurants have been know to offer sweet potato fries as a specialty item. And so we offer them to you. Enjoy! Storage: keep your sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place. In optimum conditions, they should keep for 1-2 months. Usage: fried, baked, sauteed, stewed, in pies, muffins, breads, and sauces. The possibilities are endless. Have fun!

RECIPES
Indonesian Sweet Potato & Kale Soup
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric
2 small dried chiles
15 almonds (opt. blanched)
1 large onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
2 cups veggie stock or water
14-oz can of coconut milk (not sweetened)
4 cups peeled & cubed sweet potatoes
6 small handfuls fresh spinach or chard or kale, coarsely chopped (or chiffonaded)
fresh lime or lemon juice

Grind the coriander, cumin, turmeric, chiles, and nuts in a small spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle, or with about 1/2 cup water in a blender. (I like to grind the spices and just chop the dry nuts with a knife so I get little bits of almond to crunch in my stew.) In a soup pot, briefly saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the ginger and salt and continue to saute until the onions are translucent. Add the stock and the ground spice mixture to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and the sweet potatoes and gently simmer, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in the chopped spinach/chard/kale and allow it to just wilt. Remove the pot from the heat, squeeze in lemon juice or lime juice to taste, and serve at once. Makes 6 servings. From Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant.

Spicy African Kale and Yams
1 large bunch kale, 4 cups chopped, pressed firm
4 cups yams or sweet potatoes, rinsed well, chopped
1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
2 cups cabbage, sliced
1 ½ cups onion, chopped
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp serrano chile, seeded and diced
Hot Sauce, to taste

Rinse and drain kale well. Steam kale and yams. Kale should still be colorful and yams should still have some firmness. While kale and yams are steaming, place oil in a large sauté pan and heat on medium high. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chili pepper, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cabbage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add small amounts of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Place in a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients, add kale, and mix well. Add yams and gently mix well. From www.SeasonalChef.com.

Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Braising Greens
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
6 cups loosely packed braising greens (kale, chard, collards), stems removed, torn into 2-inch strips
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. On foil-lined baking sheet, toss potato slices with 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy medium skillet over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add apples and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy large pot over moderate heat, combine remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons water. Add greens and sauté, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to moderately low and add sweet potatoes and apples. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Makes 10 servings. Serve hot. From http://www.epicurious.com.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil
1-2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1-2 Tbsp spice or spice combination of your choice: chipotle powder, smoked paprika, Chinese five-spice, pumpkin pie spice, garam masala, Cajun seasoning, etc.

Preheat oven to 450°F. (For more crispiness, preheat your oven to 500°F.) Peel the sweet potatoes (optional) and cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then, if they are very long, in half crosswise. Cut each piece into wedges. Alternately, you can slice the peeled sweet potato into disks either with a mandoline or a sharp knife. Try to cut them evenly so they all cook at about the same rate. Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add the oil. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle with salt, sugar and spices of your choice. Use your hands to mix well, so all pieces are coated with oil and spices. Spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet; the oil they are coated with should keep them from sticking to the pan. If you are trying to cut fat, reduce the oil to 2 Tbsp and use a non-stick coating on the baking sheet. Bake for a total of 25 to 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn over all of the sweet potato pieces. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until they are well browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 4-6 servings as a side dish. From http://simplyrecipes.com. The baking times are approximate; it depends on how thick you cut the wedges or rounds of sweet potatoes. For best browning results bake only one sheet at a time. Why the sugar? To help with the caramelization and to intensify the sweetness of the fries, but you can easily leave it out if you want. I recommend making a creamy dipping sauce for these tasty treats.

Sweet Potato Pie
1 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 tsp ginger
1/3 tsp allspice
1/3 tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Bake for 30 minutes. Makes 1 pie. I’m not sure where I got this recipe from. My grandmother used to like to make a sweet potato “pie” in a casserole dish with no crust. She also liked to add raisins and shredded coconut. I think pecans might be a nice addition, too.

CSA Pickups -- Week 5 -- Peppers

2011-11-01T13:55:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 5: November 1 & 4

This Week:
-Lettuce!: Ermosa Green Butterheads & Red Cross Red Butterheads
-Rainbow Swiss Chard
-Kale: Red Russian, Winterbor (Curly Green)
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Red, Yellow, Purple, & Green Bells, Carmen, Lipstick
-Arugula
-Dill

On the Farm . . .
Well, we finally got the killing freeze. Over Halloween weekend, the temperatures dipped down into the low 30’s, ice formed, and plant cells froze and burst. What’s that mean? The last of the summer plants have finally bit the dust. Blackened, wilty tomato, pepper, eggplant, squash, cucumber, and bean plants grace our fields now, done with their production for the year. So enjoy the eggplant and peppers while they last. This is the last week for eggplant. We’ve got some peppers protected in the hoop house that will continue until it gets REALLY cold, but eggplant are done.

It was amazing out in the fields this morning--34 degrees F at dawn--frost covered the grass, ice crystals laced the edges of leaves, frozen drops of dew scattered off the kale leaves as we picked them. Our more winter hardy plants like kale, cabbage, and broccoli can stand up to a bit of frost. In fact, they even get sweeter. The cold temperatures make them concentrate their sugars to keep from freezing. Makes for some of the best, tastiest greens of the season. Enjoy!

In Your Box
The last of the eggplant are appearing. Peppers continue to represent. The radishes are absent for a change. Arugula is back. And there is an ABUNDANCE of greens. We’ve got both kale and chard for you this week,
and we’ve included 2 heads of lettuce! Both are butterheads--one red, one green. Lettuce is in abundance for us right now, and if you’re like me, you can probably handle 2 heads in one week. Heck, I can eat one head in 2 days. Delicious. It’s a salad-y time of year.

Peppers
Our spotlighted veggie this week is the amazing and delicious pepper! Yay! Peppers are nutritionally significant and most contain high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the minerals iron and potassium. Native to Central and South America, pepper seeds have been found in Mexico from before 5000 B.C.! Following Columbus’s voyage, peppers spread quickly through Europe and all the way to India, where they were rapidly assimilated into the native diet. How will you assimilate peppers into your diet?

Storage: keep your peppers in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Peppers will get wilty and dehydrated-looking if left out in the open air, so keep them in a drawer or bag in the cool. Cut peppers deteriorate quickly, so use em if you cut em. They also freeze well--I like to dice them and freeze them on a cookie sheet, then scoop them off into a freezer bag for easy later usage. Usage: raw, in salads, sandwiches, soups, stews, sauces, omelets, stir-fires, casseroles, on the grill, and more!

RECIPES
Roasted Bell Peppers
4 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green, or purple)
olive oil

Turn your gas burner on high (electric will work, but gas is better) and place the peppers directly on the flame. Use any number of available burners to accommodate the peppers, or if the peppers are small you can place two on one burner. Using tongs, turn the peppers as their skins blacken; you want to end up with a pepper that is completely black (the amount of time for this depends on the size of the pepper, how hot the flame is, and how often you turn the peppers). Once they’re blackened, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the bag tightly. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, cut them in half, remove the stem and seeds, and flatten each half on your cutting board. Use a knife or your fingers to scrape away the skin. The peppers are now ready to use (keep refrigerated and use within the week). To store your roasted peppers longer, place them in a container, cover with olive oil, and seal tightly (then they will keep for several weeks). From Farmer John’s Cookbook. These are great on sandwiches, pizza, pasta, in omelets, with hummus, and more! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded & finely chopped (opt)
1, 28oz can tomatoes, with juice, chopped OR 1 quart stewed tomatoes OR 4 cups fresh
1, 16oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1, 16oz can black beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1 cup tomato juice
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, peppers, onions, and garlic. Saute until onions are golden, 12-15 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and jalapenos. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes. Makes a lot of food. I’m guessing 6-8 servings.

Escalivada Sandwiches
1 red onion
1 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 red bell peppers, roasted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
4 sandwich rolls, preferably ciabatta
4 oz fresh goat cheese
4 oz arugula
Herb Sauce:
½ cup basil leaves
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
juice from ½ lemon
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice onion, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers into ¼-inch rings. Toss the vegetable slices with olive oil and salt. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan in a single layer, and place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still maintain their shapes. Meanwhile, toast rolls. Divide cooked vegetables among the 4 rolls. Top vegetables with goat cheese and arugula. Place all herb sauce ingredients in a blender; puree. Spoon over arugula. Serve sandwiches warm. Makes 4 servings. From Peter Dale, chef of The National restaurant in Athens, GA.

Stuffed Peppers
a little oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 cups water, vegetable stock, or tomato juice
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, grated
salt & pepper
4 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

Heat oil in large skillet; add and saute garlic and onions. Add rice and brown for about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almonds in dry skillet or hot oven for several minutes, tossing often. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

CSA Pickups -- Week 4 -- Chard

2011-10-25T14:10:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 4: October 25 & 28

This Week:
-Lettuce!: Green Butterheads
-Rainbow Swiss Chard
-Sweet Potatoes: Beauragard, Georgia Jet, Vardaman
-Tomatoes: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust, Sungold cherry
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Red, Yellow, Purple, & Green Bells, Carmen, Lipstick, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Radishes: Easter Egg, French Breakfast
-Garlic: Persian Star, Siberian
-Dill

On the Farm . . .
It’s Becky’s last full week on the job and we’re sure gonna miss her around here. She’ll still be around from time to time, but for now, she’s heading off to the beach for a long-deserved vacation. Yay for Becky! I’m sure she’s gonna be sad she missed thinning all the carrots with us, but I think she’ll survive. In the meantime, Fall marches on, and so does October. In the last month, we’ve transplanted over 400 feet of strawberry plants, planted and mulched over 500 feet of garlic, transplanted a couple hundred more feet of lettuce, and seeded goodness only knows how many feet of arugula and radishes. October is a busy month, full of all our Fall planting projects. November finds us coming into a little less to plant, a little less to do. Once our first big fall freeze happens, we’ll have summer plantings to remove. Until then, it’s mostly maintenance--weeding, mulching, picking and selling produce. We’ll be planting onions next month, but the days of large transplanting jobs are over. Yay! Cruising into Fall.

In Your Basket!
Lettuce! Gorgeous big green heads of butterhead lettuce are here! They look just beautiful and taste the same. It’s salad time. I recommend giving them a second wash since it’s dirty and sandy out there in the fields. Also, Chard! Our fall chard plantings are finally big enough to pick, so our first pickings are coming your way. The recipes this week are all about chard. Enjoy! And, Sweet Potatoes! Seems like the curing process has gone pretty well and the taters are finally coming out this week. I know many of you were excited about having them appear in your shares this season, and the time has finally come. Sweet potatoes are here. Please pardon their superficial imperfections--cracks, dark colors, and odd shapes do not impair their flavor. Hope you enjoy them! And we’re saying goodbye to pole beans, cucumbers, summer squash, and okra. The cooler Fall weather is not to their liking. Seems as if the peppers and eggplant will still be with us until it freezes hard (sometime in the next few weeks), so enjoy them while they last!

Chard!
Facts: Chard (Beta vulgaris) is a close relative of the beet that has been cultivated for its leaves instead of its roots. The leaves are big and tender and often substituted for spinach in recipes (which it’s also related to). Indigenous to the Mediterranean, chard is often referred to as Swiss chard due to its initial description by a Swiss botanist in the 16th century. Chard is high in vitamins A, E, and C, and minerals like iron and calcium.
Storage: Keep your chard in a closed plastic bag--air is your enemy and will cause this delicate green to wilt quite quickly (though you can revive it by soaking it in cold water for a while). Chard will keep for a week or more in good conditions. Cooking: Most often, folks like to de-stem chard and cook the stems for longer than the leaves. It’s a texture issue that I’ll leave to your personal preferences. You can use chard as you would any leafy green. Chard is good in salads, on sandwiches, in casseroles, stews, and more! Try it massaged! Bake it into lasagne! Enjoy!

RECIPES
Quick and Easy Chard
1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
2-3 small to medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Olives, ½ cup feta cheese, 1 tsp. soy sauce

1. Chop the garlic, and let sit.
2. Chop chard, stems can be included unless they are too tough
3. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add chard and cook for 3 minutes without a lid.
4. Pour chard in a colander to drain, and press the chard to remove excess water.
5. Put chard in a bowl and toss with oil, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, and optional ingredients.

Spicy Vegetable Tart
Crust
¾ c. sunflower seeds
¾ c. walnuts
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. Flax seeds (soaked in ¼ c. water for 10 min.)
1/8 tsp. salt
Filling
4 cups Swiss chard, chopped (any kind of greens or a mix will work)
1 Tbsp. Vegetable broth
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 Small onion, chopped
3-5 small or medium cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1pinch red chili flakes
1 small tomato, chopped and seeded
5 oz. silken tofu
5 egg whites
1/8 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. While flax seeds are soaking, put crust ingredients in food processor and grind finely. Add soaked flax seeds with water to ingredients in processor and process for another 30 seconds.
3. Press crust mix evenly in a 9 inch tart or pie dish. It should come up to the top edge, and be an even thickness all the way around. Bake the crust for 15 min.
4. While crust is baking, chop onion and garlic, and let sit.
5. Bring lightly salted water to a boil, and add chopped chard. Cook for about 3 minutes.
6. Heat 1 Tbsp. broth in a medium skillet. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add herbs, tomatoes, salt, pepper to skillet and sauté for another 2 minutes.
8. Press excess water from chard and add chard to the mix.
9. Spread veggie mix evenly in tart shell.
10. Blend egg whites, tofu, turmeric, salt and pepper. Pour evenly over vegetable mix.
11. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until tart has set.

Swiss Chard Quesadillas
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 minced hot pepper
¼ tsp. cumin seed
1/8 tsp. oregano
¼ c. tequila
12 oz. swiss chard, chopped
8 6 in. corn tortillas
1 c. Monterey jack cheese, grated

1. Heat oil over medium heat, add onion and sauté until golden.
2. Stir in garlic, hot pepper, cumin, oregano, and sauté about 2 minutes.
3. Add tequila and simmer 1 minute, or until liquid has evaporated.
4. Stir in chard, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Let steam for 5 minutes, or until chard is tender.
5. Uncover and cook until liquid has evaporated.
6. Heat tortillas one at a time. After heating, sprinkle cheese on tortilla, then add chard mixture, and top with a second tortilla.
7. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until browned.

CSA Pickups -- Week 3

2011-10-18T14:52:00.002-04:00

This Week:

Broccoli

Radishes

Tomatoes and/or Cherry Tomatoes

Kale

Dill

Okra

Beans or Summer Squash

Eggplant

Arugula

Peppers

Tomatoes

On the Farm:

Sorry we missed a week of the newsletter last week. Sara was out of town on a much deserved vacation, and Becky had a death in the family, so we were a bit shorthanded. But we're back in action this week with lots to do. Now that the cooler weather is really starting to set in we have garlic and onions to plant for next year, old and dying crops that need to come out, hoop houses to prepare for the winter, and many rows to cover with fabric to keep the plants producing for a few more weeks.

In Your Basket:

We have lots of summer veggies still coming in this week, but as the temperature decreases it gets harder to keep these going. The cucumbers have already given out, and the squash aren't far behind. Once we get a frost, we'll also say goodbye to the eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. At the same time, we will be saying hello to lots of new fall crops like the broccoli this week. In the coming weeks, you can expect more greens like lettuce, chard, and broccoli greens, as well as cabbage.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a classified as a brassica, having evolved from wild cabbage in Europe, and first cultivated by the Romans. What most people eat from the broccoli plant, also known as the head or crown, is the flowering part before the flowers open. The leaves of the plant are also edible, and taste very similar. They can be used in place of other greens such as kale or collards. This vegetable is full of vitamins, but shouldn't be overcooked if you want those vitamins to make it into your belly. Broccoli is best eaten within a few days of harvest, and should only be stored in the hydrator drawer of your fridge.

RECIPES

Steamed Broccoli with Lemon Butter

1 head of broccoli

2-3 tbsp. butter

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Wash the broccoli and divide the florets.

2. Boil or steam the broccoli for about 10 minutes, until tender.

3. Melt butter and stir in lemon juice.

4. Pour over cooked broccoli and enjoy.

Broccoli Soup

1 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups broth
4 cups broccoli florets
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cups milk
ground black pepper to taste

Melt 1 tbsp. butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup, mixing well. Season with pepper and serve.

Broccoli and Tofu in Garlic Sauce

1 onion

3-4 cloves garlic

3 tbsp. olive oil

2 c. broccoli

1 block firm tofu

1 1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 tbsp. corn starch

1/4 c. soy sauce

1 c. water

1. Cut tofu into cubes.

2. In large skillet sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are clear.

3. Add tofu, ginger, cayenne and broccoli to pan. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 6-10 min.

4. In a separate bowl mix corn starch, soy, and water.

5. Add sauce mix to broccoli mix in the pan, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens.

6. Serve over rice or another grain.

CSA Pickups -- Week 1 -- Dill

2011-10-04T13:34:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 1: October 4 & 7

This Week:
-Tomatoes: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust, Sungold cherry
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Red, Yellow, Purple, & Green Bells, Carmen, Lipstick, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Kale: Winterbor, Red Russian
-Radishes: Easter Egg, French Breakfast
-Summer Squash!: Zephyr
-Cucumbers!: Marketmore
-Dill

On the Farm . . .
Well, it looks like that cold weather was too much for the basil. It’s bronzing and blackening and on it’s way out. It may make a comeback, but I’m not keeping my fingers crossed. Basil is such a cold-sensitive vegetable (that’s why you don’t want to keep it in your fridge). Oh well. As basil is on its way out, dill and cilantro are on their way in. You’ll find dill in your baskets this week, and it’s actually our featured veggie, so we’ve got lots of recipes that incorporate dill this week.

Yep, cool weather is here. And what that also means on the farm is that it’s time to plant strawberries! We got in 2,000 strawberry plugs last week, and this is the week they go in the ground. That’s a heck of a lot of berries for next year. It’s also garlic planting time. A couple of weeks from now, we’ll be breaking apart heads, preparing rows, and planting several hundred feet of garlic! Wow! October’s a busy month! Welcome Fall!

Pickups
We’re switching ALL of our pickups to the pre-packed box format for the rest of the season. Tuesday folks will still be picking up theirs on the farm, but we’ll be in and out during pickup hours, so we’re switching to a self-service format. There will be a pickup sheet to check off and extra veggie seconds available. Boxes will be in the walk-in. We appreciate you being able to make this change with us. The flexibility it offers us is needed at this time. So again, thank you. Friday folks--you already know this drill, so thanks for sticking with it. Yay!

In Your Basket
Cucumbers are here! Our Fall planting is finally producing, so we’re excited to offer everyone some cucumber goodness this week. Also dill is in the box. Summer squash continue to be available, as well as okra, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. The late summery goodness flows in. Glad you’re with us to enjoy it!

Dill
Dill is in the Apiaceae or Umbelliferae family (both names are valid). This is a family of usually aromatic plants with hollow stems, commonly known as umbellifers. Their seed heads form an inside-out umbrella-shaped cluster that many insects find desirable, and indeed these plants are great beneficial insect habitat. Plants such as angelica, anise, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, cicely, coriander/cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, lovage, Queen Anne's Lace, parsley, parsnip, and more are members of the Umbelliferae family. Yay for family ties. Storage: keep dill in a closed plastic bag for up to a week. Air is your enemy, so don’t let it dry out and wilt. Usage: dill is awesome in anything creamy, as well as some non-creamy things. I like it with potatoes, fish, dairy, and veggies like cucumbers, carrots, and beets best. We’ve got lots of recipes for you below, so enjoy this aromatic herb!

RECIPES
Confetti of Radishes and Carrots
3-5 radishes
4-6 carrots
8 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste

Shred radishes and carrots (with a grater or food processor). Toss with remaining ingredients. Chill & serve. Makes 8 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

Grated Raw Beet Salad
4 medium beets, peeled, grated coarsely (3-4 cups)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
salt & fresh ground pepper
1-2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

Put the grated beets in a large salad bowl. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, mustard, and garlic in a large jar. With the lid tightly screwed on, shake the jar vigorously until the oil and vinegar are thickened. Pour the dressing over the beets and toss until well coated. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Transfer beet mixture to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour. Add the fresh dill, toss again, and serve chilled on lettuce, over cottage cheese, or as an unusual and colorful condiment. Makes 6 servings. From Farmer John’s Cookbook.

Cheddar Dill Muffins
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine milk, eggs and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack. Makes 12 servings. From www.allrecipes.com.

Vegetable Fritters with Yogurt-Dill Sauce
2 medium white potatoes
2 large carrots
2 small zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
oil for cooking
Optional Yogurt-Dill sauce:
1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
4 oz plain yogurt

Grate potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. Place them in a colander and squeeze out the excess liquids. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion, flour, and garlic. Fold in eggs and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Coat a large skillet with oil and heat over medium heat. Spoon 2 Tbsp of fritter mixture for each patty into the pan and shape with the spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bottoms are crisp. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook 2-3 minutes more, or until browned on both sides. Serve immediately topped with Yogurt-Dill sauce (just stir the yogurt and the dill together). Makes 4 servings. Adapted from the June issue of Vegetarian Times Magazine.

Dill Gazpacho
6 medium ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 large lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

In a large bowl, stir together tomatoes, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper. Season with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. In a blender or food processor, puree half of the mixture until smooth. Return to bowl, stir in dill and mix well. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving. Makes 6 servings. From wwww.allrecipes.com.

Spicy Dill Potato Salad
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 eggs
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
1 red onion
2 cups reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup horseradish mustard
4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
1/4 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
8 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced, or to taste
1 pinch ground cumin, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two. Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and chill in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour. While the potatoes are boiling, place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel once cold. Chop the eggs, and place into the bowl with the potatoes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Cut the bell peppers in half, and remove the seeds, core, and stems. Place the bell peppers onto a baking sheet, cut sides down. Cut the onion in half, and place it onto the baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast the peppers and onion in the preheated oven until the skin of the vegetables has charred in places, about 25 minutes. Remove any large pieces of burned skin, and chop the peppers and onions. Transfer into the bowl with the potatoes and eggs. In a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, horseradish mustard, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, dill, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture, and lightly toss until the potatoes, eggs, and vegetables are thoroughly coated with dressing. Chill before serving. Makes 12 servings. From www.allrecipes.com.

CSA Pickups -- Week 4 -- Braising Greens

2011-09-27T16:30:00.002-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 4: September 27 & 30

This Week:
-Tomatoes: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust, Sungold cherry
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Red, Yellow, Purple, & Green Bells, Carmen, Lipstick, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Kale: Winterbor, Red Russian
-Radishes: Easter Egg, French Breakfast
-Summer Squash!: Zephyr
-Braising Mix (Champion Collards, Golden Frill Mustards, Purple & Green Mizuna, Astro Arugula)
-Basil

Last Week of September CSA!
Can you believe it? Four weeks have come and gone. Thanks for joining us and partaking of the late Fall bounty. Pepper and eggplant abundance, the return of kale, steady streams of arugula. Still want more? Then come on back for the rest of Fall!!

Now Accepting Members! October-November CSA
Details: 7 weeks of VEGGIES: Expect lots of greens like kale, arugula, mizuna, and chard. Roots like turnips, radishes, beets, and carrots. Late summer veggies like peppers, tomatoes, okra, and summer squash, and pole beans. Lettuce and broccoli should also be appearing, as well as garlic and sweet potatoes. Basil, dill, cilantro, mint, and rosemary will also be available.

One share size of 1/2 bushel (half share), 2 pickup options:

-Tuesday On-Farm Pickups: $16/week = $112 total
-Friday In-Town Pickups: $18/week = $126 total

(Fridays are slightly more expensive because the processing, packaging, and delivery of share boxes cost us a bit more.)

Full payment is due upon checkout. Payment by cash or check gets a 3% discount! Questions? Email us at RootsFarm@hotmail.com or check out the website www.RootsFarm.org.

Click here to sign up today. Pickups begin October 4th!

On the Farm . . .
We’re continuing the sweet potato treasure hunt. We’ve got a greenhouse full of taters curing in the warm dark, and the last row is ready to dig. We’ve also been transplanting lettuce, and we’re expecting another round to be ready to go in next week. Plus STRAWBERRIES. No, not the berries themselves, but the plants. We transplant the plants in the Fall and overwinter them to get an early jump on strawberry harvests in the Spring. We’ve got about 2,000 plugs coming in this week, so I foresee some serious transplanting coming soon. And speaking of planting, GARLIC planting is right around the corner. Need seed garlic that’s locally grown and acclimated to Georgia? We’re offering some for sale on Athens Locally Grown (or just email us and ask about it). So yeah. October is a busy month on the farm -- so much to plant! So much to harvest! Thank goodness we get such nice weather for it all.

Braising Mix
There’s braising mix in your baskets this week. What is braising mix? Any number of greens can be included, such as kale, collards, chard, broccoli greens, mustards, tat soi, mizuna, arugula, and more! Basically, a braising mix is just a mix of various greens that are more suited for COOKING than eating raw. Braising is a technique of basically browning your ingredients at high heat first, then adding liquid and simmering them until they’re done. Our mix this week has some spicy stuff like mustard greens and arugula, as well as milder ingredients like mizuna and collards. Enjoy!

RECIPES
Braised Greens Tacos
1 12 ounce bunch Swiss chard, washed (or collard greens, kale, etc.)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white or red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water
12 corn tortillas, warmed with a bit of water in a kitchen towel in the microwave
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (or feta, or goat cheese)
A large handful (6-10) cherry tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
(Alternatively, a store-bought salsa or hot sauce will work)

Heat the oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium high, add the onion and cook until golden but still a bit crunchy, 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Add the garlic and chili flakes to the onion and cook for an additional minute, then add the broth or water, a large pinch of salt, and the greens. Reduce heat to low and braise, covered, for about 5 minutes or until the greens are nearing tender, but not quite finished. Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes into a dry skillet over medium-high heat until blistered, transfer to a small food processor with the chipotle pepper and a large pinch of salt, and blend until smooth. Remove the cover from the greens and cook off the moisture until it is nearly dry. Season with salt if necessary. Fill each taco—two tortillas thick—with a tongful of the greens, a spoonful of salsa, and the queso fresco. From http://www.seriouseats.com.

Simple Braised Greens with Garlic
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches fresh summer greens, about 8 cups, washed and coarsely chopped. This could include a mixture of Asian greens, or mustard, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, kale – any toothy substantial green will do.
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 cup water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Optional flavorings: Sesame oil, ume plum vinegar, tamari
Optional toppings: sesame seeds, chopped almonds or walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add greens and garlic, stirring to coat with oil. Stir occasionally until greens are barely wilted, just a few minutes. Add vegetable broth or water and stir, allowing greens to steam until barely tender. Salt to taste. Add flavorings and toppings as desired and serve. Makes 4 servings. From http://www.care2.com.

Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Braising Greens
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons melted
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters
6 cups loosely packed braising greens (kale, chard, collards), stems removed, torn into 2-inch strips
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. On foil-lined baking sheet, toss potato slices with 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bake until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy medium skillet over moderate heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add apples and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Keep warm. In heavy large pot over moderate heat, combine remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons water. Add greens and sauté, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to moderately low and add sweet potatoes and apples. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in parsley, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Makes 10 servings. Serve hot. From http://www.epicurious.com.

Braised Mixed Greens
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for finishing
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, 1 slivered, 1 halved
1 lb greens, such as chard, broccoli rabe, spinach, kale, washed and chopped
A handful of chopped cilantro and parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cups cooked beans (borlotti, cannelloni, etc), home cooked or canned
3 to 4 slices chewy country bread
Shaved parmesan or crumbled gorgonzola

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch over. Add the onion and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the onion starts to soften a bit, after 3 or 4 minutes, add the slivered garlic. Cook for a minute more, then add the greens and any herbs. Season with ½ teaspoon salt. As the greens cook down, turn them in the pan to bring the ones on top closer to the heat. Once they've all collapsed, add ½ cup water or bean broth, lower the heat and cook, partially covered, until tender. Depending on the greens, it may take as long as 20 minutes . Just make sure there is some liquid in the pan for sauce. When the greens are done, add the beans, heat them through, then taste for salt and season with pepper. Toast the bread and rub it with the halved garlic. Arrange on plates and spoon on the greens and beans. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the cheese, if using, and serve. Makes 3-4 servings. From http://www.treehugger.com.

CSA Pickups -- Week 3 -- Mizuna

2011-09-20T16:32:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 3: September 20 & 23

This Week:
-Tomatoes: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust, Sungold cherry
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Green Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Kale: Winterbor, Red Russian
-Radishes: Easter Egg, French Breakfast
-Turnips: Hakurei
-Summer Squash!: Zephyr
-Mizuna
-Arugula
-Basil or Mint

On the Farm . . .
Last week we transplanted, this week, we dig. Yep, it’s sweet potato digging time. We’ve got over 300 feet of them to turn up, and it’s all done by hand. Shovels and digging forks, here we come. The rows inside our fence look great! Potatoes almost bursting forth from the ground, blanketed in waterfalls of purple-blooming sweet potato vines (they’re related to morning glories, so imagine lavender morning glory flowers). It’s beautiful and we’re excited to see what sort of buried treasure we unearth. . .

In Your Basket
This week, more of Fall’s bounty is appearing. We’ve got arugula again, as well as mizuna this time. What’s mizuna? It’s our featured veggie this week, so I’ll tell you more about it in a minute. Radishes are back, as well as some Hakurei turnips (my favorite sweet white Japanese salad turnips). Tomatoes are seriously slowing down, so enjoy them while they last. Peppers are still producing, and so are eggplant. And new to the scene . . . SUMMER SQUASH! That’s right, folks! Our late summer plantings are now beginning to produce and the buttery, delicious, bi-colored zephyrs are back in stock. Yum! Enjoy!

Fall Equinox
The Fall Equinox is this week on September 22/23 (at midnight on the 22, I think). That means that day and night are equal. It’s the balance point between summer and winter, when the days begin to get shorter leading towards the Winter Solstice in December when we have our shortest day. I just learned that on the equinox, the sun rises due East and sets due West, so it’s a good day to get your bearings around your home or favorite outdoor sit spot. After the equinox, the sun will rise in the Southeastern sky for the rest of winter. Hmmm. . . interesting. Google “Fall Equinox” and learn lots of interesting things about this time of year!

Mizuna
Mizuna, scientific name, Brassica rapa nipponosica, is a cool season Japanese mustard green that has long, broad, serrated, and deeply cut satin finished leaves. Though it has been primarily cultivated in Japan, mizuna is native to China. There are at least sixteen known varieties of mizuna, differing in textures, colors and flavor profiles. In America, mizuna is considered a specialty green and thus, has limited commercial exposure outside of Asian markets and farmers markets. Mizuna's flavors can be characterized as piquant and bright with a subtle earthiness. Toss peppery mizuna leaves in stir-fries the last minute of cooking. Mature mizuna makes a perfect substitute for chard or kale. Store these greens in a closed plastic bag, and for optimum flavor and texture, use within three to five days.

RECIPES
Soba Noodle Salad with Mizuna
2 cups Mizuna leaves, washed, stemmed, and chopped
2 carrots, cut into diagonal slices
4 thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts
½ cup of thinly sliced radishes
2 cups of cooked Soba noodles
1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Combine Mizuna, carrots, scallions and noodles in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine garlic, ginger, oil, and soy sauce. Whisk together and pour over noodles. Top with sesame seeds and enjoy!! Makes 3 servings. From http://cleananddelicious.com.

Wok Sauteed Mizuna & Portabella Mushrooms
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 Tbs soy sauce, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp canola or peanut oil
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup chopped water chestnuts
1/2 cup finely chopped zucchini or yellow squash (or a combo of both)
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1 tsp chili garlic sauce
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup sliced swiss chard
½ lb mizuna, trimmed (I used micro- mizuna)
¼ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup finely chopped green onions

In a medium bowl, mix egg white with 1 Tbsp. of the soy sauce and garlic. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat 1 tsp. of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add egg white mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 4 to 6 minutes, transfer to a plate; set aside. Heat remaining 1 tsp. of oil in the pan. Add carrots, onions, water chestnuts, squash and mushrooms, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add remaining soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, swiss chard and mizuna and cook, stirring often, until slightly wilted. Return egg white mixture to pan and toss well. Garnish with peanuts & green onions and serve- either alone or on top of brown rice. Makes 6 servings. Adapted from www.RecipeGirl.com

Mizuna with Potatoes and Shallot Vinaigrette
3/8 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut in irregular bite-size chunks
Sea salt
6 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 large shallot, slivered
4 oz mizuna, rinsed and dried
2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
1 tsp freshly crushed black peppercorns

Place potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover. Season water liberally with salt. Bring to a simmer, cook just until potatoes are tender, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain. When potatoes stop steaming, transfer them to a wide bowl. Combine oil, vinegar and salt to taste, and drizzle about one-third of this dressing over potatoes. Add shallot. Fold together with a rubber spatula. Dressing will pick up creaminess from potatoes. Set aside. Place mustard greens or mizuna in a second wide bowl suitable for serving. Toss with half of the remaining dressing. Add potato mixture, and fold in gently. Halve eggs lengthwise, then cut in crosswise slices 1/8-inch thick. Scatter over salad, add remaining dressing, and fold once or twice very gently. Dust with crushed pepper, and serve. Makes 4 servings. From http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com.

CSA Pickups -- Week 2 -- Radishes

2011-09-13T16:15:00.000-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 2: September 13 & 16

This Week:
-Tomatoes: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Green Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Kale!: Winterbor, Red Russian
-Radishes: Easter Egg, French Breakfast
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
We’re planting up a storm. Beets and radishes and turnips and arugula went in already this week, and we just got another round of transplants--chard and head lettuce--that we’ll be installing in the next couple of days. Seeding, weeding, transplanting, oh my! Thankfully, we’ve got some sweet fall weather to do it in.

In Your Basket
It’s so exciting! Kale is back! I know some of you may be thinking, really? Already? But the answer is yes. Kale and more kale. It’s so tender this time of year; the stems just snap apart at the slightest pressure. Those young, delicate, Fall kale leaves are always so amazing to me, and delicious! Hope you enjoy them. So yeah, we’re picking kale again. See ya later summertime. And radishes are on the scene this week! Beautiful Easter Egg radishes (multi-colored) and delicate, pink & white bi-colored French Breakfast radishes are all coming in this week. We’ve also got some braising mix coming along and more arugula, as always. We also have some Fall plantings of summer squash, cucumbers, and pole beans that are looking lovely. The summer squash may even be available next week or so. Yippee!

Radishes
Raphanus sativus The descriptive Greek name of the genus Raphanus means "quickly appearing" and refers to the rapid germination of these plants. The common name "radish" is derived from Latin (Radix = root). Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Citizens of Oaxaca, Mexico, celebrate the radish in a festival called Noche de los Rábanos (Night of the Radishes) on December 23 as a part of Christmas La Navidad celebrations. Locals carve religious and popular figures out of radishes and display them in the town square.

Storage: separate roots from greens and store separately in plastic bags. The greens should be used within 2-3 days, the roots within 2 weeks. Usage: radishes are good both raw and cooked. Radish greens are also edible; they have a spicy-peppery bite like mustard or turnip greens and generally need to be cooked. Radish roots are good raw in salads, on sandwiches, and in my favorite--spring rolls! You can also use radish roots in making kimchee if you like brewing your own ferments (I do!). Cooked, you can roast them, sautee them, deep fry them, and more; cooking mellows the spicy flavor. You can also substitute them for potatoes in some dishes. Don’t be afraid to apply heat to these pretty roots and don’t be afraid to experiment. Enjoy!

RECIPES
Radish & Cucumber Salad with Tofu
1/2 lb firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp peanut oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1/2 tsp sugar
fresh ground black pepper
8 radishes, thinly sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch slices
toasted sesame oil (optional)
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
grated fresh ginger (optional)

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the tofu cubes; boil for 1 minute. Transfer the cubes to a clean dish towel to drain and cool. Stir the rice vinegar, oil, and tamari or soy sauce in a small bowl. Stir in the sugar and pepper to taste. Whisk until well combined. Transfer the cooled tofu cubes to a serving bowl. Add the radish slices and cucumber; briefly toss. Add the dressing; toss again until the salad is thoroughly combined. Makes 4 servings.

Tender cubes of cold, barely cooked tofu are a wonderful treat in this salad. They provide a satisfying, soft complement to the crispy vegetables--similar to cubes of mild cheese. As for taste, with nippy radish slices and a delicious salty-sweet dressing, this salad has flavor to spare. Try adding a few drops of toasted (dark) sesame oil or tossing in some toasted sesame seeds for a deeper, more "authentically Asian" note. Ginger fans will enjoy a grating of fresh ginger in the dressing. From Farmer John's Cookbook.

Confetti of Radishes and Carrots
3-5 radishes
4-6 carrots
8 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste

Shred radishes and carrots (with a grater or food processor). Toss with remaining ingredients. Chill & serve. Makes 8 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

Beet & Daikon Slaw
1 yellow beet, peeled and cut into matchsticks (julienne)
1 red beet, peeled and cut into matchsticks (julienne)
1 6-inch daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks (julienne)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp unsalted rice vinegar
1 tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, cover, and let stand for at least 30 minutes. Season to taste and serve. Makes 2 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

Sauteed Radishes with Radish Greens and/or Arugula
1/4 c. butter
1 lb radishes
4 c. radish greens or arugula
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 small lemon)
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Radish greens and arugula both have a peppery bitterness that mellows slightly when they are cooked. You can use either radish greens or arugula, or both, for this recipe.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes; cook, stirring constantly, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cook. Return skillet to stove. Put the green or arugula in the skillet with the wash water still clinging to the leaves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until wilting, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat. Add lemon juice and radishes to the skillet; stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Radish Top Soup
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
2 medium potatoes, sliced
4 cups raw radish greens
4 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
5 radishes, sliced

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and saute until tender. Mix in the potatoes and radish greens, coating them with the butter. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the heavy cream. Cook and stir until well blended. Serve with radish slices. Makes 6 servings. From www.allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/radish-top-soup/detail.aspx).

Roasted Radishes with Soy Sauce and Toasted Sesame Seeds
20 medium radishes, trimmed and cut into fourths (use all red, or a mixture of red and white)
1 1/2 Tbsp roasted peanut oil
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce (I used about 1 1/2 T)
2 green onions (scallions) sliced thin
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry pan

Preheat oven to 425 F. Wash radishes, trim ends, peel if needed, and cut into same size pieces. I cut the white icicle radishes into diagonal pieces, and the red ones into half or fourths, depending on how big they were. Cut green onions into thin slices. Toss radishes with peanut oil, then roast about 20 minutes, stirring one or two times. When radishes are tender and starting to brown, remove from oven, toss with soy sauce to coat and mix in green onion slices. Put back in oven and roast about 5 minutes more. During final five minutes roasting time, put the sesame seed in a dry pan and toast over hot stove for about 2 minutes, or until starting to brown. Remove radishes from oven, place in serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot. Makes 3-4 servings, recipe only slightly adapted from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop.

CSA Pickups -- Week 1 -- Arugula

2011-09-08T14:11:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 1: September 6 & 9

This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Red Noodle Beans or Pontiac Red Potatoes
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Arugula
-Basil

Welcome to the First Week of Fall CSA!
And welcome to the official Roots Farm newsletter and blog! Each week, we’ll tell you what’s been happening around the farm, let you know about events, and feature a veggie of the week with recipes to feed your culinary imagination. All of it right here! Yay! Reminders: pickups are from 4-7pm Tuesdays or Fridays. If you’re going to miss your pickup, we need to know IN ADVANCE. Please. If you miss pickups, your share tends to get re-absorbed into the farm and is generally not just sitting patiently in the cooler, waiting for you to remember it. Help us get you your veggies. Given advance notice, we can usually find a way to meet your needs. And hey, if you’ve got an iPhone, just set your alarm to go off and remind you each week to come and get ‘em. Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra, beans, basil, and arugula, oh my!

On the Farm . . .
We’ve officially shifted gears and we’re moving quickly into our Fall tasks here on the farm. We’re seeding things like lettuce, braising mix, radishes, turnips, arugula, carrots, and beets. We’ll soon be transplanting chard and head lettuce. The broccoli and kale and cabbage is growing strong and we’ll be able to pick our first fall kale within a week! Now we’re doing much bed preparation, seeding, transplanting, and weeding. The cycle begins again. At the same time, we’re still picking our summer veggies, taking out old trellises, and preparing to dig sweet potatoes. Lots to do on the farm in early Fall. And at least today, there was some really good weather to do it in.

Weekend Workday . . .
Is taking the month off. Check back in with us in October.

Arugula
Our veggie of the week is arugula! Yay! Arugula is a tender, leafy vegetable often used raw in salads. It’s got a spicy-peanutty sort of flavor that intensifies in the heat of summer and as the leaves mature. The spice can be tamed with a little cooking, and arugula teams well with other veggies in a saute, on pizza, and in a braising mix. Arugula tends to be a love it or hate it kind of food, and I have to admit that I used to be in the hate-it group, but I’m here to tell you that, given the right conditions, it can be downright delicious! I like tender, young arugula in a salad with other lettuces, or even in a salad of its own with some balsamic vinegar and tomatoes. If you don’t like it yet, don’t give up hope. There may be an arugula manifestation out there that suits your fancy. Storage: in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

RECIPES
Arugula & Pear Salad
Salad:
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
2 firm red Bartlett pears
5 c. butterhead lettuce (Bibb or Boston) washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
4 c. arugula, trimmed, washed and dried
Dressing:
2 Tbsp minced onion
3 Tbsp vegetable broth
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & fresh ground pepper

To prepare salad, toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Just before serving, cut pears into 16 slices each. Place in a large bowl. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and spoon 1 tablespoon of the dressing onto the pears and toss to coat. Add lettuce, arugula and the remaining dressing; toss well. Top with walnuts. Makes 8 servings. (from the Seasonal Chef website)

Roasted Sweet Potato and Rocket Salad
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 dash hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup walnut oil
1/2 pound baby arugula leaves
1 (2 inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Whisk the 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a bowl; toss the sweet potato wedges with the olive oil to coat. Place the bell pepper halves with their cut-sides down onto a baking sheet; arrange the sweet potato wedges around the peppers. Roast in the preheated oven until the potatoes are slightly charred and crispy and the the bell pepper skin is blistered, about 45 minutes. Shake the pan once mid-way through the cooking time to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan. Set the potato wedges aside to cool. Place the pepper halves into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; allow to sweat until cool, about 20 minutes. Peel the skin from the peppers and discard. Mince the garlic and shallot together in a food processor. Add the peeled peppers, lemon juice, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper; puree until smooth. Slowly stream the 1/2 cup olive oil and the walnut oil into the mixture as it blends. Transfer to a large bowl; add the arugula leaves and toss to coat. Divide the potato wedges between 4 salad plates; top the wedges with equal amounts of the dressed arugula leaves. Shave the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the salads to serve. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings. From allrecipes.com http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-sweet-potato-and-rocket-salad/detail.aspx.

Spinach Fettuccine with Arugula and Tomatoes
1 lb spinach fettuccine
salt
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra virgin to finish
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 small dried red chiles, broken in half, or several pinches of red pepper flakes
6 or more cups mature arugula leaves, large stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes
3 Tbsp chopped parsely
freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese

Drop the pasta into plenty of salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet, add the garlic and chile, and cook over medium heat until the garlic turns light gold. Add the arugula, season with a few pinches of salt, and saute until wilted. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley and turn off the heat. When the pasta is done, scoop it out and add it directly to the pan. Toss well and serve with a dusting of cheese and extra virgin olive oil drizzled over the top. Makes 4-6 servings. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Note: as they mature, arugula leaves get large, hot and spicy. They’re too robust for salads, but when cooked, their pungency softens, leaving just enough to add zest to the pasta. Enjoy!

Arugula Pesto
4-5 Cups packed arugula
3 med-large cloves of garlic
1/3 cup walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cold pressed olive oil

In a food processor, grind garlic and walnuts into a fine paste. Add arugula and pulse to chop finely. Add salt and nutritional yeast. Blend well. With processor running, add 1/4 cup olive oil. Transfer mixture to plastic or glass container and press to remove air bubbles. Cover with 2 Tbs olive oil and refrigerate.

This is a raw vegan recipe. The nutritional yeast can be substituted with romano or parmesan cheese and you can toast the walnuts before adding, if desired. You could also make this with pine nuts. This is a very flexible recipe that can be tailored to what you have on hand. This is a thick "stock" pesto. If using with pasta, bruschetta, veggies, gnocchi, or whatever you desire, add a bit more olive oil and/or some (pasta) water to thin and coat the pasta, etc. (Thanks Jen!)

Arugula and Red Pepper Pesto
1/2 lb. arugula
1 1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 roasted red peppers
1 cup toasted piñon nuts (or other nuts will do)
1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup olive oil

Blend everything together in a food processor, stopping to scrape sides and processing again. We like the pesto rich, salty and oily. A few cloves of sweet roasted garlic are a nice addition. As a note: older arugula can be bitter, so this pesto can be cut with fresh spinach for milder flavor is your arugula is mature. Serving suggestions: spread on pizza crust, and top with cheese & veggies; toss with hot pasta (ziti is a particularly good vehicle); add to sour cream for a dip. You can also freeze the pesto in greased ice cube trays for easy-access portions. Recipe compliments of the Seasonal Chef (www.seasonalchef.com).

CSA Pickups -- Week 18 -- Long Beans

2011-08-30T16:23:00.002-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 18: August 30 & September 2

Long Beans

1 pound long green beans
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons peanut oil
sesame seeds -- for garnish
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 red bell pepper -- small diced

Blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until cool. Pat dry. In a wok or skillet heat the peanut oil on med heat. Add the garlic, and stir quickly until it softens and takes on some color. It can burn quickly so be careful with the heat. Add the blanched beans. Add everything else and stir fry for a couple more minutes. Mound beans in the center of a platter and drizzle any remaining sauce over the top, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. From http://www.grouprecipes.com/100386/long-beans.html.

Yard-Long Beans with Kabocha and Coconut Milk
1 pound yard-long beans, cut into 2-inch slices
1/4 pound kabocha, cubed into 1/2 inch segments
1 tablespoon curry powder, optional
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons cooking oil or lard
1-inch piece galangal or ginger, crushed and sliced
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1/2 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil and add the spices and ginger and saute lightly until fragrant. Add the kabocha squash and saute for 2 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 2 minutes, until the beans are lightly browned. Add the coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) to the pot and let the liquid simmer for 20 minutes, until the beans and squash are tender but not mushy. Serve warm. From http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/07/yard-long-beans-with-kabocha-and-coconut-milk.html

Sichuan Style Stir-Fried Chinese Long Beans Recipe
1/2 pound Chinese long beans
1 tablespoon peanut oil (sesame or vegetable can suffice)
4-6 dried chilies, preferably Sichuanese, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons sesame oil
Splash of soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free option)

Add a tablespoon of peanut oil to a wok or a large sauté pan over medium heat and swirl until hot. Add chilies and peppers and stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Add the long beans and stir-fry vigorously for 3-4 minutes (you don't want the spices to burn, if they start to then turn down the heat a bit). Season with salt and sugar and stir-fry a few seconds more to mix it all together. Remove from heat. Stir in the sesame oil and soy sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 3-4 servings. From http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sichuan_style_stir-fried_chinese_long_beans/.

Sichuan Dry-Fried Yard-Long Beans
1/4 cup stock, meat or vegetable
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil or lard
1 pound yard-long beans, cut into 2-inch segments
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
3 dried red chilies, lightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed in a mortar and pestle
1 tablespoon Chiangking vinegar
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion

In a large wok heat the oil and add beans. Saute until lightly browned. Remove from wok. Add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and peppercorns to the wok and stir-fry rapidly. Stir-fry for 40 seconds or so. Reintroduce the beans to the wok and mix with the other ingredients. Add the stock, salt, and sugar to the wok and simmer for 40 seconds 1 minute, or until the liquid has evaporated. Add the vinegar and the green onions and stir around. Serve immediately with noodles or rice. From
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/07/sichuan-dry-fried-yard-long-beans.html.

Szechuan Long Beans
1 lb long beans
¼ cup char choy* (shredded)
¼ cup mushrooms (shredded)
1 red chilli (thinly sliced)
oil for frying
Seasoning :
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Dash of salt
*Char Choy ¨C Vegetable soaked in salt water and chilli. Available in Asian markets.

Clean long beans, cut into 6 to 8 inches long. Drain thoroughly. Deep-fry long beans under high heat till
dried and flat. Dish out. Add a little oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add char choy, mushrooms and chillies cook till fragrant. Add the fried long beans and mix well. Taste and adjust with seasoning. Dish up and serve. Makes 6 servings. From http://www.asianfood-recipes.com/Asian_Vegetarian/Szechuan_Long_Beans.php.

CSA Pickups -- Week 17 -- Eggplant

2011-08-23T16:08:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 17: August 23 & 26

This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero, Ahi Dulche
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Sugar Baby Watermelons, Mixed Other Melons
-Garlic
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm
The weather is cooling off and we’re in the midst of Fall plantings. We transplanted kale, cabbage, and broccoli last week and finished the cabbage and cauliflower this week. We’re direct seeding radishes, turnips, and arugula, and our direct seedings of beans, summer squash, and cucumbers are already up and going! The carrots and beets are taking a bit longer, and the grass in that part of the garden is really giving us a run for our money. We may have to re-seed to beat it, which means a later start on carrots. Always something to manage. Thankfully, there’s nice, cool weather to do it in.

Take the Survey !
Every year, we like to get feedback and try to do a better job by our members. For that, we need to know what you think! So we’ve created a super short, 10-question survey that you can take online. Click here for the survey. Please tell us how we did and what we could do to make our services more desirable for you. We developed in-town pickups per request, have grown more strawberries and less eggplant (if you can believe that), more lettuce, more arugula, more cantaloupes. We’ve created half shares, instituted a market-style pickups on-farm, gone to online newsletters, accepted memberships online, and more! What would YOU like to see in your local CSA? Let us know.

September CSA
We’re still accepting members to the first of our Fall CSA offerings--September! We’ve got about 15 shares still available, so spread the word. Tomatoes, basil, peppers, eggplant, okra, and more! Oh my! We’re only offering one share size--half share for $21-23/week ($21 on farm, $23 in town). Click here to sign up today! Or, go to our website for a few more details. Hope to have you with us!

Eggplant
The mighty eggplant is in the spotlight this week.

Eggplant Fritters
eggplant
2 cups all-purpose flour (you can also use seasoned flour or add desired seasonings)
1 scant tsp salt
dash of freshly ground pepper
3/4 - 1 cup flat beer or water
olive oil, for frying

In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and pepper. Make a well in center and add beer or water. Stir with a fork until a thick batter forms. Refrigerate, covered, for several hours before using. Reserve remaining flour for dredging vegetables. Wash and dry eggplants. Slice into either thin rounds or long thin strips. Salt, if desired, to rid them of any bitterness for 30-60 minutes. (If you do this, rinse them very well and pat dry.) Dip in batter and deep-fry in very hot oil. From The Food and Wine of Greece.

Tomato & Eggplant Salad
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp ouzo
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt, to taste
2 medium to large plump ripe tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash eggplant and pat dry. Puncture skin lightly with a fork and bake whole in an ungreased pan for about 25 minutes, or until soft and slightly shriveled. Remove and cool slightly. Remove stems, cut eggplant in half lengthwise, and remove skin and seeds. Cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches wide, then cut strips in half. Place in a small deep bowl and marinate in olive oil, ouzo, garlic, and salt for at least 2 hours before using. In a medium bowl, combine eggplants, tomatoes, and parsley. Toss well and season with freshly ground pepper. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 servings. From The Food & Wine of Greece.

Baba Ganoujh (or Ghanoush)
2 lbs eggplant, cut in half, flesh side scored deeply in crosshatch pattern
2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp virgin olive oil
Lemon juice to taste (1-2 lemons)
4 Tbsp yogurt
4 Tbsp tahini (or substitute mayonnaise)
1 tsp salt, to taste
minced fresh parsley

For an authentic smoky taste, grill or broil the eggplant first. If you’re using a grill, maintain heat at a medium-low temperature. If you’re using a broiler, preheat first and then turn it down to the lowest possible temperature. Brush the eggplant halves with olive oil and place, flesh-side down if using a grill, flesh-side up if using a broiler, and cook until charred and very soft, turning once, about 40 minutes. Set the eggplant to drain in a colander in your sink until it’s no longer warm to the touch. Scoop the flesh into a food processor or food mill, discarding skin. Process the eggplant with a few off-on pulses or force it through a food mill into a mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, garlic, yogurt, tahini (or mayonnaise) and salt. Place the mixture in a serving dish and sprinkle the top with parsley. Chill well. Serve as a dip with raw veggies or pita bread. Makes 4 servings. From the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook.

Thai Eggplant Dip
2 medium eggplants
3-4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
pita bread

Cut off eggplant stems. Pierce eggplant several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and cook in a 350-degree oven until very soft, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, remove skin. With the motor running on a food processor, add garlic and ginger and mince. Add eggplant and whirl until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except bread. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze. Serve with warm pita bread triangles. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Baked Eggplant “Lasagna”
Olive oil for greasing pans and coating eggplant and peppers
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt
1 green bell pepper, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup tomato sauce, divided
4 oz mozzarella cheese, grated
1/3 cup pitted, finely sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease an 8– or 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet, season with salt, and lightly brush the tops with olive oil. Bake until eggplant is soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a plate and set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Toss the peppers with a few dashes of olive oil in a medium bowl. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, egg whites, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, basil, parsley, cayenne pepper, and a generous dash of salt until all of the ingredients are well combined. Arrange half of the eggplant slices in the baking dish. Spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the slices. Pour half of the tomato sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Arrange the pepper and olives on top of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Add the remaining eggplant slices and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until all the layers are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 45 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

CSA Pickups -- Week 16 -- Peppers

2011-08-16T16:35:00.002-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 16: August 16 & 19

This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star, Habanero
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Watermelons: Sugar Baby
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
We just got in our first round of Fall transplants to plant--hundreds of little green babies of kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage to get in the ground. And this week, the weather has taken a turn for the better, bringing us days in the low 90’s, nights in the 60’s. Wow! It’s so nice out there I don’t know what to do with myself. Keep working, I guess. It’ll be good for the new transplants, though, to have a gentler introduction into the sometimes harsh conditions of field life. We’ll be gentle. Nature will be whatever it is.

Summer CSA Pickups Reminder
We’ve had a lot of questions about when pickups end for the season, so here’s the update: after this week, there are 2 more weeks of pickups. The very last pickup date for the summer season is Friday, September 2. So keep coming out--we’ve still got your veggies. And some of you still have our boxes. If you have any laying around, please bring them on back. We’ve resorted to using liquor boxes because we’re out of the fancy waxed ones. Although it is entertaining to give folks veggies is Jose Cuervo boxes, the waxed ones hold up much better to refrigeration and continued usage.

Fall CSA!
Yay! Right now, we’ve got a September CSA to offer you. Our apologies if you’ve had any trouble signing up. We’re still learning how the system that we’re using operates, so thanks for your patience as we work out the bugs. If you have any problems, don’t hesitate to email us at RootsFarm@hotmail.com and we’ll get you lined up right. So yeah. Four weeks of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and okra. Stock up on your late summer produce. One size share only, same two pickup options. The two pickups cost slightly different prices since we’ve added a small fee to the in-town pickups to cover our costs for processing, packaging, and delivery. Here are the details:

Tuesday On-Farm pickups $21/week for 4 weeks = $84
Friday In-Town pickups $23/week for 4 weeks = 92

Pickups will continue to be from 4-7pm both days and both locations. Full payment is due upon checkout, and you get a 3% discount for paying by check or cash. SIGN UP TODAY! We’re only offering 60 shares, so get yours now. Click here to sign up online. Or go to http://rootsfarm.joincsa.com. We’re excited to continue to offer you the best summery goodness we can produce. Hope you join us. Please feel free, and indeed encouraged, to invite your friends as well.

Peppers
Our spotlighted veggie this week is the amazing and delicious pepper! Yay! Peppers are nutritionally significant and most contain high levels of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the minerals iron and potassium. Native to Central and South America, pepper seeds have been found in Mexico from before 5000 B.C.! Following Columbus’s voyage, peppers spread quickly through Europe and all the way to India, where they were rapidly assimilated into the native diet. How will you assimilate peppers into your diet?

Storage: keep your peppers in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Peppers will get wilty and dehydrated-looking if left out in the open air, so keep them in a drawer or bag in the cool. Cut peppers deteriorate quickly, so use em if you cut em. They also freeze well--I like to dice them and freeze them on a cookie sheet, then scoop them off into a freezer bag for easy later usage. Usage: raw, in salads, sandwiches, soups, stews, sauces, omelets, stir-fires, casseroles, on the grill, and more!

RECIPES
Roasted Bell Peppers
4 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green, or purple)
olive oil

Turn your gas burner on high (electric will work, but gas is better) and place the peppers directly on the flame. Use any number of available burners to accommodate the peppers, or if the peppers are small you can place two on one burner. Using tongs, turn the peppers as their skins blacken; you want to end up with a pepper that is completely black (the amount of time for this depends on the size of the pepper, how hot the flame is, and how often you turn the peppers). Once they’re blackened, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the bag tightly. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, cut them in half, remove the stem and seeds, and flatten each half on your cutting board. Use a knife or your fingers to scrape away the skin. The peppers are now ready to use (keep refrigerated and use within the week). To store your roasted peppers longer, place them in a container, cover with olive oil, and seal tightly (then they will keep for several weeks). From Farmer John’s Cookbook. These are great on sandwiches, pizza, pasta, in omelets, with hummus, and more! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Chili
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1-2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded & finely chopped (opt)
1, 28oz can tomatoes, with juice, chopped OR 1 quart stewed tomatoes OR 4 cups fresh
1, 16oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1, 16oz can black beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cups cooked (1/2 cup dried)
1 cup tomato juice
salt & pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, peppers, onions, and garlic. Saute until onions are golden, 12-15 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and jalapenos. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, tomato juice, and salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes. Makes a lot of food. I’m guessing 6-8 servings.

Escalivada Sandwiches
1 red onion
1 medium zucchini
1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 red bell peppers, roasted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
4 sandwich rolls, preferably ciabatta
4 oz fresh goat cheese
4 oz arugula
Herb Sauce:
½ cup basil leaves
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
juice from ½ lemon
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice onion, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers into ¼-inch rings. Toss the vegetable slices with olive oil and salt. Place the vegetables in a roasting pan in a single layer, and place the pan in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still maintain their shapes. Meanwhile, toast rolls. Divide cooked vegetables among the 4 rolls. Top vegetables with goat cheese and arugula. Place all herb sauce ingredients in a blender; puree. Spoon over arugula. Serve sandwiches warm. Makes 4 servings. From Peter Dale, chef of The National restaurant in Athens, GA.

Stuffed Peppers
a little oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 cups water, vegetable stock, or tomato juice
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, grated
salt & pepper
4 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

Heat oil in large skillet; add and saute garlic and onions. Add rice and brown for about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almonds in dry skillet or hot oven for several minutes, tossing often. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

CSA Pickups -- Week 15 -- Tomatoes

2011-08-09T16:14:00.001-04:00

Roots Farm CSA Week 15: August 9 & 12

This Week:
-Tomatoes!: Arkansas Traveller, Pink Beauty, Sunny Goliath, Whopper, Big Beef, Trust
-Eggplant!: Nadia, Nubia, Pingtung Long
-Peppers: Carmen (sweet red bullhorn), Red Bells, Golden Bells, Mellow Star (sweet frying pepper)
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless, Burmese, Star of David
-Watermelons: New Orchid, Sorbet Swirl, Sugar Baby
-Butternut Squash
-Arugula
-Basil

On the Farm . . .
It’s transition time. We’re taking out old spent Summer crops--mowing, tilling, removing old trellises, making up beds--and getting ready to plant new Fall babies. This week: arugula, beans, squash, carrots, beets, cilantro, dill, and more! And we’ve got our first round of transplants coming in this week--broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. It’s time to turn over and begin again.

Saturday Workday, THIS SATURDAY, August 13
That’s right, folks, we’re already bumping up on the second Saturday of the month, and that means our monthly Saturday workday! Let’s beat the heat--from 8-11am we’ll be out getting the good work done. We’ll be preparing beds, seeding, transplanting, weeding, pulling old trellises, and more! Come join us for a lovely morning on the farm. Followed by a farm-fresh BRUNCH, as always. Can’t wait to see you out!

Fall CSA!
Yay! Right now, we’ve got a September CSA to offer you. Four weeks of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, basil, and okra. Stock up on your late summer produce. One size share only, same two pickup options. The two pickups cost slightly different prices since we’ve added a small fee to the in-town pickups to cover our costs for processing, packaging, and delivery. Here are the details:

Tuesday On-Farm pickups $21/week for 4 weeks = $84
Friday In-Town pickups $23/week for 4 weeks = 92

Pickups will continue to be from 4-7pm both days and both locations. Full payment is due upon checkout, and you get a 3% discount for paying by check or cash. SIGN UP TODAY! We’re only offering 60 shares, so get yours now. Click here to sign up online. Or go to http://rootsfarm.joincsa.com. We’re excited to continue to offer you the best summery goodness we can produce. Hope you join us.

Tomatoes
This week’s spotlight is on tomatoes, since we’re offering a lot of them. Tomatoes are native to Peru and were first cultivated by the Incas and the Aztecs in the 8th century. Eight centuries later, they made it to Europe where the Italians were the first ones brave enough to consider them food. By 1850, most folks agreed they were worth eating. In the U.S. we now produce more than 2 billion pounds of tomatoes annually and import another 700-800 million pounds from Mexico. There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes out there, 8 of which we’re offering this week. We’ve got pink Arkansas Travellers (Heirloom, very tasty), pink Pink Beauties (Hybrid, also tasty), yellow Sunny Goliaths (Hybrid, very low acid and mild flavor), red Whoppers and Big Beefs (Hybrid, big slicers), purple Cherokee Purples (Heirloom, green shoulders, amazing flavor), yellow SunGold cherry tomatoes (so sweet!), and red Roma Juliet tomatoes (yum!). Hope you enjoy the rainbow of tomato options.

Storage: Keep your tomatoes at room temperature for up to 1 week, longer if still ripening. Do not refrigerate them. An underripe tomato will continue to ripen stored out of the sun at 60-75 degrees. Tomatoes can be frozen whole or made into sauces, salsa, and purees that also freeze or can well. Usage: um, in almost anything? Everything? We’ve got some tomato-centric recipes for you, but you can make a tomato into most any dish. Appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, sauces, stews, even desserts and wine aren’t out of the question. I like them sliced, raw, with salt and pepper. Enjoy.

RECIPES
Salsa
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste
1 jalapeno pepper, minced

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, cumin, and salt to taste. Mix well. Add 1/2 of the jalapeno pepper, and taste. If you desire your salsa with more of a kick, add the remaining 1/2 jalapeno. If you are satisfied with the salsa's heat, do not add the remaining jalapeno pepper. Cover the salsa, and chill until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings. From www.allrecipes.com.

Bruschetta
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 baguette, sliced and toasted (slices 1/2-inch thick)

Mix the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and garlic together well. Spoon onto toasted baguette slices. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

Caprese
4 tomatoes
4 small balls of fresh mozzarella
1 bunch of basil
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes and the cheese and tear the basil leaves from their stalks. Arrange the mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes into overlapping, alternating layers on your serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add salt & pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Gazpacho
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, & coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & coarsely chopped
1 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced, or a dash of hot pepper sauce (optional)
2 tsp salt

Finely chop, but do not puree, in a food processor or blender, the cucumber and bell pepper. Remove to a large bowl. Finely chop in the processor the onion and parsley. Remove to the bowl. Add to the processor and finely chop the tomatoes. Remove to the bowl. Add tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, hot pepper, and salt. Stir well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve in chilled bowls. Makes about 6 cups.

Gazpacho is a cold summer soup popular in Spain. Classic gazpachos are thickened with bread and are best the day they are made. For this one, use half the jalapeno if preparing the soup for the next day, as the heat increases with time.

Basic Blender Italian Tomato Sauce
Lots of tomatoes
Large amount of oregano
Small amount of basil & parsley, dried or fresh
minced garlic cloves
1-2 carrots, finely chopped
salt & pepper
olive oil

In Italy, no one follows a recipe for tomato sauce, so use your imagination fro quantities. A couple of guidelines Do not underestimate the amount of garlic; when in doubt, put in lots. Also, carrots are often the sweetener in Italian tomato sauce. Blend or process the tomatoes to an almost pureed texture. Gradually add herbs, garlic, and carrots. Slowly cook the mixture in a deep skillet (cast-iron is best). When sauce has reduced about halfway to the texture you want, add salt and pepper. Add several tablespoons of olive oil before reheating for serving. Makes any quantity. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.