Summer Share Six June 25th 2018
Important information:
- This is an even biweekly share week.
- Tree fruit shares will begin the week of July 10th & 12th; you may still add a tree fruit share if desired. See the information attached.
Farm News from Jane
What a surprise last week when we checked the summer squash; a little rain, a little heat and voila! The summer squash began before the official start of summer… What a nice surprise. This week the peas have made their debut and what a yield! I had been secretly concerned as they seemed to be growing so slowly and with the dry weather they took forever to blossom. But what a blessing they were to harvest today. They were big, plentiful and were a joy to pick. If anyone has picked any amount of peas they realize that they can be quite tedious and the time invested frequently does not appear to justify the yield… But not so with this patch. They are beautiful, sweet, and crunchy. The beets grew tremendously this week also; I can’t wait to grill another bunch. The green beans (or whichever variety were planted first) are blossoming and they are only a few weeks away from harvest.
A very close friend of mine reminded me that the days are getting shorter now that we are past the summer solstice. Somehow, I just never like the sound of that… My grandson assures me that “all the days are the same length grandma”! But we do need to savor these gorgeous long summer evenings. My Kentucky granddaughter shared that she loves to lie in bed and listen to the birds sing in the morning. Of course, her first morning here she was up at 5:30. It’s a good thing the birds start serenading by 4:30! We’ve had the much-needed rain and the weather has been nothing short of fantastic. The vegetables are quickly catching up from their late and slow start. The Walla Walla onions our earliest and sweetest variety are already sizing up nicely. Get your grills ready for those vegetable kabobs. Savor the sweetness of the season. Eating local and seasonal is wonderfully nutritious, delicious and community minded. We are thankful for your partnership with us. Until next week; enjoy the glorious full moon growing, Jane
Produce: Celery Chioggia beets Summer squash Green onions (scallions) Sugar Snap peas (edible pods) Garlic scapes Head lettuce Coming soon: Fennel & Beans
Produce tips:
– Sugar snap peas have edible pods. Find the stem end to remove the “hat”. Now it is all ready to eat… You may steam, sauté, grill, roast or even boil (not recommended)! They are great raw with a dip for some extra zip. We like homemade dill dip.
– Summer squash; I received a fancy peeler that makes beautiful thin curls. I used it for the shaved asparagus salad. A regular peeler would do the job to add some fresh squash to your salad or sauté. A few of the squash were big enough after the rain they might be big enough to make zucchini boats!
– Scallions; try grilling the green onions whole. They make a beautiful and tasty garnish! Substitute for regular onions as needed.
– Chioggia beets are the candy stripe variety. They make a beautiful addition to a “composed” salad. In French (and French-inspired) cuisine, a salade composée refers to a salad in which an assortment of ingredients arranged aesthetically on a plate and drizzled with vinaigrette, rather than tossed with it. (That said, we’re not afraid to toss a salad and call it composed.)
– Head lettuce should be wrapper or bagged in plastic.
*Please remember when you bring your produce home that it may need to have some adjustments before refrigeration. Produce that has “sweated” during transport may not keep as well. Leaving the bag open will help the air circulate and prevent them from spoiling. Produce bagged in brown bags may keep better in a recycled plastic bag. We try to keep costs down as much as possible and will utilize the most economical container for transport.
– Garlic scapes are delicious and a bit sweet. Bag them in plastic so they don’t dry out.
Recipes
BEET BURGERS
4 fresh medium beets; 2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped; 1/2 medium onion, chopped; 2 eggs, beaten; Salt and ground black pepper, to taste; 1/4-2/3 c flour; Olive oil; Mozzarella slices; Burger buns
Trim beet tops and root. Shred beets in food processor; transfer to bowl. Add basil, onions, eggs, salt and pepper; mix. Mix in just enough flour to make mixture stick together. Form into 4-inch patties about 1 /2-inch thick. (Don’t make too thick or centers won’t cook well.) Heat 1/4 inch of olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties 2-3 minutes on one side, until crispy. Turn, place mozzarella slice on top and fry 2-3 minutes more, until crispy. Place hot on bun; serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings
LEAF LETTUCE AND MANDARIN SALAD
1 bunch leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces; 2 cups thinly sliced celery; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley; 4 green onions, thinly sliced, including some greens; 2 11-ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
Dressing: 2 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; freshly ground pepper to taste; 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce
Garnish: 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
Combine lettuce, celery, parsley. Green onions and mandarin oranges in salad bowl. Combine dressing ingredients, mixing well. Toss salad with dressing just before serving. Sprinkle almonds over top. Serves 8-10
SALAD GREENS WITH CHINESE SALAD DRESSING
1/3 cup sesame or olive oil; 1 teaspoon minced garlic, pressed to a paste; 1-2 teaspoons grated fresh gingerroot or 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger; dash of cayenne; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, salad greens or Chinese cabbage.
Mix all ingredients (except greens); toss with greens. This is also good with bok choy, snow peas, or cucumbers. Makes 1/2 cup dressing. Recipe from Oak Ridge Farm
CHEESE-TOPPED SUMMER SQUASH
1 patty pan, crookneck or zucchini; 1/2 cup boiling water; 1 tsp. butter; pinch of seasoning salt; 2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
Cut squash in half. (Cut patty pan crosswise; crookneck or zucchini lengthwise.) Cook in boiling, salted water about 10 minutes or just until barely tender. Drain. Arrange in flat baking dish. With fork pierce centers of squash several times. Melt butter and add salt. Spoon over squash halves. Pierce again so seasoned butter will be absorbed. Bake in 350°F oven or grill about 20 minutes. Top with cheese and bake 10 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Makes 2 servings.
SUMMER SQUASH SOUP SMYRNA
2 Medium-size summer squash or zucchini; 3 Cups plain yogurt; 4 Tablespoons each lemon juice and vinegar; 3 Tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder; 3 Cups tomato juice; Salt and black pepper; 6 Tablespoons minced fresh celery leaves
Seed and chop the squash. Simmer until tender in enough water to barely cover. Drain well, then puree. In a large bowl, beat the yogurt until smooth, then mix in the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and curry; stir in the squash and tomato juice. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate, covered, for 4 hours. Serve cold, garnished with minced celery leaves. Serves 6 to 8
MARINATED BEET AND SUMMER SQUASH SALAD
2 Medium-size beets, cooked, peeled and thinly sliced; 4 bunching onions, thinly sliced; 1/4 Cup olive oil; 3 Tbsp tarragon vinegar; 1/2 Tbsp sugar; 2 Small yellow summer squash (or zucchini, or a combination), cut into 1/4-inch slices; 1 Tbsp minced dill; 3/4 Cup sour cream; Salt and black pepper; 2 Scallions, each with 3 inches green top, coarsely chopped
Directions: Toss together the beets and onions with 1/8 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. In another bowl toss together the squash slices, the remainder of the oil and vinegar, and the dill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just prior to serving, drain the squash and toss all the vegetables together with the sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding additional sugar and vinegar if desired for a more distinctive sweet-and-sour taste. YIELD: ENOUGH TO SERVE 3
SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH MUSHROOMS
2 tablespoon oil; 1/2 mushrooms, sliced; 1-pound fresh sugar snap peas, cut into half crosswise; 2 Teaspoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed
Heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir fry until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 3 minutes. Increase heat, add peas and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Cover and cook 1 minute longer. Sprinkle with sesame seed and serve. Serves 4
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND RED GRAPES
3/4 lb. sugar snap peas, strings and stems removed; 1 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1/4 tsp. salt; freshly ground black pepper; l-2 cup seedless red grapes, halved lengthwise; 1 tbsp. dry white wine
Blanch the peas in boiling water for two minutes. Drain the peas, and then refresh them under cold running water until cool. Drain them again and set them aside. Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook the shallot until soft – about two minutes. Add the peas, salt and pepper, and cook until the peas are heated through – two to three minutes. Add the grapes and wine and cook until the wine has evaporated – about one minute. Serve immediately. *Snow peas work equally well in this recipe. Blanch them for 30 seconds only. Serves 4
CHILLED SUGAR SNAP PEA SOUP WITH FRESH MINT
1 large Vidalia onion, minced; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 1 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves, plus small sprigs for garnish; salt and cracked pepper to taste; Crème fraiche, clotted cream, or sour cream for serving; Minced radishes for garnish
In a heavy stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the butter and oil until translucent. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Drop in the sugar snap peas and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Puree the soup and stir in the cream, mint, and salt and pepper. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche in the center of the bowl. Garnish with minced radish and mint sprigs. Recipe from The Café Pongo Cookbook
BEET GREENS WITH VINEGAR AND CARAWAY
1 bunch medium beets with greens (about 2 1b.); 1/8 cup cider vinegar; 1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped; 1/8 tsp. caraway seeds; pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Wash and trim the beets, leaving two inches of stem attached to each one, and reserve half of the beets for another use. Remove the stems from all the greens and discard them; then cut the leaves crosswise into l-inch-wide strips and set them aside. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil in one package and bake them until tender – about one hour. Unwrap the beets and let them cool. Peel and then slice the beets into 1-inch-thick rounds, and set them aside.
Put the vinegar, garlic, caraway seeds and salt into a small saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the liquid by half and set it aside. Pour 2 tablespoons of water into a large skillet and add the beet greens. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil, then uncover the pan and cook the greens until they are wilted – about one minute. Pour out any remaining liquid. Add the vinegar mixture and the baked beets to the pan and toss the beets until they are heated through. Serve immediately. Serves 2
BEET CARPACCIO
For salad:1 lb. beets (preferably Chioggia), trimmed and peeled, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 small red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup roasted pistachio nutmeats, 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled; 1/4 cup greens
For dressing: 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, 1 teaspoon superfine sugar, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and white pepper
Thinly slice the beets with a mandoline slicer. Place the slices into a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup lemon juice. Set aside. (The lemon juice will help preserve the color of the beets when you cook them, so let them sit at least 10 minutes while you prep everything else.) Make the dressing: Mix together vinegar, sour cream, tarragon, and sugar with a wire whisk until well-blended. Slowly add the olive oil, while whisking constantly. (This creates an emulsion). Add salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring water to a boil in a large pot that has a steamer tray. If you like, add salt and a splash of lemon juice to the water. Once boiling, place beet slices on the streamer tray (it’s alright if they overlap slightly). Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes, or until tender yet firm. Briefly shock the beets in an ice bath, then drain. Layer the beets and onions on four small plates. Sprinkle with pistachios and feta cheese crumbles. Make sure the dressing is well-stirred, then lightly drizzle over the salad. Top with microgreens. Recipe from Restaurant Widow; Serves 4
BRAISED CELERY HEARTS
1 bunch celery; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 tbsp whole wheat flour; 1 tbsp water; salt to taste; 1/8 tsp pepper; 2 tbsp dry whole grain bread crumbs; 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Remove some of the tops and leaves. Cut remaining hearts in half lengthwise. Put into a skillet, add the stock, cover tightly and cook until celery is tender (approximately 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 350°F. Take out the celery and place in a buttered shallow baking dish. Make paste of flour and water and stir into the juices in the skillet. Add salt and pepper and cook until sauce is slightly thick. Pour sauce over celery in the casserole, top with crumbs and sesame seeds and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Yield: 4 servings
SWEET-SOUR CELERY
3 c. sliced celery; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tbsps. Flour; 2 tbsps. Sugar; 3/4 tsp. salt; 1/8 tsp. pepper; 2 tbsps. Vinegar; 1 c. water; 1/4 c. dairy sour cream
Cook celery in boiling salted water until tender; drain. Meanwhile, blend together egg, flour, sugar, salt and pepper in saucepan. Blend in vinegar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Add to drained celery. Makes 6 servings. Recipe from America’s Best Vegetable Recipes.
CELERY AND WATER CHESTNUT CASSEROLE
2 chicken bouillon cubes; 1 3/4 c. boiling water; 1 bunch celery, bias cut in 3/4″ pieces; 1/2 tsp. salt; Dash pepper; 1/2 tsp. crushed basil leaves; 2 tbsps. Cornstarch; 2 tbsps. cold water; 2 (5 oz.) cans water chestnuts, drained and sliced; 1/2 c. sliced almonds; 1/3 c. fine dry bread crumbs; 2 tbsps. melted butter or margarine Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water. Combine celery with bouillon and seasonings, cover and cook until celery is tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Blend cornstarch with cold water; gradually stir into celery mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Add water chestnuts and almonds. Turn into 2-qt. casserole. Toss crumbs with melted butter; sprinkle over top of celery. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven (350°) about 25 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 servings. Recipe from America’s Best Vegetable Recipes.
CELERY SALAD
1 bunch celery; 1 red onion, cut in 1-inch strips; 6 Tbsp vegetable oil; 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/2 tsp salt; Black pepper; 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled; 2 green onions, chopped; 1/4 c minced parsley
Cut celery crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Put in bowl. Add red onions. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients except parsley. Pour over celery and red onions. Toss. Top with parsley. Chill at least 4 hours and serve. Leftovers are great. Makes 6 servings Recipe from Farm-Fresh Recipes.
CELERY-FETA SALAD
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled; 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced; 1 small jar pimiento strips; 2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme or oregano; 2 Tbsp vinaigrette-style salad dressing; Leaves of 1 small head leaf lettuce
Mix the feta with the celery, pimiento and chopped herbs. Sprinkle with the vinaigrette. Place lettuce leaves on four plates; top with feta and celery mixture. Recipe from Farm-Fresh Recipes. Makes 4 servings