Promised Land CSA Week Six June 16th 2014

Important Reminders:

• Meat orders are due Friday; please notice delivery dates.
• If you need to switch your delivery site/day please let us know Sunday for Monday’s harvest (Tuesday shares) and Tuesday for Wednesday’s harvest (Thursday shares).

Farm News from Jane

Today was certainly a big and busy harvest day; peas especially are a time consuming harvest. They are certainly worth the effort however. A few members have shared how they think peas are one of the most wonderful vegetables we share as they are difficult to find fresh in the store. I couldn’t agree more. Although I love beans they are easily grown throughout most of the summer but peas require more specific growing conditions. They like the cool moist conditions that we’ve experienced over the last week. The chard has also enjoyed the weather and has continued to explode with growth. The strawberries are a bit small this season because there was such a heavy fruit set last fall and because of their late maturation due to the extended cold spring. Buds for the next season are “set” in September. Last September we had lots of moisture and heat to produce a heavy set. But large, medium or small they are beautiful, deep red and delicious although sandy from the heavy rains last week. Because we do not use any “spray” materials to prevent mold growth we choose not to wash them as they do not keep as well when moist. Please do enjoy them right away and do not try to “keep” them for the weekend. The variety we harvested his week was developed in New York State and is called Honeoye. The next variety will be Jewels and are they are usually a brighter red and larger berry. Their flavor is also different; how to put it into words isn’t quite in my language skill set. I envy people who can “taste” and savor flavors and then describe them beautifully in words. Local strawberries have a special place in our culture. People will travel a distance to find them and even take the time to pick their own. We hope to have another pick your own strawberry event again his year. After we have picked for shares we will let you know if and how the conditions are for picking. It would be a one day, one time event; no exceptions. We enjoy the ability to “host” a pick your own gleaning of fruit when there is enough to share and get to know a few more members. We transplanted the acorn squash yesterday which was the last variety of winter squash which we grow. We also planted the pumpkins for our fall potluck you pick patch. Hopefully this year they will be a bit bigger although that means there are heavier to “carry out” of the field! Aren’t you glad that you may have the ability to “share in the harvest/ing”?! More on that at another time… Now it’s time to find some recipes. Enjoy your peas and save your “Q’s” for when you come out to the farm. And no I did not get my boat ride on Saturday; the moon rose after my bedtime. Perhaps next time… Thanks for partnering with us, Jane

 

Produce:    Strawberries   Sugar snap peas   Swiss chard   

Red beets with greens   Green onions    Salad Greens            

                     

Produce tips

– Sugar snap peas are the edible pod variety; no shelling needed! They are also great raw as well as steamed or stir fried.

– Wash strawberries just before eating as they will keep better unwashed.

– Beet greens are delicious and nutritious; they are very tender so cook then ever so lightly and quickly. Substitute them for any braising green such as spinach or Swiss chard or serve under a main dish.

 

Recipes 

SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH MUSHROOMS

2 tablespoon oil; 6 mushrooms, sliced; ¼ 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. 4 servings

 

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

PASTA WITH PEAS, FRESH BASIL, AND BREAD CRUMBS

sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1/2 pound small pasta shapes; 4 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup finely diced scallion; 1 pound sugar snap peas; 3 tbsp chopped basil; 1 tsp grated lemon zest; 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs;  ½ cup chopped parsley or more basil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet, add the scallion, and cook gently for a few minutes, until softened. Add the peas, basil, and 1 cup of the pasta water and stew until the peas are bright green and tender, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest. Crisp the bread crumbs in the remaining butter or oil in a small skillet. When the pasta is done, drain it, add it directly to the peas, and toss. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and toss with the parsley and bread crumbs.

 

GREEN PEAS LORRAINE

3 tbsp butter; 1/3 cup water; 2 cups sugar snap peas; 2 tbsp finely chopped onion; 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh

Parsley; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional); 4 to 6 outside lettuce leaves,  finely shredded; ½ cup light cream

Heat butter, water and peas together. Add onion, parsley, sugar and seasonings. Cover and simmer until peas are almost tender. Stir in lettuce. Continue cooking 5 minutes longer. Blend in cream. Heat and serve. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

 

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

 

DIJON ROASTED BEETS

3 lbs beets, uniform in size (about 2 inches); 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; Juice of one orange; 1 tsp sugar; 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 Tbsp fresh minced rosemary

Trim beets of all but 1/2 inch stem and root. Place beets in roasting pan; add 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast at 400 degrees for 45 minutes or until beets are tender. Whisk mustard, orange juice, sugar, and vinegar in bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil and rosemary. Set aside. When beets are cool enough to handle, rub to remove skin cut into quarters. Add warm beets to bowl and toss with dressing. Let stand 30 minutes while beets absorb dressing. Makes 8 servings

 

TWO-WAY STREET BEETS

1 bunch small beets; juice of 1/2 orange; 1/2 tablespoon butter, softened; pepper; 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil; 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil; 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Cut beets off stems.  Gently scrub beets: Wash the greens. Cut stems into 3-inch pieces and coarsely chop the greens; set aside stems and greens in separate piles. Steam beets until tender, 20-30 minutes. Cool briefly, slip off skins, and cut into wedges. Toss with orange juice, butter, and pepper to taste; cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, heat heavy skillet over medium flame. Add oils. Add stems; sauté 2-3 minutes. Add greens; cook, tossing often, until limp. Toss in soy sauce and pepper to taste. Arrange beets over greens on platter. Makes 3 servings. Recipe from MACSAC

 

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.

 

SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD

1/2 c sugar; 1 T poppy seeds; 2 Tbsp sesame seeds; 1 1/2 tsp minced onions; 1/4 tsp paprika; 1/4 c cider vinegar; 1/4 c wine vinegar; 1/2 c canola oil; 2 Tbsp butter; 3/4 c slivered almonds; 1 lb spinach, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces; 1 pint strawberries, sliced

Put sugar, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onions, paprika, vinegars and oil in shaker jar. Shake to emulsify. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add almonds; cook and stir until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine spinach, strawberries and almonds in serving bowl. Pour half of dressing over and toss. Add more dressing as desired. Serve at once. Makes 8 servings

 

CHILLED STRAWBERRY SOUP

1 quart fresh strawberries; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup plain yogurt; 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint; 4 cups ice water; 3/4 cup dry white wine

Chop the strawberries in a food processor and then force them through a sieve. Mix in the sugar, yogurt, and mint. Add the ice water and white wine and sample for sweetness. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. 8 Servings. Recipe from Herbal Soups, Salads, Breads and Sweets.

 

SWISS CHARD BREAKFAST BURRITOS

approximately 3 cups cooked and seasoned Swiss chard*; 2 cups milk; 1 tablespoon flour; 6-8 flour tortillas; 1 teaspoon mustard powder; 2-3 cups shredded cheese (like cheddar or Swiss), divided; salsa; sour cream; 4 eggs, beaten

Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Divide cooked chard down center of tortillas. Sprinkle each pile of chard with 3 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in prepared pan. Mix eggs, milk, flour, and mustard powder. Pour over tortillas. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let burritos come to room temperature. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until eggs are set, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese of). Top and cover for last 5 minutes of baking. Serve with salsa and sour cream. This recipe can be adapted to use a variety of seasonal vegetables. Makes 4-6 servings.

*It’s best to start by sautéing some onions and garlic; then add Swiss chard, cook it, and season it with salt, peppers, and fresh herbs (dill is delicious).

 

ASIAN-STYLE CHARD

1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned; 1 tablespoon peanut oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic scapes; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; freshly ground black pepper

Cut off and discard thick stem ends of chard. Cut out ribs; chop ribs into 2-inch pieces; set aside in a pile. Stack the leaves in small piles; coarsely chop them. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high flame. Add ribs; toss and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add leaves and garlic; continue to cook, tossing often, until chard begins to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; cook until chard is tender, 1-3 min. longer. Add pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 2-4. Recipe from MACSAC.

 

CHARD SOUP WITH CREAM CHEESE “CROUTONS”

3 packed cups finely chopped chard leaves; 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature; 4 cups chicken broth; salt (if necessary) and pepper

Combine chard and chicken broth in a pot. Bring to simmer and cook until chard is wilted and tender, about 6 minutes. You may leave it as is or puree it with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender. Reheat if necessary. Season to taste with salt (if you’ve used canned stock, you may not need to add salt and pepper). Divide the cubed cream cheese into 3 or 4 soup plates. Pour the hot soup over the cream cheese and serve immediately. Makes 3-4 servings. Recipe from MACSAC

 

SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS

1 pound fresh Swiss chard, rinsed, stems removed, and leaves chopped (10 cups); 1/4 cup water; l/4 cup apple juice; 2-4T golden raisins

In large, deep skillet, combine the chard and water (if the greens don’t all fit, let some cook down then add the rest). Cover and cook, stirring and turning occasionally with 2 spoons, until the leaves are just wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and raisins. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the apple juice is almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4. Recipe from The Big Book of Vegetarian.