Winter Share Twelve April 16th 2015
Important News:
- Fruit and egg share are still available to members for the summer season but payments are due.
- The next and last distribution is Thursday April 30th.
- Emails with summer share information and start date will be coming in early May.
- Please remember to return all collected share boxes and egg cartons.
- There will be a meat share offering sent next week to correspond with the last winter distribution.
Farm News from Jane
And so it begins… planting outside. And it begins with peas; the first direct seeded crop of the season was planted on Tuesday. We also began transplanting seedlings outside today. Lettuces, kale, kohlrabi, beets and Napa cabbage are all settled prettily in rows. Salad greens will be seeded next and various varieties of peas to follow. The garlic broke through the ground and is growing quickly with the nice warm temperatures. The rhubarb is also up and has four or five leaves; I can smell that rhubarb pie baking right now; not that I am anxious or anything. Eating seasonally; the anticipation of those exceptional aromas and flavors, nothing else can compare!
It really feels like spring now with the spring peepers singing day and night and of course the very beautiful warm days which we’ve enjoyed over the last few weeks. The lilac and forsythia buds are swelling and the daffodils are also open. It seems as though every day you can see the grass is greener and growing taller. The chickens will be moved out into pasture now that it has dried off sufficiently and although the pigs have been enjoying being able to get outside all winter they also will be moved for greener pastures!
It was very rewarding to be able to pick spinach for shares this week. The spinach finally grew out of its winter slumber without the protection of the high tunnel. It is a variety of size as it is the first picking but it is sweet tender and delicious. If all goes well we will have spinach in the last share also. We have been so disappointed not to be able to supply you fresh greens as we had hoped for the last four weeks. But we will have one of the high tunnels replaced soon and will be able to grow through the winter next year. But now it’s time to concentrate on the season ahead; and here we go…
We hope that you have been able to be outside to enjoy the nice weather, Jane & crew
Produce: Adirondack Blue potatoes Spinach Carrots Black beans
Produce tips:
– Don’t forget to rinse and sort dry beans before soaking; the directions are archived on the website under archived news: http://promisedlandcsa.com/winter-share-eight-february-19th-2015/
– The spinach is washed; some air should be left in the bag for best storage.
– The blue potatoes will retain their color best if boiled in their skins or if roasted or fried.
Recipes
CARROT CAKE
1 ½ cup oil; 2 cups sugar; 4 eggs; 2 cups flour, sifted; 3 cups grated carrots; 2 tsp baking soda; 1 cup chopped nuts; 2 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp allspice
Beat eggs and add sugar; beat well. Add oil, nuts and carrots; blend well. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice to flour; add to above mixture. Beat well. Pour into greased 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 1 hour at 350⁰ or into a Bundt pan for about an hour.
Frosting: ¾ stick of butter; 8 oz pkg of cream cheese; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 lb confectionary sugar
Beat all ingredients together at room temperature. Beat until fluffy and frost.
CARROT YOGURT SALAD
1 lb carrots; peeled and coarsely chopped, 2 medium- sized tart apples; grated, 1-2 T lemon juice, 1-2 T honey, (optional), pinch of celery seed, salt and pepper to taste, 1 c. firm yogurt.
Optional additions: 1T poppy seeds or toasted sesame seeds, ¼ c. minced almonds or cashews; lightly toasted, ½ c. very finely minced celery, a handful of raisins or currants, ¼ c. shredded unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted, ½ c. finely chopped pineapple (or crushed canned in juice).
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill. (This preparation goes fast if you use a food processor with a grater attachment.) Yield 4-5 main dishes for lunch; more if serving as a side dish.
Recipe from The New Moosewood Cookbook.
SICHUAN CARROT SOUP
1 medium onion, chopped, 1 celery rib, chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 lb carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces, 3/4 inch fresh gingerroot, peeled and sliced thin; 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 cup milk
Garnish, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/4 cup sour cream, mixed with the cream
In a large heavy saucepan cook onion, celery, and garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add carrots, ginger root, red pepper flakes, and broth and simmer, covered, until carrots are very tender, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and, in a blender or food processor, puree mixture in batches (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return soup to pan and heat over low heat until hot, being careful not to let boil. Serve soup drizzled decoratively with sour cream mixture. Serves 6; Recipe from Eating Well in Season
CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE
1 ½ tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, chopped; 1 pepper, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 ½ tsp chili powder; 1 ½ tsp cumin; 2 cans black beans, rinsed; 2 ½ vegetable broth; 1 to2 fresh or pickled jalapenos; 2 tsp honey; 1 bay leaf; 1 ½ cups raw long grain rice; ¾ tsp salt; 2 tsp red or white wine vinegar
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and pepper and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about6 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and cook stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the beans, broth, jalapenos, honey and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally until the beans have thickened to a sauce like consistency, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add the rice and salt. Reduce heat to low and cook covered until the rice becomes tender and absorbs the water, bout 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar into the beans and season with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle beans over or alongside the rice. 4 servings
BLACK BEAN AND CORN SOUP
2+1/4 cups dry black beans (1 pound), 1 10 oz package frozen whole kernel corn, 1c chopped onion (1 large), 4 cloves garlic, minced, T ground cumin, 1t salt, 1t ground coriander, ¼ to ½ t bottled hot pepper sauce, 4c boiling water, 1 14 ½ oz. can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained, 1 recipe Pepper Salsa
Pepper Salsa: In a bowl combine 1+1/2 c finely chopped yellow and/or green sweet peppers; 1 finely chopped small fresh jalapeno chile pepper; 1/3 c chopped, seeded tomato; and 1 T snipped fresh cilantro. Cover and chill up to 24 hours.
Prepare beans to cook. In a 3/1/2 or 4 qt crockery cooker combine the beans, corn, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, coriander, and hot pepper sauce. Pour boiling water over all. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high setting for 4-5 hours. To serve, mash beans slightly to thicken. Stir in undrained tomatoes. Serve with Pepper Salsa; Six servings
Recipe from New Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook
BEAN SALAD WRAPS
4, 8 inch tortillas, 2 cups cooked black beans, ½ c chopped green sweet pepper or 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, 2 T snipped fresh cilantro, 1/3 c light mayonnaise dressing or salad dressing, 1 T lime juice, leaf lettuce
Stack tortillas and wrap tightly in foil. Heat in a 3500 oven for ten minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl mash the black beans slightly; add sweet pepper and cilantro. Stir in the mayo dressing and lime juice.
To serve, spread the bean mixture evenover tortillas. Top with lettuce leaves. Roll up tortillas.
BLUE POTATOES MASHED WITH GARLIC
3 pounds blue potatoes, 2 1/2 ounces roasted garlic, 2 ounces sour cream, 1/2 ounce butter, 1 ounce, Parmesan, grated, Salt and pepper
Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Boil them in salted water for approximately 15 minutes or fork tender. Once potatoes have cooked, drain the water. In a large bowl add the garlic, sour cream, butter, and Parmesan to the potatoes, and mash until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Recipe courtesy Petty Officer Todd, U.S. Navy
ROSEMARY ROASTED PURPLE POTATOES
5-6 medium-sized purple or other potatoes, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed, Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub the potatoes well. Dry and quarter them as shown above. Place potatoes in baking pan to form a single layer. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, sprinkle with crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss potatoes to coat with oil and spices. Cover pan with foil and slide into oven. Bake potatoes for 15 minutes. Slide pan from oven and remove foil. Using a spatula, turn potatoes over. Return pan to oven without foil and roast potatoes another 15 minutes. Slide potatoes from oven, turn them one more time and continue roasting another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serves 6
CHEESY SPINACH
Mix: 1 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/3 cup brown rice, cooked; 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley; 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional); salt and pepper to taste
Mix separately: 1/2 large bunch of spinach, chopped and steamed; 1/3 cup cottage cheese; 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese; 1egg, plus 1 egg white; salt and pepper to taste; a pinch of cayenne pepper
Spread the ingredients from the first mixture in the bottom of a greased casserole. Spread the spinach mixture over them. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, 45-60 minutes. Serves 3-4; Recipe from Max, the cook at Red Caboose Day Care Center
GREEN RICE
3 c. cooked rice (l c. uncooked); 1 c. chopped spinach; 2 eggs, well beaten; 1 c. milk; 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce; 1 1/4 tsp. salt; 2 tsp. grated onion; 1/4 c. butter or margarine 1/2 c. grated sharp cheese
Toss rice and spinach together with fork. Add eggs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, salt and onion. Toss gently to mix, using care not to mash rice. Pour into greased 2-qt. baking dish; dot with butter and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake in slow oven (325°) 30 to 40 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
YOGURT AND SPINACH SOUP
2 ½ cups chicken bouillon; 4 tbsp long-grain rice, rinsed and drained; 4 tbsp water; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 2 1/2 cups low fat plain yogurt; 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten; juice of 1 lemon; 12 oz/350 g young spinach leaves, washed and drained; salt and pepper; warm crusty bread, to serve
Pour the bouillon into a large pan, season, and bring to a boil. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, until barely cooked. Remove from the heat. Combine the water and cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Pour the yogurt into a second pan and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Set the pan over low heat and bring the yogurt to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon in one direction only. This will stabilize the yogurt and prevent it from separating or curdling on contact with the hot bouillon. When the yogurt has reached boiling point, stand the pan on a heat diffuser and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set the mixture aside to cool slightly, and then stir in the beaten egg yolks. Pour the yogurt mixture into the bouillon, stir in the lemon juice, and stir to blend thoroughly. Keep the soup warm, but do not let it boil. Blanch the washed and drained spinach leaves in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to soften but have not wilted. Tip the spinach into a colander, drain well, and stir it into the soup. Warm through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove from the heat and serve immediately in wide, shallow soup dishes, with warm crusty bread. Serves; 4 Recipe from Practical Soups
SAUTÉED SPINACH WITH RED ONIONS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE
2t. olive oil, 1/2c thinly sliced red onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 10oz bag of spinach, tough stems removed, 2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled, 1Tcrumbled blue cheese.
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about one minute. Add garlic and cook stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and sprinkle cheese on top. Serve immediately. Recipe from Eating Well in Season.
HEAVENLY RICE AND SPINACH
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts; 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper; 11/2 cups long-grain white rice; 4 cups chopped fresh spinach, packed; 5 tbs. butter; 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed; 3/4 cup chicken stock; 2 medium onions, finely chopped; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 tsp. salt
Roast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Set aside. Prepare rice according to package instructions. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and spinach and sauté for 3 minutes, or until spinach becomes limp.
Add chicken stock and cooked rice. Sauté for 5 minutes or until rice is steaming hot. Stir in Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts. Remove from heat. Keep covered and serve warm. Servings: 4-6 Recipe from The Best 50 Garlic Recipes.