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Friday August 12, 2011
Greetings Farmers' Market CSA Members,
The other evening as I said goodnight and closed in the goats, I truly felt as if I were living in the tropics. The multitude and diversity of insects, frogs, and birds singing their goodnight songs were frankly overwhelming. August! This is the season when we are all over-tired, a bit cranky, and of course always sweaty! The melons, peppers, and tomatoes all love this time of year, but many of us feel guilty as we yearn silently for those crisp September mornings when we start the day in a fleece and end up in our t-shirts gazing happily at a bright, but a much less blisteringly hot sun - just like this very morning! Perhaps our secret wishes have all come true!
We also have been having some excitement on and around the farm - a grey fox! Last week, this fox was a bit too aggressive with our neighbor Brian Daigle, the beekeeper. But on Saturday, as Walter closed up the greenhouse out in the "River Field" (a field close to the barns, but often under water in early Spring), this fox ran out from under the side of the greenhouse. And unbeknownst to poor Walter, this fox jumped right into the van. As Walter hopped into the van to drive back up to the barns, the trapped fox leapt from the back seat to the front, hoping to find a way to escape. Walter ducked and quickly exited while the fox jumped out of the window and ran off. We are uncertain as to the health of this animal - was it being territorial or is it sick? The message I left with the Department of Environmental Conservation went something like this: " Our situation is similar to having a rabid dog in your office - our fields are our work place and we have no desire to harm either the fox, but we have a serious obligation to protect all of our work crew who are out harvesting in the field."
This morning as the crew harvested the parsley and eggplant, Tim (our tall, strong cowboy) patrolled the field. The fox was nowhere to be found, but Tim (affectionately known as Johnny Cash) sure wished that he had been able to wear his Classic, Old West Six Shooter holster!
Have a great week and enjoy your share - Justine
This week in your share, you will most likely receive:
Lettuce, Thyme, Green Beans, Melon, Carrots, Sweet Onions, Tomatoes, Summer Squash/Zucchini, Green Peppers, Cucumbers, and Eggplant
Gluten Free Carrot Cake
"This is one of my favourite recipes that I have discovered. It is moist and tastes almost identical to the wheat containing carrot cake. It is without a doubt my favourite recipe from Robin Rybergs cookbook 'The Gluten free Kitchen'." (By GlutenFreeGirl on 8/252006)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup potato starch
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 cups packed grated carrots ( about 4 medium carrots)
For Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
3 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
3 drops milk
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well.
3. Add all remaining ingredients except for nuts and carrots. Mix well, being sure that no lumps remain in the batter.
4. Mix in carrots and nuts.
5. Pour batter into greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. Bake 45-55 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center tests clean.
6. Note that this cake with have a bit of a dome when first removed from the oven. It will settle as it cools.
7. For icing: Combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Beat very well. Add a few drops of milk as needed.
8. Spread icing on cooled cake. Freeze extra portions.
Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh sweet corn, cut from the cob
1 bunch green onions or 1-2 sweet onions, sliced
1 jicama, peeled and minced
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, minced
8 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 clove garlic
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 cup fresh limejuice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
Place the beans, tomato, bell pepper, corn, onion, jicama, jalapeno pepper, and feta cheese in a large salad bowl.
Mash the garlic and salt together with a mortar and pestle. Whisk together the mashed garlic, lime juice, mustard, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking. Continue whisking until smooth. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Chill overnight.
Cantaloupe-Curls-with-Spiced-Wine (Gourmet 2004)
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns (optional), crushed
1 large or 2 small cantaloupes, chilled
Simmer all ingredients except cantaloupes in a 1-quart heavy saucepan until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in saucepan set in a bowl of ice and cold water. Discard bay leaf.
Halve each cantaloupe and discard seeds. Scoop out curls from melon halves with an ice cream scoop (not one with a lever), then divide curls among 4 bowls along with any juices. Just before serving, drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon cooled spiced wine.
Eggplant-Tomato Stew With Garbanzo Beans
1 medium eggplant -- peeled, cut in 1/2" cubes
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
15 oz cooked garbanzo beans
8 oz red kidney beans, cooked and rinsed
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup sliced celery
3 cloves garlic -- minced
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 6 oz can Italian style tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
In 4-quart crockery cooker combine eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, celery, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, onion, and garlic. Combine vegetable or chicken broth, tomato paste, oregano, basil, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf. Pour over vegetables. Cover; cook on LOW-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Discard bay leaf. Makes 6 servings.
Pasta With Roasted Eggplant and Tomato
6 oz Whole Wheat Pasta
2 cups Fairytale or large Italian Eggplant, Raw (Large Eggplant should be peeled)
4 oz Cherry Tomatoes (Regular Tomatoes can also be used)
1/2 cup Basil
2 slices Prosciutto Cotto
1/2 medium Sweet Onion
1 tbsp Sherry Vinegar
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplant in 1/2 inch cubes. Toss them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large bowl until they are coated. Place them on a roasting pan in a single layer and roast for 25 or until they are soft.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the pasta according to instructions on the box. Drain.
Heat a large skillet to medium. Pour in the other 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until they are starting to color. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, and then deglaze the pan with a splash of Sherry vinegar.
Dump the eggplant into the skillet along with the diced tomato, red pepper flakes, prosciutto, and basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer then add the pasta. Toss until the pasta is coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Grilled-Pizza-with-Yellow-Squash-Mozzarella-and-Thyme
(Gourmet 1996)
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow squash
2 balls pizza dough, rolled out and chilled
For pizza dough:
* 2/3 cup lukewarm water
* A 1/4 ounce package (2 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for oiling bowl
* 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
* 1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
* 2 teaspoons coarse salt
* 3/4 cup coarsely grated fresh mozzarella (about 3 ounces)
* 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 2 1/4 ounces)
* 4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
In a small bowl stir together garlic and oil and let stand 15 minutes.
With a mandoline or other manual slicer, slice squash crosswise into 1/16-inch thick rounds, transferring to plate.
Prepare grill: Open vents in lid and bottom of kettle grill and put 25 briquets on 2 opposite sides of bottom, leaving middle clear. Oil rack and position with wider openings over briquets. Light briquets. (They will be ready for cooking as soon as they turn grayish-white, 20 to 30 minutes.)
Remove plastic wrap from 2 pieces of rolled-out-pizza dough (if grill is not large, work with 1 piece at a time, keeping remaining piece chilled) and lightly brush dough with some garlic oil. Trying not to stretch dough, carefully transfer it, oiled side down, with your hands to rack of grill. (If it's a very hot day, the dough may get too soft to transfer easily; if so, pop it into the freezer until firm again, about 15 minutes.) Lightly brush top with some garlic oil. When grilling pizzas, rotate them if 1 side of grill is hotter than the other. Grill crusts, covered, until undersides are golden brown on bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip crusts over with 2 metal spatulas and top each crust with half of cheeses, squash, and thyme. Lightly brush pizzas with some garlic oil and grill, covered, about 5 minutes, or until undersides are golden brown and cheeses are melted.
Garnish pizzas with thyme sprigs and cut into wedges.
To make pizza dough:
In a large bowl stir together 1/3 cup water, yeast, and sugar and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt and blend until mixture forms a dough. Knead dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes.
Alternatively, dough may be made in a food processor. Proof yeast as described above. In food processor process yeast mixture with 1 3/4 cups flour, cornmeal, and salt until mixture forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, it too dry or more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if too wet, and knead dough by processing 15 seconds more.
Put dough, prepared by either method, in an oiled deep bowl and turn to coat with oil. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk, and punch down. Form dough into 4 balls. Makes enough dough for four 10-inch thin-crust pizzas.
To roll out pizza dough for grilling:
Lightly brush a baking sheet with olive oil.
On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 ball of dough 1/8 inch thick (about 10 inches in diameter). Brushing off excess flour, transfer dough with your hands to baking sheet and cover surface completely with plastic wrap. Repeat procedure with remaining dough balls and plastic wrap in same manner, stacking rolled-out pieces on top of one another on baking sheet. Wrap baking sheet with more plastic wrap to ensure that dough is completely covered. (Chill dough until firm, about 1 hour, and up to 4 hours.)
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