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Tuesday June 21, 2011
Greetings CSA Members,
Days like today make one quickly forget how rough and rainy this Spring has been. Brian remarked at how the crops are beginning to improve and the weeds are diminishing and the plagues of pests are calming down. Thank goodness – I have had a few too many nights this Spring fretting. Yet, here we are – the baby cardinals in the nest outside my office window are chirping for their mother, the CSA boxes are being packed with smiles and camaraderie in the barn, and the sun will shine for many hours as the Solstice draws near. I leave you with this quotation from Francis Moore Lappe - a reminder to me just how important our partnership is in this CSA. Thank you for your part.
“Every aspect of our lives is, in a sense, a vote for the kind of world we want to live in.”
Enjoy your share this week – Justine
This week in your share, you will most likely receive:
Lettuce, Scallions, Fennel, Cucumbers or Lavender, Spinach or Mesclun, Beets or Broccoli,
and Sage or Dill
Beets and Beet Greens
Fresh beets are higher in nutritive value than their canned counterparts. Beets are low in calories, 44 calories for a 3/4 cup serving, and high in vitamin C and folate. The greens of the beet are also high in vitamin C, with 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance (in 1/2 cup cooked greens), and are high in vitamin A. Forty-six percent of a person’s daily requirement for vitamin A is contained in 1/2 cup of cooked greens.
Mature beets can be stored without the tops for up to three weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Leave the beets unwashed when storing. When cutting tops from beets, leave at least 1/2 inch of the stems and at least two inches of the taproot on the beets. If you cut closer to the beet, the color will bleed from the vegetable during cooking. If the tops are tender and you want to use them, store them separately, and use as soon as possible.
Cumin Roasted Beets
4 medium beets, halved and sliced ¼ inch thick.
1-1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
Salt and pepper
1 c. water
In a deep skillet, heat oil over moderate heat. Add beets, cumin, and honey. Stir until beets are well coated. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cook about 1 minute. Add water, and cook over medium low or medium heat until beets are softened and all the liquid is evaporated, about 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Sage: Salvia officinalis
The word salvia comes from the Latin “salvare”, meaning to rescue or to heal. In the Middle Ages, sage was thought to impart wisdom and improve the memory. It was valued for restoring energy, lifting the spirit, and promoting longevity.
To use the antioxidants in sage, Native Americans mixed it with bear grease for a salve that would cure skin sores. The leaves were also used as a sort of disposable toothbrush.
This strong-flavored herb combines well with other strong flavors. Mix leaves with onion for poultry stuffing. Cook with rich, fatty meats such as pork, duck, and lamb, or with vegetables. Blend into cheese and butter.
Cooking Tips:
~ Sage aids in the digestion of fatty meats.
~Steep sage leaves in honey for an excellent baste.
~Fresh leaves are delicious dipped in batter and fried.
~Dried sage makes great tea. If you add honey it helps to ease sore throats and colds.
Storage Tips:
~Sage leaves have a strong flavor that increases when they are dried.
~To dry: hang leaves in a bunch on the stem. When dry, store leaves in an airtight container.
~For Freezing - wash, dry, and chop the leaves – no need to blanch – then pack into little plastic containers or pack into ice cube trays, cover with water and freeze. Tip frozen cubes into a plastic bag and store in the freezer (up to 6 months).
Sage Polenta
5 c. water
Coarse salt and pepper
1-1 ½ c. coarse polenta (cornmeal can also be used in a pinch)
2 Tbsp. finely minced sage leaves
3-4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add salt. Whisking constantly to prevent clumping, add all the polenta in a slow, steady stream. Return to a boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cover partially, and cook stirring occasionally until mixture is creamy and starting to pull away from the sides of the saucepan, about 40 minutes. Add sage in the last 5 minutes. If polenta is too thick, add a little water slowly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in butter. Polenta can be served hot, or can be spread on a cookie sheet, and placed in the refrigerator for later use.
If using polenta after refrigeration: cut out a square of polenta. Heat oil in a skillet. When oil is hot, place polenta in skillet and cook on both sides until browned and crispy.
Polenta makes a great base for any veggie topping, i.e.: Crispy polenta topped with sautéed vegetables and melted cheese.
Lavender Tea Cookies
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender flowers
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a mortar, grind lavender flowers with the pestle.
In a medium bowl, cream together ground lavender flowers, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon extract. Add flour and salt; mix until combined (dough should be soft but not sticky.) Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until dough is firm.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough approximately 1/4-inch thick with your rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutters and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and cool on wire cooling racks. Makes 2 dozen cookies.
Cucumber Dill Salad
2-3 slicing cucumbers
½ red onion (can also use scallions)
1-1 ½ Tbsp. dill, minced
¼ c. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Can be topped with yogurt or apple cider vinegar and olive oil.
Fennel - Cooking Tips
Remove the fronds (save for use as an herb) and stalks. Trim a thick slice from the root end and slice the bulb in half. Alice or chop as desired.
Fennel can be baked, steamed, or sautéed.
Steam whole fennel bulbs, covered for 8-15 minutes if you plan to roast or finish cooking by another method, or 20-35 minutes until tender if serving immediately.
Add chilled raw fennel to salads or vegetable trays.
Add cooked fennel to rice, pasta, or polenta.
Cut fennel into quarters, drizzle with olive oil and bake until tender, about 35 minutes.
Use the feathery fronds as a fresh herb for seasoning. Try using it in place of dill. Fennel is excellent on baked or broiled fish with butter and lemon.
Store fennel bulb in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Relevant recipes from the website:
Braised Fennel
Apple and Fennel Salad
Crispy Tuna Steaks with Braised Fennel
Basic Roasted Beets
Beet Salad With Oranges and Romaine
Salmon with Leeks and Bok Choi
Broccoli Almandine
Chocolate Beet Cake (the Best!!)
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You received this email because you are a member of the Denison Farm CSA.
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