Tuesday August 28, 2007

Greetings Saratoga  Members,

****CSA Potluck at Denison Farm Sunday September 23, 2007****

This week I thought that I would give both recipes and some poetry. Thank you for your generosity with regard to the Jamaican men whose families live in Jamaica.

Hurricane Dean did strike hard, but all is well as far as we know. With Jamaica in mind, here is a poem written by a Jamaican-born poet, Claude McKay:

After The Winter

Some day, when trees have shed their leaves
       And against the morning’s white
The shivering birds beneath the eaves
       Have sheltered for the night,
We’ll turn our faces southward, love,
       Toward the summer isle
Where bamboos spire the shafted grove
       And wide-mouthed orchids smile.

And we will seek the quiet hill
       Where towers the cotton tree,
And leaps the laughing crystal rill,
       And works the droning bee.
And we will build a cottage there
       Beside an open glade,
With black-ribbed bluebells blowing near,
       And ferns that never fade.

And another to use when needed:

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

- William Carlos Williams

This week in your share you will most likely find:

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Carrots, Onions, Chinese Cabbage, and Swiss Chard. You may find Summer Squash, Green Beans, and Eggplant. Enjoy - Justine

Stuffed Tomatoes

4 large, fresh tomatoes

1/3 cup raisins, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes

1 small onion, sliced

1 ½ Tablespoon lemon juice

1-teaspoon fresh mint

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt and Pepper, to taste

¼ cup olive oil

1½ cups cooked rice

Slice off top of tomatoes. Scoop out center with spoon; reserve.

Turn tomatoes upside down to drain. Drain raisins.

Seed and chop reserved centers. Combine in bowl with onion, juice, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in oil, rice, and raisins. Stuff tomatoes with rice mixture.

Fresh Tomato Gazpacho

6 (3 lbs.) ripe tomatoes

1 ½ cups tomato juice

1 slice dry bread, broken into small chunks ½ onion, diced

2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon basil

1 garlic clove

¼ cup cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

1-2 jalapeno chilies, seeds removed and minced Tabasco, to taste

Seed and finely chop 1 tomato, set aside. Coarsely chop remaining tomatoes. Combine these with the tomato juice, bread, onion, limejuice, vinegar, salt, oregano, basil, and garlic in a blender (may need to blend in 2 batches) and process until smooth. Stir in the reserved tomato, cucumber, and chilies. Add Tabasco to taste (remember, spice can amplify over time). Refrigerate covered, up to 24 hours to blend flavors. Garnish with your choice of slivered avocado, basil, garlic croutons, thinly sliced radishes or lime wedges.

Fennel Slaw

2 Tbl. Cider vinegar

1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ tsp. pepper

1 tsp. honey

1 ½ Tbl. Dill

½ tsp. grated lemon peel

Salt, to taste

1 medium-large fennel bulb

Whisk vinegar, mayonnaise, pepper, honey, dill, lemon peel, and salt together.

Cut off and discard fennel stalks.

Halve fennel through root end; discard core and any discolored outer leaves.

Thinly slice fennel.

Toss fennel with enough dressing to coat and serve.

Pasta With Fennel

1-2 bulbs fennel

1 lb. fettuccine

2 Tbl. olive oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

Parsley (for garnish)

Simmer fennel in 4 quarts salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.

Lift fennel from water and slice. Keep warm.

In the fennel water, cook the fettuccine until al dente.

Drain pasta. Add olive oil and fennel.

Serve with sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and parsley.