FarmShare C.S.A. Newsletter, week of July 15th, 2014
What’s in this week’s box?
Veggies:
Cucumbers
Beets
Scallions
Green Beans
Summer Squash and Zucchini
Tomatoes
Head of Lettuce
Fruit:
Blueberries
Storage, handling and general cooking tips…
Cucumbers
Storage-Most supermarket cucumbers are usually waxed to keep them from drying out during the trip from wherever they were grown. Our cucumbers will dehydrate faster than a waxy cucumber so be sure to get them into the refrigerator right away. If you store unwashed cucumbers in a sealed plastic bag in the vegetable crisper bin, they’ll hold for at least a week. Cucumbers store best at around 45 degrees F, but refrigerators are usually set cooler than this. Keep cucumbers tucked far away from tomatoes, apples, and citrus fruits, as these give off ethylene gas that accelerates cucumber deterioration.
Handling- You can do a lot of fancy things to the skin of a cucumber, and when it is young, fresh, and unwaxed, it really only needs to be thoroughly washed. However, if the skin seems touch or bitter you can remove it; if they seeds are bulky, slice the cucumber lengthwise and scoop them out. Scoring the skin of a cucumber with a fork or citrus zester gives it attractive stripes and may help release any bitterness. Slice, dice, or cut a cucumber into chunks according to specifications given in your recipe.
Beets
Storage – If your beets still have greens attached, cut them off, leaving an inch of stem. Keep these greens unwashed and refrigerated in a closed plastic bag, beet greens are delicious in sautees. Store the beet roots, with the rootlets (or “tails”) attached, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for several weeks, but their sweetness diminishes with time; so try to use them within a week.
Handling – Just before cooking, scrub beets well and remove any scraggly leaves and rootlets. If your recipe calls for raw beets, peel them with a knife or vegetable peeler, then grate or cut them according to your needs.
Tomatoes
The sun-loving tomato’s arrival could mean only one thing—Summer is definitely here! This delectable, heart healthy summer fruit, beyond being a palate pleaser is fantastic in so many ways. Tomatoes can be eaten raw, stewed, sun dried, in soup, as a snack, with balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella, chopped into salsa, on sandwiches and burgers. The possibilities are endless.
FYI-Tomato paste will remove chlorine from hair, especially if you have blond hair and the recent heat wave has turned you into a pool diving mermaid and your locks are now greenish.
Did you know that tomatoes are thought to originate in Peru where their Aztec name “xitomatl’ means “plump thing with a navel”.
Storage
Tomatoes bruise easily, so handle them with care. Wash and dry your tomatoes before storing. Unless you’re planning to store your tomatoes for over a week, a windowsill, counter-top or bowl, stem side down, works fine. If you know you won’t use them in the next few days, then lower temperatures (a cool entryway) will help to preserve the fruit. Contrary to our common practice in the US, storing in a refrigerator is not otherwise recommended, as the cooler temperatures can reduce flavor and cause mushiness and mealyness. Your fresh-picked tomatoes will last longer on the kitchen counter than store-bought ones anyways, which are probably a few days old when you get them.
Summer Squash
Storage– Unwaxed farm-fresh zucchini and summer squash respire through their skins, so they need to be refrigerated as soon as possible. Store them unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable bin, or refrigerate them in a sealed plastic container that you’ve lined with a kitchen towel. In the refrigerator they keep for about a week and a half.
Handling– Rinse under cool running water to remove any dirt or prickles; then slice off the stem and blossom ends. According to the specifications of your recipe, slice the vegetable into rounds, quarters, or chunks.
Cook tips
Zucchini is wonderful steamed, sautéed, grilled or stuffed and baked. You can also cut uncooked zucchini into strips and serve it as an appetizer, or dice and grate it into a salad. Overcooked zucchini will end up as mush. To salvage it, make soup!
Salad Greens (Lettuce/Mesclun)
Storage- Store unwashed lettuce or mesclun in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To store lettuce or greens that you have already washed and dried, roll the leaves loosely in a kitchen towel, put the towel in a plastic bag, and place the package in the vegetable crisper bin. Wet greens will spoil quickly, so make sure they are truly dry before refrigerating them. If you have a salad spinner, wash and spin the greens before refrigerating them. Eat mesclun mix within three or four days, and use lettuce within a week.
Handling- Salad greens bruise easily, so be sure to handle them gently. For lettuce, slice the head at its base with a sharp knife and let the leaves fall open. Discard any damaged or leathery outer leaves and tear large leaves into bite sized pieces. Both lettuce and mesclun mix can be washed by swishing them around in a basin of cold water. If a lot of dirt collects in the water, wash them a second time. Dry the greens in a salad spinner, or if you don’t have one, place them loosely in a mesh bag or thin towel, then go outside and swing them around your head.
Blueberries
Storage and Handling
Blueberries are delicate and fickle, be gentle with them. Keep your fresh blueberries refrigerated, unwashed, in their container. They should last up to two weeks. Water on fresh blueberries hastens deterioration, so do not wash before refrigerating. Blueberries are highly perishable so do try to use them as soon as possible.
Recipes of the Week!
- Beet Carpaccio with Marinated Bean Salad
- Beets on the Grill
- Turkish Style Braised Green Beans
- String beans with Garlic and Ginger
- Green bean salad with Basil and Tomatoes
- Julia Child’s Tian de Courgettes au Riz (Zucchini Tian)
- Zucchini Fritters
- Baked Panko Zucchini Fries
- Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Brownies
- Blueberry Cream Cheese Oat Bars
- Blueberry Cobbler
Beet Carpaccio with Marinated Bean Salad
From Goop
ingredients
makes 4
- 4 medium beets
- ½ pound green or mixed beans, trimmed
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Wash beets well and remove green tops if necessary.
3. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place the beets in the pan. Coat them with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Cover the beets with aluminum foil, place in the oven to roast for about an hour or until tender. Beets are done once they can be easily speared with a fork.
5. Remove from oven and let cool. Alternatively, if you have a steamer or steam extension, you could steam the beets for about 40 minutes, or until soft.
6. While beets are cooking, mix the shallots in a large bowl with the parsley, mustard and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the rest of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
7. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the beans and let them cook for about 3 minutes. You just want to blanche the beans, not cook them through, so that they stay firm and beautifully bright green.
8. Remove beans from the water and add them to the marinade.
9. Once the beets have cooled, slice them as thin as you like, season with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer over 4 large plates.
10. Top with green beans, spooning any leftover marinade on top, and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
Beets on the Grill
from AllRecipes
Directions
- Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.
- Coat one side of a large piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Place beets and butter on foil; season with salt and pepper. Wrap foil over beets.
- Place packet on the grill grate. Cook 30 minutes, or until beets are very tender. Allow beets to cool about 5 minutes before serving. You don’t even need to peel to enjoy!
Turkish-Style Braised Green Beans
from The NY Times
Time: 1 hour plus 45 minutes’ cooling
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half widthwise
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped mint
Thick yogurt, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving.
1. In a large sauté pan or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the onions and stir occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
2. Add the beans, tomatoes, 1 cup water, sugar, salt and pepper and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover and simmer until the beans are very tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, adjust the seasoning to taste and cool to room temperature, uncovered, about 45 minutes. Stir in the mint and serve, with thick yogurt and lemon wedges.
String Beans With Ginger and Garlic
Ingredients
- Salt
- 2 1/2 pounds string beans (French-style slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger (about 6 inches ginger root, peeled)
- 4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced
Preparation
- 1.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches, boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)
- 2.
- When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.
Fresh Green Bean Salad With Basil And Tomatoes
From NPR
Makes 8 servings
1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon salt (4 teaspoons total)
1 recipe garlic-basil dressing (below)
5 firm ripe tomatoes, sliced
4 sprigs fresh basil for garnish
Trim the stem ends of the green beans (you can leave the pointed tips). Halve the longer ones if you wish.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. While the water’s heating, fill a large bowl with ice water (using at least a dozen cubes of ice). Once the water boils, add the beans and cook briefly: 1 or 2 minutes for tiny haricots, 4 or 5 for bigger beans. Don’t walk away. Drain the beans quickly. Then shock them by dumping them in the ice water, agitating them briefly until they are quite cool (about a minute). Then drain again and set aside. They can be refrigerated in a tightly sealed plastic bag for several hours with no loss of color or texture. If you do refrigerate, first dry them extra-thoroughly on a dish towel.
When ready to serve, toss the green beans with 1/3 cup of the dressing in a large mixing bowl. Taste and add more dressing or salt as needed. Pile the beans high in the center of a large white platter. Arrange the tomato slices overlapping around the edge. Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt, and drizzle 3 tablespoons of the dressing on top of them. Garnish with the basil sprigs. Serve immediately.
Garlic-Basil Dressing
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup canola, corn or other vegetable oil
15 fresh basil leaves
Turn on the processor with the steel knife and drop the garlic and shallot down the feed tube onto the spinning blade to mince. Add the vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and sugar. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Add the basil leaves and coarsely chop with several on/off pulses.
Zucchini Recipes:
This week we’re layin’ em on you. Pounds and pounds of zucchini. I’ve provided a good amount of recipes here but if none of them strike your fancy check out the NY Times suggestions here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/08/magazine/bittman-zucchini-recipes.html?smid=pl-share
Julia Child’s Tian de Courgettes au Riz (Zucchini Tian)
from Food52
Serves 6
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds zucchini
- 1/2 cup plain, raw, untreated white rice
- 1 cup minced onions
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large cloves garlic, mashed or finely minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- About 2 1/2 cups warm liquid: zucchini juices plus milk, heated in a pan (watch this closely so that it doesn’t curdle)
- About 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese (save 2 tablespoons for later)
- Salt and pepper
- A heavily buttered 6- to 8-cup, flameproof baking and serving dish about 1 1/2 inches deep
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Shave the stem and the tip off each zucchini (or other summer squash), scrub the vegetable thoroughly but not harshly with a brush under cold running water to remove any clinging sand or dirt.
- If vegetables are large, halve or quarter them. If seeds are large and at all tough, and surrounding flesh is coarse rather than moist and crisp, which is more often the case with yellow squashes and striped green cocozelles than with zucchini, cut out and discard the cores.
- Rub the squash against the coarse side of a grater, and place grated flesh in a colander set over a bowl.
- For each 1 pound (2 cups) of grated squash, toss with 1 teaspoon of salt, mixing thoroughly. Let the squash drain 3 or 4 minutes, or until you are ready to proceed.
- Just before cooking, squeeze a handful dry and taste. If by any chance the squash is too salty, rinse in a large bowl of cold water, taste again; rinse and drain again if necessary. Then squeeze gently by handfuls, letting juices run back into bowl. Dry on paper towels. Zucchini will not be fluffy; it is still dampish, but the excess liquid is out. The pale-green, slightly saline juice drained and squeezed out of the zucchini has a certain faint flavor that can find its uses in vegetable soups, canned soups, or vegetable sauces.
- While the shredded zucchini is draining (reserve the juices,) drop the rice into boiling salted water, bring rapidly back to the boil, and boil exactly 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
- In a large (11-inch) frying pan, cook the onions slowly in the oil for 8 to 10 minutes until tender and translucent. Raise heat slightly and stir several minutes until very lightly browned.
- Stir in the grated and dried zucchini and garlic. Toss and turn for 5 to 6 minutes until the zucchini is almost tender.
- Sprinkle in the flour, stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes, and remove from heat.
- Gradually stir in the 2 1/2 cups warm liquid (zucchini juices plus milk, heated gently in a pan — don’t let it get so hot that the milk curdles!). Make sure the flour is well blended and smooth.
- Return over moderately high heat and bring to the simmer, stirring. Remove from the heat again, stir in the blanched rice and all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Taste very carefully for seasoning. Turn into buttered baking dish, strew remaining cheese on top, and dribble the olive oil over the cheese.
- About half an hour before serving, bring to simmer on top of stove (you can skip this step if your baking dish isn’t flameproof), then set in upper third of a preheated 425-degree F oven until tian is bubbling and top has browned nicely. The rice should absorb all the liquid.
Zucchini Fritters
from BonAppetit
INGREDIENTS
Soy Dipping Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Crushed red pepper flakest
Fritters
- 1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), grated
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Soy Dipping Sauce
-
Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Fritters
-
Place zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 10 minutes, then wring zucchini dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place zucchini in a large bowl and gently mix in egg, flour, chives, and cornstarch; season with salt and pepper.
-
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, drop 1/4-cupfuls zucchini mixture into skillet, flattening slightly; cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt. Serve with soy dipping sauce.
-
DO AHEAD: Fritters can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep warm in a 200° oven.
Baked Panko Zucchini Fries
from Babble.com
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning salt (or to taste)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 medium zucchini, cut into french fry strips
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Stir together the panko with the Lawry’s salt and place the mixture on a shallow plate. Place the flour on a separate shallow plate. Pour the beaten eggs into a bowl.
3. Dip the zucchini sticks in the flour, followed by the egg mixture and, finally, the panko bread crumb mixture. The bread crumbs should completely coat the zucchini.
3. Place the coated zucchini on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
Zucchini Brownies
from CarpeSeason
(yields: one 13×9-inch pan of brownies)
This fudge brownie recipe is a great way to use up all that summer zucchini. These brownies are moist, gooey, and really chocolatey.
Ingredients
1 c. flour
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 c. zucchini, shredded
1 egg
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. semisweet or milk chocolate chips (I used milk)
1/2 c nuts, chopped (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine dry ingredients (flour, wheat flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, salt) in a large bowl.
Stir in the shredded zucchini.
In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients (egg, sugars, yogurt, oil and vanilla). Once combined, add the wet ingredients to the zucchini/flour bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into a GREASED 13×9-inch pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips (and nuts if using) on top of the batter.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Oat Bars
From Baking and Boys!
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Blueberry Filling:
1 2/3 cup frozen blueberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Directions:
Heat oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir with fork until evenly moistened (mixture will be very crumbly). Reserve 1/2 cup crumb mixture for topping; Press remaining mixture firmly over bottom of foil-lined pan. Bake 12 minutes to set crust.
Prepare Cream Cheese Filling:
In bowl of electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and salt and beat well. Add egg and mix until combined. Pour filling over baked crust.
Prepare Filling: In a small saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar and cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken slight (it won’t be too thick) and clear (about 7 minutes). Remove from heat and pour over the cream cheese filling. Crumble reserved crumb mixture over top, then sprinkle nuts over crumb mixture.
Bake 30 minutes until top is browned and filling is bubbly. Let cool completely in pan set on a wire rack. When cool, chill for an hour before cutting. Lift foil by ends onto a cutting board. Peel off foil; cut into 12 bars. Store in refrigerator, but serve at room temperature.
Blueberry Cobbler
From Mark Bittman
4 to 6 cups blueberries or other fruit, washed and well dried, peeled and sliced as necessary
1 cup sugar, or to taste
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits, plus some for the pan
1 /2 cup all-purpose flour
1 /2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 egg
1 /2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Toss the fruit with half the sugar and spread it in a lightly greased 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor and pulse once or twice. Add the butter and process for 10 seconds, until the mixture is well blended. By hand, beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Drop this mixture onto the fruit by tablespoon-fuls; do not spread it out. Bake until golden yellow and just starting to brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately.
As a reminder, part of the fun of being a member of a CSA is collaborating with your community, so always feel free to post cooking suggestions or feedback on recipes that we post, or favorite recipes of your own that you’d like to share.
