Parking update:

Hi there! Fall is officially here and that means several things: Our Fall Festivals are in full swing, we have school tours at least once a day, and there are apple pickers visiting from far and wide. Parking often becomes an issue at this point in time, but there are some close-by spots for you, our CSA members. Right between the Farm market barn and the Creamery barn is a driveway with a few “quick pick up” parking spots. If you’re having a hard time corralling the brood while carrying your box of goodies, or if the box is simply too heavy and the walk too long, please please please park in these closer spots. And, as always if you need a hand getting your share to your care, we’re more than happy to help!

What’s in this week’s box?

Green or Savoy Cabbage

Radishes

Swiss Chard

Kale

Eggplant

Butter & Sugar Corn

Fruit:

Apples-Cortland

Fresh pressed Cider

Storage, handling and general cooking tips…

Radishes 

Storage- Remove radish leaves if they are still attached.  Store the unwashed greens in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator.  Because of their high water content radishes deteriorate quickly.  Store them dry and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Most radishes should keep for a week.

Handling– Scrub radishes and young turnips well to remove any lingering dirt.  Trim off he stems and rootlets.  Slice, chop, or mince the roots or leave them whole.

Savoy and Green Cabbage

Savoy Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A.  Cabbage provides a wonderful phytonutrient–the polyphenols. These antioxidants can be found in all forms of cabbage, protecting our delicate red blood cells from damaging oxidization. Savoy cabbage, of the three varieties, has a more delicate flavor, easily incorporated in many dishes.

Storage + Handling

Keeping cabbage cold will keep it fresh and help it retain its vitamin C content. Put the whole head in a plastic bag in the crisper of your refrigerator, Savoy cabbage will keep for about 1 week.

If you need to store a partial head of cabbage, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Since the vitamin C content of cabbage starts to quickly degrade once it has been cut, you should use the remainder within a couple of days.

To prepare: Remove any damaged outer leaves and cut the cabbage in half and then into quarters, cut off the hard core from each quarter at an angle. Slice and wash thoroughly.

Cabbage can be steamed, boiled, stir-fried or used as a wrap for fillings, it is easy to overcook Savoy cabbage and spoil its texture and flavour so just cook until tender. To steam cabbage, place in a steamer and cook for 5-10 minutes until tender but still crisp. To boil, bring a pan of water to the boil, add the prepared cabbage and cook for 5 8 minutes until tender but still crisp. To stir-fry cabbage, heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan, add the cabbage and stir fry for 4-5 minutes or until tender but still crisp. To use individual leaves for fillings, place the filling in the centre of the leaf and bring the sides of the leaf over and then tuck in the top and bottom. The parcels can be steamed or covered in sauce and baked.

Cooking Greens (Kale, Swiss Chard)

Storage- Keep dry, unwashed greens in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.  Thicker greens will keep up to two weeks, but tender ones like beet greens should be eaten within a week.

Handling-  Just prior to use, swish leaves in a large basin of lukewarm water.  After any grit has settled to the bottom, life the leaves out carefully.  Additional rounds of washing may be necessary.  If the sink  has dirt in it or if you sample a leaf and it tastes gritty, the greens probably need to be rinsed again.

How you prepare greens for cooking can make or break a dish.  It’s fine to leave the stems on small baby greens, but many greens (choi, chard,  kale) have thick stems that cook more slowly than the leaves.  If stems are not removed, you wind up with either soggy greens or raw stems.  Fold each leaf in half and slice out the stem De-stem several leaves, then stack them up and slice them diagonally into 1 inch-wide ribbons.  If you want to use the stems in your dish, slice them a quarter inch thick and begin cooking them before you add the greens.

Eggplant

Storage- Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50 degrees F, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters.  Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not in plastic) to absorb any moistrue and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator.  Used within a week, it should still be fresh and mild.

 Handling- Rinse eggplant in cool water and cut off the stem.  Many people like to peel, salt, and drain their eggplant to draw out any bitter flavor; however, bitterness develops only in eggplant that has been stored for a while, so with farm fresh specimens this is generally not necessary.  Many recipes cal for salting in ofder to make the vegetable less watery and more absorbent– much like draining tofu.  Salting is not an essential step, but it can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish and is well worth the extra effort.

 Eggplant’s thick skin can be difficult to cut.  Do so carefully with a sharp knife.  The shape of an eggplant determines how it is best prepared.  Slice a straight, narrow eggplant into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut a rounded, bulbous eggplant into cubes for stews and stir-fries.

Apples

Our summer apples are in, and you guys are getting the cream of the crop. Jersey macs, related to the famous Mackintosh, are tart and tender. If you are a Mackintosh fan, you need not wait for them to ripen, these Jersey macs will keep you satisfied for now. Gravenstein apples are native to Denmark and were discovered in the 1600s as a chance seedling. These early guys are excellent for cooking and make fantastic cider and apple sauce.

Storage and Handling

Apples should be kept uncovered or in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Warm temperatures will cause apples to lose their crispness and flavor, so if they are kept out of the refrigerator, make sure it is in a cool, ventilated place far from direct sunlight. To prevent cut apples from turning brown, sprinkle with lemon juice or soak them in a bowl of ½ cup water and 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Corn

Corn is quintessential Americana, synonymous with BBQs, Summertime, and Grilling. There isn’t a red-checkered tablecloth on a picnic table that won’t see a bowl of these steaming ears. Sweet corn is not only tasty it also contains fiber, protein, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and phosphorous. Fun fact: there is one silk for every kernel of corn, on average there are 800 kernels in 16 rows on each ear of corn. Here at Applecrest we grow about 5 acres of corn, which at the height of the season will remove about 40 tons of carbon dioxide from the air, talk about goin’ green!

Storage and Handling 

Corn can be stored in its husk up to four days in the refrigerator but it will be at its sweetest the closer it is to the day it was picked. Corn can also be frozen. Boil your ears of corn for 4-6 minutes, cool in an ice bath, cut kernels off the cob, store in air tight container (bag or tupperware works), and stick in freezer. You’ll thank yourself on a cold February night, when you can taste these sun kissed kernels alongside your meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

Cook tips

Corn can be grilled, boiled, or roasted. Easily eaten directly off the cob, added to a salad, or frozen for later use.

Recipes of the Week!

• Apple Slaw
• Apple Cider Braised Chicken and Cabbage
• Un-stuffed Cabbage Casserole
•  Quick Radish Pickles
•  Kale with Apples & Mustard
• Swiss Chard Polenta Pizza
• Chard and White Bean stew
• Sweet Corn and Radish Salad
• Miso-Glazed Eggplant
• Eggplant Caponata
• Maple-Apple Upside Down Cake
• Oatmeal Brown Sugar Baked Apples

Apple Slaw

From Cookie and Kate

1. In a big bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: olive oil, mustard, honey and lime juice.
2. Toss the chopped cabbage, radish and apple into the bowl. Use your hands to thoroughly toss the chopped ingredients with the dressing. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour. Mix in the chopped cilantro right before serving.

Apple Cider Braised Chicken and Cabbage

From Emeril

• 1/2 pound applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
• 3 pounds chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 bulb of fennel, chopped, about 1 1/2 cups (reserve 1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds for garnish)
• 2 apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 3 pounds cabbage, cored and chopped into large pieces
• 1/2 cup applejack, or other apple brandy
• 1 to 2 cups apple cider, as needed
• Grilled apples, optional, for garnish
• Apple chips, optional, for garnish

1. Add the bacon to a 6-quart or larger round Dutch oven set over medium-high heat and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy, about 6 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on paper towels. Discard (or save for later use) all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from pot.
2. Season the chicken with the allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, to the pan (in batches if necessary), and cook until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
3. Add onion, chopped fennel, apples, and fennel seeds to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, then return bacon to pan. Increase heat to high and add half of the cabbage, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until cabbage is slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add remaining cabbage to pan and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in applejack and once evaporated, return chicken to pan, nestling it in the cabbage. Add apple cider as needed, to cover chicken, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Serve in shallow bowls with fennel fronds, grilled apples, and apple chips, if desired.

Un-stuffed Cabbage Casserole

From Gina’s

• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb. 95% lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese (Sargento)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. (My dish was 13″ x 10″)

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add ground beef and cook until it’s browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Remove ground beef and set aside. In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Add water to the pan. Simmer until it’s hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes. While it simmers, cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and remove any wilted outer leaves; chop the cabbage coarsely into 1 inch pieces. Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven; add the cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and about half cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine.

Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges. Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese (if using.) Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown. Serve hot.

Freezer friendly if you have leftovers. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then either microwave until hot or heat in the oven in a glass dish covered with foil.

 Kale with Apples & Mustard

From Eating Well