FarmShare C.S.A. Newsletter, week of September 9th, 2014
You’re invited!
Stonewall Kitchen will be hosting a demo here at Applecrest next week, September 16th from 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm during Tuesday’s CSA handout. If you are a Friday member and have time to swing by, please do as there will be recipes, sauces and giveaways!
What’s in this week’s box?
Carrots
Green beans
Chiogga Beets
Eggplant
Butter & Sugar Corn
Roma Tomatoes
Field Tomatoes- Red & Yellow
Cocktail Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Fruit:
McIntosh Apples
Raspberries
Peaches
**Quick Note about deliveries: Occasionally what we plan on putting in the boxes for the week change by the time delivery actually comes around. This is affected by several factors: weather can quickly and ruthlessly destroy a crop, what we thought was a completely ready row of carrots (for example) is only in fact half ready, miscommunication between the CSA Coordinator and the Veggie manager, etc.
In the end, as a CSA member know that these are normal occurrences and that there is the occasional discrepancy from the emailed list of box contents. Thank you!
Storage, handling and general cooking tips…
Carrots
Storage- Remove the leafy green tops, leaving about an inch of stems. Refrigerate dry, unwashed carrots in a plastic bag for two weeks or longer.
Handling– Carrots fresh from the farm generally don’t need to be peeled, but should you decide to peel them, the nutrient loss is negligible. Peel carrots or scrub them well with a stiff brush just before using. Trim off any green spots, which can taste bitter. When slicing or chipping carrots for cooking, be sure to make all the pieces relatively the same size. With their tapered shape this can be a challenge, but your efforts will ensure an evenly cooked dish.
Carrots fresh from the farm generally don’t need to be peeled, but should you decide to peel them, the nutrient loss is negligible. Peel carrots or scrub them well with a stiff brush just before using. Trim off any green spots, which can taste bitter. When slicing carrots for cooking, be sure to make all the pieces relatively the same size to ensure an evenly-cooked dish.
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.
Beets
Storage – 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.
Just before cooking or consuming, 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. Try baking beets at 350-400 degrees for an hour or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Cut the tops and bottoms off and the skin should easily slip off. Why not add some other root vegetables to the dish along with olive oil, garlic, herbs, and salt. I like to boil beets as well. Boil beets 45 minutes to an hour depending on size, they should easily pierce when done. Plunge them directly into cold water after boiling and the skins will slip right off. Then slice and top with fresh lime juice. Please don’t miss the opportunity to have your kids taste beets! My daughter loves them and they are chock full of fiber, vitamins (lots of Bs and C!), minerals (iron, magnesium), and antioxidants. Plus, they look beautiful on the plate.
Green Beans
This tasty bean is among one of the only ones that can be enjoyed fresh, plus it packs a punch full of benefits! Green beans are an excellent source of folate, fiber, and potassium. Surprisingly, green beans are also full of cancer fighting carotenoids. Toss it in with your salad, stir fry with some oil, or steam to go along with your chicken and rice.
Storage and Handling
Store unwashed fresh beans pods in a plastic bag kept in the refrigerator crisper. Whole beans stored this way should keep for about seven days. Wash in cold water right before using. Trim and cut the ends off right before using.
Cook tips
Use raw beans for dipping, (we love it with hummus) or in with your salad. Build a composed Salad Nicoise and combine with boiled potatoes and tuna. Marinate in your favorite dressing and saute with garlic to make a tasty side for dinner.
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.
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.
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.
Recipes of the Week!
- Heirloom Tomato Salad on Grilled Bruschetta
- Basil Scalloped Tomatoes and Croutons
- Creamy Tomato Bisqu
- Tomato Sandwiches
- Stewed Tomatoes
- Carrot Salad with Tahini, Crisped Chickpeas and Salted Pistachios
- Indian Eggplant Stuffed with Sesame-Peanut Masala
- Fresh Fried Corn (aka freezer friendly Corn)
-
Tangy Corn Relish
- Roasted Beet Salad with Barley, Feta, and Red Onion
- Peach and Ginger Scallops
- Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
- Maple Bourbon Brown Butter Peach Pie
- Sweet Honey Jalapeno Cornmeal Biscuits
Heirloom Tomato Salad on Grilled Bruschetta
From CSA Member JoLynne Johnson, Thank you!
- 2 lbs assorted heirloom cherry-sized tomatoes, cut in quarters (or larger tomatoes diced)
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 T red-wine vinegar (can also use balsamic for a different taste)
- 1/4 c + 2T extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 c packed basil leaves, thinly sliced (the purple basil leaves are a pretty addition)
- salt and pepper to taste (I use sea salt and freshly ground Kampot pepper)
- bread slices (either ciabatta or baquette, sliced 1/2 inch and grilled on both sides)
Put tomatoes, onion, garlic, vinegar 1/4 c olive oil and basil in medium bowl; stir to combine. Season mixture with salt and pepper; let sit at room temperature for 30 min to allow flavors to meld.
Heat grill to high. Grill bread on each side until slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side. Remove from grill and brush tops with the remaining 2T of oil. Mound the bread with the tomato mixture and some of the juices; serve immediately.
Note: We often short-cut this and just serve it on lightly toasted baguette slices.
Basil Scalloped Tomatoes and Croutons
From Oh She Glows
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 slices Ezekiel bread or french bread, chopped into 1/2-inch croutons
- 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, diced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons regular sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bread cubes and mix well with oil so that they are evenly coated. Cook bread, stirring frequently, until crisp on all sides for about 5 mins.While the bread is toasting, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are crisp, add the tomato mixture to the skillet, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Pour into a 1.5 qrt/1.4 litre shallow baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 minutes until the top is golden. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving as the tomatoes are VERY hot! Serves 2-4.
Creamy Tomato Bisque
From Riddle Love
Serves 6
- About 8 cups tomatoes
- 4 Tablespoons bacon grease (Just do it. Trust me on this one. Or use butter if it’s too much to wrap your mind around.)
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder whisked into 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 quart chicken stock
- Several sprigs of thyme tied together
- 1 pinch (or 2 or 3) red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 (or 5 or 6) cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup créme fraiche
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Optional (but oh so necessary) Garnishes:
- Several fresh basil leaves, cut chiffonade-style
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- Ground pepper (it’s such a pretty finish)
- A drizzle of balsamic vinegar (you kinda need this one)
- Purée tomatoes in blender (a high-speed like a Vita-Mix is best) until thoroughly blended.
- Heat soup pot with bacon grease until melted and add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Briefly whisk in arrowroot powder/water mixture. It might become gelatinous but it will thin out as you continue with the recipe. Add stock and puréed tomatoes and continue to whisk until it’s brought to a boil.
- Turn heat to medium-low and add thyme sprigs, red pepper flakes, and pepper. Keep the top open and allow soup to reduce to about 1/3 (about 45 minutes to 1 hour), stirring occasionally.
- Turn off heat and compost thyme sprigs. If you don’t mind your soup a little lumpy, add remaining ingredients, run an emersion blender through it, and you’re good to go. If you would prefer it without chunks, run through a sieve, and compost the rest.
Tomato Sandwiches
From Food & Wine Magazine
Mash 3 oz. crumbled feta with 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons minced chives; season with salt and pepper. Spread on 6 slices garlic runned toast, and top with tomatoes, olive oil, sea salt.
Stewed Tomatoes
From Brooklyn Farm Girl
- 10 tomatoes (beef or roma variety)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, plunge tomatoes in for 30 seconds. Remove, put immediately in a ice bath.
- Peel the tomatoes. Discard the skins.
- Dice the tomatoes up to desired size.
- In a large pot on medium heat, combine all ingredients.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Then serve fresh or you can freeze them.
Carrot Salad with Tahini, Crisped Chickpeas and Salted Pistachios
From smitten kitchen
Chickpeas
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and patted dry on paper towels
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salad
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/4 cup shelled, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Dressing
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
Roast chickpeas: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss chickpeas with one tablespoon olive oil, salt and cumin until they’re all coated. Spread them on a baking sheet or pan and roast them in the oven until they’re browned and crisp. This can take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and firmness of your chickpeas. Toss them occasionally to make sure they’re toasting evenly. Set aside until needed.
Make dressing: Whisk all ingredients together until smooth, adding more water if needed to thin the dressing slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning; don’t worry if it tastes a little sharp on the lemon, it will marry perfectly with the sweet grated carrots.
Assemble salad: Place grated carrots in large bowl and toss with parsley. Mix in 2/3 of the dressing, adding more if desired. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with a large handful of chickpeas (you’ll have extra and if you’re like us, won’t regret it) and pistachios and dig in.
Do ahead: Salad keeps well in the fridge for two days, however, I’d add the chickpeas and pistachios right before serving, so they don’t get soft.
Indian Eggplant Stuffed with Sesame-Peanut Masala
From Mark Bittman
Serves 4
- 1/4 cup toasted white (hulled) sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon minced or crushed garlic
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- 2 teaspoons water
- 8 Indian eggplants, or 6 small Italian or Japanese eggplants (1 1/2 pounds total)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/4 cup water
1. For the filling, use a mini food processor to grind the sesame seeds, peanuts, sugar, salt, turmeric and cayenne to a crumbly texture. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cilantro and water to create a compact, spreadable mixture. Set aside.
2. Use scissors to trim the eggplant stems so that they are about 1/2 inch long. Use your fingers to remove the green pointy flaps of the eggplant caps. Make a deep cross incision in each eggplant, stopping 1/2-inch short of the stem. To do that, position each one on its side on your cutting board. Hold it down with one hand while you wield the knife with the other hand to make the first horizontal cut. Roll the eggplant 90 degrees and make the second horizontal cut.
3. Use a teaspoon to stuff each eggplant with about 1/8 of the filling. Gently pry open the eggplant, stuff in the filling. Make sure there is filling between each of the cuts. Gently squeeze the eggplant to make the filling sticks and fills the crevices.
4. Pour the oil into a large nonstick skillet over medium heat to film the bottom. When hot, add the eggplants in a single layer. Fry the eggplants for 3 to 4 minutes, turning frequently, to brown them on two sides. Don’t fret when some of the filling spills out. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover with a lid or foil, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until tender. Pierce with the tip of a knife to test. There will be filling in the skillet bottom. If you want to crisp those bits and serve them with the eggplant, increase the heat to medium high and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the heat, let the sizzling subside, then transfer to a plate and serve hot or warm.
Fresh Fried Corn (aka freezer friendly Corn)
Ingredients
- Fresh ears of corn
- margarine
- salt and pepper
- water
- bacon grease (optional but oh so good)
Instructions
- Shuck and remove silks from corn. Cut kernels off cob with a sharp knife, leaving about 1/4 of the kernel. Scrape cobs clean with the blade of the knife. Place about 2 T margarine and 1 T bacon grease in skillet. Add corn and corn pulp. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup water (more if needed).
- Bring to a slight boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer and continue cooking and stirring for about thirty minutes.
- If putting this up for the freezer, just cook about half way through and then cool and place in freezer bags or containers and label. Thaw when ready to use and cook for half an hour just as described above.
Tangy Corn Relish
From Food network
- 2 ears corn
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet piquante peppers
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet gherkins
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Roasted Beet Salad with Barley, Feta, and Red Onion
From the Kitchn
- 1 cup dry pearl barley
- 4 medium beets, tops removed
- 1/2 large red onion (about 1 cup), minced and soaked in cold water for 1/2 hour
- 1/2 block of feta (about 4 ounces), cut into small squares or crumbled
- 4-5 scallions, sliced into fine rounds
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- extra sliced scallions for garnish
Heat the oven to 450-degrees.
Loosely wrap the beets in tin foil and roast in the oven until they are just fork tender–30 – 45 minutes. Peel and dice the beets into small cubes.
Meanwhile, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the barley is al dente, about 30 minutes. If there is extra liquid in the pot, drain the barley and return it to the pan. Cover with a clean dishtowel until ready to use.
Drain the red onion.
Combine barley, beets, red onion, feta, and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice and olive oil over the top and toss to coat.
Taste the mixture. As needed, add salt 1/4 teaspoon at a time (the feta is really salty!). Pepper to taste.
Serve family-style in a large bowl or in individual bowls. Garnish with extra scallions.
Peach and Ginger Scallops
Serves 4
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger root
- 2 large peaches, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
- 2 pounds sea scallops
- juice from 1/2 lime
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in cast iron skillet over medium flame. Add shallot and cook for two minutes. Combine with ginger and stir for half a minute.
Place peaches in skillet and continue cooking for three minutes, stirring at the halfway point. Remove peach mixture and place in a small bowl. Cover to keep warm.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet. Place scallops in a single layer and cook for four to six minutes, turning once. Return peach mixture to pan, covering shallots evenly. Remove from heat and drizzle with lime juice.
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
From Kayotic Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 cup sieved flour
2 cups sugar
7 oz butter
7 oz dark chocolate
5 oz raspberries
14 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs
Directions:
Start by cutting up 7 oz of butter, and let it soften on your kitchen counter. What also has to come to room temperature is 14 oz of cream cheese. Break 7 oz dark chocolate in little pieces. We’ll be melting the chocolate in a little while. We’ll also be using 2 cups of simple, granulated sugar. Keep both cups separated, though. 1 cup all-purpose flour. Run it through a sieve. Always sieve your flour when baking. The recipe calls for 5 eggs. Use room temperature eggs when you’re baking! It’ll prevent lots of possible problems. You can definitely use fresh raspberries, it might help to place them on a cookie sheet and stick them in the freezer while preparing the rest of the brownie, to help firm them up a bit. Butter a 8″x 12″ square baking tray (20 x 30cm). Line it with baking paper. Mine was almost square! 🙂 Break out your hand-mixer. Or use your kitchenaid. Whisk the softened butter with 1 cup of sugar until slightly fluffy. Now for a little egg action. Add 3 eggs; one at a time. Do not add the next egg until the previous one has completely blended in.
This is your cue to melt the chocolate. Melt the chocolate anyway you like (au bain marie or microwave), and let it cool off a bit so we won’t end up with scrambled eggs. You want to lick the fork, don’t you? Pour the chocolate in with the butter, sugar and egg mix. Stir it in. Add the sieved flour and carefully fold it in. There’s your brownie mix. Put the cream cheese in a big bowl, add the 2 leftover eggs, 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk until it’s a smooth, creamy mixture. Spread 2/3 of the chocolate mix on the bottom of your baking tray. Pour the cream cheese on top and spread it out evenly. Now ‘drop’ little pieces of chocolate mix on top of the cream cheese. Lightly work it in with a fork—like you’re marbling a cake. Next add the raspberries, just push the raspberries into the cream cheese. It does work best if they’re slightly frozen. Bake at 350F (175C) for 40 to 45 minutes. Until the cake feels set when gently touched in the center. Let the brownies cool off completely; preferably overnight, before cutting them in squares.
Maple Bourbon Brown Butter Peach Pie
From Host the Toast
- 3 lbs ripe peaches (about 6 peaches)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch of allspice
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup pecans
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch cinnamon
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, to serve
- If making homemade crust (you can also use frozen or refrigerated pie crust), start with that. Pour one cup of cold water into a bowl and add in a few ice cubes. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk 2½ cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt until well-combined.
- Take out your butter. It needs to be very cold, so you may want to put it in the freezer for a few minutes to really get it solid. Cut the 2 sticks of butter into ½” pieces
- Use a pastry blender or food processor to combine the flour mixture and butter pieces until the butter is broken up into pea-sized pieces. DO NOT OVERMIX!
- Drizzle half of the ice cold water over the mixture (making sure not to accidentally pour in any ice cubes). Using a rubber spatula, mix together the dough until large lumps form. Use your hands to knead it all into one smooth ball.
- Divide the dough in half, shape into disks (balls first, then flatten a bit), and wrap in plastic wrap. Let chill in the fridge for at least an hour and a half before rolling out. Stays good in fridge for one week, longer in freezer.
- When your dough is ready, flour everything. Your counter, your rolling pin, the dough itself. You want a lot of flour.
- Press your rolling pin down in the center of the dough disk and push outward. Roll in that direction a few times, then lift and do a quarter turn and roll that direction a few times. Continue rolling, turning the dough, and rolling again until the entire crust is rolled out into a 12″ circle. Work quickly, you don’t want the dough to warm up.
- Place the pie crust in your pie pan and fold the excess,overhanging dough underneath, so the pie is now the size of the pan.
- Crimp the pie crust by making a “V” or pinching shape with your thumb and forefinger on the outside of the crust. Then, using your other pointer finger, push the crust from the inside to fit in between the V-shaped fingers. Continue all around the crust.
- Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
- As you wait for your crust to cool, make the filling.
- Peel and slice the peaches, and then toss in a large bowl with the cornstarch, flour, cinnamon, salt, and allspice.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, and water. Stir JUST UNTIL the sugar dissolves and then let come to a boil. Resist the urge to stir while it boils. Swirl the pan occasionally to make sure the caramel is browning evenly, but DO NOT STIR.
- Once the caramel turns a deep amber brown, remove from heat and add in the butter, swirling the pan until the butter completely melts.
- Pour the caramel over the peaches and mix well. Pour the peach-caramel filling into the prepared pie shell and place in the refrigerator once more.
- Sprinkle the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle, then chop.
- In the same small, heavy-bottomed saucepan you used for the caramel, melt a stick of butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook until the butter turns golden-brown. Set aside.
- Whisk together the 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, ½ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pinch of cinnamon. Mix in the pecans. Drizzle over the browned butter (which now should be slightly cooled) and mix until crumbs form.
- Crumble the streusel mixture on top of a rimmed baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove the filled pie pan and the streusel from the refrigerator. Sprinkle and crumble the streusel over the pie filling until the pie filling is completely covered. Cover the pie crust with foil and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Make sure to put a baking sheet or pie drip catcher underneath, as it WILL bubble over and make a mess!
- Remove the foil, reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes. The crust should be golden brown and the caramel should bubble when the pie is ready.
- Cool for at least 3 hours. DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT SLICING THAT PIE WHEN IT COMES RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN! It will wind up a gooey mess.
- After cooling for at least 3 hours, slice and serve with vanilla bean ice cream.
Sweet Honey Jalapeno Cornbread Biscuits
From Half Baked Harvest
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Using a fork, pastry blender or your hands, add butter pieces to the flour and mix until coarse little crumbles remain. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and and honey and pour into the flour. Stir with a spoon until just combined, not overmixing. Use your hands if needed to bring the dough together. Fold in the cheddar cheese and jalapenos.
- Use a 1/4 cup measure to drop batter onto a nonstick baking sheet, or press dough on a sheet of parchment paper or cutting board, then using a biscuit cutter to shape the dough into rounds. Brush with buttermilk.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.
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.
