What’s in this week’s box?

Veggies:

Eggplant

Cherry Tomatoes

Corn

Scallions

Broccoli

Kale

Fruit:

Peaches

 

Storage, handling and general cooking tips…

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.

 

Broccoli

Storage-

Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator.  Don’t use an airtight bag, because broccoli continues to respire after being harvested and needs some room to breather.  It keeps for over a week but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days.

Handling–

Part of eating locally and sustainably involves tolerating a few bugs on your produce.  Broccoli in particular sometimes comes with innocuous friends tagging along in its depths.  Immediately before cooking, soak your broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes.  Any critters will float to the top. If you soak your broccoli in salt water and then store it, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.  So wait until the last minute to salt and soak it.

After cutting or breaking off the florets, don’t discard the stem.  Sliced stems are juicy, crunchy, and perfectly edible wherever the florets are called for.  If the skin on the stem is particularly thick, you can remove it with a paring knife or vegetable peeler before adding the stem to your dish.

 

Cauliflower

Storage-Wrap dry, unwashed cauliflower loosely in plastic and store it in the refrigerator.  It will keep for up to a week but will taste sweetest if used within a few days.

 Handling– Trim off the leaves and any brown spots caused by sun exposure.  Rinse the cauliflower and cut out the coneshaped core at the base using a small paring knife.  Stop there if you plan to cook it whole.  Otherwise, proceed to break it into florets.  You can also chop cauliflower rather than break it apart by hand.  This method is much quicker, but the results will be more suitable for stew or curry than they will be for a vegetable platter.

Cauliflower is delicious raw, roasted with a little olive oil (think: sweet and crispy), or thrown into a quick veggie saute.

 

Cooking Greens (Kale, Swiss Chard, Beet Greens, Bok Choi)

 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.

 

Peaches & Nectarines

Driving down rt. 88  past the Applecrest orchards one thing is for sure, the peach trees are chock full of these tasty gems, and are ripening as we speak! Our peaches are packed with major nutrients including vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium. They are an excellent source of fiber and the juice of peaches is considered a magnificent moisturizer. Eaten fresh, baked in a pie, or grilled to bring out more sweetness this versatile treat won’t last long on your kitchen counter

Storage and Handling

Peaches bruise easily, so when testing for ripe-ness use your whole hand, not just one finger. Leave peaches out, on the counter. If they need to ripen more, place in a closed paper bag. Once ripe, store in the crisper bin of your refrigerator where they’ll keep for up to five  days. Peaches can also be frozen. Peel and slice them, lay them on a baking tray and stick in the freezer for a few hours until they’re frozen through. Transfer the peach wedges to a resealable plastic bag and freeze until ready to use. They’ll keep at least 6 months (longer in a free-standing freezer) and are perfect to use in baking.

Cook tips

Eat these guys fresh, rinsed and wiped to remove fuzz. Or bake into a crumble. Or put in your morning cereal. Or serve with almond essence infused whipped cream, as almonds are a close cousin to peaches. Delicious in savory dishes as well, you can grill them and put in a salad, can be made into a chutney alongside your pork or beef, or preserve them to be enjoyed mid-winter. There are endless options.

Scallions

Store in a jar filled with inch or two of water. Stand scallions in jar, cover whole thing with a plastic bag and keep in fridge-last about a week.

 

  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!

Take a fancy foodie picture with your Applecrest fruit and veggies? Let us know and post it on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter with #applecrest !

 

• Sauteed Corn, Bacon and Scallions
• Pan roasted Corn with Cherry Tomatoes
• Grilled Pizza with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes
• Eggplant for Eggplant Haters (dinner for two)
• Crustless Broccoli and Scallion Quiche
• Roasted Cauliflower and Sesame Spread
•  Grilled Peach, Chicken and Feta Salad
• Peach Cream Pie

 

Sauteed Corn, Bacon and Scallions

from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
• 4 cups corn kernels
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper
• Pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 2 to 3 scallions, sliced

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. Add corn kernels; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in scallions. Serve immediately.

Pan-Roasted Corn with Cherry Tomatoes

From Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Mr Bittman says it best : “At some point in the summer, you may get sick of plain corn on the cob or even grilled corn; here’s the recipe to turn to then. Its fast, it’s easy, and it’s completely different; when browned like this, corn takes on a brand-new flavor. Other vegetables you can use in this recipe: shell peas. Serve with simply grilled or broiled meat, poultry, or fish, or just with some dressed greens and crusty bread. ”

6 ears fresh corn, shucked

1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1 tablespoon minced shallot or white or red onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh tarragon leaves for garnish

1. Use a knife to strip the kernels from the corn. It’s easiest if you stand the corn up in a shallow bowl and just cut down the length of each ear as many times as is necessary; you’ll quickly get the hang of it.

2. Put the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, add the corn, tomatoes, and shallot; let sit for a moment. As the corn browns, shake the pan to distribute it so each kernel is deeply browned on at least one surface.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir in the tarragon; serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Grilled Pizza with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes

From NYTimes CookingIngredients

• 1 large or 2 long Asian eggplants, cut into rounds 3/4¾ -inch thick rounds
• Vinaigrette dressing
• Extra virgin olive oil (about 3 tablespoons)
• Salt
• 3 10-inch pizza crusts (1 recipe)
• 3/4¾ cup marinara sauce
• 1 box cherry tomatoes, cut in half along the equator
• Hot red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or dried oregano
• 3 ounces crumbled feta, 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan, or 5 ounces mozzarella, shredded if fresh, sliced if low-moisture
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn into pieces or cut into wide strips if the leaves are big

Preparation

1. Prepare a hot grill. If you wish, marinate the eggplant slices in a vinaigrette dressing for 15 minutes before grilling (this is an optional step). Oil the hot grill rack with olive oil, either by brushing with a grill brush or by dipping a folded wad of paper towels in olive oil and using tongs to rub the rack with it. Brush the eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Place on the hot grill, not quite directly over the hottest heat, and grill for about 5 minutes, until charred. Turn the pieces over and grill for another 5 minutes. If they are getting too black too quickly, move away from the direct heat. They need to cook long enough so that they’re charred on the outside and creamy and soft in the middle. Remove from the heat and cut into bite-size wedges. Set aside.
2. Place a round of dough on a lightly dusted baker’s peel or rimless baking sheet. Slide the pizza dough from the peel or baking sheet onto the grill rack. If the dough has just come from the freezer and is easy to handle, you can just place it on the rack without bothering with the peel. Close the lid of the grill – the vents should be closed —– and set the timer for 2 minutes.
3. Lift up the grill lid. The surface of the dough should display some big air bubbles. Using tongs, lift the dough to see if it is evenly browning on the bottom. Rotate the dough to assure even browning. Keep it on the grill, moving it around as necessary, until it is nicely browned, with grill marks. Watch closely so that it doesn’t burn. When it is nicely browned on the bottom (it may be blackened in spots), use tongs or a spatula to slide the dough onto the baking sheet or peel, and remove from the grill. Cover the grill again.
4. Make sure that there is still some flour on the peel or baking sheet and flip the dough over so that the uncooked side is now on the bottom. Brush the top lightly with oil, then top with a thin layer of marinara sauce (no more than ¼ cup). Arrange eggplant pieces and cherry tomatoes, cut side up or down, on top of the marinara sauce. Sprinkle with hot red pepper flakes and thyme or oregano. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Dot with feta or mozzarella or sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle on a little more olive oil.
5. Slide the pizza back onto the grill. If using a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium-high. Close the lid and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the bottom is brown. Open the grill and check the pizza; the top should be hot. If you feel that it needs more time but the bottom is getting too dark, move the pizza to a cooler part of the grill and close the top. Use a spatula or tongs to remove the pizza to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve. Repeat with the other two crusts.

Eggplant for Eggplant Haters Dinner for Two

From Kim the Dietitian

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced
• 1/2 pound ground turkey or lean beef
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (leftover rice is perfect)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons grated or crumbled cheese (try goat cheese or blue cheese for a bolder flavor; or cheddar or mozzarella for the less adventurous)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and hollow out the shell with a spoon; chop the pulp into small chunks.  Cook the onions and garlic in oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until soft and fragrant.

Cook beef or turkey in a separate small skillet just until brown; drain.  Add meat to onion mixture, along with the remaining ingredients, except cheese.  Spoon mixture into eggplant shells and top with cheese.  Place in a small casserole dish and bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

 

Crustless Broccoli and Scallion Quiche

From Frog Holler Farm
INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 large scallions

2 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 – ½ cup cheese (I like to use a mix of cheddar and parmesan)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dash of oregano

Dash of rosemary

Dash of smoked paprika

Dash of your favorite hot sauce

1/8 – 1/4 cup of flour

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about three minutes.
Add broccoli and cook about five minutes or until just tender. Feel free to add any other vegetables you have on hand. Now, you can either transfer the vegetables to an oiled baking pan, or leave the vegetables in your cast-iron skillet and bake the quiche in the skillet

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cheese, hot sauce, and seasonings. Whisk in flour. Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. Sprinkle with paprika and bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool quiche 10 minutes before serving. Voila!

Roasted Cauliflower and Sesame Spread

From Food & Wine

Peach Cream Pie

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.