FarmShare CSA Newsletter week of July 16th, 2013
This week’s share:
Fruit
Blueberries
Veggies
Green Beans
Kale
Summer Squash and Zucchini
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Storage, handling and general cooking tips:
Kale
First off- Don’t be afraid of the mighty kale! This super versatile veggie is a powerhouse! An excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C, fiber, cancer-fighting antioxidants, iron, potassium and a healthy does of calcium. Talk about super-veggie status! Sure, this tough leaf might be a teensy bit bitter, but treat it with a little TLC and your body will be rejoicing in the extra dose of goodness!
Storage and Handling
To store, wrap kale in a damp towel or in a plastic bag and refrigerate, preferably in crisper drawer, for up to 1 week. Kale becomes more bitter the longer you keep it so it is best to eat it within 2 or 3 days. Leaves will droop if allowed to dry out. Plunge in cold water for 10 minutes to rehydrate. Kale can also be frozen. Wash, separate from stem, and blanch leaves for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking, drain, and pack into airtight containers such as zip-lock freezer bags. Use the frozen kale in soups or sauteed dishes after thawing.
Cook tips
Sautee, steam, bake or eaten raw, there are many options when it comes to kale. Remove the leaves from the stalk and chop up and toss into a sautee pan with olive oil, garlic and onions, cover with water and let simmer down until kale is soft. If using for a salad base, massage dressing into leaves in order to soften and promote flavor absorption. Don’t wanna mess with preparation? Add chopped kale to your daily smoothie!
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.
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.
Zucchini and Summer Squash
Storage and Handling
Handle zucchini and summer squash with care as they are easily damaged. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer four to five days and do not wash until just before you are ready to use it. At the first sign of wilting, use immediately. Softness is a sign of deterioration.
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!
Tomatoes
Storage + Handling Tips
Tomatoes bruise easily, so handle them with care. They are best stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, stem-side down. Keep them away from your bananas and onions to avoid decay and icky taste. Never refrigerate tomatoes! The cold renders tomatoes mealy and flavorless. Eat them within a few days.
You can also freeze tomatoes. There is no need to peel or blanch them beforehand. Once thawed, the tomato skins will slip easily off. Simply rinse and dry the tomatoes thoroughly, then place in freezer bags. You can suck any air out of the bag with a straw. Frozen tomatoes are great for cooked dishes.
Fresh tomatoes are yummy sliced and layered with mozzerella cheese, basil, olive oil and salt. They work wonders for burgers, wraps, pastas and salad.
Recipes
Quinoa with Grilled Summer Squash & Green Beans
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
Pinch of salt
1 large zucchini, sliced
1 large yellow squash, sliced
1 1/2 cups green beans, ends snapped off
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup freshly chopped basil leaves
Extra balsamic vinegar and olive oil, for drizzling over dish, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, for garnish, optional
Directions:
1. First, using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, place the zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic. Pour balsamic dressing over the vegetables and toss until vegetables are well coated. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place the vegetables in a grill basket. If you don’t have a grill basket, spread out the vegetables on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Add a top sheet of foil and crimp the edges of the sheets together to make a packet. Place on the hot grill and cook until tender crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the grill.
4. Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl. Add the grilled summer squash, green beans, basil, and stir. Drizzle with extra balsamic vinegar and olive oil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish dish with Parmesan cheese, if using. Serve warm.
Green Beans with Balsamic Browned Butter
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Cook green beans in a large pot of salted water just until crisp-tender; around 5 minutes, drain then arrange on a serving plate. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter solids have started to brown, about 2 – 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar – be careful, it will sputter. Swirl pan or stir with a long-handled spoon until it stops bubbling. Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper then spoon butter mixture over the green beans. Serves 4.
Easy Kale Chip Recipe
Crank the AC, pop these in the oven and munch away with the family while watching your favorite summer movies!
Total Time: 20 minutes
- 1 bunch of kale, washed and dried
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the kale then gently pat it dry. Remove the tough stem from each leaf, then tear the leaves into large pieces (they will shrink to be chip size when they bake).
- In a large bowl drizzle the olive oil onto the kale, using your hands to massage the oil into the leaves. Sprinkle the cumin and paprika onto the kale (you may need to use your hands here too, to evenly distribute the spices.
- Lay out the leaves onto a baking sheet covered in parchment or silt pat. Dust with sea salt, then bake for about16 minutes, turning after 8 minutes. Leaves should be crisp and curled at the edges.
- Enjoy as a snack or with your sandwich at lunch time!
Raw Kale Salad
1 bunch kale
2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/4 cup (or small handful) grated pecorino cheese, plus adiitional for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.
If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.
Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.
Blueberry Kale Smoothie:
Can’t get your little guys to eat veggies? Give them this fun summer smoothie and they’ll get a days’ worth of vitamins and minerals in a tasty, cool drink!
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 frozen bananas
2 handfuls chopped kale
2 cups water (or 1 cup water and 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice)
handful of ice
Optional: 1 T ground flax seed
Instructions:
Toss into blender, blend until smooth, enjoy on the road!
No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour’s chilling
16 graham cracker squares (8 whole crackers), crushed
1/4 cup ground pecans or walnuts, optional
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
Rind of a lemon, freshly grated
Pinch salt
About 1 1/2 cups blueberries.
Instructions
1. Combine crushed graham crackers, nuts if using, and melted butter. Press evenly into bottom of an 8- or 9-inch square pan (glass is good) to form a crust about 1/4-inch thick. Put in refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Using a standing or hand mixer, or a whisk, combine cream cheese, ricotta, honey, lemon rind and salt, and blend until smooth.
3. Spread cheese mixture carefully and evenly over crust, using a spatula or butter knife to smooth top. Cover with fresh blueberries and chill for at least an hour, or until set. Cut into squares or bars and serve.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings.
As always, if any questions, always feel free to email us or give us a call!
All the Best,
The FarmShare Team
Applecrest Farm Orchards
133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls NH 03844
Tel: +1 603 926 3721
Email: CSA@applecrest.com
Web: www.applecrest.com
