May 28th, 2010

NU-WAY FARM CSA
May 28th, 2010

This Week You'll Receive the Following

Rhubarb

Cilantro

Lettuce

Baby Turnips with Greens

Green Onions

Red Mustard

Radishes

There’s a lot happening out on the farm. David received 1500 strawberry plants yesterday, which he is transplanting into raised beds in one of his greenhouses. These are “day neutral” plants, which means they’ll keep bearing regardless of the length of the day (unlike ordinary strawberry plants which usually stop bearing fruit the moment the days begin to shorten). His theory: he hopes to be picking berries around the first week of July and he wants to keep them going all summer.

The warm weather has things really popping out in the fields. In the next week or so, we’ll begin seeing green cabbage, beets, carrots, zucchini, and snap peas. David is also putting in a couple THOUSAND heirloom tomato plants and hundreds of cucumber, pepper, and melon plants. And the sweet corn he planted is already poking its head up, which means there’s a good chance it will achieve the proverbial “knee high” by early July.

Last week, David seasoned the fields with fish emulsion and he’s also been busy spreading compost and a soil amendment (a mineral supplement containing both macro and micro-nutrients: soft rock phosphate, gypsum, boron, manganese, and zinc). These organic treatments help produce plants that are resilient to pests (without ever having to use a pesticide) and resistant to blight and other diseases.

A REMINDER: if you’re paying your subscription fee in three installments, you owe $167 by June 1st. Please make your checks out to David Yoder and feel free to drop them in the “Moo-La” jar in the garage at your earliest convenience.




Red Mustard Salad with Radishes, Apples, and Walnuts

2 cups red mustard, washed and spun dry

2 cups baby lettuce, washed and spun dry
1 gala apple, cut into thin wedges

6 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup whole walnuts, toasted

1 green onion, white and greens, thinly sliced

Dressing:
4 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tsp. each salt and pepper


Whisk the ingredients for the dressing together. Arrange the salad ingredients on a platter, then drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.



Western Pennsylvania “Pho” with Baby Turnips, Cilantro and Scallions
“Pho” is really all about a good beef stock—but you can easily do this with chicken or vegetable stock as well. Consider making homemade stock—you’ll notice the difference.

1 package rice noodles

One small onion, thinly sliced
8 cups beef or chicken stock

4 Green onions, whites and greens, chopped
1-2 cups turnip greens with baby turnips

Two limes, cut into quarters
Two inch piece of ginger root, peeled and minced

Hoisin sauce
2 carrots and 1 stalk celery, julienned
“Siracha” chili/garlic sauce

Cilantro
1 tsp. coarse salt

½ tsp. sugar

Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions (typically they are soaked in water for about twenty minutes), then set aside, covered.

Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Separate the turnip greens from the baby turnips. Snip the little roots and stem ends from the baby turnips and set them aside. Cut out the thick center veins from the turnip greens, wash them well, then chop the greens coarsely. Boil the turnip greens in the salted water for about five minutes, then transfer them to a colander and allow them to drain.

For the soup: in a large kettle, heat one tablespoon vegetable oil over medium high heat, then add the sliced onion and minced ginger. Toss for about two minutes, until the onions and ginger begin to sweat, then add the celery, carrots and baby turnips along with one teaspoon coarse salt and ½ teaspoon sugar. Toss for one minute, then add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for about five minutes, just until the vegetables begin to soften, then add the boiled turnip greens, one tablespoon of hoisin sauce, and 1 tsp. Siracha.

Warm the rice noodles (just douse them with some boiling water for a minute and then drain them again) and put some in the bottom of each serving bowl. Cover with the soup. Garnish each bowl with a small handful of cilantro, some green onions, and some squeezes of lime. Pass the bottle of Siracha if you like more heat.

Home-made Rhubarb & Orange “Pop Tarts”

Roll out your own pie dough if you are feeling ambitious—but the store-bought dough sold in rolls works just fine.

One roll refrigerated pie dough

4 cups rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
Powdered sugar

2 tsp. orange zest
3/4 cup sugar

½ cup fresh orange juice

In a small saucepan, bring the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest and juice to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has fallen apart much of the liquid has cooked off. Then allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the pie dough into eight identical rectangles (each about 4” x 6”). Place four of the rectangles down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and top with a generous spoonful of the rhubarb jam, being careful to keep it in the middle. Place another rectangle on top and use your fingers to seal the edges of each tart, trying not to trap large air pockets. Then use a fork to crimp all the edges together. Stab a few little holes into the top of each tart.

Bake until just beginning to turn golden—7-10minutes, keeping a close eye on them. Some rhubarb will likely ooze out—don’t worry. Allow to cool for five minutes, then dust them with a generous amount of powdered sugar and serve (warning: the contents will remain mouth-searingly hot for a long time!).

Letter from David Yoder

Doc 052810

Rustic "Chortopita"

Greens, greens, greens..... if you are tired of simply wilting them down or chopping them into soup, try this traditional Mediterranean savory pie.

Rustic “Chortopita”

You are probably familiar with “spanakopita,” the famous Greek spinach pies made with phyllo dough. In Greece, the more typical home-made version involves a simple dough in place of phyllo and any greens (“chorta”) available at the moment—the more pungent the better.

The dough:

In a large bowl, put 1.5 cups flour. Make a “well” in the center and into the well pour ½ cup of very cold water, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir the well with a fork, drawing the flour in slowly until the flour and water mixture is nicely combined, then remove to a cutting board and knead the dough until it has a smooth consistency. You may need to flour your surface lightly to keep it from sticking. Wrap the finished ball of dough in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

The filling:
4-6 cups pungent greens**—turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, chard, spinach, etc. Wash the greens carefully and spin or pat them dry.

1 carrot, finely diced
1 large onion, diced
2 pieces bacon (optional) diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. Feta cheese
Salt and Pepper
Dill (2 T. fresh or 2 tsp. Dried).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook a few minutes, until some of the fat renders and it just begins to crisp. Add the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until golden. add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Then add the greens. Toss lightly, just to coat the greens with the onion mixture, and then wilt the greens for about four minutes. Allow to cool. Drain off any water that has gathered in the pan. Then toss in the feta, eggs and dill and set aside.

Lightly oil a pie dish. Remove the dough from the fridge, cut off a third of it and set aside. Roll the larger piece out on a lightly floured board into a thin circle, one large enough to fit into the pie dish. Arrange the piece in the dish, just as if you were making a pie, with the edges of the dough overlapping the edges of the dish. Press down to remove any air bubbles, then add the filling. Roll out the other piece of dough into a “lid” for the pie; place on top of the filling and then seal the two pieces of dough together with your fingers, making a seam along the edge. Brush the top lightly with olive oil and puncture in a few places with a sharp knife. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the pie begins to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let cool at least fifteen minutes before slicing.

**If using a very bitter green (like turnip greens), it’s best to mix in another less strong green like spinach. About 50/50 is what I’d recommend.

David Yoder Letter April

Letter From David Yoder

Newsletter: 21 May 2010

May 21st, 2010
This Week You'll Receive the Following

Eggs

Tomatoes

Ramps

Lettuce

Turnip Greens
Curly Cress

Baby Bok Choy

Cilantro

A REMINDER: if you’re paying your subscription fee in three installments, you owe $167 by June 1st. Please make your checks out to David Yoder and feel free to drop them in the “Moo-La” jar in the garage at your earliest convenience.

The tomatoes this week were not grown by David—though he already has about one hundred plants outside in one of his field tunnels, some already bearing fruit. These came to him in trade via the Penn Cooperative; they are hydroponic tomatoes grown in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Though not certified organic, David vouches for their quality and he thought we might appreciate a taste

About Turnip Greens
As you can probably guess, turnip greens are leafy portion of the same plant that produces a turnip as its root. David has long rows of turnips and we’re receiving the greens so he can thin out his rows. The leaves are extremely healthful, boasting enormous quantities of vitamins K, B and C. If using them raw, wash them well and cut out the fibrous middle vein on the larger leaves (just fold the leaves over and run a knife down the vein to remove it). Toss in olive oil and fresh lemon juice with a little sea salt. Or you can sauté turnip greens in a little olive oil and garlic (in the south, bacon or ham is inextricable from the very idea of turnip greens). They are also good chopped coarsely and tossed into soup.

Quiche with Ramps, Wilted Turnip Greens, and Bacon

1 9-inch pie crust (homemade is best, of course)
5 eggs
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups turnip greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped
6 ramps, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
6 oz. Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated
2 pieces bacon, cooked until crisp, then crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a high-sided pie dish generously and line with the crust. Saute the ramps in the butter until fragrant, but not so long that they brown. Then add the turnip greens with a little salt and saute another minute or two, just to begin wilting them. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, nutmeg, and the salt. Whisk well. Put the crumbled bacon, greens, and ramps in a single layer on the pie crust. Top with the grated cheese. Then pour over the egg mixture. Place the quiche on a baking sheet (in case it runs over) and bake for about thirty minutes, or until the quiche is set and a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.

Egg Salad Sandwiches with Ramps and Curly Cress
Curly cress has a mustardy heat to it—adding some real zip to these sandwiches.

6 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 lemon, juiced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices whole grain bread, toasted

1 cup curly cress, rinsed and spun dry

3 ramps (whites only), minced
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Cook the eggs 11 minutes in a saucepan of simmering water to cover. Drain, cool under cold running water, and peel. Roughly mash the eggs in a bowl with the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, ramps, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 4 slices of toast with mayonnaise, if you like. Spread each with 1/4 of the egg salad and arrange a layer of cress sprigs on top. Top each sandwich with another slice of toast and serve.

Newsletter: 14 May 2010

May 14th, 2010

This Week You'll Receive the Following:
Black-Seeded Simpson

Wild Watercress

Fresh Eggs
Rhubarb Arugula

Radishes
Kale

Wheat Bread

Ramps

The watercress and ramps you are receiving this week were foraged in the woods surrounding the Yoder farm. Think of ramps as wild leeks—wash them well and use the whites just as you would scallions or leeks (though be forewarned that ramps “pack a wallop,” as David puts it).

What on earth is Rhubarb?
for more see http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/

Rhubarb is a plant name for the many different species of Rheum, growing in the wild in the mountains of the Western and North-western provinces of China and in the adjoining Tibetan territory and in cultivation in much of Europe and the United States. According to Webster's dictionary – the word derives from the Middle English rubarbe, from Middle French reubarbe, from Medieval Latin reubarbarum, alteration of rha barbarum, literally, barbarian rhubarb, 15th century. Strangely a “rhubarb” can also refer to a heated dispute or controversy.

More pertinent to CSA purposes, rhubarb is a vegetable with a unique taste that makes it a favorite in many pies and desserts. It originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago. It was initially cultivated for its medicinal qualities, and it was not until the 18th century that rhubarb was grown for culinary purposes in Britain and America. Rhubarb is often commonly mistaken to be a fruit but rhubarb is actually a close relative of garden sorrel, and is therefore a member of the vegetable family. Rhubarb is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber.

Rhubarb is a perennial plant (the kind that grows from year to year) which forms large fleshy rhizomes and large leaves with long, thick (and tasty) petioles (stalks). Rhubarb stalks are commonly found in supermarkets, fresh rhubarb is prized by gourmet cooks. Some folks say the finest quality rhubarb is grown in Michigan, Ontario, Canada, and other northern states in the United States. But local legends** suggest that the best rhubarb in the world is grown near Fredonia, Pennylvania.

The leaves can grow up to a foot or more in width and length and the plant may grow to a height of several feet. The blade or green leaves of the plant are the part that is poisonous. They contain high concentrations of oxalic acid crystals which can cause serious problems when eaten. These crystals can cause the tongue and throat to swell, preventing breathing. The edible petioles (stalks) are up to 18 inches long, 1 to 2 inches in diameter, generally somewhat hemispherical in cross section. These petioles are cut and used in pies, jams, jellies, sauces and juice. Rhubarb rhizomes and the crown persist for many years. The roots are also taken up and bedded in cellars or houses in winter, forcing growth in darkness to produce etiolated leaf-stems, which are much prized. **highly suspect

Rhubarb Custard Pie

1 recipe of your favorite pie crust

4 cups diced rhubarb

1 3/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoon flour

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla

Sugar to sprinkle over crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide pie crust in two equal batches.
Roll the dough into a round 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface, drape it over a rolling pin, and fit it into a 10-inch pie dish. Press the dough firmly into the pan and cut off any excess with the floured rolling pin. Reserve the other dough half and refrigerate.
Pour boiling water over rhubarb and let stand about 5 minutes. Drain off water. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add beaten eggs, salt and vanilla. Blend into drained rhubarb. Fill pie crust. Cover with a top crust. Pierce holes with fork. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle top with sugar while pie is still hot.

About Watercress
See: www.watercress.co.uk/medical/
• Watercress is the richest natural source of a compound referred to as PEITC, short for phenylethylisothiocyanate, which gives the plant its unique peppery flavor and in a wide number of respectable scientific studies has been shown to have powerful anti cancer properties.
• Gram for gram, watercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc than broccoli, apples or tomatoes. Watercress is brimming with beta-carotene and vitamin A equivalents. It also contains great quantities of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, types of carotenoids that act as antioxidants, meaning they can mop up potentially damaging free radicals. Quercetin, a type of flavonoid and a powerful antioxidant, is also found in greater quantities in watercress than broccoli and tomatoes.

Christopher’s Watercress & Ramp Pesto
Think of this as a super-spicy, “health-food” pesto—it tastes like spring. Toss with pasta and mozzarella….
or use as a sauce for grilled fish, lamb or vegetables

1 bunch watercress, carefully washed, toughest stems removed
4 T. good quality olive oil

1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts
5 ramps, washed and thinly sliced (whites only)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat with a drop or two of olive oil. Toast the nuts for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, just until they are very slightly brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Into a food processor, add the watercress, ramps, and toasted nuts and pulse until all the ingredients begin to combine uniformly. Add the cheese and a dash of salt and pepper. Turn the food processor back on so it’s running at low speed and add the olive oil gradually, enough so that the mixture begins to lift from the sides of the bowl as the blade is spinning.

Forager’s Salad with Watercress, Ramps, & Oranges
This would be a delicious, super-healthy bedding for a piece of soy-glazed grilled salmon or chicken breast.

1 bunch watercress, washed carefully, woody-stems discarded

1 T. sesame seeds
1.5 tsp. good olive oil

1.5 tsp. sesame oil
1.5 tsp. white wine or rice wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper
3-4 ramps, whites thinly sliced, greens discarded

1 orange

Peel the orange and cut out each segment with a very sharp knife, leaving all the pith behind. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and ramps with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until combined, then continue whisking and slowly add the oils. Add watercress directly on top of the dressing and with your hands (or two forks) toss until lightly covered with the dressing. Add the sesame seeds and orange segments and toss again. Serve immediately.

Flash-Pickled Radishes with Cilantro
This is a very simple condiment, excellent tossed into a lettuce salad

A bunch of large radishes, thinly sliced

3 T. minced cilantro

1 small onion, minced
½ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. sugar ½ tsp. salt

1 serrano chile, minced (optional)

Bring the rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and chile pepper to a boil. Remove from heat. Toss in radishes and onion and allow to cool. When cool, drizzle with sesame oil and cilantro. Adjust for saltiness and sweetness before serving.

Newsletter: 30 April 2010

April 30th, 2010

Chives

Radishes
Eggs

Baby Bok Choy

Spinach
Lettuce

Rhubarb

A quick note about Yoder greens:
Like all his produce, David's greens are grown organically--which means you could just go ahead and eat the dirt (on this point your dentist might disagree). David tends to pre-rinse the greens on the farm to remove the larger bits and pieces, but I'd still recommend that you give them another rinse or two. Here's the easiest way to do that: fill a VERY large bowl with cold water and toss in the greens, flipping them over a few times gently. Then allow them to sit for a few minutes: the solid, unwanted bits will sink. Then scoop the greens off the top into a colander, dump that dirty water, and repeat once or twice more, until your rinse water looks clean. Before dressing your greens, we recommend using a salad spinner to get them nice and dry--this is a worthwhile ten dollar investment. Finally, don't be alarmed to find a critter sinking to the bottom of your rinse bowl, displaced from its home among the baby arugula, mustard greens, and romaine. These are the happiest bugs on earth and their presence offers you some evidence that your produce has been grown organically. Feel free to repatriate these bugs to your local compost pile.

Wilted Spinach with Garlic and Nutmeg
This a very easy, healthy, and almost effortless vegetable side.

Ingredients:
One pound spinach, very carefully rinsed

2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 T. olive oil

Ground nutmeg
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Heat a large Dutch oven or even a pasta pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with the smashed cloves of garlic and toss for about one minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the oil is infused. Then add all the spinach at once and cover the pot immediately. Allow to wilt, while covered, for about three minutes, then uncover and toss (the bottom leaves will wilt first, so this will distribute the cooking). Continue tossing until all the spinach is wilted, about one minute more, then transfer immediately to a sieve or colander and allow to drain its liquid for a few minutes.

Arrange the wilted spinach on a plate and sprinkle with some grated nutmeg and an additional drizzle of excellent quality olive oil. Serve hot.


Stewed Rhubarb with Ginger and Honey
Excellent when served—still warm—over vanilla ice cream

6 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 T. freshly grated ginger root
About ½ cup water

¾ cups honey (or ½ cup sugar)

Place rhubarb, ginger and water in a pan and bring to a boil, then simmer for about one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the fibers of the rhubarb have broken down completely. Allow to cool and then stir in the honey.



A quick note about CSA eggs:
Often new members are happy to receive eggs in our weekly portions but are concerned by the fact that they are not refrigerated. First, David does refrigerate them on the farm until they are sent in with your boxes. But here's my personal, unofficial take on refrigerating eggs (though I'd ask that you all proceed with your own cautionary instincts): eggs are much less perishable than you might think, the egg shell being a kind of perfect vessel. In Europe and elsewhere, eggs are frequently stored and sold at room temperature in grocery stores (and that's taken as a sign of their freshness). Here in the U.S., the typical supermarket egg is about thirty days old--which is one of the reasons we are neurotic about keeping them cold. The eggs you receive from David are typically only a day or two old, if that--you'll see that when you crack the first one into a frying pan and check out the vibrant color of the yolk and the "muscle tone" (Joel Salatin's phrase) of the white. Keeping them in the fridge will add to their shelf life, but in my opinion a short spell in your produce box (in my fairly cool garage) doesn't put your eggs at much risk.


Cranky Egg Salad
The eggs get cranky with the addition of a bit of cayenne (entirely optional if you are feeling placid)

4 hard boiled eggs, cooled and diced

½ tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ red onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of ½ lemon
1 celery stalk, minced

Minced chives (optional)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Toss all the wet ingredients together, then mix with the eggs, celery and onion. For traditional (albeit “cranky”) tea sandwiches, cut the crusts off some very good, fresh bread, then slather that bread with the egg salad and a small handful of watercress, arugula…or even baby lettuce. Top with another piece of bread, then cut the sandwiches into triangles and devour them with or without your best manners intact.

Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Oil, Ginger Vinaigrette

Numerous baby bok choy, rinsed carefully, then sliced in half lengthwise (or left whole)
Half inch segment of ginger root, peeled and minced
1 small clove garlic, minced

2 T. olive or canola oil
1 T. rice wine vinegar

1 T. sesame oil
Cilantro

1 T. soy sauce

The vinaigrette:
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté the garlic and ginger root for about thirty seconds, stirring constantly and being careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove from heat and add the vinegar right to the hot pan to stop the cooking. Then whisk in the sesame oil, a splash of water, and a pinch of sugar. Once the dressing has cooled to room temperature, whisk in some minced cilantro and the soy sauce.

Heat a large skillet over medium high then add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Place the bok choy halves, cut side down, into the hot oil and allow to sear until slightly browned (about two minutes), then flip them over and cook on the other side for another minute. Remove from heat and arrange on a plate cut side up. Drizzle the wilted bok choy with the vinaigrette. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Newsletter: 23 April 2010

April 23rd, 2010

This Week You'll Receive the Following:

Eggs

Herb Bread

Rhubarb
Parsnips

Red-Russian Kale

Lettuce

Arugula

Penne with Kale, Bacon, and Goat Cheese
Use either the soft kind of chevre you get in tubes at the grocery store, or raid the Meadville Market House for the more solid local goat cheeses—either works beautifully here.

1 pound penne pasta

Sea salt & freshly-ground pepper
3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces

1 bunch kale, washed and coarsely sliced
2 cloves garlic, coarsely minced

4 oz. goat cheese, cut into small pieces
3 T. olive oil

½ cup dry white wine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the sliced kale for about thirty seconds, then drain well and set aside. Cook your penne in the same water until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, you can quickly assemble the sauce. Heat a skillet on medium-high, add the bacon and cook until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon is become crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and then discard the bacon drippings. Hea 2 T. of the olive oil and the garlic together in the same pan; sauté the garlic for no more than thirty seconds, then add the kale, bacon, and the white wine, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to low. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it well and put it directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to combine everything, then turn off the heat. Toss with the goat cheese, another pinch of salt and pepper; drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve immediately.



Rhubarb, Onion & Raisin Chutney
from Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 pounds onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar1 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup hot water

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups)

In a large saucepan cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened. While the onions are cooking, in a bowl combine the raisins, 1/2 cup hot water, the vinegar, the cloves, and the sugar, let the mixture stand for 15 minutes, and stir it into the onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, top it with the rhubarb (do not stir in the rhubarb), and cook the mixture, covered, at a slow boil for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture, cook it, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the rhubarb is just tender, and season the chutney with salt and pepper. The chutney may be made 1 week in advance and kept in an airtight container and chilled. Serve the chutney warm or at room temperature.


Wilted Kale with Onion, Orange Peel and Garlic

1 bunch kale, well-rinsed and coarsely chopped (finely chop the larger of the stems)
2 tsp. fresh orange peel, very thinly sliced

One white onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, very thinly sliced

1/3 cup dry white wine
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Heat a heavy skillet over medium high; add the oil to the pan, then add the onion and a pinch of salt and pepper; sauté until fragrant, about three minutes. Add the garlic and the orange peel, toss for about one minute, and then add the chopped kale stems and then the chopped kale leaves on top of that. Allow the onion, kale stems and orange peel to remain on the bottom of the pile for another minute, then add the white wine, gently toss the mixture and sauté, stirring occasionally, just until the kale begins to barely wilt (2-4 minutes). Remove from the pan, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve hot.

Roasted Chicken with Honey & Parsnips

1 (3 to 4-pound) organic chicken, excess fat trimmed and giblets removed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion, sliced

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 lemon, zested in large strips

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 bunch parsnips, peeled

Sauce:

3 tablespoons water or white wine

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons minced shallot or onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the chicken: Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, to taste. Stuff the chicken cavity with the onion, half the thyme, and lemon zest. Set a v-rack or regular rack in a roasting pan, and brush chicken with a bit of the olive oil. Toss the whole parsnips in a little olive oil and salt and then arrange them right beneath the chicken directly on the roasting pan. Whisk the honey and remaining oil in a small bowl. Remove some thyme leaves for the sauce, then dip the remaining thyme in the mixture and use it to brush the chicken all over with the honey mixture. Season bird with salt and pepper, to taste.

Place the chicken breast side down on the rack and roast until the back is golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken breast side up.. Baste the chicken with the pan drippings, using the thyme sprigs as a brush. Roast the chicken again until the breast is golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165-170 degrees F., then remove the parsnips if they are tender. Lower the heat to 275 degrees and roast 15 to 25 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a carving board, and let it rest 10 minutes before carving.

For the sauce: Remove the rack from the roasting pan. Put the pan over medium-high heat, add the water or wine, and stir with a wooden spoon to release the brown bits that cling to the pan. Strain the pan drippings into a small bowl and spoon off the fat. Whisk in the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, shallot, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Carve the chicken and serve drizzled with the sauce along with the roasted parsnips.

Newsletter: 16 April 2010

April 16th, 2010

In your boxes this week:

Potatoes

Maple Syrup

Egg Noodles
Eggs

Red-Russian Kale

Baby Lettuces
Baby Spinach

Arugula


The wild swings in temperature have David worried—his fruit trees in particular are blooming way ahead of schedule, which means a late frost (and have they really predicted snow for this weekend?) could devastate his crop. That said, many of the spring crops are also ahead of schedule, which is good news for your quickly-filling produce boxes. We’re seeing the first kale of the season already, for instance: chop it coarsely and sauté it in a very hot pan with a little olive oil and garlic for about three minutes, then splash in a little white wine and sauté another minute or two before seasoning with salt and pepper and serving.




About Arugula

Arugula is a tangy mustard green, also known as Rocket, Rucola, Mediterranean Salad, or Roquette in Europe, also as Gharghir by people in the Middle East. Arugula is now popular as a gourmet salad green. It is very low in calories and is high in vitamins A and C. Its slightly bitter flavor contrasts nicely with sweeter elements in salads and soups. Toss it with a little sea salt and some excellent olive oil for a simple salad.

Arugula Pesto
Stir this into a soup or toss with freshly buttered pasta.

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts
1-1/2 cups packed arugula, chopped

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Puree the garlic, arugula, and nuts together in a bowl, food processor fitted with a steel blade, or blender. Blend in the oil and cheese, forming a paste.

It’s salad season….

Caper Vinaigrette

One clove minced garlic

1 T fresh parsley

2 T lemon juice

2 T rice vinegar

2 T capers, drained

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

Combine in blender until very thoroughly mixed. Makes a tart, acidic dressing. Increasing the amount of olive oil used will change the balance. Chill and serve. Good with raw veggies. Use sparingly on baby lettuces (which will sag if over-dressed) and tame the acidity by adding a little cheese (like feta) to your salad.


Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 C balsamic vinegar

2 tsp honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

4 tsp cold water

6-8 tsp, olive oil

1/4 tsp each of salt and black pepper
Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 tsp herbs such as dill or basil

Warm vinegar and honey in a pan over medium heat until honey dissolves in vinegar. Add remaining ingredients and whisk well.

Fettucine with Levant-style Tomato Sauce, Spinach, and Manouri

In Italy, salsa pomodoro is typically redolent of fresh basil and garlic; in Greece, the tomato sauces frequently come bearing a more Asiatic hint of cinnamon and parsley, as does the sauce described below. Manouri cheese is sold at the Meadville Market House—you can substitute the Italian Ricotta salata if you cannot find Manouri.

1 pound fettucine

1 large can whole peeled tomatoes
6 cups fresh spinach, carefully rinsed

1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large cloves garlic Italian parsley
Manouri cheese Salt, Pepper, and Sugar
Extra virgin Olive Oil

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high. While the pan is heating, thinly slice one of the garlic cloves. Add a good drizzle of olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and sauté for about thirty seconds, then add the spinach and immediately toss so the garlic doesn’t burn. Continue tossing the spinach until it is all wilted (probably less than one minute), season with salt and pepper, and then remove the spinach from the pan and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan. Smash the remaining clove of garlic and add it to the olive oil, mashing the garlic with the back of a spoon and allowing it to flavor the oil for about one minute. Then add the can of tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes as you add them. Bring the tomatoes to a quick simmer and allow to reduce for about ten minutes, then reduce the heat to very low, add the cinnamon, a small handful of minced parsley, and season with a teaspoon of sugar and some salt and pepper to taste. Drain off any excess water from the wilted spinach, then add the spinach to the sauce and stir to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettucine until al dente. Drain the fettucine and then add it directly into the pan with the sauce: toss well to combine. Grate the Manouri generously over each portion (it will crumble as much as it will grate, but don’t worry about that) and garnish with a little extra minced parsley.

Information about the NuWay Farm CSA

David and Lydianne Yoder and their 7 children operate a family farm in Fredonia, PA. An annual subscription to the Nu-Way Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), aims to provide members with fresh, locally-grown organic vegetables each week during the subscription cycle. The ethos of Nu-Way Farm is founded upon a belief in the superiority and healthfulness of locally-grown, organically-produced food. Nu-Way Farm is not a government-certified organic farm (since the produce is not sold “retail,” seeking such certification hasn’t seemed expedient), but subscribers are invited to visit the farm to verify that the produce is raised organically, in an environmentally-sustainable way, and that the animals are treated humanely.

Subscribers to a CSA are like “investors:” at the beginning of each season, we help our farmer come up with the money to purchase seeds and equipment. At harvest time, we share in the bounty that comes out of his labor. But we also share in the risks of farming. Bad growing years are inevitable and a CSA ensures steady incomes for farmers willing to pursue an old and noble calling, one that is still subject to the whims of nature.

Subscription Details

Subscribers receive a weekly half-bushel of produce from the Yoder farm when such produce is available. It must be understood that members receive whatever crops are growing, although David is willing to try and meet the produce needs and desires of CSA members. Occasionally, vegetable surveys are collected from members to help David develop a seed order that is consistent with the most popular produce requests.

Subscribers are asked to agree (on the “honor system”) to subscribe for a full subscription cycle: April 1st- October 31st. If subscribers cannot fulfill the yearly contract, we ask them to find new members to replace them. This ensures a steady, full-time income for the Yoder family farm, which is the CSA’s reason for existence.

David Yoder aims to deliver produce every week, depending on weather and crop conditions. Often the earliest weeks of the subscription cycle are very light—some weeks there may be nothing at all (most farmers in the area are just coming out of hibernation in April, though by that point David’s greenhouses are typically in full swing). During the summer months, on the other hand, the produce is alarmingly prodigious, and those willing to freeze and do home canning tend to get the most out of their subscription.

Deliveries are to 950 Grove St. in Meadville on Friday nights. There is no specific pick up hour: the garage is left open all weekend and subscribers are expected to retrieve their produce within 72 hours of delivery. Suscribers are responsible for picking up their own vegetables from the pick-up location.

Subscribers are also responsible for selling, trading, or donating their share of vegetables on a given week when they are out of town. Subscribers may halt vegetable delivery for a set period of weeks, which allows David to keep unused crops in the ground. However, no refunds are provided to subscribers who do not use their weekly share.

Harvest "Bonus" for Canning or Freezing

In addition to receiving regular weekly allotments of vegetables, David Yoder may at times offer subscribers harvest bonus portions, usually on a “pick your own” basis. In past years, “bonus” crops have included tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, sweet corn and green beans. Subscribers may have to be willing to pick these "extras" when they are ready, or not at all.

Subscription rates
We have set our rates at an amount we believe is appropriate to our region, our income levels, and our expenses. The current rate for subscribers is $500.00 per April 1-October 31st subscription cycle. This rate can be paid in three payments ($167.00 each), two half-year payments ($250.00), or in one lump sum. Checks should be written to “David Yoder” and sent directly to him at the address listed below.

A discounted subscription rate of $350.00/cycle is available to qualified individuals and/or families. To qualify for the discount, you must fit one of the following descriptions:

Senior citizen (individual and/or couple)
Low-income individual and/or family
Full-time student

Nu-Way defines senior citizens as persons over 65 years of age. Low income families are defined as having a gross income less than $30,000/year.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING, PLEASE DROP A LINE HERE IN THE COMMENT SECTION.

Welcome

Welcome to the Meadville Community Supported Agriculture blog, which contains news and information for subscribers (and anyone else interested in local food). Check in here for recipes, farm news, and weekly newsletters. And feel free to toss around local food ideas of your own!