17 May 2013

In Your Boxes This Week:

Asparagus

Green onions

Rhubarb

Radishes

Lettuce

Cilantro

David reports "very favorable conditions for planting" out on Yoder farm.  He's getting ready to plant long rows of tomatoes, sweet corn, string beans, peppers, and sweet potatoes.   The first spring Kennebec potatoes are starting to come up and he's got lots of greens, spinach, and lettuce in the early-summer CSA  pipeline.  

Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt

Well--it's foolish to call this a recipe.  The French do this with radishes and you should too (especially now, when these spring radishes are sweet and tender):  scrub, rinse, and stem a handful of radishes.  Cut them in half at the equator if you like.   Put out a little room temperature butter alongside a little vessel with some good, coarse sea salt.    Dip a bit of radish into the butter, sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Eat.  Repeat.  

Blanched Asparagus with Green Onion & Cilantro Vinaigrette

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off

4 green onions, chopped (both whites and greens)

2 T. minced cilantro

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Boil the asparagus in very salty water just until crisp tender (about four minutes).  Meanwhile, whisk together the green onion, lemon juice, olive oil and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Arrange the still hot asparagus on a plate (it will continue to cook a little on the plate), then drizzle with the vinaigrette.  

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 cup golden raisins 

1/2 cup hot water 

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

1/2 cup sugar 

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.

3 May 2013

In Your CSA boxes this week:

Rhubarb

Spinach

Eggs

Ramps

Kale

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**—kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, chard, spinach, etc.  Wash the greens carefully and spin or pat them dry, then chop them.

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.

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—7-10 minutes, 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!).

26 April 2013

In Your Boxes This Week:

Baby Kale

Spinach

Watercress

Wild ramps

Ramps are wild leeks.  They are often the very first thing to emerge from the forest floor in this part of Pennsylvania and all over Appalachia.  The whole plant is edible (once you lop off the little root end, as with a scallion).  Use them like green onions or leeks or spring garlic--they are delicious with egg dishes and are also good very lightly sauteed in olive oil and then tossed with spaghetti and Parmigiano.

Ramp-"Truffled" Oven Fries

When tossed with potatoes and baked this way, the ramps offer the finished fries the earthy, slightly sulfurous flavor of truffle--the first time I made these I swore they were truffle fries.  They are extremely easy, though the parchment paper is a must.

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled (if organic, you might leave the peels on)

3 ramps, whites and greens chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the potatoes into rather thin "french fry" links.  Transfer to a deep bowl, drizzle with a healthy amount of olive oil, the ramps, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Spread out on a single layer upon the parchment paper and put in the oven.  Turn the heat down to 425 and bake for fifteen minutes, then turn the potatoes so they brown on all sides.  They are finished when they are crisp, 20-25 minutes. 

Spring Salad with Baby Kale, Ramp Vinagrette, 

Citrus, Walnuts, and Feta

Many people assume you must braise or steam kale, but with a little knife work you'll find it makes an excellent salad green.  It's also very, very good for you.  This salad serves two.

4 cups baby kale, rinsed and spun dry, then chopped or torn into small pieces

4 ramps (chop--placing the greens and whites in separate containers)

1 grapefruit and one orange: cut into supremes and reserve any extra juice (see here: http://chefinyou.com/2010/01/how-to-supreme-fruits/) 

3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4 T. Excellent extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Add a drop of olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat and gently toast the walnuts in a skillet, then toss them with a dash of salt.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, put the chopped whites of the ramps, the mustard, the vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of the juice reserved from cutting the fruit.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then whisk together to combine.  Continue whisking while adding the olive oil in a slow drizzle, until the vinaigrette emulsifies.

Toss the baby kale along with the ramp greens and arrange it on a large plate.  Top with the citrus supremes, the toasted walnuts, and the feta.   Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving.

Tips for Washing and Drying Spring Greens

Please note that David’s greens are not pre-washed like those you buy in the grocery store, which means they come bearing a trace of organic soil now and then, and even an occasional organic critter.  Washing these greens gently is crucial, since they are easily damaged.  The best way to do this is to fill a very large and deep bowl (or even a pasta pot) with very cold water.  Then submerge the greens in the water and wait five minutes: the heavy particles will sink to the bottom, allowing you to scoop the greens off the top with your hands.  Repeat that process two or three times until the water is clean.  If your greens are slightly wilted, add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the first rinse water—that usually perks them right up.

The very best device for drying greens is a salad spinner: they can be purchased for around ten dollars.  If you don’t have one, you can gently swaddle the greens in a large bath town, then pull the four corners together to make a kind of teardrop space.  Go out to the front porch and swing your arms around in a circle while hanging on tightly to the four corners (you don’t want your greens to go flying).  Your neighbors will think you are nuts, but the centrifugal force will pull the water from the greens into the towel. 

And remember to dress your greens LIGHTLY.  These delicate greens won’t need nearly as much dressing as you expect. 

April 19th, 2013

In this week’s box, you will receive:

Wild watercress

Wheat bread

Maple syrup

Spinach

Eggs

About Watercress:

See: http://watercress.co.uk/about/did-you-know/

• 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 tomato

What to do with it:

•  Watercress is typically eaten raw, either as a salad green or as a peppery garnish for sandwiches, but watercress soup is also something to consider: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/watercress-soup

•  My favorite preparation for watercress is completely simple: wash it and spin it out (see below) and then toss it with a generous amount of very good olive oil and some coarse sea salt and ground pepper.  

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.

Cranky Egg Salad & Watercress Sandwiches

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

Watercress, largest stems discarded, rinsed and spun dry

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. Top with another piece of bread, then cut the sandwiches into triangles, and devour them with or without your best manners intact.