Thu, 24 May 2012 11:16:34 -0800WeeblyTue, 27 Sep 2011 10:24:53 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/09/week-14-thank-you-and-good-bye.htmlVegetable List
Andalusian Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts
Purple Haze Carrots
Swiss Chard
Eggplant Extravaganza
Flat Italian Parsley
El Jefe Peppers
Poblano Peppers
Red Bell Peppers
White Norland Potatoes
Mystic Plus Pumpkins

Notes from the Farm
Well I'll be a son of a gun... the season done come and gone... with a delightfully warm sendoff. I rarely have little to say, but today, all I've got to say is “son of a gun”.
Every season is different, every season has its ups and downs... but all in all, I think this was a good season. I know we had fun, I know that we succeeded more than we failed, and I know that we really enjoyed all of you folks. Thanks for making it fun. Thanks for taking the time to dig out the cookbooks and dive into the corners of the internet trying how to figure out how to use 5 lbs of eggplant. Thanks for offering suggestions and feedback. Thanks for everything.
Hopefully you've enjoyed this season as much as we have... its been a real squash of a time... kale of a time? carrot of a time? Its certainly been a time...

Vegetable of the Week
Andalusian Sprouts: Anyone who has been to the Bridgton Farmers' Market has seen these little guys before. Andalusian sprouts are a specialty of our farm... they are large, sweet brussels sprout like vegetables. There is very little on the internet about them, other than a couple of pages that cite these extra large sprouts grown in the Andalusian region of Spain. We often half them and sear them in a pan in one of two ways: Sweet with black pepper and a maple syrup glaze, or savory cooked with shallots and white wine... either way, get a good sear on both sides of the halved sprout first.

Recipes
Ribollita... Lets go out with a bang!

Ribollita is an elaborate (some say overly elaborate) Italian vegetable soup mixed with pieces of rustic bread. This version is packed with veggies—white beans, chard, potatoes, eggplant—and served with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

9 cups of water
2 cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans; about 8 ounces)
1 bunch Italian parsley
8 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons (or more) fine sea salt, divided
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
1 large onion, chopped
2 large celery stalks, diced
4 medium carrots, chopped
3 large white potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large pinch of dried thyme
1 whole bunch chard, leaves and stems chopped fine
4 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
1 large eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 2-inch square Parmesan cheese rind
3 red bell peppers chopped
1 pint brussels sprouts
1 poblano chopped (optional)
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
2 cups (or more) boxed vegetable broth or good-quality canned vegetable broth.
6 1/2-inch-thick slices country white bread, coarsely torn with crust

Combine 4 cups water, beans, salt and half the garlic in large saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with sea salt. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the chopped garlic; stir 2 minutes. Add celery, carrot, potato, and thyme; cook until vegetables are tender and begin to turn brown in spots, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes. Add kale, chard, cabbage, parsley, eggplants, peppers, Parmesan rind, 5 cups water, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add beans with cooking liquid and crushed red pepper. Add 2 cups broth. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper.
Add bread to soup and simmer, stirring often to break up bread into smaller pieces and adding more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin, if desired. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Divide ribollita among bowls, drizzle with oil, and serve.

]]>Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:53:49 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/09/week-131.html Vegetable List
Quart 'o' Beets
Flat Italian Parsley
White Sage
Red Russian Kale
Lincoln Leeks
Mini-Purplette Scallions
Winter Squash

Notes from the Farm
Funny how things come to an end. We have one more week for the CSA but things are definitely cruising to a halt... sort of a slow coast, not unlike running out of gas.

We've had two frosts at the field so far... Three weeks ago we were farming half naked just trying to deal with the humidity. The squash is all up, the tomatoes are pulled, the broccoli is finally done... we have more bare ground than not, just a few last hangers on, the last willing participants of the 2011 growing season.

I love this time... the later fall harvest is a little less sexy, but nourishing in its own right. The yearly harvest is like the beach. In the spring it doesn't matter whats going on, we just are excited to be going to the beach again... the summer is the best time for the beach, its hot, we're in the mood and brings a special level of satisfaction... but the fall is magic, the crowds have thinned, there is enough time & space to breathe deeply and take the time to feed that part of ourselves that has been neglected all summer.

As beautiful as it is here in the summer, its easy to become a prisoner to the wind... the fall brakes those binds and brings us long awaited rooty vegetables. Thank god for fall.

Vegetable of the Week

Mini-Purplette Scallions: I first had these knob onions in Arizona. They are very popular in Mexican cooking. They take these small onion like scallions and roast them on an open flame (which can be duplicated on a grill or gas stovetop) and add them to tacos, tamales, barbecued meat... really anything. This variety is sweet, with just a hint of onion-like sharpness. Use the greens and the bulb ends...

Recipes

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Sage
1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups (about) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage




Preheat oven to 400°F. Place squash on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Bring stock to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to very low; cover and keep stock warm.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in another heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks and sauté until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and simmer until absorbed, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup hot stock; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 25 minutes longer. Add roasted squash, cream, Parmesan cheese and sage; stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

]]>Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:50:23 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/09/week-121.htmlVegetable List
Purple Haze Carrots
Orient Express Eggplant
Whole Basil Plants
Husk Cherries
Lincoln Leeks
Red Bell Peppers
All American Rutabagas
Slicing Tomatoes

Notes from the Farm
What comes around, comes around. We didn't order rutabaga seed this spring... it came in our seed order on accident. It was an accident we overlooked until plant-out and realized the ungodly amount of rutabaga seed we had to plant... we didn't plant it all. I've never grown rutabagas, Gina has, and for no good reason... I've just never grown them.
And, as it turns out, growing rutabagas was one in a long line of happy accidents on our farm this year. We live for the happy accident, its what makes farming fun... or at least one of the elements that make farming fun... and hopefully its part of the fun of being a CSA member. We are often in the same boat as the members. We plan our brains out, chart, calculate, consider and revise... but we still don't always know whats ahead... like a bumper crop of surprisingly delicious rutabagas.

I also wanted to reach out a bit this week... we know that its easy to be overwhelmed by the shares. Remember, its a wise member who rules the share, and a fool whose ruled by it... Husk cherries make a great substitute for apple sauce on all kinds of things from pork chops to pancakes; eggplant can easily be made into baba ganouch or cut flat, rolled up with some ricotta & basil and baked; leeks are great cut up and cooked with vegetable or chicken broth for a simple flavorful soup; rutabagas can be substituted for potatoes, beets or cooked carrots to delightful results.
Its a big responsibility being a CSA member... hopefully a surprisingly delicious responsibility.

Vegetable of the Week
Purple Haze Carrots: These carrots are a fun alternative to regular orange carrots. Purple carrots are genetically very old and originate from the Middle East where they were used for food and clothing dies. This variety is a long season storage carrot, and will hold well in a root cellar all winter. The storage strength of this carrot comes at the cost of tenderness and fresh eating sweetness. Roast, boil, steam or shred the purple haze carrot to unlock its sweetness.

Recipes
Carrots and Rutabagas with Lemon and Honey
This is one of my favorite, if not my favorite root vegetable recipes...

1 1/4 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup diced leeks


Cook rutabagas in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add lemon juice, honey, and peel. Bring to boil. Add vegetables; cook until glazed, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Mix in fresh leeks.

]]>Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:56:01 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/09/week-111.html Vegetable List
Quart 'o' Beets
Mokum Carrots
Champion Collards
Husk Cherries
Ailsa Craig Onions
El Jefe Peppers (Hot)
Poblano Peppers (Medium Hot)
Red Knight Bell Peppers (Sweet)
Red Norland Potatoes
Tomatillos
Slicing Tomatoes
Juliet Grape Tomatoes
Sorbet Swirl Watermelon

Notes from the Farm
Its starting to feel like roasting weather. Its the season of sweaters and apple orchards, cool stiff breezes in warm air, closing the windows at night... its fall... wether we're ready or not. In the fall, we love roasted vegetables. Onions, beets, carrots, potatoes, peppers and tomatoes all chopped and tossed together with rosemary and salt, a little olive oil and forty five minutes in oven. Its the smell and feel of a comfortable old friend, the taste of memories far enough back to barely remember... the sweet nostalgic nature of fall in New England... maybe the best season... or at least it used to be.

Vegetable of the Week
Poblano Peppers: Poblano peppers are a general group of peppers that are distinguished as being large hot peppers that have very little heat to them at all. These are the peppers of Chili Rellenos, the Mexican stuffed and fried pepper.

Generally these peppers are just a tad hot and sweetened when roasted. They add excellent flavor when roasted, chopped and added to guacamole or green salsa. Think of poblano peppers as the most helpful, mild chili pepper in the pepper family... a gateway chili pepper.

Two weeks ago I wrote about Tomatillos. If you look back to our Newsletter page in our CSA portion of our website, www.almafarm.com, you will find lots of helpful ideas for using tomatillos.

Recipes
Ziti with Poblanos and Chipotle Sauce
1 large onion, thinly sliced (2 1/4 cups)
1/2 pound fresh poblano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped bottled roasted red peppers
1 pound ziti or penne
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotles in adobo
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup chopped scallions (about 1 bunch)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Cook onion, poblanos, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add red peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook ziti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain ziti.

While ziti cooks, purée chipotles with sour cream in a blender.

Add purée to onion mixture with scallions, cilantro, 1/4 cup cooking water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add ziti and toss, moistening with additional cooking water if desired. Season with salt.

]]>Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:04:22 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/08/week-10-welcome-fall-members1.htmlVegetable List
Baby Windsor Brocoli
Swiss Chard
Delectable Corn
Sherman Cucumber
Beatrice Eggplant
Orion Fennel
Husk Cherries
Red Bell Pepper
Chioggia Radicchio
Champagne Shallots
Slicing Tomatoes
Juliette Grape Tomatoes

Notes from the Farm
And I thought I was a windbag... Oh man, that was a doozy. We were lucky at the farm, Irene didn't really mess anything up... she mostly just blew the ripe Sungolds off the vine (note no sungolds in the share). We're fortunate really, so many people were pushed to the brink or lost most of what they hold dear... we lost some boutique food.
Still, we were without power at the field and had to improvise... which is always exciting. I love having to overcome challenges, it brings out the weirder parts of my personality. Power or no power, THE SHARE MUST GO ON! Needless to say, we put our efforts into harvesting and washing, against all odds, and the letter from the farm will be minimal... we'll make it all up to you next week.
Hope you all survived the storm.

Recipes
I recommend that you folks check out some great CSA sites out there this week... if you have power or access to the internet. Epicurious.com is a great site...
Remember, Radicchio needs to be treated with skilled hands, fennel doesn't always taste like licorice, shallots are a delicate and delightful allium and husk cherries are for more than just snacking!

Sorry again for the short CSA letter... Enjoy the share!
]]>Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:37:23 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/08/week-9-goodbye-summer-members.htmlVegetable List
Bunch 'o' Beets
Baby Windsor Broccoli
Sherman Cucumbers
French Filet Green Beans
Curly Parsley
Husk Cherries
Lacinato Kale
Ailsa Craig Onions
El Jefe Hot Peppers
Tomatillos
Slicing Tomatoes
Sungolds
Juliet Grape Tomatoes

Notes from the Farm

This is the last week for our beloved summer members. Thanks so much for being a part of our food community for the last 8 weeks.
I love the idea of a food community. We are so fortunate to live in this time in history. Historically food communities existed, but it was out of necessity, or a very real lack of options. Culinary identity was one of the unconscious building blocks of self.
But now look at us... I've built whole friend groups around specific food politics... I've crafted parts of my identity with worldly cuisines... food politics are reaching the level of fashion accessory... everything is different. And theres something wonderful about the change... our individual food community is a choice. We have the choice to eat whatever and however we want... we can encamp ourselves as vegans, locavores, haute cuisine aficionados or some sort of personal Venn diagram of overlapping food identities... the world is our Asian Eggplant!
So, amongst all the culinary clatter, thank you for finding us and, for whatever reason, joining our food community. We're glad to have you all at the table... and hopefully we'll see you again.

Vegetable of the Week
Tomatillos: Tomatillos are a wonderfully tangy (not hot) relative of the tomato... its a moderately distant relation, but they are similar in many ways. In Mexico they are called green tomatoes and used to make green salsa.
I remember trying to explain tomatillos to a Mexican friend of mine, in Mexico, and her just telling me I was crazy... it was a heated exchange that ended in a trip to the market where I showed her tomatillos and she stopped, took a breath and explained to me that in Mexico tomatillos are green tomatoes... to that, I asked what you'd call a proper green tomato and she told me not to be stupid... who would eat a green tomato?
Anyway... tomatillos are wonderful roasted or fresh. Roasting brings out the sweetness. We often roast tomatillos in the oven until they have just a bit of black on them and then blend them up with some roasted onion, a roasted hot pepper, salt and a half teaspoon of honey for a great salsa. For a tangier salsa, blend them fresh with some cilantro and lime. Tomatillos are also great roasted in a pan with other veggies and used as a side dish.
Remember to take off the paper husk... its not that tasty.

Recipes
Tomato Jam
This sounds a bit crazy, but its great. Its great on bread for a snack or really as a side for anything.
2 1/4 pounds (1 kg) ripe tomatoes (about 5 large)
2 1/4 cups (450 g) sugar
2 or 3 grinds of black pepper
Big pinch of salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, cut out the stem end of each tomato, then slice a shallow X in the bottom.
Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water until their skins loosen, about 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let cool. When cool enough to handle, slip off their skins. Discard the water, but save the saucepan for cooking the jam.

Halve the tomatoes at their equator and gently squeeze out the seeds and juice. Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) pieces.

Return the tomatoes to the saucepan and stir in the sugar, pepper, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure that the mixture is cooking evenly, until most of the liquid has cooked off. If foam occasionally rises to the top, skim it off with a large spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

Ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.

Storage:
The jam will keep for at least 6 months in the refrigerator.

]]>Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:08:28 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/08/week-81.htmlVegetable List
Baby Windsor Broccoli
Mokum Carrots
Delectable Corn
Orient Express Eggplant
Dragon Lingerie Green Beans
Basil
Red Norland New Potatoes
Radicchio
Slicing Tomatoes
Sungolds
Juliet Grape Tomatoes

Notes from the Farm

As we wade through the rain and I look at all the good that is coming from this weather pattern we seem to be in, all I can think about is the effect of the Universe on our fields... The way we spin around the Sun, the pull of the Moon, the effect of the Galaxy on meteorite activity, the heat that moves climate patterns... its the Universe dancing with our fields, our vegetables... and we're caught in the dance, excitedly enduring with blinding wonderment this space invasion thats going on all around.

Vegetable of the Week

Radicchio: Radicchio is a popular Italian (grown most widely in Verona) green... it looks like red cabbage but is actually in the chicory family. Pliny the Elder was the first to write about radicchio, calling it Venetian Lettuce and raving about its purifying qualities. What Mr. Elder was saying is that radicchio is bitter. It is used fresh, albeit sparingly, in salads in Europe, where they favor flavorful lettuces. But radicchio is most used cooked. Either grilled in halves or pan fried with balsamic vinegar and asiago cheese (our family's favorite way of cooking radicchio). To be sure, only a fool would brazenly experiment with radicchio for the first time. Radicchio is a complicated vegetable that can both delight and disappoint, and it is always the fault of and at the hand of the chef, so be aware... and enjoy.

Recipes
Penne with Grilled Eggplant and Radicchio Sauce

• 2 small Eggplants
  
• 1 large head of Radicchio, quartered, cored
  7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  
• 1 cup chopped Juliet Tomatoes
  
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
  
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh Basil
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  
• 12 ounces penne or fusilli (spiral-shaped pasta), freshly cooked
  
• 6 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on layers of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant lightly with salt; let stand 30 minutes.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Pat eggplant dry. Brush eggplant and radicchio with 3 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt. Grill until eggplant is tender and radicchio is wilted, about 4 minutes per side for eggplant and 1 minute per side for radicchio. Transfer radicchio to cutting board; chop coarsely.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; stir 2 minutes. Add parsley and thyme. Reduce heat to low; sauté until onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients; simmer 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in eggplant and radicchio. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon oil in large bowl. Add eggplant sauce and toss. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese; serve.
]]>Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:12:43 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/08/week-71.htmlVegetable List
Baby Windsor Broccoli
Mokum Carrots
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Champion Collard Greens
Nubia & Beatrice Eggplant
Orion Fennel
Dragon Lingerie Green Beans
Italian Parsley
Baby Lettuce
Red Norland New Potatoes
Ailsa Craig Onions

Notes from the Farm
Its amazing how August feels like the end of the season. We are just starting to get the bulky farm food... In August, I often feel like I'm standing behind (underneath) an unloading dump truck of food... its thrilling, overwhelming and a bit unsettling. And even though its really just the beginning, it feels like we're dragging ourselves across the finish line... Or hoping the finish line is just around the corner. At the beginning of the season we plan for the week and each day of the week... this time of year, we plan for the half day... otherwise we might just quit in a puddle of tears. The physically demanding part of the farm season in 7 or 8 months long depending on the season. We are now starting our 6th month of the farm year... the last big push... Like the climax of a novel.

Farming feels very classically novelesque. The year of the farmer in northern New England would make for a great novel. There is enough hope and light hearted tomfoolery in the beginning, it settles down, things get a little scary and stressful, everyone makes mistakes, there is an eventual & expected triumph albeit slightly bittersweet and at the expense of something really dear to the farmers, the triumphant and hardest part of the season fades and the real payoff comes to a sweet and heartfelt end as the season is tied up and everyone makes peace with the deepest, darkest parts of their own ethos.

Farming is the coolest.

Vegetable of the Week
Fennel: Fennel is a controversial vegetable... we understand this. We know that for some folks it can ruin the sunniest days just by mentioning fennel. I know that it can taste and smell like licorice, and that licorice is a polarizing flavor... but we still grow it and give it to everyone in hopes to bring this largely misunderstood vegetable into the spotlight.

First, a little background, fennel is from southern Europe... around the Mediterranean ocean. It was a staple in both the Greek and Roman diet. It was eaten as young shoots, as whole roasted bulbs and especially prized for the seed as a spice. It continues to be heavily used in Italy, and is the featured flavor in Italian sausage... so if you like sausage, sweet or hot, you like fennel... ha.

Second, an endorsement... Celebrity chef Mario Batali insists that fennel is the single most versatile vegetable... and hes an expert. He insists that it can be bold or subtle, a sponge for marinades or fresh crisp steak garnish... and hes an expert.

All parts of the fennel plant are edible and useable. Use the feathery ends for garnish or in fresh pesto. Use the stalks like celery with almond butter and maples syrup dipping sauce, or dice the stalks and pair with peach and marscapone as a filler paste for rolled pork tenderloin. The bulb offers the most options... soak it whole in your favorite steak marinade and grill it... Finely dice it and add it to tuna or potato salad... Salt the bulbs and shave them into a bowl to be used as an oyster topping. In general, the more you cook fennel the less licoricey it tends to get... Give it a go, it'll be good to you, I promise.

Recipes
Mysterious Farmers' Market Patron's Creamy Spiced Collards
“Do you know how to cook collards,” we ask.
“Do I know how to cook collards...” with a maliciousless huff of a laugh.
And then she preceded to give us the best collard recipe I've ever heard or tried.

6 to 8 Collard Leaves, center stem removed and cut into thin ribbons
Olive Oil
1/4 cup Water
1/2 cup Light Cream

1 Teaspoon Cayenne (or other hot ground pepper, I like Chipotle Pepper or Smoked Paprika)

1 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Salt to taste




Saute the cut collards in olive oil briefly. Add water and cook until wilted...cook off the water (don't add cream to water). Add cream, hot pepper and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes or so... until it is slightly reduced. Salt to taste and eat.

You can adjust the toothsomeness of the collards by wilting them more or less.

]]>Tue, 02 Aug 2011 12:22:13 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/08/week-61.htmlVegetable List
Basil
Napa Cabbage
Swiss Chard
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes
Corn
Orient Express Eggplant
Royal Burgundy Green Beans
Iceberg Lettuce
Red Norland New Potatoes
El Jefe Hot Pepper
Pint 'o' Peas
Zucchini

Notes from the Farm
One of my darkest secrets is that I love Iceberg Lettuce. I've quietly grown it for years for myself. Iceberg is a bit of a naughty word in organic farming circles... baby lettuce, leaf lettuce, braising greens, spinach, arugula... there are so many wonderful and very flavorful lettuces and lettuce like greens available that iceberg is often looked over. Its more than that really... Iceberg has become an unfortunate casualty in the movement towards diverse, flavorful and exotic (or simply forgotten about) vegetables... and its more than a casualty, its the reluctant figurehead of the bland, conventional food universe that many small organic farmers are fighting to overcome.
But I love iceberg. It is so crispy, sweet and juicy... its almost not like lettuce at all... it should have a category all its own... It should be called Sweet-Juicy Leaf. And organic soil grown iceberg is different than conventional iceberg. First off, it is more flavorful and greener than the store bought counterpart. It is also a little funkier, a little funny shaped, and less uniform... which I think is a good thing. Its great as a salad, on burgers or BLTs.
Its worth stepping up and standing up for the unfairly bemoaned lettuce... we shouldn't have to choose either or... leaf lettuce or iceberg... we should celebrate the diversity and say HOORAY FOR ICEBERG!

Vegetable of the Week
Napa Cabbage: Napa Cabbage is really Chinese Cabbage (from China) and dates back to the fifth century A.D. It is believed to have been a naturally hybridized cross between pak choi and a turnip. The plant did not show up in Japan until the late 1800's but Japan has since produced many hybrids.
Napa Cabbage is produced in the US primarily in California and Florida to the tune of over 12,393 acres per year which is why it can be found almost as easily as the common green cabbage.

Recipes

Spicy Napa Cabbage Slaw with Basil Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger (optional)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 fresh el jefe chile, finely chopped, with seeds
1 small head Napa cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil Whisk together vinegar, sugar, ginger, oil, chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 10 minutes.

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]]>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:07:44 -0800http://www.almafarm.com/2/post/2011/07/week-51.htmlVegetable List
Arugula
Baby Lettuce
Basil
Windsor Broccoli
Gonzales Cabbage
Corn
Orient Express Eggplant (Big Black Banana Eggplant)
Royal Burgundy Green Beans
Peas
Zucchini

Notes from the Farm
Knock, Knock. Who's There? The Harvest.
As it turns out, the door has opened and the harvest is here. It has been such a great growing season that we figured this would happen sooner or later... our cornucopia spillith over...
There is so much to talk about really. Take the Gonzales Cabbage... this little cabbage won over our hearts a couple of years ago in our trials. Its little, sweet and tender... what more can you ask of a cabbage. Gonzales won't store all winter long or feed a starving family, but its upside is undeniable. We also have had great luck with midsummer arugula this year. Its just a trial year for us, usually we grow arugula in the early spring, long before the CSA begins, but this year we thought we'd try it in the summer. Arugula usually gets too spicy and is to quick to go to seed to grow in the summer time, but for some reason, this year, as hot as its been, its done great. Eat it fresh... I like it with creamy caesar dressing and BacOs... its true, I eat BacOs.

Vegetable of the Week
Orient Express Eggplant: Orient Express is one of my favorite overall vegetables from the garden. Rosa Bianca is probably my favorite Italian eggplant, but its good only in classically eggplantish dishes. Orient express is the most versatile solinaceous (peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes) vegetable. It is not bitter at all, does not need to be salted or have the oils somehow expressed. It doesn't need to be skinned, the skin is actually very sweet. The fastest way to a pleasurable, flavorful Orient Express dish is to simply cut it into medallions, drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown... take them out and have them cool on a paper towel... pleasure town. You can make a pasta sauce, salsa, tapenade... its only limitation is your imagination.

Recipes
Cabbage Stuffed with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Herbs This recipe is also great with 1/2 lb ground beef or pork... if you use ground pork, fennel seed is also a great addition.

2 cabbages
1/4 cup vegetable broth
3 tbsp olive oil
2 small zucchini, finely diced
1 large tomato, finely diced
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
1 small eggplant, finely diced
3 tbsp each chopped fresh basil

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• 1/4 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs
  
  
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
  
  

Heat oven to 350°F. Cut cabbages in half from top to base. Cut out hard core; discard. Pull out inner leaves of each half, leaving 3 outer layers (reserve). Finely slice inner leaves. Heat broth and 2 tbsp oil in a medium sauté pan on medium. Add vegetables (plus sliced cabbage) and meat (optional). Cook until vegetables are tender and meat is browned; add herbs; place in cabbage halves. Mix butter with breadcrumbs; place on top of cabbage; drizzle remaining 1 tbsp oil on top. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.




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