Spring Creek Farm in Palmer, Alaska

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Week 12

Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:10 PM Comments comments (0)
Hello CSA members!

Here is what you'll find in this week's share:

spinach
swiss chard
potatoes (purple!)
carrots
sugar snap peas
shelling peas (bagged with carrots and potatoes)
summer squash
cabbage
celery
pac choi
head lettuce
scallions

Salad share:

radishes
sugar snap peas
head lettuce

It's the week of the purple potato! These beautiful roots are called “Magic Molly”, and the variety was actually bred right here in Alaska. We roasted some last night and noticed that they have a particularly rich, nutty flavor.

Another note on this week's harvest: you might find small red earth worms in the cabbage and celery – this is completely normal! It's rained a lot recently and in the wet weather the worms come up out of the ground and get into the lower leaves of things. We do our best to give you clean produce, but we wouldn't be able to get those out of there without completely tearing the cabbages apart. 

Here's a simple red cabbage recipe (we know, those things are HUGE). I always love to eat sauteed cabbage alongside potatoes and sausage, but it stands alone just fine as well.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 red cabbage, shredded
1/3 cup white or apple cider vinegar, eyeball it
2 rounded tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
Salt and pepper

Directions
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and onion and saute 2 minutes. Add cabbage and turn in pan, sauteing it until it wilts, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vinegar to the pan and turn the cabbage in it. Sprinkle sugar over the cabbage and turn again. Season with mustard seed, salt and pepper and reduce heat a bit. Let cabbage continue to cook 10 minutes or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.

While I was loading the truck full of produce on Tuesday I thought I smelled curry. I think it was just the strong scent of the scallions, but I thought I would include a recipe. You could make your own curry paste, but it's probably easier to buy some from the store.

Ingredients

2 T oil
4 T green curry paste
3 cups chopped chicken, shrimp, tofu, or paneer cheese
1 can coconut milk
1  cup chopped cauliflower
½ cup chopped scallions
1 cup shelled peas
2 T fish sauce, soy sauce, or tamari
1 T brown sugar
2 T lemon juice
a pinch of red chilli

Heat oil in a skillet, add scallions and cook until transparent. Add curry paste and chicken, tofu, or shrimp (if using paneer, add last) and stir until meat is just cooked, then add the coconut milk. Add fish sauce and brown sugar, and bring an easy boil. Add the cauliflower and peas, and cook until just tender but still firm. Reduce heat and add the lemon juice and chilli. Serve over rice or noodles.

Week 10

Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:10 PM Comments comments (0)
Why hello CSA members!
   Well here we are, now in the eighth month of the year! The farm is booming and we are now harvesting virtually everything in the field, as you have probably noticed your shares are getting more and more colorful. This week your shares will include:

Week 10 Full Share

Potatoes
Carrots
Rutabaga
Celery
Mesculin
Arugula
Broccoli
Purple Cauliflower or Romanesco
Snap Peas
Shelling Peas
Squash
Kale
Mint
Thyme

Week 10 Salad Share

Carrots
Mesculin
Spinach

Now if you are wondering what the alien child looking object in your bag is, let me introduce you to the rutabaga. Rutabagas are a cruciferous vegetable thought to have evolved from a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip. They have a sweet flavor and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. So peel off that skin and crunch them down as a light snack or steam, stir-fry, boil, roast, or mash them for dinner!

The other new addition to your shares this week is fresh garden celery, which tastes at least 500 times better than store bought celery. Also a great snack and loaded with nutrition and health benefits. With all this rain, we have been making some tasty soups here on the farm. Here are some recipe suggestions.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2tbsp olive or vegetable oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1 cup cauliflower or romanesco floretes 
1-2 squash (depending on size), sliced
Shelling peas, removed from pod (as many as you want)
2 potatoes, chopped
3-4 leaves of kale, chopped and separated from stock
3 bay leaves
8 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth
1¾ cups lentils
½ cup quinoa (or grain of preference, just make sure to allow enough cooking time)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Pinches of oregano, thyme, rosemary, cumin or any of your other favorite herbs

Preparation:

We recommend soaking your lentils for several hours first to reduce cooking time.

In a large soup pot, cook the celery, carrots, onion, cauliflower/romanesco, garlic until soft, about 10-12 minutes
Add water or broth, bay leaves, lentils and quinoa. Simmer over medium heat for about 30 minutes (test lentils and quinoa periodically until both are cooked). Add preferred herbs after about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes, squash, kale, and shelling peas, cook for about 10 more minutes.
Remove from heat and add salt and red wine vinegar, stirring to combine.

Root Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped leek or onion
½ cup chopped celery
2-3 garlic cloves, minced (add more or less to preference)
1-2 chopped rutabaga (depending on size and preference), aim for about 3 cups
2 cups chopped potatoes
2 cups sliced carrots
1 28oz can diced tomatoes in juice
7 cups of vegetable/chicken broth
Several mint sprigs

Preparation:
 
Heat oil in large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add leek/onion, celery and garlic and sauté until vegetables begin to soften, 5-10 minutes. Add rutabagas, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes with juices and 3½ cups of broth. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.
Transfer soup to food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Return puree to pot. Add remaining 3½ cups broth, bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add chopped mint as garnish.
 
Root Pasties

 Ingredients:

Dough-
3 cups flour
1½ sticks butter (cold and cut into bits)\
1½ tsp. salt
6 tbsp water

In a large bowl, combine flour, butter and salt. Blend ingredients until well combined and add water, one tablespoon at a time to form a dough. Toss mixture until it forms a ball. Kneed dough lightly against a smooth surface with heel of the hand to distribute fat evenly. Form into a ball, dust with flour, wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 min.

Filling-
6 carrots, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup rutabaga, chopped
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander 
crushed thyme

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll one of the pieces into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Put 1½ cups of filling on half of the round. Moisten the edges and fold the unfilled half over the filling to enclose it. Pinch the edges together to seal them and crimp them decoratively with a fork. Transfer pasty to lightly buttered baking sheet and cut several slits in the top. Roll out and fill the remaining dough in the same manner. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Put 1 tsp butter through a slit in each pasty and continue baking for 30 minutes more. Remove from oven, cover with a damp tea towel, cool for 15 minutes.


We hope you enjoy these cold weather treats. Until next time, may you have a great week filled with delicious vegetables and healthy meals!
 Thanks,
  Spring Creek Farm

Week 9

Posted on August 23, 2011 at 11:05 PM Comments comments (0)
CSA Week 9
August 1, 2011
Happy August Folks!
Hope everyone is enjoying the wet weather! It may be too soon to say, but winter is fast-approaching and before we know it the CSA will be coming to an end   …but I’ll be off somewhere skiing instead of digging up potatoes! which reminds me…if you happen to notice skin missing on your pretty little potatoes, I apologize.  Early season potatoes have an incredibly delicate skin and we dig each one out by hand, so if you notice any marks I hope that you’ll think of all of us out at the farm and smile! 
Enjoy ,
Gabby the Intern
In this week’s share…
potatoes
carrots
snap peas
red cabbage
fennel
sage (bagged with the peas, potatoes, and carrots)
summer squash
mesclun mix
spinach
chard
kale

YUM, RECIPES!!!!!!
Potatoes topped with Smoked Salmon and Fennel
INGREDIENTS
12 small potatoes
2 ounces smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fennel
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream
PREPARATION
Cover potatoes with salted water by 1 inch in a large saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool. 
Stir together salmon, fennel, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. 
Halve cooled potatoes and season cut sides with salt and pepper. Arrange, cut sides up, on a platter (if potatoes wobble, cut a thin slice off rounded bottoms), then dot each with 1/2 teaspoon sour cream. Mound salmon on top. (THIS RECIPE WORKS GREAT AS MASHED POTATOES ASLO!!!)


Really Delicious Braised Red Cabbage
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 lb red cabbage (1 medium head), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced 
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION 
Rinse cabbage under cold water, then drain (do not pat dry). 
Cook bacon in an 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving it for another use. Add butter to bacon fat, then increase heat to moderate and cook onions, stirring, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in cabbage, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. 

CSA week 7

Posted on July 19, 2011 at 6:19 PM Comments comments (0)

Greetings and Salutations CSA Members,

And a happy 200th day of the year to you!  Yes, 200 down and 165 to go in 2011.  Not only is the year more than half way over, so too is our growing season at Spring Creek Farm.  Time flies, they say; the proverbial wisdom we’ve grown so accustomed to hearing, a phenomenon so familiar.  Yet nature and the seasons surprise us with their change, constant and enduring. 

It is an exciting time at the farm, as some of our heartier veggies are truly making their presence felt.  Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:


Summer Squash

Cauliflower

Scallions

Carrots

Salad Turnips (Making a comeback)

Mesculin

Spinach

Kale

Thyme


Carrots! Honestly, who doesn’t like carrots?  They’re sweet, filling, and endlessly versatile: Carrot Salad, Carrot Soup, Carrot Cake, Carrot Wine, Pickled Carrots, Roasted Carrots.  I could go on forever.  Actually, I think carrots are something we have a tendency to take for granted-- They seem like a staple, and for many they are, but in reality home grown carrots take time and patience.  

Some farmers at the market we sell at in Wasilla had carrots in mid June—I don’t want to say it was a blow to our ego, but we were a little disheartened.  After some harmless investigating, we came to the conclusion that these early carrots were possible with the help of heated greenhouses.  Of course there are always methods available to farmers for extending their growing season, but they are often very expensive.  Conclusion: carrots done the slower, old fashioned way are simpler and worth the wait. And they’ll be in your shares from here on out.

We hope that you all are enjoying your fresh veggies.  Below are some recipes to consider using with the new additions to your share.

Happy Day,

Your farmers and farmerettes 

*the following recipes are all adapted from the website Smitten Kitchen http://smittenkitchen.com/ *

Summer Squash Salad

4 medium summer squash 

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 pound mesculin

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (on large holes of a box grater; 1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

*Cut squash crosswise into paper-thin slices with slicer. Toss slices with one teaspoon salt in a large colander set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes.

*Rinse squash slices well, and then drain, pressing gently on slices to extract any excess liquid. Pat zucchini slices dry with a kitchen towel.

*Put greens in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over greens and toss. Arrange squash slices over mesculin greens, then drizzle with remaining oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and pepper.

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte

Makes 8 servings

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

12 ounces yellow crookneck squash or regular yellow summer squash, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds

6 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans.  Set aside 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend.

Layer 1/6 of potatoes in concentric circles in bottom of 1 prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Layer 1/4 of squash in concentric circles atop potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Repeat with 1/6 of potatoes, then 1/4 of squash and 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Top with 1/6 of potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture and press gently to flatten. Repeat procedure with second cake pan and remaining potatoes, squash, oil, and cheese mixture.

Cover pans with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until tortes begin to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and chill. Rewarm, covered with foil, in 350°F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.)

Cut each torte into wedges. Sprinkle wedges with 1/4 cup green onions; serve.


Indian Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes

1 (1 3/4-lb) head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets

1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 cup water

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and place a shallow baking pan on rack. Preheat oven to 475°F.

Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Cauliflower Gratin

1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups hot milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.


Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint

Harissa is delicious but is not necessary to make this salad.  see note below

3/4 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 crushed clove of garlic

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground (I used seeds but ground them first)

3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground (I used the seed but ground them first, again)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon harissa (for a solid kick of heat; adjust yours to taste, and to the heat level of your harissa)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

100 grams feta, crumbled or chopped into bits

In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before eating. 

Harissa: Is a North African chile paste that has become so popular, we were tickled to find it all over tables in Paris two years ago, right next to the Dijon mustard. There is almost nothing it doesn’t make more delicious: eggs, potatoes, stews, couscous, sandwiches and more, and there are almost as many recipes as there are people who consume it. Most boil down to hot chiles ground with garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway and olive oil, often with a smidge of sundried tomatoes. You can make your own (I’ve been eying this recipe for some time) or you can buy some (I brought home this brand, which we love). The advantage of making your own, as always, is that you can adjust the recipe to suit your tastes and desired level of heat

Summer-Squash Soup with Parsley-Mint Pistou*

For squash soup

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 lb yellow summer squash, halved and thinly sliced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

1 yellow-fleshed potato (1/2 pound), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced

4 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth

For pistou**

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1 large scallion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Make soup: Melt butter in a 6- to 8-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat, then cook onion with salt, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add squash, carrots, potato, and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, then simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool soup, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Working in batches, puree; soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer to a bowl. Return purée to cleaned pot and thin with water if desired; simmer 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Make pistou while vegetables simmer: Pulse mint, parsley, and scallion in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a stream, then add water and salt, blending until incorporated.

Swirl 1 tablespoon pistou into each bowl of soup.

Carrot Ginger Dressing

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger

2 tablespoons sweet white miso

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil

1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil

2 tablespoons water


In a blender or food processor, combine carrot, shallot (scallion can be substituted), and fresh ginger.  pulse together a few times until they are combined.  Scrape down sides and add the miso, vinegar, and sesame oil.  Turn the machine on low, and while it is running, slowly add the grapeseed or another oil and water.  Run until the dressing is smooth.  Mmmm.

Week 6

Posted on July 19, 2011 at 4:51 AM Comments comments (0)
Hi everyone, I still can't QUITE believe that I haven't been on here for 21 to post our newsletters. My apologies. Here's the past two weeks of CSA deliveries, and week 7 will be coming tomorrow!

Spring Creek Farm
July 12, 2011
Week 6

Hello CSA Members!

It's been a rainy week, and the sun is a nice treat this afternoon. The rain was much needed, however, and I was happy to turn off our irrigation system for most of the week and let the clouds do the work instead. Especially happy to get some moisture is the new section of field we cover cropped last week. In an effort to expand the farm slightly and to rotate crops in and out of the fields we have, we opened about an acre and a half last fall. We used about 5600 sq. ft. of that to plant potatoes in this spring, had some of it tilled again, and are letting the rest (which we discovered holds a giant vernal pond each spring and is therefore unsuitable for growing) go back to sod. By a couple weeks ago, the empty tilled section was becoming covered with weeds, so we borrowed Anne-Corinne's tractor from down the road and tilled again. Finally, we tilled once more this last week to knock out any more weeds, then broadcast winter rye, a cover crop, over the entire area. The hope is that the cover crop will exclude weeds and protect the new land from wind erosion this fall and winter. It can be tilled into the soil late this fall or early next spring, and it will add all kinds of nutrients and organic matter to that new soil. The only thing left it needed was some moisture, and we had been cycling a sprinkler through the area, but it just wasn't doing the best job. The rain helps.

This week in your share you will find:

Mesclun mix
Head lettuce
Kohlrabi
Turnips
Summer squash or zucchini
Kale
Baby broccoli
Baby Swiss chard (bagged)
Mint (bunch)
Parsley (bagged – this is a lot of parsley, try the parsley pesto recipe)
Calendula bouquet

The calendula flowers are pretty as a bouquet, and for the more adventurous, they can actually be eaten.  We weren't completely aware of this until we did some research earlier in the week. We're including a recipe for calendula corn bread. Calendula is more commonly known for its medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial qualities. Here's a simple recipe for making calendula salve:

http://lifeinsugarhollow.blogspot.com/2007/08/recipe-simple-calendula-salve.html

The biggest surprise this week: ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH!!! I just looked back in last year's records and we didn't have these until the second week of August. We have zucchini and summer squash an entire MONTH earlier this year! Part of the difference is the weather this year, I'm sure, but we did a better job of timing and spacing our seedlings this year, as well as selecting better performing varieties. Real production will kick in soon, expect a whole heck of a lot more of these! One of our farm interns, Val, suggests making a ratatouille out of the squash and parsley. Here's a recipe from my favorite food blog that was inspired by the movie:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/rat-a-too-ee-for-you-ee/

I'm also including the recipe below.

We're brining back a perennial favorite recipe this week: kale chips. Maybe one of the biggest vegetable fads, it's definitely a new and unique way to enjoy your leafy greens. We've included a few recipe ideas for toppings, but the main idea is to broil your kale to make it light and crispy. It makes a great snack, and the simplest preparation is to toss it with oil and salt before throwing it in the oven. I've also tried maple syrup, and the combinations below will make it even more interesting.

Finally, everyone here on the farm can't stop talking about trying to make mint ice cream with fresh mint leaves. We've included a recipe that does not require an ice cream maker. Try it out!

Have a good week!

Ben

Parsley Pesto

Use as a topping for pizza, salad, potatoes, crackers, toast or pasta.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt


Turnip Fries
Ingredients
3 pounds turnips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and lightly grease.
Peel the turnips, and cut into French fry-sized sticks, about 1/3 by 4 inches. Place into a large bowl, and toss with the vegetable oil to coat. Place the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, paprika, onion powder in a resealable plastic bag, and shake to mix. Place the oiled turnips into the bag, and shake until evenly coated with the spices. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until the outside is crispy, and the inside is tender, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

 Smoky Kale Chips Recipe
recipe adapted from Whats Cooking With Kids

Ingredients:
about one bunch of kale, rinsed and dried
Olive oil
Salt, to taste
about 1 tablespoon of chili flakes (or to taste)
sprinkling of paprika or cheyenne pepper power (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the kale leaves from their tough end and inner stems. Cut longer leaves in half or preferred bite size pieces.
Place kale chips in large bowl. Start by tossing in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. The kale leaves only need to be lightly coated with oil. Too much will make the chips too limp and greasy. Only add about  1 tablespoon of olive oil at a time. Then sprinkle in sea salt and chili flakes.
Put the kale pieces in a single layer in a baking sheet lined. You can use parchment paper if you like for easier cleaning.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until crisp. About 5 minutes before they are finished, you can gently toss them in the sheet pan for more even baking. They will burn easy, be aware of how they are baking.
For more smoky or spicy flavor, lightly dust the kale chips with paprika or cheyenne pepper power.

Maple Chipotle Kale Chips
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
A good sprinkling of salt
A pinch of chipotle
1 bunch of kale (about 6 cups, uncompressed), stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
Whisk the olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, salt, and chipotle together and taste. You will probably need more salt than you anticipate. Toss with the kale until lightly coated all over. Spread in a single layer on baking sheets Bake at 250 for 20-30 minutes, or until very crispy. Cool and enjoy.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 16-ounce package  gnocchi
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
PREPARATION
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chard (or spinach) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minute



Calendula Cornbread
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh calendula petals OR 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped dried calendula petals
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1½ cups cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
• ¾ cup unbleached flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 2 extra-large eggs
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
• ¼ cup honey or sorghum
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak calendula in buttermilk while assembling remaining ingredients.


Kohlrabi Salad
Ingredients:
1 kohlrabi, peeled and sliced in small thin slices
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced in thin slices
¾ cup pistachio nuts, shelled and sliced

lemon vinaigrette
2 Tbs.  oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
sugar
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Peel the kohlrabi and slice it into very fine slices
Squeeze a bit of lemon juice into a bowl with a bit of water.
Cut the apple into fine slices directly into the lemon water to prevent browning.
Make the lemon vinaigrette to taste using  oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk the dressing to mix well.
Place the kohlrabi in a serving bowl, pour the vinaigrette over and mix.
Remove the apple slices from the lemon water and add to the kohlrabi.
Mix well.
You can serve the salad on a bed of lettuce, or alone.

Homemade Mint Ice Cream
2 cups cream
1 cup whole milk
3 egg yolks
pinch of celtic sea salt
2/3 cup  honey OR 1/3 cup honey & 1/3 cup maple syrup
6 sprigs of mint-finely chopped

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix very well.

a) use an electric ice cream maker to blend/freeze your ice cream which usually takes 20 to 40 minutes.  Always follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
or
b) blend/freeze by hand without an ice cream maker See the guidelines set out above for ice cream making without a machine.

Step 1
Decide on the flavor of ice cream you want to make
Step 2
Find a suitable recipe, get the ingredients, make up the mixture
Step 3
Pour your freshly prepared mixture into a fairly wide bowl and put in your refrigerator to chill for between 1 and 2 hours. How long will depend upon whether you've actually heated up or cooked any of the ingredients when making the mixture.
Step 4
Remove from the refrigerator and put into your freezer for 30-40 minutes.
Step 5
Take the bowl out and check the state of the mixture - it should have started freezing from the outside edges in but not be fully frozen in the centre of the bowl.
Step 6
Place the bowl onto a work surface and beat the mixture well, breaking up any ice crystals and making it smooth again.
Step 7
Put the bowl back into your freezer and wait another 30-40 minutes.
Step 8
Repeat steps 5 through to 7Step 9
Repeat steps 5 and 6
Step 10
Put the bowl back into the freezer for the final time and check every 30 minutes or so until your ice cream is frozen and ready to eat.
Once your mixture is prepared you can blend/freeze as you prefer:


Ratatouille’s Ratatouille

As envisioned by Smitten Kitchen, adapted by Spring Creek Farm

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1
 small eggplant (my store sells these “Italian Eggplant” that are less than half the size of regular ones; it worked perfectly)

1 smallish zucchini

1 smallish yellow squash

1 longish red bell pepper

5 sprigs of fresh parsley

Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper.
Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube.
On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.
Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit.
Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.
Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.)
Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them.
Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

Week 5

Posted on July 19, 2011 at 4:48 AM Comments comments (0)
CSA Week 5 
July 5, 2011

Hello CSA Members,

Here in Alaska people often say you can literally watch plants grow. I have often taken that phrase as a hyperbole, but I was gone this weekend and was shocked when I walked through the field last night.
Squashes were fruiting, carrots actually had decent size roots, beet greens had doubled, dozens more peas were flowering, scallions had plumped, and the cucumbers in the hoop house have finally started to vine. I believe if I sat in the field next to the plants this weekend, I could have watched them grow. All that plant growth paid off for this week's share. Along with more familiar items you're receiving cabbage, broccoli, and turnips!


In this week's share:
mesclun
baby lettuce
spinach
cabbage
broccoli
turnips
lettuce
kohlrabi
kale
thyme

Turnip Gratin
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bundle thyme
Pinch of cayenne
Kosher salt
1/2 stick butter, plus extra for baking dish
2 pounds turnips, peeled and sliced very thin (mandoline works best)
1 1/2 cups grated parmigiano
Directions
Special Equipment: mandolin, 11 by 7-inch baking dish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the cream, garlic, thyme and cayenne in a saucepan and season it with salt. Taste to make sure it is adequately seasoned. Bring the cream to a boil and then turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 15 to 20 minutes.

Butter the baking dish and layer in 1/3 of the sliced turnips. Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese over the turnips and dot with 1/3 of the butter. Remove the thyme and garlic from the cream and pour 1/3 of the cream over the turnips. Repeat this process 2 more times until all of the ingredients are used up.

Cover the dish with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until golden. When done a fork should slide in and out of the center of the dish easily.

For easier serving, let the dish rest 10 to 12 minutes before serving.


Turnip Greens Quiche
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 spring onions or 1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic scapes or ~4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup cooked bacon or other meat
2 bunches of turnip greens (~ 4 cups chopped)
12 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Saute onions and garlic in butter until softened.
Stir in pre-cooked meat (or throw meat in with onions and garlic) and turnip greens. Saute the greens until slightly wilted. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl crack eggs and mix in milk, cheese, black pepper, salt and mustard powder. Stir in greens mixture.
Pour egg mixture into a buttered 9×13″ pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until center is set and edges are just golden brown. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Smothered Pork Chops with Apples, Onions and Cabbage
from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
4 double cut pork chops
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges
2 cups thinly sliced onions
3 pounds savoy or napa cabbage (1 head)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup Calvados(or apple cider)
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped marjoram
Directions
Season both sides of the pork chops with the Essence and kosher salt. Lightly dredge in the flour.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Add the pork chops 2 at a time, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the apples and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and onions are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, Calvados, caraway seeds, bay leaves, salt, pepper and herbs. Cook uncovered until sauce comes to a boil. Add the pork chops, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pork chops are fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Serve the pork chops with the cabbage and pan juices.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.




Lemon Vinaigrette  


Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (can use hazelnut or walnut oil)
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice* 
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped** 
1 clove garlic, minced 
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt 
Pinch coarsely-ground black pepper
Preparation:
In a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Serve at room temperature. Shake or stir just before serving.
Yields 1/4 cup vinaigrette. 

Week 5

Posted on July 19, 2011 at 4:48 AM Comments comments (0)
CSA Week 5 
July 5, 2011

Hello CSA Members,

Here in Alaska people often say you can literally watch plants grow. I have often taken that phrase as a hyperbole, but I was gone this weekend and was shocked when I walked through the field last night.
Squashes were fruiting, carrots actually had decent size roots, beet greens had doubled, dozens more peas were flowering, scallions had plumped, and the cucumbers in the hoop house have finally started to vine. I believe if I sat in the field next to the plants this weekend, I could have watched them grow. All that plant growth paid off for this week's share. Along with more familiar items you're receiving cabbage, broccoli, and turnips!


In this week's share:
mesclun
baby lettuce
spinach
cabbage
broccoli
turnips
lettuce
kohlrabi
kale
thyme

Turnip Gratin
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bundle thyme
Pinch of cayenne
Kosher salt
1/2 stick butter, plus extra for baking dish
2 pounds turnips, peeled and sliced very thin (mandoline works best)
1 1/2 cups grated parmigiano
Directions
Special Equipment: mandolin, 11 by 7-inch baking dish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the cream, garlic, thyme and cayenne in a saucepan and season it with salt. Taste to make sure it is adequately seasoned. Bring the cream to a boil and then turn off the heat. Let the mixture steep for 15 to 20 minutes.

Butter the baking dish and layer in 1/3 of the sliced turnips. Sprinkle 1/3 of the grated cheese over the turnips and dot with 1/3 of the butter. Remove the thyme and garlic from the cream and pour 1/3 of the cream over the turnips. Repeat this process 2 more times until all of the ingredients are used up.

Cover the dish with foil, place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until golden. When done a fork should slide in and out of the center of the dish easily.

For easier serving, let the dish rest 10 to 12 minutes before serving.


Turnip Greens Quiche
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
4 spring onions or 1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic scapes or ~4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup cooked bacon or other meat
2 bunches of turnip greens (~ 4 cups chopped)
12 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups cheese, grated
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt butter. Saute onions and garlic in butter until softened.
Stir in pre-cooked meat (or throw meat in with onions and garlic) and turnip greens. Saute the greens until slightly wilted. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl crack eggs and mix in milk, cheese, black pepper, salt and mustard powder. Stir in greens mixture.
Pour egg mixture into a buttered 9×13″ pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until center is set and edges are just golden brown. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Smothered Pork Chops with Apples, Onions and Cabbage
from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
4 double cut pork chops
2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick wedges
2 cups thinly sliced onions
3 pounds savoy or napa cabbage (1 head)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup Calvados(or apple cider)
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped marjoram
Directions
Season both sides of the pork chops with the Essence and kosher salt. Lightly dredge in the flour.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Add the pork chops 2 at a time, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork chops and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high, and add the apples and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and onions are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, Calvados, caraway seeds, bay leaves, salt, pepper and herbs. Cook uncovered until sauce comes to a boil. Add the pork chops, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pork chops are fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Serve the pork chops with the cabbage and pan juices.
Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, published by William Morrow, 1993.




Lemon Vinaigrette  


Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (can use hazelnut or walnut oil)
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice* 
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped** 
1 clove garlic, minced 
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt 
Pinch coarsely-ground black pepper
Preparation:
In a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Serve at room temperature. Shake or stir just before serving.
Yields 1/4 cup vinaigrette. 

CSA week 4

Posted on June 30, 2011 at 11:44 PM Comments comments (1)
Hello CSA Members!

Welcome to another week of green.  To those of you arugula lovers, our sincerest apologies—there will be none this week.  However, we have some new players to add to the share.  Here is a list of what you will find therein:

Baby Chard (bag of greens with mixed colored stems
Mesclun Salad Mix (bag of baby lettuce and mustard greens)
Spinach (bag of greens with parsley on top)
Kohlrabi (bulbous heads with large leaves)
Parsley (sprigs bagged with spinach – not necessarily to be eaten together, just bagged
that way to save plastic)
Pac Choi (1 green head or 2 purple heads)
Head Lettuce
Kale (bunch of greens)

Please direct your attention to the third veggie on the list; Kohlrabi.  Kohlrabi, in German literally “cabbage turnip,” is one of the less commonly known plants in the Brassica family.  If you have yet to experience this tasty treat, you will not be disappointed.  Kohlrabi has been called the apple of the vegetable world (at least that is what Mimi says), and can be eaten raw or cooked. It is similar in taste to the salad turnips you’ve received in previous shares, and comparable in texture to the stem of broccoli.  I tend to use it as I would a cucumber, thinly sliced in half moon pieces, or lightly sautéed and with greens like chard or kale. At the end of the newsletter are some recipes for you to consider adding to your cooking repertoire.

With the row cover off most of the beds and the midnight sun beating on, the garden continues to grow and surprise us.




It seems that everyday we notice the vegetables and flowers (Calendula above) getting bigger and healthier.  The past week was a bit slower without all of the interns on hand, which means there are many weeds to be tackled this week.  



With all of the crew back in town, we seem finally to be settling into the rhythm of life at Spring Creek Farm.  Speaking of the crew, let me take this opportunity to introduce Spring Creek Farm’s interns. This summer Val Higgins, Gabby Bucci and Caitie Hicks have ventured to the far north to help bring you all the tastiest and prettiest vegetables this side of the Matanuska...



Valerie Majenta Morningstar Higgins-Ludington hails from the great state of California. After attending a field semester program in McCarthy a few summers ago, Val fell in love with the mountains of Alaska, and knew she’d be back for more.  With a degree in Environmental Science from UC Santa Barbara and a passion for herbalism, medicinal plants, and, well, all plants and living things in general, Val hopes to use what she learns at Spring Creek Farm to start a small farm of her own.  She is not sure where yet, or when, but there will most certainly be a pea house, where she will sit and contemplate the great questions of life… like if she could only grow five vegetables, which would they be, and why.  



Gabby Maxine Bucci grew up outside of Philadelphia, but lives in Anchorage these days, as she is a student at Alaska Pacific University.  In addition to Gabby being the only intern affiliated with APU at APU’s farm, she loves burritos more than anyone we know, and has been named “most likely to fake their own death” at Spring Creek Farm.  Gabby will be at the farm for the entire season, and is using the experience toward her degree in Environmental Studies.  One day, you will (not) find Gabby living off the grid, probably in a tree house (same idea as Val’s pea house).  Until then, she hopes to improve her already excellent weed whacking skills.  * Facto:  Gabby’s Grandmother is 104 years old! *





Caitie Michelle Hicks was born and raised in Georgia, but comes to you most recently from Vermont, where she earned her degree in English and Studio Art from The University of Vermont.  She would like to thank the bakers at Panadero Bakery back in Vermont for their tireless efforts to bring customers the best pecan sticky buns and almond croissants imaginable—she wouldn’t have graduated without you.  This is Caitie’s fourth summer in the Mat-Su Valley, and is happy to be back.  Although she enjoyed the intellectual snobbery of college life, Caitie is thrilled to be pursuing a different sort of life and learning outside of the classroom.  In the meantime, she will continue to work on writing and illustrating her own cookbook, which will be called “Butter Works.”

We hope you all will enjoy your veggies this week!  

Ten million cheers,
Mimi, Ben, Val, Gabby, and Caitie


Simple Balsamic Salad Dressing

Ingredients
1 cup olive oil (try using some coconut oil too if you have it)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and minced
2 tablespoons of fresh herbs (Parsley!!)
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon Dijon or grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a jar with sealable lid, shake vigorously to combine, and toss into salad.  

Sautéed Kohlrabi with onions and cream
Ingredients
Cubes of peeled kohlrabi
Thinly sliced white onion
Unsalted butter
Finely shredded kohlrabi leaves
Heavy cream
Salt and pepper
Grated nutmeg
Directions
1.Cook kohlrabi and onion in butter over medium-high heat until almost tender. Stir in kohlrabi leaves, and cook until wilted. Add a generous splash of heavy cream, and cook for a few seconds to reduce. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with chicken, pork chops, or steak.
Cook's Note
To store fresh kohlrabi, cut off leaves, wrap them in a damp paper towel, and place in a plastic bag. Leaves can be refrigerated for three to four days; the bulb for several weeks.

Mesclun Salad with Kohlrabi and Pomegranate Seeds
Ingredients
2 large celery stalks
1 medium kohlrabi bulb (8 ounces), trimmed and peeled
1 small pomegranate
3 1/2 cups Mesculin (3 ounces) or other tender, bitter salad greens such as arugula or dandelion
2 tablespoons rice wine or other light vinegar
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1.Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice the celery and kohlrabi. Cut kohlrabi slices into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
2.Halve pomegranate; remove enough seeds to yield 1/2 cup (reserve remainder for another use). Add seeds, celery, kohlrabi, and greens to a serving bowl.
3.Whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. Whisking constantly, add oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until emulsified. Toss with salad.

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Ingredients
2 bunches (about 1 1/2 pounds total) Swiss chard, stalks cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (keep stalks and leaves separate)
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Directions
1.Wash chard, leaving some water clinging to stalks and leaves; set aside. In a large saucepan with a lid, toast the pine nuts over medium-high heat, shaking pan to brown evenly, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside.
2.In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add stalks, and cook until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add leaves, raisins, and garlic. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until tender, 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.Pull lid back slightly, and tilt pan to pour off water. Stir in vinegar and pine nuts; season with salt and pepper. Serve

CSA week 3

Posted on June 21, 2011 at 10:21 PM Comments comments (0)
Hello CSA members!

We're on the cusp. Soon, so soon, we will have produce beyond leafy greens. The kohlrabi is almost big enough, we've spotted some tiny broccoli heads forming, the scallions are getting bigger every day. We're still not tired of salad, though, and we hope you're not either. It's the reality of growing here in Alaska – with the ground not thawing until the first week of May, we're hard pressed to get you anything at the beginning of June. So we fill these first few shares with short season greens, hoping they'll hold you over until the true bounty comes. Some new additions this week: napa cabbage, also known as chinese cabbage, which is traditionally used to make kimchi. If you're not interested in natural fermentation, we'll give you some other recipe ideas. Also, this is the first week we'll be mixing baby lettuce with mustard greens to give you a true mesclun, a fancy word for salad mix originating from the French “mescla”, mixture.

This week's share includes:

Mesclun (bag of lettuce and mustard greens)
Spinach (mixed with magenta orach, aka mountain spinach)
Head lettuce
Arugula 
Chinese cabbage (green head of large leaves, also known as napa cabbage)
Salad turnips (white roots)
Radishes (mixed colored roots)
Pac choi

One of our CSA members brought to our attention that any green we had not bagged (like pac choi, lettuce, or kale) quickly wilted in her fridge. So here's my quick advice on vegetable storage: The reason vegetables wilt in the fridge is a lack of humidity. Fridges are dry, and that environment sucks the moisture right out of any vegetable. It shows immediately in greens, but will also quickly affect broccoli or cauliflower, and will even make carrots a little bendy and beets a little mushy. If you don't have enough room in your vegetable crisper drawer, I recommend putting your produce that isn't already bagged into an extra plastic grocery bag or an extra produce bag from last week's greens. This applies to almost anything, especially if you want to keep greens fresh. Another option is to cover vegetables with a wet cloth. This is what we do when we harvest vegetables the day before to take the the farmers market the next morning. It works perfectly, but you might have to re-wet the cloth every day or two, which might be a pain. One exception: you should not refrigerate tomatoes, because they will lose their nice texture. Feel free to email any other vegetable storage tips you have to me or Mimi and we'll share them with the other CSA members.

Have a good week!

Ben

The recipes I promised:

Spicy Asian Slaw with Napa Cabbage, Carrots & Ginger Dressing


Adapted from Gourmet Magazine

3 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp grated lime zest

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 serrano chile, seeded and membranes removed, finely chopped

1 small Napa cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

4 scallions, sliced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, canola oil, lime zest, lime juice, and chile. Set aside.
Separate the cabbage leaves into a large bowl. Add carrots, scallions, and cilantro, and toss well.
Pour the dressing into the cabbage mixture and toss again. Let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Serves 4 to 6.

Stuffed Napa Cabbage
adapted from www.smittenkitchen.com

1 head napa cabbage

1 pound ground beef

1 small to medium onion, chopped small

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 carrot, shredded

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 parsnip, shredded

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 to 4 cups of your favorite simple tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Tear leaves off of core of cabbage and place them in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. (I like to use the large one I will cook the final dish in — a deep 12-inch saute pan — to save dishes.) Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes — until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain cabbage. Pat the leaves dry with towels. Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately. If sauce has thinned a bit, you can heat up any additional sauce you didn’t use and pour it over as you serve the rolls.
[These also freeze very well.]


Try this one too:

Napa cabbage salad with thai peanut dressing

CSA Week 2 update

Posted on June 14, 2011 at 6:37 PM Comments comments (1)

Hello again CSA members! We hope you have enjoyed your first batch of fresh veggies! The garden is getting more and more colorful as the season progresses, which means more varieties of veggies coming your way. We realize that there is an abundance of mustard greens in early season harvests so we thought we’d awaken your excitement about eating these spicy greens with a list of some of the many health benefits of mustards:


Health Benefits of Mustard Greens:

 

 

  • Mustard greens like spinach are the store house of many phytonutrients that have health promotional and disease prevention properties.
  • Very low in calories (26 kcal per 100 g raw leaves) and fats, but rich in dietary fiber; recommended in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. However, these green leaves contain very good amount of dietary fibre that helps control cholesterol level and also help protect against hemorrhoids, constipation as well as colon cancer diseases.
  • Fresh mustard greens are an excellent source of several vital anti-oxidants and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, carotenes as well essential minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium and manganese.
  • The greens are supposed to be one of the highest among leafy vegetables which provide vitamin K. 100 g of fresh leaves contain about 497 mcg or about 500% of daily requirement of vitamin K 1 (phylloquinone). Vitamin K has found to have potential role in bone mass building function by promoting osteo-trophic activity in the bone. It also has established role in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
  • Fresh leaves are also very good source of folic acid. 100 g provide about 187 mcg (about 47% of RDA) of folic acid. This water soluble vitamin has an important role in DNA synthesis and when given before and early pregnancy help prevent neural tube defects in the baby.
  • Mustard greens are rich source of anti-oxidants flavonoids, indoles, sulforaphane, carotenes, lutein and zeaxanthin. Indoles, mainly di-indolyl-methane (DIM) and sulforaphane have proven benefits against prostate, breast, colon and ovarian cancers by virtue of their cancer cell growth inhibition, cytotoxic effects on cancer cells.
  • Fresh mustard leaves are excellent source of vitamin-C. Provides 70 mcg or about 117% of RDA per 100 g. Vitamin-C (ascorbic acid) is a powerful natural anti-oxidant that offers protection against free radical injury and flu-like viral infections.
  • The leaves are also an excellent source of vitamin-A (provide 10500 IU or 350% of RDA per 100 g). Vitamin A is essential nutrient for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  • Regular consumption of mustard greens in the diet is known to prevent arthritis, osteoporosis, iron deficiency anaemia and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases, asthma and colon and prostate cancers.

 

See, mustards are the miracle greens! So eat up in your favorite salad combinations or add to soups and stir-fry. They combine well with a honey-balsamic vinaigrette which helps to balance their spice as it is strong for some palates. Here is my favorite dressing recipe:

Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette

1-2 Tbsp Dijon or Spicy Mustard

Mix in olive oil until desired consistency is reached (depends on preference for a thicker or more liquid dressing)

Add a tsp or two of honey (maple syrup can also be delicious)

Add a splash of balsamic vinaigrette to taste

 Mix in salt and pepper and  if desired any variety of crushed thyme, sage, and rosemary


 We are continuing to weed the beds everyday and have finally been able to take most of the row cover off for the season (the cloth that protects the young plants from frost and pest damage). Here are some pictures of the flourishing beds:

 

The Brassica bed, full of kales, broccolis, cauliflowers, cabbages, kohlrabi, and more!


Here we have the greens bed and a close up of the mixed lettuce row.



This Pac choi has produced flowers already, which is called “bolting” and is something we try to avoid as farmers as it can render the plant “inedible”. Bolting can occur as a result of warm soil temperatures that cause the plant to go into survival mode and rapidly produce seed. This is a common problem around Solstice time as there is so much sunlight. Bolting affects the flavor and edibility of each plant variety differently and is less than ideal in terms of presentation. We will still utilize this Pac choi to make kimchi at the farm, no waste!




Here are some things to look forward to; from top to bottom we have Orach (great “green” to add in a salad), parsley, and beets!



The peas are coming up, can’t wait for the Sugar Ann Snap Peas and the Coral Shelling Peas!


As for your shares this week, they will include:


Tuesday Shares (APU and Peter’s Creek pick-ups):

-Spinach/Orach mix (Orach is a magenta relative of spinach – it can be eaten alongside and prepared the same way)

-Arugula (Bag of small, oblong greens. Peppery smell, makes the most delicious salad)

-Mustard Mix (Oblong and serrated leaf mustards, mostly mild in flavor)

-Frill Mix (Frilly red and yellow leaves, a little more spice, try cooking these or use this week’s salad dressing recipe)

-Head Lettuce

-Radish

-Kale (bunched greens – varieties are red Russian and white Russian)

 

Here are some recipes we recommend for these veggies:

 

Arugula/Mustard Saute (serves 4; approx.)

1/2 bunch arugula/mustard

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

2 onions, chopped

3 tablespoons reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes

1/3 cup white wine

2 ounces feta, crumbled

1. Heat the oil in the saute pan.

2. Add the onions. Saute gently until softened.

3. Add the tomatoes. Cook another few moments.

4. Add the arugula/mustard and the wine. Cook until the greens are wilted slightly.

5. Remove from heat. Add the feta and perhaps sprinkle on some nuts (your choice, pine nuts or chopped pecans..) and mix until well incorporated.

6. Serve.



Farmgirl Susan's Arugula/Mustard Pesto

1/3 cup (or more) of your favorite olive oil

1/2 to 1 ounce garlic (about 3 to 6 smallish cloves), peeled and sliced

6 ounces dry arugula (or substitute mustard) (about 3 cups), preferably very young leaves

3 ounces freshly grated pecorino romano or other hard cheese (about 1 cup)

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (about 5-1/2 ounces)

If desired, first cook the garlic:

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic to the hot oil and cook for 1 to 3 minutes until barely golden, turning the slices once.

Combine the arugula/mustard, pecorino romano, garbanzo beans, and garlic (spoon it out of the olive oil if you cooked it) in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth (If you have no food processor then chop chop chop!).

Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream with the motor running. This will help the pesto emulsify. Add salt to taste and more olive oil if desired.

Arugula pesto will last for at least a week in the refrigerator (if you can keep from eating it all). Cover it with a thin layer of olive oil if you're the type of person who gets upset when the top of your food turns a different color.

You can add this pesto to pastas, pizza, sandwiches, or even cream cheese to make a great spread!


Arugula/Mustard Pesto Cream Cheese Spread

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup (or more if desired) arugula/mustard pesto

1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano (other hard cheese)

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Keeps several days in the refrigerator. Tastes even better after a day or two.

 

Kale Wraps

Several leaves of kale

1 Avocado

A handful of dates

These make a great quick snack. These will be even better with the Lacinato Kale variety which will be coming soon, but try them still with the Russian Kales if you want. Just slice up the avocado, and wrap up with a date in the kale leave. Surprisingly delicious! You can also experiment with your ingredients; I have tried adding sunflower seeds to my wraps, as well as switching to almond or peanut butter instead of avocado! Play around with your taste buds for this one and have fun!

 

Braised Roots

2 bunches radishes and/or turnips, about 1 pound, trimmed of tops and roots

1 1/2 cups chicken/vegetable stock

2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sugar (use less sugar if you are concerned of the dish turning out too sweet)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

 

Place radishes in a skillet with stock, butter bits, shallots, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Uncover the pan and reduce heat to medium. Cook radishes 10 to 12 minutes and if the stock has not cooked away, remove radishes and cook down to 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes.



We hope you enjoy the veggies this week. There is only more to come so be ready for increasing varieties and have fun experimenting with the early season crops, even if it is a new flavor for you. Lots of spicy vegetables to keep you warm while we gear up for Solstice!

The pollinators are starting to get to work!

Thanks everyone! Your summer intern, Val

 


 

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