Volume XXI, Number 12 – August 20, 2013
In
this week’s box:
Basil: Genovese and/or Large Leaf
Beans: Mix (green & yellow), Maxibel (green
filet) or Marvel of Venice
(yellow, Romano/flat)
Cabbage: Storage 4 or Gonzalez
Edamame
Eggplant: Orient Express (long, thin, dark purple),
Listada (purple/white striped), Ping Tung (neon purple)
and/or Rosa Bianca (rounded, purple, fading to white at the top.)
Leeks
Potatoes: Desiree
Tomatoes: asst, see
descriptions in the 7/30 newsletter
and at least one of the following:
Broccoli florets
Cucumbers:
Suyo Long (Asian-style, long & bumpy) or Diva (English-style,
torpedo-shaped, smooth)
Melon:
Cream of Saskatchewan,
Athena (sm cantaloupe) or Moon & Stars (dk green w/ yellow spots)
Okra:
Burgundy
Summer
Squash: 8 Ball (round, green) or Sebring (yellow zucchini)
For
those with the Egg option [full]: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)
For
those with the Herb option: purple basil, sage & salad burnet
Featured Recipe(s) (see below):
Aromatic
Leek and Potato Soup
Colcannon
Edamame,
Tomato and Basil Salad
Precipitation in the past week:
0.00" (we're starting to get a bit desperate)
What’s up on the farm?
A couple of weeks ago,
looking at the crops that were coming on, we had decided that this week's
delivery would be a bit of a "Fall Preview" box. The evening
temperatures were so lovely and cool that a hot, hearty recipe or two sounded
pretty good. So here we are, with the "Fall Preview Box and temps are
warmer than they have been for a month! Ah well, best laid plans and all that.
To add to that, normally we wouldn't give you edamame two weeks in a row, or in
the same week as beans, but when the edamame is ready, it has to be harvested,
as do the beans, and since the later sowing of it was very popular with the
deer, this will likely be our last shot at edamame for the season, so we hope
you will enjoy them all! Besides, there are few things that make the farmers
happier than nice full boxes, even though the crew refers to packing them as
"Vegetable Tetris." The last of the melons is going out this week as
the vines are succumbing to the lack of rain and the heat will likely finish
them off by week's end. Everyone should have gotten at least a little taste of
one melon or another, so now we will just have to look forward to a better
season for them next year.
The whole farm has really
been enjoying the moderate temperatures over the past weeks. It is so much more
compelling to do heavy work like digging potatoes or composting beds in 80°
rather than 95°. So we really took advantage of the conditions and got some big
jobs done. The activities this past week focused mainly around harvesting long
season crops (potatoes & onions) putting them up to cure, clearing/prepping
those beds and re-sowing for more fall crops. We are down to just two remaining
potato beds and one last bed of onions to come in. Recently sown or
transplanted crops include broccoli, napa cabbage, chard, choi, and turnips.
The new fall crops have also been appreciating the weather, the soil is warm
enough that (with lots of irrigation) the seeds germinate quickly and then
aren't stressed by a blazing sun which is often a challenge with fall sowing.
It sounds like the stretch has come to an end as of today, though. We will have
to be very attentive to all those new plantings now, with the temps headed back
into the 90's. The crew too has gotten used to the comfortable temps and no one
is very excited about the returning heat. Speaking of the crew, at the end of
this week we have to bid farewell to one of our veteran members. Chelsea has been with us for several summers now and next
week she returns to her "day job" as a college student at Simpson. We
will miss her sunny disposition, willing disposition and mad salad harvesting
skills. Good luck this year, Chelsea, we'll miss you!
A little detail on your produce this week:
Cabbage:
Store dry, unwashed cabbage in the refrigerator,
preferably in the vegetable bin. The outer leaves may eventually get floppy or
yellowish, but you can remove and discard them to reveal fresh inner leaves.
Cabbage can keep for more than a month. Once it’s cut, seal it in a plastic bag
and continue to refrigerate for several weeks. Rinse the cabbage under cold
running water just before use. Peel away a few of the outer leaves, then cut
the cabbage according to your needs with a big, sharp knife, and then chop,
sliver, or grate. Our (ok, Jill's) favorite ways to eat cabbage is either to
spread a single leaf with peanut butter and roll up for a walking snack. Or for
small cabbages, pull apart the leaves and sauté them in butter until
wilted…divine!
Leeks:
Loosely wrap unwashed leeks in a plastic bag and store them in the vegetable
bin of your refrigerator. They will keep for at least a week. Cut the leek
about 1 inch above the white part, where the leaves begin changing from dark to
light green. (Save the unused greens; they’ll give great flavor to your next
vegetable stock.) Fan the leaves under running water to dislodge any dirt
collected there, then pat thoroughly dry. You can julienne a leek by cutting it
lengthwise, or slice it crosswise.
Is a weekly
newsletter not enough for you and you want to read more about our daily
adventures or see pictures of the farm? Follow
us at our blog at http://beyondthebluegate.blogspot.com/
and on Facebook (just search Blue Gate Farm) and “Like” us.
That’s about it
this week, if you have any questions or comments be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and Blue & Luci)
4 large boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large leeks, cut in half, cleaned, and sliced into long, thin strips
4 cups (1 quart) water
1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup low fat or nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until light and thin
Garnish:
S & P to taste
1 cup minced fresh herbs: parsley, chives, cilantro, chervil, dill, or a mixture
In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, leeks, and water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, cover, and turn the heat down to med-low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender enough to cut with a spoon, and the leeks are equally soft. This should take about 40 minutes. In a blender or food processor (or julia’s favorite: with an immersion blender!), puree the vegetables in the cooking water, doing this in batches if necessary, then return to the saucepan if you’re not using an immersion blender. Add the buttermilk or yogurt, and heat hte soup slowly over low heat, uncovered, until just warmed through. Season with S & P, and serve warm, sprinkled with the fresh herbs. Or, chill the soup, covered, and serve it cold. Serves 4.
Recipe Source: Almost Vegetarian by
Diana Shaw
Colcannon
You’ll find this classic dish on the menu at any real
Irish restaurant. It’s a recipe that takes two staples of the island, potatoes
and kale (or sometimes cabbage), and transforms them into a dish truly worthy
of the word classic.
Serves 6
1 1/2 pounds medium boiling
potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)
2 teaspoons salt, divided,
plus more to taste
1 1/2–2 pounds kale (15–20
large leaves) or cabbage
1 cup chopped leeks or
scallions
1 cup half-and-half or milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
1. Put the whole potatoes in
a large pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt
and boil until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes
and mash. Put in a heatproof dish and keep warm in a 200°F oven.
2. Meanwhile, put the kale in
a pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt
and cook until the kale is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (There you go Mrs. Nesbit,
it’s in the directions. Don’t worry, everyone will do it this way now that it’s
spelled out exactly.) Drain and finely chop the kale.
3. Place the leeks or
scallions in a small pot, cover with the half-and-half, and cook over low heat
until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Add the kale to the warm
potatoes and mix well. Add the halfand- half with leeks or scallions. Add
pepper; season with salt.
5. Spoon a little of the
melted butter over each serving and serve hot.
Recipe Source: unknown
Edamame, Tomato and Basil
Salad
1 cup shelled edamame
1/2 cup cherry or teardrop
tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tablespoons Parmesan
cheese, shredded
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredient in a
bowl. Serve immediately or chill for a couple hours before serving.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (4
heaping-1/3 cup servings)
Recipe Source: http://robinsbite.com
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