Archive for the ‘Eatwell Farm News’ Category
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May 16, 2012
2 cups basil leaves, packed
1 cup spinach leaves
½ cup Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 to 2 teaspoons green garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 bunch chard, cut into ½-inch strips
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
1 egg
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Olive oil or grapeseed oil, for frying
Place the basil leaves, spinach, yogurt, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, garlic, mustard and ¼ teaspoon of ground pepper in a blender. Blend until fully incorporated and bright green. Taste and add salt, if desired. Refrigerate until needed.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the chard and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain the chard and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop the leaves and stalks again and squeeze out any remaining water. Place the chard in a large bowl. Add the almonds, cheese, egg, breadcrumbs, cayenne, and the remaining salt and pepper to the chard. Combine with your hands or a spatula until well incorporated. Form the mixture into 8 patties, which should measure about 3-inches wide and 1-inch thick.
Pour enough frying oil into a large skillet to come ¼-inch up the sides. Fry the patties for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place on paper towels to absorb oil. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sauce on the side.
From marcussamuelsson.com
May 16, 2012
1 large bunch chard, leaves sliced into 1-inch wide ribbons
3/4 cup of the chard stems, trimmed and diced
1 spring onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon paprika
1 small green garlic bulb pounded with 1/2 teaspoon salt
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Place all the ingredients in a wide, heavy pot with a few pinches of salt. Add 1/4 cup water, cover tightly, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Check one or twice to make sure there’s enough moisture. If anything is sticking, add a few tablespoons of water. When done, taste for salt and season with pepper. The chard should be silky and very fragrant.
Don’t be put off by the long cooking time. In the end the flavor goes far beyond what’s possible with a cursory blanching. A few spoonfuls suffice for a serving, or you can use this effectively as a seasoning for rice or lentils.
From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
May 16, 2012
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 spring onions, chopped
1 bulb green garlic, stalks and papery layers removed, roughly chopped
1/2 cup rice
7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup parsley or cilantro leaves
A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a few sprigs each parsley and thyme, tied together
Salt to taste
3/4 pound lettuce leaves, washed and coarsely chopped (8 cups)
A generous amount of freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or chives for garnish (optional)
Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, stock, parsley or cilantro leaves and bouquet garni, and bring to a boil. Add the lettuce and salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. The tough ribs of the lettuce leaves should be thoroughly tender.
Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (working in batches and covering the blender with a kitchen towel to prevent the hot soup from splashing), blend the soup until smooth. If using a regular blender, return the soup to the heat. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt. Heat through and serve, garnishing each bowl with chopped fresh parsley or chives and freshly grated Parmesan.
From nytimes.com, submitted by Eatwell CSA member Lisa Puntillo
May 16, 2012
Any combination of greens such as lettuce, arugula, chard, spinach, shelled fava beans and/or cilantro
Green garlic
Pine nuts (optional)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
When my vegetable bin still hosts an abundance of Eatwell greens the day before the delivery of a new Eatwell basket, I create The Anything Green Pesto Sauce. It’s always different, always delicious, and incredibly simple to make.
Take whatever greens you want out of your vegetable bin. (The pesto sauce
I just made included lettuce, arugula, green garlic, mustard greens, turnip
greens, and parsley.)
Slice the vegetable mix up a bit (stems and all), wash and spin them in your
salad spinner, and add to your food processor. If there is no green garlic
already in the vegetable mix, add some garlic. (It’s not necessary, but you
may also want add some pine nuts and Parmesan cheese.)
Add enough olive oil that you estimate will convert your veggies to sauce-
like consistency. Turn on the food processor and let it transform your mix into a pesto sauce. Add more olive oil if necessary. Any pesto sauce that you won’t eat in a few days, you can put in separate small jars for freezing.
From Eatwell CSA Member Bob Siegel
May 16, 2012
Strawberries: These berries were just picked on Tuesday morning and should be eaten within a day or two. Keep them in the fridge to maintain freshness. Please return the baskets to your delivery site so they can be reused. Enjoy!
Basil: Yum! It’s gorgeous, succulent, and oh-so-aromatic! You will receive the tips of the plant this week as a sample of what is to come in the next few months. Adds depth to many dishes. Store in plastic bag in fridge and use soon.
Cilantro: This fragrant herb pairs incredibly well with piquant foods and can enhance the flavors of many dishes. Wrap in a damp paper towel or store upright in an inch of water, then refrigerate. Do not wash prior to refrigeration, but make sure to wash before use.
Arugula: This popular Italian green packs a slight bite with nutty undertones and pairs well with goat cheese, nuts, and a vinaigrette. Store in plastic bag in fridge, rinse, and dry before eating.
Romaine Lettuce: Enjoy this fresh lettuce for salads and sandwiches! Store in plastic bag in fridge and wash well before consuming.
French Breakfast Radishes: These lovely little bunches have a spicy crunch that mellows into succulent sweetness when cooked. Slice thinly and add into a fresh green salad or layer on buttered bread for a great snack. Separate the greens and roots before storing in a plastic bag in fridge to maintain freshness. Wash well before use.
Spinach: This tasty and nutritious green will probably be dirty. To clean, first rinse quickly, then fill up a bowl with water. Put spinach in the water, swish, and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Lift leaves out of water, rinse and blot or spin dry. Store in plastic bag in fridge, but don’t wash it until you’re ready to cook!
Eureka Lemons: These juicy treats are from our friend Bill Crepps at Everything Under the Sun in Winters, and are sustainably grown, but are not certified organic. Add a splash of lemon juice to cooked chard, or use it to make a tasty salad dressing. To keep them fresh, store lemons in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.
Fava Beans: They are wonderfully tasty, but do require a little work. Start by stringing and shucking the beans. Then, remove their waxy coating by blanching them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Plunge beans into an ice bath and pop them out. Store in fridge and wash before consuming.
Chard: These big, beautiful leaves are mighty tasty! Remove the leaves from the stems, but make sure to eat the stems too. The stems will need to be cooked a little longer than the leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge and wash well before using.
Red Spring Onions: My how these onions have grown! We suggest adding them to omelets, soups, curries, and stir-fries for a milder onion flavor. You can tell them apart from the green garlic because they have hollow, round leaves. Be sure to use the green parts, too! Wash them well and remove bottom quarter-inch before consuming.
Green Garlic: This young garlic has a milder and less bitter bite than garlic cloves and sweetens when cooked. It can also be eaten raw! Green garlic has flat leaves with V-shaped cross sections, which are very tasty. Store in fridge and use within a week. Delicious!
Wakefield Cabbage: Nigel claims that this variety of cabbage is the sweetest he has ever eaten! It’s a British variety and has a cute little pointed head. You can eat it just like you would any other cabbage (in slaws, salads, sautés, soups, etc). Store in fridge.
May 15, 2012
Family is a big deal here on the farm, most of our crew is related, and of course the boys work the market with us, and even Cameron contributes all the way from Bulgaria, so I just had to share this photo of Jason Beachner and his Dad Jim pouring concrete together for Jason’s cow barn!. Jason’s parents are visiting from Kansas and Dad just couldn’t leave until he had a chance to get out there to help! Father and son.
Father and son
May 12, 2012
Here is what we’re hoping to put in the boxes on May 16th and 17th. Please note that the list is subject to last-minute changes depending on the weather and harvest.
Eureka Lemons
Strawberries
Green Garlic
Red Spring Onions
Romaine Lettuce
French Breakfast Radishes
Fava Beans
Chard
Arugula
Baby Spinach
Wakefield Cabbage or Turnips
Cilantro
May 11, 2012
The cover crop in the table grape vineyard grew tall with all the spring rains. Roberto mowed it down this week into tiny little pieces. We have had our trusty flail mower since 1995. It is a heavy duty industrial version that has repaid its high ticket price handsomely. We change the bearings every few years and keep it well-greased, and so far it has kept on running.
After mowing we let the cover crop wilt for a few days and then start to disk it into the soil where the micro-fauna break it down and release nutrients. The vines can use these to grow our grapes. Table grapes are heavy feeders unlike their wine cousins that develop unique favors and aromas through starvation. We all like large, juicy sweet table grapes to eat, which means they need plenty of water and nutrients.
May 10, 2012
Strawberries: These are first-of-the-season strawberries! They were just picked on Wednesday and should be eaten within a day. Please return the baskets to your delivery site so they can be reused. Enjoy!
Sugar Snap Peas: A sure sign of spring, these protein-packed goodies are super tasty raw or cooked. This week you might receive two varieties of peas, both of which are tasty. You can eat the whole pod, but first remove the stem, then peel down the string. Try tossing them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasting them in the oven. Store in plastic bag in fridge. Eat soon for best flavor!
Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley: Its beautifully clean, crisp flavor adds depth to many a dish! Store in a plastic bag in the fridge and use rather quickly.
Romaine Lettuce: Enjoy this fresh lettuce for salads and sandwiches! Store in plastic bag in fridge and wash well before consuming.
Eureka Lemons: These juicy treats are from our friend Bill Crepps at Everything Under the Sun in Winters, and are sustainably grown, but are not certified organic. Add a splash of lemon juice to cooked stir-fry mix, or use it to make a tasty salad dressing. To keep them fresh, store lemons in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.
Fava Beans: They are wonderfully tasty, but do require a little work. Start by stringing and shucking the beans. Then, remove their waxy coating by blanching them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Plunge beans into an ice bath and pop them out. Store in fridge and wash before consuming.
Red Russian Kale: This beautifully ruffled leafy-green is full of calcium and iron and will turn bright green when perfectly cooked. Slice leaf from stem and store in plastic bag in fridge. Wash before eating and enjoy.
Red Spring Onions: My how these onions have grown! We suggest adding them to omelets, soups, curries, and stir-fries for a milder onion flavor. You can tell them apart from the green garlic because they have hollow, round leaves. Be sure to use the green parts, too! Wash them well and remove bottom quarter-inch before consuming.
Green Garlic: This young garlic has a milder and less bitter bite than garlic cloves and sweetens when cooked. It can also be eaten raw! Green garlic has flat leaves with V-shaped cross sections, which are very tasty. Store in fridge and use within a week. Delicious!
Wakefield Cabbage: Nigel claims that this variety of cabbage is the sweetest he has ever eaten! It’s a British variety and has a cute little pointed head. You can eat it just like you would any other cabbage (in slaws, salads, sautés, soups, etc). Store in fridge.
Turnips: This ancient veggie is one of the earliest to be cultivated and was a staple before the potato. It is rich in fiber, calcium, and vitamins A and C. These beauties can be eaten raw or steamed and have a deliciously buttery crunch. Remove the greens and store in separate plastic bags in fridge. Be sure to wash them before eating.
May 10, 2012
Amanda and Julie picked 30 pounds of strawberries in 30 minutes, which is a good pace for any picker here on the farm making them prime candidates for the farm crew. We do need their help as we have so many berries and so many orders, but not enough time to pick them all. The crew just picked 120 pounds for Pop Nation popsicle company in San Francisco, and they would like to buy more every week. We have also supplied strawberries for Benoit Yogurt.
Last weekend’s berries were the most we have ever had at any one time, and it was truly amazing. In the photo below, Austin and Margaret Yang are sporting our new “I (Strawberry) Eatwell Farm” T-shirts, which he designed for us. Our Mother’s Day strawberry event is full, but there are a few spots available for May 19th and May 27th.
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