This Week's Delivery Saturday May 1 , 2010

Store In the Fridge:
rhubarb - Potomac Valley Farms
asparagus - Northern Neck Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
butternut squash - Potomac Valley Farms
spring onions - Northern Neck Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
baby bok choy - Northern Neck Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The Butternut Squash is from the cold storage at PVF and is still delicious. Easiest and best way to cook it is slice in half, scoop out seeds, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, add some minced garlic to the area where you scooped out the seeds, and roast at 400 degrees until soft. Cool, scoop out, and eat or scoop while warm and puree for soup.

Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a relative of buckwheat and has an earthy, sour flavor. Botanically speaking, rhubarb is considered a vegetable, but it's most often treated as a fruit — though it's rarely eaten raw. Just like fresh cranberries, rhubarb is almost unbearably tart on its own and needs the sweetness of sugar, honey, or fruit juice added to it to balance out the acidity. Rhubarb's nickname is the "pie plant" because that is the primary use for this vegetable.

Spring Onions
If you're overwhelmed by the amount, just slice them up, sautee a bit, and add them to...everything: scrambled eggs, pasta, mashed potatoes, quesadillas, burgers, biscuits, polenta-yum!

Bok Choy

Chinese cuisine has made this cabbagelike vegetable popular. Bok choy has a tender and mild flavor, especially the immature baby bok choy, shown on the left. Part of baby bok choy's appeal is that you can cook the small vegetable whole, without breaking its leaves apart, thus adding a beautiful visual element to a dish. When cooking larger, more mature bok choy, cut the leaves from the stem and cook the stems first, since they will require a slightly longer cooking time.

Recipes

Stir-Fried Bok Choy

• 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 (1/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• pepper

Trim 1/4 inch from bottom of each head of bok choy. Slice bok choy crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Wash bok choy in several changes of cold water and dry in colander or salad spinner until dry to touch.

In wok or large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add ginger, scallions, and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add bok choy, salt, sugar, and pepper and stir-fry 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon water, cover, and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Uncover, stir-fry 5 seconds, then cover again, turn off flame, and let steam in residual heat until just tender, about 30 seconds more. Serve immediately.

Rhubarb Cake

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, soda, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
3. Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into batter. Spoon batter into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, and smooth the surface.
4. Blend together 1/4 cup butter or margarine, cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

Roasted Asparagus

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Snap or cut the dry stem ends off each asparagus and place on a heavy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss. Roast until the asparagus is tender, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.

This Week's Delivery Saturday April 24, 2010

Happy Friday! Just a quick reminder that if you have the four payment plan your next payment of $209 will be due this Saturday April 24.

Thanks!


"After twenty annual visits, I am still surprised each time I return to see this giant asparagus bed of alabaster and rose and green skyscrapers."

FIRST OF THE SEASON ASPARAGUS!!!!! YAHOO!!!

Store In the Fridge:

Asparagus - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Spring Onions -Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Chives - Landisdale Farm
Baby Arugula - Path Valley Farms
Parsnips - Windy Knolls Farm
White Beets - Breezy Hill Farm

INFO:

Facts About Asparagus You May Like To Know

-Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.
-Asparagus spears grow from a crown that is planted about a foot deep in sandy soils.
-Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10" in a 24-hour period.
-Each crown will send spears up for about 6-7 weeks during the spring and early summer.
-The outdoor temperature determines how much time will be between each picking...early in the season, there may be 4-5 days between pickings and as the days and nights get warmer, a particular field may have to be picked every 24 hours.
-After harvesting is done the spears grow into ferns, which produce red berries and the food and nutrients necessary for a healthy and productive crop the next season.
-An asparagus planting is usually not harvested for the first 3 years after the crowns are planted allowing the crown to develop a strong fibrous root system.
-A well cared for asparagus planting will generally produce for about 15 years without being replanted.
-Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in Folic Acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin.
-Asparagus has No Fat, contains No Cholesterol and is low in Sodium.

White Beets:
Naturally white, these beets offer a tasty sweetness, the flavor is similar to gold beets. What's great about white beets is that they don't bleed.
Beets are saturated-fat-free, cholesterol-free, provide a small amount of vitamin C, a source of fiber and low in sodium and fat. Beets contain a high amount of folate which is believed to help prevent depression and fatigue.

Chives:

Consume chives to lower blood pressure and as an anti-septic. Chives contain sulfur oil, which has anti-septic properties and lowers blood pressure. Use chives to add a sweet onion flavor to dishes. Chives complement other spices such as marjoram and tarragon. They also go well with carrots, artichokes, asparagus, cauliflower and spinach. Chives best complement salty and sour tastes. To keep them crisp, add chives near the end of cooking soups and stews

Recipes


Side Note: Our favorite way of preparing asparagus is roasting but the fatter spears are better for this. This early asparagus is on the thin side , so we'll save that recipe for later...


Parsnip Patties
adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini

Peel and chop parsnips; steam until tender. Mash thoroughly. Mix in one egg yolk and salt and pepper to taste. Form into patties, dip into egg white, then roll in bread crumbs. Sauté in oil or butter until golden brown. These can also be cooked in ungreased skillet or in the oven.

Asparagus and Lemon Risotto
adapted from the Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

• 1 pound asparagus spears
• 2 stalks of green garlic (or Waters calls for 1 small yellow onion)
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 4-5 cups chicken broth
• 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• salt
• Parmesan
• Chervil or Parsley

Risotto is thoroughly infused with the flavor of whatever broth you use. Try a homemade broth if you can - it makes all the difference.

Wash asparagus and trim off rough ends. Slice spears at a diagonal. Set aside.

Zest one lemon. Squeeze juice. Set aside zest and juice.

Pour broth into sauce pan, heat, and maintain a low simmer.

Thinly slice green garlic. Or if you are using onion, finely chop.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 quart sauce pan. Add garlic/onion and cook until soft, but not browned. Then add Arborio and stir to coat the rice. Cook for a few minutes until the rice becomes slightly translucent.

Add wine and lemon zest. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until the wine is completely absorbed.

Use a ladle to add one cup of warmed broth to the risotto pan. Also add salt (how much salt depends on how salty your broth is already). Stir and bring mixture to a vigorous simmer. Don't let the rice absorb all the broth. Waters suggests letting the rice "thicken" with the broth, then to add another 1/2 cup. (My original risotto guru, Patricia Wells, suggests keeping at least a "thin veil" covering the cooking rice at all times.) Continue to add 1/2 cup of broth at a time and stir rice frequently.

About 10 minutes after you first added began to add broth, toss the asparagus into the cooking rice. Continue to stir and add broth as before until the rice is tender with a slight bite in the center.

When risotto is just done, add 1/2 of the lemon juice, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir vigorously to incorporate ingredients, then let it rest for a minute or two. At this point add more salt and/or lemon juice if necessary, and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve in a heaping mound and top with freshly chopped parsley or chervil. Enjoy!

Radishes With Chive Cream Cheese

• 8 medium radishes
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives

Clean and trim radishes. Mix remaining ingredients. Dip and enjoy.

Communication Is Key

Please do not use the Saturday Sign-For sheet to communicate your out of town needs. Please send Christy an e-mail:

christy@foodmattersva.com

to let us know.

Thanks!

This Week's Delivery Saturday April 17, 2010

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises."
-Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Reminders: SATURDAY PICKUP ONLY, PLEASE!

Store In the Fridge:

Pink Lady Apples-Papas Orchard
Romaine Lettuce - Hares Valley Growers
White Mushrooms - Mother Earth Mushrooms
Asian Greens Mix - Path Valley Farms
Scallions- Path Valley Farms

Recipes:

Asian Greens with Shallot Vinaigrette

Asian greens are often sought after for their health benefits, but their complex flavors also make for unique salads. Dressing Asian greens with fish sauce will add depth and body to the salad.

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. nam pla (Vietnamese fish sauce)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup light sesame oil
1 shallot, peeled and sliced into thin rings
6 oz. mixed baby Asian greens, such as tatsoi, mustard
greens, mizuna, and pea shoots

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, nam pla, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly drizzle in sesame oil, whisking constantly to make a smooth vinaigrette. Add the shallots and set aside for at least 1⁄2 hour. Adjust seasoning before using.

2. Place greens in a salad bowl. Add the dressing and a few grinds of pepper. Toss gently to coat greens without crushing them.

Pasta with Scallions

This recipe was adapted from Pascal's Manale in New Orleans.

1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock
4 tbsp. butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. cooked spaghetti
Parmigiano-reggiano

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, scallions, and white wine. Cook until soft, 2–3 minutes; then add stock and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until sauce is creamy, 1–2 minutes.

2. Toss with cooked spaghetti, and sprinkle with grated parmigiano-reggiano.

Awesome Recipe For Chinese Scallion Pancakes (with Photos) Here

Caesar Salad Recipe

If you have a concern about the raw eggs called for in this recipe, you can use pasteurized eggs, or you can coddle the eggs first by immersing them in boiling water for 1 minute, before cracking them open. If you don't have anchovies available, add a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce to the dressing.

1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled, smashed, then minced

1/2 baguette, preferably a day old, sliced thin

1/8 cup freshly juiced lemon juice (plus more to taste)

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste, or 1 anchovies, smashed and minced

1 egg

Freshly ground black pepper (1/4 teaspoon or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 head of romaine lettuce, rinsed, patted dry, wilted outer leaves discarded

Method

1 In a very large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and garlic. Let sit for half an hour.

2 While the oil is sitting, make the croutons. Spread the baguette slices out over a baking sheet (may need to do in batches), lined with parchment paper or Silpat. Brush or spray with olive oil (or melted butter, or if you want garlicky croutons, dip pastry brush in the garlic infused oil you have sitting in step 1). Broil for a couple of minutes until the tops are lightly browned. (Note: do not walk away, these can easily go from browned to burnt.) Remove and let cool.

The steps up until this point can be made ahead.

3 Add anchovies and egg to the oil garlic mixture. Whisk until creamy. Add salt and pepper and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Whisk in half of the Parmesan cheese. Taste, add more lemon juice to taste. The lemon should give an edge to the dressing, but not overwhelm it.

4 Using your hands, tear off chunks of lettuce from the head of lettuce (do not use a knife to cut). Add to the oil mixture and toss until coated. Add the rest of the Parmesan cheese, toss.

5 Coarsely chop the toasted bread and add (with the crumbs from the chopping) to the salad. Toss. Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3 for a main course or up to 4-6 for a side salad.

With Thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery April 10, 2010

"The greatest delight the fields and woods minister is the suggestion of an occult relation between man and the vegetable. 'I am not alone and unacknowledged.' They nod to me and I to them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Store In The Fridge

Shiitake Mushrooms - Mother Earth Mushrooms

Tender Young Spinach - Help From Above Farm

Gold Beets - Greenbriar Produce

Sugar Snax Carrots - Path Valley Farms

Salsify - Windy Knolls Farm

Parsnips - Jade Family Farm

Recipes

Buttery Salsify Puree with Horseradish (you may also use parsnips in this recipe)
serves 2 to 4

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 pounds black or white salsify
1 small clove garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon horseradish, or to taste
salt, to taste

Fill a large bowl with cold water, and add the lemon juice. Peel the salsify, and cut it into 2 inch lengths, slipping the pieces into the bath as you work.

Add the drained salsify and the clove of garlic to a saucepan of cool water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Drain, and puree with remaining ingredients. Garnish with parsley, or other mild herbs. If you like, this recipe can easily become a soup by increasing the amount of milk until the desired texture is reached.

This recipe below makes great use of your mushrooms as well as cornmeal you may have left over from previous weeks! Of course, you can cook the eggs however you see fit.

Parmesan Polenta with Eggs and Roasted Mushrooms
Serves 3 (main course portions)

1 lb mushrooms
1/8 c olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper flakes
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 c polenta
1 c milk
1 c water
pinch salt
1/2 c shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 eggs
chives for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 475.
2. Chop mushrooms into 1/2 inch pieces.
3. Toss mushrooms with oil, pepper flakes, and salt on a baking sheet.
4. Spread in single layer and roast until browned, about 10 mins.
5. Meanwhile, whisk polenta, milk, water, and salt together in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, covered.
6. After reaching a boil, turn heat to low and let sit with lid cracked for 15 minutes.
7. While polenta is cooking, heat nonstick skillet over medium heat and crack the eggs so that they are sunny side up.
8. Cook about a minute and then add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet. Water will sizzle - cover so the yolks steam and set to your liking. I like mine somewhat viscous so I wait for the steamed yolks to 'skin' over with egg white. This will happen naturally with the method above.
9. Mix Parmesean into polenta, plate on a dish, spoon mushrooms over and top with egg. Garnish with snipped chives. Eat and enjoy!

With Thanks,

christy and tom

When You Donate Your Food

"If you can't feed a hundred people then feed just one."

Mother Teresa

Just a quick note to let you know where your donated bags of food are headed. As you know, if you are out of town, you may choose to either double up at a later date or donate your food. Tom and I live in SW DC about a block and a half from Section 8 housing. Our neighborhood Safeway (the only grocery store for a couple of miles) will close until the new Safeway opens on April 16. In the meantime the folks in our neighborhood will not have easy access to fresh food unless they have time to take shuttles to other Safeway's in the city. Your food is being dropped off to families in this neighborhood who will not only be able to enjoy fresh, but local and organic food as well!

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday April 3, 2010

"I'm strong to the finish cause I eats me spinach..."
-Popeye

Reminders:
Pick up is on Saturday only. No Sunday pickups.
Please return your bags.
Please communicate any need by e-mailing Christy:
christy@foodmattersva.com
Thank You!

Store in the Fridge:

Tender Young Spinach - Help From Above Farm
Parsnips - Windy Knolls Farm
Sugar Snax Carrots- Path Valley Farms
Cremini Mushrooms - Mother Earth Mushrooms (Psst-It's cool to wash them!)

Store In A Cool Dry Place:

Mixed Soup Beans - Path Valley Farms
Small Gold Potatoes- Path Valley Farms


Local Meat:
Amish Chickens from PA, Path Valley Growers
$3.99/#


Recipes:

Don't Forget To Check the Website Links To Find More Recipes like this one for a bean soup!

Wild Mushroom Omelette

SERVES 2

1 tbsp. olive oil
5 tbsp. butter
1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 eggs
2 tbsp. half-and-half
Leaves from 1 sprig fresh tarragon, chopped

1. Heat oil and 2 tbsp. of the butter together in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft, 3–5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until soft, 3–5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels and set aside.

2. Crack eggs into a medium bowl and thoroughly beat with a fork. Add half-and-half and tarragon, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well.

3. Return skillet to medium-high heat. Melt the remaining 3 tbsp. butter in the skillet. Pour eggs into skillet and, working quickly, stir surface of eggs constantly to make small, tight curds. When eggs are about halfway set, spoon mushroom filling down center of eggs. Carefully fold sides of omelette over filling and cook for 1 minute more. Slide omelette onto a warm serving platter.

Potato Pancakes

MAKES ABOUT 10 PANCAKES

In the Dordogne, the Truscotts chose local Trappist cheese for this traditional recipe. The author suggests using Port-Salut, or another semisoft cheese, in the U.S. These pancakes are crispy outside and surprisingly smoky and creamy inside.

1/4 lb. sliced bacon
2large or four small potatoes, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 lb. Port-Salut or other semisoft cheese,
coarsely grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup goose or bacon fat

1. Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat, turning once, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

2. Crumble bacon into a large bowl. Coarsely grate potatoes into bowl, then, working quickly so that potatoes don't discolor, mix in garlic, cheese, egg, and flour. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

3. Heat fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Form potato mixture into pancakes about 2'' in diameter, squeezing out any excess moisture. Cook in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

With Thanks,

christy and tom