This Week's Delivery Saturday August 28, 2010

Store In the Fridge:

Bell Peppers- Hot Pepper Bob

Japanese Eggplant- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Store In a Cool Dry Place:

Pluots -Papas Orchard

Nectarines-Papas Orchard

Shallots- Hares Valley Growers

Brandywine Tomatoes-Locust Brook Farm

Recipes and Information

Pluots:

The strangely named pluot is a hybrid of the plum and the apricot.The actual ratio works out at about 70% plum and 30% apricot. The pluot is extremely sweet; this is because it has a very high sugar level. Although pluots are a cross breed they mainly look like plums.

Pluots are sometimes sold by the name of Dinosaur egg due to the strange dappled coloring on some types of the fruit. The name Dinosaur egg has actually been trademarked by a California pluot grower.

Japanese Eggplant:

Have thinner skins and a more delicate flavor than American eggplants, and not as many of the seeds that tend to make eggplants bitter. They're usually more slender than American eggplants, but they vary in size and shape. They range in color from lavender to pink, green, and white.

Bourbon nectarine Ice Cream Sundaes with POundcake Croutons

• 1. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2. 8 ounces all-butter pound cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  3. 6 firm, ripe yellow nectarines, cut into thin wedges
  4. 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  5. 1/3 cup bourbon
  6. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  7. 2 pints vanilla ice cream
  8. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the pound cake and toss to coat. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until toasted.
     2. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the nectarines and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the nectarines are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir to melt. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the bourbon and lemon juice. Tilt the pan slightly and carefully ignite the alcohol. Cook over moderate heat until the nectarines are softened and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
     3. Scoop the ice cream into bowls and spoon the nectarines and sauce on top. Garnish with the croutons and serve right away.
     
     
     
     
     Salad of Shrimp and Roasted Peppers

     1 large red bell pepper
     16 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and steamed
     2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
     2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
     2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
     1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     

     1. Preheat oven to 500˚. Put pepper in a small pan, and place in oven to roast until the skin is charred and the flesh has softened, 15–20 minutes. Set aside pepper, and when cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin, stem, and seeds, then cut flesh lengthwise into 1/4"-wide strips.
     

     2. Mix together peppers, shrimp, parsley, mint, oil, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes before serving at room temperature.

This Week's Delivery Saturday August 14, 2010

Two Important Reminders:

1. We are closed for vacation next week so there is no CSA delivery on August 21.

2. Please, CSA pickup is Saturday only. Do not come on Sunday for your pickup. If you can't come from 11am-11pm on Saturday please e-mail us earlier in the week so that we don't make a bag for you.

"Shucked and boiled in water, sweet corn is edible and nutritious; roasted in the husk in the hottest possible oven for forty minutes, shucked at the table, and buttered and salted, nothing else, it is ambrosia. No chef's ingenuity and imagination have ever created a finer dish."
Nero Wolfe in 'Murder is Corny' by Rex Stout

Store In A Cool Dry Place:

Red Garlic – Path Valley Farms

Sweet White Onions – New Morning Farm

Serrano Peppers –Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Store In the Fridge:

Red Bell Peppers – Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Zucchini – New Morning Farm

Corn –Eli Peachey

Recipes:

Alice Waters’s Garlic Vinaigrette

1 small garlic clove
Salt
2 tbs. red-wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Salad greens

(1) Wash the greens and dry them well, first in a salad spinner and then by rolling them up in a towel. Refrigerate until used. (2) Put a peeled garlic clove and 2 big pinches of salt in a mortar and pound into a purée, with no chunks remaining. Add the wine vinegar, grind in some black pepper, and taste for the balance of salt and vinegar. Allow to macerate for a few minutes, and (3) whisk in olive oil. Taste the dressing with a leaf of lettuce. It should taste bright and lively without being too acidic or oily; adjust the salt, vinegar, or oil as needed. To dress the salad, put several generous handfuls of greens in a large bowl. Toss with about three quarters of the vinaigrette, and taste. The greens should be lightly coated but not overdressed; add more dressing as needed.

Roasted and Marinated Red Peppers

serves 2

2 red bell peppers
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. golden raisins
2 tsp. pine nuts
1 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 clove garlic, peeled and minced (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler for at least 15 minutes. Broil peppers, turning frequently, until skin has blackened on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove from broiler and immediately put into a large paper bag. Close bag tightly and allow peppers to steam until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the blackened skins, stems, and seeds, and cut peppers into 1/4'' thick strips.

2. Transfer pepper strips to a colander set into a bowl, and allow to drain until most of the juices have run off, about 3 hours.

3. Place peppers in a medium bowl. Add oil, raisins, pine nuts, parsley, and garlic (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set aside and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Caramelized Onion Dip From 101 Cookbooks. Awesome.

we're heading to oregon this coming week with our parents and kids. having never been to oregon we are not sure what to expect but our friends warn us: YOU TWO will never come back. we know we'll have stories and inspiration to share with you when we (hopefully) return.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday August 7, 2010

"For me, a plain baked potato is the most delicious one....It is soothing and enough."
M.F.K. Fisher

Store In The Fridge:

Corn – Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Peaches – Papa’s Orchard

Slicing Cucumber - Mountain View Organics

Store In A Cool Dry Place:

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes – Village Acres Farm

Roma Tomatoes – Village Acres Farm

Red Norland Potatoes –Path Valley Farms

Info and Recipes

Red Norland Potatoes

Small eyes and smooth, thin red skin make for easy peeling, very little waste. Perfect choice for grating into potato pancakes!

Potato Pancakes

1/4 lb. sliced bacon
2 medium 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.

Suggestions For Your Peaches

-sliced and served with crusty bread and goat cheese

-as a topping for oatmeal (along with yogurt, honey, and wheat germ!)

-grill and drizzle with honey

-dice and toss with basil

Quick Pickles You Can Have For Dinner Tonight

(from vegan reader.com)

1 large slicing cucumber
1 pint of vinegar
1 small bunch fresh dill
3 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons salt
A shake of black pepper

*Feel free to add your own secret ingredients.

5 Quick Steps To Quick Pickles
1. Take your largest pot and fill with water. Bring it to a boil.
2. Drop the mason jar and lid into the water and let boil for about 30 seconds. Remove.
3. Thoroughly wash the exterior of your cucumbers. Slice into uniform, thin rounds.
4. Places your dill, garlic, salt, pepper and any other herbs or spices in the jar. Put in cucumbers.
5. Pour vinegar in to cover the pickles and seal up with your lid.

That’s all there is to it! In about 4 hours, the pickles will be ready to eat and they just get better after a few days, too. We often consume a whole batch at a single dinner, but the pickles will stay good in the refrigerator for about 10 days if you’d like to make them last longer and aren’t quite as voracious about pickles as we are!

with thanks,

christy and tom