This Week's Delivery Saturday June 25, 2011

Last Pickup At Food Matters Location.

We still need bags returned. Please.

Thanks to all who have replied about staying with the CSA or not. We will be e-mailing all the "new" members this week about details.

Store In the Fridge:

Strawberries-Papa's Orchard

Summer Squash- Whisper Hill Farm

Baby Turnips with Greens- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Pickling Cucumbers-Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Swiss Chard- Hartland Farm

Choice Of Baby Carrots OR Baby Beets-First come, first served.

Recipes and Information

Braised Baby Turnips and Carrots

from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Vegetables

A very simple stewing is all that is wanted for very tiny and delicate turnips and carrots. Wash and trim the vegetables. Both should be tender enough to make peeling unnecessary. Trim off the carrot tops but leave a half inch or so of the stalks. Leave the tender turnip greens attached, trimming off only the leaves that are wilted or damaged. Put the young roots in a saucepan with a little butter and water, and stew gently, covered, until softened but not overcooked. Season with salt and pepper and serve. This is especially nice if you have a variety of carrots of different shapes and colors.

Greens Tacos

Please note the amounts given are approximate, you could use more or less of any one of these ingredients. Serves 2-3

3/4 pounds greens, cleaned well and sliced into approximate 1 inch pieces

2 teaspoons cooking oil

2 stalks green garlic, cleaned as a leek and chopped, or another allium family, whatever you have on hand (onion, green onion, garlic, leek.....)

Pinch red pepper flakes or cayenne

2 Tablespoons cream cheese

4-6 small corn tortillas or 2-3 larger flour ones

Heat the oil and add the garlic, having the greens ready to go, and cook garlic for about 30 seconds. Then add greens and cook until bright green and wilted, add red pepper (and salt and black pepper if you like). Take off heat and stir in cream cheese. Heat tortillas, divide filling among them. Eat and enjoy.

Other Ideas For Chard

- Saute chard with garlic in olive oil. Put a cover on the pan and allow chard to steam for about 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and , if desired, some hot pepper flakes before serving.
- Blanch the leaves and add to soup. Try substituting chard for spinach or arugula in soup recipes.
- Make a gratin with the stems: Boil the stems until tender (about 30 minutes). Put them in a gratin dish, add seasonings (such as a little garlic and parsley), top with a bechamel sauce and cook under broiler until golden brown.
- Blanch the whole leaves and stuff them with meat or vegetable fillings.

Thyme-Braised Squash in Creme Fraiche
Serves 4

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
about 1-1/4 lbs squash trimmed and thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper Zest of one lemon and juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme
3/4 cup crème fraîche

Melt butter over low heat in skillet. Add squash, salt, pepper, lemon juice and thyme. Cover skillet and braise over low heat for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender. Uncover skillet. Gently fold in crème fraîche and just heat through. Correct seasoning and serve at once.

In-a-Pinch Cucumber Salad
adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

1 long or two short cucumbers or 3-4 pickling cukes
salt and freshly milled white pepper
2 to 3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
champagne vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh dill or parsley, chopped

Thinly slice cucumbers. Toss the cucumbers with a few pinches salt, pepper to taste, and enough oil to coat lightly. Add a few drops vinegar and the herb of your choice. Serves 4.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 18, 2011

Please return your bags-we still need them.

Looks like we may be using a home for CSA pickup (ours!) after we close. We are so excited about keeping the CSA going and we hope you'll stay on board. We will be sending you a survey via e-mail about your interest in this as well as the best pickup times. Please keep an eye out for the survey in your e-mail.

Also, for those of you who have heard of Polyface Farms in Staunton, VA (or Farmer Joel Salatin) there is a Farm Field Day coming up on July 9. It's a whole day of farm tours and workshops with a crazy delicious farm lunch served. The early registration deadline for $100 tickets (normally $150) has been extended. I know this is not cheap but it is a whole day and you can bring as many kids under 15 as you like for free! We will be taking our family and we are so excited. We took our kids there for a Lunatic Tour last Summer and they LOVED it. They will never ask to eat and McDonald's again...

Here's a link to the details.

Store In The Fridge:

Blueberries-Papa's Orchard

Summer Squash -Whisper Hill Farm

Butter Lettuce - Hartland Farm

Pickling Cucumbers - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Leeks - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Baby Beets with Greens - Whisper Hill Farm

Recipes and Information

Marinated Summer Squash

This recipe is from CSA member Lily-thank you! I will absolutely be making it this week. Lily adds that, "substitutions are of course allowed--thyme or oregano would be nice in lieu of the mint." Serves 6 3 Tbs. lemon juice 2 tsp. grated lemon zest 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.) 1/3 cup olive oil 2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, peeled into thin ribbons (about 4 cups) 1 medium sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 green onions, chopped (about 1/4 cup) 1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic in large serving bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add zucchini and onion, and toss to coat. Cover and marinate overnight, or up to 2 days. Sprinkle with feta, green onions, mint and parsley just before serving. Leek Information Leeks have been cultivated since at least 3000 BC, and they are native to the broad region stretching from Israel to India. Relished throughout Europe. They have been cultivated for so long that their beginnings are uncertain. Phoenician traders introduced the leek to Wales when they engaged in the tin trade in the British Isles a casual act that would unexpectedly elevate this humble plant to national status. Legend has it that in 640 AD, the Briton King Cadwallader was sorely pressed by invading Saxons. To distinguish themselves from the enemy, the Welsh wore leeks in their hats and subsequently gained a great victory over their enemies. Since that time, the Welsh have proudly eaten and worn the distinctive vegetable as a matter of national pride. Witness the tender scene in Shakespeare's Henry V when Fluellen turns to the victorious young King Hal: "Your majesty says very true: if your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, your majesty know, to this hour is an honourable badge of the service; and I do believe your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's day." (Act IV, Scene 7) Nero was said to eat leeks every day in the belief that they would maintain the clarity of his voice. The French have long described leeks as "the asparagus of the poor," and it is fitting that one of her proudest chefs Louis Diat would create an internationally famous leek soup based on the "poor people" soup of his predecessor Parmentier. Vichyssoise, to the surprise of nearly everyone, was created on American shores at the turn of the century in New York City's Ritz Carlton Hotel. Chef Diat recalls in Cooking a la Ritz a hot soup of leeks and potatoes that his mother used to make: "But in summer, when the soup seemed to be too hot, we asked for milk with which to cool it. Many years later, it was this memory which gave me the inspiration to make the soup which I have named Creme Vichyssoise." Oven-Braised Leeks with Cream Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters, 1996, HarperCollins Cut off the roots and tough green tops of the leeks and remove their outer layer of skin. Slice the leeks almost in half with a vertical cut starting an inch or so above the root end, rotate the leek 90 degrees, and make a second cut. Rinse the and soak them in cold water, working free any dirt. Tie the leeks into a bundle and parboil them in well-salted boiling water until tender throughout. Remove the bundle, cut off the string, and drain and cool at room temperature. Arrange the leeks in a buttered baking dish. Cover with a mixture of one part stock to three parts heavy cream. Dot with unsalted butter, and season with salt and black pepper. You can also add a branch of thyme or some fresh chopped thyme leaves. Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the liquid has reduced enough so that it coats instead of covering the leeks. Serve warm. Note: A lighter way of cooking the leeks with cream is to braise them until tender in a covered saucepan on top of the stove with butter and water. Then add enough cream to barely cover the leeks, and simmer, uncovered, until the cream has reduced and coats the leeks. Beet Information Beets are available year-round, but the best time to buy them is June through October, when they are at their most tender. Look for unblemished bulbs with greens. In addition to the usual red variety, you may find beautiful golden beets, and pink-and-white striated Chioggia beets. Unless a red color is important to the dish, either type can be used interchangeably with red beets. Often purchasers ask that the greens be chopped off. That’s a mistake -- the greens bring an additional set of nutrients to the plate, most notably beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron and calcium. Take your beets home from the farmer’s market with the greens intact. Roasted Beets Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens away from the beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. ) Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish (or lidded ovenproof casserole dish). Add 1/4 inch of water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (three ounces or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (four to six ounces) for 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (eight ounces or more) for 50 to 60 minutes. They’re done when they’re easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish. Cut away the ends and slip off the skins. Roasted beets are wonderful on their own or simply dressed with a vinaigrette, and they will keep for five days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Best not to peel them until you plan to eat them. Sauteed Beet Greens 1 bunch beet greens Salt 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, to taste 1 garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional) Freshly ground pepper 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely. 2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve. Note: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges. Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. with thanks, christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 11, 2011

Please bring back your bags! Thanks!

Store In The Fridge:

Collard Greens - Hartland Farm

English Peas - Fowler Farm (must be shelled, get your kids involved!)

Summer Squash - Whisper Hill Farm

Red Romaine - Hartland Farm

Store In Damp Paper Towel/Towel:

Flowering Thyme - Jubilee Organic Farm

Store In A Cool Dry Place:

Blueberries(!) - Papa's Orchard

Recipes And Information

Blueberry Pancakes (gluten-free version here!)

2 cups flour

1 1⁄4 tsp. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
1 cup yogurt
2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 cup seltzer water or club soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more to taste
3 cups fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar
Maple syrup

1. Place a sieve over a large bowl and sift together the flour, sugar, and salt. In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and baking soda; let sit for 10 minutes. Add the yogurt mixture, seltzer, and eggs to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tbsp. butter in a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in 6 batches, spoon 2 portions of batter (about 1⁄4 cup each) into skillet, gently spreading out each portion of batter with the bottom of a spoon or a measuring cup to make disks about 4 1⁄2" in diameter. Cook pancakes until bubbles begin to form around edges, about 2 minutes. Top each pancake with 1⁄4 cup blueberries, press down on them gently with a spoon, flip each pancake with a spatula, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, for "silver dollar" pancakes, spoon 1 heaping tbsp. batter into the skillet for each pancake and top with 1 tbsp. blueberries.) Transfer pancakes to a paper towel–lined baking sheet and cover with a towel to keep warm. Wipe out skillet and repeat process with remaining butter, batter, and blueberries to make 12 pancakes in all. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with butter and maple syrup.

MAKES 12 PANCAKES

Simple, Perfect Peas with Butter and Salt

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. While the water is heating, remove the peas from their pods and place in a bowl. When the water reaches a boil, add some salt and the peas. You are just going to cook them for a very short time. Don't leave the stove. Somewhere between ten and thirty seconds. You want them just barely tender, so they still pop in your - mouth, no mushy overcooked peas please. Quickly drain. Return the peas to a bowl with a dollop of butter and a sprinkling of salt.

Incredibly Rich, Awesome Flowering Thyme Ice Cream Recipe Here

Calabacitas Con Crema (Summer Squash In Cream)

1 lb zucchini — (about four small)

1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh if possible

1/2 whole onion — thinly sliced

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 whole poblano pepper — roasted, seeded, peeled and cut in thin strips
1 tsp salt

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

1. Chop the zucchini in large chunks (about 3/4 inch to 1 inch) and set aside. Prepare onions ahead and set aside. Grill the poblano chile directly on a gas flame, cool, remove skin, then cut into small strips.
2. Using a very large skillet, heat butter and oil until very hot. Add zucchini and toss until tender. Remove the zucchini from the pan with a slotted spoon, allowing it to drain well. In the remaining oil and butter, fry the onion slices until soft and sweet, then add the corn and pepper slices. Add the zucchini and cream and cook until nice and hot. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

with thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 4, 2011

quick note: scallions were "missing" last week because they were not supposed to be on the list. totally my fault.

so far we have not found a way to continue doing the csa but we are hoping/praying to find a way...

store in the fridge:

swiss chard-1 bunch, hartland farm

romaine-1 head, hartland farm

french breakfast radishes-1 bunch, hidden brook farm

fresh oregano-1 bunch, jubilee organic farm

zucchini-1 pound, northern neck fruits and vegetables

store in a cool dry place:

strawberries-1 quart

recipes and information

vanilla custard with strawberries

1 vanilla bean

1 1/2 cups whole milk

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups fresh strawberries

Halve vanilla bean lengthwise and add to milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the sugar until sugar has almost dissolved and mixture thickens. Remove vanilla bean from milk and save for another use. Pour milk into egg–sugar mixture in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Return custard mixture to saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir constantly, 15–20 minutes, or until custard is the consistency of pancake batter, a little thicker than heavy cream. Do not boil. Strain custard through a sieve and pour into six individual dishes or a large serving bowl. Allow the custard to cool at room temperature, then chill. Wash and trim strawberries. Sprinkle with remaining sugar, mix gently, and let macerate for 1 hour at room temperature. Spoon berries over custard. Serve with shortbread cookies.

chocolate zucchini cake-so surprisingly good.

2 medium zucchini, trimmed and
grated on large holes of box grater
9 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Working in batches, put a small mound of zucchini in center of large square of double-layer cheesecloth. Gather corners together and squeeze out as much water as possible. Transfer zucchini to a bowl and set aside. Preheat oven to 325º. Butter a deep 9" cake pan with 1 tbsp. of the butter. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together into a mixing bowl and set aside. Beat together remaining 8 tbsp. butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add oil, beating well. Beat in one egg at a time, add vanilla, reduce speed to low, and beat in flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 alternate batches. Stir in reserved zucchini. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to let cool. Invert onto a plate and dust with sugar.

spinach salad with oregano

1/8 tsp. crushed red chile flakes

2 cloves garlic

1 oil-packed anchovy filet

Kosher salt, to taste

Rind of 1/2 preserved lemon, roughly chopped

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh oregano leaves

1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb. large spinach leaves

Place the chile flakes, garlic, anchovy, and a pinch of salt in a mortar and smash with the pestle until ingredients are finely ground. Add the lemon and oregano and continue smashing until the oregano has broken down into tiny pieces. (Alternatively, put the garlic, anchovy, salt, lemon, and oregano on a cutting board, finely chop with a large knife, and transfer to a bowl; stir in chile flakes.) Add vinegar, whisk in olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and let vinaigrette sit for at least 30 minutes.

To serve, put spinach into a large serving bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over spinach, season with salt and pepper, and toss vigorously with your hands until the spinach is thoroughly coated with the vinaigrette.

with thanks,

christy and tom