Week #19.

The farm is beautiful in fall.  Work has slowed slightly so we’re able to enjoy our work more now.  Above, Kristin cuts cauliflower and throws it to me on the wagon, to count and pack into bins.  We’re glad cauliflower harvest has started.  We’ll have enough for all the sites soon.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #19, September 23/24, 2021
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ sun

Green beans, 2 lb
Bok choy, 1 head
‘Jester’ winter squash, 1 
Summercrisp lettuce
Tomatoes, ~2 lb, mixed plum & slicing
Red frying peppers, ~2
Oranos snack peppers, ~4
Jalapeno chile (HOT)
Onion, 1
Basil, 1 sprig
Garlic, 1 bulb
– Some sites get cauliflower.
– Some sites get a second ‘Jester’ winter squash

Next week’s box will probably contain green beans, winter squash, potatoes, peppers and more.

Green beans – Wow, this planting is successful!  Enjoy them fresh or blanch and freeze for winter.

Bok choy (large rosette with thick white stems and green leaves) – This Asian green is good for stir-frying or sautéing or in soup.  You can think of the stems and leaves as two separate vegetables.  The stems require longer cooking.  The leaves will cook almost as quickly as spinach.  Bok choy stores well, so feel free to pull off leaves as you need them, or use the whole head at once.  Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag or other container.

Jester winter squash – This is a cross which gets its shape from its acorn parentage, and it’s flavor from its sweet dumpling parentage.  These Jester are delicious and ready to eat.  Simply roasting cut halves shows off their flavor.  They will not store well.  Plan to eat within two weeks.  Read last week’s newsletter for lots of information about winter squash.

Summercrisp lettuce – This last lettuce of the season is a variety that tolerates hot weather.  Summer is a difficult time to grow lettuce – it prefers cooler weather – so this type is helpful.

Keep an eye on your tomatoes
We’re at the end of the season and these tomatoes will not last.  Spread them on a plate and keep on your kitchen counter so you can quickly identify and eat any that develop flaws.  They taste pretty darn good for this time of year!  Don’t keep in the paper bag.

Veggie ID

Bok choy (left) and Summercrisp lettuce.  The lettuce varies in how much it’s tinged with red.

Oranos snack peppers (orange) and frying peppers (red).  If you receive a yellow pepper, then it’s a frying pepper.  There will be occasional bell peppers.

Jalapeno chile.  HOT!

RECIPES from DEB

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.

Bok choy, red pepper, and ground turkey, or pork, or tofu stir fry

Serves 6-8
Takes about 30 minutes, longer to cook brown rice

For serving:
1 1/2 cups white or brown rice

Sauce:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1-2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry or white wine (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water
1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
Optional – pinch red pepper flakes or a good squirt of chili-garlic sauce, like Siracha

Stir Fry:
1 pound ground turkey, or pork, or a 12-14 ounce package of tofu
1 cup onion, sliced pole to pole
2 garlic cloves minced or put through a press
4 cups sliced bok choy, leaves and stems separated
1-2 frying peppers, thinly sliced
Optional – in lieu of red pepper flakes in the sauce, 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

First, put the rice on to cook.

Then, mix up all the sauce ingredients, except the cornstarch.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wide deep skillet or wok, and brown the turkey (or pork). Add about half of the sauce to the pan, when the meat is almost done. If you are using tofu, crumble it, and brown it, and then add the sauce when it is browned on all sides. Transfer the mixture to a bowl or plate, and wipe out the skillet.

Add another tablespoon of the vegetable oil to your skillet, and stir fry the veggies in the order given: onion, garlic, bok choy, peppers. When the vegetable are almost done, add the protein mixture back into the pan. Mix the cornstarch into the sauce and add that, stirring so that everything is glazed nicely as it thickens.

Enjoy over rice.
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Pumpkin (or winter squash) Scones with Maple Glaze

Make 12 scones
Takes about 45 minutes

3 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon ginger, or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
OR omit the other spices and use to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoon butter
1 cup pumpkin or winter squash puree (approximately the yield of one roasted squash!)
1 egg
3 tablespoons honey
2-3 tablespoons milk, if necessary
Optional: up to 1 cup chopped dates, cinnamon chips, nuts, dried cranberries

Icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, sugar, spices, and baking powder in a bowl. Slice butter on top, and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture has a meal-like consistency. Mix the pumpkin, egg, and honey, and add to the flour mixture, mixing and kneading until you have a soft dough, adding optional milk if necessary.

Divide the dough in half and on a floured surface, roll or pat it into two 8-9 inch circles, and cut each into 6 wedges. Place on a parchment lined, or un-greased baking sheet, and bake in the oven until browned and firm.

Combine the icing ingredients while the scones bake. Drizzle the icing over the scones after they have cooled for about 10 minutes.
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Photo by Heidi Swanson

Feisty Green Beans

From 101 Cookbooks.
Serves 4-6
Takes 45 minutes
From Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks, Heidi says this recipe does have a lot of ingredients, but is worth making as written at least once. You’ll also find recommendations for substitutions, and even more related green bean recipes, at the website.
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Photo by Christopher Testani

Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic Recipe

From Food and Wine.
Makes 8 servings
Takes 30 minutes active time + 40 minutes braising
There are A LOT of recipes for green beans braised with tomatoes out there; this one, by Rita Nakouzi, from Food & Wine, uses canned tomatoes, but fresh tomatoes from this week’s box, peeled and diced, are even better. Deborah Madison’s version from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone layers onions, the beans, and diced tomatoes in a deep skillet, seasoned with whole cumin seeds and dill. Smitten Kitchen also offers a recipe for long cooked beans – Braised Romano Beans, that could be made with skinnier green beans.
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Photo by Eatwell101.com

Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Green Beans

From eatwell 101
Makes 3 servings
Takes 30 minutes
In this recipe from Eatwell 101 the green beans out number the chicken with delicious results!
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Tomato Salad with Warm Shallot Dressing

From Deb’s Lunch
Serves 3, easily doubled
Takes less than 20 minutes
This is really non-recipe recipe – you can make it with any variety of tomatoes that you have and sub in onions or garlic for the shallots. Serve on a bed of the fresh lettuce from this week’s box.
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Photo by My Baking Addiction

Sweet Pumpkin (or winter squash) Dip

From My Baking Addiction
Makes 16 servings
Takes 10 minutes active time + 3 hours to chill
My Baking Addiction suggests serving this sweet dip with mainly sweet dippers – apples, pretzels, ginger snaps – but few strips of the red or orange peppers from this week’s box would not be out of place in the assortment.

Week #18; Winter squash season begins!

Everyone gets two acorn squash this week. One Jester (top) or Starry Night (middle) plus one Carnival (bottom).

We used to grow traditional green acorn squash but switched to the newer striped varieties because they taste better, the plants are more vigorous, and the squash are so pretty.  Some Carnival squash are have yellow and orange stripes, some are green and cream.  The colors vary with temperature during pollination.

Winter Squash Primer

We expect to have a steady supply of squash over the coming weeks.  Let’s review some basics about winter squash.

Expected life:  Some winter squash varieties are ready to eat soon after harvest, others store deep into winter.  This week’s acorns are cured and ready to eat.  Plan to eat these early varieties within two weeks of delivery.  Jester has the shortest storage life, so eat that first if you receive one.  Check our newsletter each week for storage information about squash delivered that week.

Storage:  Do not refrigerate!  Winter squash store best at room temperature with good air circulation.  No cooler than 50 degrees.  On your kitchen counter is good, where you can keep an eye on them.  If you see deterioration, cook promptly.  These early squash are not intended for storage.  Do not cover – that promotes mold.

To make squash easier to cut:  Microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on size of the squash.  This will soften the rind and flesh, making it much easier to cut.

Beth’s favorite simple preparation (acorn or butternut):  Winter squash are easily roasted in a 400F oven.  The goal is to get brown, caramelized edges.
– Split in half with a sharp knife.  
– Scoop out and discard seeds.  
– Run the squash briefly under running water, then shake off the excess water.  Place cavity-side-down on an oiled baking sheet.  The little bit of moisture seals the squash to your roasting pan.  The water soon evaporates, allowing the squash to brown and caramelize.  Caramelization really boosts the flavor.  
– Roast at 400F until easily pierced with a fork, 30 – 45 minutes depending on size.  Flip over while hot.  Add a little butter to melt and some seasoned salt.  Cut into wedges and eat.

Stuffed squash
Acorn squash have a central cavity perfect for stuffing.  Prepare your favorite fully-cooked stuffing, e.g. a rice or quinoa mixture.  Roast your squash as described below.  Preheat the stuffing.  Fill the cooked squash with stuffing, top with grated cheese and return to the oven until everything is hot.

Can you eat the rind?  In my opinion, rinds on these acorn squash are too tough to eat.  Steve eats the Jester rind.  I don’t.

We pick, you wash.  We remain short-handed this fall yet our crops are abundant.  We are committed to getting them harvested and delivered to you, but have to focus on the essentials.  You can help by washing your squash!

Please wash your squash to remove any soil.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #18, September 16/17, 2021
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Koji greens, 1 head
‘Carnival’ winter squash, 1
‘Jester’ winter squash, 1
Leeks, ~2
Plum tomatoes, ~4 lb
A mix of colored bell & frying peppers, ~5
‘Roulette’ not-hot habanero, 3
Onion, 1
Garlic, 1 bulb
Basil, 1 sprig

Next week’s box will probably contain winter squash, bok choy, Romano beans, tomatoes, peppers and more.

Koji greens (head of dark green leaves) – Refrigerate.
 Koji greens are a lot like Yukina if you know that one; dark green with a nice balance of bitter flavor but not too strong.  Like tat soi but with larger, lusher leaves and not so many leaf stalks.  Recipes that use mustard greens or bok choy will work with Koji.  In a contest for my favorite fall green, Koji runs neck and neck with bok choy.

Acorn squash – See above for cultivar photos.  All types are cured and ready to eat.  Plan to eat within two weeks.

Leeks (look like big scallions) – These alliums have a milder flavor than onions.  Nonetheless, they can be used in recipes that call for onions.  To wash, split the leek lengthwise, from the green tops about halfway to the base, leaving the base intact.  Rinse well under running water, separating the layers to flush.  If necessary, split the leek further if soil has penetrated more than halfway down the leek.  Shake dry.  Leeks are generally eaten cooked.  They can be sauteed, steamed or roasted.  Intact leeks will store 2 to 3 weeks if covered loosely and refrigerated.  The outer leaves will yellow.  Just peel them off and discard.  The inner leek layers will be fine.

‘Roulette’ chiles (small, shiny, red, thin-walled) – This chile has been bred to have the aromatic taste of habanero chiles, with almost no heat.   Snack on them to enjoy their flavor, or add them to any dish.  To reduce all chances of spiciness, remove the seeds and midveins.  These will be the smallest peppers in your box.

Roulette chiles

RECIPES from PHOEBE

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.

Leek and Red Pepper Frittata

The beauty of a frittata is that you can eat it for any meal of the day! Serve this recipe for an easy weeknight dinner or weekend brunch. Any leftovers are great cold for lunch the next day.

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 garlic cloves, grated
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 heaping cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts
2 red frying peppers, diced
Fresh basil leaves, optional, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, garlic, thyme, salt, and mustard. Fold in half the Gruyère and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the leeks soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until they soften.
4. Spread the vegetables in an even layer at the bottom of the skillet and pour the egg mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle on the remaining Gruyère and transfer the skillet to the oven.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the frittata is set.
6. Slice and serve with fresh basil leaves, if desired.

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Maple Sesame Grain Bowl with Acorn Squash and Greens

Acorn squash’s natural sweetness tastes fantastic with the nutty sesame-maple-ginger sauce and earthy brown rice in this recipe. If you can’t find adzuki beans, chickpeas would work nicely in their place.

1 acorn squash
1 large leek, white and light green parts, halved and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup avocado oil, more for drizzling
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons white miso paste
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
4 garlic cloves, 2 grated, 2 chopped, divided
6 cups loose-packed Asian greens
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups cooked adzuki beans, drained and rinsed (1 14-oz can)
Sesame seeds, for serving
Sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half vertically and scoop out the seeds. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Place the sliced squash on one of the baking sheets, toss it with oil and pinches of salt, and arrange it in a single layer. Place the leeks on the other baking sheet, toss with oil and salt, and spread them in a single layer. Transfer both baking sheets to the oven. Roast the leeks for 15 minutes, or until softened and just beginning to brown. Roast the squash for 25 to 30 minutes, or until completely tender and easily pierced with a fork, flipping halfway. If desired, peel the skin off the squash wedges after roasting.
3. Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, place the avocado oil, maple syrup, sesame oil, tamari, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, miso, fresh and dried ginger, and grated garlic. Whisk vigorously until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped garlic, greens, and a pinch of salt and cook, tossing, until the greens are just wilted. Remove from the heat and toss with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar.
5. Assemble bowls with the rice, adzuki beans, roasted squash, leeks, and sautéed greens. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with generous drizzles of the sauce.

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Saucy Chickpea Skillet with Creamy Lemon Zest Ricotta

These saucy chickpeas are like a distant cousin of shakshuka, the Middle Eastern and North African dish consisting of eggs poached in tomato sauce. Serve this recipe with baguette or other crusty bread for mopping up the creamy ricotta and sauce.

Serves: 2-4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 14-oz can)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (4-inch) basil stem, leaves reserved for garnish
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest, more for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Crusty bread, for serving

1. Place the tomatoes in a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-8 minutes.
3. Stir in the chickpeas, oregano, basil stem, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper. Pour in the tomato puree and stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the ricotta. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt.
5. When the chickpeas are ready, remove and discard the basil stem and season the sauce to taste. Serve in bowls with dollops of the ricotta, freshly grated Parmesan, and lemon zest and fresh basil for garnish. Enjoy with crusty bread.

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Tomato Basil Bruschetta with Balsamic Drizzle

From Cookie & Kate
A classic way to use your tomatoes, basil, onion, and garlic. Enjoy this recipe as an appetizer, side dish, or light meal.
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Garlic Ginger Beef Noodle Soup

From Spoon Fork Bacon
This recipe calls for spinach and kale, but the bok choy or koji greens from this week’s box would be a great substitute.
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Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

From Love & Lemons
A simple, cozy fall side dish. Feel free to use dried rosemary and/or sage instead of fresh.

Week #17; Tomato-palooza

Sweet corn survey

We tried something new with sweet corn this year.  We increased the number of plantings but made each field smaller.  Our goal was to do a better job of distributing corn to members of all share types, whether weekly or monthly members.  It worked!  You got seven weeks of sweet corn instead of five, but with about 8 ears per box instead of about 10 ears.

What do you think about the new system?  Too much corn?  Still too little?  We really want to know so we can plan for next year.  Check this week’s email for a survey link.

FYI, the bugs at the tips are a separate issue.  Most years, the earliest plantings are at least risk of insect damage, as the egg-laying moths usually haven’t arrived in Wisconsin yet.  Things were reversed this year, with bugs in the early plantings, then fewer in the later ears.  Sometimes moths get blown north earlier than expected.  That’s probably what happened.  Each corn earworm moth can lay 2000 eggs so a few moths can do a lot of damage.

Tomato-palooza

We are at peak tomato season right now.  We are determined to get tomatoes to all of you, whether in the CSA boxes or through extra purchases or via farm u-picks.

It takes this many pails and baskets of tomatoes to pack 4 lb in every box, plus fill pre-orders for members who want to preserve for winter.  From left, Matt moves pails of tomatoes, Ben washes kale, Maggie, Charlotte and Karen put tomatoes in paper bags for the CSA boxes.

First plum tomato u-pick. 

The weather was perfect and the picking was easy.  We have planned a second (and final) plum tomato u-pick.  Check your 9/6/21 email titled “Tomato upick” for details and a link to register.  Our farm events are for Tipi CSA members only.

Can you see the straw in the aisles in the photo above?  That’s the straw mulch that we laid down in June.  It’s worked pretty well for weed control but has required spot weeding and one mowing to control wheat sprouts.  If you use wheat straw, you will get wheat seeds too.  The mulch has definitely made the tomato field an easier and more pleasant place to work.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #17, September 9/10, 2021
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ moon

Kale, 1 bunch
Slicing tomatoes, ~4 lb
Globe eggplant
Red watermelon
Grape tomatoes, ~1 pint
Colored peppers, bell or frying (sweet), ~4-5
Oranos snack pepper (orange, sweet), ~2
Yellow onion, 1 – 2
Basil, 1 bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain tomatoes, peppers, leeks and other fall veggies.

Kale (large bunch of ruffled leaves) – We finally have room in the box for greens!  Our youngest field of kale and collards has been ready to pick for a few weeks but we couldn’t fit them in the box.  Enjoy.  This young planting is in good shape, with tender leaves.

Peppers (bell &/or frying; sweet) – The orange and yellow peppers are over-achievers right now too!  This is a treat – these peppers are beautiful with thick walls, perfect for roasting.  We’re pleased with how unusually productive these peppers are this year.  It’s not typical.

Oranos snack peppers (smaller, slender, orange, sweet) – These beauties are perfect for packed lunches, in small portions but with sweet, tangy flavor.

Red watermelon – This might be the final melon of the season.

RECIPES from DEB

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.

Photo by Todd Porter & Diane Cu

Stovetop Mac & Cheese with Kale

Adapted from Food and Wine
Serves 6-8
Takes about 20 minutes

Ingredients
1 bunch of kale, rinsed, and large stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press (optional)
good pinch of kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 3/4 cups warm water
3 cups milk, warmed
1 pound macaroni or pasta of your choice
another good pinch of kosher salt
3 cups shredded cheese – again your choice – when I tested this recipe I used white cheddar, Swiss, a kind of spicey smoked cheddar with a bit of chipotle, and Parmesan
Additional salt & pepper to taste, and you can play around with the seasoning – I often put in a bit of nutmeg, and dry or prepared mustard, and some hot seasonings like cayenne would not be out of place

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and when it’s boiling, submerge the kale and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Pour into a colander and rinse with cold water to cool it, and then squeeze the water out of the kale by handfuls, transferring it to a cutting board, where you will chop it into bite size pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold the kale, and sauté, adding the salt and pepper and optional garlic, until it’s looking a softened and browned, about 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pot – could be the same one you used for the kale, and add the flour. Blend, then whisk in the warm water and the milk. Add the dry pasta and the 2nd pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked and liquid is mostly absorbed. Uncover and add the grated cheese, kale, and any additional seasonings. Stir well and serve.
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Photo by Sabra Krock for The New York Times

Pasta Melanzane

Adapted from The New York Times.
Sometimes called Pasta alla Norma; serves 4-6
Takes about 45 minutes

1 1/2 pounds eggplant
approximately 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced or put through a press
1 bell pepper, any color, sliced or chopped
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (or a 14 oz. can)
1 pound pasta – fettucine is traditional here; spaghetti also work
1/2 cup chopped basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oven to 400° Slice the eggplant into rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Brush with olive oil, arrange in a single layer on one or two baking sheets, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until softened and browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets.

Meanwhile, put a large pot of water on to boil and salt it, and when it’s boiling add the pasta. Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy, and drain.

Heat about a tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta and cook the garlic and peppers, until the garlic colors a little bit, and the peppers have started to soften. Add the tomatoes along with some salt and pepper; continue to cook until saucy but not too dry, stirring occasionally.

Cut the eggplant into strips and add to the peppers & tomato mixture. Add the drained pasta and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then top with the basil and grated cheese and serve.
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Focaccia with Roasted Peppers

Based on Carol Field’s Focaccia from Genoa, in Focaccia, Simple Breads from the Italian Oven
10-12 servings
Takes about 45 minutes active time, plus 2 hours to overnight to rise

Sponge:
2 1/2 teaspoons (scant tablespoon, or one pack) active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (105° to 115° F – should feel just barely warm)
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Dough:
all of the sponge
1/2 cup room temperature water
1/3 cup white wine – also room temp
1/3 cup olive oil
2 3/4 – 3 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons table salt

Topping:
About 2 tablespoons olive oil, and about 2 teaspoons flakey salt
2-3 roasted peppers, technique below

Make the sponge: Pour the water into a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle in the yeast, then add the flour and mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl and let rise for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours until bubbly and puffy.

Make the dough: Pour the water, wine, and olive oil into the bowl with the sponge. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour, and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or with the flat beater of the stand mixer until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding the additional flour as necessary. If you are using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium, and beat/knead for 3 minutes. If you are making the dough by hand, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes adding just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. For both methods, form the dough into a smooth ball in the bowl, cover, amd let rise for about 1 hour, until doubled. The dough can also be refrigerated at this point for several hours, and up to overnight.

Roast the peppers: there are lots of ways to do this, but the method I like best is to arrange whole peppers on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet, and place them under the broiler. Broil until they are well charred, turning to get all sides. Put the peppers into a heat proof bowl, and cover with a plate or lid. Let steam and cool for at least 15 minutes. Place a cutting board tipped into your sink, and lay a pepper on the board. Split it open with a paring knife, and let the (possibly very hot!) juices run into the sink. Remove the stem, veins, and seeds, and turn the pepper over and peel off the skin.

Shape the dough: Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a 10 x 15 1/2 in. baking pan and dump the risen dough out into the pan. Turn it over to coat it with oil, and start stretching & pushing the dough to the sides of the pan. Let rest for about 15 minutes – 30 if refrigerated – and then continue stretching and dimple the dough with your fingertips. Add the toppings at this point – up to another tablespoon of olive oil plus the roasted peppers and salt. Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Bake the focaccia: About 30 minutes before the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 425°. When the dough is risen, place it in the oven and spray the top of the dough and bottom & sides of the oven with water from a mister. Close the oven and reduce the heat to 400°. Spray with water twice more during the first 10 minutes of baking. Bake 25 – 30 minutes total, until golden brown. Serve warm or room temperature.

The example in the picture has roasted poblano chiles and potatoes, parboiled & sliced thin, and roasted delicata squash, also thinly sliced.
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Panzanella

Panzanella is a great way to eat tomatoes and use up the end of that sourdough loaf that you can’t get anyone to eat! The salad in the picture is made with grape tomatoes and cucumbers – a mix of the grape and slicing tomatoes in this week’s box will work fine, and omit the cukes if you’re out.
Makes 4-6 servings
Takes 30 minutes or less

about 4 ounces crusty bread – 4 large slices or so
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, any variety
2 tsp. Dijon or other prepared mustard
a good pinch of sugar
another one of coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
a good pinch of sugar
another one of coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 of a large red or sweet white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons capers, drained (optional)
a couple of good handfuls of herbs (basil or parsley), chopped or torn as appropriate
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350. Tear the bread into coarse chunks, crouton size, and place it in a bowl large enough for tossing. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and add the garlic, and toss. Turn the oiled bread out onto a sheet pan, and toast in the oven until golden. Let cool.

Mix the mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar in the bottom of the bowl you’ll serve your salad in. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Cut the tomatoes in half, squeeze out some of the juice and seeds, and cut them into bite size pieces. Add them to the bowl with the bread, onion, and capers, and toss well. Add the herbs and toss again. Right before serving, which should be within in an hour or two, top the salad with the crumbled feta.
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Photo by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Peperonata

From The New York Times
When we have an abundance of peppers in the summer, I love to make big batches of peperonata. It freezes well, and brings back the tastes of summer deep into the winter. This recipe calls for fennel; you can sub in a small pinch of fennel seed, and in lieu of roasting the peppers you can make this on the stove: slice the peppers and combine with the other ingredients, and sauté.
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Some ideas for watermelon

Most of us are simply inclined to eat watermelon in slices, but here are a few suggestions.

You can seed the watermelon and cut it into chunks to include in fruit salads. As shown in the picture, the seeds grow in a line. If you start by cutting the melon into quarters, stem end to blossom end, you can cut along the seed line and remove most of the seeds that way. Mollie Katzen suggests using a spoon handle for this; I usually cut the melon with a bread knife, and use the tip of the knife to remove the seeds.

Deb Perelman (Smitten Kitchen) provides a method in this Mojito recipe for cubing the melon and freezing it on a tray. Transfer the melon cubes to a plastic bag or container for longer storage if not making drinks right away.

And, there’s always the ubiquitous watermelon-feta salad, made by everyone from Ottolenghi to Nigella Lawson to Smitten.
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Photo by Todd Porter & Diane Cu

Lemon Zest Chicken Stir-Fry with Sweet Peppers Recipe

From Food and Wine.
This easy chicken & peppers recipe from Food & Wine sparks up a stir fry with lemon zest. Serve over white or brown rice for a quick meal.

Week #16; Ari’s last day of work.

Steve and I became empty nesters this weekend, after depositing our son Ari at Macalester College in St. Paul.  It tugs at my heartstrings as he leaves home.  Still, I am grateful that he begins college this year instead of last year.  I’m glad he was home with us through the first year of the pandemic and now we can send him off vaccinated and healthy.

As a child, Ari (right) was quite the farm kid, rolling in the mud with his friend Chance (left).  (Chance works for us now too.)

Later, he lived in our tipi for days at a time, cooking his dinner over a fire and foraging for berries and cucumbers.

As usual, Ari worked on the farm this summer.  He was on Team Melon on his last day (of course), tossing from the field to John on the wagon.  Ari has picked melons with Steve since he was little, first washing melons on the wagon, then catching once he was strong enough.

Well, we hoped his last day of work would be memorable.

Me: Did that hurt?
Ari: Nope.
Me: Did it smell bad?
Ari: No, it was just overripe.

Thanks for reading.
Beth

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #16, September 2/3, 2021
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Sweet corn, 8 ears
Red watermelon
Slicing tomatoes ~4 lb
Orange grape tomatoes, 1 small bag
Colored peppers (sweet), 2 or 3
Oranos snack pepper (sweet), 1
‘Expression’ onion, 1
Basil, 1 big bunch
Zucchini or yellow squash; we might have 1 for everyone.
Otherwise … some sites get 1 cucumber.  

Next week’s box will probably contain tomatoes, peppers, kale or collards, and more.

Sweet corn – This is the final sweet corn delivery for the season.  There are some bugs at the tips but it’s not too bad.
Orange grape tomatoes (in paper bag) – Enjoy these beauties.  They are delicious.
Colored peppers (sweet) – You’ll get 2 or 3 bell or frying peppers in various colors.  We have red, yellow and orange this week.
Orano snack pepper (orange, slender, sweet) – Everyone gets one of these tasty snack peppers.  They look kind of like a small, orange frying pepper.
Basil – It’s a big bundle this week, the first cutting from this field.
Zucchini, squash and cucumbers – This is the final week for these summer crops!  It’s been a really good run with these crops this season, in terms of abundance and quality.  We’ll start winter squash in just a few weeks.

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.

Summer Veggie Orecchiette

This veggie pasta has been one of our favorite dishes this summer! It’s plenty flavorful as-is, but feel free to finish your plate with a shower of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves: 2-3
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium summer squash or zucchini, diced
2 peppers, diced
1/2 onion, diced
8 ounces orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the summer squash, peppers, and onion on the baking sheet, and toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Spread them in an even layer and roast for 18-22 minutes, or until tender and just beginning to brown.
3. When the veggies are done roasting, heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to brown.
4. Stir in the sherry vinegar, herbes de Provence, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, followed by the cherry tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until most of the tomatoes begin to burst, 2-4 minutes. Add the roasted vegetables, stir, and cook for 2 more minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the package directions, or until al dente. Drain and return to the large pot. Stir in the vegetable mixture and season to taste. Serve with fresh basil for garnish.

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Black Bean Tacos with Roasted Peppers and Zucchini

These vegetarian tacos are filled with refried black beans and roasted summer veggies. To offset the beans’ creamy texture, I top them with fresh corn kernels for crunch.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Kernels from 2 ears fresh corn
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 medium summer squash or zucchini, thinly sliced
2 peppers, sliced into strips
1 onion, half sliced into thin wedges, half diced, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado, more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups black beans, drained and rinsed (2 14-ounce cans)
12 small tortillas, warmed
Lime wedges, for serving
Sea salt

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the fresh corn kernels, 2 tablespoons lime juice, the lime zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the zucchini, peppers, and onion wedges on the baking sheet and toss with the chili powder, pinches of sea salt, and a generous drizzle of oil. Spread in an even layer and roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway, until tender and browned.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the 2 tablespoons oil. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and sauté until softened, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, 3/4 cup water, and a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until the water is thick and starchy. Transfer half the beans and their cooking liquid to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Stir the blended beans back into the pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice, and season to taste.
4. Assemble the tacos by filling each tortilla with a slather of the beans, some roasted vegetables, and a scoop of the fresh corn. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

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The Simplest Tomato Basil Soup

This two-step soup couldn’t be simpler to make: just roast and blend! Serve it with good crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatoes, halved crosswise
1 onion, peeled and sliced into 8 wedges
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1 teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the tomatoes, cut-side-up, on one sheet and the onion wedges and garlic on the other. Drizzle everything with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the onion and garlic for 30 minutes, or until tender. Roast the tomatoes for 1 hour, until they are bubbling on top and lightly browned underneath. Allow to cool slightly.
2. In a large blender, place the roasted tomatoes, onion, peeled garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Add several grinds of black pepper and the fresh basil leaves and pulse until the basil is broken down into small flecks. Season to taste and serve.

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Basil Pesto

From Love & Lemons

Toss it with pasta, dollop it onto eggs, spread it onto toast, or use it on your next pizza. The options are endless!
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Sweet Corn Pesto Tossed with 50/50 Pappardelle and Zucchini Noodles

From Spoon Fork Bacon

To use the produce in your box, replace the shallot with 1 tablespoon diced onion.
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Heirloom Tomato Panzanella Salad

From Minimalist Baker

A big panzanella – or Italian bread salad – is one of my favorite things to make in the summer. It’s a fantastic way to use peak-season tomatoes and can be served as a hearty side dish or light main. Feel free to omit the microgreens in this recipe and add some extra basil. And if you’re not vegan, dollops of regular ricotta or torn fresh mozzarella would be a nice addition here.
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Sweet Corn Gazpacho

From Love & Lemons

This unconventional gazpacho is lightly sweet, tangy, refreshing, and downright delicious. The recipe calls for yellow tomatoes and peppers, but feel free to use the red/multicolored ones in this week’s box. The soup won’t look quite the same, but it will still taste great.
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Week #15; Tomato Care

Ripe (top) and less ripe tomatoes (bottom).

We are heading into peak tomato season.  Ripe tomatoes are delicious but highly perishable so let’s talk about how to take care of the ones you receive.

Ripeness:  Each delivery, we pack a mix of ripe and less-ripe tomatoes so you can stretch them through the week.  In the photo above, the top tomatoes are ready to eat.  The bottom tomatoes can ripen at room temperature for a few days.

Storage:  Tomatoes retain their best flavor and texture when stored at room temperature, no lower than 55 F.  I encourage you to spread your tomatoes on plates so you can watch them.  Eat first the ripest ones or any showing flaws.  
However, you should refrigerate your tomatoes if they are fully ripe and you don’t expect to eat them right away.  It is better to sacrifice a little flavor and texture than to let your tomatoes spoil.  Also, fully ripe tomatoes are less sensitive to chilling injury.

They will need washing: Expect to wash your tomatoes.  We handle the ripe tomatoes as little as possible to avoid bruising.

(Left)  The yellow arrow shows small inconsequential flaws that will grow with time.  Eat now.
(Right) The purple arrows show leaf residue bits stuck to the tomato.  Wet the tomato and the residue will come right off.

This week’s pepper ID

Left; everyone gets one bell pepper (top, blocky) and one frying pepper (bottom, slender).
Right; everyone gets one ‘purplish’ bell pepper, somewhere on this spectrum of shades.  They are absolutely gorgeous as they ripen from purple to pale purple to orange to red.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #15, August 26/27, 2021
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ sun

Sweet corn, 8 ears
Red watermelon
Plum tomatoes
Slicing tomatoes
(About 4 lb total, all in one bag)
Red peppers, ~2, bell or frying
Purplish bell pepper, 1
Zucchini &/or yellow squash, a few
Cucumber, 1 – 2
‘Expression’ onion, 1
Cilantro, 1 bunch
Jalapeno chile (hot), 1
Garlic, 1 bulb

Next week’s box will probably contain tomatoes, peppers, and lots of summer veggies.

Peppers – The red and purple peppers are all sweet this week.

Jalapeno (small, dark green) – This is a hot chile.

RECIPES from DEB

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.

Zucchini & Tomato Tian with Olives

Adpated from Deborah Madison’s “The Savory Way”
Makes 4 servings
Takes about 20 minutes to assemble and 35 minutes to bake.

One nice thing about this dish is that it can be served warm or at room temperature, so on a hot summer day it can be be baked in the cooler morning for serving later. It’s also a great brunch dish, served accompanied by scrambled eggs with cheese.

about two tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced, pole to pole (1 1/2 to 2 cups slices)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme) if available or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme or herbes de Provence
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds zucchini or summer squash sliced into thin rounds
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, sliced into rounds
4 black olives (like Kalamata) pitted and sliced into quarters

Heat the oven to 375°. Lightly oil a shallow baking dish that holds about 6 cups. Warm a scant tablespoon of the oil in a skillet and cook the onions over medium heat until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to the dish, and add half the herbs. Warm another tablespoon of oil in the same skillet and cook the zucchini with a little salt, stirring frequently, until it starts to color. Add the rest of the herbs, and distribute the zucchini over the onions in the baking dish. Tuck in slices of tomato and olives, and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top. Cook covered for about 25 minutes, then uncover for another 10 or so to evaporate the juices.
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Tomato Hand Pies

Makes 4-5 large pies
Takes about about an hour not counting chilling time for the crust. Instead of a homemade crust you could make these with store bought puff pastry; instead of pleating the edges, a flop-over and crimp style is recommended – something like this.

Pie crust:
1 1/2 cups flour (unbleached white or whole wheat)
good pinch salt, unless you’re using salted butter
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup butter, either salted or un- (1 stick, 8 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or lard
1 tablespoon sugar
2-4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
3-4 Roma tomatoes, or 2-3 slicing tomatoes
1/4 to 1/3 cup pesto
4-6 ounces mozzarella or Provolone, grated (a generous cup of grated cheese)
4-6 tablespoons cup grated Parmesan
egg wash: 1 egg beaten with a splash of water

Make the crust: measure the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer (my favorite method), your food processor, or a mixing bowl. Slice the butter and shortening over the top and combine with the flour mixture, using the paddle attachment of the mixer, by pulsing the processor, or using a pastry blender, 2 knives or your fingers, until you have a crumbly mixture with no butter lumps bigger than currants. With the mixer or processor running, or while stirring with fork, drizzle in the water by tablespoons, until the mixture just starts to come together in clumps. Stop before you have one big ball. Turn the crust out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to bring it together. Gather it into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap (in plastic, wax paper, one of your reusable snack/sandwich bags), and chill for about an hour, and up to 2 days.

Assembly: If the dough has been chilling, get it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before you want to roll it out, to soften just a bit.

Slice the tomatoes and arrange them on paper or dish towels to drain. Grate the cheeses.

Heat the oven to 400° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out the dough and cut it into 4 or 5 rough squares, each approximately 6 inches. Brush each square with some of your egg wash, and spread some pesto in the center. Arrange about 3 tablespoons of the mozzarella over the pesto, and top with as many tomato slices as will fit. Seal the pies by pleating the edges, brushing with more egg wash as necessary to make them stick. Use 2-3-inch round cookie cutter to cut a center opening. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is nicely browned.
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Photo by Taste of Home

Creamy Cucumber Salsa

Adapted from Taste of Home
This mildly spicy salsa has the sour cream mixed in, rather than served alongside.
Makes about 2 cups
Takes about 20 minutes

2 cups chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato (cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze to remove the seeds)
1/4 cup chopped onion, purple or white
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped – leave seeds in for more heat, or omit for less
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems only
1 garlic clove, minced or put through a press
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice – or a combination
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
optional: 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, or Old Bay
Tortilla chips for serving

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk the sour cream and lemon juice together, add the spices, and pour over the vegetables. Mix well, and serve with tortilla chips.
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Calabacitas

Calabacitas translates to zucchini, but in New Mexico it’s most frequently this mixture of corn, zucchini, onions, and cheese. It’s great as a side dish, and can also be used as an enchilada filling.
Makes 6 servings
Takes about 25 minutes

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press
2-3 medium zucchini squash, cubed
optional – 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced
salt & freshly ground pepper
kernels cut from 2-3 ears of corn – 2 1/3 to 3 cups
1/3 cup half and half
generous 1/2 cup Colby or cheddar cheese, shredded

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion, and cook over medium heat until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, and jalapeño if using, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the zucchini is starting to soften, 5-10 minutes. Add the corn, cover, and cook until the corn is softened, another 5 minutes. Stir in the half and half, top with the cheese, cover, and turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes to melt the cheese
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Photo by Elise Bauer

Homemade Corn Relish

From Simply Recipes, the author recommends this relish on hot dogs, which sounds delicious to me.
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Linguine with Summer Peppers & Sausage

This quick pasta from Epicurious with peppers and sausage serves two but is easily doubled!
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Photo by Heidi Swanson

A Really Great Coconut Corn Salad Recipe

This corn salad from Heidi Swanson’s venerable vegetarian cooking blog, 101 Cookbooks, sounds exotic at first, but really plays up the familiar flavors of buttery corn.
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Photo by Angie Mosier

Creamed Corn–Stuffed Tomatoes

by Virginia Willis, from Edible Tulsa | Edible Communities
These stuffed tomatoes can be made gluten free. The recipe is by Virginia Willis, and there’s a whole section of tomato recipes on her website, including another version of stuffed ones.
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