Week #17, Sept 15/16, 2022

Pepper ID

I am posting photos of the types of peppers we grow, so you can recognize the ones you receive this week. You will receive three, four or five peppers depending on size.  The only hot pepper is the cayenne chile, which is packed in your paper bag of potatoes, so you can recognize it.  All other peppers this week are sweet.

Bell peppers (sweet) are blocky and thick-walled, great for salads, stuffing, grilling, and roasting, where their thick walls are an advantage.  This week’s bell peppers are red or yellow, but we grow red, yellow, orange, purple and green bell peppers.

Frying peppers (sweet) are thinner walled, with a pointed tip.  This type is great for frying.  They have lower moisture, which allows them to fry and brown in hot oil.  Frying peppers can also be stuffed or used for salads.  They are less useful for roasting, because of their thinner walls, and lower yield after roasting.  We grow red, yellow and green frying peppers. 

Oranos (sweet) are crisp, sweet snack peppers.  Hand them to the kids on the drive home.

Cayenne chile (HOT).  Yes, these are HOT.  Keep labelled and separate from your other peppers.  They are smaller than the others but can overlap in size with the smallest frying peppers. 

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #17, September 15/16, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Yellow potatoes, 3 lb
Colored peppers, mixed colors & types, 3 to 5, ~1.5 lb total
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~3.5 lb
Koji greens, 1 bunch
Leeks, ~1 lb
Yellow onion
Parsley, 1 bunch
Basil, 1 stalk
Cayenne chile (HOT), 1
Korean Red garlic, 1 head

Next week’s box will probably contain tomatoes, peppers, winter squash, fall greens, garlic and more.

Yellow potatoes – These organic potatoes are from our farmer friends Josh and Noah Engel at Driftless Organics.

Koji greens (head of dark green leaves) – Refrigerate.
 Koji greens are a lot like tatsoi if you know that one; dark green with a nice balance of bitter flavor but not too strong.  I prefer Koji to tatsoi because it has 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.

Koji greens

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Simple Fresh Tomato Pasta

Unlike a typical red sauce pasta, this recipe relies on grated fresh tomatoes instead of canned ones. You’ll only cook them for a few minutes, so you can really taste their sweet, fresh flavor in the final dish. Note that you’ll need to undercook the pasta for this recipe. It finishes cooking with the tomatoes, soaking up their juices as they thicken into a light sauce.

Serves 4 to 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 pounds slicing tomatoes, halved horizontally
1 pound bucatini pasta
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup grated pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
Big handful fresh basil leaves

1. Set a box grater upright in a large bowl. Press the cut side of one tomato half into the large holes of the grater and grate the tomato flesh into the bowl. Discard the skin and repeat with the remaining tomatoes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 2 minutes shy of al dente, then drain. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the garlic softens and begins to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and add the grated tomatoes, the salt, and several grinds of pepper. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to heat the tomatoes through.
4. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Gradually add the cheese, tossing between each addition, then cook, tossing often, until the tomato juices thicken and coat the pasta, 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with more cheese, as desired.

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Quick Peperonata

This recipe is a quick, small-batch version of the Italian side dish peperonata, or peppers cooked in olive oil with onions and tomatoes. I dice the peppers and onions here so that you can enjoy this recipe as a dip with crackers or crostini, but it also makes a great filling for an omelet, topping for polenta, or spread for a sandwich.

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ yellow onion, diced
12 ounces colorful sweet peppers (about 2 medium bells), stemmed, seeded, and diced
½ teaspoon sea salt
8 ounces tomatoes (about 1 large slicer), chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers soften, about 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they break down and the mixture becomes saucy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the garlic and vinegar. Cook, stirring often, until the peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, as desired.

Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and garnished with fresh basil leaves.

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Photo by The Modern Proper

Baked Cod with Parsley Olive Tapenade

From The Modern Proper
This recipe would be a great use for the parsley in this week’s box. Mixed with lemon, garlic, and chopped green olives, it creates a fresh, briny, and zesty topping for simple baked fish.
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Photo by i am a food blog

Sweet and Sour Pork

From i am a food blog
Peppers and onions add freshness and crunch to this flavorful sweet and sour pork recipe. Serve it with rice for an easy weeknight meal!
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Breakfast Potatoes

From Love & Lemons
Spiced with smoked paprika and tossed with sautéed peppers and onions, these crispy potatoes are a great side dish at any meal, not just breakfast!
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Photo by Andrea Bemis

Bok Choy Coconut Curry

From Dishing Up The Dirt
Sub koji greens for the bok choy in this quick chickpea curry recipe.
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Photo by Cookie + Kate

Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice

From Cookie + Kate
Koji greens would be a fantastic sub for the kale in this veggie-forward fried rice. Kathryne calls for a cup of additional chopped vegetables as well, and peppers would be great! Replace the green onions with an equal amount of chopped yellow onion. It’ll just take a minute or two longer to soften; adjust the cooking time accordingly.
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

From Love & Lemons
Who doesn’t love smashed potatoes? They’re crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and filled with delicious garlicky flavor. Serve them hot off the baking sheet, topped with a sprinkle of parsley, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese.

Week #16, Final sweet corn

We’ve had a good run of sweet corn and hope you enjoyed it.  This is our seventh and final delivery.  Don’t worry – soon there will be new fall veggies to replace it.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #16, September 8/9, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ moon

Sweet corn, 8 ears
Kale, 1 bunch
Carrots, 2 lb
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~4 lb
Red & yellow peppers, mixed bell & frying, ~4
Zucchini &/or Zephyr squash, 1 – 2 squash
Yellow onion
Jalapeño chile (HOT), 1
Basil, 1 bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain peppers, tomatoes, onions, greens, basil and more.

RECIPES by DEB

Photo by debslunch

Cowboy Caviar a.k.a. Black Bean & Corn Salad

Cowboy Caviar is a great recipe for this time of summer, when tomatoes, corn, and peppers abound, and it’s easily adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand. You can serve it as an appetizer with a big pile of corn chips, or as a salad – especially nice with sliced avocado added. You can make this with either cooked-from-dry, or canned beans.

Takes about 30 minutes to assemble, plus chilling time, and allow extra time if you are cooking beans from dried
Makes about 8 cups = many appetizer servings or 8-10 as a salad

Dressing:
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lime juice
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or put thru a press
1 teaspoon white sugar
a few sprinkles of chili powder or Penzey’s Pico Fruta
Kosher salt and black pepper

Salad
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3 to 4 cobs)
1 1/2 cups cored, seeded if desired, and chopped tomatoes (either slicing or plum is fine here)
3/4 cups red or white onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups or one 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups or one 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup of seeded and finely chopped red or yellow frying pepper
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish
Optional: 1 scallion, white and green parts, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Tortilla chips or avocado – or both! – for serving

1. Make the dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together in a spouted measuring cup – 2 cups is a good size for this. Set aside while you prepare the rest.
2. Husk the corn, and boil it in ample salted water for about 10 minutes, until tender. Let cool and cut the kernels from the cobs. Save the cobs for stock if desired.
3. Combine the tomatoes, onion, beans and black-eyed peas, peppers, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Note: Seeding the tomatoes is optional, but will make the dish less juicy, which can be helpful if you’re using slicing tomatoes. To seed the tomatoes, core them and flatten them in the sink under the palm of your hand, squeezing out the seeds. For slicers you might want to cut them in half, first.
4. Pour in the dressing, and mix well. Toss in the cilantro if using, and taste for seasoning. Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight, top with sliced scallions if using, and serve.

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Photo by debslunch

Mediterranean pressed sandwiches

These sandwiches are what we ate for a picnic on Labor Day: The one on the right is a version of Pan Bagnat, kind of a Nicoise salad featuring tuna and tomatoes, on bread, and the sandwich on the left is a vegetarian version with goat cheese, tomatoes, and roasted peppers. Both sandwiches are brushed with olive oil, and spread with oil-poached garlic. If you are a New York Times subscriber you can watch a video by Melissa Clark (it might play for non-subscribers …) that shows her using her 7-year-old daughter to press the sandwich; if you do not have a 7-yo available, you can use a few heavy cans or jars of food. Like the Cowboy Caviar, feel free to adapt to the vegetables you have on hand.

Takes about 30 minutes to assemble, plus one or two hours to press, and optional chilling time
Serves 4-6

For one sandwich/4-6 servings:
1 ciabatta bread* or 4 crusty Kaiser rolls
1-2 whole bulbs of garlic, depending on size
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 dried hot chile
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
thin slices of red or other onion
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
a handful of basil leaves, torn into pieces

For the tomato-goat cheese variant:
3-4 four ounces goat cheese, softened
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, homemade or from a jar

For Pan Bagnat:
one 6 oz. can oil packed tuna
2 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 zucchini or summer squash, thinly sliced – about 1/2 cup slices

*If you want to try making the ciabatta, this King Arthur recipe works well. Otherwise Madison Sourdough makes a nice ciabatta and you’ll also find it in any grocery store with a good-sized bakery department.

1. Make the oil-poached garlic: separate the garlic cloves, peel them, and place them in a small saucepan with the dried chile. Pour in olive oil to cover the cloves and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the cloves are very soft, checking by poking with a fork. Watch closely so it doesn’t brown or burn. Cool, and fish the cloves of garlic out of the oil and mash them with a fork. Reserve the mashed garlic and oil separately.
2. Assemble the sandwich(es): Split the bread or rolls. For either variation, start by spreading a good portion of the mashed garlic on the bottoms of the bread. Brush more poaching oil over the garlic, and also brush the tops with oil. For the tomato version, spread goat cheese on the bottom of the sandwich, then layer on the sliced peppers, onion, and roasted peppers. Top with sliced tomatoes and torn basil. For the pan bagnat version, mix the un-drained tuna with the capers, and distribute evenly on the bottom of the sandwich. Shingle the sliced squash over the tuna, layer on the sliced peppers, onion, and top with sliced tomatoes and torn basil.
3. Press the sandwiches: put the tops on, and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place the sandwiches between two cutting boards (or under one cutting board on the counter, if you don’t have two) and top with a few heavy cans – like 28-ounce canned tomatoes – and press for 1-2 hours. After pressing you can serve immediately or chill for several hours or overnight.

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Photo by Crowded Kitchen

Roasted Carrot Dip (Easy Recipe)

From Crowded Kitchen
Here’s a fun way to use one pound of our carrots from this week, turning them into a vegan dip that can be enjoyed with bread of crackers.
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Photo by Bobbi Lin

Linguine with Breadcrumbs and Kale

From Food52
Turn this week’s kale into an elegant-looking pasta that is nonetheless simple to prepare. This dish was an entry in a 5-ingredients or less contest that Food52 ran in 2017.
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Photo by Natural Nurturer

Oven Baked Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

From The Natural Nurturer
When I tested these meatballs I transferred them into a pot of simmering tomato sauce after baking, where they fell apart a bit in the sauce. They were still tasty over buttered noodles the first night, and I turned the leftovers, broken meatballs and all, into an even tastier bow-tie pasta bake, dolloped with ricotta cheese and topped with bread crumbs.
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Photo by Kate

Garden-Fresh Corn Salad

From Cookie & Kate
This fresh corn salad calls for radishes and cucumbers – sliced summer squash is a good substitute.
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Photo by Petrina Tinslay

Happiness Soup

From Nigella Lawson
Made with summer squash and turmeric, Nigella calls this a “a yellow soup to banish the blues” – and it will be yellow made with Zephyr squash. If made with zucchini, the color won’t be quite as sunny, but should still make you happy while eating it.
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Photo by Heidi Swanson

Heather’s Quinoa Recipe

From 101 Cookbooks
The recipe from Heidi Swanson’s long-running vegetarian recipe blog 101 Cookbooks calls for either roasted cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, but you coould roast our plum or slicing tomatoes to sub in. The recipe also includes basil pesto, that you can get from a jar, but it includes a recipe for pesto that you can make using the basil in this week’s box.

Week #15, September 1/2, 2022

I am back to work part-time now and still catching up.  Thank you for all the well wishes!  Here more photos our son Ari took before returning to college. He has worked on the farm crew for years and knows all the ins and outs of the farm.  I like that he photographs different things than I do.
Beth

Plum tomatoes being washed in our brusher washer.  Plums are firm enough to wash this way.  Slicing tomatoes are too delicate, so we send those to you unwashed or lightly wiped.

Our crew spends many hours harvesting zucchini or yellow ‘Zephyr’ squash.  We sweep the field three days per week, diving into the spiny plants to find squash big enough to cut free.  Your squash this week comes from our second planting which is quite a bit smaller than the first field.  By this time of year, we know there will be many other vegetables to harvest, and will only want a few squash per CSA box, so we plant a smaller field.

So … have I ever showed you our cull pile?  Apparently Ari wants you to see it!  This is where we dump problematic produce, mostly flawed vegetables we find at washing.  Don’t worry – none of it is worth saving or donating to Second Harvest Food Bank.  The pile rots undisturbed at the edge of our fields.  Every few years, we’ll load it in a spreader and spread it on grasslands at the edge of the farm.  I’ll be blunt – it smells pretty bad.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #15, September 1/2, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Sweet corn, 9 ears
Carrots, 2 lb
Slicing & plum tomatoes, 4 lb total
Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
Red bell peppers, 2 (mixed #1, #2)
Colored frying peppers, 2 (mixed #1, #2)
Zucchini or yellow summer squash, 2 to 3 squash
Yellow onion
Jalapeno chile (HOT), 1
Basil, 1 husky branch

Next week’s box will probably contain sweet corn, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, onions and more.

Sweet corn ‘Vision’ – This batch is especially tasty, perhaps because of steady recent rains.  Bug report:  There are a few bugs at the tips at low frequency.

Basil – Look at the beautiful basil!  We have begun harvesting our second planting.  We were able to protect these plants from Japanese beetles so this batch of basil is in good shape.  

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Black Bean Tacos with Smoky Sweet Corn Sauce

These veggie tacos use sweet corn 2 ways (technically 3, if you serve them in corn tortillas)! I mix some whole kernels into the black bean and bell pepper filling and blend the rest into a creamy, sweet, and tangy sauce. Top them with quick-pickled jalapeños for a bright pop of flavor and a kick of heat. I like to char the corn and peppers in a hot skillet because I don’t have an outdoor grill, but if you do, feel free to use it. Grilling the veggies works just as well here.

Makes 12 tacos
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

For the quick-pickled jalapeños
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Pinch sea salt
Pinch sugar

For the tacos
1 red bell pepper
4 ears sweet corn, husked
⅓ cup raw cashews*
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
1½ cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon ground cumin
12 tortillas, warmed
Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Make the quick-pickled jalapeños: In a small lidded container or jar, place the jalapeño slices, lime juice, salt, and sugar. Shake to combine and chill until ready to use.
2. Heat a large, dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the whole red bell pepper and as many ears of corn as you can fit. Cook, rotating the vegetables every few minutes, until the pepper is blackened and blistering on all sides and the corn is tender, bright yellow, and lightly charred all around. Repeat as necessary with the remaining ears of corn.
3. Place the charred pepper in a large bowl and cover with a lid or dish towel. Set aside for 10 minutes to steam and soften, then use your hands to peel away the loose, charred skin. Slice the pepper in half and remove the stem, seeds, and membranes. Dice the pepper.
4. Slice the kernels off the corncobs and transfer 1 cup to a high-speed blender with the cashews, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil, the rice vinegar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and a heaping ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Blend until smooth and creamy and season to taste.
5. Place the remaining corn kernels in a large bowl. Add the diced red pepper, black beans, chili powder, grated garlic, cumin, the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and the remaining 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Stir well to combine, then season with ½ teaspoon sea salt and several grinds of pepper and stir again. Season to taste.
6. Assemble tacos in the tortillas with a dollop of the smoky sweet corn sauce, the corn and black bean mixture, the quick-pickled jalalepeños, and fresh cilantro, if using.

*If you do not have a high-speed blender, soak the cashews for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before making the sauce.

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Sweet Corn Grits with Roasted Tomatoes and Fried Eggs

Enjoy this recipe for any meal of the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even brunch. It’s another corn-2-ways dish, made with fresh sweet corn as well as stone-ground grits. I puree most of the fresh corn kernels, stirring them into the grits to make them sweeter and creamier. The remaining kernels I leave whole for texture. The exact cooking time will vary here depending on the grits you’re using. Be sure to use stone-ground grits, not quick-cooking or instant ones, and cook until they’re thick, creamy, and have just a slight bite. Top with a fried egg and roasted tomatoes for a delicious balance of sweet and savory flavors.

Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

2 pounds tomatoes (about 4 large)
4 cups water
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
5 ears sweet corn, husked
1 cup dry stone-ground grits (not instant)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 garlic clove, grated
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch wedges, then cut the wedges in half crosswise. Place the tomato chunks on the baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast until shriveled and lightly browned around the edges, about 40 minutes.
3. Place 3½ cups of the water and the salt in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Slice the kernels off the corncobs. Set aside the kernels from 1 ear of corn and add the remaining corn to the boiling water. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender and bright yellow, then use a slotted spoon to scoop the kernels out of the water and into a blender, leaving behind as much water as you can. (It’s ok if you leave behind a few corn kernels too.)
4. Slowly pour the grits into the boiling water, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring often, until the grits are thick and creamy, about 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, blend the boiled corn kernels into a smooth puree. When the grits are thick and creamy, stir the puree into the pot along with the remaining ½ cup water and the raw corn kernels. Cover and cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the grits are tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan, olive oil, and garlic. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes while you fry the eggs.
7. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and brush it with olive oil. Crack in the eggs, cover, and cook until the yolks are just set, 2 to 4 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.
8. Portion the grits onto plates and top with the fried eggs and roasted tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

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Photo by The Modern Proper

Sheet Pan Italian Sausage Heros with Honey Mustard

From The Modern Proper
Fit for a Labor Day celebration or an easy weeknight meal, these hearty sandwiches are packed with roasted Italian sausages, sweet peppers and onions, and a creamy, 4-ingredient honey mustard sauce.
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Photo by Eva Kolenko

Tomato Salad

From Love & Lemons
This tomato salad is as simple as they come, designed to highlight peak-season summer tomatoes. If you don’t have parsley, feel free to skip it. Just toss the salad with lemon zest and grated garlic instead of the gremolata.
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Photo by Erin Alderson

Cumin Braised Carrots and Chickpeas

From Naturally Ella
This recipe is one of my favorite pantry meals. It’s so simple, calling for under 10 ingredients, but it’s still full of delicious sweet and earthy flavor. As written, the recipe serves 2, but you can easily scale it up to feed a larger group.
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Photo by Cookie+Kate

Mediterranean Couscous Salad with Raw Squash and Feta

From Cookie+Kate
This summery couscous salad would be great for picnics this weekend or lunches next week. If you don’t have a shallot on hand for the dressing, feel free to skip it, or replace it with half the amount of finely chopped yellow onion. You’ll find the rest of the fresh ingredients–zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and basil–in your box.
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Photo by Jeanine Donofrio and Phoebe Moore

Tomato Basil Soup

From Love & Lemons
This roasted tomato soup freezes perfectly, so if you want to preserve some of your summer tomatoes to enjoy later this fall, I highly recommend making and freezing a batch. Of course, it’s great hot off the stove too.
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Photo by The First Mess

Vegan Barley Risotto with Roasted Carrots

From The First Mess
This unconventional risotto calls for pearled barley instead of arborio rice, giving it a more complex texture and flavor. If you can’t find pearled barley, Laura says that pearled farro would work nicely too. Sub onion for the shallot, and top the creamy, savory risotto with roasted carrots from your box.

Week #14, Photos from Ari

Beth’s surgery went very well.  She is recovering without trouble and glad that it is over.  She’ll be back to work full time next week.  In the meantime, our son Ari took farm photos to share this week.  He is home from college this summer, working on the farm crew, and knows our farm well.
Steve

Maggie grades and weighs slicing tomatoes.

Plum tomatoes, straight from the field

A blue sky day.

Muddy tractor

A row of carrot seedlings, before being weeded by hand.

And after weeding!  Our crew spends many, many hours weeding carrot fields.

Yellow garden spiders are abundant in the pepper and tomato fields this year, spinning their webs and protecting us from flies and pests.

The peppers have something to tell you.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #14, August 25/26, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ purple
– Sampler/ sun

Sweet corn, 9 or 10 ears
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~4 lb
Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
Red beets, 2 lb
Leeks, ~1.25 lb
Red peppers (bell &/or frying), 2 or 3
Zucchini or yellow summer squash, ~2 lb
Yellow onion
Jalapeno, 1
Basil, 1 husky sprig

Next week’s box will probably contain sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and other summer veggies.

Sweet corn – We are back to our favorite ‘Vision’ variety.  There is almost no bug damage this week.  Yeah!

Beets – Storage:  Cover and refrigerate.  Beet roots will store for months.  Wash well to remove leaf fragments.  For all the cooking methods below, wash and scrub the beets but do not peel.  The skins slip off easily once the beets are cooked and cooled.
Cooking beet roots on the stovetop:  Slice or quarter, cover with water in a pot, and simmer until tender.  This will take from 25 to 45 minutes depending on how large the beet pieces are.  Drain.
Roasting beets in oven:  Wash beets, but do not peel.  On a sheet of aluminum foil, put beets (halved or quartered if large), salt, pepper and a few sprinklings of water.  Seal the foil packet, and roast at 400 oF until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Slip off skins once cool.
Microwave:  Slice beets in half and place in a large microwave-proof bowl.  Add ¾ inch water and cover with a plate.  Microwave on high until tender, about 9-20 minutes, depending on your microwave’s power.  Drain and slip off skins.
Uses:  Use cooked beets in cold salads, or dress simply with vinaigrette, onions, salt and pepper.  Beets are also good tossed with sour cream, minced onion, fresh herbs and walnuts.

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 off and discard those yellow leaves.  The inner layers will be fine.

RECIPES by DEB

Photo by debslunch

Tomato-Feta Galette with Parmesan Crust

Every summer has to have its edition of tomato pie. (see the newsletter for prior pies, e.g. tomato handpies from 2021, or Smitten Kitchen’s burst tomato galette, that has corn & summer squash in the filling) What makes this pie so appealing is that it avoids sogginess by keeping things simple: the filling is sliced tomatoes, feta, herbs, and shallots – that’s it!
Takes about 45 minutes to assemble and bake, plus 30 minutes to overnight to chill the crust.
Serves 6

Crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
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
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
4-5 ounces feta cheese (a heaping cup), crumbled
1 medium shallot, finely chopped – about 3 tablespoons
1-2 tablespoon soft fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, or thyme; or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound of tomatoes, your choice of variety, sliced about 1/4-inch thick. If you include cherry tomatoes in your mix, cut them in half
freshly ground black pepper and kosher or coarse salt for sprinkling

1. Make the crust: measure the flour, salt (if using), 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. Add the Parmesan. With the mixer or processor running, or while stirring with a 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 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.
2. When you’re ready to bake, place a rack in the lower middle of your oven and heat to 400°. Line a baking sheet or pizza pan with parchment paper.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the crust to a rough 12-inch or larger round. It’s okay if the dough isn’t perfectly round. Flop the crust in half and transfer to your parchment-lined pan – some people like to roll the dough around the rolling pin, and unroll it onto the pan. Once you have the crust in the pan, spread the feta in an even layer leaving a 2-3 inch border – think a 9-inch circle in the middle of your pan. Scatter the chopped shallot over the cheese, and add half of the chopped herbs, some salt and pepper, and lay the tomatoes on top. If you’re using cherry tomatoes, try to put the halves cut side up.
4. Gently fold the edges of the crust over the tomatoes, covering about 2 inches of the filling and pleating the crust as you go. Top with the rest of the herbs, and a little more salt.
5. Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the tomatoes are soft, about 30-45 minutes – watch that the bottom does not get too dark, and move the baking tray to a higher position in the oven if you think that’s starting to happen. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Photo by debslunch

Beef & Sausage Sloppy Joes with Peppers

This quick dinner-as-a-sandwich can be prepared with any variety of peppers, sweet or hot. I tested it with one large red frying pepper and one medium poblano, but you can adjust based on your tastes, and desire for hotness.
Takes about 30 minutes
Serves 6-8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onions or leeks
1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped peppers, any variety
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced tomatoes, preferably plum
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced or put through a press
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage, sweet or hot (I used sweet)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces light or dark beer, or chicken broth
2 tablespoons – or more, to taste – ketchup
2 tablespoons – or more, to taste – Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hamburger buns, potato chips, and pickles for serving

1. Heat the oil in a skillet or wide pot over medum heat and add the onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the meats and continue to cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until browned, 6-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the brown sugar, chili powder, and tomato paste. Cook for about a minute, and add the beer (or broth), ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened and to cook off the alcohol in the beer, at least 8-10 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning to see if it needs more ketchup or salt & pepper. Serve on buns with pickled zucchini and slices of Tipi watermelon for a perfect summer meal.

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Photo by Jonathan Lovekin

Beetroot and Chickpea Dip

From Nigella Lawson
Nigella is hesitant to call this hummus, not wanting offend hummus purists, although it does include chickpeas and tahini, but says you can eat in the same way you’d enjoy hummus, spread thickly on bread or toast, or scooped up with pita or veggies as shown. And even a hummus purist would agree that the beets turn the chickpeas a lovely shade of pink.
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Photo by Julie

Sweet Corn and Bacon Fritters

From the Healthy Epicurean
This recipe calls for three cups of cooked corn, so cut the kernels off 3-4 ears of corn. You can husk the corn and cut off the kernels while it’s raw – be sure to run the knife down the cob to get all the juice; OR cook the corn on the cob first, then cool and slice off the kernels for a less-splatter-y procedure. The added bacon sets these fritters apart!
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Tagliatelle with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

By Anne Burrell for Food Network
Here’s a quick pasta with cherry tomatoes, corn, and fresh basil, all featured in this week’s box.
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Photo by Jenn Segal

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

From Once Upon a Chef
This recipe suggests buying pre-roasted beets, which you don’t have to do, given the fresh ones in the box! And Nigella’s recipe for Beetroot and Chickpea Dip provides roasting instructions.
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Bruschetta with Leeks, Goat Cheese, and Bacon

By Ree Drummond for Pioneer Woman
I was a little hesitant to put another recipe in that also called for bacon and goat cheese, but these bruschetta look so good, and are a fine way to use this week’s leeks.
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Photo by Taste of Home

Zucchini Scramble

From Taste of Home
Here’s an easy way to use the zucchini or summer squash in this weeks box – serve with sliced tomato as shown to make a pretty plate.

Week #13, August 18/19, 2022

Summer of surgeries

Our family has had a series of health issues (broken ankle, hernia) and now it’s my turn.  I am scheduled for skin cancer removal tomorrow and Friday, followed by a few weeks recovery.  It’s a slow-growing tumor but is close to my eye, which complicates removal.  The recovery restrictions limit what I can do on the farm but our crew and Steve will take care of what needs to be done, as usual.  I might be slow to respond to emails but I will get to them all.  We are not used to this!  We are used to being hale and hardy!  Fortunately, Steve has recovered from hernia surgery and Sophie’s broken ankle is healing well.
Please, no special CSA requests this week or next week.  Thank you – if something is a little off, just cut us some slack.
Beth

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 their care.

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 might need washing:  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.

Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #13, August 18/19, 2022
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

Sweet corn, 8 or 9 ears
Slicing & plum tomatoes, ~3 lb
Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint
Red peppers (bell or frying; mixed #1/#2 grades), 2
Cucumbers, 2 or 3
Zucchini or yellow squash, 1 or 2 pieces
White or yellow onion
Basil, 1 small sprig
By site: a small green leaf lettuce OR a green bell pepper.
By site: watermelon (red or yellow or orange) OR muskmelon

Next week’s box will probably contain corn, tomatoes, peppers, and more.

Sweet corn – Good news!  There are almost no bugs this week!  These beautiful ears are a variety called “Fantastic”.

Cucumbers – These might be the final cucumbers of the season.

White onions OR yellow onions (by site) – As we harvest, we continue to move from sweet onions to storage onions.  Pungency increases as well as the ability to fry or brown in hot oil.  Some sites get white onions which are intermediate between sweet and storage onions.  Some sites get a yellow onion named “Elyse” which is more pungent.

Melons – Our melons have been stricken with a serious disease problem. We’ve seen this before but always as a minor, late-season issue. Every melon has small, sunken surface blemishes. The melons are good to eat – they formed and ripened before the disease hit. However, eat your melon promptly (ie this weekend) because those spots will spread. They haven’t reached the melon cavity yet, but they will. If you have the room, it’s a good idea to refrigerate your melon this week.

RECIPES by PHOEBE

Roasted Tomato and Sweet Corn Salad

Roasted tomato wedges add delicious savory flavor to this vibrant summer salad. Serve it with good bread for sopping up the rich juices that they’ll leave behind on your plate. I like to steam the corn for this salad, though if you want to save yourself a step, it’s just as good raw.

Serves 3 to 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

1 pound tomatoes (about 2 large)
4 ears sweet corn, husked
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 garlic clove, grated
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the tomatoes into ½-inch wedges, then cut the wedges in half crosswise. Place the tomato chunks on the baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast until shriveled and lightly browned around the edges, about 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the corn. Fill a large pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer. Stand the corncobs in the pot, cover, and steam for 4 to 6 minutes, or until tender and bright yellow. Remove the corn from the pot, allow to cool slightly, and cut the kernels off the cobs.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the corn kernels and stir to coat. Add the mozzarella and roasted tomatoes and gently stir to combine. Fold in the basil, season to taste, and serve.

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White Bean Burgers with Roasted Peppers and Feta Yogurt Sauce

If you’re someone who likes to get ahead on dinner, you’ll love this veggie burger recipe. The patties can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you cook them, so you can easily prep them the morning or day before you plan to serve them and just cook them off when you’re ready to eat. Dress them up with a lemony feta yogurt sauce, quick-pickled onions, and fresh fixings like sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, or lettuce.

Serves 6
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 40 minutes

1 red bell or frying pepper
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons whole milk Greek yogurt
3 garlic cloves, grated
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1½ teaspoons minced capers
½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for the onions
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 large egg
Avocado oil, for the pan
6 hamburger buns
Desired fixings

For the Feta Yogurt Sauce
½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Water, as needed, to thin

1. Preheat the oven broiler and place the whole pepper on a baking sheet. Broil until the pepper is blackened and blistering all over, 15 to 20 minutes total, turning every 5 to 10 minutes to expose each side of the pepper to the heat. Remove from the oven and transfer the pepper to a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside to allow the pepper to steam and soften for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prep the onion. Slice it in half and thinly slice one of the halves. Place the thinly sliced onion in a small container and toss with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Grate the remaining onion half on the large holes of a box grater.
3. When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel off the blistered skin and remove and discard the stem, seeds, and membranes. Dice the soft roasted pepper flesh.
4. In a large bowl, place the cannellini beans, grated onion, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, capers, salt, cayenne, and several grinds of pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until the mixture is thick and creamy with a few large bean pieces still intact. Fold in the diced pepper, panko, and egg.
5. Form the mixture into 6 equal patties. It will be wet and sticky, but it should be firm enough to handle. If it feels too wet, place it in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes before forming the patties. Once formed, place the patties on a plate and chill, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom generously with oil. Add the patties and cook until charred on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Work in batches as necessary. Transfer the charred patties to the prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the patties with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes to help them firm up in the middle.
7. While the burgers bake, make the feta yogurt. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, feta, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach a creamy, spreadable consistency.
8. Assemble the burgers on the buns with the feta yogurt, lemony onions, and other desired fixings.

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Photo by Eva Kolenko

Panzanella

From Love & Lemons
I never let summer pass by without making this Italian bread salad at least once. The cubes of crusty bread soak up the tomato juices and tangy vinaigrette, so each one is full of zingy summer flavor. We call for red onion in this recipe, but yellow onion would work just as well.
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Photo by The Modern Proper

Cold Thai Noodle Salad

From The Modern Proper
Cold noodles are one of my favorite types of meals to enjoy on a hot day. These are dressed up with cooling cucumbers, fresh herbs, crispy pork, and a creamy peanut dressing. The recipe calls for both basil and mint, but it’ll taste great with just basil if you don’t have any mint on hand.
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Photo by How Sweet Eats

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken

From How Sweet Eats
In this 30-minute dinner, a sweet, gingery sauce coats tender roasted peppers, hearty chicken, and crunchy cashews. Pair it with rice for an easy weeknight meal.
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Photo by Erin Alderson

Caramelized Zucchini Frittata

From Naturally Ella
A bubbly layer of cheddar cheese tops this fluffy zucchini and onion frittata. Make it for a simple dinner or a delicious weekend brunch.
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Photo by Pinch of Yum

Creamy Shrimp Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes

From Pinch of Yum
We’ve been sharing a corn pasta a week recently (see this newsletter or this one), which I think just goes to show how well corn and pasta go together. I love how the crisp kernels play off the chewy, al dente noodles. This recipe features tomatoes as well, filling it with fresh summer flavor. It also calls for spinach, but it’s such a small amount that you can feel free to skip it.
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Photo by Eva Kolenko

Grilled Tomatoes

From Love & Lemons
Grilling is a great way to use the plum tomatoes that you’ll find in your box this week, as they hold their shape nicely over the hot grates. They’ll be charred and juicy when they come off the heat. Enjoy them a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper, or dress them up more with Italian dressing, Parmesan, and a shower of fresh herbs.