Weekly CSA Newsletter 5

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

June 26 – July 2, 2011

Welcome to any of you that are just starting up with us – Summer is truly here (despite that rain we got on Tuesday – just enough to give us all a free car wash!) and as we wait for those beloved summer crops we are coming ever nearer the peak of the season that is soon to be filled with all my favorite foods - Italian beans, juicy heirloom Tomatoes, sweet peppers, crisp cucumbers loads of summer squash and sweet basil and of course our delicious tree fruit.  The first of the plums are so close to being ripe, we expect to begin picking next week and you should get some in your box to enjoy.  

In this weeks Full Share box:

Kale 

Chard

Beets

Lettuce

Radishes OR Broccoli

Potatoes

Garlic

Carrots

Garlic chives and Green onions

The Casalegno Family’s     Red Italian Garlic

This specialty garlic was originally brought over from Italy by one of the Casalegno brothers sometime in the early 1900’s.  We have been growing the same strain ever since.  We love this garlic for it’s rich full flavor and use it for everything.  If yours is still a little dirty from the earth that is because it was just pulled! Wipe it with a dry cloth, but don’t get it wet.  It may still be a little soft because it is so fresh but is perfectly good to use.  It will harden up as it dries out. Keep somewhere relatively dark, dry and cool to cure and it will last for many months!

Raw Beet and Carrot Salad

- 1 pound carrots
- 1 pound uncooked beets
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar - balsamic, wine or honey vinegar
- 1 teaspoon strong Dijon mustard
- Tabasco sauce or poblano pepper flakes, to taste
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper

Optional add-ins:
- Leafy fresh herbs (cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, chives), chopped
- Toasted nuts (almonds, pine nuts, cashews, peanuts) or seeds (sesame, sunflower seeds)
- Shaved parmesan or cubed feta cheese or crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
- Chiffonade of lettuce leaves
- A grated apple or shallot
- Any dried herb, spice, or spice mix you think might work

Trim, peel, and grate the carrots and beets. Place the rest of the main ingredients, from garlic to black pepper, in a large salad bowl, add the grated carrots and beets, and toss until well combined. Add any desired add-ins and toss again.  Taste, adjust the seasoning, and let stand for 30 minutes, if you can, before serving: the beets and carrots will render juices that will make the salad moister. 

 

Stir Fried Kale and Carrots

Ingredients                                                                                                                                    3/4 lb. fresh kale
Boiling water
2 tsp. olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and cut julienne
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper, if desired

Directions

1.Rinse kale and remove large stem running through center of each leaf. Place a few leaves on top of each other and cut into thin strips. Repeat until all kale is cut.
2. Add kale to pot of boiling water and boil uncovered 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute. Add coriander, salt and pepper, to taste, and cayenne, if using. Cook 15 seconds. Add kale and cook 1-2 minutes. Serve.

Broccoli

This amazingly tasty broccoli is one of the crops that really kept us going all winter! Broccoli plants usually produce 1 main larger center head like the ones you are used to seeing in stores.  After this has been harvested this wonderful brassica does not simply quit but instead shoots off many smaller stalks that we continue to harvest.  They are very tasty and can be used many ways – my absolute favorite way to prepare them is to cook greens, stems and all in olive oil in a very hot pan (careful though! It spits hot oil!) until it is completely tender and begins to brown, then sprinkled generously with sea salt.  It is so crisp, flavorful and good for you!

Roasted radishes with soy and sesame
This recipe was REALLY good! It had kind of an Asian influenced flavor, with just a little bite.  If you are not crazy about eating radishes raw, or just need a new way to prepare them, then this recipe is perfect!

1.Preheat the oven to 375°.
2. Slice the radishes lengthwise into about 4 thin slices. Toss with oil on a large baking sheet. (I used sesame oil, but you can use any oil you like or have on hand)
3. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once or twice, until the radishes are tender and beginning to brown.
4. Drizzle soy sauce over the roasted radishes and toss with chopped onion (I used yellow onion, but green onion would be great, and even red would work)
5. Roast for a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and, if desired, cilantro.

That’s all for this week everyone – hope you all enjoy your produce and have a fun, safe Independence Day!

~Casalegno Family Farm

Weekly CSA Newsletter 4

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

Week of June 19 – 25, 2011

                                                                                                 

                    A few landmarks were reached this week here on the farm – The first beanpoles were erected and strings were put into place for the beans to begin climbing.  They grow so fast and will start to attach to anything they reach, including each other! The longer ones had become all entwined, so after the poles and strings were put up we gently untangled them and trained them up the strings.  This is a task that Grandma Casalegno is glad to still be able to help with – on her morning walk she will often go down the rows and help any stray vines find their way up the trellis.  At 89 we feel so lucky to have her and the wisdom and help she still imparts.  We expect the beans to be in sometime in the middle of July, and there are a lot of them this year to look forward to! •  We have started harvesting the first zucchini, some of you may have received some in your boxes already, and if not you will definitely have some before long!  Even though it is sort of silly to be excited about something that we will all be sick of by the end of summer I admit I really enjoyed adding the fresh tender squash to my stir fry last night. •  And the most exciting news of the week involves our treasured farm hand, Isabelle.  After many months of failed attempts she has finally caught her first gopher!!! Any of you that have tried will know that gopher trapping is not easy.  There seems to be either a level of experience necessary, or just a “knack” that some people have in order to be successful.  This not–so-little rodent had been wreaking havoc on some of the tomato plants, and true tomato lover and farmer that she is, Isabelle was determined to catch the pest.  And she did! We are so proud, and grateful!

    

                      

Detroit Dark Red  BEETS

I hope you guys are not tired of beets yet…..they really are very versatile and so healthy for you.  Really, no other vegetable can match the ruby intensity of the beet. Lore has it that beets are good for your blood, literally and figuratively. So while they take a little time to cook they're certainly worth it. Here are some tips for cooking beets. Wash the beets and trim the ends off before cooking TO ROAST: Place trimmed beets in a roasting pan and add a little water for steam, or toss with olive oil. Roast the beets at 425° for 30 to 45 minutes (cover the pan with foil) or until the beets are easily pierced with a knife. Slip off the skins under running water and slice or dice. TO BOIL: cook the beets for 20 to 30 minutes, or until tender.  TO MICROWAVE: cook the beets with a little water for 8 to 15 minutes.

 They are great simply dressed with a vinaigrette, and can be served warm or at room temperature. If you're mixing beets with other vegetables (in a salad, for instance), cook and dress the beets separately and add them last. Their vivid color will seep into everything else otherwise.

Beet and Goat Cheese Crostini

Ingredients                                                                                                                                          • 3/4  pound beets (about 2 medium)  •  1 cup water  •  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar                     •  1 teaspoon grated lemon rind  •  1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice      •  1/4 teaspoon sea salt   •  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper                     

 • 1 (5-ounce) package goat cheese  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or parsley           •  1/8  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  •  1 garlic clove, crushed                            •  Diagonally cut French bread baguette, toasted

Preparation                                                                                                                               Preheat oven to 375°.  •  To prepare beets, leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water to dish  •. Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. •  Drain and cool. •  Trim off beet roots; rub off skins. Cut beets lengthwise into quarters, and cut each quarter crosswise into 9 (1/8-inch) slices.  •  In a medium bowl combine the vinegar, rind, juice, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add beets; toss gently to coat.  •  Combine goat cheese, spices, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and garlic in a small bowl. •  Spread each baguette slice with 1 teaspoon cheese mixture; top with 3 slightly overlapping slices of beet.                      

KALE SALAD

 Thanks to Amber Sumrall for this delicious raw kale salad idea!

1 Bunch Kale

Red Onion

Mandarin Oranges

Dried Cranberries

Black Olives or Kalamata Olives

Avocado

Grated Parmesan or Asiago Cheese

Drizzle lemon juice over salad & add dressing of your choice.

Add anything else you want, Sunflower Seeds, Croutons, etc.

Honey Carrots

1 lb of carrots, scrubbed and cut into 2” lengths
1/2 medium onion, chopped.
3/4 cups of chicken stock
1 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon of honey
1/2 tablespoon of butter
½ teaspoon of thyme

Directions:

In a suitably sized skillet, melt the butter over a medium heat.
Cook the chopped onion, stirring, until softened.
Add the baby carrots, chicken stock, honey and thyme; then simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the carrots are tender.
Stir in the parsley.  Serve as desired.

This week we are happy to feature delicious strawberries from our neighbors at Everett Family Farm.  Their farm stand is right down the road from us, and many you of pass it on your way up to the farm.  Like us, they also grow organic produce, free-range pastured eggs, flowers, apples, & persimmons, as well as strawberries, raspberries and pomegranates.  Their farm stand is very nice – it is a great place to stop in to see more of the abundance our little community has to offer!

 

One more quick thing – right now all the eggs and flowers at the stand are reserved specifically for CSA members that have signed up for these things.  If any of you that are not signed up are interested in receiving these items please let us know so we can put you on a waiting list.  As the summer progresses we will definitely have many flower bouquets available for sale, but the eggs have a higher demand than supply, and we would like to give the priority to you as members of our CSA.  And also….please try to remember to bring back your boxes each week! We really need to be able to re-use them.  Many people find it helpful to bring their own bag, basket or box to transfer their produce into so they don’t have to remember to bring the boxes back.  We also always like to reuse strawberry baskets, clean plastic bags and rubber bands, so feel free to clean out those items from your junk drawer and bring them to us to use again!

Thanks everyone ~ have a happy healthy week ~ Casalegno Family Farm

Weekly CSA Newsletter 3

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

Week of June 12-18, 2011

This week brought some unexpected, but welcome additions to the farm.  A neighbor with quite a large berry patch offered us all of the raspberry suckers that have shot up and spread their way far beyond the designated berry area in her back yard.  We spent a lovely morning on her beautiful property digging out all the canes and loaded the prickly suckers into the truck to bring back to our place and plant.  The area had already been well prepped so they were put into their home that same afternoon.  They won’t fruit this year since they were dug up and transplanted so late, but this is an exciting step in the right direction toward that berry patch we have been wanting to put in! We are so grateful fo the help and support of our neighbors, and this wonderful community we are proud to be a part of!

IN THIS WEEKS FULL SHARE BOX:

beets

lettuce

carrots

chard

kale

sugar peas

basil 

green onions

garlic scapes

lemons

rosemary

a jar of local honey from Bee in Harmony Farms

Rosemary Beet Roesti

 An almost unbelievably sweet and wonderful side dish. The sugar in the beets caramelizes, and the flavors of the rosemary, beets, and butter meld beautifully.

· 1 to 1 1/2 pounds beets

· 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 cup flour

· 2 tablespoons butter

1. Trim the beets and peel them as you would potatoes; grate them in a food processor or by hand. Begin preheating a medium to large non-stick skillet over medium heat.

 2. Toss the grated beets in a bowl with the rosemary and salt, then add about half the flour; toss well, add the rest of the flour, then toss again.

3. Place the butter in the skillet and heat until it begins to turn nut-brown. Scrape the beet mixture into the skillet, shape it into a nice flat pancake-like circle, and press it down with a spatula. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the bottom of the beet cake is nicely crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Slide the cake out onto a plate, top with another plate, invert the two plates, and slide the cake back into the pan  (I just used a big spatula and flipped it).  Continue to cook, adjusting the heat if necessary, until the second side is browned. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

                        BEE IN HARMONY FARMS

  If you have been receiving flowers, they have come from this lovely little farm, and this week you all have a jar of their amazing local honey in your box to enjoy.

Located in the hills of Soquel, Bee in Harmony Farms specializes in distinctive fresh cut flowers and beekeeping. The flowers are grown with an organic mindset and from a true labor of love. These beautiful blooms add another layer of flavor to the honey produced from the beehives. Through the creation of Bee in Harmony Farms two passions for gardening and beekeeping have come to fruition. 

RAW KALE SALAD

This is a Whole Foods Market recipe – it’s a great way to get more raw food into your diet.  The key to this salad is finely chopping the kale leaves.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt to taste
2 bunches kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves very finely chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, chili powder and salt. Add kale, toss to combine and serve.

RAINBOW CARROTS

        You may wonder if these lovely colorful carrots are a new thing, but in truth people have been eating these tasty yellow, white and purple roots for close to 1000 years.  The more commonplace orange carrots that we are used to seeing today may have been popularized to increase beta-carotene consumption, the pigment that gives them their orange hue.  The body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A. Although rare in the United States, Vitamin A deficiency poses a major public health problem in developing countries second only to protein malnutrition.  The good news is that each different pigment offers it’s own particular health benefits - Red carrots derive their color mainly from lycopene, a type of carotene believed to guard against heart disease and some cancers. Yellow carrots accumulate xanthophylls, pigments similar to beta-carotene that support good eye health. Purple carrots possess an entirely different class of pigments—anthocyanins—which act as powerful antioxidants.   Remove tops (and compost!) and wrap in plastic before storing in the fridge.

 

Just a reminder…. all of our weekly newsletters and recipes can be found on our blog so check out casalegnofarm.blogspot.com.  I am always on the lookout for new, creative ways to use our produce.  If any of you are willing to share your favorite recipes we would love to feature your ideas in our newsletter and blog so please contact me or comment below! Trading our knowledge about good food and how to prepare it will help form healthy habits and increase the quality of life for everyone!

             See you next week ~ the crew at Casalegno Family Farm