Weekly Newsletter 12

                                                         Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

Week of Aug 14 - 20. 2011

This week the pears are really ripening up and they are so tasty when properly handled.  Be sure to treat them really gently, bruising can spoil them.  And eat them up within the next few days – see below for more info on the best way to store and ripen them.  You all should be receiving the first of the cherry tomatoes really soon, if not this week and the heirlooms are on their way!

Because Bartlett Pears ripen from the inside out they are never ripened on the tree, but picked and left to sit at room temperature to mature at a more even rate.  They are ready to eat when they turn almost completely yellow, begin to soften when gently pressed around the stem end, and give off a sweet aroma.  Place them in your fruit bowl if they are still a bit green, and check them often.  Never place in the fridge to ripen.   They are very delicate and do tend to bruise easily when ripe so be sure to treat them very gently! When properly ripened they are so sweet and juicy and very delicious, but due to their fragile nature this finicky fruit is not widely grown commercially.  There may inevitably be a few imperfect ones that get into some of the boxes no matter how well we sort them, so if any of you get a mealy pear please feel free to grab something off the stand in replacement next week. 




Penne Pasta With Tomatoes and Squash
Ingredients
1 pound penne pasta
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
about 3 or 4  zucchini and/or summer squash sliced
Sea salt and black pepper
1 small red onion, diced small
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped or a basket of cherry tomatoes
Pinch of red pepper flakes (if desired)
1/2 bunch basil, sliced
shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese                        
Method
Bring a saucepot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and toss with 2 Tablespoons oil.  Set aside.  Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a skillet. Add the zucchini and yellow squash. Season with salt and pepper. Cook very quickly, remove and cool. They will be cooked more later, so they should only be half cooked at this point.  Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions. Cook until slightly caramelized, then add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, until fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, squash, zucchini and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the pasta, squash, and basil. To serve, place the pasta in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cheese.
To make this recipe completely over the top I cooked ½ lb. bulk mild Italian sausage in a separate skillet, drained it and added it to the pasta - YUMMY!!!!

Vegan Spicy Peanut Green Beans                                                                                                                Thanks to Megan for passing along this recipe, originally from VegNews’ Recipe Club.
What You Need:
1 pound green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon mirin or water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
What You Do:
1. Steam the green beans just until tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari, sesame oil, mirin (or water), and sugar and set aside.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved beans in batches and stir-fry for 30 seconds, transferring the cooked beans to a platter.
4. When all the beans have been cooked, add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the same pan and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Return the beans to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the reserved peanut butter mixture and stir-fry until the beans are hot and coated with the sauce, about 30 seconds.

APPLE FRITTERS
• 1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying     • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour      
• 2 tablespoons white sugar  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon    • 2 teaspoons baking powder   
• 1/2 teaspoon salt    •  2/3 cup milk • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 3 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped                        • 1 cup cinnamon sugar
Directions
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, deep-fryer or electric skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, eggs and oil and stir until well blended. Mix in apples until they are evenly distributed.
Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil and fry until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes depending on the size. Fry in smaller batches so they are not crowded. Remove from the hot oil using a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Toss with cinnamon sugar while still warm.



Thanks everyone – See you next week!
~Casalegno Family Farm

Beautiful Bean Trio

If you have not come by the farm stand yet to get some of our colorful beans now is your chance! We have trays of these gorgeous veggies for sale at the farm stand right now but they won’t last long.  Pictured here from left to right are Yellow Wax Beans, Trionfo Violetto Beans and Blue Lake Green Beans.  All three are heirloom varieties with lots of flavor.  We also have beans for sale by the pound, including our family favorite – super tasty  Italian Romano Beans.

 Get them while you can! Now is the time for freezing, canning and pickling, or just fresh beans to enjoy with dinner! 

ROASTED GREEN BEANS

• green beans
• olive oil (just enough to lightly coat beans)
• sea salt 
• fresh ground pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. trim green beans, rinse and dry well.
3. Put green beans on a large cookie sheet
4. Drizzle with olive oil,.sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper to taste, and toss to coat.
5. spread them out into 1 layer on pan
6. Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until beans are brown in spots and somewhat shriveled.

Weekly Newsletter 9

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

July 24 – 30, 2011 

This week our 4–year–old son Wyatt ate the first Gravenstein apple of the year.  I suspect that it was a little on the green side, but he didn’t seem to mind the tartness! Gravensteins are our earliest apples, and we usually begin harvesting them sometime in early August, so they are very close.  We realized that we still have jugs of apple cider in the deep freeze from the winter’s last press and since the new crop of apples is almost here we decided that the last of the cider would make a special treat in your boxes this week! This delicious apple cider is un-pasteurized and should be kept refrigerated.  It should be used in 7-10 days.

In this week's Full Share Box:

3 bean trio - mix of Blue Lake, Yellow Wax and Trionfo Violeto
Summer Squash and Zucchini
Basil
Beets
Potatoes
Lemon Cucumbers
Satsuma Plums
Blackberries
a jug of our very own Apple Cider!


 

Potato Green Bean Salad with Basil & Mustard Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
several grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1 lb potatoes
3/4 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
•Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.

•Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender; drain and cool. Cut potatoes into chunks and add them to a large salad bowl.

•Cook green beans in boiling salted water until just tender; drain, then cool under running cold water. Dry thoroughly on kitchen towel. Add beans to potatoes. Add red onion and basil.

•Whisk dressing, pour over potatoes and green beans, and toss to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

LEMON CUCUMBERS

Just what is a lemon cucumber anyway?!?  Only the sweetest crunchiest least bitter cucumber ever! These pretty round yellow cukes get their name because of their resemblance to the lemon not because they have a particularly lemony flavor.

Here is one of our favorite ways to quickly enjoy any garden fresh cucumbers

Slice thinly and dress with seasoned rice vinegar, sea salt, a drizzle of sesame oil and freshly ground black pepper.  Refrigerate for at least 30 min.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve chilled as a refreshing side.

 

 

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Reduction

Ingredients

·                     1 pound pork tenderloins, cut in 1/2 crosswise

·                     Vegetable oil

·                     Salt and freshly ground black pepper

·                     1 1/2 cups apple cider

·                     1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

·                     1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions: Heat oven to 500 degrees F and put rack in the upper third. Brush tenderloins with oil, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 pieces of pork tenderloin and cook until brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes. Set pork aside on a baking sheet and repeat with remaining pieces.  Place pork in oven and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the tenderloin registers 145 to 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place pan over high heat, add cider and vinegar and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Cook until mixture is reduced by 2/3, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in maple syrup and remove from heat until pork is cooked.  When pork is ready, remove to a cutting board to rest about 5 minutes. Warm sauce over medium-high heat, add pork and any accumulated juices and spoon sauce over meat to completely coat. When pork is warm, return pork to cutting board and slice thinly. Serve with pan sauce spooned over.

SATSUMA PLUMS

Originating in the Satsuma province of Japan and popular in America since the 1890’s, this heirloom plum has a rich lovely flavor that is excellent for fresh eating, cooking, canning, drying or preserves.   These were just picked off the tree today and will still ripen a bit as they sit in your fruit bowl.

Summer Squash Pan Cakes

This recipe was recommended as “dinner pan-cakes” but I think they would be best as a savory breakfast, maybe served with scrambled eggs, salsa and avocado….mmmmm…..

Ingredients

·         2 medium zucchini or summer squash (about 3/4 pound)

·         2 tablespoons grated red onion

·         1 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

·         6 to 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

Directions

Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Pat or squeeze dry with paper towels, remove as much moisture as possible.  Stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.)

Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes a few  minutes on each side, until browned. Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel and add more butter and oil to the pan if necessary.  Continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Thanks all!!! See you next week- get ready for apple time!                     ~Casalegno Family Farm

Weekly CSA Newsletter 8

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

July 17 – 23, 2011

It feels like summer is really here – and everything on the farm is growing great! We started the down town farmer’s market this Wednesday, and it is good to be back, seeing our old customers.  Beans will be rolling in by the bucketful pretty soon – you guys got the first of them in your boxes today.  Our favorite flat Italian Romano Bean will be along shortly as well! Right now the Dahlias are really starting explode – remember if you are not signed up for flowers and are interested in getting them weekly we do have spots available, or you can always just pick up a bouquet for $5 each any time you come by!

  

 

 In this weeks Full Share Box:

Lettuce                   Green beans

Chard                     Summer Squash and Zucchini

Kale                       Broccoli and Radishes ~OR~ Beets and Carrots  

Red onions             Cucumbers          

Garlic                      Lemons

Bunch of fresh Herbs    

 

Roasted Garlic

Of all the wonderful gifts of nourishment Mother Earth gives to us, I would have to say that for me garlic is probably the most essential.  Few meals are complete with out this delicious pungent bulb, and our immune systems all thank us for the healthy boost it gives.  Besides adding into our daily cooking there is another amazing way to use garlic: roasting.  Just smothering it in olive oil, wrapping it up and throwing it in the oven transforms it into another substance entirely – mellow, buttery and spreadable!

·   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

·   Clean garlic heads without damaging skins too much

·   Drizzle generously with good olive oil.  You can cut the top 1/4 of the heads off if you wish - the cloves will be more saturated with the oils, and a little easier to squeeze out if you do.  Otherwise it will be a bit firmer and less oily, but still delicious.

·   Wrap well with tin foil.

·   Place directly in oven, cook for about 25-35 minutes, or until there is some give when gently squeezed with an oven mitt.

·   Enjoy spread on good fresh bread with a sprinkling of sea salt, mashed in with potatoes, as a pizza topping or mixed with sour cream, salt and herbs for a delicious dip!

Lemon, Garlic and Herb roasted Chicken

A favorite recipe!

• 1 5-6 lb. Roasting chicken • salt and pepper • 1 head garlic cut in half lengthwise

• 1 large bunch of herbs – thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, bay etc. • 1 lemon, halved

• 2 TB butter, melted

Remove the chicken giblets, if any and rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers if necessary and pat the outside dry.  Place in a roasting pan and liberally salt and pepper inside of chicken.  Stuff cavity with ½ of lemon, then all herbs and garlic, then other lemon ½.  Brush the outside with the melted butter then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Tie legs together with kitchen string.  Roast for 1 ½ hours. Or until juices run clear when cut between leg and thigh.

 

 Zucchini Gratin

Ingredients

·        6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, plus extra for topping

·        1 yellow onion, cut in 1/2 and sliced

·        2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)

·        2 teaspoons kosher salt

·        1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·        1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·        2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·        1 cup hot milk

·        3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

·        3/4 cup grated cheese – Chedar, Gruyere or Jack

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.

Combine the bread crumbs and cheese and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned

PARMESAN GREEN BEANS

They are here!!! Hope you all enjoy them as much as we did!

·                     ½ -1 pound green beans

·                     Extra-virgin olive oil

·                     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·                     ½ -1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim off the tough end of the beans and arrange the beans on a nonstick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melts and forms a crisp shell over the beans, about 10 minutes. Let the beans sit a few minutes for the cheese to cool slightly. Lift the beans out onto a platter and serve.

 THANKS EVERYONE!!!! Have a happy healthy week –
                                            Casalegno Family Farm