Weekly CSA Newsletter 2

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

Week of June 5 – June 11 2011

Well, that was a bunch of rain last weekend, wasn’t it?I? We got over 3 inches up here.  I really hope it is not going to be another weird, wet year.  Last summer was one of the coolest in 50 years and this years weather has not been much warmer so far.  The good news is that the tomato plants actually look really good - no early blight thank goodness, just healthy looking plants.  There is still hope! Last years tomato crop, while later and perhaps a little smaller was still fantastic so I am optimistic that we can still have a terrific harvest. 

In this week's BASIC FULL SHARE BOX:

Red Russian Kale

Beets

Buttercrunch Letuce

Swiss Chard

Rainbow Carrots and Radishes OR Loose Baby Spinach

Garlic Scapes 

Red onions 

Lemons

Herbs - Thyme, Sage, Oregano and Rosemary

and a jar of Jeannie's Artisan Jams  Mango Chutney!

Chocolate Beet Cake

Thanks to Megan Lucy (and the Vegan Table) for this amazing recipe  -

All I can say is TRUST ME.  We use other vegetables in desserts (think carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie), so why not beets? No one would ever guess that the incredible moisture and beautiful color of this cake comes from a healthy root vegetable!

1/2 cup canola oil    1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar      

2 cups pureed cooked (boiled or steamed) red beets (about 3 medium)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted       1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour       2 tsp baking powder      1/2 tsp salt     confectioners sugar for dusting 

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil pan (recipe calls for Bundt pan, but 8x8 square or round works too)

In a mixing bowl, cream together oil and brown sugar.  Add beets, melted chocolate and vanilla and mix well.     In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to the wet beet mixture and stir until just combined.      Pour into prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes (for Bundt  - cooking time may be little different if you use a different type of pan) or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.     Cool and then dust with confectioners sugar to serve.

 

Swiss Chard Torta

1 cup grated cheddar and/or jack cheese                                      

½ cup milk

½ cup butter melted

1 med onion, chopped

½ cup parsley, chopped

5 eggs beaten

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper

Bread crumbs and parmesan cheese

1. Chop and cook chard (steam or sautee)

2. Combine all ingredients, pour into 9x12 baking dish

3. Sprinkle top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan

4. Bake 350 for about 45 minutes, until slightly brown on top.

This recipe is also wonderful with zucchini/summer squash too.

Curry Chicken with Garlic Scapes, Kale and 

Jeannie’s Mango Chutney

I love the inspiration that comes from having fresh produce and delicious new things to try.  I have to confess that this was my first attempt at making a curry, but I just knew that with the garlic scapes it would be the perfect flavor accompaniment for Jeannie’s amazing Mango Chutney.  In the case that you already have your own curry recipe that you like to make, use this recipe as a starting point and make any adaptations that you wish.  I served it over rice, but it would be wonderful with potatoes, and you could leave out the chicken and use any other veggies you like.

3-4 whole Chicken legs (you could use any cuts you like, or potatoes and veggies)

1 bunch garlic scapes

1 small onion

Curry powder, Cumin and Salt

I can Coconut milk (2 cups)

1/2 bunch Kale, ribs removed,

Brown chicken in olive oil in a large skillet.  Add scapes and cook over med/high heat until they begin to brown and soften.  Reduce heat a bit and add onion.  Cook a few minutes, until translucent.  Add about 1 TB curry powder, a teaspoon of cumin and salt to taste, mix well.  Pour in can of coconut milk and stir.  Taste and add up to one more TB more curry powder, cumin and salt to your preference (a good ratio is I TB curry powder to 1 cup coconut milk) Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat and simmer with cover until sauce thickens, scapes are tender and chicken is cooked through.  Add kale and let cook a few minutes, until wilted.  Serve over rice with Jeannie’s Mango Chutney.

                                                              

 Lemon Herb Dressing 

½ cup olive oil
3 TB lemon juice
1 TB each fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary
1 clove garlic, crushed, or (1 garlic scape, minced)
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
Combine all ingredients. This is wonderful on greens with salad shrimp, or tuna.

 

Have a wonderful week everyone! We are looking forward to some new stuff next week, can’t wait to share it with you all!

                         ~the crew at Casalegno Family Farm

Weekly CSA Newsletter 1

Casalegno Family Farm Weekly

June 03 /04, 2011

Hello members, and welcome to our first ever June CSA session!  We are really excited to have so much activity and life in the fields this early in the season.  The experience of growing through the winter was very successful and has given us a lot of confidence and opened new doors for our farm and our customers.  We owe all of you loyal locals that have been coming by the farm stand all through the cold season to buy our little bunches of broccolini, greens, beets and eggs a huge heartfelt thank you.  This support, and the support all of you as our CSA members give is what make it possible for us to fulfill our dreams of a life filled with beautiful produce to feed ourselves, and our community.

In this week's BASIC FULL SHARE BOX:

Beets 

Kale

Lettuce

Sugar Peas

Yellow Onions

Garlic Scapes

Carrots and Radishes OR loose baby Spinach

Lemons

Oranges

Avocado

and a jug of our Fresh pressed Apple Cider

 Roasted Beet, Onion and Orange Salad

·         1 pound beets

·         1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

·         Salt and freshly ground pepper

·         1 medium onion, sliced

·         2 oranges, peeled and cut into wedges                  

·         2 TB olive or hazelnut oil

·         1 TB coarsely chopped cilantro

·         1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

·         2 TB hazelnuts or walnuts, toasted

·         1-ounce pecorino, romano OR parmesan cheese , grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the stems and tails off the beets. Do not peel. Line the bottom of a baking pan with foil. Place the beets in the pan and toss them with half of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.

Trim the onions, and cut into large slices. Then toss them with remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. Add onions to the beets and roast an additional 15 minutes, until beets and onions are tender.

Peel and remove the membranes from the oranges with a sharp paring knife. Cut the oranges in half lengthwise and then crosswise into thin slices. Peel and quarter the beets. Lay the beets on a large platter. Top the beets with the orange pieces. Scatter the roasted onion slices around the beets. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, cilantro, and orange juice. Whisk until well combined and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing on top and sprinkle with cilantro, toasted nuts and grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Lemon Bars

CRUST:  1 c flour  •  1/8 tsp salt  •  1/2c confectioners sugar  •  1 stick butter  melted, but not hot

FILLING::  2 lg eggs  •  3/4 c sugar  •  1 1/2 TB flour  •  6 TB lemon juice (2 lemons)  •  2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Place oven rack in lower middle position, preheat to 325°  •  Spray 8x8 pan w/cooking spray, fit 8x16” piece of foil across entire bottom and over 2 sides, spray foil w/cooking spray  •  mix flour, salt and sugar in medium bowl, then stir in butter to form dough  •  press into pan  to form crust  •  bake 20 min until pale golden brown  •  while pastry bakes whisk eggs, sugar, flour lemon and zest in medium bowl  •  Remove crust from oven, pour in lemon mixture, bake again til just set, 20 – 25 minutes  •  Let cool several minutes in pan, then using foil handles pull pars from pan and set on wire rack to cool completely •  sprinkle with confectioners sugar and cut into bars to serve

 Kale Chips

I have been working all winter on finding the best way to make kale chips that produces consistent delicious results.  Here is my method ~ please try it out so you and your whole family can enjoy these yummy healthy chips!

All you need: 1 bunch of kale, good olive oil,

Sea salt and a large cookie sheet

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Start off with kale that is completely dry.  This makes a big difference in the outcome.  Remove the tough central rib by folding the leaves in half around it like a book and pulling leafy parts away.  Similarly sized pieces bake most evenly.

3. Toss kale leaves in olive oil just to coat, and arrange in a single layer on cookie sheet.  I always end up making 2 batches from 1 bunch of kale since it is important that they are not piled on top of each other.  Also ~ don’t add salt yet ~ it pulls moisture out and kale won’t cook as well, you can add salt when they are done.

4. Place in oven and bake for about 7 minutes.  I usually check it after 5 minutes, and then have to put it back in.  I rarely use a timer when cooking, but with this recipe I do since 1 minute too long can over cook it! You want the kale to just sort of dry out and get a little crisp, but not get brown or burnt.

5. When leaves are dry and not soggy, and before they get too brown, remove from the oven and slide onto a plate. 

6. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!

Lettuce STORAGE TIPS

Always rinse lettuce before storing, but it is best to dry the lettuce leaves before placing them in the proper container.  Store your lettuce in a dry sealable plastic bag or container with lid. Condensation will gather on the inside of the container even though the lettuce has been dried so line the container with paper towel before adding the dry lettuce. This will keep lettuce fresh for about a week.

Hope you all enjoy your boxes this week – this is just the beginning and there is so much to look forward to! Here’s to your health, from our family to yours – SALUD! and as grandma says……Mangia! (eat!) 

See you next week

~Casalegno Family Farm