Bring On The Heat!
We're gearing up for some hot weather. For us this means starting our day at the crack of dawn to get as much done as we can before the heat sets in, irrigating in the evenings and mornings to help the crops absorb as much moisture as possible, drinking lots of water (when we remember), and taking care of ourselves before dehydration or sun poisoning sets in. I hope you have all tried something in the past couple of weeks that you hadn't had before! We've been loving the recipe pictures some of you have sent us. If anyone ever has pictures of a fantastic home cooked meal we would love to see it! Seeing what your fellow CSA members are doing with their produce can be an inspiration in itself. Special note for Monday Lambertville pickup: Two fellow CSA members: Lauren Johnson of High Five Honey and Lisa Nichols of DeAnna's will be out with us in the lot starting at 4. They will have honey, baked goods (including some yummy strawberry goodies with the last of our strawberries), eggs and more. We're very excited to have them join us (and to get to hang out with them for the evening). A few of you have asked for a few more tips on storing your produce so I thought I would include a little summary of how to store your produce to keep it fresh for 1-2 weeks in your house. Storing produce is a simple but essential part of keeping your CSA share fresh and long-lasting over the course of the season. Most of our produce should be stored in the refrigerator in either the crisper drawer on high humidity or in a plastic bag with a little room for ventilation, OR both. Failure to store your CSA share according to the guidelines will leave your produce limp and unappetizing after a few days. We've all accidentally done it, but with a little bit of work you can keep your share fresh for weeks! Refrigerated, high humidity (plastic bag, crisper drawer, both): -All root vegetables, including turnips, carrots, beets, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, onions, scallions, leeks, sunchokes -All bunched or bagged greens, from salad mix to kale and swiss chard -bunched fresh herbs -fruits, like zucchini, summer squash, eggplants, peppers, melons -new potatoes (red, fragile skins, available mid-summer) - All greens should be stored in a plastic bag to avoid becoming limp -Separate any greens from roots to keep the roots crisp. Can be stored at room temperature, in a dark, cool place: -Tomatoes (those with bruises or very ripe tomatoes should be eaten first or refrigerated, and cut tomatoes should be refrigerated) -Winter Squash (butternut, delicata, pumpkins) -storage potatoes -Storage onions (dry skins, late season) Can be stored at room temperature in a glass of clean water, stems first: -Fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme, sorrel) -Fresh, bunched greens (for a short period of time, 1-2 days) (Thanks to Plowshare farms for the tips on keeping your produce fresh.)
ROASTED BEETS & RADISHES
COURSE: SIDE DISH PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES TOTAL TIME: 50 MINUTES SERVINGS: 4 SERVINGS AUTHOR: PLATINGS & PAIRINGS
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch beets
1 bunch radishes
3 Tbsp . olive oil
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp . kosher salt
1 tsp . black pepper
1 lemon juiced
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and radishes. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets and radishes into 1 1/2 inch pieces. (Small radishes can be left whole.)
Place beets and radishes on baking sheet and toss with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast for 35-40 minutes, until tender.
Remove from oven, toss with lemon juice, and serve immediately.
Kale & wheat berry salad with lemon tahini dressing
Print Recipe
Ingredients
FOR SALAD FOR LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 3/4 cups water
Pinch of salt
3 cups chopped curly kale
2 cups chopped green leaf lettuce
1 medium-sized carrot, grated
3 Tablespoons tahini
2 to 3 Tablespoons water
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Instructions
TO MAKE KALE & WHEAT BERRY SALAD TO MAKE LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
Put wheat berries, water, and a pinch of salt into medium pot. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for an hour, until the wheat berries are tender. Drain any excess liquid from the wheat berries and set aside.
In a large salad bowl, briefly massage kale with hands. Then add green leaf lettuce and carrot to the bowl. Toss in the wheat berries and combine.
Spoon salad into 4 bowls and top with lemon tahini dressing.
In a medium sized bowl, combine tahini, 2 Tablespoons of water, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. If the mixture is too thick, slowly add in additional water until it has the consistency of a thick ranch dressing. Taste and add the final teaspoon of lemon juice, if you'd prefer it to be more sour. (Kale is a strong flavor, and so I usually opt for 3 teaspoons of lemon juice total. That acidity holds up to the kale.)
Martha supervising carrot washing
Asian Greens
Dixie and Tucker lounging at lunchtime
A farm tour we gave last week to local farm interns
Pounding in a third of an acre of stakes for our tomatoes/peppers/eggplant
Chard harvest
Share Options This Week Scallions- 1 point/bunch Kale (Green, Red, Curly)- 1 point/bunch Chard- 1 point/bunch Garlic Scapes- 1 point/bunch Carrots- 2 points (limit one) Green Garlic- 1 point/bunch Broccoli- 2 points (limit one) Salad Mix- 2 points Asian Greens- 2 points Radishes- 1 point/bunch Butterhead Lettuce- 1 point/head Redhead Lettuce- 1 point/head Kohlrabi- 1 point/bunch Napa Cabbage- 2 points/head Mushrooms- 1 point/pint Collards- 1 point/bunch Bok Choy- 1 point/head Snap Peas- 2 points (hopefully!!) Cucumbers- 1 point Beets- 1 point/lb or 1 point/bunch Turnips- 1 point/bunch
