Hello Everyone this is Ora. I am a seasoned marketeer for various farms, but finally joining Serendipity this year. Jamie and I have been friends for 8 years - we met at the Monterey farmers market - both of us selling produce. Over the years we have kept in touch. I had a project taking pictures of old barns and writing about their history and eventually we started conversations about me working for her. We get along great, have similar sense of humor and like to hang out outside of work although we never seem to stop talking about the farm!

If you call the office the phone you might get me on the other end. I am going to start adding my 2 cents to the newsletter on a weekly basis because Jamie is so busy trying to keep things running smoothly while in the middle of a move.

We are moving the office, horses, 15 goats, 50 chickens and 2 newly adopted Peacocks to our new house. It sounds a little like a holiday song with 6 turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree, and we are running around at Full Steam to get it done.
4th of July weekend we went to Big Sur to party down with the Big SurBakery folks and celebrate the release of their new cookbook. Jamie (the brains and braun of Serendipity) is featured in the cookbook as the organic row cropper and she is quoted for loving “Artisan cheese,the stinkier the better”. The Bakery threw a great party, rolling out
the red carpet, or in this case an extra long wooden slab table covered in lavender straw where the stars sat to sign books. It was just like the Last Supper, with all the disciples of great foods sitting at the long table. In the line up of cookbook celebrities was the baker,
chef, owners, poke pole fisherman (yes, he stands on rocks and skewers fish in Big Sur), the local beekeeper, book-keeper and peacekeeper,purveyors of great wines, wild mushroom hunters, and even the guy with extra pearly snap buttons on his western shirt, who made the hanging meyer lemon /cinnamon stick mobiles that spin around on the ceiling and keeps the place smelling good. I did my job as assistant to those
who need assisting, by keeping the drinks coming for all of the folks signing books and trapped at the table with a line of people out the door all wanting their personal 7 copies signed by everyone! The BigSur Bakery cookbook has got tons of recipes and is full of great stories and a taste of Big Sur culture it’s a must see.

Recipe wise, this one is fuly hi-jacked from Alice Waters, this is a killer summer soup for our special summer squash this week.

Heat in a heavy bottomed soup pot 1/4 cup olive oil
Add and cook stirring often on Med heat
1 large onion sliced up small
Pinch of Saffron if you’ve got some
1 teasponn cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds (if you have cilantro goin to seed in your
garden, same thing!)
1/4 tsp turmeric (or fresh and chopped)
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves sliced up

Cook until soft, but not browning yet and then add
5 medium squash (your bag of squash)
cut into 3/4 inch slices and add with some salt.
Cook 2 minutes then add 3 cups chicken broth (or veggie) and 3 cups water
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile chop mint, parsley or cilantro and mix into 2 tbsp olive oil
and 2/3 cup plain yogurt.
let the soup cool, puree in the blender and top with yogurt or limes!

Ora Gessler

Hello Everyone,

We are getting closer to our tomato harvest - you should see the first tomatoes around the beginning of August in your boxes and you can expect an abundant variety of tomatoes through the end of the season. We come on later with our tomatoes but we last longer than most tomato farms too!

Green beans coming soon too - if not next week the week after.

In your box this week: Orange carrots, green romaine, gold chard, Italian Parsley, gold beets, green kale, Swiss chard, red oak lettuce, lolla rosa baby head lettuce, green zucchini, yellow scallopini summer squash and 8 ball green zucchini.

I have heard from some folks that they “just can’t use” the kale in the boxes. I think the only reason for that is they have not had kale prepared in a way they like. Kale is sooo good for you and can also be ultra-delicious with minimal preparation. We experimented with kale chips using our dehydrator. (You can also use a regular oven and bake the kale if you don’t have a dehydrator).By keeping the temperature under 12o degrees the nutrients in the kale aren’t lost. Basically you can use any combination of tahini, curry sauce, miso, for a thick paste to ‘massage’ into the de-ribbed raw kale. After the kale has a coating of something delciously sticky you can sprinkle with grated asiago or parmesean cheese. Or instead roll the kale in ground up seeds like sunflower or cashews. Our favorite combination was tahini and asiago cheese with a little chili flakes. You will be amazed what you can do with kale. We tried both the dino kale and green kale and liked them both equally.The kale chips are a helathy replacement for potato chips and are much more flavorful and bursting with amazing nutrients!

Raw kale salads are also wonderful. Honey mustard dressing with added apple cider vinegar will soften the de-ribbed kale and you can add in dried or fresh fruit and sliced almonds or nuts of your choice.

The beautiful little squashes in your box this week are wonderful stuffed or sliced and sauteed or roasted. The yellow scallop tastes buttery without adding anything! We roasted whole with a certified organic, pasture raised chicken from a new farm in Prunedale. They are selling fresh chickens at the Pacific Grove farmers market on Monday evenings. I can’t remember the name of the farm right now, but I will find out this evening. They would be a great new farm to support if you are looking for humanely raised, certified organic birds. Try to support these guys as they are new and just forging out on their own. The meat of the chicken had excellent flavor, was more chewy than other chicken I have had but this is because of the birds are allowed to run around free and exercise.

See you at the Farmers Market today!

Have a beautiful week.

Jamie

Hello Everyone,

This week in your box:

Cilantro, Strawberries, English Peas - last week!, Green Kale, Swiss Chard, Italian Parsley, Red Beets, Dino Kale, 1 lb of strawberries, bunch of carrots, green romaine, red butter lettuce, red oak leaf and lolla rosa lettuces

These beautiful lettuce heads make a fabulous salad on their own or mixed together. Boil or roast some beets, remove the skin and eat with toasted walnuts and goat cheese with a nice vingarette.  Toss some shelled english peas on top for nice color and flavor.

Chard and Kale are great in lasagna in place or in addition to meat. They are also great tossed in soup or with other types of pasta. Goat cheese and kale and chard are wonderful also. It doesn’t take too much - just chop into small pieces and steam in water until the water is gone then stir in some goat cheese until it coats all of the leaves. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and sun dried tomatoes if you have them. Yum!

Can you believe we are about to enter July? We have been so very busy tending to our tomatoes - staking and tying them. Our Heirloom tomatoes are just around the corner. You can expect them in your boxes around the last week of July. We come in with our tomatoes later than other farmers that have land more inland. We have the coastal influence being only 5 miles from the coast of Carmel. Unfortunatley on a wholesale basis we have tomatoes a month later than most farmers and start harvesting when the market is flooded. But the taste of Carmel Valley tomatoes beats any other tomato. The fruit sits on the vine much longer continuing to sugar up while the skins turn from green to whatever crazy color the heirloom might be!

On the flip side of coming into the market late with tomatoes, we usually are still harvesting tomatoes until Thanksgiving.  Some years I have had fruit in January! Please be patient with our tomatoes; once they begin to ripen there will be an abundance of all shapes, colors and sizes of heirloom, early girls, San Marzano romas, sungold cherry and red grape tomatoes in your box every single week!

We plan to start our Saturday U–Pick the first week of September and continue as long as the weather cooperates. Look for the sign on Carmel Valley Rd between The Holly Farm and Chateau Julian just before Mid Valley Center.  As a CSA member you get half price at the U-Pick for all of your friends and family too!

We are looking for some untreated wood stakes to stake our tomatoes. If anyone out there wants to donate or sell some 2″ x 4″x 6 feet stakes or something close to those dimensions please contact me at 831-726-9432 or via email.Serendipity Farms is in the new Big Sur Bakery cookbook which just hit the stores on June 24th. It is a great book with not only recipes but a year in the life of an independent restaurant that uses sustainable ingredients and supports those that grow or raise food in the same way. There is a private party this Saturday, the 4th of July with food and drinks included if you buy a cookbook from 1 - 5pm. The cookbook is $40 at the Big Sur Bakery. If you aren’t already a devoted Big Sur Bakery regular, be sure to stop in for a bite.

We want you to know how much we appreciate your support. Farming is not easy and there are so many variables and ways to lose money. Our potato crop was muched on by ground squirrels before we had a chance to harvest them, causing us to lose a large portion of our income. We can still use the potatoes for seed potatoes, but we will have to replant and wait another 100 days until harvest. I came to the realization that farmers feel the way folks affected by the current economic situation feel ALL of the time - so many variables in play with lots on the line that can be lost to such things as weather, squirrels, pests, weeds, etc.   We farmers need all the support we can get and we thank you for helping us with the upfront costs associated with growing good, organic food with loving hands.

Have a beautiful week everyone!

Enjoy this amazing weather.

Jamie Collins

Hello CSA Members,

This week in your box:

Strawberries are back - 1 lb berries, artichokes, mix lettuce, Green Garlic, Red Beets, Italian Parsley, Gold & Green Chard, Lacinato  Kale, and  Green Kale, Bloomsdale Spinach

Hello CSA Members,

In your box this week - English Breakfast Radishes, Cilantro, Red Beets, Lettuce mix, new, smaller variety of english shelling peas (that look more like snaps, so be sure to shuck!), artichokes, Spinach, Dino Kale, Italian Parsley, Chard, and Fava Beans.

Food Inc, a documentary based on a book by Eric Schlosser is premiering at the Osio theatre in Monterey on June 18th. There will be a reception with organic food donated by Serendipity and organic wine from Heller Estates. There will be interesting talks about food, growing and eating after the film. I will be speaking about Serendipity and local food sourcing. There will be folks from Pesticide Watch giving updates too. It will be an interesting night. The film opens in Santa Cruz on Friday the 19th also. Be sure to get  tickets as this is going to be an eye opening documentary.

Here are a few recipes utilizing the veggies in your box.

Spinach, English Pea & Feta - (from Allrecipes online)
Ingredients:

Spinach - 5 oz

English Peas - 5 oz

Olive Oil 4 tbsp.

4 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Salt & Pepper to taste - mix peas, spinach leaves and feta. Toss with oive oil and lemon juice.

Chard And Parsley Quiche With Two Cheeses
Scroll down the page for more quiche recipes. Pastry Shell

• 2 cups all-purpose flour,
• plus extra for working the dough
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter — chilled
• 3 tablespoons margarine — chilled
• 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 6 to 8 medium-size chard leaves
• thick middle ribs removed
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley — stems removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic — minced
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup BelPaese or similar mild, soft cheese
• cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons butter

To make the pastry shell, sift together the flour and salt into a bowl. Cut the chilled butter and margarine into 1/2-inch chunks and add them to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter and margarine until the mixture forms pea-size balls. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. At the same time, turn the dough with a fork and then with your fingertips just enough to dampen it. This method will help to keep the pastry light and flaky. Do not overwork the dough or it will become tough. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. (The chilling will make it easier to roll out.)
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.

To prepare the crust: On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough into a round about 11 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Drape the pastry over the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to a 9-to-10-inch tart pan. Unfold it from the pin and press it gently into the pan. Trim off the overlap even with the pan’s rim. Line the tart shell with aluminum foil and then add a layer of pastry weights or dried beans. Place the weighted pastry pan on a baking sheet. Place both i n the preheated oven to bake partially, until faintly golden, 8 or 9 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift out the weights, remove the aluminum foil, and let the crust cool completely on the baking sheet. Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees.
To make the filling, arrange the chard leaves on a steamer rack over gently boiling water, cover and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. The leaves should retain their pretty green color but be greatly reduced in volume. Remove the chard from the steamer and squeeze the leaves to extract any water. Cut the chard into chiffonade strips by stacking the leaves, rolling them up into a thin cigar shape and then cutting them crosswise in thin shreds. Set aside.
Steam the parsley leaves as you did the chard, but for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the steamer and squeeze dry. Mince the parsley. Again squeeze the chard and parsley to remove excess water. Set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the garlic and saute until just soft, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the chard and parsley, reduce the heat to very low and cook, turning often, until the greens have absorbed the oil, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream, salt, pepper and eggs. Beat lightly, then add the olive oil-infused greens and the cheeses.
With the partially cooked shell in place on the baking sheet, fill it as full as possible with the mixture without spilling any over the top. Cut the butter into bits and dot the top of the quiche.
Place in the preheated 375-degree oven and bake until the filling is puffed and golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately or let cool to room temperature. Cut into wedges to serve.
Per serving: 506 calories, 27 gm carbohydrates, 184 mg cholesterol, 609 mg sodium, 10 gm protein, 40 gm fat, 22 gm saturated fat
Recipe from “France: The Vegetarian Table” as posted by R. Crockett

Kale & Beet Penne Pasta -(Vegan)

1 1/2 cups onion, diced
2 T. olive oil, divided
4 cups beets, peeled, and diced
8 cups lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale), or other kale variety, roughly chopped
1 T. garlic, minced
3 T. freshly chopped dill
1 T. freshly chopped thyme
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. penne, rigatoni, or farfalle pasta
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes

 In a large non-stick skillet, saute the onion in 1 T. of the olive oil for 3 minutes to soften. Add the beets and continue to saute the mixture an additional 7-8 minutes, or until the beets are crisp-tender. Add the kale and garlic and saute an additional 3 minutes. Add the fresh herbs, salt, and pepper, continue to saute the mixture until the kale starts to wilt, and then remove the skillet from the heat. Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the penne pasta until al dente. Remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and set aside. Drain the penne pasta well and return it to the large pot. Add the reserved cooking liquid, remaining 1 T. of olive oil, and nutritional yeast, and toss well to thoroughly coat the cooked pasta. Add the sauteed vegetable mixture to the pasta, toss well, and watch the pasta turn a vibrant rosy color. Transfer the mixture to a large platter or bowl for service.

Serves 6-8

Dino Kale, Candied Ginger & Lemon
serves 2-3 as a side dish

• 1 small bunch Lacinto Kale, any tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
• about 1 t. olive oil
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 - 1 1/2 t. fresh lemon zest
• 2 T. crystallized/candied ginger, chopped

Steam the chopped kale in a covered pan until tender but not mushy, about 4 minutes. It will turn a beautiful bright kelly green. (Note: you can either use a steamer basked or simply place 1/4″ of water with kale in a saucepan to steam).

Once Kale is steamed, toss together with all remaining ingredients

2	cup	Radishes, Thinly Sliced
3	tbl	Orange Juice
2	tbl	Fresh Cilantro, Fine Snipped
1/4	tsp	Salt
1/2	cup	Onion, Chopped, 1 Med
2	tbl	Lime Juice
2	tbl	veggie oil

 

Hello CSA Members,

Hope this letter finds everyone well.

We have been really busy on the farm harvesting English peas and fava beans for wholesale. Peas and beans grow great on coastal soil. We are able to grow them 9 months out of the year, whereas other farmers in warmer areas can’t grow them through the summer.   Both peas and beans make their own nitrogen fertilizer by absorbing nitorgen from the air and ‘fixing’ it in their roots. If you were to pull out a pea plant you would notice white round nodules of nitrogen. It is nice to plant a crop that produces their own fertilizer!  In the winter we plant cover crops that  consist of field peas and bell beans just to grow them up and disc them in for fertilzer, organic matter and to prevent erosion.

Our tomatoes in mid valley are growing well even though the weather has been on the cooler side. We will be staking them this next week and laying down drip tape. We also planted some smaller fruiting varieties on our coastal ranch and will be dry farming them for super sweet flavor. You can expect tomatoes about the first week of August.

We are starting a brand new market on Sundays in San Francisco on Sundays at Inner Sunset on Irving between 8th and 9th street. The market hours are 9 am to 1pm. Some market associations are starting small markets in different areas in the city. I think this is great; small markets and more of them in localized communities benefits the farmers and the neighborhood. We will now be in San Francisco on Wednesdays in the Castro 4 to 8pm, Fillmore at O’Farrell Saturdays 9 to 1pm and Inner Sunset Sundays from 9 am to 1pm!

Speaking of markets, please come down to PG and support the Monday night market from 4 to 8pm. There are now cooking demonstrations each week and stone fruit is in.   We are also back to market in Monterey on Alvarado Street at the end of Bonafacio Place (the bread avenue) in front of Rosine’s restaurant also 4 to 8pm.As a CSA member you get a discount on Serendipity produce - so be sure to mention you are a member!

In your box this week: Dino Kale, Gold Chard, 1 lb strawberries, artichokes, fava beans, cilantro, Italian parsley, Lettuce mix, Red Beets and gold beets.

The easiest way to prepare beets is to chop off the tops and ends and boil them until you can poke a fork in them. Once they cool, roll them around in cold water under the faucet and the peels will fall right off.  Beets are fabulous with goat cheese on a salad with candied walnuts on top of the lettuce mix you received this week. The best dressing, in my opinion is balsalmic vinegar and olive oil especially if it is reduced. Put some balsalmic in a sauce pan on low heat and cook it down until it thickens. Reducing will cause the balsalmic to sweeten up too.

Don’t forget that the greens of beets are really good too. Beets are in the chard family, so the beet leaves taste somewhat like chard, but more tender. Here is a delicious recipe my friend Velvet developed. Whenever we have a party and she asks what to bring, I always tell her to bring her famous beet salad.

Velvet’s Beet Salad

Boil Beets and peel as described above. Throw the chopped greens into the remaining  boiling water for a few minutes at until they are soft. Strain them out and mix with chopped beets. Add in crumbled gorgonzola cheese and toasted walnuts. Toss and serve. Easy and delicious. This side dish is good with meat or on its own.
English peas and favas must be shucked before eaten. English peas can be eaten raw or cooked quickly and added to salads, mashed potatoes, stit fries, you name it. Favas are a lot of work but worth it. Shucking them is like meditation. Schuck and boil or steam, then pop the beans out of their little jackets. Smash them up with some olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper for a wonderful spread or dip. Favas are great with a little butter as a side.

Strawberry Salsa everyone! Chop strawberries with cilantro , add a little lemon juice and a hot pepper of your choice. A sweet twist on salsa!

Chard and Kale have become my favorite thing to cook and eat. Both greens are very versatille. Steam or sautee, add mushrooms and put on top of polenta, quinoa, or couscous. Add a dash of wine vinegar or soy sauce, whatever suits you.

Have a beautiful week!

Jamie Collins

Hello Everyone,

It is nice to be back online. Our blog was having technical difficulties over the past two weeks, so I apologize if you were unable to decifer the produce in your boxes.

This past week we have been planting our green beans. We must wait until the soil temperature warms up enough to germinate the seeds. We have also started tilling the west side of hwy 1 where we will be planting our pumpkins and winter squash. Tomatoes at our Carmel Valley ranch are growing well - we expect them to be ready the first week of August for your boxes. We will also have a U-Pick tomato patch in September and October, which is half price for CSA members.

This week in your box:

Cilantro, 1 lb of strawberries, Italian pin striped beets, gold beets, Green curley kale, lettuce mix, english peas, fava beans, red torpedo onion, and 1/2 lb of certified organic shiitake mushrooms from Far West Fungi

Shiitake are native to China but have been grown in both Japan and China since prehistoric times^[2]. They have been cultivated for over 1000 years; the first written record of shiitake cultivation can be traced to Wu Sang Kwuang, born during the Song Dynasty (AD 960–1127). However, some documents record the uncultivated mushroom being eaten as early as AD 199.

During the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368–1644), physician Wu Juei wrote that the mushroom could be used not only as a food but was taken as a remedy for upper respiratory diseases, poor blood circulation, liver trouble, exhaustion and weakness, and to boost qi, or life energy. It was also believed to prevent premature aging.

(Wikipedia)

Shiitakes also have anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-fungal capabilities! They are great for you and add a delicious ‘meaty’ flavor to all dishes. The stems are best cut off as they don’t cook at the same rate as the caps and they are not as delicious.

Potato-Shiitake Bake

• 3-4 medium potatoes, pared and sliced

• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

• 1/4 pound fresh shiitake
  

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1 cup whipping cream
  

• 2-3 Tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley (or cilantro)

1. Butter a shallow baking dish.

2. Layer the potatoes, onions and shiitake.

3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme.

4. Pour cream over the top. Cover with lid or foil. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

5. Remove the foil or lid and bake 30 minutes longer or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened and is creamy and smooth.

6. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
   

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

• 1 8-oz can or 1 cup fresh crab meat
• 4-18 fresh or dried shiitake caps
• 1 unbeaten egg white
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sherry
• 1 teaspoon salt

Shred crab into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the egg white. Add the cornstarch, ginger, sherry, and salt. Mix well.

1. Stuff the mushroom caps with the crab meat filling.

2. rrange them in a steamer or on a plate raised above the water in a large pot.

3. Steam fresh mushrooms for 20 minutes, until the caps begin to shrivel.

Kale and Cilantro Pesto

Wash and stem the kale. Leaving water on leaves from washing, coarsely chop kale. Steam in a pan with a little water until wilted 2. Drop garlic into the bowl of a food processor or blender with the motor running. When finely minced, add the basil and / or cilantro and cooked kale. Process until unform. Add a little of the left over water from the steaming to the blender. 3. Add juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pulse to combine. Serve as you would any pesto: toss with pasta; add to soups and stews. Makes about 3/4 cup. You can freeze it into cubes and add it to soups, stews, and salad dressings!

Beet & Goat Cheese Salad - (ask about Serendipity goat cheese)

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 medium beets - scrubbed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby salad greens
• 1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces goat cheese
• Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
• While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
• Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.
• 
  

  Moroccan Tagine of Fava Beans and Artichokes

  Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg (about 1 lb.) lamb, beef or goat, cut into 3″ or 4″ pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (or 1/4 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant)
• 1 large handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 large handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• ————————————-
• 1/2 kg (about 1 lb.) shelled fava beans (approx. 3 lb. in the pod)
• 8 artichoke hearts
• 1 preserved lemon, quartered and seeds removed
• 1 large handful of red olives

Preparation:

Mix the meat, onion, garlic, spices, herbs and oils in a pressure cooker. Over medium heat, brown the meat, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Add about 2 cups of water, cover the pressure cooker, and increase the heat to high. When pressure has been achieved, lower the heat to medium to medium-high, and cook with pressure for about 30 minutes.

Add the fava beans, artichoke hearts, lemons and olives. If necessary, add enough water so that the artichokes and beans are completely submerged when pushed down with a spoon.

Cover the pot and bring to pressure over high heat. Lower the heat to medium to medium-high, and cook for 10 minutes.

Uncover the pressure cooker, and reduce the sauce over medium heat until it is the consistency of a very thick broth and sits well below the level of the beans and artichokes.

Serve with crusty bread for scooping up the tagine.

Hope you enjoy the recipes. Please share your CSA box recipes with us and we will post them.

Have a beautiful week.

Jamie

 

 

 

 

Hello CSA Members!

This has been a crazy week. We started a brand new market in San Francisco in the Castro on Wednesday which was fabulous! When I returned home late that night I found that our pregnant goat Maggie gave birth to triplets! Three healthy kids which were all different colors. One of the 2 boys Maggie decided she didn’t like and wouldn’t let him nurse. If he didn’t get some colostrum milk soon we wouldn’t make it. He looked skinnier than the other two that obviously had full bellies. I took him inside and warmed up some frozen colostrum from last year that I had saved in case of an emergency like this. He learned how to drink from the bottle and by the next day he was running after me thinking I was his mama! Needless to say I have been feeling like a new mother; up every 4 hours to feed the little baby goat that we ended up naming Castro after the grand opening farmers market we worked that night.

Here is what is in your box today:  Italian Parsley, Red Beets, Red Romaine / Butter cross, Green Romaine, English Shelling Peas, Snap Peas, Fava Beans, Yukon Gold Potatoes freshly dug today, Red Beets, artichokes, and strawberries

I will post recipes later this evening. Gotta run to the PG Market.

Thanks everyone for supporting Serendipity!

Please share your recipes with us and we will post them the next week.

Jamie

Hello CSA Shareholders,

This is has been a big week - we hired some beautiful, hard working ladies to help out with farmers markets. They all have previous market experience and I have faith that they will represent Serendipity well. We also have our nice refrigerated truck up and running making deliveries and farmers markets run smoother and keep product fresher in the heat. We can’t wait to put our logo on the truck with some hot pink glittery flames on the front!

Serendipity attended the Earth Day celebration in Monterey this past Sunday. We gave out free heirloom tomato plants and strawberry samples. It was a cold day, but a great day to meet everyone in the plaza.

We finally have enough strawberries to put them in the boxes this week. The variety is mainly Seascape with a little bit of Chandler mixed in. The flavor is really nice. We hope you enjoy them!

In your box this week: Strawberries!, Artichokes, Dill, Carrots, Cilantro, Gold Beets, English Peas, Pea Tendrils, Dino Kale, Italian Parsley, Green Romaine, Red Butter / Romaine Lettuce and Mix Baby Greens

Here are a few recipes using some of the items in this week’s box.

Strawberry Salsa: Great with chips also as a topping to fish dishes, a nice twist on salsa

• 1/2 lb strawberries, diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• fresh ground pepper 
• prepare a strawberry salsa by stirring together the diced strawberries, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and lime juice in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Roasted Roots:  Dice carrots and gold beets (peel with a potato peeler if desired), potatoes and onions into 1″ peices. Toss with EVO, sea salt and cracked pepper. Toss in a few whole garlic cloves. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Artichoke Risotto

5- 10 baby artichokes

1 lemon, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

About 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion or spring onion

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon finely minced lemon zest

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or a mixture of Parmesan and pecorino Romano (optional)

Freshly ground pepper

1. Trim the artichokes, rubbing them with a cut lemon as you go, and slice 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick. Place them in a bowl of water acidulated with the juice of 1/2 lemon. Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that the broth is well seasoned.

2. Drain the artichoke hearts and pat dry. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook gently until tender, three to five minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and the garlic, and stir for two to three minutes until the artichoke hearts are beginning to color.

3. Add the rice and thyme, and stir until the grains become separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine, and stir over medium heat until it has been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the simmering stock, two ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly nor too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion — adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, then stirring — for 20 to 25 minutes. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, it is done. Add pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Mince the parsley and lemon zest together, and add to the risotto along with another ladleful or two of stock. Remove from the heat, and add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice. Stir in the cheese, if using. Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than lumping in a mound.

Yield: Serves four to six

Advance preparation: You can begin up to several hours before serving. Proceed with the recipe, cooking until halfway through step 3 — that is, for about 15 minutes. The rice should still be hard when you remove it from the heat, and there should be no liquid in the pan. Spread it in an even layer in the pan, and keep it away from the heat until you resume cooking. If the pan is not wide enough for you to spread the rice in a thin layer, then transfer it to a sheet pan. Fifteen to 20 minutes before serving, bring the remaining stock back to a simmer and reheat the rice. Resume cooking as instructed.

Recipe created by Martha Rose Shulman 

Dino Kale and Goat Cheese - My favorite thing to do with Dino Kale is to steam it down in a little water and once the water mostly evaporates mix in some goat cheese and stir until it is spread well. Add some sun dried tomatoes if desired. It makes a great side dish.

My new favorite starch as a base of most dishes I have made lately is Udon Noodles. You can buy them in the refrigerated section (I even found organic ones at Costco when I was shopping for market tables). Udon noodles can be added to just about anything. Chop up chard and kale with parsley and mushrooms and sautee. Add a little veggie broth and some Udon noodles and you have a delicious soup in less than 10 minutes. The pea tendrils would be a great addition to soup with Udon. I made a mediteranean Udon with dry olives, goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes, Udon on a bed of Radicchio. There are unlimited possibilities with Udon noodles. Can you tell I’m obsessed?

Please feel free to send over your recipes to share and I will post them on the blog.

I hope everyone has a beautiful week.

Jamie Collins

Hello CSA Shareholders.

I hope everyone is enjoying being outside in this beautiful, warm weather!

Farmers markets were jam packed over the weeked; people were buzzing like bees to a bloom. I came home exhausted on Sunday afternoon from two days of markets in the sweltering heat and sat down to a nice cold Corona with a meyer lemon squeezed in and thought about how people, just like most animals, insects, plants, or other living things seem to move faster when temperatures warm up. Just as I was having that thought I saw several dragonflies diving in figure eights in the afternoon sunlight. We all respond to day length and temperature changes it appears. Spring is my favorite time of year!
Speaking of temperatures and day length - we have started to harvest small amounts of strawberries from our 1/2 acre. You should see some in your boxes next week. This year we are growing Seascape and Chandler.

It is also time to start planting tomatoes. We have 28 varieties of heirloom tomatoes to transplant this coming week on our Mid-Carmel Valley Tomato Ranch. Our tomatoes are planted only 5 miles from the coast on Carmel Valley Rd and won’t we ready until about the 1st of August. We come in late with our tomatoes compared to Hollister, or other farms that have land in the valley. Our tomatoes have great flavor and are worth the wait because they hang on the vine and ripen over a longer period of time making them extra flavorful and sweet. Our moderate temps allow us to have tomatoes until at least Thanksgiving and sometimes we have eaten tomatoes after the New Year!

In your box this week: Baby Carrots, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Green Romaine, Dill, Red Butter& Red Romaine cross. Artichokes, English Peas, Red chard, Snap Peas, Cilantro, Bloomsdale Spinach, Spring Mix, & Dino Kale

Remember fresh herbs are fabulous added to anything! Salads can be spruced up easily with some fresh herbs tossed in.
You have two types of peas in your box, snap peas which you eat the whole crunchy pod, and English Peas - a shelling type of peas that you must remove the outer skin to find the large edible pods.  Both types are great eaten raw. If you plan to cook them be sure not to over cook them as they are best when still crisp.

Enjoy English peas simply cooked and topped with butter for an excellent side dish. Chill cooked peas and toss in salads for texture and an extra burst of flavor. Combine cooked chilled peas with cubed cheese; blend in just enough mayonnaise to moisten; season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill at least two hours. Serve as a refreshing salad. Great dish for picnics.

To store peas, wrap unwashed pea pods in a perforated plastic bag and refrigerate. For optimum quality and taste, use English peas within two to three days. Shelled English peas may be frozen, but they will lose their crisp texture. Note: Don’t shell peas until just before cooking or eating.

I found some great recipes for peas on a website called Chocolate & Zucchini. I really liked the recipes and info I found here. Here is the web address:

http://chocolateandzucchini.com

The following 2 recipes were taken from the Chocolate and Zucchini website. I thought they sounded wonderful to make in this heat wave.

Peacamole

- 300 grams (10 1/2 ounces) shelled green peas, frozen or fresh but not canned
- 1 drop cilantro essential oil for cooking, or a small bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons whole almond butter (like peanut butter but made with unblanched almonds; look for it at natural foods stores)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 dash Tabasco sauce
- Salt, black pepper

Makes enough for an appetizer for 4.

Steam the peas for 14 minutes, or until tender, and let cool to just above room temperature.

If you’re using fresh cilantro, pluck the leaves and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine the peas, almond butter, cilantro (essential oil or fresh leaves), garlic if using, Tabasco sauce, a little salt and some pepper. Process until smooth. If the mixture is a bit too thick for the blade of the food processor to mix properly, add just a little bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, until soft enough to mix.

Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread on pieces of multigrain crispbread and serve. The peacamole can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge in an airtight container; it will keep for 2 to 3 days.

Recipe originally developed for ELLE à table, issue #63, March/April 2009.

Chilled Pea Pod Soup ( you can use the snap peas and English peas for this one)

- olive oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- the pods from 1.2 kg (2.5 pounds) fresh green peas, stems removed, rinsed and drained (no need to thaw them if frozen)
- sea salt
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 liter (4 cups) quality stock, brought to a simmer
- freshly grated nutmeg (use a whole nutmeg and a small grater)
- freshly ground black pepper
- hot sauce, such as Tabasco sauce
- a few stems of fresh herbs, such as chervil, cilantro, dill, or chives

Serves 4 as a first course.

Heat a little olive oil in a cast-iron or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, stirring regularly. Add the pea pods, season with salt, and cook for a few minutes, until the liquids have evaporated if the pods were frozen.

Deglaze with the white wine, and cook for a minute. Add the hot stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the pods are quite soft. Remove from the heat and let cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Put on an apron (I mean it; this can get messy). Using a blender or an immersion blender, whiz the soup in short pulses until all the pods are broken down into chunks. They will refuse to turn to a purée; the goal is simply to break their fibers so they’ll be easier to strain.

Set a food mill (or a fine-mesh strainer) over a medium bowl and ladle a few spoonfuls of the soup into the mill (or strainer). Turn the handle of the mill (or press on the solids in the strainer with the back of a tablespoon) to strain out as much of the liquids as you can. Discard the solids (see note) and repeat with the rest of the soup, still working in batches.

Sprinkle the soup with a little nutmeg, stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate until well chilled. (To speed up the cooling, set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with cold water and a few ice cubes.)

Pour the soup in glasses, add freshly ground pepper, a dash of hot sauce, and a stem or two of fresh herbs, and serve with thick-cut fingers of levain bread.

Note: Rather than discard the solids right away, I prefer to reserve them in another bowl and strain them again after the first pass: I find I can usually strain out a little more liquid after giving them this short resting time.

Nutritional Value of Peas
As a fresh vegetable source of protein, English peas are second only to lima beans. A three-fourths cup serving contains about 100 calories and more protein than a tablespoon of peanut butter or a whole egg, and less than one-half gram of fat.

We finally purchased a refrigerated market / delivery truck.  This is a big step and very exciting! We are growing more than we can carry to market in the flatbed we have so we are stepping up. I drove it home in 50 mph winds last week for the first time and I would say it will take some getting used to! Especially in high wind situations. Its not too long, but pretty tall. Now we can keep things extra cool on hot days and take more to market to sell.

I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful week!

Jamie Collins