Community Supported Agriculture

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