CSA Newsletter for the Week of June 7th
Hello Everyone,
Farm News: We pulled out of the Pacific Grove market. I know it is a bummer, but it was not making enough income to be sustainable for us. Mondays are also a big day delivering our CSA boxes all over the peninsula. It has been a stretch to do it all. So, for the time being we are taking a break. We are hoping once the market moves to the new location it might refresh things a little. It doesn’t help that PG is most often so cold and drizzly that people don’t come out to support it on Monday evenings. We will keep you posted when or if we go back. There are so many farmers markets in the area now it seems like the local markets are not as good as they were. I have heard this from other farmers that sell at the markets we aren’t able to get into as well. This area is so saturated with markets that the farmers are making half as much as they used to. Farmers Markets are businesses that receive profit from the stall fees. Some market organizations start markets all over the place just to turn a profit. Often times they are not thought out for the long term, only the short term.
Everyone’s Harvest the organization that runs the PG and Marina Markets are one of the market organizations with integrity. They have been offered many other markets and turned them down because they want to be sure the ones they have are supported first and they also knew that there are already plenty of markets in the area. They are also involved in creating community gardens and other amazing sustainable projects.
If anyone wants to purchase case amounts from the farm we can have the order with your CSA boxes on Monday. Currently we are offering 12 pint flat of strawberries to CSA members for only $20 flat. If you are interested in making jam, let me know.
There is a new strawberry jam making method I have discovered. Its great if you don’t have the time to devote to the whole process at once. You take 8 lbs of berries (12 pints) and chop the tops and cut them in half if the berries are large. Put them in a big container and stir in 2 cups of sugar (this is a low sugar recipe). Let the berries sit covered for 12 to 24 hours. This process keeps the color really nice and the sugar breaks down the berries so you don’t have to cook them very long. When you are ready to jar them up, just follow a regular canning process for berries. I had about 20 lbs of berries in a giant jar with a spigot sitting in sugar. Of course I was too busy to jam them up and to my surprise I made strawberry wine! I accidentally made the perfect mistake. I covered the berries then decided to let them breathe with some cheesecloth for a few days. Then I covered them again. This was a perfect opportunity to allow the natural yeast to develop, but not too long so that other molds could not develop.The spigot was perfect for taking the wine out of the jar without disturbing the top layer of berries that have the molds on top. The berries float to the top and the juice is below, so if you don’t have a spigot on your container you will need to siphon it off.
The strawberry hooch was delicious. It was great on ice with a little ginger ale and a squeeze of Meyer Lemon. It had a beautiful, natural red color.
If anyone wants more detailed explanation please let me know. There is a great book called Wild Fermenation. Fermented foods are really good for you. You can turn almost any plant or fruit into wine or alcohol. The difference is time the fruit sits. It so fun to experiment.So, if anyone wants to make some organic strawberry wine and needs some berries, let me know!
In the box today: Leeks, Fennel, Broccoli, Green Leaf Lettuce,Strawberries, Fava Beans, and Avocados, and a surprise green (dandelion, red romaine, green butter or green romaine)
Here is a recipe from Christie Marcella. Sounds delicious! Keep them coming Christie.
Roasted Veggie, Fava Bean & Red Quinoa Salad
This is a great salad because it tastes delicious hot or cold. With the warm weather coming around, it is great to eat as a side dish for dinner, and then the next day cold for lunch.
Ingredients (* indicates CSA ingredients):
2 small sweet potatoes, diced
1 leek*, cleaned & sliced into 1/8 inch thick pieces
1 zucchini*, diced
½ head of cauliflower*, cut into small flowerets
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup red quinoa, uncooked (I got mine from Trader Joe’s)
2 cups water or broth
1 stalk oregano*, chopped
1 lemon*, zested and juiced
½ cup marinated fava beans (see recipe below)
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450˚F. While your oven is heating, finish any cutting or prep to make sure all your veggies are approximate the same size (small dice). Place all the veggies in a bowl and generously toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. If you want to be adventurous, you can also toss in some curry powder.
2. Place the veggies on a flat pan (cookie sheet, roasting pan, etc.) and spread evenly on the pan. Put the pan in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, until veggies are golden brown. (I like my veggies more on the burned side, but roast them to your taste.)
3. While the veggies are roasting, rinse the red quinoa in a small strainer with cold water. Cook according to directions. My box said boil the quinoa with your liquid (water or broth). Once it boils, bring down to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. The quinoa will get a little translucent and shiny. Quinoa is crunchy but fluffy, so taste it once the water is absorbed.
4. Once the quinoa is done, transfer it to a medium non-reactive mixing bowl. Toss in the roasted vegetables when they are done. Toss in the marinated fava beans, oregano, lemon juice and zest. Stir it all together and enjoy!
Makes 8 side servings or 4 full meal servings
Fennel can be delicious if done right. I love fennel chopped and roasted with an organic chicken. When the fennel gets caramelized the strong licorice flavor mellows. Be sure to cut out the hard core with a knife first. I found this recipe online at the Mayo Clinic wesbite. That means its low calorie too.
Fennel and Leeks with Roasted Onion Vinaigrette
- 3 leeks, green tops trimmed to about 7 inches, bottom trimmed but intact
2 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
5 peppercorns
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut in half vertically; green tops reserved for garnish
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 4 wedges
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pitted, chopped kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped fennel tops or fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Directions
Split the leeks in half lengthwise to within 1 1/2 inches of the root end, leaving the root intact. Discard the outer leaves and rinse the leeks well.
In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the stock, vinegar, water, oregano and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and leeks; the liquid may not cover. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool in the pot, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the poaching liquid.
While the vegetables are cooling, preheat the oven to 400 F. Coat the onion wedges with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn the onion wedges over and bake until browned and caramelized, about 15 minutes longer. Set aside to cool.
Strain the reserved poaching liquid and pour 1 cup into a small saucepan. (The remaining liquid may be reserved for soup or another use.) Bring to a boil and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
In a blender or food processor, combine the roasted onion with the reduced poaching liquid and mustard. Process until smooth. (Add 1 tablespoon water if the mixture is too thick to process.) With the motor running, add the remaining 5 teaspoons olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
Cut each leek and fennel half crosswise into 8 slices (or cut thinner if desired). Divide the vegetables evenly among individual plates. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette on each salad. Garnish with the chopped olive and fennel leaves.
Nutritional Analysis
(per serving)
| Calories | 97 | Cholesterol | 1 mg |
Fava Bean and Broccoli with Penni Pasta