THE BEET: Volume 13, Issue 9

THE BEET : VOLUME 13, ISSUE 9

In this week’s BEET:

1. This week's share
2. Letter from Ted
3. Recipes
4. The Low-down on Gazpacho

CSA Pickup Today 5-7:30pm

PS 56 at Gates and Downing (enter on Downing)

This Week's Share

• Genovese Basil
• Tomatoes
• Red Butterhead and Redleaf Lettuce
• Sweet Peppers
• Eggplant or Sweet Corn (we’ll be sending sweet corn every other week all summer)
• Cucumbers
• Assorted Squashes
• Sweet Yellow Onions

The photos below show Jan in the snapdragons, today’s tomato harvest (and, from L to R, Daren, Mackenzie and Andrea), the packing team in the new packing shed (Victoria behind the desk, Naomi packing and Mackenzie washing) and tub washing (Terry).

Fruit shareholders will be getting our own organically grown Galia melons this week. It’s a green-fleshed variety called ‘Arava.’ Even the seeds were grown organically. We have a cantaloupe (‘Sarah’s Choice’) and ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelons coming soon. Melons are best after sitting in your refrigerator for a day or so.

Save the date: The annual Open House at Windflower Farm will be held on the weekend of August 23-24. Please join us for a Saturday mid-day tour of Windflower Farm, a wine, beer and cheese hour with local music and homebrews, and a potluck super with CSA members from all over the City and the farm staff. You are welcome to camp on the farm (most people do) and to enjoy the campfire and the star-filled sky, or stay at one of the nearby motels or B&Bs. We will make breakfast for you on Sunday morning, after which you might go for a swim in the Battenkill River, tour Victory View Winery, attend the Washington County Fair or the Cambridge Farmers’ Market, go to the horse races at the historic track in Saratoga, head up to the Battenkill Creamery for an ice cream sundae, or visit the new Argyl Brewery store. Bring a tent and sleeping bags, good footwear, and a dish to pass. Please RSVP with the number of people in your party to:

tedblomgren@gmail.com

?I hope to see you here, Ted

RECIPES

Lemon Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

(adapted From Tagines & Couscous by Ghillie Basan)

• 8 baby eggplants (or 1-2 large, or an assortment of different varieties) If baby  eggplants leave them whole, if larger, cut into wedges.
• 3-4 small zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise
• 2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into quarters lengthwise
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into quarters lengthwise
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin sticks
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• sea salt
• leaves from a bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped
• leaves from a bunch of mint, coarsely chopped

For the lemon couscous:

• 3 cups couscous
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 ¾ cups warm water
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter, broken into small pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Put the vegetables, garlic, and ginger in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the oil, sprinkle with salt and cook in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and nicely browned.
3. To make the lemon couscous, tip the couscous into an ovenproof dish. Stir the salt into the water and pour it over the couscous. Leave it to absorb the water for about 10 minutes.
4. Using your fingers, rub the oil into the couscous grains to break up the lumps and aerate them. Toss in the preserved lemon, scatter the butter over the surface and cover with a piece of foil. Put the dish into the oven for about 14 minutes until the couscous has heated through.
5. Tip the couscous onto a serving platter in a mound. Arrange the vegetables over and around it and spoon some of the roasting oil over the top. Sprinkle with the cilantro and mint and serve immediately.
6. Note: These vegetables are only a start; vary them according to the season. And some fresh feta cheese, more preserved lemon or fresh lemon juice, or some chopped-up green olives makes a nice garnish.

Fiesta Kale Slaw Wraps

(from Sprouted Kitchen)

• 1 Tbsp. muscavado or brown sugar
• pinch of cayenne
• 2/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 small bunch kale, stemmed and shredded
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1 small english cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 cup cooked lentils, black or green preferably
• 1 large avocado, diced
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• juice of two limes
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. hot sauce
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup sour cream or non dairy sour cream
• 4 brown rice or flour tortillas for wrapping

1. In a small, nonstick skillet over medium low heat, warm the muscavado or brown sugar with a pinch of cayenne and salt. Add the pepitas and stir so the sugar sticks to the nuts and they smell toasty - about 5 minutes. Remove to cool on a piece of parchment (or left in the pan is fine).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, carrots, tomatoes, green onions, cucumber, cilantro, lentils, avocado and feta. Add the juice of both limes, olive oil, hot sauce, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the cooled pepitas and toss everything together to mix.
3. Warm the tortillas over the stove. Add a spoonful of sour cream down the center of the tortilla, add a pile of the kale slaw and wrap 'er up. Wrap everything in parchment to keep it together for portability or to make in advance and keep in the fridge.

SUMMER READING

The New York times posted this interesting article on sunday all about Gazpacho.

Check it out here!