Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 5: July 10, 2008
To return to the 2008 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the fifth week of the 2008 Community Supported Agriculture season, here at Spoutwood Farm! We are proud to present another bumper harvest of “vegetables so fresh, they almost dance” from our well-tended gardens. As always, we are grateful for the excellent work of our apprentices, Dana Hunting, Derek McGeehan, and Zach Trimble, as well as the working and regular shareholders who have helped them. If you have not yet begun to work your hours – working shareholders in particular – please contact Dana at (717) 235-9272, or at our CSA e-mail address, spoutwood_csa@yahoo.com. She will be glad to help work you into the schedule.
As summer wears on, we continue face the challenge of both bugs and weeds. To combat the former, especially on our hard-hit cole crops, we’ve applied BT (bacillus thurigensius), an approved organic biocontrol which attacks the larvae of cabbage white moths – the dreaded cabbage worms – and released beneficial (parasitic) wasps. These measures seem to be working (knock on wood). To combat weeds, hand weeding and mulching is the natural solution. We’re deeply grateful for those wonderful share¬holders who’ve come out help us with these necessary tasks. However, the weeds have not given up the fight! If you’d like to join our “Weed Warriors,” please contact us at our e-mail address. We check this address regularly, so don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Today, being the second Harvest of the month, is add-on-share day. If you purchased an add-on meat and value-added, dairy or egg share from Breakaway Farm, or cheese share from Farmstead Fresh, today is the day to pick it up. Next drop-off for add-on shares is Thursday, August 14th. Please note the check-off sheets on top of the Breakaway Farm coolers; please check if you have picked up your add-on share.
Please feel free to drop us a line if you discover a new recipe, have any cooking tips, or would like to share your favorite way to eat the veggies from our harvest - email us and we’ll share with everyone else! Again, that address is: spoutwood_csa@yahoo.com. As the old commercial used to say, “please make a note of it.” Thanks!
Lettuce: Choose from a variety of different lettuces to delight your taste-buds! Lettuce will require some sorting and washing, although we’ve made an effort to remove the most blatant weeds and clumps of compost-rich Spoutwood soil. Excellent for salads, sandwiches, and more.
Mustard Greens: A Southern favorite, these bitey, tangy greens are a “pot-herb” that can be eaten alone or in combination with other leafy greens (of which we have several this week). Typically cooked (boiled or steamed, perhaps stir-fried), they can also be added sparingly to salads.
Green Onions: Enjoy our robust green onions raw with (or without) a little salt, or slice them up and add them to salads, soups, omelets, quiche, or anything you like. Don’t forget the flavorful and colorful green tops!
Kale: Curly Kale appears today in great abundance. A nutrious green leafy vegetable in the brassica (cruci¬ferous) family, kale is excellent in soups or cooked as a pot-herb; smaller and more tender leaves can be enjoyed in salads.
Broccoli: Everyone knows broccoli, a kitchen and salad-bar staple. If you’re like me (Tom), you like it lightly steamed or raw, rather than cooked to death as in my childhood and in many restaurants. Try with grated cheese, or a squeeze of lemon. Everyone gets a sample: small head or side shoots.
Beets: Also known as “beetroot” (especially in the U.K.), both parts of this luscious, nutritious plant are edible: the roots and the leaves as well. Try parboiling the root to al dente, then sautéing with the greens in butter or olive oil! The variety today is Chioggia – for an aesthetic surprise, cut across the root and check out the design!
Radicchio: A favorite in Italian cooking, radicchio is a member of the chickory family, and can be eaten cooked or in salads. See Vegetable of the Week for suggestions!
Carrots: A moment some of us have been waiting for since last season: the arrival of these sweet, crisp, orange roots, so delicious in salads, stir fries, soups, and pot roasts. Excellent source of beta carotene!
Assortment by drop-off: Smaller number of some items this week have resulted in some of you getting vegetables others will not, at least not this week. Later in the season it’ll all even out!
• Cabbage: A humble yet nutritious vegetable like turnips, and a brassica like broccoli, cabbage also keeps nicely and can be used in many different ways. Don’t overcook!
• Cauliflower: Yet another brassica, and a close relative of broccoli, but without the chlorophyll. Our cauliflower was hit ard by the fungus gnat early in the season and is available only in small numbers.
• Burgundy Beans: The first of what we hope will be a bounty of beans! This attractive purple variety loses its burgundy color when cooked, becoming dark green instead.
Basil: Spoutwood produces basil in quantity, and this year is no exception. A delicious and fragrant herb – add to pasta sauces, make a fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad (toss in olive oil), or blend your own pesto. Please note: Basil should be placed in a vase with water, as you would cut flowers. Most refrigerators are too cold and tend to blacken the leaves.
Dill: Best known as a flavoring for pickles, dill is also an excellent herb for flavoring salmon or other fish. Use it in soups, or even to give exra zest to hash-brown potatoes.
Flowers: Our bouquet this week features meadow rue, buckwheat flowers, bee balm, snowball hydrangea, and a selected colorful blossom.
Bread: For those who purchased bread shares, today’s selection from Atwaters is a delicious country wheat! Not as dense and more mildly flavored than some of Atwaters’ offerings.
GRILLED RADICCHIO SALAD WITH SHERRY-MUSTARD DRESSING
From Epicurious.com
Servings: Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
6 green onions, trimmed
1 head of romaine lettuce, quartered lengthwise with some core still attached to each piece
1 large head of red leaf lettuce, quartered lengthwise with some core still attached to each piece
1 medium head of radicchio, quartered through core, with some core still attached to each piece
Preparation
Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil and next 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange green onions, lettuces, and radicchio on baking sheets. Drizzle lightly with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill vegetables until beginning to wilt, 1 minute per side for red leaf lettuce, 1 1/2 minutes per side for romaine, 2 minutes per side for green onions, and 3 minutes per side for radicchio. Transfer vegetables to baking sheets.
Cut cores from all grilled greens. Cut grilled radicchio crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut grilled lettuces crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips; chop green onions. Place vegetables in large bowl. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.
Risotto with Radicchio and Smoked Mozzarella
http://www.foodandwine.com
SERVES: 4
Ingredients
• 5 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed
• 1 cup water, more if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 head radicchio (about 1/2 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and water to a simmer. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the rice to the pot and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until all the wine has been absorbed.
3. Add about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the broth has been completely absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb the broth before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add the radicchio and parsley and cook until the radicchio and the rice are tender, about 5 minutes more. The broth that hasn't been absorbed should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all of the liquid, or you may need more broth or some water.
4. Stir the pepper and the butter into the risotto. Add the mozzarella and stir until it melts into a web.
Garlic Roasted Radicchio
http://www.seasonalchef.com
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper
4 large heads radicchio, halved through the root
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
1. Place the garlic, olive oil, rosemary, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Add the radicchio and gently toss so that it is well coated. Cover and let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Place the radicchio in a baking pan and pour the marinade on top. Place in the oven and roast until the edges of the radiccio are crisp and almost beginning to look burnt, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Serve immediately, with grated Parmesan cheese.
Radicchio with smoked mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto
http://www.epicurious.com
Active time: 15 min
Start to finish: 1 hr
Servings: Makes 4 (side dish) servings.
Ingredients
2 medium heads radicchio (1 1/2 lb total), each cut into 6 wedges and cored
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 oz smoked mozzarella, sliced and torn into pieces
2 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
Preparation
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Arrange radicchio wedges, cut sides up, in a 2 1/2-quart shallow glass or ceramic baking dish (11 by 7 inches), then drizzle with oil and vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast radicchio, turning over once or twice, until wilted and tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
Arrange cheese over radicchio, then arrange prosciutto over cheese and roast until cheese is just melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Power Up Slaw with the Italian Redhead
http://www.radicchio.com
Coleslaw—from the Dutch koolsla or “cabbage salad”— is a cool salad in any language. From Indonesian or Thai cucumber-carrot and rice vinegar to accompany satay to North Carolina vinegar slaw for topping pulled pork, slaw is delicious and refreshing in any culinary tradition.
Radicchio, with its fresh, assertive bite and brilliant ruby color, gives slaw a stylish look and fresh flavor. The bitter flavor of radicchio pairs so well with other strong flavors featured in slaw—vinegar, mustard, sugar, soy sauce, citrus, onion, bacon, sour cream—that it’s a “must” for adding to your favorite slaw recipe.
Slaw Ideas
• Toss radicchio with shredded Napa cabbage, green onions, chopped almonds, mandarin orange segments and a sweet-sour vinaigrette with a touch of mustard.
• Shred radicchio, toss with some chopped green cabbage, diced mango, minced jalapeno, sliced red onion and a fresh lime juice vinaigrette with a drizzle of honey and pinch of chili powder.
• Chop a tart-crisp apple; toss with shredded radicchio, raisins and pecans; dress with a creamy buttermilk dressing.
• Peel, seed, thinly slice cucumber; toss with shredded radicchio and a creamy poppyseed dressing; garnish with sliced strawberries.
• Coarsely shred radicchio and carrot; toss with a vinaigrette spiked with a bit of sesame oil and hoisin sauce. Garnish with sliced green onion, fried wonton pieces and toasted sesame seed.
• Toss coarsely chopped radicchio with baby spinach leaves, fresh grapefruit segments, golden raisins, thinly sliced onion; dress with a balsamic vinaigrette.
• Gently combine shredded radicchio and green cabbage, chopped dates, sliced oranges and toasted almonds; dress with a walnut oil and lemon juice vinaigrette. Top with a little crumbled bacon.
• Combine shredded radicchio with cabbage-and-carrot slaw mix, add sliced green onion; dress with a Thai peanut dressing and some fresh lime juice, garnish with toasted peanuts and lots of chopped cilantro.
• Toss finely chopped radicchio with baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced red onion and chopped toasted hazelnuts; dress with sweet-sour vinaigrette, crumbled bacon and celery seed.
• Coarsely shred radicchio, toss with cooked & cooled wild rice, halved green or red grapes, chopped pecans, chopped green onion; drizzle with a balsamic vinaigrette and top with crumbled blue cheese.
• Dress coarsely shredded radicchio and shredded carrot with a sweet-sour vinaigrette; add chopped apple, toasted walnuts and fresh dill.
BAGS: Requested, Recycling of Same
As most of you will know, especially after today’s distribution, there are various share items which must be bagged even within your usual share bag. Today, these included peas, lettuce mix, and spinach. And frankly, we’re low on appropriate bags. Thus, we’re asking our shareholders to please bring in plastic bags that you might have at home. We are looking for both standard grocery-sized bags, and smaller plastic bags such as those used for produce in supermarkets, to keep news¬papers dry, etc. If at all possible, please help us by bringing them in pre-sorted as to size.
Also, please be aware (if you aren’t already) that your plastic share bags can be re-used the following week! Better yet, invest in a cloth “market bag” that can be used over and over again. We are in the process of investigating Spoutwood-themed practical items to offer for sale, including Market Bags -- stay tuned to this space! In the meantime, if you bring back your plastic ones, you’ll help us and Mother Earth alike. Many thanks, from us and the Home Planet.
Need your rubber bands? Fine… but if you don’t, we would be pleased if you could bring those (or any excess beyond your needs) back with you when you come. We’d be happy to reuse them to bundle your produce in the weeks to come.
Chard Unlimited
If you’re a conservationist, you may have heard of Ducks Unlimited or Quail Unlimited. This week, Spoutwood presents “Chard Unlimited” (first come first served, and at the Farm only, alas). We had to clean out a bed to prepare for Fall plantings, so there is a plethora of Bright Lights (colored) and Ford¬hook Giant chard to choose from. Use much as you would spinach,
As most of you will know, especially after today’s distribution, there are various share items which must be bagged even within your usual share bag. Today, these included peas, lettuce mix, and spinach. And frankly, we’re low on appropriate bags. Thus, we’re asking our shareholders to please bring in plastic bags that you might have at home. We are looking for both standard grocery-sized bags, and smaller plastic bags such as those used for produce in supermarkets, to keep news¬papers dry, etc. If at all possible, please help us by bringing them in pre-sorted as to size.
Also, please be aware (if you aren’t already) that your plastic share bags can be re-used the following week! Better yet, invest in a cloth “market bag” that can be used over and over again. We are in the process of investigating Spoutwood-themed practical items to offer for sale, including Market Bags -- stay tuned to this space! In the meantime, if you bring back your plastic ones, you’ll help us and Mother Earth alike. Many thanks, from us and the Home Planet.
Need your rubber bands? Fine… but if you don’t, we would be pleased if you could bring those (or any excess beyond your needs) back with you when you come. We’d be happy to reuse them to bundle your produce in the weeks to come.
Chard Unlimited
If you’re a conservationist, you may have heard of Ducks Unlimited or Quail Unlimited. This week, Spoutwood presents “Chard Unlimited” (first come first served, and at the Farm only, alas). We had to clean out a bed to prepare for Fall plantings, so there is a plethora of Bright Lights (colored) and Ford¬hook Giant chard to choose from. Use much as you would spinach,
Radicchio
We conducted an experiment
this year and you, our shareholders, are the beneficiaries. We planted
several kinds of radicchio, a leafy vegetable in the chicory family,
beloved of Italian cooks. Some varieties produce a more defined head
than others, and sizes vary. Try it, we’re sure you’ll like
it!
Also known as Italian chickory, radicchio is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a mildly bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. It can also be used to add color and zest to salads. This vegetable is very popular in Italy and has gained in popularity in the United States in the last few years. It is eaten raw with just a bit of olive oil and salt, as well as mixed into a variety of salads. In Italy, it is usually eaten grilled in olive oil, or mixed into dishes such as risotto: in the United States it is more often eaten raw in salads, mixed with other greens and the dressing of choice. As with all chicories, if grown correctly its roots can be used to mix with coffee. It can also be served with pasta, in strudel, as a poultry stuffing, or as part of a tapenade.
How to Store
For freshly picked heads simply brush any dirt off the exterior and put in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. It will keep approximately a week. When you are ready to use the leaves simply pull the leaves off the head and rinse in cool water.
Nutrition
A 1 cup (shredded) serving of Radicchio has 9.2 calories, and is high in magnesium, potassium, and has 10.8 I.U. of vitamin A. Radicchio is 70% carbohydrate with just a small amount of protein and just a trace of fat.
Thanks to Wikipedia and GourmetSleuth for the information recounted above.
Also known as Italian chickory, radicchio is grown as a leaf vegetable which usually has white-veined red leaves. It has a mildly bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted. It can also be used to add color and zest to salads. This vegetable is very popular in Italy and has gained in popularity in the United States in the last few years. It is eaten raw with just a bit of olive oil and salt, as well as mixed into a variety of salads. In Italy, it is usually eaten grilled in olive oil, or mixed into dishes such as risotto: in the United States it is more often eaten raw in salads, mixed with other greens and the dressing of choice. As with all chicories, if grown correctly its roots can be used to mix with coffee. It can also be served with pasta, in strudel, as a poultry stuffing, or as part of a tapenade.
How to Store
For freshly picked heads simply brush any dirt off the exterior and put in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. It will keep approximately a week. When you are ready to use the leaves simply pull the leaves off the head and rinse in cool water.
Nutrition
A 1 cup (shredded) serving of Radicchio has 9.2 calories, and is high in magnesium, potassium, and has 10.8 I.U. of vitamin A. Radicchio is 70% carbohydrate with just a small amount of protein and just a trace of fat.
Thanks to Wikipedia and GourmetSleuth for the information recounted above.
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