Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 16- September 16, 2002
Want a printable version of this Harvest guide? Click here.
The Eco Foods Guide: We have been offered this book at half price as a pre-publication special. Cynthia Barstow is a very well known speaker in CSA circles. It looks like an unusually good book and an unusually good buy. Let us know by September 20th if you are interested and we will order it for you. For more information point your browser to www.newsociety.com/News/ecofood.html
Plastic Bags and Unwanted Containers: We have purchased clear strong plastic bags for distributing our shares as I'm sure you've noticed. It helps us save money if you return them to us. And send any other plastic bags you might have. We are also in need of glass and plastic containers. Spaghetti sauce jars and like size containers are ideal. If you have any to spare, please clean them out and send them to the farm with lids. They are an important part of our evolving distribution process. Thanks.
Tomato Surplus: Any shareholders who could use extra tomatoes are encouraged to make an appointment to come pick some at the farm. Tomatoes can be canned or turned into sauce and frozen to keep for the winter, but we have more than we can use. We would like for our surplus to find a loving home.
Electronic Harvest Guides: We were reminded on Monday of how important our website can be for communicating with our members. Due to technical difficulties with our printer we were unable to distribute a guide with the shares on Monday. Fortunately having the Harvest Guides available to view or download on our web page allowed all of those Baltimore members to get their Spoutwood news. Be sure to keep up with us on the Internet. Visit www.spoutwood.com for all the latest farm news.
Chard, Collards, or Kale: We are sending chard and/or collards and/or kale with less predictability while the greens recover from the heat and a major pest infestation. Be sure to thoroughly wash your collard leaves. They have been sprayed with an organic pesticide.
Lettuce: The lettuce is back!!! Each share will receive a full head of fresh lettuce.
Arugula: Arugula is a wonderful salad green. It adds a bitey, nutty zest to any salad. Be sure to eat all of the nutritious green arugula from around the tiny holes.
Radishes: The radishes came on sooner than we expected. One variety, called "Easter Egg" comes in many fun shades of red, pink and purple. Please don't throw the greens away. They are excellent cooked like spinach or raw in salads, and very nutritious as well.
Green Beans: We're certain that you'll enjoy these tender, fresh green beans either raw or cooked.
Bell Peppers: Our pepper crop is still coming on strong. You might even see a red pepper mixed in with the green.
Chili Peppers: The elongated, paler green peppers in your share are hot chilies. Reportedly these are hotter now then they were when we first distributed them. Handle with caution if you are allergic to spicy food. If you find that these peppers are too hot for you then be sure to remove the fleshy membranes before cooking. These membranes contain most of the pepper's hotness. Some of the chili peppers have turned red. They are just as yummy red as they are green.
Habanero Pepper: The small hot pepper in your share is a habanero pepper. It is one of the hottest peppers known to man, so be cautious in how you use it.
Cucumbers: The cucumbers are definitely slowing down. Expect the size, number, and quality of cukes to dwindle as the weeks go on. Just be sure to enjoy these delectable treats while they last.
Tomatoes: If you get a tomato that isn't fully ripe set it out on a counter top or in a sunny window sill with the stem side down. With just a little patience your tomato can still reach its peak flavor. The tomatoes are starting to slow down as well.
Eggplant: This week's share includes a variety called Orient Express, characterized by its long, slender shape. They are a specialty, early harvest breed. You will also be getting a purple striated variety as well as the more usual purple-black variety.
Herbs: This weeks share includes some fresh basil sprigs as well as parsley. Try combining basil with tomato in any dish and we're certain that you won't be disappointed.
Flowers: Apple mint flowers, goldenrod, purple and/or red globe amaranth, black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia), jerusalem artichoke flowers, white asters, and tansy are some of your floral treats this week.
Middle Eastern Tofu Stuffed Peppers
from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Ingredients:
2 Tblsp. Canola or other Vegetable Oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups diced onions
pinch of cayenne
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 2/3 cups peeled and diced carrots
dash of salt
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 ½ cups grated frozen tofu -12 ounces
3 Tblsp. soy sauce
1 Tblsp. chopped fresh dill (1 tsp. dried)
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup couscous, uncooked
¼ cup hot water
3 Tblsp. currants or raisins
4 large bell peppers
2 cups tomato juice
Warm the oil in a medium sauce pan. Add the garlic, onions, cayenne, and cinnamon. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the carrots, sprinkle with salt, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until the carrots are just tender. Stir in the tofu, soy sauce, dill, lemon juice, couscous, and water. Cook on low to medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. Cover tightly, remove from heat, and set aside. After about 5 minutes, add the currants or raisins and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds but leave the stem ends on so that the peppers will hold their shape during baking. Fill each pepper half with about ½ cup of filling and place it on a nonreactive baking dish. Pour the tomato juice into the bottom of the baking dish, cover tightly, and bake for 45-50 minutes until the peppers are tender.
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