Sunday, August 11, 2013

August 11 Newsletter

Hola Fruit & Veggie Explorers!

What are the reviews on the black radishes?  I have heard them described as  the big bad brother of red radishes because of their punchy flavor and large size.  They do mellow out if used as a cooking radish and can add an almost horseradish like flavor to other dishes.  Hopefully, these handsome radishes delighted you!

The post cherry harvest clean up has included many hours this past week in the orchards.  The crews have been cutting out downed limbs, raking brush and the mowers have been zipping around.  It is  surprising to see how when the orchards are freshly mowed the green apple size seems to double.  Always on to next big thing!

This week you will find in your bin:


Blueberries
Watermelon
Peppers - Jalapeno (hot - small)
                Green Carmen (mild- large)
Broccoli/Cauliflower mix
Red Norland Potatoes
French Filet Beans or Pole Beans
Swiss Chard
Summer Squash
Dill

Beyond the Bin:

Sweet Cherries/qt            5.00
Blueberries/qt                  5.00
Blueberries/ 5# (4 qt)       11.00
Red Potatoes                   3.00
Yellow Beans                 3.00
Sunflowers                     3.00
Cucumbers                     2.00
Parsley                          2.00
        

Here are a couple of recipes we have used at our house during the past week:  ( I did reduce the olive oil in the Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes recipe)


Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes




  • 12 to 15 baby red or yellow potatoes (about 1-1/2 oz. each; 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter)
  • 2-3/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Boil the potatoes:
Put the potatoes in a large saucepan (preferably in one layer) and cover with at least an inch of water. Add 2 tsp. kosher salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook the potatoes until they are completely tender and can be easily pierced with a metal or wood skewer. Make sure they are cooked through but don’t overcook. The total cooking time will be 30 to 35 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, set up a double layer of clean dishtowels on your countertop. As the potatoes finish cooking, remove them individually from the water, and let them drain and sit for just a minute or two on the dishtowels.
Flatten and cool the potatoes:
Fold another dishtowel into quarters, and using it as a cover, gently press down on one potato with the palm of your hand to flatten it to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Repeat with all the potatoes. Don’t worry if some break apart a bit; you can still use them.
Crispy Smashed Roasted Potatoes Recipe
Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; put a sheet of parchment on top of the foil. Transfer the flattened potatoes carefully to the baking sheet and let them cool completely at room temperature.
Roast the potatoes
Remove the pan of potatoes from the refrigerator, if prepared ahead. Heat the oven to 450°F. Alternatively, if you have a convection function, turn it on and set the temperature at 400°F. Sprinkle the potatoes with about 3/4 tsp. salt and pour the olive oil over them. Lift the potatoes gently to make sure some of the oil goes underneath them and that they are well coated on both sides. Roast the potatoes until they’re crispy and deep brown around the edges, about 30 minutes if using a convection oven, 30 to 40 minutes if roasting conventionally, turning over once gently with a spatula or tongs halfway through cooking. Serve hot.
Make Ahead Tips
Do the busy work—boiling and flattening the potatoes—up to 8 hours ahead. Let potatoes cool completely, and store them on the pan, lightly covered, in the fridge. Then all you have to do at the last minute is coat with oil and salt and roast.

Fine Cooking 

Roasted Summer Squashes with Caper Gremolata


Ingredients


  • Preparation
  • Gremolata:
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • garlic clove, minced
  • Squash:
  • 4 cups multicolored pattypan squash, halved lengthwise
  • 3 cups baby zucchini, trimmed
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 475°.
  2. 2. To prepare gremolata, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Set gremolata aside.
  3. 3. To prepare squash, combine pattypan squash, zucchini, and 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange squash, cut side down, in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475° for 15 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned, stirring after 7 minutes. Sprinkle gremolata over the squash. Serve immediately.
 




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