Sunday, August 21, 2016

Week 10 Newsletter 2016

Hello CSA Members,


Sand Hill Cranes
Here is a picture of the trio of sand hill cranes who have been hanging out in my long rows of strawberries snacking on grasshoppers. Every time I go to check on the zucchini and summer squash I am startled by their rattle. They are quite the noise makers.


Yes, it is time for tomatoes! The ripening process is well under way and each day a few more change from green to orange to red. You will find a few bright red slicers in you bin or bucket. It looks like we will continue to have a  nice supply of tomatoes to enjoy for the next few weeks. Please remember to store your tomatoes on your kitchen counter. Tomatoes do not like the cold temperatures and the texture and flavor will suffer if they are stored in the refrigerator.


What to expect to find in your bin or bucket:

Watermelon
Tomatoes
Green Beans
Eggplant                                                                 
Here come the tomatoes!
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Onions
Cabbage
Sage

Small Share:

Watermelon
Tomatoes
Cabbage
Green Beans
Shallots



.... and eggplant too.






Are you wondering what to do with the eggplant, sage, or green beans? Below are some recipes that include these items as ingredients.




French Green Beans and Shallots

JACQUES PEPIN  YIELD 4 servings  TIME 21 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 cups water
1 pound very small, firm green beans, cleaned
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons peeled and chopped shallots
¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice

PREPARATION

Bring the water to a boil. Add the beans and cover the pot. Continue cooking the beans, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.
At serving time, heat the butter in a skillet, add the shallots and saute for about 1 minute, until the shallots start to brown.
Add the beans, salt and pepper, and saute briefly. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve with the chicken.


Pasta With Butter, Sage And Parmesan

MARK BITTMAN  YIELD4 servings  TIME20 minutes

Like many simple sauces, this one takes less time to prepare than the pasta itself. Fresh, fragrant sage is my choice of herb here, but substitutions abound. Try parsley, thyme, chervil or other green herbs in its place. Or cook minced shallot or onion in the butter until translucent. You may even toast bread crumbs or chopped nuts in the butter, just until they're lightly browned. In any case, finish the sauce with a sprinkling of Parmesan, which not only adds its distinctive sharpness, but also thickens the mixture even further.


INGREDIENTS

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cut pasta, like ziti
2 tablespoons butter
30 fresh sage leaves
1 cup or more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; salt it. Cook pasta until it is tender, but not quite done.
Meanwhile, place butter in a skillet or saucepan large enough to hold the cooked pasta; turn heat to medium, and add sage. Cook until butter turns nut-brown and sage shrivels, then turn heat to a minimum.
When the pasta is just about done, scoop out a cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta. Immediately add it to the butter-sage mixture, and raise heat to medium. Add 3/4 cup of the water, and stir; the mixture will be loose and a little soupy. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until some of the water is absorbed and the pasta is perfectly done.
Stir in cheese; the sauce will become creamy. Thin it with a little more water if necessary. Season liberally with pepper and salt to taste, and serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table if you like.




Miso-Glazed Eggplant


MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  YIELD Serves 4 as an appetizer or side dish  TIME 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 long Japanese eggplants or 4 small Italian eggplants (about 3/4 pound)
 Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil, plus additional for the baking sheet
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sake
2 tablespoons white or yellow miso
1 tablespoon sugar

PREPARATION

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and cut off the stem and calyx. Using the tip of a paring knife, cut an incision down the middle of each half, making sure not to cut through the skin, but cutting down to it. Salt the eggplant lightly and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with sesame oil.
Blot the eggplants with paper towels and place, cut side down, on the baking sheets. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is beginning to shrivel and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the eggplants over, and preheat the broiler.
To make the glaze, combine the mirin and sake in the smallest saucepan you have and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, taking care not to boil off much of the liquid, then turn the heat to low and stir in the miso and the sugar. Whisk over medium-low heat without letting the mixture boil, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sesame oil.
Brush the eggplants with the miso glaze, using up all of the glaze. Place under the broiler, about 2 inches from the heat, and broil for about 1 minute, until the glaze begins to bubble and looks shiny. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool if desired or serve hot. To serve, cut the eggplant halves on the diagonal into 1- to 1-1/2-inch slices.

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