Week 14 Newsletter 2018

Hello Everyone,     

We are making our way through a deep pile of ripe tomatoes. After another incredibly warm weekend it looks like there will more vine ripened tomatoes that will be ready to be picked this week. Yes, the bays may be getting a little cooler in the middle of September but we are swimming in produce this time of year!

What to expect to find in your bin this week:

Purple Plums
Nectarines
Melon
Tomatoes
Spaghetti Squash
Peppers
Leeks
Carrots
Arugula/Lettuce

and in your bucket:                                                    

Melon
Carrots
Tomatoes
Peppers
Arugula

Here are a couple of recipes for this week.

Carrot Cake Muffins

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
YIELD 12 muffins
TIME 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
⅓ cup raw brown (turbinado) sugar
⅓ cup canola oil
1 ⅓ cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup golden raisins tossed with 1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour, or 2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 ½ cups grated carrots

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the rack in the upper third of the space. Oil or butter muffin tins.
Sift together the whole-wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Using a whisk or a spatula, stir in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Do not beat; a few lumps are fine, but make sure there is no flour at the bottom of the bowl. Fold in the raisins or pecans and the carrots.
Spoon into muffin cups, filling them to just below the top (about 4/5 full). Place in the oven, and bake 25 minutes until lightly browned and well risen.

Tip
Advance preparation: These keep for a couple of days out of the refrigerator, for a few more days in the refrigerator and for a few months in the freezer.

Tomato and Carrot Marinara Sauce

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
YIELD 2 1/4 cups (about eight servings)
TIME 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ pound carrots, peeled and finely diced 1/4 inch dice or smaller, or finely chopped in a food processor fitted with a steel blade 1 1/2 cups
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and grated, or peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice
⅛ teaspoon sugar
1 sprig of fresh basil, if available
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

PREPARATION


Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, wide nonstick skillet or saucepan. Add the carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute until the garlic begins to smell fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar, basil sprig, salt, tomato paste and oregano. Stir, and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the basil sprig, and wipe any sauce adhering to it back into the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings.