Week #12
- Lettuce
- Kale or chard
- Parsley or cilantro
- Basil
- Cabbage – don’t let it languish, try the roasted cabbage I recommended last week. It will keep for several weeks in the fridge, but more cabbage are on the way
- Broccoli – hopefully enough for everyone this week, it is trickling in and not coming to a head in an organized fashion.
- Green onions or “Purplette”our small salad red onion
- Garlic
- Zucchini – finally coming on like we had expected
- Cucumbers – trickling in and hopefully enough for everyone to taste, not to worry we have many more on the way
- Sugar snap peas – likely the last as the heat will knock them out until next year!
- Potatoes – we change from red to yellow!
We continue to plug away at the greenhouses, pulling out spring and adding summer and fall. Greenhouse #3 still looks naked without plastic and half of the crops going to seed. We still have winter squash and pumpkins to get in the ground and no beds to put them in. The fava beans were pulled out last weekend and will be replaced with Brussels Sprouts. Unfortunately we are low on space with some of the crops planted taking more space than allocated. We harvested the first tomato, but it was a bit early and the tomato did not have that rich flavor we have been craving since last fall. They are still a few weeks off, but we should all be eating them by the end of next month.
Juve will send one of his cows to the butcher for ground beef. Sign up in the barn and leave a deposit.
Next weekend is the fourth of July. We will harvest Sunday and you can pick up anytime through Tuesday (if you are a Sun/Mon pick-up). There are tons of blueberries for you pick in our neighborhood. The Callahan’s are open daily and are about 3 miles west of our farm ((503) 647-5358) West Union Gardens (http://www.westuniongardens.com/) is open for cane berry picking M – S 8 am to 8 pm. The Schoch dairy http://www.schochdairy.com/ is open for business as well with organic farm fresh milk. The are just 1 mile from our farm.
We hope you have a great week, see you around the farm.
Sesame Cabbage
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 dried red chili
1 head Cabbage, chopped
3/4 cup water
1 tsp salt
“Popu”
1 1/2 tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola, etc.)
1 dried red chili, cracked
1 pinch fenugreek
1/4 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed
Dry roast sesame seeds and dried red chili in a pan over medium heat. Stir often until majority seeds are brown. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, grind in a food processor or blender with 1/2 tsp of salt. Excess ground sesame can be stored in the refrigerator for further use. To cook cabbage over medium heat, add chopped cabbage to 3/4 cup boiling water + 1 tsp salt. Cook until cabbage is desired texture. Once cooked, drain excess liquid. Add 1/4-1/2 cup ground sesame. Turn off heat.Prepare the “popu” in a separate pan by combing all ingredients, heating over medium heat, and waiting for mustard seeds to crackle. Once ready, add to cabbage, stir and heat over low heat for 1 minute. The “popu” can be prepared when the cabbage is nearly finished.
Cabbage and Potato Pancakes (from Simplicity – from a Monastery Kitchen)
1/2 head small green cabbage
4 large potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
3/4 c milk
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
a small bunch of parsley, chopped
8 TBS vegetable or olive oil
- Quarter the cabbage and steam it for about 6-7 minutes. Drain and chop the cabbage finely.
2. Place chopped cabbage, grated potatoes, and chopped onion in a big bowl. Mash them thoroughly with a masher and mix them well with a spatula.
3. In a separate deep bowl beat the eggs. Add the milk and beat some more. Add the cabbage-potato-onion mixture. Add some salt and pepper and the chopped parsley. Mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Refrigerate 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 250. To make the pancakes use a crepe pan or nonstick skillet. In the pan heat about 1 tablespoon of oil (each time) to low-med and pour in about one eighth of the potato mixture. Flatten the mixture evenly with a spatula and cook over medium heat until the pancake turns brown at the bottom. Turn the pancake over carefully and continue cooking the other side. When the pancake is done, slide it carefully onto an ovenproof platter. Repeat the process until all the pancakes are done. Keep the pancakes in the warm oven until ready to serve.
ANDY’S FAVORITE CABBAGE
Sliced green cabbage
sliced onion (red, green or white)
olive oil
salt
pepper
white wine
Sauté the onion and cabbage in oil, then add wine, salt and pepper. This is a magnificent dish.
Sunday Chili
Adapted from the Vegetarian Times ||| the reasons I like this recipe: it’s healthy, it’s easy to make and easy to adapt to what I have on hand. (any kind of bean, fresh or canned tomatoes, any alliums: leeks, green garlic, ‘regular’ onions, etc, any kind of bell pepper (I personally don’t care for green) or leave the pepper out, etc. you get the idea. -Julia) AND it freezes well in smaller portions for when I’m having one of ‘those’ days!
3 cups dry kidney beans (I used canned, you can use nearly any kind of bean you have on hand)
2-3 onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 colored bell pepper, chopped
1-2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
1/2 cup diced unpeeled potatoes
2 cups chopped tomatoes, or 10 oz. can tomatoes, with liquid
1 to 2 tbs chili powder (or mix this with fresh hot peppers, finely chopped)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
5 cups water or vegetable broth (I used broth)
salt and pepper to taste
Soak beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain. Put beans in slow cooker. (Or skip all this and use canned if in a hurry) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, water sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 to 5 min. (or oil sauté them in a tablespoon cooking oil) add bell pepper, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 3 min; transfer to slow cooker. Add rice and broth, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Season to taste. Serves 8
Zucchini pizza crust (makes 4-6 servings)
Crust
3 ½ cups grated zucchini
3 eggs beaten1/3 cup flour
½ cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
½ cup parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
Topping
Use your favorite pizza toppings
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Combine all the crust ingredients, and spread into an oiled 9 X 13 inch pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface is dry and firm. Brush the top with a little oil and broil it, under moderate heat, for 5 minutes.
Pile all you favorite pizza toppings on and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.
Zucchini-Ginger Cupcakes With Cream Cheese-White Chocolate Frosting
Makes about 24 cupcakes
If you want to gild the lily, make rosettes out of candied zucchini ribbons: Boil 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar for 5 minutes. Shave ribbons of zucchini into syrup and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until zucchini is translucent. Drain, air dry and curl into rosettes.
Ingredientsa
Cupcakes
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 packed tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup toasted chopped pecans (see note)
Frosting:
- 4 ounces chopped white chocolate, plus 1 ounce shaved white chocolate (divided)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Dash vanilla
- About 24 slivers crystallized ginger (optional garnish)
Instructions
To make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (use a regular oven, not convection).
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the oil and the sugar and mix until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the zucchini and pineapple and mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Remove from the mixer and fold in the crystallized ginger, coconut and nuts. Fill 24 cupcake liners about three-quarters full with batter. Bake just until the center springs back slowly, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and cool.
To make frosting: Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high (100 percent power) for 30 seconds. Stir, microwave another 15 seconds, then stir until all chocolate is melted.
Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a mixer and whip until very smooth. Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar (start the machine up slowly so you don’t wear the sugar). Mix the frosting until very smooth. Add a dash of vanilla and mix well. Remove from the mixer and fold in the melted white chocolate. Frost the cupcakes and top with the shaved white chocolate and a sliver of crystallized ginger.
Note: To toast nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake in 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until they start to brown.
Zucchini and Egg Casserole
Sauté 3 cups of Zucchini chopped
1 medium onion
crush 2 cloves of garlic
Mix: 4 eggs
1/4 cup dried or fresh parsley
1/2 cup parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Then add to above and mix well. Place in an 8 X 8 baking dish gently oiled with butter or pam. Bake for 25 minutes and then add 1 cup of jack cheese to the top of the dish.
CAULIFLOWER GRATIN WITH GRUYERE AND HAZELNUTS
1 medium cauliflower
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup crème fraiche (see note)
¾ c. shredded gruyere cheese
3 Tbsp. bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. flat parsley for garnish
Butter a 2-quart baking dish or gratin pan. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut cauliflower into small florets. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add cauliflower florets to pot and cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes. Drain florets and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Toss cauliflower with crème fraiche and half the cheese in the prepared baking dish. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheese over cauliflower, then top with bread crumbs and hazelnuts. Bake on center rack until cheese has melted and bread crumbs and nuts are golden, 20-25 minutes or more. Garnish with parsley. Serves 5 or 6. Note: you can make crème fraiche by whisking 1 cup whipping cream with 1/3 c. sour cream in a nonreactive bowl. Let stand at room temperature until thickened, 6 hours or longer; then cover and refrigerate. Makes about 1 1/3 cups. From Foodday.
This recipe uses 3 of this week’s ingredients all at once!
Sara’s Great Frittata Recipe:
2 lbs summer squash
Salt
Green onions(healthy fistful chopped)
Basil leaves(fistful again)
2 garlic cloves
4 eggs
1/4 Cup oil
1 Cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 Cup parmesan/pecorino cheese
The summer squash, green onions, and basil make a wonderful frittata.
In the main bowl of a food processor, grate about two pounds of summer squash. Put the squash in a colander and lightly salt. Leave to drain, and put the chopping blade in the food processor. Add a healthy fistful of onions and the leaves from a bunch of basil. Toss in a couple garlic cloves if you have them, and pulse until well chopped. In a big bowl, mix around a cup of flour with a couple teaspoons of baking powder and about a half cup of grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese. Lightly beat four eggs and a quarter cup of oil (if you’re feeling decadent and there are no vegetarians in the crowd, add a couple spoonfuls of bacon grease). Put the grated squash in a thin clean dishtowel or heavy duty paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid. Combine all the ingredients in the big bowl. You should have a thick, fragrant batter. Pour the batter into a greased 13×9 baking pan and sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees until golden, about 30-45 minutes (it depends on the moisture left in the squash). When cool, cut into squares and serve.
These make great appetizers or savory treats at a tea or coffee!