- Zucchini
- Basil
- Herb( parsley or thyme)
- Cherry tomatoes
- Tomatoes for slicing including heirlooms
- Hot peppers
- Sweet peppers (Red – Ace and Carmen the later being pointed and elongated, so sweet)
- Lettuce or radicchio (reminder Radicchio can be bitter, soak in ice water for 15 minutes to remove the bitter)
- Potatoes
- Kale or chard
- Onions
- Eggplant or tomatillos
- Cucumbers
- Leeks
- Fruit: plums, pears , grapes and apples ( choose 10 pieces)
It seems like evenings are shorter and the mornings are darker all of a sudden we are in fall. I now wake up in the pitch black and yesterday left for the farmers market while it was still dark. I noticed that I have just about until 745 to cut my flowers outside until it is too dark to see them, oh how fast the summer passed it’s really time for you to enjoy the summer veggies. With a threat of rain coming at the end of the week.
As we head towards the end of the season we turn towards the winter harvest. For many years now we have done a limited winter share. This consists of 12 harvest usually every other week for the five months from November through March. It is a little more tenuous as weather can be tricky. The schedule we anticipate is three harvest in November, to harvest in December, January, February and three harvest in March. We try to give at least eight items per week and provide you with fresh greens to enjoy on a weekly basis. We hope to have winter squash, Leeks, brussels sprouts, arugula, lettuce, radicchio, kale, collards, herbs, overwintering broccoli, overwintering cauliflower and more. We have space available for 45 to 50 subscribers so please either sign up in the barn or send me an email send us a check for $100 as a deposit. The total cost for the winter season is $400.
Juvencio and I continue to turn summer crops into fall and winter production. Juve has done an amazing job clearing five tractor loads of weeds from greenhouse number five to allow me to transplant spinach, arugula and lettuce for late fall harvest. The melons and cucumbers in our high tunnel are nearing their end and within the next few weeks that will be cleared and planted for winter as well. The winter squash harvest is upon us. We hope to get most if not all cleared from the beds in the next few weeks to get ready for cover crop planting. I spend most nights and spare moments crafting wreaths and bird feeders for the farmers market until my material runs out!
Time to head out to harvest.
Tomato Bisque ( Family Favorite)
Use fresh tomatoes1 to make a luscious creamy tomato soup2. It is quite easy to make and much more tasty than canned cream of tomato soup. If you are lucky enough to grow your own tomatoes or have a good farmer’s market nearby, you can easily freeze tomatoes without the fuss of canning, and they will also taste fresher than canned. Simply wash, pat dry, place whole tomatoes in a freezer zip-top bag, suck out the air with a straw, seal, and freeze. When you thaw them, the skins will slip right off, and they are ready to go.
Ingredients:
· 3 Tablespoons butter (can use olive oil to make it dairy-free and vegan)
· 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
· 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (I never add this)
· 2 cups water
· 4 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into pieces (I use far less, often just tomato juice)
· 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
· 6 whole cloves (I use ground cloves, this is key!)
· 1 teaspoon salt
· Freshly ground black pepper
· 1 cup medium or whipping cream (I never add this, I simply use the vitamix and it tastes like it has cream!0
Preparation:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and toss to coat. Stir over medium heat until the onion is tender. Sprinkle on the flour and continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture foams. Stir in the water and bring to a boil.
Measure out 3/4 cup of the tomato3 pieces and set aside. Add the remaining tomato pieces to the boiling mixture. Stir in the brown sugar and cloves. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, at the gentle bubble for 30 minutes.
Transfer to a food mill and force through. Return to the saucepan and stir in the reserved tomato pieces. Blend in the salt, pepper, and cream. Place soup4 over medium heat and warm gently, but do not boil.
Yield: 6 servings
Tomato and Sweet Pepper Salad
adapted from The Vegetable Market Cookbook by Robert Budwig
3 sweet peppers
4 ripe tomatoes
1/4 preserved lemon (or 2 teaspoons grated zest with some of the lemon’s juice)
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed pinch sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 t black pepper
Grill or roast peppers, remove skins, cut into small cubes and set aside. Blanch tomatoes for 15-20 seconds in boiling water. Drain and remove skins and stems. Cut in half and remove seeds. Cut into small cubes. Rinse the preserved lemon under running water and remove the pulp. Cut the rind into fine dice. Arrange peppers, tomatoes and lemon in a dish. Mix remaining ingredients to make a dressing and pour over the salad. Mix well
Toro Bravo’s Radicchio Salad
- 2 to 3 heads radicchio
- 1/4 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup good-quality sherry vinegar
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 + 1/2 cups Manchego, grated and divided
In a large bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, and chopped red onion (I used 1/2 of a large red onion). Let it sit for 1 hour and then strain out the onions. (you can keep the pickled onions for another dish if you like)
Remove core from the radicchio and chop into 1-inch pieces. Place the chopped radicchio in a large bowl, fill with cold water and some ice cubes. Let it sit for 15 minutes to remove some of its bitterness, strain and then spin in a salad spinner until dry.
Add the honey and olive oil to the strained vinegars and whisk well, I use this stick blender which works great. Depending on the size of your radicchio you may not need all the dressing.
Toss the radicchio with the dressing until evenly coated. Add 1 cup of finely grated Manchego, salt, and toss again.
To serve, top the salad in a serving bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup grated Manchego. Serves 4-8.
Adapted from Food52’s Toro Bravo recipe
Cherry Tomato and Olive Relish from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 or 2 yellow or other tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
24 nicoise olives, pitted and halved (I use the already pitted kalamata from trader joes, I chop them roughly for this recipe)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped marjoram (I use oregano when I don’t have marjoram available)
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the olives, capers, and herbs. Moisten with the oil, then season to taste with the S & P & lemon juice. Serve right away, or at least within the hour of making it.
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes 4 servings
2 baskets Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Finely chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon Finely chopped rosemary
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mix tomatoes, onions, parsley, rosemary, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and let tomatoes marinate at room temperature at least 1 hour, but preferably 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally. Enjoy with crostini or as a side dish.
Cherry Tomato & Avocado Salad
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons chopped scallion or other mild onion
1 cup (approx.) chopped avocado
2 tablespoons chopped herb (such as parsley, cilantro, dill….)
optional vinaigrette to coat (whirl 2 T lemon juice or vinegar, 1 small clove garlic, 1 t mustard, pinch salt and pepper, with 1/2 cup olive oil in blender.) Gently mix all ingredients. Serve. (The avocado is optional but delicious)