• Radicchio
• Leeks
• Potatoes
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Green peppers
• Stuffing peppers
• Hot peppers
• Herb (parsley,cilantro,thyme)
• Winter squash
• Fennel
• Cauliflower or cabbage
• Onions 

Welcome to the first winter harvest of 2022. We are excited that there is still so much variety for you to enjoy. I will likely write less and include more recipes as the season wears on. We have a lot of veggies these first few weeks so look at the recipes below and use them up as they will keep coming for the first three weeks and then spread out. Use the tender things first and know that the onions, leeks, cabbage, radicchio and winter squash will all hang out at your house much longer. The winter squash can last months!

Here is the harvest schedule again:

12 harvests  

October 30

November: 6, 13

December: 4, 18

January: 8, 22

February: 5, 19

March: 5, 19, 26

It is a great time for brassicas. They are enjoying the cooling weather and will get sweeter as the temperature drops. We are still harvesting the majority of our crops from the field. As the season progresses we will move inside the hoop houses. Some of you may be sad (I know I am) that there are very few radishes this season. I did not get them planted on time, and those that I did stayed small and got lanky and did not produce good roots. I will aim to get some quick radishes into the next beds that become available, but the beautiful daikon of the past and the watermelon radishes will not be had this season. I may try some yummy spring turnips. Our problem with these types of crops are the pests. The root maggot loves them and to keep them off we have to use row cover (remay). It is an agricultural fabric and has to be thin enough to let the light in and heavy enough to keep the pests out. As with everything farming it takes a lot of trial and error for each crop.

 We made delicious stuffed peppers. I charred the peppers and then put them in a brown paper bag. Later I peeled and seeded them. I stuffed them with sauteed corn off the cob and onions and a cheese mix. I pan fried them without batter or much oil and they were YUM.

Our broccoli is huge and has some insect friends . We recommend you wash it well and consider lightly boiling it to encourage the remaining insects to come off. I plunged the broccoli into salted  boiling water for 3-5 minutes and then just enjoyed it. You could finish it with sauteed garlic and tamari if you wanted. This looked like a great way to eat up all that broccoli: (it uses you potato, leek and onion!) https://www.alphafoodie.com/vegetarian-broccoli-cheddar-soup/

The parsley seems huge and it is time to make prezzemolo (Italian parsley pesto with some lemon  – so good!) try this recipe: https://www.insidetherustickitchen.com/parsley-pesto-recipe-fresh-and-easy/

Or this version – do not skip the lemon juice! https://www.thelastfoodblog.com/parsley-pesto/

Radicchio is an acquired taste. It is sometimes bitter. I always soak mine in an ice water bath for at least 15 minutes and sometimes longer when I can plan. Juvencio and I attended the Sagra del Radicchio https://www.culinarybreedingnetwork.com/events/2022/10/28/sagra-del-radicchio

On Friday, it was so fun. We tasted 15 different dishes with wonderful winter vegetables and got inspired for later in the season and next year! We learned about different winter squash varieties, dry farming tomatoes and a way to preserve those tomatoes through the winter. I will promote this event and more next year so that more of our subscribers show up.

 Best radicchio salad recipe per the NYT:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018662-radicchio-salad-with-anchovy-vinaigrette

Other radicchio recipes:

• https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/radicchio-pear-and-arugula-salad-recipe-2125979
• https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chopped-romaine-and-radicchio-salad-3549237
• Ottolenghi’s radicchio salad: https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/three-citrus-salad-green-chilli-stem-ginger-crunchy-salsa-del-sunday/lBUfdWKo

I will sign off for now.

• Tromboncino winter squash (see the recipes below)
• Celery or celeriac (make the amazing sounding salads below!)
• Radicchio
• Broccoli or cauliflower ( we found some huge ones out there!!)
• Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Fennel
• Eggplant or ?
• Cucumbers or zucchini
• Herb- cilantro, parsley or thyme

The last harvest of the 2022 regular season. Finally, the rain has come just in time to help our cover, crop germinate, and then hopefully get established before the cold sets in. We hope to be able to till in some new area where we anticipate growing squash and corn next year. The ground squirrels are the bane of our existence. They’re eating squash, pumpkins, radicchio and fennel. And we worry about bringing in new area when we can’t even keep them from our old, but such as farming, we will keep on trying. 

Ballots should have arrived in the mail this past week, it’s time for us to re-acert

 ourselves and make sure that our democracy is strengthened and valued. With so much going on in the world and locally in our own state, it is vital that we cast our vote. Sometimes that voice feels meek, and like we’re calling into the void, but we must all remember that without our voice we are agreeing with the status quo.

The winter harvest begins next Sunday. I am sorry for those who wanted a tiny break from cooking vegetables at home, but there is just too much beautiful produce out there to wait. The broccoli is coming in weeks after we anticipated. The lettuce is slow, the tomatoes continue to produce until we get our first hard frost. Juvencio and I managed to get our entire winter greenhouse tilled, composted  and transplanted. Now to catch the gopher. We hope this week we will be able to pull crops from the field and then cover crop. The ground is still so hard that we can’t prep the areas between the vegetables without covering them with a blanket of dust. I will have to say goodbye to my flowers for now and hope to get cover crops spread in their beds. I still have some beautiful bouquets for sale today.

Each year I seem to take one more bed from the indoor greenhouses to cultivate early and late flowers. Until I get my own hoop house exclusively for flowers I will continue to take a teeny bit of vegetable space. There is a small chance I will get my wish and have a hoop house exclusively for flowers. There is still plenty to do at the farm during these fall days and heading into the winter. It is hard to remain motivated, but we look to the spring with anticipation, and that’s what keeps us going. We have tons of weeding, we have many beds inside the greenhouses that have to be turned over And we have fall bulbs and garlic still to get in the ground time is running out. If you want to get your hands dirty in the fall or winter, just let us know we can point you in the direction of all the beds that need to be weeded. This is mostly indoor or covered work so you don’t even have to get wet.

We still have a few spaces for the winter harvest. There are 12 harvests starting October 30 and running through 26 March. We would love to hear from you about whether or not you will continue in 2023. With rising costs on everything and the threat of recession, it makes sense that you get your vegetables with us. You pay one price for the entire season you know you’ll get high-quality organically grown local produce. We hope you will stick with us and tell your friends and recognize the value of the service that we offer.

We offer a thanksgiving harvest that will include salad, pie pumpkins. Spinach, winter squash and more. The cost is $40 and should be prepaid. We will have treats out for your eyes and taste buds. I am working on ceramics when I am not working on other more pressing things. I will start making winter wreaths next weekend and make as many as I can before Thanksgiving. We will have sunflower face bird feeders and a few wreaths from wheat and the like as well for sale that weekend. I am always open for ceramic commissions and now is the time to let me know so I can have them done by December.

I will sign off for now. We would love your feedback on the season. What did you enjoy? What would you like to see more of? What would you like to see less of? Send us an email.

Here are some recipes to enjoy:

Sue Kass highly recommends this treat!

Chickpea and eggplant ratatouille

1lb eggplant, cut into large chunks

3/4 lb zucchini,  cut into large chunks

1 lb Roma tomatoes cored and chopped or 1 28oz can,  drained and chopped

1 onion, sliced

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced

1 large fennel bulb,  cut into large chunks

5 cloves garlic,  halved

1/4 c olive oil

3 c cooked or canned/drained chickpeas

Salt,  pepper

1 Tb chopped fresh thyme or rosemary,  or 1/2 c chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat oven to 425.  Combine all ingredients except chickpeas and herbs in a large roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

Roast,  stirring occasionally,  for 30-40 minutes until tomatoes are giving up their juices to create a sauce.

Add chickpeas,  stir,  and return to oven to heat through,  then stir in fresh herbs and taste to adjust seasoning before serving

Here is how to use that huge Tromboncino squash you may get this week:

https://www.pulcetta.com/zucchetta-pomodoro-tromboncino-squash-tomatoes.html

Here is a whole post from another farm on tromboncini and how to use and eat check it out:

https://www.theorganicfarm.net/?p=1106

Excerpts here:

Tromboncino Winter Squash Soup

Use tromboncino that has hardened off and is tan – and not green.

• 5 lbs (uncooked) tromboncino squash or butternut squash
• 1-2 yellow onions
• 3 cubes vegetable bullion
• drizzle of half & half or heavy whipping cream
• olive oil
• 8-12″ rosemary branch
• cumin
• salt
• black pepper
• red pepper flakes
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• cilantro (garnish)
• plain yogurt (garnish)

Cut the squash into 6″ sections and split each one evenly down the middle.  Place all sections cut side up in glass baking dishes.  Cut onions into wedges and place in a baking dish.  Drizzle all vegetables with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bake or roast in the oven at 350-400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.  While baking, fill a stock pot with 2-3″ of water.  Add vegetable bullion cubes, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, cumin, red pepper, & the ends of the onions.  Simmer on low until the squash is finished in the oven.  When the squash is cooked, remove it from its shell and place it in the stock along with the roasted onions.  Simmer this mixture, stirring and mashing often, for at least 15 minutes, preferably longer, to let the flavors marry.  When it’s done, stir in a good drizzle of half & half or heavy whipping cream and mix thoroughly.  Add salt to taste and adjust seasonings.  Remember to remove woody rosemary stalks and bay leaves before blending.  Ladle the chunky soup into a food processor or blender and puree.  It will take several batches to get it all so have a second pot ready.  When serving, add a couple of spoonfuls of plain yogurt to the center of the bowl and sprinkle with cilantro.  Great with a toasted bagel!

Melba’s Tromboncino Casserole provided by Tess Burke (Melba approved)

Ingredients

• Tromboncino Squash, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
• Egg
• Bread crumbs or panko
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Garlic, thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Grated cheese, such as white cheddar or any flavourful cheese

Cooking instructions

Place egg in bowl and beat.

In another bowl combine grated parmesan and bread crumbs or panko.

Place a sheet of parchment paper to the side.

Dip Tromboncino slice into egg batter and then into egg and cheese mixture, pressing into the crumbs to make them stick to the squash. (sometimes I double this step to get a thick crumb coating on the squash).

Lay the coated squash slices on the parchment sheet until all slices are coated.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the slices of squash on either side until crispy but be careful not to burn them.

Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with olive oil and place slices of garlic to cover the bottom of the dish.

Layer fried squash slices on top of garlic, season with salt and pepper and grate cheese over the top of these slices.  Create another layer of fried squash, salt and pepper and cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 10 mins until the cheese browns.

I also layer this dish with a layer of sliced fresh tomatoes between the two layers of squash.

This recipe looks delicious for that giant squash:

Tromboncino squash with tomatoes

by Simona Carini

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Keywords: saute side gluten-free kosher low-carb vegetarian vegan tomatoes onion tromboncino squash Italian

Ingredients (Serves 5)

• 1 1/2 pound tromboncino squash
• Extra-virgin olive oil (in a mister)
• A small (3 oz.) onion, possibly of the variety called cipollini, finely diced
• 1 cup / 240 ml slow-roasted heirloom tomatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Wash the squash and cut it into 3/8-inch / 1 cm slices, then cut each sliced into quarters, adjusting your cutting to accommodate the curves of the squash.

Generously oil the bottom of a 10 inch / 25 cm deep sauté pan and warm up, then add the onion and stir well to coat. Let the onion cook on low heat until softened, then add the squash and stir well. Turn up the heat to medium-low and cook for a a few minutes, then cover the pan and turn the heat to low.

Cook until the squash is tender, stirring now and then. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Continue to cook on gentle heat briefly to make sure the tomatoes warm up. Sprinkle the oregano, salt and pepper on the squash and stir well for one last time. Remove from the heat and serve.

An awesome sounding recipe with Celeriac and fennel and parsley:

https://www.feastingathome.com/creamy-celeriac-fennel-soup/

Winter salad with Fennel, celery root (celeriac):

https://food52.com/recipes/35736-a-winter-salad-of-fennel-celery-root-lemon-and-pecorino

Ingredients send grocery list

• 1 small bulb celery root
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 1 small red onion
• 1 large lemon (or 5 tablespoons lemon juice)
• (a shallow 1/2 cup or 15 grams) chopped parsley
• (a heaping 1/2 cup or 80 grams) thinly sliced pecorino cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon crunchy sea salt
• 25 turns black pepper
• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 7 tablespoons quality olive oil

Directions

1. First, prepare the vegetables. Start by peeling the celery root. If you have a mandoline with a julienne blade, use that to cut the celery root. Otherwise, by hand; aim for pieces 1/8-inch x 1/8-inch. Next, trim the fennel so that just the bulb remains. (If you have fronds, you can chop and add them to the salad.) Cut off the heel of the bulb, and then slice the bulb in half lengthwise. On a mandoline or by hand, slice each half crosswise, more thinly than the celery root. Cut the red onion in half lengthwise, and slice into wispy half moons. Toss the vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
2. Juice the lemon into the mixing bowl. With your hands, mix the juice evenly into the vegetables. Chop the parsley, and add it to the bowl. Thinly slice the pecorino–I used a mandoline again, but you can also do this by hand. Add the salt, pepper, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil to the bowl. Use your hands (or tongs) to evenly blend the salad ingredients. Divide the salad between plates; enjoy. You may drink the dressing that collects at the bottom of your bowl. I won’t judge.

• Sweet Peppers
• Hot peppers
• Radicchio
• Cilantro or parsley or thyme
• Tomatoes
• Spinach or arugula
• Eggplant is back?!
• Winter squash
• Celeriac
• Zukes or cucumbers
• Fennel
• Broccoli or cabbage
• Escarole or lettuce
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Green Beans or cherry tomatoes for tomatillos

We pulled off the annual harvest festival last Sunday without a major hitch. The atmosphere was more subdued than years past but the farm felt open and the food was delicious.It was great to have families enjoying our space and to see so many happy faces. It felt like we created a sense of community, one of our primary goals in growing food this way.I learned that watching “Chef’s table Pizza” on Netflix could be helpful but not the gospel. We appreciated the help from so many that came and prepped and helped us clean the barn and surrounding areas. 

As we near the end of the season we contemplate what went well and what could have gone better. We look forward to your feedback on what you enjoyed and how we can improve. Farming is always humbling. We have some control and assume that we have done things “right” when we have successes and blame ourselves when things don’t go as planned. Weather has a lot to do with it, dumb luck and hard work.

We still have space for a few more subscribers for our winter share. We will be dishing up veggies all winter with an every other week harvest schedule. November is packed as we continue to supply our members with late summer and fall crops. Come December we slow down and give you greens and the like until February when other leafy greens are available. We look forward to serving up delicious food for you and your family 12 months a year.

Helvetia is once again threatened as are all rural areas in Metro with a new decision to be made on October 18th. Washington County commissioners will decide on a Defacto Westside Bypass that would enable commuters to speed through productive farmland and important habitat. Do not delay, Please take action today: https://friendsoforegon.salsalabs.org/wa_ord_883_ Let the commissioners know that you are watching and that farmland is important to you, even if you do not live in this county, now is the time to act to protect our farm, your food and agricultural land all around our area.

Please remember to vote! Get informed about what is on the ballot and vote. Make no mistake about it, our democracy is fragile and at risk. We must all do our part to help get people elected that will make intelligent decisions and support a woman’s ability to choose and work to right the wrongs of a nation built on slavery – make reparations.Her is the link to Oregon Voter Guide put out by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters: https://theoregonvoterguide.com/ballot

Here is the link to Planned Parenthood of Oregon Endorsements: https://ppaoregon.org/elections/

What to make this week:

1. Eat a radicchio salad!! Escarole is great in salad too!

• https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/radicchio-pear-and-arugula-salad-recipe-2125979
• https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chopped-romaine-and-radicchio-salad-3549237
• Ottolenghi’s radicchio salad: https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/three-citrus-salad-green-chilli-stem-ginger-crunchy-salsa-del-sunday/lBUfdWKo

2. Enjoy roasted veggies!! Winter squash, onions, fennel, broccoli
3. Use that celeriac:
   1.  Ottolenghi’s Celeriac and tart apple salad: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/27/apple-and-celeriac-salad-recipe
   2. The best celeriac recipes: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/15-best-celeriac-recipes-article
4. Love that Fennel!! I just slice it and eat it. Thanks to my sister Dee I have learned to grow and love fennel, actually one of my fall and winter favorites. I will be transplanting more this week to fill our greenhouse for winter. 

• Tomatoes 
• Fennel 
• Cucumber or zucchini 
• Red pepper 
• Hot pepper 
• Parsley/ cilantro 
• Cabbage 
• Onions 
• Potatoes 
• Radicchio
• Spinach/ lettuce / escarole

Our annual harvest celebration is back on and will happen later today. We can fire up the pizza oven and make around 75 pizzas. This year we’ve created a menu. I will try and stick by that recipe. We’re making the Rosa dad cheese pizza with sliced red onion inspection on top make famous by Chris Bianco in Phoenix Arizona. We will make the cheese lovers, the meat lovers, margarita, and a mushroom pizza. Our amazing mushroom farmer collaborators at Cloudcap; Chris and Amelia have donated some beautiful mushrooms for us to put on top of those delicious pizzas. There will also be a veggie pizza featuring all of the wondrous vegetables from the farm.  We are hoping guests will bring food to share and drinks for more.

Juvencio and Kody have been working hard to ready the farm for the party. It is so nice to get the blackberries cut back and the lilacs pruned. Jacob and Courtney are visiting from Alaska and lent a hand yesterday as well. I spent the hours after the farmers market making pizza dough. This is an all hands on deck affair. I have not had time in my pottery studio so there will be no ceramics for sale until Thanksgiving. I do have tons of bird feeders made from sunflower heads for sale. I have a few wreaths for decorating for fall. My sister Diane has several framed prints available for purchase in the barn so get here early for the best selection.

There are 15 spaces left in the winter share. The season runs from October 30 – March 26: Here are the harvest dates:

There are 12 harvests over 5 months. Cost is $430

 Here is the schedule: 

October 30

November: 6, 13

December: 4, 18

January: 8, 22

February: 5, 19

March: 5, 19, 26

Sign-up today!

Also there is a Thanksgiving harvest! This will cost $40 pre-paid and be available for pick up November 20th at the farm and if there are PDX pick-up site members who want the share I am sure we can pull together a group to pick up

Finally, the cover crop got planted for our OSU trial. I measured and seeded the crop and  Juvencio got to use the subsoiler that we purchased last year to bury the seed and now we just wait for the rain. This week we plan to loosen the soil between each planted bed and then seed clover with their new Jang three hopper seeder. We are excited to get as much of our farm growing cover crop. We were amazed at how much nitrogen and biomass cover crop can contribute to our soil with minimal effort on our part. For us it’s particularly tricky since we grow year round and have quite a limited space. This means that most of our crop land is occupied by growing food and there’s not a lot of space to fallow. This year instead of intercropping, which is seeding the cover crops among our cultivation we will seed the paths.

If you have not gotten your covid booster of flu shot yet you can get it by signing up here: https://virginiagarcia.org/getmyvaccine/. This year is likely to be a very big year for Flu as evidenced by  the surge in cases in the southern hemisphere. Covid is also likely  to surge.

 The Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation fundraising effort “Prospera!” was a grand success. Over $300,000 was raised to support the new Wellness Center in Newberg. Thank you to all those that contributed!

Try Ceviche!

Ceviche

https://www.eatperu.com/ceviche-recipe/

Chris Bianco’s Rosa Pizza Recipe:

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chris-biancos-pizza-rosa

Make a fennel salad!

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/shaved_fennel_salad/

• Fennel
• Radicchio or escarole (if you get an odd looking radicchio it is Puntarelle – text me and I will send a video and recipe to you to guide you through how to prepare it.)
• Lettuce or Spinach
• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Hot peppers
• Stuffing peppers
• Cucumbers, or summer squash
• Onions 
• Potatoes 
• Leeks
• Basil
• Herb (cilantro, parsley, or thyme)
• Eggplant, or green beans, or tomatillos or radishes

It was nice to have a bit of rain. Of course the tomatoes split but the dust around the place settled for at least a few hours. We have been busy contemplating the clean-up of this place. Notice that not a lot of action has taken place but we will keep plugging away and hope to have something presentable by next weekend. We are inviting you to the farm to celebrate the fall harvest. Come party at La Finquita October 9th from 2-6 pm. Pizza from the oven, potluck and music. Cider pressing in the orchard.

I continue to transplant into any available bed. Juvencio worked his magic on greenhouse #2 after the goats cleared most of the plants. I just need a few hours to get in there and transplant the spinach, fennel, scallions, lettuce and more. I hope to seed arugula and beets. We will see. 

We measured the area for our cover crop trial and now I have to get out there and seed. There are 9 different trial beds with different seed. Every year I feel out of practice and by the 8th or 9th bed feel like I know what I am doing. We bought a 3 hopper Jang seeder in the late spring. I will use that seeder to get cover crop in between every row we have planted. Our goal this year is to have as much as possible seeded with cover crop to increase our spring yields. It is already October and so much of our farm is still in production it is a delicate balance to get it cover cropped. I wish for 2 more hours each day.

It is Radicchio and Fennel time of year! Lots of unfamiliar looking veggies. Here are some photos to help you out:

Puntarelle

Fennel

Radicchio

Winter share will have lots of different types. They get sweeter with frost. Remember to soak in ice water for at least 15 minutes.

Here is the escarole:

Link to David’s Escarole Soup with Beans:

Escarole Soup with Beans and Meatballs

Tartine’s Radicchio salad: https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-bar-tartines-chicory-salad-with-anchovy-dressing-recipes-from-the-kitchn-218917

Roasted Leeks and Potato Vinaigrette

Serves 4. 1 hour prep

2 large leeks,  cut in half lengthwise,  cleaned and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths

1 lb red potatoes washed and cut into 1” dice,  or very small potatoes left whole

1/2 c dry white wine

salt and pepper

1/4 c EVOO

1 TBs champagne or sherry vinegar

1 Tb lemon juice

Garnish:

1-2 hard boiled eggs (optional)

1 Tbs chopped italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400.  Combine leeks and potatoes in a baking dish large enough for them to sit in a single layer.  Toss with the wine,  salt and pepper and 2 Tbs of the olive oil.  Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for 30 minutes.  Uncover,  raise heat to 450 and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the leeks are just beginning to color.  Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients except garnish.  Allow to cool.  To serve push the eggs through a sieve and season w/salt and pepper,  arrange over the leeks and potatoes and sprinkle with parsley

Italian Potato-Pasta Soup with Greens and Fennel

6-8 servings,  1 hour prep

3Tbs evoo

2 c diced onion

1 c diced carrot

1 c diced fennel

Salt, pepper, 1 bay leaf,   sprig thyme

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp paprika

2 Tbs tomato paste

3 quarts vegetable broth or chicken broth

2 lbs potatoes,  peeled and cut into 1” chunks

8 oz kale or chard, stems removed and sliced into 1/2 “ ribbons

1/2 lb dried orchiette,  pennette or other small pasta

for serving:

1 Tb finely chopped fresh rosemary or marjoram,  freshly grated parmesan

In a large heavy soup pot,  heat 3 Tbs oil until it shimmers.  Add onion, carrot and fennel,  stir.  and sprinkle w/salt and pepper.  Cook,  stirring often until softened and golden.

Stir in herbs, garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook,  stirring for 1 minute.  Add broth,  potatoes and a large pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil,  then reduce to a simmer. Cook 10-15 minutes until potatoes are cooked through but still firm.  Taste and adjust the seasoning pan.

Stir in kale and pasta and simmer for another 10 minutes or until pasta is done.  Alternately,  soup can be made up to this point without the pasta ,  cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days)

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan and fresh herbs.

Leek Fritters

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Yotam Ottolenghi’s ‘Plenty’ Cookbook

For the sauce:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup sour cream

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley leaves

2 cups finely chopped coriander leaves

For the fritters:

3 leeks

5 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2/3 cup olive oil

1 fresh red chili, seeded and sliced

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

3/4 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg white

3/4 all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 large egg

2/3 cup milk

4 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Start by making the sauce. Put all the sauce ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, blitz together until a uniform green, then set to one side.

Cut the leeks into 3/4-inch thick rounds, rinse and dry. Over medium heat, sauté the leeks and shallots in a pan with five tablespoons of oil until soft, about 15 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and add the chilli, parsley, spices, sugar and salt. Leave to cool.

Whisk the egg white to soft peaks and fold it into the vegetables. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, egg, milk and butter to form a batter. Gently mix this into the egg white and vegetable mixture.

Put two tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Spoon the mixture into the pan to make four large fritters, and fry for two to three minutes a side, until golden and crisp. Transfer to kitchen towel and repeat, adding oil as needed, until the mixture is used up. Serve warm with the sauce on the side or drizzled over. I garnished the fritters with some chopped fresh chives and chive flower for show.

Red Pepper Enchilada Sauce

3 Tbs neutral oil

1 small red onion, roughly chopped

4 large red peppers, cored/seeded and roughly chopped

2 medium tomatoes,  sliced into thick wedges 

4 cloves garlic,  peeled

1 jalapeño (seeded if you want milder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 450.  Grease a large baking dish with 1 Tbs of the oil.  Add the rest of the ingredients,  sprinkle with the remaining oil and toss to coat.

Roast until soft and starting to brown,  about 1 hour,  stirring every 15 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and then scrape into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth—voila!  enchilada sauce!

Eggplant Dal

1/4 c neutral oil

1 c finely chopped yellow onion

1 large (about 1 lb) eggplant peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes

2 Tbs ghee

1 Tbs each minced garlic,  minced ginger

1 red or green serrano chile,  finely chopped

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

1 medium tomato,  cut into 1/4” pieces

1 c red lentils,  rinsed

chopped cilantro and basmati rice or naan for serving

In a large dutch oven, heat oil over medium.  Add onion and eggplant and season w/salt and pepper.  Cook until eggplant is well softened and starting to break down,  about 8 minutes.  Add 2 Tbs water and stir up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.  Cook until the water is absorbed,  then transfer to a bowl.  

Melt ghee in the pot over medium heat.  Add garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and coriander,  and stir constantly until fragrant,  about 30 secs.  Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally,  until completely broken down and starting to caramelize,  about 8 minutes.  Stir in eggplant mixture.  Add lentils to the pot and 3 c water and season w/salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil and then cover,  reduce heat to medium low and simmer until lentils are tender and mixture is thickened,  about 15 minutes.  Season to taste w/salt and pepper then serve with naan or rice and garnish w/fresh cilantro.

 

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.

 

 

Tomato Bisque ( Family Favorite)

Use fresh tomatoes 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

• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Hot peppers
• Cucumbers or summer squash
• Spaghetti squash( sorry promised last week and promptly forgot to put it out)
• Radicchio or escarole (Soak these leaves in ice water for 15 – 30 minutesL read instructions below to enjoy this tasty salad and avoid the bitter)
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Basil
• Thyme or parsley

We spent some time turning over summer crops into fall and winter items. Some of the beds will be put in cover crop this week or next. We aim to get as much space as possible cover cropped so that nutrients are returned to the soil. It will likely be a wet winter so we will take that into consideration as we set plans for spring.

We set our herd of goats and sheep to work on clearing one of our hoop houses. Within a few hours it had gone from 3 foot tall weeds to a bunch of sticks. After their second pass it looks like it is ready to plant. We hope to get this space ready by the end of the week so that we can have winter greens and the like ready for you to enjoy.

We let you know last week that we will hold a scaled back harvest festival on Sunday October 9th from 2- 6 pm. We will fire up the pizza oven and ask you to bring some potluck items. Masking when not able to socially distance is requested. We feel a strong need to reconnect with our community. We hope you will join us and reconnect to the farm

The covid bivalente booster is now available for all those people age 12 and up. You can get the booster if you are 8 weeks past your last booster or vaccination series. You should get your booster along with the flu vaccine as soon as you can. You can schedule an appointment through our Virginia Garcia community Covid Vaccination clinic at : https://virginiagarcia.org/getmyvaccine/

Join our annual fundraising gala event:  Prospera! Virtual event and contribute to the work we do at Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center: https://www.avcast.me/prospera2022

Recipes to enjoy this week:

A nice Bean and radicchio salad from last year:

Week #27, 2021 | La Finquita del Buho CSA

Another Pepper pizza recipe:

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/mediterranean-roasted-red-pepper-pizza/

Radicchio Recipies:

https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/radicchio-recipes/?utm_source=emailshare&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-share-gallery&utm_content=20220925

Radicchio with Hot Honey Vinaigrette:

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/radicchio-with-hot-honey-vinaigrette-and-cotija?utm_source=onsite-share&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=onsite-share&utm_brand=bon-appetit

30-Minute Peppers Pizza

Peppers pizza is the perfect substitute for the real thing! You get all the wonderful flavors of pizza without a doughy crust. 

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Resting time 5 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 294kcal

Author Vered DeLeeuw

Ingredients

• 3 medium bell peppers
• 3/4 cup sugar-free pizza sauce I use Rao’s
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• Your choice of toppings (I use pepperoni and olives)
• Olive oil spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a small rectangular rimmed baking dish with olive oil. The baking dish that I use is from Sur La Table. It measures 10 X 7 inches and holds about 2 quarts. 
2. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Remove their core and membranes. You can remove the stem or cut around it gently to leave it intact. 
3. Arrange the peppers in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. 
4. Layer the filling: Spoon 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce into each bell pepper half. Top with 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella, 2 more tablespoons of sauce, and finish with 2 more tablespoons of mozzarella. 
5. Add your toppings. I like to use pepperoni (2-3 slices per pepper half) and sliced black olives.
6. Lightly spray the peppers with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, 20-30 minutes. Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Htipiti – Greek Red Pepper and Feta Dip

A creamy and spicy dip made with roasted red peppers and feta cheese. Spread it on everything!

Course Meze

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 serves

Calories 272kcal

Author Peter G

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers cleaned and sliced in half white membranes removed
• 200 g feta cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp chilli flakes dried
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C / 180 deg C fan-forced. Clean your peppers and slice them in half. Place on a lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes until the skin blisters and is dark.
2. Place the roasted red peppers in a small bowl and cover with a plate. Make sure the plate provides a seal. We want to sweat the peppers and make it easier to peel the blistered skin.
3. Remove the plate after ten minutes and clean the peppers by peeling the charred bits.
4. Place the roasted red peppers, feta cheese, olive oil, chilli and seasonings in the food processor. Blend until the mixture comes together and forms a paste.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours and serve later.

Notes

1. You can opt to use fresh chillies if you prefer.  The spice level is up to you!

Pasta Peperonata with Tuna and Olives 

Cherry tomatoes and a colorful combination of bell, sweet, and banana peppers are teamed with four pantry powerhouses to make a flavorful sauce for spaghetti: jarred tuna, golden raisins, Kalamata olives, and Parmesan cheese. 

Prep: 40 mins 

Total: 50 mins 

Servings: 4 

Lennart Weibull

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced 
• 1 1/2 pounds mild peppers, such as bell, sweet, and banana, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (4 cups) 
• Kosher salt 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon) 
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped 
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved 
• 1 basil sprig, plus 1/3 cup fresh leaves, sliced if large 
• 12 ounces spaghetti 
• 1 jar (6 to 7 ounces) tuna in oil, drained and flaked 
• 2 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (1 cup) 
• 1 finger pepper or other hot pepper, thinly sliced into rounds; or 1 dried hot pepper, such as cayenne, crushed 

Directions

• Step 1
• Heat a large straight-sided skillet or shallow pot over medium. Swirl in oil. Add onion, mild peppers, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have collapsed and are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, raisins, olives, and basil sprig. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have collapsed and release their juices, and sauce thickens to a stew-like consistency, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and discard basil.
• Step 2

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain. Transfer spaghetti and 1/2 cup pasta water to skillet with sauce and continue cooking, tossing a few times, until sauce thickens slightly and clings evenly to pasta, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add tuna, half of cheese, and finger pepper, tossing until evenly combined. Add more pasta water, a little at a time, until sauce evenly coats pasta again. Stir in basil leaves and serve, topped with remaining cheese and a drizzle of oil.

• Radishes
• Tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet peppers
• Eggplant
• Potatoes
• Leeks
• Tomatillos or pineapple tomatillos or green beans
• Basil (make that pesto!)
• Grapes and other fruit
• Hot peppers
• Cucumbers (they are fading fast enjoy them while you can)
• Summer squash (also nearing the end)
• Spaghetti squash
• Onions

The weather really shifted this week. Last Saturday we were full of smoke. It was predicted to get up to 94° .Today the skies are cloudy but the air is clear and the weather will reach a max of 71. This truly feels like fall. Crops on the farm are feeling the same shift, we see the powdery mildew that shows up with dewy mornings. All of the winter squash is harvested and it is a very poor showing. The new appearance of the squash bug has really affected production and it looks like we will struggle with this bug from now on.

On a good note we have decided that at this stage in the pandemic we can hold an outdoor event. We will hold our annual harvest festival for the first time since 2019. We hope people will come and enjoy connecting with our community. We will fire up the pizza oven and ask that you bring your favorite pizza topping and a dish to share. Bring your own plates, utensils and cups. We will  have cider pressing in the orchard. And it will be good to gather again at the farm and reconnect.

Mark your calendars for October 9th from 2-6 p.m. La Finquita Harvest Festival is on!

Juvencio is excited and is sending another steer to the butcher. If you want beef in the form of a quarter to a half a steer which will include your choice of steaks, stew meat and roast please contact Juvencio. The butcher date is set for December so you have a little bit of time but don’t linger, you will miss the opportunity.

We appreciate when people show up to help harvest. We struggle to bring in these large harvests alone. As I look ahead we have 5 more weeks and only one person has signed up.

 We also have space for our winter share and encourage you to sign up now so that we can anticipate and plan. Please feel free to encourage friends and neighbors to reach out to us by email to join the abundance of winter veggies.

Recipes for this week:

Spaghetti Squash Gratin with Basil serves 6 as main, 8 as side

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs)

1 Tb EVOO

1 medium onion,  finely chopped

2 cloves garlic,  minced

3 large eggs

1/2 c. Milk

1/4 c chopped fresh basil

1/2 c grated gruyere cheese

2 Tbs fresh grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 375.  Pierce the squash in several places with a sharp knife. Cover a baking sheet w/foil and place squash on top—bake for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes until soft and easy to cut into.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Cut in half,  remove seeds then scoop out flesh and place in a bowl.  Run a fork through the flesh to separate into spaghetti like strands,  then chop coarsely.  Measure out 4 cups.  (set aside any that remains for another dish or freeze for later use)

Oil a 2 quart gratin or baking dish.  Heat the oil over medium heat in a large heavy skillet and add the onion and sauté, stirring,  until tender.  Add garlic and generous pinch of salt,  cook a few minutes more.  Add the squash.  Cook, stirring often until the strands are a bit more tender.  Season to taste w/salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl.  Add the milk, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste and basil.  Stir in the squash mixture and the gruyere and combine well.  Scrape into the prepared baking pan.  Sprinkle parmesan on top and press down gently.

Bake 40-45 minutes at 375;  allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.  Can be made up to a day ahead and reheated.

Moroccan-Spiced Spaghetti Squash

Adapted from Gourmet

Serves 4

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, if you’re cilantro-averse

To cook the squash in a microwave: Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes.

To roast the squash, two methods: If you’d like to roast the squash whole, pierce it all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting and bake it in a 375°F oven for one hour. If you are good with a big, sharp knife, you can save some time by cutting the squash in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and roasting the halves face-down in an oiled baking pan for about 40 minutes in a 375°F oven.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is barely golden. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat.

If you have microwaved or roasted your squash whole, carefully halve it lengthwise (it will give off a lot of steam) and remove the seeds.

Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin. Toss with the spiced butter and cilantro. 

Farro with Blistered Tomatoes,  Pesto and Spinach (or chard/kale/beet greens)

1 c farro,  rinsed

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion,  peeled,  quartered and cut into 1” edges

2 Tbs EVOO

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 c homemade or store bought pesto

1 lemon,  zested and juiced

2 c packed baby spinach

1 4oz ball fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks (optional)

1/4 c chopped fresh basil or parsley

Heat oven to 40.  Bring a large pot of salt water to boil.  Add the farro and adjust the heat to maintain medium boil,  cook,  uncovered until tender and not too chewy,  about 30 minutes

Meanwhile,  on a sheet pan,  combine tomatoes with onion wedges and oil,  then season w/salt,  pepper and red pepper flakes.  Roast until tomatoes blister and start to deflate,  25-30 minutes.

When the farro is done, drain and then pour into a large serving bowl.  Toss with some EVOO,  then mix in the pesto.  Add the lemon juice and the zest,  then stir in the spinach.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Scrape the tomato mixture and juices into the farro,  season with salt and pepper as needed.  Add cheese,  if using,  then garnish with fresh herbs and serve.

Peperonata (serves 4-6)

1/4 c olive oil

2 onions, diced

3 garlic cloves,  thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

5-6 sweet  bell peppers,  diced or sliced

5 ripe tomatoes, peeled,  seeded and neatly diced

Heat olive oil in a wide skillet.  Add onions, garlic, bay and thyme and cook over medium high heat,  stirring frequently,  until onions are lightly colored,  about 10 minutes.  Add peppers, season with 1/2 tsp salt and raise the heat.  Cook briskly until the pepper softens,  then add the tomatoes and reduce heat to medium.  Simmer for about 15 minutes,  season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Use for bruschetta or with pasta or eggs.

Rajas 

2 poblanos chiles

2 large sweet peppers

1 small onion,  thinly sliced

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbs vegetable oil

Salt

Fresh limes juice

Roast and peel the poblanos and bell peppers by halving and seeding them, placing skin side up on a baking sheet and cooking at 400 until softened and skins are wrinkled—allow to cool and then peel away skins.  Cut the chiles and peppers into strips 1/2 inch wide,  place in a bowl and pour any juices from the pan over them.  Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until just starting to brown.  Combine with the peppers and season with salt.  When ready to serve,  add a little lime juice

These will keep covered for several days in the refrigerator.  Use in quesadillas, enchiladas, omelets, etc.

Red Peppers Stuffed with Corn and Fresh Mozzarella

2 red peppers,  halved lengthwise

2 Tbs butter

1 bunch scallions,  thinly sliced

2-3 cups corn kernels 

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

4-5 oz finely diced fresh mozzarella or 1 c grated cheddar or Monterey Jack

3 Tbs finely sliced fresh basil leaves

2/3 c bread crumbs

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.  Lightly butter a baking dish just large enough to hold the peppers.  Steam the peppers for 5 minutes and set aside

Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Add the scallions, corn and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.  Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese, basil, and 1/2 the bread crumbs.  Pack into the pepper shells and top with remaining bread crumbs.  Set them in the prepared dish,  add a few tablespoons of water to the bottom of the dish, cover tightly with foil and bake for about 25 minutes.  Uncover and broil to brown tops.

Cherry Tomato and Olive Relish

2 pints cherry tomatoes,  halved or quartered if large

24 nicoise or kalamata loves,  pitted and halved

1 Tbs capers, rinsed

1 Tbs chopped parsley

2 tsp chopped marjoram

10 basil leaves,  thinly sliced

1 Tbs EVOO

Salt,  pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Combine ingredients and serve with polenta, bruschetta, or mashed potatoes

Ottolenghi Chunky Minestrone with Basil Paste

1 large eggplant, cut into 3-4 cm chunks

120 ml EVOO

2 red peppers,  halved,  de-seeded and cut into long strips 2cm wide

2 zucchini,  cut into 3-4 cm chunks

2 onions,  peeled and halved,  then each half cut into 4 wedges

2 beef tomatoes, halved and each half cut into 3-4 wedges

300 grams cherry tomatoes

2 liters vegetable stock

80 g vermicelli egg noodles, angel hair pasta or thn rice noodles

100 g green peas,  fresh or frozen

70 grams pecorino cheese,  coarsely grated

salt and pepper

Herb oil:  25 g parsley, 30 g basil, 60 mL EVOO

To make the herb oil, place the ingredients in a blender or food processors with a pinch of salt and blitz to form a thick paste.  Set aside

Preheat the oven to 450.  Toss the eggplant chunks with 3 Tbs olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt and grind of black pepper.  Transfer to a baking tray and roast for about 35 minutes.  Set aside

Meanwhile, toss the peppers, zucchini and onions in 3 Tbs evoo and roast on a baking tray for about 30 minutes,  stirring once or twice while baking.

Place all the tomatoes in a bowl with the remaining 2 Tbs of oil, salt and pepper.  Toss,  transfer to a baking sheet and roast about 20 minutes

Bring the stock to a rapid boil and add the pasta.  Cook until al dente.  

To serve,  spoon all the roasted veggies into the base of a large flat bottomed bowl and ladle over the stock and the pasta.  Top with peas and pecorino and finish with the herb paste—serve immediately.

5 great eggplant dishes:

https://heated.medium.com/5-dishes-that-reinforce-the-greatness-of-eggplant-642e59bf875f

• Carrots or beets or beans
• Eggplant
• Sweet peppers
• Hot peppers
• Basil (whole plants! Make pesto this week! We made 15 jars to freeze)
• Cucumbers
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Onions
• Potatoes

Juvencio saw the ENT specialist and had his nose re-broken. He had to spend part of the week recuperating. Farm tasks have been put on hold. As we continue to clean and prep my mother’s house for sale there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Yesterday Juvencio helped me set up the farmers market booth and then raced back to complete farm tasks. After 8  hours at the market we went into Portland to continue work on my mom’s house. The truck is full of items to donate and a dump truck full of waste.  We look forward to having this chapter behind us. We head back in today to load up more and prepare for the cleaners.

The hot and extremely dry weather has sparked fires and horrible air quality. Our plants are desiccated and our farm is under the eerie glow of an orange sun. We will be out there getting the harvest. We have cut the list some to make it go faster. Any help we can get will be much appreciated, wear a mask if you can tolerate it to help protect your lungs.

We have room in our winter share so send us your deposit. I know it seems like the veggies will never end, but winter is coming and you will want to have veggies in your fridge and on your tables. Winter is a time for roasted vegetables and warm soups. Join now to ensure your family has the very best all year long.

Recipes for this week:

Vegetable Tian

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more

2 large white or yellow onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. chopped thyme

1⁄4 tsp. crushed chile flakes

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 1⁄2 lb. small, firm eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 1⁄2 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Basil leaves, to garnish

Instructions

Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, chile flakes, and garlic. Cook 2 minutes more.

Heat oven to 400°. Spread the cooked onion mixture in the bottom of a large earthenware baking dish, about 9 by 13 inches. Arrange the zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes in alternating rows: Start by making a row of overlapping zucchini slices, standing them vertically on edge. Follow with a row of eggplant, then a row of tomatoes in the same manner, packing the rows tightly together. Continue until the baking dish is filled. Sprinkle the surface of the vegetables generously with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and continue baking for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the vegetables are quite tender. Cool dish to room temperature to allow flavors to meld—the tian absolutely tastes best at room temperature. To serve, garnish with torn basil leaves.

Balkan Eggplant/Red Pepper Spread (Ajvar)

• 4 large red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
• large eggplant, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt Instructions
  • Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  • Arrange the peppers and eggplant halves skin-side-up on the lined-baking sheet. Scatter the garlic around the vegetables, then drizzle with the olive oil and season lightly with salt. Bake until the peppers and eggplant are lightly charred, about 15 minutes. Set aside at room temperature to cool slightly.
  • Transfer the cooled vegetables to a food processor and purée until smooth. Season to taste with more salt as needed. Use immediately or spoon the sauce into an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

• Carrots or beets or beans
• Lettuce or cabbage
• Eggplant
• Sweet peppers
• Hot peppers
• Basil (whole plants! Make pesto this week!)
• Cucumbers
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Tomatillos or padron peppers
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Herbs (mint, parsley or thyme)

With the record breaking heat farm work has been hard to squeeze in with  harvesting at all those odd hours. Finally on Thursday with a break in the weather we thought some work might get accomplished. Juvencio was gathering the eggs and a rooster charged him. He was running to teach that rooster a lesson and he hit the bridge of his nose on a chicken perch. He was knocked out and broke his nose. He is Ok, but his nose is crooked and he has two black eyes. He has been doing a little around the farm as he recovers, the question is who taught whom that lesson?

Juvencio managed to till two beds in the high tunnel where I hope to transplant tomorrow, winter crops that will be sweet with the kiss of frost. I have spinach and fennel and celery to get in. We have so much to harvest and clean and transplant. Hopefully Tuesday will be the last hot day. Flowers continue to explode but once the rains start they will retreat. Enjoy those zinnias while you can. 

I was back at the farmers market yesterday. The market master “forgot” we needed two full spaces and could not find a spot for us in the main market. We had to split our dried flower and fresh flower business. Polly sold our wreaths and bird feeders and I arranged and sold fresh flowers. Luna helped cashier for an hour in the morning rush, but it was pretty exhausting. I then headed into Portland to sign paperwork with my  mom and her realtor. Her house goes on the market at the beginning of October. There is so much to do!! We packed more boxes and shared precious items with my sister. I got home at 9:15 p.m., ate Thai take out, made a few bird feeders and fell asleep.

My studio is now empty. If you want to purchase a wreath, reach out to me or better yet come see me at the Beaverton Farmers Market, Saturdays thru October from 8:30-1:30. I have material to make special orders especially if you can wait a tiny bit. I did have the biggest selection last week.

Off to harvest. Please consider showing up to help us harvest. These are huge harvest with more tomatoes than any family can handle. We need volunteers. We have not been giving fruit as we have not had the help to harvest. You can pick our apples and black berries, just ask us to point you in the right direction.

Tomato Tart

FOR THE CRUST (PÂTE BRISÉE)

• 1 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams), cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

FOR THE FILLING

• 3 large very ripe tomatoes, heirloom or other, sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick (about 1.5 pounds)
• Coarse or kosher salt
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 cup (15 grams) basil leaves, loosely packed
• 2 cups (25 grams) parsley leaves, loosely packed
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard (double if it you like mustard; skip if you don’t)
• 2 ounces (55 grams) hard cheese, thinly sliced or coarsely grated (see Note)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Make the dough: Place flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add egg and water to the food processor, pulsing to incorporate. Pulse until dough comes together. Turn out dough onto a sheet of parchment and shape into a disk. Place another sheet of parchment on top and roll out to an 11-inch disk. Slide onto a plate or tray and freeze for 10 minutes, until firm but not so hard that it will crack when bent. Line a 9.5-inch tart pan, preferably one with a removable bottom, with the dough. [A pie dish or cake pan lined with parchment could work as well, just keep the sides 1-inch high.] Trim excess dough (reserve in the fridge for patching) and prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes, until solid. 

Bake shell: Preheat the oven to 375ºF with rack in center. Place the tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Weigh the crust down with parchment paper and pie weights, dried beans, or rice (that you don’t plan on using for anything else). Bake crust for 20 minutes. Remove parchment and weights. If there are any cracks or breaks, you can patch with the remaining dough. Bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool.

Make the filling: Meanwhile, place tomato slices on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with salt.

Combine garlic, parsley, basil, and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil and pulse until a spreadable paste forms. You might need to scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times. If making the herb mixture in advance, store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed against its surface.

Blot tomatoes with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Using a small spoon or offset spatula, spread Dijon mustard evenly on the bottom of the crust. Evenly distribute cheese on top. Dollop with herb mixture and gently spread to cover in a thin layer. Top with tomatoes, overlapping. Cut smaller pieces of tomatoes to fill gaps. The tomatoes shrink while roasting, so keep them snug and the tart pan full. Lightly brush tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Bake tart: Until tomatoes are softened and the crust is golden, about 50 minutes and up to 1 hour, until the tomatoes are deeply roasted. Allow to cool slightly then serve warm or at room temperature.

Eggplant, Tomato & Potato

Recipe from Plenty More, by Yotam Ottolenghi

ingredients

4 medium tomatoes, cut into a half inch dice

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon sriracha or other hot sauce

2 medium eggplants, cut into 1-1/4 inch chunks

1 cup olive oil

1-1/4 cup sunflower oil

1-1/3 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into slices 1/8 inch thick

1/2 cup tahini

2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, crushed

6 eggs, freshly poached

1 teaspoon sumac

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped

salt and black pepper

instructions

Place the tomatoes in a colander for 30 minutes to drain. Transfer to a bowl and add the shallot, vinegar, parsley, sriracha and a 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix gently and set aside. Mix the eggplants with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, place in a colander and set over a bowl for half an hour to remove any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and pat dry. Pour all but two tablespoons of the olive oil into a skillet or sauté pan along with all of the sunflower oil. The oil needs to reach about a 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Place over high heat and, once hot, add the eggplant in batches. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside while you continue with the remaining batches. Leave the oil to cool and pour it into a jar. You can use it again in the future. Wipe out your pan. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, and set aside to dry. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the sauté pan and place over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a grind of black pepper and fry for 10 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time until the potatoes are cooked through and golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Place the tahini, 1/4 cup water, 1-1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the garlic, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk until you have a thick, pourable consistency. Spoon half of this sauce over the potatoes and spread the eggplants on top. Follow this with the remaining tahini sauce and then spoon over the tomatoes. Poach the eggs just before you are ready to serve and then lay them on top of the tomatoes, along with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sumac and cilantro, and the last drizzle of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

PAN FRIED TOMATOES WITH CUCUMBER SALSA

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp maple syrup

6 multicoloured tomatoes, medium-ripe (about 6), halved through the stem

4 sprigs za’atar oregano (or regular oregano)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife

Cucumber salsa:

120g cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped into 1 cm cubes

15g chives, finely chopped

5g za’atar oregano (or regular oregano), leaves picked and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

1 tbsp capers, drained and finely chopped

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

Flaked sea salt and black pepper

METHOD

1. Add the oil and maple syrup to a medium frying pan and place it over a medium heat. Sprinkle the cut side of the tomatoes all over with 1 teaspoon flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the tomatoes, cut side down and sprinkle the other side with ½ teaspoon flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry for 10-12 minutes, until starting to colour on the bottom, then gently flip over and fry for 4-5 minutes more. Add the oregano sprigs and smashed garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and lightly caramelised and the garlic is browned. Some tomatoes will soften faster than others; gently remove them as they’re ready and arrange them on a serving plate. Once all your tomatoes are done, add them to the plate and pour over the fried garlic, oregano and any of the liquid from the pan.

2. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the cucumber salsa together and season with ½ teaspoon flaked salt and a good grind of pepper. Spoon half this mixture all over the tomatoes, serving the remaining alongside.

Chopped salad with tahini and za’atar

The addition of tahini paste to a familiar tomato and cucumber salad is a revelation. Serves four.

6 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1cm dice

2 mini-cucumbers, trimmed and cut into 1cm dice

1 red pepper, seeds, stalk and pith removed, cut into 1cm dice

5 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle

15g coriander leaves, roughly chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt

200g feta, cut into 4 rectangular blocks (optional)

4 tbsp tahini

2 tsp za’atar

Put the chopped tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl for 20 minutes. Discard the resulting juice and put the tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, spring onions and coriander in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, oil and half a teaspoon of salt, and stir gently to combine.

To serve, arrange the feta (if using) on four plates and spoon the salad on top, making sure some of the feta remains visible. Pour a spoonful of tahini over each portion and finish with a sprinkle of za’atar.

• Zucchini
• Green peppers
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Basil 
• parsley or thyme 
• Cabbage or celery
• Eggplant
• Hot peppers
• Cherry tomatoes 
• You pick black berries !

We had a great crew of harvesters last Sunday that made the huge harvest go so much faster. Thank you to everyone who showed up and lent a hand. We finished so quickly that we had time to weed two beds of fall cauliflower and still get done by 10:00 a.m. We appreciate our members.

The imperfect climate bill passed in the senate last week and here is where to read more: https://www.democracynow.org/2022/8/11/an_imperfect_climate_bill_confronts_a

It is a start and an amazing feat although it falls short on so many areas. We will keep active in the fight to protect our planet. We continue to support leaders that move the climate agenda forward.

With the help of our Swiss guests including four-year-old Jari and two-year-old Joni we pulled the last bed of onions. We bunched them all and moved them up to the second story of the barn. This is a bumper crop of onions and shallots. Once they are dried down and the greens have completely shriveled we will put them in bags and place them in storage. Juvencio turned over the beds adding fresh compost, feather meal and gypsum and I came through and planted overwintering cauliflower and overwintering purple sprouting broccoli and of course another bed of radicchio.

I seeded  the Daikon radish and regular radishes and small white turnips. Some that we will enjoy in about a month and hopefully through the winter. We had a real hard time getting lettuce to germinate this summer. Our small group house that we use for germinating is just too hot and lettuce resents the heat. As year round  farmers for planting and turnover of crops never ends. We will have a few beds that we will not replant for this season but rather put in cover crops to provide nutrients to the soil for the upcoming season. I always find it hard to leave a bed with the intention of cover cropping but it is best for the soil. We will move on to seeding and transplanting in the greenhouses for the winter.

As I mentioned in weeks past we do offer a winter subscription of 12 weeks of vegetables over the course of five months. You may feel inundated with vegetables now but come November when the days are short we will long for something fresh and seasonal brussels sprouts to roast winter squash to make soup and the ever present radicchio for delicious winter salads. There’s still space in the winter season and I encourage you to sign up now to reserve your spot. You could even tell a friend about the virtues of winter vegetables and get them to sign up as well.

As you know I have a deep love for Flowers and I got excited on our car ride out to the coast and read about more greenhouse cultivation of flowers for early spring. I came back and immediately seeded all sorts of goodies (flowers) for production for next spring. I also took some leftover seedlings that I’ve been meaning to get out in the garden and put them in a bed in the greenhouse. I hope for early foxglove and sweet William and ranunculus in the spring. I may even try early sweet peas.

I am off to harvest and Sue is on a much needed vacation so here are some quick recipes to wet your appetite for summer cooking.

Here is what I am cooking tonight:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12763-north-african-meatballs

 With the cucumber and tomato and onion salad and fresh corn on the cob. I am also going to make a blackberry crumble! Yum – summer.

Here are some recipes to enjoy:

Asian style red cabbage salad:

Author: Chris Scheuer

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Servings: 8

Calories: 53 kcal

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 8 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 1 medium red bell pepper finely chopped
• ½ medium red onion finely chopped
• ¾ cup finely fresh cilantro or parsley
• 1 medium Fresno pepper or jalapeno

Instructions

For the dressing:

1. Combine lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt and pepper in a small jar. Shake well to combine. Set aside.

For the salad:

1. Combine cabbage, bell pepper, Fresno pepper and red onion in a medium-size bowl. Toss well to combine. Drizzle with all of the dressing and toss again. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Add herbs and toss just before serving. Garnish with extra fresh herbs.

A version of the cucumber and tomato salad you will enjoy:

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Another version:

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/37311/tomato-onion-cucumber-salad/