Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Newsletter

Tuesday July 22, 2008

Greetings CSA Members,
What an amusing sight I was Sunday evening, attempting to milk the goats in between the thunderstorms. Each time I thought the coast was clear, I would head out to the barn. Once I had a goat in the stanchion and I was beginning to milk, it would start to thunder. Frantically I would milk as fast as I could, yank the goat back into the pen, and run for the house. Now this happened three times and by 9:00, as a teary-eyed farm wife, I was absolutely pathetic! So there you have it - true confessions from a CSA Farmer. And so now it is your turn. I would love to share in a newsletter some “True Confessions From a CSA Member”. For example, one week, a lovely CSA member approached me and whispered that she identifies the various vegetables each week by process of elimination. I informed her that she was not alone and that no question was ever too small or too foolish. So if you have an embarrassing moment that you would be willing to share as you have discovered what is and what is not in your weekly share or how you created some wonderful new dish such as Strawberry-Swiss Chard Pie (thinking that the Swiss Chard was rhubarb), please send me your anecdote via email.
I am also including a piece that Rebeca shared with me from Cook’s Illustrated and I thought would be valuable.

WHICH VEGETABLES SHOULD BE STORED WHERE

BEST in the FRONT of the FRIDGE: corn (after wrapping in a wet paper bag placed inside a plastic bag) and peas

BEST in the CRISPER: artichokes, asparagus (after trimming the ends and placing upright in shallow cool water, then covering with plastic), beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chiles, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh herbs, green beans, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce (after washing and drying, rolling loosely in a clean kitchen towel inside an unzipped zip-lock bag), mushrooms, peppers, radishes, scallions, summer squash, turnips, zucchini

BEST on the COUNTER: tomatoes (stored upside down)

BEST in the PANTRY (where it's both dark and cool): garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash

WHEN to WASH VEGETABLES: just before using them since moisture encourages mold which encourages spoilage; if you do wash beforehand, dry before putting into the fridge

ORIGINAL PACKAGING: Cook's Illustrated suggests storing produce in their original containers that have often been especially designed to keep the produce fresher. (Note: Their story does seem to be oriented to supermarket vegetables that have been bred for long shelf lives under certain conditions.)

This week in your share, you will most likely find:
Lettuce, Red Gold Potatoes, Onions, Green Beans, Fairytale Eggplant, Cucumbers, Summer Squash/Zucchini, and Basil

Enjoy your share - Justine

Zucchini Bread

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 eggs, slightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
* 1 cup shredded zucchini
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, ginger, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add oil, eggs, lemon juice and peel, shredded zucchini, and chopped walnuts. Stir to blend. Do not over mix.

Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool zucchini bread in pan on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn zucchini bread out of pan and cool completely on rack.

Zucchini in Pecan Brown Butter (Gourmet Magazine)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup pecans (1 oz), coarsely chopped
1 lb zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup parmesan curls (shaved with a vegetable peeler from a piece of parmesan)

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook pecans, stirring, until golden brown and butter is browned.

Add zucchini with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve zucchini topped with parmesan curls.

New Potato and Cucumber Salad (with fresh herbs)

2 pounds red-gold potatoes
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped salad onion
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes; cool. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes and place in large bowl. Add cucumbers and onion. Whisk all remaining ingredients in small bowl. Add to potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.)

Squash Souffle
* 2 pounds sliced yellow summer squash and or zucchini
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
* seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
* buttered bread crumbs

Combine squash, onion, and salt in a large saucepan; cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Stir in milk, eggs, melted butter, flour and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole for about 30 minutes. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake for about 10 minutes longer. Serves 4.