Greetings CSA Members,

I can’t be happier with this cool, puffy-cloud July we are enjoying. I am reminded of Maine weather and am so appreciative. Not so the melons and hot peppers, however. But nonetheless, this week you will be receiving green peppers and green beans – a sure sign of Summer. This week I am including a wonderful excerpt from Rebeca Torres-Rose, our once CSA Member who now runs the show in the barn and at the Farmers’ Market in Troy. She has been gathering her thoughts and doing her research about Herbs. Hope that you find her tips useful.

This week in your share you will most likely find: Green Beans, Garlic, Lettuce or a bag of Arugula, Some delicious Cooking Green – Sauté as you would Bok Choi or Braising Greens), An Herb, Cucumbers, Mesclun, Green Peppers, and Carrots.

**Please check the white board when you pick up tomorrow for what herb and cooking green you actually are receiving – Thanks. **

Have a great week - Justine

“I have a fantasy of one day having (and using) a beautifully laid out herb garden outside my kitchen. I love the diverse smells and flavors of herbs and am intrigued by their medicinal properties. In preparation for this day when my herb garden comes to be, I have made a conscious effort to start using more herbs in my cooking. Since you will often receive herbs as part of your CSA share and some of you may be at a loss as to what to do with them, I thought I would share some of the ways in which I have been using or plan to experiment with them.
We grow some herbs in the garden at my husband’s parents’ farm, but I get most of my herbs here at Denison Farm. This year we are growing basil, cilantro, flat and curly parsley, dill, fennel (we grow it for the bulbs, but the fronds can be used as an herb), sage, thyme and rosemary. We also have delicious wild mint growing by the lettuce beds that we have been harvesting.
I try to use up the fresh herbs in my daily cooking. This is easy for me with basil, cilantro and parsley as many recipes in my repertoire call for them. Even if a recipe does not call for herbs, I’ll finish it of with a chiffonade of basil, or chopped cilantro or parsley. I love the bright color and taste they add to dishes. Herb additions work especially well in green, pasta, bean or grain salads (try a mixed herb tabouli) and with roasted or stir-fried dishes. Favorite pairings for dill are with green beans, beets or salmon. I add fresh herbs to marinades for veggies, tofu or meat (when I think ahead enough to marinate!). I also like to use fresh herbs to make infusions to drink hot or cold. My latest favorite is a sage-mint herb tea with lemon and honey as a late-day caffeine-free pick-me-up.
When I have an over abundance of herbs, I save them for future use by either drying or freezing them. Basil, cilantro, parsley, and dill all freeze really well, either whole in a freezer bag, or finely chopped and mixed with just a bit of water and then frozen in ice-cube trays (and then placed in a labeled bag) for convenient tablespoon-ish portions to plop into dishes. I have dried basil, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme by hanging them on the stem on a rack in a dark spot or in my oven (which has a pilot light to help along the drying). I then store these in airtight jars out of the light and heat.
This year I want to experiment with herb butters, oils and vinegars. Here are some basic instructions that you might want to try out too.”

Herb Butter - Delicious on warm breads, on broiled meats, veggies (especially corn on the cob!), fish or with eggs.

1-2 Tbsp well packed fresh herbs or 1-2 tsp dry ones, finely chopped
¼cup (half a stick) butter, salted or unsalted
Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Soften butter and cream in herbs. Add lemon juice, if desired. Shape into a log in parchment paper of plastic wrap and place in freezer to re-solidify.

Herb Oil – For salad dressings, marinades and sautéing.

4 Tbsp (1/3 cup) herbs
2 cups olive oil

Remove herb leaves from stalks and pound lightly in a mortar. Add oil a bit at a time and continue to pound leaves to release the flavor. Pour oil/herb mix into a wide-mouth jar and seal tightly. Place on a sunny windowsill and shake it every other day.. After two weeks, strain the oil and label, adding a fresh stalk or two of the herb for decorative purposes if desired.

Herb Vinegar – For salad dressings, marinades, soups, gravies and sauces.

10 Tbsp herbs
2 cups white wine or cider vinegar (feel free to experiment with other vinegars but distilled vinegar may be too harsh)

Pound leaves lightly in a mortar to bruise. Heat half the vinegar until warm, but not boiling and pour over the herbs in the mortar. Pound a bit more. Cool mixture and then add remaining vinegar before transferring to a wide-mouth jar and seal tightly. Place on a sunny windowsill and shake it every other day. After two weeks, strain the vinegar and label, adding a fresh stalk or two of the herb for decorative purposes if desired.

Tuscan Carrot Top Soup (another great CSA member’s recipe)

3 T Olive Oil
1 Medium onion, diced
2 Carrots, diced
1 Stalk celery, diced
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
6 Cups vegetable broth
1/4 Cup rice uncooked
1 1/2 Cups carrot tops, chopped
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese

Sauté onion, carrots, celery and garlic in oil approx 5 min. Add broth, salt, pepper and rice and let simmer 15 min until rice is tender. Add carrot tops and let simmer 5 minutes. Add cheese and serve.

Quinoa Pilaf
(Pronounced Keen-wah - a delicious gluten-free grain, similar to couscous)

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water
2 Tbl. Olive Oil
2 tsp. minced Garlic
½- 1 lb. Green Beans, ends snipped and beans cut or snapped)
3 Carrots, sliced thinly
2 Tbl. sliced Thyme leaves (Basil will work as well)
2 Tbl. Lemon Juice

Rinse Quinoa and then add water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed.
While Quinoa is simmering, heat olive oil and sauté garlic, green beans, and carrots until tender.
Add remaining ingredients. Add the Quinoa last and serve..