Friday, October 15, 2010

Share #18, October 16, 2010

poised for packing


this week's share: potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes at center- ringed by (clockwise from right) radishes, winter squash(delicata-oblong; sweet dumpling-round,cream and green; acorn - ridged), collards, hot peppers (optional), rainbow chard, parsley, arugula, leaf lettuce, spinach, green peppers

Thank you for returning your boxes! If you read this before you come to market, you may want to bring your own container for this last share so that you don't have to take the box. If that doesn't work out, just return the box to us when you can.

Thanks to all who filled out the feedback form. If you would still like to, just go to last week's newsletter and click on the link. We appreciate your kind remarks and will certainly keep your suggestions in mind.

Frog Holler CSA 2011: We will contact you after the first of the year. If you want to join again, we'll ask for a $50.00 deposit to hold your space. If we have additional space, we'll open up to folks on the waiting list some time in February.

Life after CSA: Rena Basch, from Locavorious, a local frozen food CSA, tells us that she has openings for the upcoming season - first distribution in November! Check out the web site and see if this might be a good winter option for you.

Although this is our last share distribution, we are hoping to be at market for a little while longer with some late crops that we planted on a gamble (farmers are inherently risk-takers). The warm fall has supported some late harvests, so stop by!

Frog Holler Farm Recipe Box: This is the title of our new recipe blog. Hopefully this will provide easier access to the recipes. This week, after discovering a blog waxing passionately poetic about radishes, we all enjoyed roasted radishes! They are really good, making nice snacks or even a surprising element of an hors d'oeuvres tray. See this recipe (and lots of others) at the Frog Holler Farm Recipe Box.
More cheers and ideas for radishes in this informative blog.

From Heidi Swanson's beautiful blog 101 cookbooks comes this tasty, simple and very Italian recipe - with arugula, of course!

Brown Butter Tortelli

Heidi says:
I used a dozen big, chubby fresh tortelli here. You can certainly use ravioli. The ones I used were stuffed with ricotta al limone, but a bit later in the year I can imagine substituting winter squash / pumpkin tortelli/tortellini/raviolis - about 1/3 pound / 150g for 2 servings.

one dozen fresh tortelli pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
fine grain sea salt
grated zest of one lemon

2 - 3 big handfuls of torn arugula or other bitter/spicy greens

plenty of grated fresh pecorino or Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook tortelli per package instructions, or until the pasta floats, in well-salted water. Then drain, reserving a small cup of the pasta water.Brown Butter Tortelli

In the meantime, place the butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter has browned and is very fragrant and nutty smelling. Remove from heat, and let it cool off for a minute or so. Whisk in the vinegar, a couple pinches of salt, and most of the lemon zest.

Add the cooked pasta to the brown butter pan and toss gently. Add a tiny, tiny splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again. Add the arugula, then turn out immediately into individual bowls or a serving platter topped with a bit of cheese and the remaining lemon zest.


The same blog offers this appealing "clean out your fridge" recipe, featuring greens - in their case, kale, but collards would work just fine.

Ribollita

Heidi says:
I had a number of beans in my freezer and used a few of them here. Yes, you can even see some flageolets in there. But when starting from scratch, I usually opt for cannellini. On the bread front, I used a loaf of two-day-old whole wheat bread, but have at times opted for ciabatta. Canned beans can be used here, the equivalent is roughly two 15-ounce cans. Look for cavolo nero - a craggy evergreen-hued kale that might also be labeled lacinato or Tuscan kale.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots or equiv. winter squash, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 14-ounce / 400 ml can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound / 16 ounces / 450g cavolo nero (lacinato kale, Tuscan kale), stems trimmed off and leaves well chopped

4 cups / 22 oz / 620g cooked white beans
1/2 pound / 8 oz / 225g crustless loaf of bread
1 1/2+ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
zest of one lemon
lots of well-chopped oily black olives

In your largest thick-bottomed pot over medium heat combine the olive oil, celery, garlic, carrot, and red onion. Cook for 10 -15 minutes sweating the vegetables, but avoid any browning. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, long enough for the tomatoes to thicken up a bit. Stir in the cavolo nero, 3 cups of the beans, and 8 cups / 2 liters water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the greens are tender, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, mash or puree the remaining beans with a generous splash of water - until smooth. Tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. Stir both the beans and bread into the soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bread breaks down and the soup thickens, 20 - 30 minutes. Stir in the salt, taste and add more if needed. Stir in the lemon zest.

Serve immediately, or cool and refrigerate overnight. Serve reheated, or "ribollita" meaning reboiled, the next day ladled into bowls. Finish each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and some chopped olives.

Makes a large pot of soup - enough for 10 servings.

Notes From the Field: a big thank you to all of you who have stayed with us through the ups and downs of the growing season. We appreciate your willingness to explore, learn and share! We also very much appreciate your support and the sense of relationship we have as we pack the boxes, see you at market, or welcome you to the farm. (Hope to see you at Hollerween!)

We are also very grateful to the team of enthusiastic young adults who worked long days in the fields but always had energy to share a story, cook a meal or crack a joke. They created meaningful relationships with each other and with the earth, and their dedication, integrity and spirit gives us hope for the future! Here's a little photo summary of the summer - these were sent by Julien before he headed back to France:



Kat tidies up the market stall



Kenny heads out to Holler Fest




Angie and Billy rock out at Holler Fest



Dorothy at the Holler Fest volunteer tent




the dreaded Pinocchio Eggplant Syndrome!




organic gardening - eeeeewwwwww!



Julien - sometimes this was the only way to withstand the bugs!



Edwin, Jenny and Kat, transplanting in the greenhouse



Julien, our intern from France, picking zucchini with panache!



A day in the zucchini patch might lead to...



...a well-deserved rest!



Kirstin concentrating



Chrissy with Frog Holler bouquet


Chrissy and Dorothy



Gus and Lionel - partners in kitty crime!

Thanks everyone - have a great year!
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Friday, October 8, 2010

Share # 17, October 9, 2010


Here is your Feedback Form for this year's CSA. Thanks for taking a little time to fill it out. And thank you for your support throughout the season. Sorry to say, next week will be our last share distribution.

In the box:

Spinach
Carrots
Potatoes
Arugula
Chinese Cabbage or Pac Choi
Celery
Green Leaf Lettuce
Radishes
Winter Squash: Sweet Dumpling and Acorn or Delicata
Hakurei Turnips
Salad Mix or Lettuce/Parsley


Join us for Hollerween! Saturday, Oct. 30
4 pm - farm walks
6 pm - potluck
7 pm - bonfire
8 pm - live music in the barn
9 pm - costume parade and dancing to dj dracula
rain or shine - the barn is enclosed and will be warm!
hope to see you!

Notes from the field: Well, we didn't get frosted! Really not even close, although it has been cool enough that the basil is sulking and the tomatoes have gone on strike. But the greens and roots are happy and we have spent most of the week harvesting various crops. One day was spent digging sweet potatoes, an experimental crop for us. We did discover that we have been sharing these sweet spuds with an extensive mole population. So the sweet potatoes don't look too pretty, but we're curing them in the greenhouse this week and will hopefully be able to distribute a sampling next week.

Notes from the web: Here are some photos taken at the Mill Pond "Taste of Italy" last Sunday night. It was a fantastic event filled with exquisitely prepared local food and shared community spirit. The Frog Holler salad mix was featured in one of the courses and the Frog Holler farm crew all pitched in to help make this a successful event and hopefully new tradition! If you haven't ever sampled any of the delicious baked goods at our Farmers Market neighbor's stall, check them out when you pick up your share!

And here's another link to a blog posting from our intern Dorothy's friend Rebecca, who visited for a day, pitched in with good spirit, and took beautiful photos of her experience on the farm. Rebecca's web site is Big Things Ahead and her post does a great job of depicting a day on the farm - check it out!

Notes from the box: The farm crew picked apples last week at Wasem's Fruit Farm. Even though the word is that it's not a good apple year, they came home with bags and bags of crisp and tasty fruit. We have canned some as applesauce, slated others for apple butter, and Waldorf Salad is also on the menu. Use that tasty Michigan celery in your box!

Use more of your share items plus other yummy ingredients with this recipe for a White Bean and Arugula Soup.

Intern Kirstin suggests this flavorful fall salad: Equal parts spinach and arugula, toasted sliced almonds or walnuts, apple chunks, dried cranberries, goat cheese or feta (optional but not really), and dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette.

And intern Angie wowed us tonight with tempeh cutlets marinated in tamari and wine, mashed potatoes with garlic and parsley, and mushroom gravy. Get your fresh Michigan mushrooms from Tantre Farm at the Farmers Market!

Any way you slice it, the harvest is here and it's delicious! Have a great week!
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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Share # 16, Oct. 2, 2010

Two more shares after this week! Thanks for bringing your boxes back! We will have a feedback form available with next week's newsletter.

In the box:

Collards
Beets
Carrots
Tomatoes
Arugula
Basil
Pac Choi or Yukina Savoy (Asian spinach)
Peppers - hot and sweet
Hakurei Japanese Turnips
Radishes 0r Kohlrabi
Salad Mix or Lettuce/parsley


The beginning of Fall at the Frog Holler pond.

Although the farm comes to many of you in a box each week, we hope that you have had a chance to actually see the beautiful piece of land that is Frog Holler. If you haven't yet visited the farm, consider joining us for Hollerween, Saturday, October 30. All are invited for a potluck, barn dance, and bonfire, with free-form farm walks starting at 4 in the afternoon. Costumes are encouraged!

Another special event takes place this weekend over at Mill Pond Bakery in Chelsea. John Savanna, our long-time friend and market neighbor, is hosting "A Taste of Italy", a five course meal on the lake with entertainment by two of the Frog Holler Farm team, Billy King and Angie Martin. This is a Slow Food event, and here's a link to find out more: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149041238462498&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=149041238462498
If you have the time and wherewithal to attend, you won't be sorry!

Notes from the Field: For some reason, at this time of year, the deer become more interested in sampling the forbidden veggies in our fields. Seven-foot high electric fencing is usually enough to deter the uninvited guests throughout the season, but not lately. In a whimsically determined effort to confuse and repel the deer, who are sensitive to a change in the environment, the farm team scattered plastic chairs throughout the patches that seem most appealing. Maybe all they wanted was a place to sit down, and they will leave our veggies be! We will see...


Chard and chairs - munched plants in foreground

Notes from the box: This will very likely be our last distribution of tomatoes. :-( Hopefully you have found delicious ways to use the bountiful crop this season. We have been canning crazy at Frog Holler this past week. With 28 pints of salsa, 40 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 12 quarts of tomato juice and 21 quarts of tomatoes - we are done! All of this came from the "second" tomatoes; it's a pleasure to turn non-marketable produce into satisfying winter meals. We may have a few more boxes of "seconds" at market this week; ask if you are interested!

Basil will probably take a hit this weekend, if the temperatures dip down as predicted. We pulled whole plants from our first patch for this week's share. That explains the slightly rough but good-sized bunches. If you haven't made pesto yet, it's time!

This will also be the last of the peppers, which are also susceptible to frost. The hot peppers are either Jalapenos, Cayennes, Serranos, Hungarian or Thai Dragons. Hungarians are the largest and the least hot; Jalapenos, Cayennes and Serranos are all medium-sized and have a nicely warming degree of heat, but look out for those little guys! The Thai Dragon peppers are tiny, but you don't need much to make a difference. Have fun with them and wear rubber or latex gloves when you're cutting them up!


l to r: Hungarian, Jalapeno, Cayenne, Serrano, Thai Dragon


Everything else in the share is hardy and harvestable for several more weeks.

Notes from the kitchen: Two members have contributed delicious and greens-filled recipes this week - thank you!

Patty Swaney emailed this Chard Tart recipe which looks like a great company dish. It could probably be made with collards, but you would have to cook them longer. Asian greens would work too!

Kathy Carter shares her Chard Tart Recipe from her 1970’s version New Joy of Cooking

Chard Tart
 Pastry
:
2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c water

1/2c extra-virgin olive oil



Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together water and oil until blended, add to the flour stirring until all flour absorbed. Knead mixture briefly. Dough will be very moist and difficult to roll, so press it into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable rim. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until needed.



Filling
:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

1 pound chard leaves (or mix of chard, spinach, escarole or other early greens), stems
 removed, leaves well washed and chopped (I will add some of stems, finely diced)

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 ½ tsp dried, finely crumbled (have also subbed pesto)
¼
tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

3 large eggs

1/3 c. heavy cream or half-and-half

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese



Cook onion in olive oil over medium low heat until well softened (15 minutes). Add chard and cook until tender (8-10 minutes). Season with basil, salt, and pepper. At this point I have often refrigerated the mixture for later use.

When ready to bake, position rack in lower third of the oven. Preheat to 375°F. Take crust from refrigerate and push up sides against rim to form edge (has usually softened and stretch out while sitting). Combine the eggs, cream, and cheese in a bowl. Add the chard mixture, then scrape mixture into the prepared tart shell.
Bake until the crust is golden and filling is firm, 40-45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.



And Sue Niedzielski brought over this fascinating recipe that uses oodles of greens. It also looks like the kind of recipe where you could leave something out and it would still work. Sue said she uses whatever greens she has and gives it thumbs up!

Gumbo Z'Herbes

Author's note: A Cajun contraction of "gumbo aux herbes," this dish is meatless for Lent and traditionally eaten on Maundy Thursday. It is supposed to contain seven green vegetables to bring seven new people to you who will bring you luck. But feel free to substitute other greens or shorten the list. Lengthy cooking time is a feature of Cajun cookery; I have more than halved the time this gumbo would spend on the stove in a Cajun household. Hopefully, it still brings luck.

Step One:

6 c. coarsely chopped spinach
6 c. coarsely chopped collards
4 c. coarsely chopped beet or turnip greens
4 c. coarsely chopped cabbage
2 c. coarsely chopped watercress
2 c. coarsely chopped dandelion greens or chicory
1 c. coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
8 c. vegetable stock

Step Two:

1/4 c. ghee or butter
2 T. minced fresh ginger
2 c. finely chopped celery or fennel
1 c. finely chopped green or red pepper
2 t. dried thyme
2-3 bay leaves

Step Five

1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1 t. black pepper
Salt
Cooked Rice

1. Place all chopped leafy vegetables and stock in large soup pot. Bring to boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer very slowly for thirty minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt ghee or butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add ginger, celery or fennel, peppers, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Set aside.
3. Drain green vegetables in a large sieve held over a bowl to catch the pot liquor (stock). Press out all the liquid with the back of a spoon. Coarsely grind - but do not puree - the vegetables on a food processor.
4. Add the greens to the skillet containing the celery and bell peppers. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally , for ten minutes.
5. meanwhile, measure six cups of the pot liquor back into the soup pot. Add the greens, cloves, allspice, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Partially cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Add salt to taste. To serve, place a mound of rice in the center of an individual bowl for each diner and pour the gumbo over it.


Hakurei Turnips

Scratching your head with those turnips? They aren't so pretty but are mighty tasty. Try boiling some and then mixing in with mashed potatoes. Or stir-fry with sweet onions and apple chunks. I'll bet they would go in that gumbo just fine! Or try this recipe for: Radish, Turnip and Carrot Salad


½ bunch carrots, sliced shredded or grated

1 bunch radishes, sliced shredded or grated - kohlrabi would work too

1 bunch salad turnips (variety: Hakurei, sweet whites!), sliced shredded or grated

½ bunch pink turnips (variety: Scarlet Knight), sliced shredded or grated

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce (I used a little less.)
Toss together vegetables. Mix liquid ingredients in
separate bowl. Taste the mixture and, if necessary, adjust vinegar, oils, or other ingredients to your liking. Pour over vegetables. Toss, then let
marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour before
serving.


Farm crew heads down the two-track after harvesting in the "back field"


Have a great week!



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Friday, September 24, 2010

CSA Share #15, September 25, 2010

Thank you for returning your boxes!

In the box:

Rainbow Chard
Asian greens - Tat Soi, Pac Choi or Yukina Savoy
Zucchini or Summer squash
Beets
Butternut squash
Tomatoes
Garlic (slightly nicked while being dug)
Potatoes
Cilantro
Radishes
Salad Mix or Lettuce and Arugula


Fall Salad Mix - flavorful and flowerful!


Notes from the field: It's all about tomatoes this week and whether you got a little or a lot, we hope you enjoy this bountiful harvest. After losing all three of our tomato patches to Late Blight last year, we are especially appreciative of this season's crop. We will be canning this weekend too!

Here is our favorite Salsa recipe from a cookbook titled appropriately, Salsas!, by Andrea Chesman. It has been on the Frog Holler shelf since 1985!

Vegetable Salsa

2 T. vegetable oil
1 c. diced onions
1 c. diced celery
1 c. diced carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 c. seeded hot peppers( we use less and it has a more moderate but still satisfying amount of heat. Your call.)
3 T. chopped fresh parsley or 1 T. dried
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
4 cups tomato puree or canned tomatoes or 6 c. fresh tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 c. wine vinegar ( can use apple cider vinegar)
1 t. salt
1 t. sugar

In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and hot peppers. Saute until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Simmer for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly. Then blend in food processor - you can keep it a little chunky if you like. Return to saucepan and simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

This salsa will keep in the refrigerator for a few weeks. But it will be gone before that! It also freezes easily or you can process it with the hot water bath method.

Author's note: This is not a classic salsa but it happens to be a favorite. The addition of vegetables gives it a thick texture, which makes it an excellent sandwich spread - perfect on grilled cheese sandwiches and burgers if all kinds. It is also great in omelets, on cooked rice or vegetables, and in sauces as a seasoning base. In fact, this salsa has more uses than I can list. So I make up double and triple batches, and put the extra up in canning jars. It freezes well.

At Frog Holler, we couldn't agree more. So whether you're making salsa or sauce, sandwiches or soup, enjoy your tomatoes while Jack Frost is still on summer vacation. Until he returns, a tomato toast to a delicious and versatile vegetable. Have a great week!
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Share # 14, September 18, 2010


In the box:

Russian or Tuscan Kale
Potatoes
Radishes
Asian Spinach (Yukina Savoy)
Tomatoes - red and heirloom
Green Beans
Beets
Garlic
Acorn and Delicata Winter Squash
Herb bunch - either sorrel, arugula or basil or parsley!
Salad Mix or Lettuce/Chard

Notes from the field and table: With fall in the air(and on the calendar for next Thursday), but summer crops very much still with us, good eating abounds! The tomatoes continue to pour out of our second patch, while the winter squash has ripened and readied itself for harvesting. We are finishing up our last planting of beans, while just starting to pick a new patch of radishes (1000 of these little red gems harvested this week!). Greens are especially happy with these crisper nighttime temperatures.
Kirstin helps to unload a trailer full of greens!


Some of the Frog Holler cooks (and eaters) tend to be minimalists, enjoying the delicious flavor of fresh-picked, cleanly-grown produce without much extra flourish except a little salt and/or butter. For these folks, the Delicata (beige and green striped) and Acorn (dark green ridged) squash in your share were simply split, baked, lightly buttered and consumed warm for dinner, and cold for breakfast and snacks! Delicata squash especially, sometimes called "dessert squash", lend themselves to the satisfaction of natural sweetness and simple pleasures.

Other members of the crew like their dishes with a little flair. If you fall in that category, we offer two variations on squash stuffings from the classic Moosewood cookbook.

STUFFED SQUASH
Split two squash lengthwise. Remove seeds and bake, face down, on an oiled tray for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until tender enough to eat. Make filling while squash is baking.

Filling One: Mushroom/Cheese

1/2 c. chopped mushrooms / 1 c. chopped onion / 1 clove crushed garlic / 1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta / 1/2 tsp. basil / 1/4 c. chopped parsley / 3/4 c. bread crumbs or cooked rice / 2 Tbs. white wine/ salt, pepper, butter

Saute mushrooms, onions, garlic in butter or olive oil with salt and pepper until onions are soft. Drain well (save liquid) and combine with remaining ingredients. Fill the squash cavities amply and bake, 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. Baste with liquid from the saute as it bakes.

Filling Two: Apple!

2 medium cooking apples / 2 c. cottage cheese / juice from 1 lemon / 1/2 c. chopped onion / 3 Tbs. butter / dash of cinnamon / 3/4 c. grated cheddar

Saute apples and onion in butter until onion is clear. Combine with remaining ingredients and stuff the squash. Bake, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Optional: 1/2 c. chopped walnuts (sauteed) and/or handful of raisins.

A COLORFUL ACCOMPANIMENT - BEETS!

2 medium beets / 1 medium carrot / 1 clove garlic / 3/4 c. orange juice / salt, pepper / 2 Tbs. butter or olive oil

Roast beets and carrot until tender. Remove beet skins. Dice beets and carrot. Chop garlic and saute gently for two minutes, add remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

If you haven't cooked beets with orange juice yet, do give it a try. Almost guaranteed to convert a non-beet eater!


SICILIAN-STYLE ROASTED GREEN BEANS WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR
  • 1 box green beans, trimmed
  • 1 large red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips(sorry, not in the share!)
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. grated orange zest

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss green beans and bell pepper strips with oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl. Spread in single layer on baking sheet, and roast 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.

2. Bring vinegar to a boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes, or until vinegar is thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally.

3. Toss green bean mixture with orange juice, lemon juice, and orange zest in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to serving dish, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar syrup.

GERMAN STYLE WARM POTATO SALAD

This green bean-laced potato salad is hearty enough to serve as an entrée, but you could also pair it with grilled vegetarian or regular sausages for a bigger meal. If you don't have white balsamic vinegar in your pantry, use any mild variety, such as white wine or rice vinegar.



  • 8 oz. potatoes, cut into 1- x 1/2-inch pieces
  • 4 oz. green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 green onions, white and pale-green parts chopped (1/4 cup) (can use yellow or red onions)
  • 2 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh tarragon or dill (can substitute arugula, basil or sorrel)
  • 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves ( can use chopped Asian spinach!)

1. Cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water 8 minutes, or until tender. Add green beans during last minute of cooking.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add green onions. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar.

3. Drain potatoes and green beans. Toss with olive oil mixture and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm on bed of spinach.

RADISH SANDWICH!

Back to the kitchen minimalists, who tend to spend less time in the kitchen, but still know what's good!

Take one slab of dense dark bread - just about any Mill Pond bread will do. (See our neighbor stall at the market, and/or last week's CSA newsletter.) Butter thickly with good butter. Slice radishes and arrange on bread. Sprinkling of salt is optional. Enjoy this satisfying combination of earthy, rich and piquant flavors! Prep time: Five minutes!

STEAMED ASIAN GREENS WITH SESAME SOY DRESSING

Still scratching your head when it comes to preparing greens? Try this simple but tasty variation.

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

  • 1 head Asian greens
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

Use your favorite method for steaming the greens. Meanwhile make the dressing by combining the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds in a small bowl. Put the cooked greens onto a serving platter, drizzle the dressing over them, and toss well to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

FROZEN TOMATOES

And finally if, heaven forbid, you're getting tired of fresh tomatoes, you can capture some of that flavor for the winter months with this minimalist's pres erving method. Simply chop whole tomatoes in large chunks, cutting out the stem end and any bad spots, fill plastic baggie with tomatoes and toss in freezer. It might lack the finesse of a pantry full of sparkling jars of canned tomatoes, but it gets the job done and the thawed tomatoes will add a rich satisfaction to winter soups. Keep it simple or jazz it up - however you do it, enjoy this week's share!


The last of the 2009 tomatoes

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Friday, September 10, 2010

Share #13, Sept. 11, 2010

In the box:




Baby Pac Choi
Beans - green, romano or pole
Potatoes
Leeks
Collards
Corn
Daikon radish
Garlic
Basil - Sweet, Fine-Leaf, Opal or Cinnamon
Tomatoes - red and heirlooms
Salad Mix or Chard/Sorrel or Arugula

Notes from the Market: We have many market friends whose products regularly enhance our meals. Let's take a stroll around the market to introduce you to a few of these friends.

First, immediately to the left of our stall on Wednesdays, is David Klingenberger of The Brinery. New to the market this year, David is creating a fermented food business that is contributing nicely to the digestion of Ann Arbor residents! Fermented foods are a traditional staple in many cultures (think sauerkraut) and David brings a creativity and enthusiasm to his new business that promises enhanced health for many of his customers. David uses local ingredients to make two flavors of Kim Chee, along with sauerkraut and several kinds of pickles; he recently shared some pickled Egyptian Turnips with us. You name it - he'll ferment it! David used a case of our cabbage, beets and kohlrabi to create a big bucket of "Hollerkraut" to serve at Holler Fest. Hope you got some - it was delicious! David's stall is further down the line on Saturdays so you might have to hunt a little to find his colorful products and big smile.


David Klingenberger of The Brinery

Walk a little further down the aisle (usually on Saturdays) and you can often find the "Kenzoil" stall. Kenzoil was created by Ken Carlsen in 1995, when friends who tried the basil salad dressing he had created started asking him to make more for them. Soon Ken was selling his "Kenzoil" at the Farmer's Market and now at stores throughout Southeast Michigan. Full disclosure: Kenzoil is the secret ingredient in Frog Holler minestrone!It also goes nicely dribbled on open-faced grilled cheese sandwiches, and certainly has many more sophisticated uses. Kenzoil was also donated to Holler Fest - check it out!


the 10 oz. bottle of Kenzoil - "boldly delicious"

Back to the Wednesday market (they don't come on Saturday) and a little further down the aisle from our stall, you'll find the monks from the Detroit Zen Center offering a variety of delicious raw and sprouted products. They call their business "Living Zen Organics" and have been purchasing 5 cases of kale from us for many weeks. They turn this kale into a delectable raw kale salad as well as tasty kale chips. They make other snacks and treats, which you may have spotted at the Local Food Emporium at Holler Fest. Also new to the market, this group is committed to fresh, local, organic products in a very delicious way!
Two tasty products from Living Zen Organics

Now let's turn around and head back to our stall. If you haven't shopped at his stall already, it's time to meet John Savanna, of Mill Pond Bread, baker extraordinaire and long-time pal. Hearty slabs of Mill Pond Bread regularly grace the Frog Holler lunch table, and if you had a peach-apple bar at Holler Fest, you realized how well the Mill Pond bakers know their craft. Mill Pond and Frog Holler have been situated across the aisle from each other for many years at the market, and we couldn't ask for better neighbors!



John started out selling pretzels on the street during football Saturdays. Now with his own bakery north of Chelsea and a devoted clientele at the Ann Arbor Farmer's market, John creates dozens of breads in the "old-world" way. John always goes the extra mile to find the highest quality local ingredients; the rich flavor of his bread reflects the skill and care that goes into its creation. John will be a delegate to Terra Madre, the international Slow Food gathering in Italy this October; he is hosting a five-course fundraiser Italian dinner at his bakery on Oct. 2 to help support all the delegates. Billy King from Frog Holler will be providing music; check the Mill Pond web site for details.
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John relaxing in the aisle way between the Mill Pond and Frog Holler stalls. John's bread enhances our table; his friendship enhances our lives!

Notes from the Box: New this week is a Daikon Radish, that large, whitish root vegetable just waiting for you to make delicious salads spiced with the taste of fall! Daikon can grow to three feet long (aren't you glad we picked them before they did!) and are a staple in Japan where they are served with almost every meal and pickled to maintain access throughout the winter. They are relatively high in Vitamin C (especially the greens) but are most appreciated for their contribution to good digestion and assimilation.

Joan Bailey, our intern from 2008, now lives in Japan, and wrote this very informative blog posting on the ubiquitous daikon - and a good recipe too!

And Ann Renee, our intern from 2005, used to live in Japan, and offers this favorite Daikon Salad. Ann writes:

I found this recipe that I had first used when I lived in Japan, where every little farm around me grew daikon...seemingly all throughout the year. They were always available and plentiful, and a 10-lb. bag of them often just showed up on my doorstep... Definitely my favorite use of daikon...and from my very favorite cookbook

Pilwun's Daikon Salad (from the Moosewood Daily Special cookbook)

2 pounds daikon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 carrot
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
dash of dark sesame oil
3 scallions
2 Tablespoons canola oil

Trim the ends of the daikon, peel, and coarsely grate it. In a colander set into a larger bowl, toss the grated daikon with the salt. Set aside to drain for 20 to 30 minutes, until about a cup of liquid has collected in the bowl. (Squeezing some of the liquid out of the daikon from time to time will speed up the process.)

Meanwhile, peel and coarsely grate the carrot and place it in a serving bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil and set aside. When the daikon is well drained, stir it into the carrots. Add the vinegar mixture and toss well.

Slice the scallions thinly on the diagonal and mound them on the top of the salad. Heat the vegetable oil and immediately pour it over the scallions--this will make a sizzling sound. Toss well.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Other Notes from the Box:

Corn! Sad but true, we lost our first two corn patches to crows! There really is a reason for scarecrows and next year we're going to be a little craftier than those old crows. So we're offering our one and only distribution of corn for 2010. Here's a recipe to soak up that good corn flavor!

Quinoa-Corn Chowder
Serves 6
  • 3/4 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • 1 large red potato, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 small shallots, chopped (about 1/4 cup) (could use leeks)
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups plain soymilk
  • 1 large red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish (could use basil instead)
  • Lime wedges, optional


  1. Toast quinoa and cumin seeds in pot over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. Transfer to bowl.
  2. Heat oil in pot; add corn, potato and shallots. Sauté 5 minutes, or until shallots are translucent. Add broth and soymilk, and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in bell pepper, cover and simmer 5 minutes, or until quinoa and vegetables are tender.
  3. Remove from heat; stir in chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, if desired.
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Leeks! This is the last of the leeks. They didn't size up, but are still full of that special mild onion flavor.

Baby Pac Choi! Very tender - steam or stir-fry.

Tomatoes! Happily, crows don't eat tomatoes! You'll find a good selection of regular red tomatoes and various heirlooms in your share. Sorry to say their days are coming to an end, so enjoy that inimitable fresh tomato flavor while you can. We grow many different kinds of heirlooms; here is a quick rundown of what you may have received: Brick red/small/round - Black Prince. Brick Red/larger/irregular - Black Krim. Purple/deep red/large - Cherokee Purple. Deep rose, small or really large - Rose. Green striped - Green Zebra. Enjoy the heirloom adventure!

Have a great week!


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