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