Blue Gate Farm News – Volume VII , Number 14 – September 2, 2008
In
this week’s box:
Beans: Carson/Empress Mix or Fortex Green Beans
Beets: Asst.
Cucumber: Suyo Long or ‘Aunt
Evelyn’s’
Shallots: Bonilla
Tomatoes:
assorted (see 7/29 newsletter for descriptions)
For
those with the Egg option: one dozen free-range eggs (assorted colors)
For
those with the Herb option: Basil, Sorrel, Mint Mix
Featured Recipe(s) (see
below): Sichuan Green Beans
Roasted Beets with Seasoned Rice Vinegar
Rain this week: 0.00” (from 8/26 – 9/1)
What’s up on the farm?
It is certainly
starting to look like fall here on the farm, all of
the yellow-blooming flowers are out in profusion: goldenrod, cup plant,
brown-eyed susan, coreopsis and compass plant. We have not yet seen the purples and whites of
the asters which truly herald the upcoming first frost. While there are many things to do before that
frost date, the most important task was accomplished this past weekend, with
the help of an assortment of family members…the high tunnel is covered, the
beds are prepped and we are ready for planting! Again, big thanks to all who helped in this
endeavor.
So let’s talk
about crops…the most important news is that the new salad crops are coming along
beautifully, and barring any unforeseen difficulties we should have salad in
the boxes for next week. The five
surviving “replacement” cucumbers are also doing great and are growing and
putting on beautiful fruits. We were
able to start harvesting them this week, so about half of you will see
cucumbers in your boxes this week, and likely the remaining half will get them
next week. These are our favorite cukes, they are called Suyo Long ,an Asian variety that can grow up to two feet long,
but are at their best quality at 12”-14”. They are a good, flavorful cucumber with no
tendency toward bitterness. They are
quite prickly, so we try to rub them down before putting in your box, but we
might miss a “prickle” here or there, so be aware when you grab them. Well just
before sending this out, Jill’s Great-Aunt Evelyn appeared again this week with
a surplus of cucumbers from her garden to share. They are a general garden cuke of unknown variety, but they will make it possible for
everyone to receive cucumbers this week. If you don’t get a Suyo
Long in your box this week, you can look for them in the near future. Thanks
Aunt Evelyn!
The beets this
week are the end of the main season crop.
They’ve had a rough season, so they are a crazy variety of sizes. For the very smallest of them, don’t bother to
peel or remove the greens, just roast them whole with a little olive oil and a
touch of sea salt for a real treat. The
new sowing of beets is just poking up through the soil, so we may have fresh
baby beets before the end of the deliveries.
The tomatoes are
really starting to fail. The couple of
tomatoes in your boxes today were the entire harvest for the week. This is the normal time for tomatoes to begin
to slow down, and since the production was already so limited, we are about to
dwindle to nothing. So relish these
final weeks of rather ugly tomatoes and we will all hope for much better
growing conditions next season!
The new item in
your boxes this week is shallots. They
are a member of the onion family and are like a rich city cousin to the
comfortable “country” onion. They can be
used in place of onions in any recipe, but are a little more delicate, so add
them more towards the end of cooking to truly enjoy their flavor. They really shine in recipes like the Sichuan
Bean recipe included below. Store
shallots like onions, in a cool, dry, preferably dark location and use within
three months for best quality.
Finally a question
for you all…we are scheduled for the annual CSA Fall Potluck on Sunday, Oct 12.
We know that everyone is busy with a
variety of activities and commitments during the fall, so to avoid the situation
we had at the Ice Cream Social (where only two members attended), we would like
to know if there is interest in continuing this event. So we are taking a poll, if you would like to
come out to the farm on October 12 from
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean
6 servings (serving
size: about 1/2 cup)
1 pound green
beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cook beans in boiling water 2
minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain.
Pat beans completely dry with paper towels.
Heat a 14-inch wok over high
heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add green beans to wok;
stir-fry 3 minutes or until browned. Spoon green beans into a bowl.
Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons
oil to wok, swirling to coat. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, and crushed red
pepper; stir-fry 15 seconds or just until garlic begins to brown. Return green
beans to wok. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and salt to wok; toss to combine.
Recipe Source: Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008
Roasted Beets with Seasoned
Rice Vinegar
This recipe originally called for balsamic vinegar and red beets. This is a
tasty combination, but when using different colored beets, the balsamic turns
them a rather unappetizing color. If you prefer the flavor of balsamic, use
that, it will be tasty regardless of its appearance.
Serves 4
1 pound fresh beets, assorted colors
Olive oil, optional
Seasoned Rice Vinegar
Slice off the greens but leave about a half inch of the stem end intact (this
preserves the nutrients, save greens for other recipes). Wash well. Place each
beet on a sheet of foil or all the beets in a single layer in a casserole dish.
If using, drizzle olive oil over beets. Splash with vinegar.
Roast at 400F for 1 hour OR at 375F for 90 minutes. Let cool, slip off skins.
Slice or chop and serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.
Recipe Source:
Based on a recipe from A Veggie Venture website