CSA Members 2006: Newsletter Archive

Dear CSA Members,

Cauliflower is one of the most rewarding vegetables that I have ever grown. I am always a tiny bit surprised when I peer into the centers of these giant, foreign-looking leaves and see a perfect white cauliflower wrapped like a package with leaves. It seems more like a present than a vegetable! But even after years of farming, I am awed by the idea that we plant seeds and they grow into food. It's spectacular.

Yesterday I walked through the green bean plants in the back field. Among the prolific white blossoms I found the tiniest beans, just starting to grow. How exciting! We should have beans in two weeks or so. Also, look forward to kohlrabi, swiss chard, and more tasty greens! I am happy to report that the potato plants are flowering as well, so potatoes are on the way.

Sadly, the strawberries are slowing down. It's hard to see them go, but it looks like cherries are just around the corner, as well as organic apricots.

A word on the godetia. These eye-catching pink flowers have been a long time favorite of ours, even though we cuss them just a little when we have to harvest them. Each season we debate whether we should grow them -- they are unruly and rarely grow very straight stems. Each season we decide to keep growing them, and they always come on just when we need them. So we're committed.

We have included some of our favorites this week. If you want to keep it simple, chop up any mixture of vegetables and stir fry them with the sauce I include below, then garnish with chopped cilantro. Also, you can thinly slice the fennel, sauté it in butter until slightly translucent, then add florets of cauliflower and (optionally) a tiny pinch of brown sugar, then cover, steaming until just tender. Remove lid and turn up the heat slightly, letting it brown just a bit. Salt if desired.

Well, off to pack the truck! I hope that you are all recovering from the holiday schedule.

Please contact us with any questions.

Sukiyaki Sauce

This can be used as a marinade for meat or tofu. Marinate 1 hour or so, then remove the meat/tofu from the marinade and stir fry, in batches if needed. Reduce heat and add marinade, cooking briefly. Serve with cellophane rice noodles or soba.

ingredients

• 1 inch piece fresh ginger root
• 1/2 cup sake (I have left this out completely and still loved it)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp sweet sherry
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I like refined safflower)
• Sesame oil (optional)

procedure

Perfect Meat Dishes, Anne Willan

Roasted Carrots and Fennel

ingredients

• 1 bunch carrots, washed and sliced on the diagonal
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, stalks discarded and bulbs cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• salt and pepper to taste

procedure

Put oven racks in the middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss carrots and fennel with olive oil, water, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper and arrange in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan.

Cover pan with foil and roast vegetables 10 minutes, then uncover and roast, turning occasionally, 20 minutes more. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned.

Gourmet, April 2005

BUTTERED SNOW PEAS AND CARROTS

ingredients

• 4 carrots, cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1/8-inch slices (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed, discarding the strings, and cut crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

procedure

In a large saucepan of boiling water cook the carrots for 3 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Add the snow peas, cook the vegetables for 30 seconds, and drain them well. Return the vegetables to the pan, add the butter and salt and pepper to taste, and heat the vegetables over moderately low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted.

Gourmet, January 1993