CSA Members 2006: Newsletter Archive

Dear CSA Members,

A big thank you to all who attended our open house on Saturday. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves! We love having our members, neighbors and friends out at the farm. It allows us to take a moment and look at farming from a different perspective. We often get so busy that we don't see the farm for the vegetables (as the saying goes, sort of). So the open house provides us with an opportunity to take a deep breath, look around, and remember what it is we're doing out here.

Today's box includes apricots from Harmony Farm in Tieton. This variety is called Goldrich, and has a tangy sweet/tart flavor. Let any that aren't nice and soft sit out on the counter for a couple of days to ripen fully.

We have also included the first summer squash of the season! The green zucchini is an Italian heirloom variety called Costata Romanesco. It has a hint of nuttiness and very few seeds, even when it's quite large. Squash is easily prepared by rinsing, slicing and sautéing with a little olive oil, chopped green onions and basil, plus salt and pepper to taste.

Romas are an Italian green bean that may be eaten whole. Simply steam or sauté them and drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette.

If you have extra green beans, the simplest and fastest way to preserve them is to freeze them. Rinse beans and trim ends, then steam until their color changes slightly (2-3 minutes). Rinse quickly under cold water, then lay out on a cookie sheet in the freezer overnight. When beans are solidly frozen, pack them into a vacuum seal bag and seal & freeze. These taste as fresh as can be when you defrost them in January!

I have omitted the pre-freeze step and they are still tasty, but require more effort to defrost (they freeze in a solid block). Also, the vacuum bags cut down dramatically on freezer burn.

ROASTED BEETS AND CARROTS

ingredients

• 1 bunch golden beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
• 1 bunch carrots, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

procedure

Preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap beets tightly in foil, making 2 packages, and roast in middle of oven until tender, about 1 hour depending on the size of the beets.

Toss carrots with oil and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow baking pan.

Remove beets from oven and roast carrots in middle of oven until tender, about 20 minutes.

While carrots are roasting, unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut each beet into wedges.

Add beets to carrots, tossing to combine, and roast until beets are hot and carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes more.

Gourmet, February 2002, Gourmet Entertains (from Epicurious.com)

Pasta Primavera

This is a great catch-all recipe for your veggies.

ingredients

• Broccoli, Roma Beans, Summer Squash, Green Onions, Basil
• Pasta of your choice
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

procedure

Slice green onions thinly. Sauté with 2 Tbsp butter or olive oil for 2 minutes. Add sliced squash and sauté until slightly tender, 5-10 minutes. Add broccoli to the pan. Continue to sauté until vegetables are crisp tender and slightly browned in spots. Add chopped basil, salt and pepper toward the last few minutes of cook time.

Meanwhile, boil water for your favorite pasta. I would recommend a penne or fettucine, but definitely a heavier noodle. Cook until tender, then toss in a large bowl with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan.

You may also prepare a light cream sauce:

Melt 2 Tbsp butter over low heat. Add and blend over low heat for 3-5 minutes:
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp flour -- stirred in slowly
1 cup milk
Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with pasta.

Enjoy!