CSA Members 2006: Newsletter Archive

Dear CSA Members,

Everything is bustling here! Instead of brilliant daylight at 6 am, we start before the sky lightens. The mornings are now wonderfully cool, and our fall crops are rushing to ripen before frost. I am cheering on a last crop of sunflowers and a trial planting of calendula for cut flowers. The tomatoes are reddening (finally!) and should be in your boxes soon.

A few of our other fall crops have made it into the box this week. Edamame are fresh soybeans, and are wonderful just steamed (5 minutes or until beans are tender) and salted. The pods are not eaten, but if the beans are cooked sufficiently they should pop out easily. Eat them as you would an artichoke leaf. Lemon cucumbers have a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a crisp texture. Slice them up for salad or just eat them like an apple. The peaches are trophies, but a few of them may be a little solid; please set them on your counter top and they will be perfect for eating.

We have also included a head of escarole, which has a hint of sharpness to it, and makes a tasty salad as well as a cooking green. See below for recipes.

If you have a September payment due, please send it in!

Escarole & Edamame Salad

ingredients

• 2 cups shelled edamame
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb escarole, trimmed and cut crosswise into very thin strips (8 cups)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 3/4 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2/3 cup)

procedure

Cook edamame as directed above. Cool and pat dry, remove shells. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined. Toss edamame, escarole, and mint in a large bowl. Add cheese and drizzle salad with dressing, then toss again. Serve immediately.

Gourmet, Quick Kitchen, January 2005

Fennel, Tomato, & Feta Salad

ingredients

• 1 large or 2 medium fennel bulbs
• cherry tomatoes (1/2 lb total), thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons drained bottled capers
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta (1 1/2 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

procedure

Special equipment: a mandoline or other adjustable-blade slicer

Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard stalks. Quarter bulbs lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices with mandoline. Toss fennel with remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Gourmet, April 2002

Roasted Fennel & Carrots With Pecorino

ingredients

• Fennel bulb, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch-thick slices, plus 2 teaspoons chopped fronds
• 1-2 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

procedure

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Layer sliced fennel and carrots in dish, sprinkling layers with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme, then cheese. Drizzle with oil. Bake until vegetables are tender and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Sprinkle with fronds.

Bon Appétit, Giada De Laurentiis, April 2006

Baked Escarole

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 head escarole
• 2 ounces (at least) gorgonzola
• bread crumbs
• salt & pepper to taste

procedure

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over low heat and stir in flour until a thick paste forms. Slowly add the milk to the flour stirring constantly to make a simple white sauce. Simmer while you cut escarole in half, rinse, and steam in a double boiler until wilted, about 5 min. Arrange escarole, cut side up, in a shallow baking dish, and cover with white sauce. Break the cheese into small pieces and sprinkle over sauce, top with bread crumbs, then bake in a preheated oven at 400° for about ten minutes or until lightly browned.