Weekly Farm Notes :: Dec 16th, 2015

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Hello!

As most of you know the “Falling into Greens” session is over but you can still get a single share each week between now and when the Deep Winter session begins mid-January. Starting tomorrow the 16th will be our first offering. The share will be $30 and this week will contain the items below. Check out our Recipes tab for some meal ideas!

  • Red Russian and Toscano Kale
  • Tender Collards
  • Pak Choi
  • Mustard Greens
  • Jar of our homemade sauerkraut. 

Harvesting will begin today and end in the morning so if you are interested please reply to this email so we can set  aside a share for you.

We also want you to know that we are making available to our CSA shareholders and the community the Kraut Source, Fermentation Made Simple. Kraut Source is a mason jar kitchenware for making fermented foods like sauerkraut, natural pickles, kimchi, kefir and more. Some of you already are using one and we think it is so useful we want to make it available to as many as possible. The MSRP is $30 + shipping but we are making it available until the end of the year for $26.

The startup company out of California is doing well and they have a lot of simple recipes with Videos to help with the process.   Fermenting food and its health benefits are getting a lot of attention these days and there is a lot of information out there to find out more.  We have a few extra right now so if you would like one let us know and we will bring it to market either Main Street or Brainerd. We think that either or both of these options would be a smart gift idea.  If you would like to buy a share or two for a loved one let us know and we will work out a gift certificate that can be given.

See you at market tomorrow!

Easy White Bean and Kale Hummus

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Hello!

I love hummus (I haven’t met many that don’t) so I am always looking for ways to make a great version at home. I have made really wonderful hummus from dried beans but it takes forethought and time, which doesn’t lend itself well to a quick, pull together meal. So I was really intrigued to find this version which cooks canned chickpeas in their canning liquid in the microwave. I really didn’t understand the science behind it but tried it anyways – turns out you can make really good hummus from canned beans! Someone commented on the original post with details on why this works:

“Chickpeas are high in a starch called amylose that forms large crystals as it cools after cooking, leading to a grainy texture. But exposure to high heat will break the crystals down. There’s no risk of the grainy texture recurring once the hummus is refrigerated, as the oil it contains will coat the individual amylose molecules, inhibiting crystallization. If your goal is to make the smoothest possible dip, then give your chickpeas a quick zap before pureeing.”

I am not sure if this holds true for cannellini beans too but I still followed the same procedure. If nothing else, it cooks the garlic at the same time, and I prefer the tamed down, cooked garlic flavor. I adjusted some of the other seasonings from the original posting – less tahini and more olive oil, lemon juice and salt. If you aren’t sure what you will like, just start with less and add more to taste.

I hope you enjoy this hummus as much as I have!

Easy White Bean and Kale Hummus
makes 2-3 cups

Recipe notes: 1) this recipe is also great with canned chickpeas; 2) I used 8 ounces of kale and it was more than I wanted to add to the hummus – but you may find you want to load it up, so add to your hearts desire!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15-ounce) can of cannellini beans, NOT drained
  • 2 to 4 peeled garlic cloves, depending on how garlicky you like it
  • 1/3 cup tahini
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 to 8 ounces kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped
  • Roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes or hot peppers for garnish

Directions:

  • Microwave undrained beans and whole garlic cloves in a mixing bowl for 4-5 minutes. Add to blender or food processor and process with lemon juice, salt and tahini. Stream in 1/4 cup olive oil while mixing. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You can eat it directly but I like it best after it has been refrigerated. It thickens up and the flavors meld.
  • When ready to serve, heat remaining olive oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the kale and cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir desired amount into the hummus. Serve with pita, crackers and/or cut up veggies.

 

Weekly Farm Notes :: Dec 9th, 2015

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Hello!

The recent fall CSA session ended last week (unless you received an extension email from Mark & Gina). We will still have plenty of goodies at market, though! And don’t forget, if you have already signed up for a Winter or Spring CSA session, you get 10% off anything else you purchase!

See you at market tomorrow!

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December 9th Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market (denoted by M) and/or in the CSA (denoted by CSA):

  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: check out the markets latest recipe for Sicilian Greens with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins. Try a different combination of greens, nuts and dried fruit – like Swiss chard, almonds and apricots or kale, pecans and cherries. Experiment and have fun!
  • Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: check out the easy Egg Gratin with Swiss Chard and Cherry Tomatoes recipe below. I have also made it with broccoli rabe and spicy peppers so play around with the ingredients and make it using whatever you have on hand.
  • Siberian, Red Russian & Toscano Kale {M/CSA}: check out our most recent post for Kohlrabi Greens Furikake – it would be just as good with kale!
  • Mild Mustard Greens {M/CSA}: have you checked out our Indian Mustard Green Sauce with Potatoes recipe yet? It is great comfort food for chilly nights!
  • Pak Choi {M/CSA}: I developed this Quick Kimchi recipe for the market using Napa cabbage. However, I think you could use pak choi and get great results too! While this version won’t last quite as long as the traditional, fermented style, I don’t think it would stick around in your refrigerator long enough anyways!
  • Awesome Asian Salad Mix {M/CSA}: this mix includes a variety of 5 greens but does not lettuce, making it great raw or sauteed. I think this Udon with Tofu and Asian Greens soup looks like a great way to use these greens.
  • Red & Green Baby Butterhead Lettuce {CSA}: now THIS is what salads should look like! I, too, hate wimpy salads and think they need lots of variety in flavor and texture to satisfy.
  • Spicy Large Leaf Arugula {M}: I love using arugula in veggie wraps. They are really simple and can be varied in so many ways. All you need are 10″ or larger tortillas, hummus or other spread, and your favorite fixings – I usually use olives, feta, sauteed or roasted veggies, and arugula or other fresh greens. This is fast food you want to eat!
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens {M}: I think these greens would be great in our Quinoa & Kale Bites recipe!
  • Wasabi Arugula {M}: wasabi arugula has an extra kick! Here is a list of recipes that work well with spicy arugula.
  • Cilantro {M}: I don’t own a juicer but I am sure some of you do out there. Here is a great Lesson on Juicing post from one of my favorite bloggers. She juiced cilantro with some serrano chiles tossed in and suggests mixing it with yogurt and serving with tomato soup – yum!

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Recipe :: Egg Gratin with Swiss Chard & Cherry Tomatoes

This recipe is from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen – it’s an everyday go-to cookbook for me. It serves 4-6.

Recipe notes: 1) I used Parmesan in place of Manchego and also cut the amount in half and I still think it turned out great; 2) I also used about 8 spicy pickled peppers in place of the tomatoes – it both saved time and added an extra kick to the dish; 3) I used an 8 x 8 glass baking dish and it worked well.

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for dish
  • 2-1/2 ounces Manchego cheese, grated (1-1/4 cups)
  • 8 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1-1/4 cups half-and-half
  • 4 large eggs

Directions:

  • Adjust 1 oven rack to middle position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of broiler-safe 2 quart gratin dish with butter and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Manchego evenly over bottom and sides of dish. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until tomatoes begin to break down and release their liquid, 3-5 minutes; transfer tomatoes to prepared dish.
  • Wipe out now empty skillet with paper towels and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in chard and increase heat to medium-high. Cover and cook until chard is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Transfer chard to gratin dish and spread evenly over tomatoes.
  • Whisk cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in medium bowl. Whisk in half-and-half, eggs, and 3/4 cup Manchego until thoroughly combined. Pour egg mixture over tomatoes and greens. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Manchego. Bake gratin on middle rack until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. Remove gratin from oven.
  • Heat broiler. Broil gratin on top rack until cheese is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Let gratin cool until custard has set up, about 5 minutes. Serve.

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Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? I love the sound of this avocado pasta and plan on trying it ASAP!

Kohlrabi Greens Furikake

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Hello!

Furikake is a Japanese seasoning blend traditionally sprinkled on top of cooked rice, veggies or fish. It typically includes sesame seeds, dried seaweed, dried fish, salt and spices, however there are hundreds of variations. I found a simplified vegetarian version in Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions, a new cookbook that I am slightly obsessed with right now. The author uses dried radish tops however I had leftover kohlrabi greens, so I used those instead. You can just about any type of greens though so this is a great way to preserve the harvest!

This is really more of an idea than a recipe so I am including other recipes, too. This recipe is more traditional and includes dried seaweed and fish. This version is vegetarian so it omits the dried fish. This version swaps the greens altogether and uses carrots instead. As you can see, the options are endless so have fun experimenting and really make this recipe your own.

Of course you can use this in the traditional manner and sprinkle it over rice. If you want to get adventurous, however, here are a few fun ways to use your furikake:

Let us know how you use your version!

Kohlrabi Greens Furikake
makes about 1/4 cup

Recipe notes: you can also dry the greens in a dehydrator but I prefer the oven method for this small amount of greens. I think it preserves the flavor a bit better and doesn’t take as long.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces de-stemmed kohlrabi greens, torn into large pieces (from about 3 small kohlrabi)
  • 3-4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

Directions:

  • Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat to 200 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  • Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium heat and add the kohlrabi greens. Simmer for 1 minute and remove from the water. Thoroughly dry and finely chop.
  • Spread the greens evenly on the baking sheet and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes, or until the greens are dry and crisp.
  • Transfer to a small mixing bowl and crumble between your fingers. Add the sesame seeds, salt and sugar and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

 

Weekly Farm Notes :: Dec 2nd, 2015

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Hello!

This is the last week of our “Falling into Greens” CSA session. We are offering three separate pickups this week – 1st at market tomorrow, 2nd at Brainard Market on Saturday and 3rd on Main Street on Saturday. Please make sure you have prearranged your pickup with Mark & Gina.

In case you missed it, we have a new preservation post this week on Stem Jam. We get a lot of greens and a lot of stems! Stash them away in the freezer and make this jam at the end of the week.

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December 2nd Produce

Here are the items you can expect at Market (denoted by M) and/or in the CSA (denoted by CSA):

  • Tender Collards {M/CSA}: I have been interested in making West African Peanut Soup for a while, but it is definitely on my list now that I found a recipe with collard greens added in!
  • Rainbow Swiss Chard {M/CSA}: although the cold and rain makes us crave cooked, hearty food, don’t neglect getting a daily dose of raw greens! This article will give you lot of tips to make a Swiss chard smoothie taste great.
  • Red Russian & Toscano Kale {M/CSA}: noodles of any kind make for quick weeknight meals. Check out this Garlic Soba Noodles recipe and toss in any number of the greens suggested.
  • Spicy Large Leaf Arugula {M/CSA}: the spiciness of these greens is a great counterpoint to richer dishes. Add some to egg salad, pizza or mac’n’cheese!
  • Red & Green Mild Mustard {CSA}: check out our new Indian Inspired Green Sauce with Potatoes for a tasty way to use your mustard greens!
  • Beets {CSA}: have you tried beet kvass yet? I tried it for the first time a month ago and loved the results! I fermented mine a few days longer than is recommended in the link above so mine was probably a bit funkier. I used most of the juice and beets in smoothies but the juice is great straight, mixed with syrups or sparkling water or in a cocktail.
  • Daikon Radish {CSA}: although this Sweet Pickled Daikon Radish recipe was designed for canning, just store in the refrigerator to keep it easy.
  • Kohlrabi {CSA}: our Kohlrabi Hash Browns recipe is great for a quick weeknight meal or a lazy Sunday brunch.
  • Green Butterhead & Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce {CSA}: looking for some salad inspiration? Take a look at The Essential Elements to a Satisfying Salad post and make a salad you’ll love.
  • Spicy Asian Mustard Greens {M}: check out our new Indian Inspired Green Sauce with Potatoes for a tasty way to use your mustard greens!
  • Jerusalem Artichokes {M}: have you tried these fried yet? I have made “chips” where they were thinly sliced and then fried but I haven’t tried them battered and fried. This recipe sounds great if you want to try your hand at it!
  • Awesome Asian Salad Mix {M}: sometimes, you just need to hard boil or fry and egg and call it dinner. Spice that idea up a bit and make this Mixed Green Salad with Egg, Avocado and Creamy Lemon-Dill Dressing.
  • Cilantro {M}: we all need quick, flavorful, make-ahead sauces that taste great on just about anything. Add this vegan Spicy Cilantro Sauce recipe to the list.

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Alice O’Dea Article

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s recent article? This week, she explores the wonders of making a pan sauce…if you haven’t made one before, you need this information!

Indian Mustard Green Sauce with Potatoes

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Hello!

Here is a tasty Indian inspired sauce that can be easily made ahead and frozen (prepare the potatoes before serving as they would not freeze well). Traditional sag aloo is based on spinach but I like the added complexity from mixing kale and mustard greens together. Experiment with a different mix of greens and let us know how it turns out.

This sauce is not a something that can be quickly thrown together – it will take a bit to make but well worth it in the end. Plus, it’s a great way to use a lot of greens at once! If you want to shorten the recipe a bit, you can use your favorite pre-ground Indian spice mix – I think equal amounts of curry powder and garam masala would work well. You could also use another vegetable in place of the potatoes – thaw out frozen cauliflower for an easy substitution.

Saag Aloo (Spinach Sauce with Potatoes)
serves 4

Recipe notes: 1) you can substitute waxy potatoes like Red Bliss but don’t use starchy potatoes such as Russets as they tend to fall apart and not hold their shape, 2) you can add more jalapeno depending on your desired spice level – although it is impossible to tell how much heat any one chile will give without tasting it (as it depends on the growing conditions), 1/2 jalapeno probably won’t give much noticeable heat.

  • Ingredients:
    • 4 medium (1-1/3 lb) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled if desired, and cut into 1″ cubes
    • 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • Seeds from 3 cardamom pods, about 1/4 teaspoon
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and cut into a small dice
    • 1/2 large jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced (optional)
    • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
    • 3-4 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
    • 10 ounces kale (about 1 large bunch), washed and roughly chopped
    • 10 ounces mustard greens (about 1 large bunch), washed and roughly chopped
    • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained and chopped
    • Juice of one fresh lime
    • 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
    • 1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped
    • Rice and/or naan to serve
  • Directions:
    • Place potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, remove plastic wrap away from your face to avoid the steam, and test for doneness. Cover and cook for a few minutes longer if they aren’t cooked all the way through. Alternatively, you can steam the potatoes in a steamer basket set over simmering water (should take about 5 minutes to cook through). Set aside.
    • Grind the cumin and cardamom seeds using a mortal and pestle or a spice grinder. Combine with the remaining spices and set aside.
    • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the spice mixture. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the greens in 2 or 3 batches, if necessary, until they have wilted down and start to release moisture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until almost all of the moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and transfer 1/2 of the spinach mixture to a blender or small food processor. Pulse until mostly smooth, about 5 1-second pulses. Return the puree to the skillet with the remaining greens and stir to combine. Add the tomato, lime juice and heavy cream, if using, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Stir in the potatoes. Serve over rice and top with chopped cashews.