Two Small Farms Newsetter 415

Two Farms Newsletter #415
September 26, 2007
_______________________________

Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) Trick Or Treat? — Celebrity Pumpkins From History
3) High Ground Restoration Project
4) Photos
5) Recipes
6) Which Farm?
7) Unsubscribe
8) Two Small Farms Contact Information

___________________________________

1) In your box this week: Green Beans, Scallions, Tomatoes, Mystery from Stephen, Potatoes, Sugar Pie Pumpkin, Spinach OR Rapini

This week's vegetable list: I try to have it updated by Monday night, sometimes by Mon. am

How to store this week's bounty: all (except tomatoes and pumpkin) in the fridge as soon as you arrive home. The pumpkin can be used for any pumpkin/winter squash recipe(s): pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, etc. It can also be carved, of course! recipes are below.

_________________________________

2) Trick Or Treat? — Celebrity Pumpkins From History from Andy

Cinderella's magic coach may the most famous pumpkin in history but we shouldn't forget Peter's squash.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Had a wife but couldn't keep her;
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.

This nursery rhyme, with its dark overtones of spousal abuse and an obscure symbolic link between pumpkins and failed romance, presents an interesting counterpoint to the Cinderella myth. For Cinderella, a pumpkin became the vehicle that carried her to marital bliss, yet for Peter's wife a pumpkin is a prison. As a pumpkin farmer, I'm unqualified to draw a psychiatrist's conclusions from these two stories, but hollowed out gourds have a long and honorable history of being used as vessels to carry water and food stuffs, so it's no surprise they should also be filled with romance, myth and contradiction.

The only pumpkin that grows large enough to hold a wandering wife is the pink shelled, yellow fleshed pumpkin from the Cucurbita maxima called "Atlantic Giant." The Atlantic Giant pumpkin is the kind that wins all the giant pumpkin contests, and many specimens have weighed well over five hundred pounds. My copy of The Real Mother Goose, first published in 1916, has an illustration for Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater that shows a girl, barely old enough to be Jerry Lee Lewis' wife, glaring balefully out from a huge pale pumpkin. The artist captured the fat, corky, round stem characteristic of fruits in the Cucurbita maxima, and the Atlantic Giant's rampant habit is authentically rendered as well.

In the past, large pumpkins like Atlantic Giant were used as cattle feed. The high carotene content that gives pumpkin flesh its typical yellow color is nutritious and gives butter that comes from cows fattened on pumpkins a pleasing yellow color. Now that the development of alfalfa bales, alfalfa cubes, silage and a whole industry of enriched cattle feeds has rendered the pumpkin obsolete on the dairy farm, milk processors tint their butter with dyes where yellow colored butters are demanded by the market.

Today, even the canned "pumpkin" for pies is rarely rendered from the round, orange, hard-shelled winter squash most people think of as pumpkins. Other squash varieties, like Butternut, that have a heavier yield, are canned instead, and pie eaters are none the wiser. Because of changing social mores the pumpkin has largely disappeared from the rural scene except as a seasonal ornamental crop or a fetish crop for obsessive gardeners anxious to prove that "bigger is better." Even the ornamental role of pumpkins as seasonal ornaments is under attack. Some merchandisers are attempting to replace the lovely, perishable jack o' lantern pumpkins with orange polyethylene bags that have black triangular shaped eyes printed on them. These convenient faux orange plastic bag "pumpkins" can be stuffed with garbage the day after Halloween and set out on the curb. They will never rot.

Pies, no matter what they're made of, came to America from Europe, just like the Halloween tradition. I've heard horror stories over the years about homemade pumpkin pies that turned out stringy, watery, and tasteless. The idea has grown up that only some pumpkins are edible. There's truth to this idea today, now that breeders select for ornamental qualities only as they create new cultivars for the seasonal market, but the Native Americans who first developed pumpkins as a crop ate them all, and at all stages of their development.

The thick, fat pumpkin seeds are rich in nutritious oils and some of them would have been saved to toast over the fire for a tasty meal during the long, cold winters on the east coast. Pumpkin seeds are still an essential ingredient in traditional Mexican mole sauces. Pumpkin seeds would have been sprouted too, giving people starving for fresh vegetables a bite of greenery in the late winter or early spring. After the year's crop had been planted out and the pumpkin vines began creeping across the earth, the first golden flowers could be eaten in salads followed by the little green developing fruits.
The pumpkin is a close cousin to the zucchini, and its fruits were picked green and tender to be eaten raw by the Native Americans. Our English word "squash", in fact, comes to us from the Naragansett word asquutasquash, meaning "uncooked." Ironically, the English word "pumpkin" comes to us from the ancient Greek word for "cooked." "Pumpkin" is an English corruption of the French word pompion which in Old French had been pompon, and earlier popon. The early French speakers were simply putting a gallic twist on the Latin word pepon which was a cognate of a Greek word which meant cooked. It remains true of the squash that we have come to call pumpkins that to be enjoyed at their maturity they must be cooked. The Latin pepon survives in the botanical Latin name Cucurbita pepo for one of the many groups within the Cucurbita family.

Nowadays writers use the word pumpkin imprecisely to describe hard squash that are either reminiscent of the jack o' lantern pumpkin in color or in shape. Some pumpkins like the white Lumina pumpkins are pumpkin shaped and pumpkin sized but come from the Cucurbita maxima, like Hubbard squash. Tan colored pumpkins like the Long Island Cheese pumpkin belong to Cucurbita moschata, as do butternut squash. The long and the short of it is that every pumpkin is a squash to a botanist but not every squash is a pumpkin to a chef.

Confusion reigns over the pumpkin patch because there are two types of pumpkin in the Cucurbita pepo which look awfully similar taste a lot different. The New England Sugar Pie pumpkin is a small, heavy, round orange pumpkin with a nice flavor. The Connecticut field pumpkin is a larger orange squash, somewhat oblong in shape, that superficially looks a pie pumpkin but has no sweetness to its flesh. The Indians on the east coast developed the Connecticut field pumpkin for the production of edible seeds, not pies. Later, this common pumpkin variety was "improved" into myriad ornamental jack o' lantern cultivars.

The most celebrated Connecticut field pumpkin is probably the one that the Headless Horseman threw at Ichabod Crane in The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow. True, Washington Irving doesn't specifically mention the breed of the pumpkin that he describes laying shattered on the road near Ichabod Crane's abandoned hat. And yes, Sleepy Hollow is in New York, not Connecticut, but the Connecticut field pumpkins were a standard animal fodder crop along the eastern seaboard. But who cares, anyway? Writers who cover celebrities are rarely held to a high standard of proof, so if an academic one day proves that Irving intended readers to imagine a Kentucky field pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) you're not going to sue me.

Then there's the pumpkin that made Richard Nixon a household name. I refer to the "Pumpkin Papers." Nowadays the press would call the whole affair "Pumpkingate." To tell the story briefly, in 1948 Whittaker Chambers accused Alger Hiss of being a communist. Then he hid the microfilmed evidence inside a hollowed out pumpkin on his farm. In due course, the House Un-American Activities Committee got a subpoena, searched his pumpkin patch and confiscated the pumpkin.

Going back to Cinderella, illustrated editions of the fairy tale often picture her riding to the dance in a ribbed, heirloom French Cucurbita maxima type pumpkin called le Rouge Vif d'Etamples. Cinderella's coach was red. Rouge means red, and vif means vivid. California Congressman Nixon said that Alger Hiss was a "red." Nixon got a hold of the pumpkin papers and used them to fan his fame. You might say that Nixon rode into history on a pumpkin, just like Cinderella. Blurry black and white photos of Whittaker Chamber's infamous pumpkin taken by newspaper reporters at his Maryland farm show a squash with the longer, irregular five sided, stem of a Connecticut field pumpkin— Cucurbita pepo, the jack o' lantern.... It's fitting, somehow.

"Trick or treat!" Richard Nixon said to America.

You know how that fairy tale ended.

copyright 2007 Andy Griffin

______________________________________________________________________

3) Restoration Event at High Ground Organics

SATURDAY OCTOBER 6, 2007 from 10am-1pm: Come join us in transforming a hillside dominated by invasive weeds into a thriving habitat of native grasses, sedges and wildflowers. We will work from 10-12 and than share a potluck lunch and nature walk to enjoy the beautiful fall colors of the wetland. Contact Laura at (831)761-8694 for more details. Find directions to the farm at our website: twosmallfarms.com

______________________________________

4) Photos:

Pumpkins

Spinach

Rapini

Photo Gallery

__________________________________

5) Recipes from Roxanne, Gail, Anne and Julia

Quinoa Chowder with Spinach, Feta, and Scallions
adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine sieve
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 hungarian wax chile, seeded and finely chopped (or half a pepper if you don't want it quite as spicy)
1 teaspoon ground cumin or to taste
S & P to taste
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 bunch scallions, including an inch of the greens, thinly sliced into rounds
1 bunch finely sliced spinach leaves
1/4 pound feta cheese, finely diced or crumbled
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 hard cooked egg, chopped

Put the quinoa and 2 quarts water in a pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. While it's cooking, dice the vegetables and cheese. Drain, saving the liquid. Measure the liquid and add water to make 6 cups if needed.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile. Cook for about 30 seconds, giving it a quick stir. Add the cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and the potatoes and cook for a few mintues, stirring frequently. Don't let the garlic brown. Add the quinoa water and half the scallions and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the quinoa, spinach, and remaining scallions and simmer for 3 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the feta and cilantro. Season the soup with pepper and garnish with the chopped egg.

----------------

Hi Julia --

I'm a relatively new CSA member -- just joined a few weeks ago -- and I am absolutely loving the wonderful produce! I have searched all summer for perfect tomatoes at my normal haunts (Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, various other places) and yours are just wonderful.

I've enjoyed coming up with delicious vegetable dishes using the CSA bounty -- mashed potatoes with the Godzilla Fingerling potatoes (and saved the potato water and made some delicious potato bread), leek- potato soup with the incredible leeks (gosh, those were amazing leeks), lots of great salads, strawberry shortcake, etc.

The very first week of veggies, I had to learn how to cook the baby artichokes, so I went on to Epicurious and found this recipe that uses both tomatoes and artichokes

which I made with ~ 1 1/2 lb of salmon in a 13x9 pan. I didn't bother with blanching the garlic, and I braised the baby artichokes instead of deep-fat-frying them. I had Zatar in my spice rack, so I used it, but I would think it would have been as good with another spice blend.
The funny part is that the recipe looks involved but it really isn't -- I think it took me about 30 minutes from pulling the fish out of the fridge to putting it on the table.

Anyways, this week, with the pumpkin -- yay! so excited about the pumpkin! -- we'll do toasted pumpkin seeds and probably a pumpkin pudding (which, in our house, is pumpkin pie without the crust.)

Can't wait -- Anne

-----------------

from Roxanne in Capitola:

Things I won't make unless I have the BEST vine ripened tomatoes (like yours):
Tabouli, Panzanella, Pico de gallo, and the following uncooked pasta sauce from Marcella Hazan - SPAGHETTI COL SUGO DI ERBE E POMODORO CRUDO

She heats the olive oil until smoking hot, then pours it into the tomatoes, herbs before tossing it with the hot pasta.
Just had some homemade Tomato Juice (drippings from the tomatoes I've been roasting to put away in the freezer bags for winter). Delicious!

20 pounds done,,,,,,,,,,,,,,20 pounds to go.
Thanks for all your hard work, I'll be thinking of you as we use them.
Ciao!

Here's a delicious recipe I made this week with the eggplant, onion, and tomato. I hope I'm sending it to the correct address. I thought it might be a good recipe for the newsletter. It is from the LeLeche League Cookbook.

GROUND BEEF AND EGGPLANT SKILLET

1 lb. ground beef
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 C. tomatoes
1 C. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 t. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 C. brown rice, cooked

Brown beef and garlic. Add eggplant; stir and cook 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. May be made ahead and reheated. -submitted by Gail Davies


Leeky Chicken

This recipe is a great basic technique, and you can alter ingredients at will. This works for chicken, pork chops and fish. Steak and lamb, too (substitute beef stock, not chicken). In addition to leeks, fennel, onions, garlic, shallots, etc. can all be used individually or together. Fruits such as pears, apples, etc. can be added; for example with pork chops I use sweet onions and apples and add cinnamon to the chops. Season at will as well: thyme, rosemary, etc. on the meats add great flavor.

2 or 3 leeks, white to light green parts only, sliced, cleaned

1-2 T olive oil

boneless, skinless chicken breasts

S&P plus other spices to taste (poultry seasoning, sage, thyme are great)

1 box (~4 cups) low sodium chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a large/12" skillet, and sauté leeks on medium high heat until soft and brown (about 5-8 minutes). Best flavor comes from really letting them caramelize. Push leeks to edge of pan and add a little more olive oil. Salt, pepper and season chicken and place in center of skillet. Brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each side. Add chicken broth and cover until chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes more. Remove lid and reduce liquid until it is the consistency of maple syrup; about 5-10 minutes. To Serve: put chicken on a bed of rice, pasta (orzo is great) or mashed potatoes, and pour pan sauce on top.

Here are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes, they have likely shown up in this newsletter before. -julia

Julia's Perfect Pumpkin Pie

First the pumpkin:

Preheat oven to 350. Cut and remove seeds from one medium sugar pie pumpkin, or 2 small ones. Bake in glass dish cut side down for at least 45 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the entire wall of the pumpkin.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Next the crust:

For best results use a 9 inch pie plate and have foil and beans or pie weights available

4 tablespoons EACH cold unsalted butter and shortening, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
3-6 tablespoons ice cold water

In a food processor, whirl the dry ingredients together, then drop the butter and shortening pieces into the processor and pulse a few times until the mixture looks crumbly and there are no lumps larger than peas.

Mix above mixture in a mixing bowl with 3 tablespoons of the cold water. Add water a 1/2 tablespoon at a time and mix until the dough is pliable and releases from the sides, but isn't too sticky. After 3 Tablespoons or so it's easiest to use your hands to bring the crumbs into a dough. Don't wash the food processor yet.

Refrigerate in waxed paper as a thick disk for at least 1/2 an hour while you prepare the filling. After about 30 minutes, roll out dough until it's about 13 inches in diameter. Fold it over, and place into a 10 inch pie plate. Trim edge to about 1/2 an inch beyond the end of the pie plate, tuck in crust and pinch the edge into a design. Lightly place some aluminum foil or parchment paper onto crust, then put in some pie weights to cover the bottom (or dried beans) This step helps to make the perfect pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

FILLING:

2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each ground cloves and nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup half and half
4 large eggs

In the bowl of the food processor, remove any large clumps from the making of the crust, and add the pulp from the pumpkins, discarding the skin and any renegade seeds. Whirl the pumpkin until thoroughly pureed. Measure out 2 cups of the pumpkin, and reserve the rest for another use. (See soup recipe or add about a cup to any pancake or cookie recipe.)

In the bowl of the food processor, mix the pumpkin with the spices and the brown sugar. Remove to a saucepan, and heat until it's lightly bubbling. In the bowl of the food processor, whirl the eggs with the half and half until mixed, then add gently to the warm pumpkin mixture. Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes, stirring a few times. Pour warm pumpkin mixture into the warm pie shell, and bake for about 25 minutes, or until center is still slightly wobbly. Cool on a rack for at least an hour. Enjoy with whipped cream or ice cream.

LAURA’S GLAZED PUMPKIN GINGER BARS
Adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff

1 3/4 cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup chopped candied ginger

GLAZE:
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 to 4 tbsp. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10x15-inch baking pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy then add brown sugar, beating until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin, beating well. Add dry ingredients, mixing until batter is smooth. Stir in nuts and candied ginger. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cake pulls away from sides of pan.

Combine confectioners’ sugar with lemon zest. Add lemon juice gradually to confectioners’ sugar, adding just enough to give the proper consistency for spreading. Spread on the warm bars. When cool, cut into diamonds or squares and store covered for a day to let flavors blend before serving. Makes 4 dozen.

Simple Pumpkin Bread

2 cups mashed/pureed pumpkin or winter squash

Mix and make a well in the center:

3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar

Add to the center along with the pumpkin and stir just until all is mixed in:

1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water

Pour into 1 large and 2 small oiled bread pans (or muffin tins). Bake at 350 for one hour. (Or less for muffins.)

New Zealand Pumpkin Soup
3# sugar pumpkin, cut up and peeled
2 medium onions, cut up and peeled
2 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
S & P to taste

Cook all ingredients together until pumpkin is tender. Put through a food processor,
heat and serve with 2-3 Tbs. heavy cream swirled in each bowl. Garnish with grated nutmeg or fresh ginger or chives, enjoy.

Spinach Recipes

Artichoke Recipes

Rapini Recipes

Pumpkin Recipes

More Recipes

____________________________________

6) Which Farm?

From High Ground: Scallions, Beans, Spinach, Mystery, Flowers.
From Mariquita: Tomatoes, Pumpkin, Chiles, Potatoes

__________________________________________

7) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

Two Small Farms Blog

BLOG ADVANTAGES: I can change mistakes after I post them. I don't have to subscribe/unsubscribe folks. Old

newsletters easily accessed. Links! (I send this newsletter out as plain text so more folks with differently-abled

computer systems can easily read it.) You can sign up for email updates to the Two Small Farms Blog on the main

blog page:
http://twosmallfarms.blogspot.com/

__________________________________

8) Two Small Farms Contact Information

Two Small Farms
Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics
Organically Grown Vegetables
831-786-0625
P.O. Box 2065
Watsonville, CA 95077
csa@twosmallfarms.com
http://www.twosmallfarms.com
http://www.mariquita.com
http://www.highgroundorganics.com

Two Farms Newsletter #414

September 17, 2007

Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) Thelma Sanders
3) Renewal Time
4) Sunday Tomato/Pumpkin Upick! Sept. 23rd
5) Photos (photo to the left is of Red Friarelli
peppers: they are sweet not spicy.)
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

1) In your box this week: Eggplant, Tropea Onions, Tomatoes, Red Chard,
Sweet Red Friarelli Peppers, mystery from Stephen (berries or
cauliflower or artichokes), Lettuce with a bunch of arugula (Wed), Salad mix
(Thurs & Fri),

This week's vegetable list: I try to have it updated by Monday night,
sometimes by Mon. aml

How to store this week's bounty: all (except tomatoes and onions) in
the fridge as soon as you arrive home. The Red Friarelli Peppers are
SWEET: they can be chopped into salad, confetti rice, great for sauteing
but not for 'roasting and peeling'. They aren't spicy, really and truly.

_______________________________

2)  Cookbooks, Today from Julia

Two weeks ago I talked about cookbooks from my past. Today some of the
cookbooks I go to most frequently include: The New Joy of Cooking, How
to Cook Everything, The Best Recipe, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone,
*Not* Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, and one that has lasted from
then to now:
Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking. Some Vegetable
cookbooks that I look at at least once a week if not more often include:
Recipes from a Kitchen Garden, Chez Panisse Vegetables, and The Victory
Garden Cookbook. There are so many great cookbooks out there, I'm
likely forgetting a few that are so obvious that I can't even see them. I
do know that what's different about my life today from 20 years ago is
that I have WAY better ingredients at hand and far less time to fuss
over new and complicated recipes. Andy (he's my husband) loves to read
cookbooks by Marcella Hazan, and the Oliveto-ish cookbook "Cooking By
Hand", and the classic Zuni Cookbook by Judy Rogers. These are all great,
and I might actually attempt a few of their recipes... in 10 years when
I get to experience emptly nest syndrome. For now I'll be perusing the
"Ten Minute Cuisine" type books.

So on that note: This week I'll include recipes from a few of the above
books, especially for chard and eggplant!

Note to fans of Andy's literary endevours, he posted a lengthy, great
article.

Let the Recipes Begin!

My own gazpacho:

2-3 pounds tomatoes, peeled (easily done if given a 15 second boiling
water bath) a few red peppers, friarelli are great
1 onion, peeled and quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled (smashed if you like)
1/4 cup vinegar, red wine or sometimes I use rice vinegar, even though
it's not traditional pinch chile flakes if you like a kick to your
gazpacho
1 cucumber if available. (Andy lost most of his cucumber crop so this
year my gazapacho is sans cuke) S & P to taste

Roughly chop everything and mix. Then let sit for 1-2 hours to let the
flavors meld. Also possible: use a food processor for each item and
only use the pulse button, being careful not to over process any
ingredient. Some folks blend bread into their gazpacho, some drizzle a great
olive oil on at the end...
it's one of 'those' recipes where there are as many variations as there
are home cooks making it!

Cold Eggplant, Dressed with Yogurt
adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking

1 large or 2 smaller eggplants
1 cup plain yogurt
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil

Prepare steamer and start the water boiling. Peel and cube eggplants;
put into steamer and cover: steam 10-20 minutes or until eggplant cubes
are cooked through.
Remove the eggplant from the steamer. Put in a bowl and mash coarsely.
Allow to cool. Beat the yogurt with a fork or whisk until smooth and
creamy. Pour this over the eggplant. Add S & P. Mix and adjust
seasonings. Sprinkle paprika ove the top and then dribble some oil over the
paprika.

Tomato Jam
adapted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Henspenger

2 pounds ripe tomatoes
4 cups sugar
1 1.75 or 2 ounce box of powdered pectin (optional) grated zest of 2
lemons grated zest of 2 oranges
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 chunk fresh ginger, about 4 inches long, peeled and grated
2 cinnamon sticks

1. Peel, seed and slice or roughly chop tomatoes. Combine tomatoes with
the sugar, pectin if using, citrus zests, lemon juice, ginger, and
cinnamon sticks in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours,
stirring twice during cooking.

2. Remove lid. Turn the cooker to high, and cook 2-4 hours longer,
until the jam reaches the desired consistency. Discard the cinnamon sticks.


3. Ladle the warm jam into clean spring top glass jars (or use screw
tops with new lids); let stand until cool. Store, covered, in the
refrigerator for up to
4 months. This can also be frozen: many modern canning jars are also
freezer jars. Serve with cream cheese and whole grain bread or scones.

Confetti Rice: I got an idea to make a 'sopa' style rice but with the
red friarellis instead of tomatoes. Here's the recipe with a photo

more recipes below in section #6

________________________________________________

3) A Few Reminders on CSA Etiquette

We appreciate that most of you are very considerate of our hosts
when you pick up your boxes each week, but sometimes details get lost,
confused, or forgotten, so here's a little refresher on Pick-up Site
Etiquette. Our ability to deliver our fresh vegetables and berries to you
each week is completely dependent on our hosts. We greatly value their
input and work that they do, so we need to make sure that we are not
burdening them unduly.

It is your responsibility to flatten out your box and leave it in a
pile with the others. This is important because there is limited space for
empty boxes. When flattened and stacked in one pile, they take up less
space and it keeps things easily accessible for other members who
arrive to pick up their veggies. (Please accomplish this without tearing
the tabs on the boxes; they cost over $1 each and we can't use them again
if the tabs are ripped. Squeeze the tabs so they come out easily.)

Don't leave your trash at the pick up site.

Check off your name on the sign in sheet, so we know who has picked up
in case of a problem.

Check off your name on the flower sign-in sheet if you get flowers.

Arrive on the delivery day and within the time frame set for your
pick-up site. Two Small Farms only guarantees a box for you on the delivery
day - this is when the produce is still fresh, and we want to respect
the privacy and lives of our hosts. The host is under no obligation or
expectation to hold vegetables through another day. If they do, it is
out of their graciousness and is not to be abused.

Thank you.
______________________________

4) Tomato/Pumpkin Upick this Sunday, Sept. 23rd 9am to 1pm

This Sunday is our Tomato/Pumpkin/Weird Squash Upick day at Mariquita
Farm in Hollister on SUNDAY Sept. 23rd. 9am to 1pm. join us! Tomatoes
are 50 cents a pound. Bring a friend. We'll also have a Pumpkin Patch!
Directions and more information

Tomatoes! We can sell 20# of San Marzano 'paste' tomatoes as an
'extra'. 20# boxes are $29 delivered to your

pick up site. Contact Zelda in the office to order. 831 786 0625 or
csa@twosmallfarms.com

What one bulk tomato buyer did with her tomatoes: a nice photo gallery
of a canning project

and another blog entry about tomatoes from our friend and SF customer
Marcus Rector

_______________________________________

5) Photos:

Sweet (not spicy) Red Friarelli Peppers

Photo Gallery

_____________________________________

6) Recipes and What Nina will do with the box!

Here is my plan for this week's box, from Nina in San Carlos

Using Chard, Peppers, Onion: Frittata with sauteed chard, sweet
peppers, onion (or leek from last week), seasoned with thyme, marjoram, s&p,
topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Using Eggplant: Baba Ghanoush, using Julia's informal recipe. I mix it
in the food processor, and instead of tahini use almond butter and
toasted sesame seeds. Very delicious! Use as dip for pita chips.

Using Tomatoes, Onion, Lettuce: Greek Salad with chopped tomatoes,
thinly sliced onions, chopped Kalamata olives, chopped cucumber (peeled and
seeded), and crumbled feta cheese with olive oil, balsamic vinegar,
and S&P. Can serve as is or over a bed of lettuce.

If I get berries, I'll wash them and serve them sliced for dessert.

If I get cauliflower, I'll roast it and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

If I get artichokes, I'll try this dip/spread:

Artichoke Dip/Spread

Very loosely adapted from The Maui Vegetarian; I found a site that
listed some of the ingredients and will improvise to make my own.

Use whatever amounts appeal to you!

Artichoke hearts, steamed until very soft
Onions, chopped
Garlic, minced
Sweet Peppers, stems trimmed and chopped
Spicy Chili Pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Cashew pieces

Cut the artichokes in half, remove the choke, and steam until the
hearts are very soft. Place hearts in bowl of food processor. Sauté the
onions, garlic, sweet peppers, and chili peppers in a bit of olive oil
until soft. Add to hearts with lemon juice, olive oil, and S&P. Process
until desired consistency. Toast cashew pieces over medium heat in a
small frying pan. Sprinkle on top for a garnish or mix in. Use as a dip for
pita chips, spread on toast, or add to a sandwich. Enjoy!

in case you still have squash around: from Alice Englander:

Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine )

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, optional
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chicken broth
1-2 cups water, as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for garnish

Cut squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Arrange the
halves cut side down in roasting pan that has been sprayed with nonstick
vegetable oil spray. Bake squash in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until
very tender. Set aside to cool. When the squash is completely cool,
scoop the flesh from the skin. While the squash is baking, cook the onion
and the ginger in the butter in a saucepan, over moderately low heat,
for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened, Add the broth and simmer
the mixture for 10 minutes, covered. Add the squash pulp to the sauce
pan. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, in batches, and
puree until smooth. Add enough water to achieve the desired
consistency, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to the sauce pan and
cook over moderate heat until it is hot. Garnish each portion with the
heaping teaspoon of low-fat sour cream.

Fish Peperonata

Saute a whole mess of red friarelli peppers and some onions and garlic
in some olive oil with S & P over medium heat for 20-30 minutes or
until cooked through and starting to brown just a little.

cook the fish like you know you're supposed to: in a pan over high heat
until barely cooked through then serve with the peppers. OR place the
cooked peppers in a glass baking dish and place the fish on top then
bake, making sure to remove the pan and serve before the fish is cooked
too much.

Eggplant "Caviar"
adapted from Entertaining 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold recipe can be doubled
easily

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons prepared black olive tapenade
1 tablespoon freshly sqeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Put eggplant on baking sheet and prick with fork. Bake for 1 hour. Cut
eggplant in half. Scoop out flesh and mash in bowl with tepenade and
lemon juice. Add salt, if desired, and black pepper to taste. Mix well
and chill.

Chard and Tomatoes
from Too Many Tomatoes, Squash, and Other Good Things by L. Landau and
L. Myers

2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced (or ½ bunch scallions, chopped, including at least have
the green part)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large tomatoes (or equivalent with different sized tomatoes), peeled
and diced
1/2 cup cooked ham (optional)
2 cups cooked chard (easy to blanch: just immerse roughly chopped
leaves in boiling water for 1-2 minutes)
butter
S & P
Nutmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until golden. Stir in the
tomatoes, ham if using, and chard and heat until bubbly. Add butter,
Salt and Pepper and nutmeg to taste. (This dish can be kept 'lighter' by
skipping the ham and the butter!) Serve, sprinkling with the parmesan
cheese.

Chard-Tomato Peasant Pasta
recipe told by Martin to Julia

1 bunch Erbette Chard, cleaned, stems removed, and very roughly chopped
(can be in fairly large pieces)
olive oil
garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (3?)
4-5 medium sized ripe tomatoes, chopped
fresh pasta, we used Cafferata's fresh spaghetti
splash of white wine or squeeze of lemon
S & P

**note: have tongs or other utensil to fish cooked chard out of the
water so you can boil the pasta in the same water. another note: save a
little pasta water for the final dish....

Bring one large pot of water to boil, then add a couple of teaspoons of
salt. Add chard pieces to the water and cook until blanched, 2 minutes
or so. Fish out the chard with tongs or strainer. Add pasta to water
to cook if using dried pasta...

Meantime, cook the garlic in the oil in a large saute pan for 1 minute
over medium or medium high heat until softening a little, make sure it
doesn't burn. Add blanched chard & chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5-7
minutes. Cook up the pasta now if you're using fresh pasta.

Now the fun part: toss everything together, with a splash of white wine
or lemon juice, and add a little of the pasta water to make everything
a tad soupy. Adjust seasoning (add S & P to taste) and EAT.

pepper recipes

chard recipes

Salad Dressings

Eggplant Recipes

More Recipes

____________________________________

7) Which Farm?

From High Ground: Lettuce/Salad, mystery, Flowers.
From Mariquita: Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Chard, eggplant

__________________________________________

8) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

Two Small Farms Blog

BLOG ADVANTAGES: I can change mistakes after I post them. I don't have
to subscribe/unsubscribe folks. Old

newsletters easily accessed. Links! (I send this newsletter out as
plain text so more folks with differently-abled

computer systems can easily read it.) You can sign up for email updates
to the Two Small Farms Blog on the main

blog page:
http://twosmallfarms.blogspot.com/

__________________________________

9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

Two Small Farms
Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics
Organically Grown Vegetables
831-786-0625
P.O. Box 2065
Watsonville, CA 95077
csa@twosmallfarms.com
http://www.twosmallfarms.com
http://www.mariquita.com
http://www.highgroundorganics.com

Two Farms Newsletter #413

September 12, 200
_________________________

1) In your box this week
2) Thelma Sanders
3) Renewal Time
4) Sunday Tomato/Pumpkin Upick! Sept. 23rd
5) Photos
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

________________________________________

1) In your box this week: Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Leeks, Thelma Sanders Winter Squash, Potatoes, Stephen Mystery, Lettuce

This week's vegetable list: I try to have it updated by Monday night, sometimes by Mon. am

How to store this week's bounty: all (except tomatoes and squash) in the fridge as soon as you arrive home.

The tomatoes and winter squash can be stored at room temperature. Potatoes in the fridge, use them within the week if possible.

____________________________________

2) Thelma Sanders Lives, by Stephen

Hard, or winter, squash are one ofmy favorite things to grow. Because we only plant a single seed line on our 64" beds, as opposed to 8 seed lines when we plant some of our high density crops like radishes or baby spinach, they are easy to plant and cultivate on our steep hillsides. And because they aren't as fussy about soil fertility as some of the other things we grow, we can usually get a good crop by adding little more than the over-winter cover crop that we incorporate before planting in spring. Because the plants grow quickly and shade out most weeds with their broad leaves, controlling weeds in squash is also much easier than in other crops.

In addition to these practical reasons for liking hard squash, I also love to eat them. Halved and baked or cubed and steamed they make a quick, easy and satisfying addition to any meal. But they also lend themselves to more elaborate preparations, like pureed soups and sauces, pies and even filling for ravioli.

The term "winter squash" can throw people off because they are actually grown in spring and summer. However, because they keep well and in some cases their flavor actually improves in storage they are usually consumed in fall and winter-hence the term "winter." The squash that people commonly consume falls into one of five species in the Cucurbitaceae family. In general, summer squashes are those that are picked and eaten in their immature stage-when their skin is still tender and their seeds still small and undeveloped. Winter squash conversely is harvested after it has formed a tough skin, fully developed seeds and the plant that bore them has died and dried up.

For the most part varieties have been developed for either one purpose or the other. Summer squash tend to grow on more upright, "bush" type plants, chosen for ease of picking when planted in straight rows. They are generally picked 3 times per week over a month or more. Winter squash on the other hand tend to set on long sprawling vines that intermingle with their neighbors to form a dense impenetrable mat-practical only for a one time harvest after the vines have died away. In Latin America , however, some varieties are used for both, picking young fruit for use as "summer squash" and allowing others to develop fully into hard squashes.

You may remember that last year we planted a trial of over 80 varieties of hard squash and pumpkins. Of those, we found six or seven varieties we really liked. This year we planted a few of these on a much larger scale. One of our very favorites, the Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato is in your box this week. This is a true heirloom variety of acorn squash first domesticated by Native Americans. It was cultivated by Thelma Sanders, a home gardener from Adair County , Missouri and the seeds were passed along by friends and neighbors. What we liked best about this squash, in addition to the fact that it grew vigorously and yielded heavily, is its eating qualities. Its thick, moist, golden flesh is sweet and totally nonstringy. And the entire squash is truly edible, unlike other acorn types which have been bred with a skin tough enough to withstand the rigors of harvest and long distance shipping. Thelma Sanders' skin cooks up very tender and doesn't need to be peeled away. The seeds are also easily removed and are delicious toasted with a little salt.

In a few weeks you'll get another type of heirloom hard squash, called Sibley. This one is a completely different species (cucurbita maxima vs. the Thelma Sanders' cucurbita pepo) and is in the banana squash group. It keeps extremely well, has a dry flesh, and very rich delicate flavor which gets better with storage. It was released originally in 1887, but had been all but forgotten until obtained from an old woman in Iowa who had grown it for more than 50 years. We loved both of these squashes and want to help keep these wonderful heirloom varieties alive for future generations.

copyright 2007 Stephen Pedersen

______________________________________________________________________

3) Renewal time is coming!

This week, September 12/13/14 is the last paid share of the current session. The final 9 weeks starts the week of September 19/20/21. Cost is $180 or $234 with flowers. You can mail a check to

Two Small Farms, PO Box 2065
Watsonville , CA 95077

Please contact Zelda at the office: csa@twosmallfarms.com or 831-786-0265 to confirm you want to continue.

______________________________________________________________________

4) Tomato/Pumpkin Upick on Sunday, Sept. 23rd

CHANGED DATE: Andy and Julia of Mariquita Farm will have a Tomato/Pumpkin/Weird Squash Upick on SUNDAY Sept. 23rd. 9am to 1pm. join us!

http://www.mariquita.com/events/tomatopick82007.htm

Tomatoes! We can sell 20# of San Marzano 'paste' tomatoes as an 'extra'. 20# boxes are $29 delivered to your
pick up site. Contact Zelda in the office to order. 831 786 0625 or reply to this email.

_____________________________________________________________________

5) Photos:

Leeks

acorn squash: (this is a photo of Andy's 'regular' acorn squash from a few years ago, I don't know what the Thelma Sanders look like! maybe similar?? I've not yet received my box! -julia)

Photo Gallery

________________________________________

6) Recipes

Roasted Acorn Squash and Carrot Puree

adapted from Entertaining 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold

2 pounds acorn squash (give or take!)
1 pound carrots (ditto: give or take)
1/4 cup apple butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Cut off rind with a small sharp knife (or leave in tact! the Thelma Sanders variety doesn't need to be peeled.) Cut up squash into 1 inch cubes.

Peel carrots and cut into 1 inch pieces. Mix squash and carrots with 2 tablespoons apple butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. PLace mixture on a baking sheet big enough to accommodate vegetables in one layer. Add 3 Tablespoons water and cover with foil.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil. Add 1/4 cup water and bake for 20 minutes more. Transfer vegetables to food processor and process until very smooth. This must be done in several batches.

Transfer to medium pot. Add remaining apple butter (2-3 tablespoons?) and S & P to taste. Reheat gently before serving. Can be made ahead!

Steamed Halibut with Leek Fondue

adapted from Entertaining 1-2-3 by Rozanne Gold

1 1/4 pound leeks
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 1-inch-thick halibut steaks (about 12 ounces each)

Remove all the dark green parts from leeks. Discard. Wash leeks well, making sure to remove any dirt between the leaves. Pat dry.

Slice only the white parts of leeks paper-thin. Melt butter in medium pot. Add leeks, 6 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes more. Leeks shouldbe very soft and form a fondue, which means 'melted'. Set aside.

Season halibut lightly with salt and white pepper. Place in large flat steamer, osteam in 2 large non stick skillets in 1/2 inch water. Steam over medium heat for 7-10 minutes until barely opaque, be careful not to overcook.

Gently reheat leek fondue. Add salt to taste. Pour over hot fish. Serve immediately. Pass a peppermill around.

Simplest Winter Squash from Julia:

bake, steam, boil, or even 'crock pot' the squash: I ususally remove the stem, cut in half, remove seeds, then cook. THEN you can just eat the flesh, or puree and make pumpkin bread (pumpkin is a squash!), season and serve as a side dish, make a soup, etc.

Classic Acorn Squash from Simply Recipes Elise's original post with a nice photo:

1 Acorn squash
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
Dash of Salt
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

3 Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

4 Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how much squash you like to eat.

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH WITH CHILE VINAIGRETTE

Julia's note: I'm not from the East Coast and I do love winter squash: but not sweet, 'classic' winter squash with maple syrup etc. I'll save the syrup for my waffles. This recipe intrigues me: I plan to try it this weekend. Let me (or the blog) know if you try it. Say yes to savory, spicy squash recipes!

Makes 4 servings.

ingredients

2 (1 1/2 - to 1 3/4-lb) acorn squash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile, including seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

preparation

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Halve squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide wedges. Toss squash with black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl, then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans. Roast squash, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

While squash roasts, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Transfer paste to a small bowl and whisk in lime juice, chile (to taste), cilantro, and remaining 1/4 cup oil until combined. Transfer squash, browned sides up, to a platter and drizzle with vinaigrette.

Aromatic Leek and Potato Soup

4 large boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large leeks, cut in half, cleaned, and sliced into long, thin strips
4 cups (1 quart) water
1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup low fat or nonfat plain yogurt, whisked until light and thin

Garnish:

S & P to taste
1 cup minced fresh herbs: parsley, chives, cilantro, chervil, dill, or a mixture

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, leeks, and water. Bring to a boil over med-high heat, cover, and turn the heat down to med-low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender enough to cut with a spoon, and the leeks are equally soft. This should take about 40 minutes. In a blender or food processor (or julia's favorite: with an immersion blender!), puree the vegetables in the cooking water, doing this in batches if necessary, then return to the saucepan if you're not using an immersion blender. Add the buttermilk or yogurt, and heat hte soup slowly over low heat, uncovered, until just warmed through. Season with S & P, and serve warm, sprinkled with the fresh herbs. Or, chill the soup, covered, and serve it cold. Serves 4. Per serving: 260 calories using non fat yogurt, fat .7 grams, protein 6.2 grams. I don't know the fiber.

Leeks Braised in Red Wine

adapted from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

6 medium leeks
2 tablespoons butter
salt
about 2 cups red wine
1 bay leaf
8 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

1. Trim and discard the dark green tops and tough outer leaves from the leeks. Remove the roots along with a very thin slice of the nearby white part. Halve the leeks lengthwise and wash them under cold, running water. Gently spread apart but do not separate the inner layers to remove all traces of soil. If the leeks are particularly sandy, soak them in several changes of clean water.

2. Melt the butter in a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the leeks, piling them up in two layers. Season with salt to taste. Add the 2 cups wine and the bay leaf, peppercorns, and thyme. The wine should just reach the bottom of the top layer of leeks. If not, add more wine.

3. Bring the wine to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the leeks are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the leeks.

4. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the leeks to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Turn the heat to high and boil the sauce until it becomes syrupy and redues to about 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and peppercorns. Add back any accumulated juices on the platter with the leeks and reduce the sauce again if necessary. Adjust the seasonings in the sauce and then drizzle it over the leeks. Serve immediately.

pepper recipes

More Recipes

____________________________________

7) Which Farm?

>From High Ground: Winter Squash, Leeks, mystery, Flowers.

>From Mariquita: Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes

Lakeside Organics: Lettuce

__________________________________________

8) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

Two Small Farms Blog

BLOG ADVANTAGES: I can change mistakes after I post them. I don't have to subscribe/unsubscribe folks. Old

newsletters easily accessed. Links! (I send this newsletter out as plain text so more folks with differently-abled

computer systems can easily read it.) You can sign up for email updates to the Two Small Farms Blog on the main

blog page:

http://twosmallfarms.blogspot.com/

__________________________________

9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

Two Small Farms

Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics

Organically Grown Vegetables

831-786-0625

P.O. Box 2065

Watsonville, CA 95077

csa@twosmallfarms.com

http://www.twosmallfarms.com

http://www.mariquita.com

http://www.highgroundorganics.com

In the box week of Sept. 12th

In the box this week: 9/12-9/14

Leeks

Tomatoes

Potatoes: "Godzilla Fingerlings"

Sweet Peppers

Winter Squash

mystery from Stephen (berries or cauliflower?)

lettuce?

note: The Mariquita Farm Tomato/Pumpkin/Weird Squash upick is changed from sat. to SUNDAY Sept. 23rd due to Andy and Julia's family committments.

Two Farms Newsletter #412

**Corn Note: This is organic corn: many ears likely have a worm, that's organic corn! Just chop the end off with a large knife and the corn is perfect to eat! Eat it as soon as possible: it's tastier sooner. -zelda and julia

September 4, 2007

Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) A Few Historical Recipes
3) Renewal Time
4) Tomato Time
5) Photos
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

____________________________________

1) In your box this week: Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Radishes, Rapini OR Spinach, Eggplant OR Onions, two mysteries

How to store this week's bounty: all (except tomatoes and tomatillos) in the fridge as soon as you arrive home.

The tomatoes can be stored at room temperature.

_________________________________________

2) A Few Historical Recipes from Julia

I started reading cookbooks like novels when I used to babysit, starting at about age 11. Before that I loved looking through my children's cookbooks that I received for birthday presents. Not much has changed. In college I was the one pouring through Mollie Katzen's now-classic Moosewood Cookbook and Enchanted Broccoli Forest.

In honor of those days I have some recipes from those cookbooks. More about cookbooks in two or three weeks.... If you're a fan of Andy's writing, make sure to sign up for his writing blog. We update it 2-4 times a month...

Italian Eggplant Salad
adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

1 eggplant (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 Tablespoon salt
1 stalk celery, minced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3-4 fresh leaves basil, minced
1/2 cup minced green olives
fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely minced parsley

Optional:
2-3 Tablespoons capers
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1) Cut the eggplant into small (1/2 inch) cubes. Steam the cubes in a vegetable steamer over boiling water, until they are tender (15-20 minutes). Prepare the other ingredients while the eggplant steams.

2) In 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil, saute the onions and garlic with salt, until the onions begin to soften (5 minutes). Add the celery, and saute another 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, and cook a few minutes more.

Remove from heat, and transfer to a large bowl.

3) Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the steamed eggplant (you don't need to cool it first). Mix well, and chill.

note: this salad is exceptional the day after it's made, so it can marinate thoroughly

Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust

julia's note: this crust is a GREAT alternative to a buttery-flour crust for most quiche/vegetable pie type dishes. I also make a mashed potato crust for quiche... that I learned in college from one of these two Mollie books!

Crust:

2 cups, packed, grated raw potato
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated onion

Heat the oven to 400 degrees
Set the freshly-grated potato in a colander over a bowl. Salt it and leave it for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the excess water (which can be used as for soup stock) and add it to the remaining ingredients. Pat it into a well-oiled 9 inch pie pan, building up the sides of the crust with lightly-floured fingers. Bake for 40-45 minutes - until browned. After the first 30 minutes brush (or spray) the crust with a little oil to crispen it.

Turn down oven to 375 degrees

Filling:

1 heaping, packed cup grated cheddar cheese
1 head cauliflower, broken into small flowerets
1 medium clove crushed garlic
1 cup chopped onion
3 Tablespoons butter
dash of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten together with:
1/4 cup milk
black pepper to tasted
paprika

Saute onions in butter for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add herbs and cauliflower and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread half the cheese into the baked crust, then the saute, then the rest of the cheese. Pour the custard over and dust with paprika. Bake 35-40 minutes - until set.

Going way back: here's a book that was published in 1967, and I had a copy in my book collection by 1970: I was 5 years old. I'm including a recipe with tomatoes for obvious reasons, but what I remember loving to make was their version of baked Alaska, which included a meringue, and using a very hot oven for 3 minutes so the ice cream didn't melt. The drama was quite fun at age 5!

Eggs in Tomatoes
from My Learn to Cook Book by Ursula Sedgwick, illustrated by Martin Mayhew

you will need:

bread crumbs
S & P
butter
eggs
tomatoes (one for each person)

small pointed knife
oven proof dish

1) Turn on the oven and set at 350 degrees.
2) Cut off the top of each of the tomatoes.
3) Scoop out the insides with a spoon.
4) Put the tomatoes into the ovenproof dish.
5) Sprinkle salt and pepper into the tomatoes.
6) Crack and egg on the edge of the dish and drop it into the first tomato. Repeat, until you have dropped an egg

into each tomato.
7) Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
8) Sprinkle with bread crumbs and top with a small piece of butter.
9) Bake until the white of the egg is firm (about 10 minutes). Serve quickly.

more recipes below in section #6

______________________________________________________________________

3) Renewal time is coming!

Next week, September 12/13/14 is the last paid share of the current session. The final 9 weeks starts the week of September 19/20/21. Cost is $180 or $234 with flowers. You can mail a check to Two Small Farms, PO Box 2065, Watsonville, CA 95077. Please contact Zelda at the office: csa@twosmallfarms.com or 831-786-0265 to

confirm you want to continue.

______________________________________________________________________

4) Tomatoes! We can sell 20# of San Marzano 'paste' tomatoes as an 'extra'. 20# boxes are $29 delivered to your pick up site. Contact Zelda in the office to order. 831 786 0625 or reply to this email.

Also: another tomato upick at Mariquita Farm on Sept. 22nd.

___________________________________

5) Photos:

tomatillos

Rapini Greens

Photo Gallery
________________________________________

6) Recipes from Jennifer, Jeanne and Julia

What I would do with this week’s box, from Jeanne Byrne, of High Ground Organics. (Stephen's wife...) I’ll cook the rapini (broccoli raab) or spinach with garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute the garlic and pepper flakes in olive oil for a few minutes, add the washed, chopped greens and some course sea salt to the pot with a little water, lower the heat, cover, and cook until the greens are soft. This will take longer for the rapini than spinach.

Make sure there’s enough water that it doesn’t burn.

If I get cauliflower as the mystery, I’ll make potato cauliflower curry in my pressure cooker. This is an easy quick recipe if you have a pressure cooker and it’s really good. (Recipe below.) Otherwise I will parboil the potatoes

(boil until just barely soft when pricked with a fork; don’t overcook), cut them to similar sizes, then toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary (and maybe onion wedges) and roast them in the oven at 400 until done. OR if I have large potatoes, I’ll make “potato chips.” Slice them with a mandoline, spray with olive oil spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook on a greased baking sheet at 400 until slightly crisp. (One daughter likes them crispy, the other likes them still soft.) They need to be eaten right out of the oven to be good, which usually happens anyway.

I’ll make tomatillo salsa with one of Julia’s recipes and serve it with tortillas. I’ll make a Chinese radish salad with thinly sliced radishes and green or red pepper if I have one around. For dressing, use 2 TBS vinegar, 4 tsp. soy sauce, 1 TBS sugar. Mix well and toss. If I get an eggplant I will slice, salt, and coat it with olive oil, broil it, and chop to add to tomato sauce for pasta, or toss cold with sliced tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette dressing. Any remaining tomatoes we will eat on sandwiches and salads.


Cauliflower-Potato Curry, from Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure, by Lorna J. Sass

1 large head cauliflower
2 tsp. safflower or canola oil
2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 TBS tomato paste
2 TBS mild curry powder
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
Pinch of cayenne
1 1/2 lb. thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 minced fresh coriander (optional)

Cut the cauliflower into florets about 2 inches wide across the top. Set aside. Heat the oil in the cooker. Sizzle the cumin seeds over medium-high heat just until they begin to pop, 5­­–10 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the coconut milk (stand back to avoid sputtering oil) and tomato paste. While stirring with a fork, sprinkle in the curry powder, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Bring to the boil. Set the potatoes and red bell pepper in the liquid and place the cauliflower florets on top.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce the pressure with a quick-release method. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. If the potatoes are not quite done, replace (but do not lock) the lid and let them cook for a few more minutes in the residual heat.

Stir well to combine the cauliflower and the potatoes. While stirring, the cauliflower will break up into small pieces and amalgamate with the cooking liquid to create a thick sauce. Mix in the coriander (if using)

before serving.

2 tomatillo salsa recipes:

Tomatillo Salsa
2 pounds Fresh tomatillos
1 cup Onion -- chopped
1 Or 2 hot peppers, cored Seeded and chopped.
1 cup Fresh cilantro -- minced
1/4 cup Fresh lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
salt to taste
Remove husks from tomatillos, wash throughly, dry and halve or quarter. Combine tomatillos, onions, chiles, and garlic in a non-reactive pan. Over med-high heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins. Cool a little or a lot then put into blender with cilantro and lime juice, blend away, salt to taste, and you have some GREAT salsa verde Mexicano.

SWISS CHARD WITH BEETS, GOAT CHEESE, AND RAISINS
submitted Jennifer Levey; originally published in Bon Appetit

I made this recipe last week with the beets and chard from the previous week. It was a bit time intesive, but fantastic and I highly recommend it.

SWISS CHARD WITH BEETS, GOAT CHEESE, AND RAISINS
1 1/2 pounds red beets (about 3 large)

4 pounds Swiss chard

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise
3/4 cup sliced green onions (about 3)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced crosswise with seeds
3 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons golden raisins

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 51/2-ounce log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons pine nuts
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets individually in foil. Roast until beets are tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover; chill.)

Fold Swiss chard leaves in half lengthwise and cut stalks away from leaves. Cut leaves coarsely into 1-inch pieces. Slice stalks thinly crosswise. Reserve stalks and leaves separately. Cook chopped leaves in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and reserve.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add sliced stalks; sauté until starting to soften, about 8 minutes.

Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté 3 minutes. Add drained tomatoes and 1 cup raisins. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Add chard leaves to pot; stir to heat through. Remove from heat; add lime juice and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer chard mixture to large platter. Sprinkle with beets, goat cheese, pine nuts, and remaining 2 tablespoons raisins. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Bon Appétit
December 2005

Ways to use Tomatillos:

Before using, peel off the husks and rinse to remove the sticky residue. Other than peeling off the husk, do not peel the green skin.

Tomatillos are traditionally used in three ways — raw, boiled/blanched, or roasted/grilled:

Raw - Uncooked tomatillos add a fresh, tangy citrus-like flavor and are often used raw in Mexican table sauces. Finely dice or puree them.

Blanching - Mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole tomatillos (husks removed and rinsed) and boil for about 5 minutes, until soft. Drain and crush or puree as directed in a sauce recipe.

Fire roasting - Leaving slightly blackened skins on enriches a sauce with a smoky, woodsy flavor. Can roast under the broiler, with a propane torch, or over an open flame such as a grill or a gas burner. Make sure the heat is quite hot, otherwise the tomatillos will turn mushy before being charred.

Dry roasting - Produces an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron). Turn heat to low. Roast for about 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally, letting each side take on a rich, burnished golden color before turning.

Punchy Tomatillo-Tomato Relish adapted from Chutneys and Relishes by Lorraine Bodger

Chop cleaned tomatillos. Combine with pullped, seeded, and diced plum tomatoes, minced spicy chile (such as hungarian, jalapeño, or anaheim), and red onion, chopped cilantro, and garlic. Add lime juice, tequila, and salt. Serve with grilled fish, burgers, chicken, or traditional Mexican fare.

Julia’s informal baba ganoush

Pulp from 1 or 2 pounds roasted eggplants
juice from one lemon, or 1-2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3-5 tablespoons tahini(toasted sesame paste)
2-3 finely chopped cloves garlic
small amount smashed up roasted pine nuts, optional
salt and pepper

Mix everything up together, you may need to mash the eggplant pulp together with a fork. You can add olive oil to make it smoother (and tastier.)

Eggplant with Hot Garlice Sauce (Adapted from Pei Mei's Chinese Cooking)

4-6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants

1 t chopped fresh ginger
1 T chopped fresh garlic
1 T Hot bean paste
2 T soy sauce
1 t sugar
1 t salt
1/2 cup soup stock or water
1 T chopped green onion

Cut eggplant into finger sized pieces-cut lengthwise, then into quarters etc.
Saute with some water in a non-stick pan/wok, until soft.
When soft, remove from pan.
On low heat, cook garlic, ginger, and hot bean paste for a minute, then add
salt, sugar, soysauce and stock/water. Return eggplant to the pan and cook for
about five minutes until garlic is soft and a sauce forms. If sauce is too
thin, thicken with 1t corn starch mixed with 2t water.

Serve over white/brown rice.

ORANGE AND RADISH SALAD WITH CINNAMON VINAIGRETTE

Vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/8 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine all of the above.

For the salad use your favorite greens. Toss with orange slices and thinly sliced radishes. Top with lightly toasted sliced almonds.

BROCCOLI RAAB W/CARMELIZED ONIONS
Pasta e Verdura, Jack Bishop

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large onion (about 1 lb.), thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli raab
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. pasta (linguine or other long, thin shape)

Saute onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden
brown, about 20 minutes. If the onions start to burn, lower the heat.
They should be richly colored to bring out their sweetness.

Meanwhile, bring several quarts of water to a boil ina medium sauce
pan. Roughly chop the greens and stem and boil in the hot water and
cook for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Add the garlic to the pan with the onions and cook for 1 minute. Add
the broccoli raab, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally,
until the broccoli raab is tender, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and
pepper and adjust seasonings if necessary.

While preparing the sauce, cook and drain the pasta, making sure that
some liquid still clings to the noodles. Toss the hot pasta with the
broccoli raab sauce. Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta
bowls. Drizzle each bowl with olive oil to taste and serve immediately.

BROCCOLI RAAB WITH SPAGHETTINI
The Victory Garden Cookbook, Marian Morash

1 bunch broccoli raab
1 sweet bell pepper (optional)
1/2 lb. spaghettini
1tbsp. chopped garlic
6 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups water or chicken stock
2 tbsp. butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parmesan cheese

Wash and peel broccoli raab, and cut into 2-3 inch pieces; set aside.
Peel the pepper, and thinly slice. Break spaghettini into 2-3-inch
pieces. In a large saute pan, cook garlic in oil for 1 minute. Add
pepper, cook slightly, and stir in raab, spaghettini, and water or
stock. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for
approximately 10 minutes, adding additional water if necessary. When
broccoli raab is tender, and spaghetiini cooked, remove the cover,
reduce any pan liquids, and stir in butter. Season to taste and serve
with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

____________________________________

7) Which Farm?

>From High Ground: Radishes, rapini, spinach, one mystery, Flowers.
>From Mariquita: Tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, onions, one mystery

__________________________________________

8) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

Two Small Farms Blog

BLOG ADVANTAGES: I can change mistakes after I post them. I don't have to subscribe/unsubscribe folks. Old newsletters easily accessed. Links! (I send this newsletter out as plain text so more folks with differently-abled computer systems can easily read it.) You can sign up for email updates to the Two Small Farms Blog on the main

__________________________________

9) Two Small Farms Contact Information

Two Small Farms
Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics
Organically Grown Vegetables
831-786-0625
P.O. Box 2065
Watsonville, CA 95077
csa@twosmallfarms.com
http://www.twosmallfarms.com
http://www.mariquita.com
http://www.highgroundorganics.com