Two Farms Newsletter #410

August 22nd 2007

1) In your box this week
2) Countdown
3) Tomato U-Pick/Santa Cruz Host Needed
4) Photos
5) Recipes
6) Which Farm?
7) Unsubscribe
8) Two Small Farms Contact Information

In your box this week: tomatoes, sweet peppers, cutting celery, rapini or chard, red beets, Steve's mystery, leeks

The tomato ID photo is above: from left to right: Cherokee Purple, German Striped, Green Zebra, Tangerine, San Marzano (a sauce type)

My suggestions for using these: the heirloom bags: a Caprese salad! recipe(s) below in the recipe section. San Marzanos: a simple tomato sauce, or roast them in the oven, this is a great side dish or chop them up as their own pasta sauce.

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) in the fridge as soon as you arrive home. The tomatoes can be stored at room temperature.
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2) Countdown from Andy

Thrust is what a rocket needs to overcome the force of gravity and propel itself into space— lots of thrust. To reach escape velocity rockets burn liquid oxygen and nitrogen . I’m not sure what kind of fuel the chefs we sell vegetables to in San Francisco could burn to get out of the City— maybe a mixture of time and caffeine. There’s a powerful force field in that town that keeps chefs orbiting their stoves. They have access to the caffeine— it’s the time to mix it with that they lack.

It takes ninety minutes to reach our farm from San Francisco, driving at legal speeds, and some chefs with a lot of thrust have made it. Tiny Maes, for one, when he was cooking at Rose Pistola, came down one afternoon. Quite by accident he picked the hottest day of the decade. The heat was radiating off the rows in waves so thick we could have surfed them if we’d had asbestos boards.

“Man,” Tiny said. “I can’t believe you work in this every day.”

“We don’t,” I said. “The afternoon is the hottest part of the day, so we start at six and get most of the harvesting done by noon.” That seemed incredible to Tiny, because he’s a night owl.

Joseph Manzare from Zuppa has come down a couple of times. It probably only took him fifty minutes, but Joseph has a lot of escape velocity. He loaded his car up with produce and was moaning that he didn’t have a pick-up truck. But then he has three restaurants. He wanted lunch, so we went down the road to Dunneville and got tri-tip sandwiches. There’s no “ville” in Dunneville, just the corner market. Their tri-tip sandwiches are good, and there’s plenty of cold drinks. I wished that I’d of known Joseph was coming, because then I would have stopped on the way to the farm from home and gotten some tamales at Marshall’s Store in Aromas. I don’t live at the farm. I rent the land I farm and I live thirty four miles away in Watsonville.

Bruce Hill from Picco came down with his friend James Ormsby, who was cooking at Plumpjack Café then. They had to get back in time for dinner prep, so they couldn’t stay all day. I taught them how to pick pimientos de Padrón, which are these tiny little Spanish peppers that taste so good when they’re toasted up in a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Just to make things fun I whipped out a camp stove, some olive oil, and some sea salt, and I had two of the best chefs in San Francisco frying Padrón peppers for me in the shade. They had a lot of fun too, rushing straight from the plant to the pan— their only regret was that we didn’t have glasses of cool dry golden sherry to sip.

This weekend all of you are invited down for a u-pick, and you ought to learn from the chefs. Come down in the morning while the temperatures are still mild and it’s comfortable to work, Bring a big enough car so that you can haul off all you need, and by all means bring a stove, a pan, some olive oil, and some sea salt, because besides tomatoes we’re going to have Padrón peppers. I believe that ours will be the first and only Padrón u-pick to have ever happened in the U.S. Plus, our bee-keeper, neighbor and friend Greg will be there with fresh honey and answers to your questions about bees, and there will be a miniature farmers market under the tree with some of the potatoes we’re growing in a field next door. Prepare for lift off. 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-t0mato U-pick!

Tomato Upick: this Saturday August 25th, 2007 9am to 2pm. Tomatoes that you pick are 50 cents a pound. Bring clothes to protect you from the sun; bring drinking water; bring shoes that can stand a bit of dirt or even mud.

directions to Hollister

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3) Tomato U-pick

August 25th: Tomato Upick at Mariquita Farm in Hollister in the morning: 9am to 2pm. We will also have Padron Peppers at this Tomato Upick Day! Also available: Bee keeping demonstration and honey for sale with Greg the Bee Man, other produce for harvest and sale, farm tours with plenty of Q and A with Andy and Julia; mud puddles, a mini farmers market, Two Small Farms T-shirts, and more.

Directions to our Hollister Field:
101 South or North to Highway 25 East on 25 towards Hollister until the intersection with Shore Rd.
Left on Shore Rd. Head north on Shore Rd. to the intersection with San Felipe Rd.
Left on San Felipe Rd. and go a mile or so. The entrance to the farm will be on your left just AFTER a beautiful old two-story Victorian home which is located at 7210 San Felipe Rd.

**Please do not go in the yard of the Victorian. The farm entrance is just after the home. Please drive very very slowly on the dirt driveway to help keep down dust and also to protect your car from holes in the road. There will likely be a sign out by the starting time for the event on the farm gate.

**Our farm is not open to the public except during posted upick and other event hours. thanks for understanding: we're a busy working farm and not set up for 6 or 7 days a week of meeting and greeting the public.

Host Needed for Live Oak/Opal Cliffs area of Santa Cruz

Our wonderful hosts at the current location will be moving in September and we are looking for a new location. If you are interested, contact Zelda in the CSA office at csa@twosmallfarms.com or 831-786-0625 for more info.
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4) Photos

Cutting Celery (aka Smallage or Soup Celery)

Spinach

Peppers (all peppers this week will be sweet, no spicy ones.)

Photo Gallery
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5) Recipes

Cutting Celery

Cutting celery is an actual celery, just without the enlarged stalk. It seems even more aromatic than regular celery and has fine celery flavor. Cutting celery looks like flat-leafed parsley, but is loaded with celery flavor. In Holland it is used to flavor soups and stews. It can also be chopped up and thrown into a green salad. It looks lots like Italian parsley, It can be used in many places that Italian parsley is used.

We’ve used cutting celery where we would the common, fat celery stalks of our childhood. We chop up the leaves to flavor stocks, soups and also fried rice. I like to throw fresh leaves into a green salad, along with parsley and arugula. I've been known to substitute it successfully for cilantro in Asian noodle dishes and for Italian Parsley in many different dishes.

Julia's Celery Soup

Take a bunch of smallage (soup celery) and wash it. Roughly chop and set aside. Chop 2 leeks and sautee briefly in butter or olive oil. Add one cubed raw potato if you like. Add the entire bunch of roughly chopped smallage (cutting celery). Add 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Puree with immersible blender or food processor. Thin with milk if you like. Season to taste with S & P.

Tomatoes

Here's a great tomato tart recipe from our friend Heidi at 101 Cookbooks

Julia's Daily Caprese Salad

Chop 1 or more ripe heirloom tomatoes. Add chopped fresh basil if available. Add some cubed fresh mozzarella. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season to taste with S and P, and eat.

Elise's Tomato Basil Salad from Simply Recipes

Gringa Sopa, julia's recipe

"Sopa" is what we know as ‘Spanish rice' here in the US. The traditional Mexican sopa you see here in Watsonville is barely pink, usually made with just a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, rice, oil, and "knorr swisa", or powdered chicken bouillon. I like to make my own version of sopa, with more tomatoes and no bouillon. Here's my recipe:

2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded, quartered and then pureed in the blender. (I've been known to leave the seeds and skins on....)
3 Tablespoons cooking oil
3 medium/large cipolline or other onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups raw rice
2 3/4 cups boiling water

Cook the onion in the oil in a large dutch oven with a lid that fits well until it's soft but not too brown. Add garlic and rice, cook another couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and salt, stir well, then add the water and cover and cook, covered, over low heat for 20 or so minutes.

Roasted Beets with Curry Dressing
adapted from Delicious TV

Servings: 6

6 medium beets roasted
Olive oil
Salt

2 cloves garlic crushed
2 Tbl yogurt
2 Tbl Mayo (regular or vegan)
4 tsp curry powder
3 Tbl fresh lemon juice
10 tbl olive oil
4 Tbl chopped cutting celery or cilantro
Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Wash, trim and wrap beets individually in foil. Place in a shallow pan and roast until tender. A sharp kitchen paring knife should pierce through the foil easily. Set aside to cool. Mix dressing by combining all ingredients except oil. When all ingredients are smooth, whisk in the oil and set aside. Many people don’t prepare fresh beets because of the staining juices. Wearing laytex or vinyl gloves will protect your hands and preparing on a covered surface will protect your cutting board. I often roast beets without wrapping and use them skin included. However, this is an alternative method. Whatever method you use, it is well worth the effort!

Unwrap the beets, and rub away skin. Slice into wedges and set into your dish. Spoon curry over the beets and serve at room temperature.

Chickpea and Spinach soup
(Chickpea is another name for Garbanzo)
adapted from a recipe by Shakti

2 tbsp olive oil
4 crushed garlic cloves
1 chopped leek or onion
1tsp ground cumin
2 tsp coriander powder
3 big potatoes peeld and chopped
16oz can chick peas, drained
5 cups vegetable stock
1tbsp corn starch
2/3 cups heavy cream or half and half
2 tbsp sesame seed paste
1 bunch spinach, washed and roughly chopped
red chile powder
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and cook the garlic and onion until soft. Stir the cumin and coriander and cook. Add the stock and the potatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add the chick peas and simmer until both are soft. Blend the sesasme seed paste, cream and the corn starch. Add the chile powder and mix into the soup. Add the spinach and bring to a boil. Keep stirring. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the salt and pepper and serve.

Sausage-Leek Soup
serves 6

1/2 pound smoked sausage
1/4 olive oil or butter
3 cups cleaned, chopped leeks
3 tablespoons chopped herbal celery or parsley
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk or half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
S & P to taste

Slice or cut the sausage into thin slices. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the sausage, heat and stir for 3-4 minutes add the chopped leeks, heat and stir for 5 minutes. Add the celery/parsley, stir add the chicken broth bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or in a food processor. Return to the pot and place over a low flame; stir in milk and gradually stir in the grated cheese. Season to taste with S & P and serve hot.

Multi Pepper Salad with Fontina
adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

1.5 pounds Sweet peppers, roasted and cut into 1/4 inch strips
12 black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1.5 cups)
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped cutting celery OR tarragon OR parsley
1/4 cup best extra virgin olive oil
S & P to taste

Combine the peppers, olives, and cheese. Mix the cream, lemon juice, mustard, and herb in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with the S & P. Pour over the peppers and mix. Serve immediately.

Creamy Beet Soup with Pistachio Mousse
adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch beets, peeled and cubed
1 small onion or leek, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups white wine
2 cups apple cider or juice
dash of ground allspice
1 stick of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 pint sour cream or yogurt
S & P to taste

Pistachio Mousse

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts, slightly toasted
8 sprigs fresh chervil or 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
4 fresh mint leaves
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beets and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the apple juice, spices, and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in the sourcream or yogurt.

Transfer to a bowl and cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile make the pistachio mousse. Process all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the soup cold, seasoning with the salt and pepper and garnishing each bowl with a spoonful of the mousse.

Risotto with Spinach and Leeks
submitted by Dee Doyle, adapted from Cooking Light March 2001

6 servings

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups coarsely chopped spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 lemon wedges

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine cook 1 minute or until the liquid is nearly absorbed stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; stir in spinach. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth is absorbed before adding the next portion (about 25 minutes). Stir in cheese and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

VEGETABLE AND LEEK SOUP

1 cup chopped white and pale green part of leek, washed well
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, snow peas, turnips, fava beans, green beans, etc. (pick one)
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup sour cream

In a saucepan cook the leek and the garlic in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the leek is softened, add the chosen vegetable, the broth, and 1/2 cup water, and simmer the mixture, covered, until the vegetable is tender. Puree two thirds of the mixture in a blender until it is very smooth, stir the puree into the mixture remaining in the pan, and whisk in the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the soup over moderately low heat until it is heated through, but do not let it boil.

a quote from Tom Robbins:
"The beet is the most intense of vegetables The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious."

More Recipes
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6) Which Farm?

From High Ground: Spinach, Leeks, Beets, Mystery, Flowers.
From Mariquita: Tomatoes, Peppers, Cutting Celery

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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/

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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

In The box for week of August 22nd - 24th

This week!

Sweet Peppers

Tomatoes

Steve's Mystery: romanesco, berries, or?

Spinach

Red Beets with great greens

Leeks

Cutting Celery also called smallage: a note on cutting celery: it is related to celery and is often called wild celery. In our kitchen we mostly use it like parsley. It gives vegetable soup, minestrone, potato salad, tuna salad, etc a nice herbal celery flavor. The photo above is of German holding a bunch of herbal celery.

Here are a couple of recipes I found today for the newsletter. I'm enjoying this cookbook from the library: From the Cook's Garden: Recipes for Cooks Who Like to Garden, Gardeners Who Like to Cook, and Everyone Who Wishes They Had a Garden.

Multi Pepper Salad with Fontina
adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

1.5 pounds Sweet peppers, roasted and cut into 1/4 inch strips
12 black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and coarsely chopped
6 ounces Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 1.5 cups)
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped cutting celery OR tarragon OR parsley
1/4 cup best extra virgin olive oil
S & P to taste

Combine the peppers, olives, and cheese. Mix the cream, lemon juice, mustard, and herb in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season with the S & P. Pour over the peppers and mix. Serve immediately.
Creamy Beet Soup with Pistachio Mousse
adapted from From the Cook's Garden by Ellen Ogden

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch beets, peeled and cubed
1 small onion or leek, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 cups white wine
2 cups apple cider or juice
dash of ground allspice
1 stick of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 pint sour cream or yogurt
S & P to taste

Pistachio Mousse

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts, slightly toasted
8 sprigs fresh chervil or 4 sprigs fresh tarragon
4 fresh mint leaves
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beets and onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the apple juice, spices, and return to the boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook until the beets are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in the sourcream or yogurt.

Transfer to a bowl and cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile make the pistachio mousse. Process all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Transfer to bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve the soup cold, seasoning with the salt and pepper and garnishing each bowl with a spoonful of the mousse.

In The box for week of July 25th - July 27th

In this week's box is:

Scallions (also called green onions)
Potatoes
Rosemary
Strawberries
Fennel
Salad Mix
Summer Squash
Red Onions (WED)
Beets (THURS & FRI)

The above photo is my celery salad, recipe is below. -julia

and 2 recipes for last week's box:

Julia's Celery Salad

I took two stalks of Stephen's celery and sliced them thin on my mandolin. Then I did the same with a small onion, but I made the onion slices even thinner. (I have the simple-to-wash-and-store Japanese Mandolin from Beriner) I also thinly sliced one yellow carrot, for color and crunch. The dark green in *my* salad was verdolagas, or purslane. If you are a gardener you might have this in your garden: the leaves are rather succulent and it worked well in this dish. If you don't have verdolagas in your garden, you could use arugula, spinach (sliced a bit), parsley leaves, or another dark leafy green for the color contrast. I dressed this with olive oil and lemon and S & P. The variations to this lettuce-free salad are endless. I mixed it all with my hands and 'plated' it before serving. A lovely salad!

Quick Couscous with Chicken Recipe

Ingredients
1 (3 pounds) chicken, cut into serving pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp cooking oil
1 onion, sliced
1 large carrot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole plum tomatoes, drained and chopped (about 1 pound fresh tomatoes)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
2 cups defatted chicken broth or vegetable stock, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes, harissa, or other hot pepper sauce
2 small zucchini, diced
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 can (15 ounces) cooked garbanzos (chick peas), rinsed and drained
4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 Tbsp butter or margarine (optional)
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking or "instant" couscous
Harissa or liquid pepper sauce

Instructions
Rinse chicken, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large casserole or Dutch oven, brown chicken, and remove; add onion, carrot, and garlic and saute until softened. Add tomatoes, cumin, and allspice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring; stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth, wine, and red chile flakes and return chicken to casserole. Cover and simmer 15 minutes; add zucchini and simmer until chicken is tender (20 to 30 minutes more). Stir in tomato paste, add garbanzos and half the chopped cilantro or parsley, heat through.

While chicken is simmering, bring remaining chicken broth (and butter if you are using it) to a boil and add couscous; stir well, cover and remove from heat. Let couscous stand 5 minutes, fluff with fork, and spoon onto serving platter. Arrange chicken and vegetables around it, pour some sauce over the top, and garnish with remaining cilantro or parsley. Serve with harissa or other liquid pepper sauce.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Recipe from: The Ethnic Food Lover's Companion by Eve Zibart

Newsletter #401

Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) Community of Food
3) Fastest Box Preparation
4) July 4th deliveries on July 4th
5) Photos
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information
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1) In your box this week: Gold Beets, Cauliflower, Spinach, Radishes, Romaine Lettuce, Spring Onions, Oregano, Collards OR Spigariello greens, Mystery

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

**Wed. July 4th we will deliver our Wednesday deliveries as usual, even though it’s the 4th. Please find someone to pick up for you if you’ll be out of town or contact Zelda if you want to donate your share. Thank you.
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2) Community of Food by Zelda S.

(Julia’s note: Andy’s been bugging Zelda to write this article. She comes to us with a wealth of experience in working with CSA farms, including her own! Here’s a bit of her story.)

I first met Tim and John as the new, slightly panicked operations manager for a small food co-op in a small town in northern Indiana. “Operations manager” was a catch-all phrase that was to include cleaning the bathroom (a toilet next to the rickety ladder stairs leading to the storage area in the basement; later to be flooded as I was closing up one night by the upstairs neighbor’s washer. But that’s another story) as well as organizing the working members – members who volunteered a few hours a month at the co-op. This was the forum for meeting Tim and John, a wonderful breath of eccentricity. Tim was at first quiet and always eager to please. John was more interested in talking local politics or explaining why I needed a new bike helmet than in wrapping cheddar cheese. But they regularly came in two times a week to do their shopping and were faithful, monthly volunteers. I gradually came to match dozens of names with faces and we developed a wonderful working community around food.

Two years later, I left the food co-op to embark on a small business venture – farming! I and another woman, Beth, would work a small 6 acre plot at the edge of town and start a Community Supported Agriculture program. This was viewed with some suspicion – “must be some sort of new-age hippie thing.” And Tim and John were right there with us, still eager to please and still rattling on about the mayoral election (can someone really be elected on an anti-mosquito platform?). I saw more of Tim than John over the next five years. Tim worked as an organist for hire and had a pretty flexible schedule. He loved to see what we were up to and talk about what to do with flea beetles, when it is safe to set out his tomatoes and why in the world would I plant okra. Every week, he set off around the garden, taking in all the changes: the ground hog damage to the lettuce, the row cover blown off into the trees, the rust on the green beans, and the mysterious case of the disappearing cauliflower plants (ground hogs again). He also saw the superb spinach, the snap peas billowing in their rows, and the sensual okra flower. I so appreciated Tim and his interest.

Our CSA was quite small by California standards, only 45 members. Members came to the farm to pick up their veggies. Either Beth or I greeted them each week and they were welcome to walk the farm. We were initially surprised with how few took the trip around the gardens. A few enjoyed bringing their children or grandchildren to visit the goats and chickens. But aside from Tim, most were content to look out at the patchwork of vegetables and weeds and know that this is where just a few hours earlier their food had been harvested.

When I’ve spoken in recent years about Community Supported Agriculture to UCSC students at the Farm and Garden program, I have come away with a sense that they expect there to be an intense communal relationship with the members of their future CSA program. There is an expectation that you shouldn’t get “too big” as a CSA or you’ll lose the sense of “community.” I think I initially held that view as well, but I have come to see that community comes in many forms and facets. The community is formed among the co-workers or neighbors sharing a box of veggies. It’s when you sit down at your table and read our newsletter and the shared recipes and stories from the farmers and other members. Or when friends take turns holding a weekly dinner party made up of food from the veggie box and the farmers market. It is formed when a family starts cooking and eating together every week. This is how a community of people gathers to support local agriculture – you eat in community.

Seven years went by, and I had never been to Tim and John’s house. For awhile when he would stop by for his veggies and weekly stroll, his little Festiva would be loaded down with rocks for his path or more plants to go in the back yard. Tim had been reporting over the years on how he had slowly gotten rid of his lawn and what had gone in its place – rock lined paths leading through an edible landscape. And in the meantime, the business relationship with my partner had run its course, and I was through with farming and heading to California. Tim and John came into the bakery where I was working and presented me with an invitation to a bon voyage dinner. I accepted, with a lump in my throat.

When I arrived at their home, it was my turn to take a walking tour. Tim gave me the play by play of what and when he had put things in. “You remember, the year you had the eight foot high okra.” John had typed up the menu for the evening, trying to buy as much as they could from the local growers at the farmers market. It was May, so the variety was limited, but it did include a fresh greens salad with radishes and snow peas, roasted asparagus, and free-range chicken. Of course, since I would be moving to California, they decided we better top the evening off with a trip to Dairy Queen down the street. Who knew when I would again be able to indulge in a peanut buster parfait.

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3) Fastest Way to use this week’s box from Julia:

for all cooking greens: radish and beet tops, collards, and spinach if you’re not going to saladize it: rinse and then roughly chop greens. Cook up with garlic in a bit of oil. Then eat that as a side dish with a squeeze of lemon, or take it further and mix it into a quiche, top a pizza, stir into a hearty bean soup, or just tuck into a quesadilla. Cook up the radish and beet tops in the first day or two, they are delicious but don’t hang out very long. You can store their roots longer in the fridge in a bag.

Cauliflower: steam and eat. Dip in salad dressing if you like.

Lettuce: simple green salads every day til it’s gone!

Onions: use anywhere you use onions, or slice thin into a salad

Oregano: dry or use one of the recipes below.

Radishes: eat if you’re a radish fan, cook if you want to tame the spiciness.

Beets: roast and eat or grate raw into a salad.

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4) Wednesday, July 4th

Week of July 4th: Please note, this year July 4th falls on a Wednesday! We will deliver to the Wednesday pick up sites on July 4th. If you are to be out of town, we encourage you to find a friend to pick up the veggies for you. If no one can pick up the veggies for you, call or email us at least a day in advance and we can donate your veggies to the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.

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5) Photos

Gold Beets

Radishes (you’ll get EITHER plum purple or candela)

Candela Fuoco Radishes

Purple Plum Radishes

Spring Onions

Spigariello Greens: (for recipes, these work well in any kale recipe)

Oregano

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6) Recipes by Robert, Crystal, and Julia

Oregano Before Tomatoes! It's got some of the same theories as Basil Before Tomatoes. You can easily try drying the oregano. (Basil doesn't dry well AT ALL: it's best to pestoize it and freeze it to keep it for the future.) But oregano is great dried. If you have a gas oven you can arrange the oregano stems evenly over a baking pan (undo the bunch). Put it in the oven with just the pilot light and it should dry nicely. You can also try hanging the bunch (possibly make a couple of smaller bunches) upside down in a dark, dry place. If you have a food dehydrator, try that, using the instructions. OR! Try one of the recipes below: all using fresh oregano, before tomatoes show up!

FISH FILLETS WITH OLIVES AND OREGANO

Elegant but easy, this fast fish dinner is simple enough to prepare on a weeknight and special enough to serve to company.

4 (1 1/4-inch-thick) pieces white-fleshed skinless fish fillets, such as halibut (6 oz each)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 very thin lemon slices
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup pitted brine-cured green olives such as picholine, halved lengthwise (2 oz)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled

Special equipment: a 2 1/2-qt shallow ceramic or glass baking dish

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450̊F.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear fillets, skinned sides down, until browned well, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer, seared sides up, to baking dish (reserve skillet), then top each fillet with a slice of lemon.

Add wine to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits. Boil 30 seconds, then pour around fish. Scatter olives around fish and bake, uncovered, until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

Transfer fish to a platter, then whisk lemon juice, oregano, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil into cooking liquid in baking dish. Season sauce with salt and pepper and spoon over fish.

Makes 4 main-course servings.

Gourmet
Quick Kitchen
May 2006

Creamy Yogurt Oregano Dip

This would make a great sauce for falafel, hamburgers, or just crackers/vegetables as dip delivery devices. This recipe can be halved.

2 Cups Plain Lowfat Greek (strained) yogurt (see note below)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 small onion, finely chopped (or two green onions)
juice from 1 garlic clove, (I used a microplane, you can also try a garlic press and just add the juice)
2 quick dashes of worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate to develop flavors, at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.

Serve as a thick sauce for lamb burgers, falafel, as a dip plate, etc.

Makes 6 Servings (About 1 3/4 Cups of Dip).

Greek Yogurt Note: it's a strained therefore thicker yogurt. You can use nonfat or full fat if you like. Trader Joe's sells a Greek brand and their own brand of Greek yogurt. You can make your own too: Set strainer over 4-cup measuring cup. Line strainer with paper towel. Add yogurt to strainer; chill until yogurt is thick (about 1 cup liquid will drain from yogurt), at least 2 hours or overnight.

CARROT SALAD WITH OREGANO AND CUMIN
I know there are no carrots in this week's box, but some of you may still have carrots waiting to be eaten in the fridge...

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped fine
a rounded 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound carrots (about 8 medium), peeled and shredded fine

In a bowl whisk together oregano, cumin, zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil in a stream until dressing is emulsified. Add carrots and toss to combine well.

Serves 8 to 10 as part of a tapas buffet.

Gourmet
January 1996

GRILLED JUMBO SHRIMP WITH LEMON AND OREGANO

Julia's note: I've made this dish: it's simply delicious. Plan to double the recipe if you have very many shrimp lovers at your table! I've successfully used smaller shrimp as well. I've made this in the oven using the broiler instead of the grill as well....

Gourmet's note: The citrusy dressing makes this dish a standout, and there's plenty extra to be sopped up with rice or crusty bread. Cooking shrimp in their shells keeps them juicy and tender. It all makes for casual finger food that requires plenty of napkins — which is part of the fun.

3 lb jumbo shrimp in shell (7 or 8 per lb)
4 large garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano (from 1 bunch)
3 lemons, each cut into 6 wedges

Snip through shells of shrimp along middle of back using kitchen shears, exposing vein and leaving tail and adjoining segment of shell intact. Devein shrimp, leaving shells in place.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with salt using a large heavy knife or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a blender along with lemon juice and pepper and blend until smooth. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream, blending until emulsified. Transfer dressing to a bowl and stir in chopped oregano.

Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Toss shrimp with 1/4 cup dressing in a large bowl and marinate no more than 15 minutes. (Texture of shrimp will change if marinated too long.)

Lightly brush lemon wedges with some of remaining dressing and grill, turning over once, until grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large platter.

Grill shrimp on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using a gas grill), turning over once, until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to platter with lemons as grilled. Serve with remaining dressing.

Cooks' note:
If you aren't able to grill outdoors, preheat a lightly oiled well-seasoned large (2-burner) cast-iron grill pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook lemon wedges and shrimp (in batches if necessary) in same manner as above.

Makes 6 servings.

Culinary Uses
Leaf: Blend with chili and garlic. Add to pizza, tomatoes, egg and
cheese dishes. Stuff fresh haddock with oregano and breadcrumbs. Rub
into roasting meat.
Stem: Give food a faint oregano flavor by laying stems on barbecue
embers.

Spanakorizo
Spinach and Rice
adapted from Meditteranean Vegetables by Clifford A. Wright.

note from author of recipe:
Some cooks like to slide several sunny-side-up eggs on top of the finished dish, and you can do the same if you like. Kefalotyri is a Greek cheese that can usually be found in Middle Eastern or Greek markets; replace it with provolone or mild cheddar if you must. (That's Clifford's opinion, use what you like! -julia)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked short-grain rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly ground if available)
3 Tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves, divided
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or marjoram, divided
2 pounds spinach, washed will and trimmed of heavy stems (can combine with other cooking greens)
1/2 cup freshly grated kefalotyri cheese

1. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over medium heat and cook the onion until yellow, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook until coated with oil, about 2 minutes. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. REduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the water, about 20 minutes.

2. Season with pepper, nutmeg, and half the herbs. Place half the spinachon top of the rice and season with the remaining herbs. PLace the remaining spinach into the casserole and cover. Cook until the spinach is slightly wilted, about 15 minutes, and stir to mix together the rice, spinach, and herbs. Cover and continue cooking, checking the casserole frequently, until the water is absorbed, another 30 to 45 minutes. Correct the seasoning, cover with the cheese, allow it to melt, and serve hot.

makes 6 to 8 servings.

spigariello idea from Crystal, gleaned from Michelle's blog "Getting Your Share"

Crystal said...

Hi. I am new to CSA. I found the
Spigariello delicious. I chopped it up, steamed it, then added it an already sauteed garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil. Then served it over pasta. It was yummy.

in case you still have cabbage in your fridge: 2 recipes submitted by Robert Gupta

Sesame Cabbage

1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 dried red chili

1 head Cabbage, chopped
3/4 cup water
1 tsp salt

"Popu"
1 1/2 tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola, etc.)
1 dried red chili, cracked
1 pinch fenugreek
1/4 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed

Dry roast sesame seeds and dried red chili in a pan over medium heat. Stir often until majority seeds are brown. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, grind in a food processor or blender with 1/2 tsp of salt. Excess ground sesame can be stored in the refrigerator for further use.

To cook cabbage over medium heat, add chopped cabbage to 3/4 cup boiling water + 1 tsp salt. Cook until cabbage is desired texture. Once cooked, drain excess liquid. Add 1/4-1/2 cup ground sesame. Turn off heat.

Prepare the "popu" in a separate pan by combing all ingredients, heating over medium heat, and waiting for mustard seeds to crackle. Once ready, add to cabbage, stir and heat over low heat for 1 minute. The "popu" can be prepared when the cabbage is nearly finished.

Potato Scallion Curry

1 inch ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion,chopped
1 bunch scallions or spring onions, chopped
4-6 potatoes boiled, chopped (big pieces) optionally remove peel
2 small green chilis
2 tsp curry powder

"Popu"
1 1/2 tbsp oil (olive, sesame, canola, etc.)
1 pinch fenugreek
1/4 tsp mustard seed1 tsp cumin seed

In a large saucepan, prepare the popu. When the seeds crackle, add garlic and stir until aroma emerges. Add scallions,onion and green chilis. Stir until onions soften and become transulcent. Add potatoes and ginger. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Add curry powder, stir for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Can be served as a filling for dosas, with rice, or chappatis.

Radish, Cauliflower, and Beet Recipe Seekers: please refer to the links below, I used my Recipe Energy this week on the oregano-before-tomatoes recipes, they are above and on my oregano webpage too. Thank you.

Recipe Links:

Radishes

Spinach

Oregano

Beets

Salad Dressings

Summer Squash

Strawberries

Cauliflower
____________________________________

7) Which Farm?

From High Ground: Mystery, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Flowers
From Mariquita: Onions, Radishes, Oregano, Beets, Spinach, Collards, Spigariello
_________________________________

8) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

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
________________________________________________

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 Small Farms Newsletter #399

June 6th 2007
Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) The Bane of Beelzebub
3) What to do with this week's box?
4) Grassland Restoration at High Ground
5) Photos
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information
_________________________________

1) In this week's CSA box:

Fennel
Strawberries
Spring Onions
Red Beets
Carrots
Basil
Mystery
Bok Choy OR Spinach
Summer Squash (Thurs & Fri)
Cabbage (Wednesday)

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

__________________________________

2) The Bane Of Beelzebub

If our government ever finds out about the intoxicating qualities of basil, they'll want to regulate it. Actually, the word "intoxicating" misleads since it implies that the herb contains toxins. A whiff of basil lifts the spirits so that it's practically the perfume of good health. In India the fragrance of basil is said to invite sattva, or harmony.

In the Greek Orthodox tradition, basil is said to have sprouted around the tomb of Jesus after he rose from the dead. The word basil comes to us from the Greek, meaning kingly, so it's no coincidence that this herb should be associated with the man some people considered to be the King Of The Jews. Basil is widely recognized as a medicinal herb and resurrection from the dead is an ultimate cure.

Some kinds of basil are understood to be holy in and of themselves. Tulsi, a perennial basil from India, is sacred to Vishnu, revered as the incarnation of the Goddess Tulsi ,and valued as a potent demon repellant. All the different kinds of basil originated in South East Asia before being disseminated by trade throughout the rest of the world, so it is likely that basil arrived in the Mediterranean already crowned with its divine reputation.

Because basil is credited with being able to drive off flies, vases of the pungent herb have been placed at times around the altar in Greek Orthodox churches. Evil takes on many identities and one name for the Devil is Beelzebub, which means Lord of the flies. Sometimes tradition considers Beelzebub to be different spirit than Satan, a mere demonic lieutenant, but no one thinks of Basil as an herb of secondary importance. Besides being the herbal base for pesto, basil is a good accent for summer squash dishes, rice or pasta salads, and as a leafy ingredient in savory sandwiches.

One book of mine says that basil tea makes for a perfect hair conditioner and one basil rinse will leave your coiffeur bouncing like the Breck Girl's mane. Some traditions consider basil to be an aphrodisiac. I've heard that Mexican curanderas recommend tucking a sprig of basil into your pocket to recapture a bored lover's wandering eye. Do any of these quasi-magical tricks work? I wouldn't know. But I do grow basil, and I like to think I'm doing my part for world peace by supplying an herb that sanctifies life and flavors food even as it attracts women and repels flies.

Copyright 2007 Andy Griffin

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3) What to do with this week's box? From Carolyn Fox

First, I'll cut off the beet greens. I will saute a chopped shallot in bacon fat until soft then add the washed coarsely chopped greens and cook until wilted. Add a splash of balsamic or cider vinegar and if I have any bacon left over from the weekend, crumble it on top before serving. I will wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour. Let them cool then peel them. Slice them about 1/4 inch thick and toss with seasoned rice vinegar, a little olive oil and chopped mint.

The carrots will become Arabian Nights Carrots: Arabian Nights Carrots (adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Carrots with Raisins and Dates)

5 medium sized Carrots (or the equivalent thereof) peeled and cut on the bias 1/4 inch thick
1/2 medium sized onion peeled and thinly sliced
4 T unsalted butter
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup pitted dates chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. orange flower water (available in liquor stores or the liquor
department of supermarkets)
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger

Melt the butter in an 8 inch skillet over a medium flame. Put in the carrots, onions, raisins and dates. Stir and fry for 5 minutes. Add the salt, honey, orange flower water and ginger. Stir and fry for another five minutes or so until the carrots are tender and the onions are soft.

The secret ingredient is the orange flower water. Be sure not to use too much or it will taste like perfume. In this amount, it just adds a flowery aftertaste that will leave everyone guessing.

The strawberries go in lunch boxes.

The spinach will probably become a salad with thinly sliced red onion and a dressing made of three parts olive oil, one part cider vinegar, honey, stoneground mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Chopped hardboiled eggs and crumbled bacon on top.

The fennel, cabbage and spring onions will go into a variation on Super Slaw:

Super Slaw (from Epicurious)

6 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut into matchstick-size strips
2 medium carrots, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
8 large green onions, cut into matchstick-size strips
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk first 7 ingredients in small bowl to blend. (Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)

Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

This is a very flexible recipe. I will use whatever crunchy vegetables I have and leave out the ones that I don't have. As long as there's a couple of different kinds and approximately the same volume as the recipe calls for, it always turns out well. Since my daughter is allergic to peanuts, I use Trader
Joe's crunchy soy butter in place of the peanut butter. I also substitute one tablespoon of Asian sesame oil for one of the tablespoons of vegetable oil. You can make the dressing and the salad ahead of time but don't mix them
together until shortly before serving.

The basil will either become pesto or just tossed into anything with tomatoes in it.

A fun thing to do with fennel stalks: My Italian grandmother used to use the fennel stalks as a straw.

Instructions: Cut fennel stalks to a reasonable length. Sip cold red "paisan" wine through it. Sit on the front stoop on a hot night and gossip with your neighbors. Repeat as necessary.

Seriously, it's really good. I would not use a fine nuanced Cabernet though.
____________________________________________

4) Grassland Restoration Event: Sunday June 24, 2007 (10am-1pm)

Come lend a hand and get to know the High Ground Organics restoration project. As the grassland sinks in to its golden hues of summer dormancy, we will plant a myriad of local sedges, grasses and rushes in to division beds on the farm. These plants will be grown up through the summer and than planted out into the grassland at the onset of the winter rains. We will work together from 10 am-12pm with a potluck lunch and bird watching to follow. Please call Laura Kummerer at 831-761-8694 for details.

____________________________________________

5) Photos

Fennel

Spring Onions (yours might be slightly smaller than this photo)

Carrots

Bok Choy

Spinach

Basil

____________________________________________

6) Recipes from Carolyn and Julia

Some of Carolyn's recipes are above in #3.

My take on fennel, by Julia:

We grow lots more fennel than celery. WHY?: Celery is a selfish vegetable and easily depletes the soil: it also requires lots and lots of fertilizer and water. Fennel is much heartier and easier to grow in a smaller farm setting where many crops are being grown and harvested at all different times.

Fennel can be used in many many places that celery is used. When cooked the anise flavor is almost nil. I saute chopped fennel with onion in the first stages of preparing many different soups, spaghetti sauce, and chili. No one has ever noticed.

The moral of this story: if your family loves fennel chopped in green salad, shaved into it's own salad, or just the sliced bulb eaten with olive oil and a great goat cheese, you're all set. IF you have fennel phobes at home try cooking it when no one is looking, then continue with the casserole/soup/ etc. No one will notice it's not celery!

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Tender Mixed Salad Insalata mista Tenera from Verdura by V. La Place

1 head tender lettuce
2 small carrots, peeled and grated
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into fine julienne
3-4 green onions, trimmed and cut into fine julienne
2 carrots, grated (Or when it's tomato season: 1 large, crisp tomato, cut into small chunks)
salt and pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
Good quality red wine vinegar

Detach lettuce leaves from the core. Wash and dry well. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a salad bowl. Add the remaining prepared vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and toss. Correct the seasonings and serve immediately.

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Fennel: popular as a vegetable in Italy: it can be thinly sliced and eaten plain or as part of a vegetable platter. It is often served with just salt and olive oil as a simple appetizer or salad course. It can be chopped up into salad as celery. I once saw it added to chili -it was delicious.

It was a popular herb in the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans. A recipe from Columella, a Spaniard who served in the Roman army in Syria in AD 60: "Mix fennel with toasted sesame, anise, and cumin then mix that with pur‚ed dried fig and wrap in fig leaves and then store in jars to preserve." (From Spencers The Vegetable Book)

Fennel is high is vitamins A and E, calcium and potassium. Fennel and ginger make a good digestive tea. (Steep the fresh leaves with a bit of sliced ginger for 5 minutes in boiling water.)

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CREAMY FENNEL SOUP from Recipeland.com

2 cups stock (chicken, beef, vegetable....)
1 full sized Fennel bulb, about 1 pound
1 Sliver garlic
2 T Chopped onions
1 T Lemon juice (or more to-taste)
1 t Lemon zest, chopped
1/2 t Dried dillweed (or 1 1/2 -t fresh)
1 t Ground coriander
1 qt Nonfat yogurt

Clean and slice the fennel bulb, reserving any greens for garnish. Cook the fennel in the stock with the garlic and shallots until soft. Puree in a blender with the lemon juice and zest, and the spices. Strain the puree if you wish a smoother texture. Combine well with the yogurt and chill. Serve garnished with chopped fennel greens or chopped cilantro.

Beets: eat the greens first as a cooking green. They are great just like chard, but they don't store well. Then get around to the beets when you have time.

Chocolate Beet Brownies
from: PlanTea
These brownies are rich, chewy and secretly nutritious!

1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup cooked beets or 15 oz. can beets packed in water, drained and mashed;
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greased 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.
While I had fun developing the chocolate beet recipe, it's a treat to see the expression on people's faces when I tell them what's in the recipe. - a note from the author of this recipe.

Honeyed Beet Quinoa Summer Salad, with variations
from Fresh from the Farm and Garden by The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden

julia's note: I make many variations of this salad, with whatever vegetables/alliums/dressing I have on hand. I love using quinoa, but brown rice and couscous also work nicely. Likely other grains too. For this much salad I usually use half the amount of cheese they recommend and half the amount of nuts. Any mixture of the below herbs work well: just parsley, just cilantro, just basil, or any combo... chives, tarragon for a different flavor..... the possibilities are endless and having a salad like this on hand makes healthy lunches/dinners much easier.

6 beets, roasted
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups orange juice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup fruity olive oil
3 cups cooked quinoa, or another grain such as brown rice or couscous or??
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, or shredded parmesan, or??, optional
1 cup toasted walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped basil OR cilantro
1/2 cup chopped parsley
6 minced green onions or 3 shallots or other mild allium
lettuce greens, ready for eating as salad

Dice roasted beets and marinate in orange and lemon juice and honey at least one hour. (Julia's note: I warm up my honey a bit before mixing it in the juices/oil... but don't make it too hot or it will 'cook' the juice and fruity oil!) Combine with other ingredients except salad greens. Chill at least one hour to allow flavors to blend. Serve on bed of salad greens.


Roasted Beets with Walnuts and Blue Cheese
from California Home Cooking by Michele Anna Jordan

1 pound small beets, golden, white or chioggia (or red!)
1 T olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
2 T extra virgin olive oil
preheat oven to 350 degrees
Wash and trim beets but do not peel them. Toss them with the olive oil in a bowl, and transfer them to a baking sheet. Roast them until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 90 minutes, depending on their size. Remove the beets from the oven and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Using your fingers, remove and discard the beet skins. Cut the beets into wedges, and place the wedges in a small serving bowl. Add the walnuts and extra virgin olive oil, toss ad several turns of pepper (from a pepper mill), and toss again. Scatter the blue cheese over the beets, and serve.

Balsamic-Dressed Roasted Beets
A simple sweet-and-sour dressing complements earthy roasted beets. Its bright flavors make this dish a fitting accompaniment for roasted meats.
6 medium beets (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 star anise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 .
Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Wrap beets in foil. Bake at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. Cool beets to room temperature. Peel and cut each beet into 8 wedges.
Combine juice, vinegar, sugar, and star anise in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes). Discard star anise. Combine beets, vinegar mixture, salt, and pepper; toss well.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 79(3% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 2.4g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 27mg; SODIUM 258mg; FIBER 4g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17.9g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

Roasted Beets
Kitchen Garden Magazine Sept. 1997

Scrub beets under cold water, rub them with vegetable oil and sprinkle them with a little kosher salt. Roast them on a baking sheet at 350 F. Small to medium beets take 30-60 minutes. You may want to cut large beets in half to shorten the baking time. When the beets can be pierced easily with a fork, they're done. Once the beets are cool, the skins slip off easily.

I have no trouble finding ways to use leftover, cooked beets. In my beet vinaigrette, pureed cooked beets take the place of some of the oil, so this dressing has more nutrients and less fat than traditional vinaigrettes. The vibrant color really dresses up garden salads, pasta salads, and fish. One of my favorite salads is a mixture of greens topped with cubes of roasted beets, slices of tart green apple, and pats of goat cheese, all drizzled with sweet-tangy beet vinaigrette.

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Grated Carrot or Beet Salad with Cumin
Deborah Madison--Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Grate or hand-cut carrots or beets, blanch them briefly in boiling salted water, then drain and towel-dry. Dress while warm with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette, plus 1 teaspoon orange flower water if you like.

Grated Beet Salad with Cumin
Deborah Madison--Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Grate or hand-cut carrots or beets, blanch them briefly in boiling salted water, then drain and towel-dry. Dress while warm with Lime-Cumin Vinaigrette, plus 1 teaspoon orange flower water if you like.

Basil Ice Cream
gathered from Chowhound

2 cups milk, divided
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
2 cups whipping cream
1 cup sugar, divided
7 egg yolks 1 teaspoon mint liqueur (optional)
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs

COOK 1 cup milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat until bubbly. Stir in 1 cup basil leaves, and remove from heat. Cover and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.
PROCESS basil mixture in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding solids. Set aside.
COOK remaining 1 cup milk, whipping cream, and 1/2 cup sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat.
BEAT egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot milk mixture into yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in basil mixture and, if desired, liqueur; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. Cover and chill 4 hours.
POUR chilled mixture into freezer container of a 1-gallon electric ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.
Pack with additional ice and rock salt, and let stand 1 hour. Serve in frozen lemon shells, and garnish, if desired. I think I got this recipe years ago from Chowhound.com

another basil idea that I think came from Chowhound.com

Stuff a handful of basil with some other fresh herbs and a half lemon and maybe a couple cloves of garlic into a chicken before roasting. Simple and good.

Basil Guacamole

I know you're thinking "avocados and basil?!" but trust me, it works very well, especially on top of toasted french bread slices. Kind of like a sophisticated, grown-up guacamole.

Italian Guacamole

Juice of 1 lemon
scant tsp. kosher salt
2 cloves of garlic (more if you like garlic)
2 medium ripe avocados
1 c. basil leaves, chopped
1/4 c. finely chopped scallions

Mash the avocados and stir everything else in to taste. Adjust as desired.

Bean Salad Recipe from Michelle Russell

I've been wanting to share how I've been using my Mariquita herbs and purplette onions lately. It's a very simple bean salad that I never tire of, guests have been happy too. First, I get four or so different cans of beans and put them in a bowl. I like to mix colors, so my salad includes garbanzo, black, navy and red. Then I splash balsamic and olive oil over the beans, letting it sit while I wash and chop whatever herbs I have at hand. I like to add at least a half of cup of herbs. My last salad featured parsley and basil. Delicious! Thinly slice the purplette onions and add those too. Stir everything adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve over whatever salad greens
you have. That's it.

I've also made a tasty version by making the vinaigrette separately, in a blender, with dried tomatoes added. The tomatoes get ground up and the vinaigrette emulsifies nicely.

This salad travels well and makes great leftovers.

BOK CHOY: The most commonly found Chinese vegetable is also one of the oldest bok choy has been cultivated in China since the fifth century a.d. You can find many kinds of bok choy at Asian markets, all differing in shape and size; this recipe works well with any mature variety.

BOK CHOY GRATIN

The most commonly found Chinese vegetable is also one of the oldest bok choy has been cultivated in China since the fifth century a.d. You can find many kinds of bok choy at Asian markets, all differing in shape and size; this recipe works well with any mature variety.
Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 hr

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
2 1/2 lb bok choy (not baby), tough stem ends trimmed
1 shallot, finely chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 oz GruyŠre, coarsely grated (1/2 cup)
1/2 oz finely grated parmesan (1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly butter a 2-quart gratin dish and dust with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs.

Cut bok choy stems and center ribs into 1/2-inch pieces and coarsely chop leaves. Cook stems and ribs in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes, then add leaves and cook 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle. Squeeze out excess water by handfuls.

Cook shallot in 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add bok choy and cook, stirring, until greens are coated with butter and shallot, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread bok choy in baking dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper, then stir in GruyŠre and 2 tablespoons parmesan and pour evenly over bok choy.

Toss remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs with remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan in a small bowl and blend in remaining 2 tablespoons butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture evenly over gratin and bake in upper third of oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Makes 6 side-dish servings.

Gourmet
February 2003

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH SALAD WITH BASIL-PARMESAN DRESSING

4 medium-large zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise
4 medium-large yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, halved lengthwise
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place zucchini and crookneck squash on large baking sheet; brush all over with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate and cool.

Cut vegetables diagonally into 1-inch-wide pieces. Place in large bowl. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6.

Bon Appetit
July 1999

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7) Which Farm?

From High Ground: Berries, Spinach, Bok Choy, Cabbage Summer Squash, Flowers
From Mariquita: Basil, Beets, Carrots, Spring Onions, Mystery

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8) Unsubscribe/Subscribe From/To This Newsletter

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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

Newsletter #396

Two Small Farms Newsletter

Issue Number 396, May 16th 2007

In the box this week: Baby Carrots Chard (red or gold) Little Gem Lettuce Red Leaf Lettuce Beets: Red or Chioggia Sugar Snap Peas Strawberries Summer Squash

BEETS by Andy

In this week’s box you will get either a bunch of red or Chioggia beets. The red beet is the only beet I remember from childhood. It wasn’t until I grew up, moved away, and started working on vegetable farms that I learned that there were also gold beets, flat Egyptian beets, Danish carrot beets, Black skinned Crapudine beets, white beets, Chioggia beets, and huge yellow beets called mangles. None of these “different” beets are modern inventions or mere “decorator varieties”—they’ve all been around for ages in different parts of the world. This season we’ll give you some of these different beets to try out, but no mangles. I’ve always been curious to grow mangles, but they can weigh over ten pounds apiece when fully mature, and I don’t want to beet you up too bad. Maybe I’ll grow a crop of mangles some day and feed them to my goats. I can’t say that my kids love beets, but my does do, and so does my buck!

Having grown so many different kinds of beets over the years I can’t say that any particular variety is THE BEST. Sometimes chefs ask me to grow the white beet because they want a beety flavor for a soup but they don’t want the red of the typical beet to distract the eye from the presentation that they have in mind. The Chioggia beet is kind of a mix between the red and the white beet, since it’s skin is pink and a cross sectional cut shows that it’s flesh is marked by alternating red and white rings, like a target. I’ve heard people say that the Chioggia beet is the sweetest beet of all, but I don’t agree. The Chioggia beet doesn’t have the earthy a flavor as the red beet, so the sweetness is more obvious. The gold beet isn’t as vigorous in the field as the red beet or the Chioggia beet, but it is a very popular beet among consumers.

Beets aren’t hard to grow. I like to plant beets on ground that has already hosted another crop. Beets aren’t heavy feeders, and if the soil is too rich with nitrogen beets will develop a disfiguring black crack that splits the root. One way to avoid this malady is to plant a heavy feeding crop, like lettuce, to consume a lot of the fertility ahead of the beets. Then follow the beet harvest with a cover crop to build up the soil once again.

Beets are more than a major crop for us—they’re also a major weed. During the forties and fifties sugar beets were a major crop along the central coast. The crop was harvested and shipped by rail car to Spreckles where there was a large sugar refinery. Some of the rail cars were overloaded, so loose sugar beets rolled off the trains and into the ditches. Those beets sprouted. There’s enough sugar and water in the tissue of a sugar beet to sustain a plant from the sprout all the way to the flowering stage, so soon beet seeds were being spread by rodents and birds all over the place. It didn’t take long for feral beets to lose all their cultivated gloss and revert to being tough weedy herbs with woody roots. The beet weeds that infest our fields probably don’t look much different than the original plants that the early farmers started improving to create all the different kinds of beets that we enjoy today. And speaking of enjoyment, don’t toss those beet greens away! Strip the foliage from the stems and cook them just like chard.

Copyright 2007 Andy Griffin

Julia’s Beet Preparation Photo Essay

This is the first week of the Second Cycle
Second 9 week session starts this week! If you want to continue and have not contacted us or have not received a confirmation of payment – call or email us by Tuesday afternoon! Nine weeks is $180, or $234 with flowers. Call or email Zelda, 831-786-0625 or csa@twosmallfarms.com

Kids day on May 26th

Jeanne and Steve at High Ground Organics will be hosting the annual Kid’s Day at their farm in Watsonville on Saturday May 26th, 1-4 pm.
Kids Day Saturday, May 26th at High Ground Organics, 1-4PM. We'll have lots of good educational kid activities (bugs, birds, farm art), plus open space, great views, a couple cute calves to look at (from a distance, they're not tame yet)

http://www.blogger.com/www.highgroundorganics.com/farmevents.html
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5) Photos
Red Chard: (you'll get red or gold)

Beet Photo Essay (includes photos of the beets)
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6) Recipes from Jennifer and Julia

What Jennifer Grillo (CSA member) would do with this week's box:

Lettuce Cups with Minced Chicken

Gem Lettuce leaves, washed & spun dry (NOTE: Can also use Red Leaf Lettuce; just break 'em in half)
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 skinless boneless chicken breast, chilled (about 12 ounces)
3 teaspoons cornstarch
4 teaspoons dry white wine
Scant cup canned water chestnuts (about 4-6 ounces), rinsed, drained and chopped fine
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, cleaned and cut into small strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white, beaten lightly
For sauce
8 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)

Preparation
Brush inside of each lettuce leaf with 1/2 tablespoon hoisin sauce and chill.
In a food processor pulse chicken until chopped fine. In a small cup stir together cornstarch and wine and in a bowl stir together chicken, cornstarch mixture, water chestnuts, bell pepper, salt and egg white. Marinate chicken mixture 5 minutes.

Make sauce: In a small bowl, stir together sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
In a large saucepan with 6 cups salted boiling water cook chicken mixture, stirring constantly to break up lumps, until chicken is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Drain chicken mixture in sieve.
In a large non-stick skillet heat vegetable oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook garlic, stirring until softened. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add sauce and cook, stirring, until mixture is coated, about 2 minutes.
Divide chicken mixture among prepared lettuce leaves and sprinkle with pine nuts. Wrap leaves loosely around filling.

adapted from epicurious recipe

****Sinigang Na Manok****

2 1/2 to 3 lb chicken pieces, preferably with bones (I like a mix with mostly thighs)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 med tomatoes, sliced into wedges

1 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspon salt

1 tablespoon patis (fish sauce)

5 cups waterbeet greens, cleaned and cut into manageable strips

chard, cleaned, 'bone' removed, and cut into manageable strips

turnips, cut into ~1 inch chunks

1/3 pkg tamarind paste (or some other souring agent like lemon)

cooking oil

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the garlic until lightly brown.Add the onions, tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomato skins are loose and the onions translucent.Add the chicken and cook for about 10 mins or until chicken colors slightly.Add the water and simmer for about 30 minutes until chicken is tender.

NOTE: If your tamarind paste still has seeds, remove about a cup of the cooking water and place it into a separate saucepan. Add the tamarind paste and boil it until the paste loosens and you can see the seeds.Use a mesh strainer to pour the cooked tamarind solution back into the chicken.There will be some paste in the strainer; just use a cooking spoon to stir it up in the strainer. The paste will come out on the other side, leaving the seeds in the mesh strainer.
Add the tamarind paste or souring agent and patis (fish sauce). Add the turnip, greens (chard and beet greens) and cook for 5 minutes or until the veggies are tender.Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper or additional lemon (if it's not sour enough).
Serve alone or over steaming jasmine rice.

NOTES: - can add green beans (chinese or american) if you like - can use radishes in place of turnips - can use almost any green (spinach, for example) - I usually make this by taste; this recipe is my best guess on amounts. This is a very common recipe in the Philippines; you should be able to find a bunch of them online. Every family has a different variation!

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Julia’s Fastest Way to use this week’s box:

Many of my friends with kids are complaining it’s that special time in May when every event, every project, every fundraiser, every extra curricular everything: it’s all happening this week and next. So: here’s my Fastest Way to Cook Up and Eat this week’s box!

Strawberries: Eat them.

On a night you have 15 minutes to turn on the radio and prepare something: wash up and cook up the beet greens with the chard and some garlic in a bit of oil or just a bit of broth. Eat with a squeeze of lemon. Store leftovers for future addition to soup or melted cheese sandwich.

Beets: remove from greens and store til your schedule is a bit calmer: then bake them and let cool and make a simple make ahead salad with some crumbly cheese, green herb and a vinaigrette.

Lettuce: ask your family/room mates to prepare the lettuce into a salad everynight for dinner and or every morning to take to lunch at work.

Summer Squash: make a soup or saute for a quick lunch.

Sugar Snap Peas: these are delightful cooked up but since this is the quickest way to use the box: eat these as is like popcorn. YUM, and eeeeasy!

Carrots: see Sugar Snap Peas! There, you’re done, with little cooking if your schedule is busy.

And for the rest of you: real live recipes:

Sugar Snap Peas:

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

1/2 lb sugar snap peas

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

S & P to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Cut off rough edge of peas and a bit of the string along the side (your preference how much). 3. Spread peas onto baking sheet so that they are in a single layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with shallots, thyme and salt. 4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Servings: 4

Sugar Snap Peas with Mint
Serves: 6

6 c. sugar snap peas

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. fresh chopped mint

Bring 6 qt. of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add peas and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bright green. Drain, place back in pan and add butter, stirring to coat evenly. Add mint and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Beets:

Salade de Betterave et de Mâche ~ Beet and Mache Salad

From Debra Fioritto Weber

Pronounced: sah lahd / duh / bet trahv / eh / duh / mahsh

2-3 chioggia or golden or red beets, roasted

1 lb. tender spring greens: lettuce or mâche

2 hardboiled eggs

roasted walnuts

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

6 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons walnut oil

2 Tablespoons vinegar

1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper

fleur de sel (optional)

PREPARATION:To roast the beets: Wrap the beets in foil. Place in a preheated 425F oven. Cook for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Rub off the skins.
Place the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the salt.
2. While whisking, pour in the oils and continue to whisk until the vinaigrette is completely blended.To serve:Just before serving, slice the beets. Toss the beets and greens together in a bowl. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and toss again. Serve garnished with the hard boiled eggs and walnuts. (You'll have extra vinaigrette.)

Chiogga beet salad

adapted from the LA Times: November 15, 2006

Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus 1 hour standing time
Servings: 4
Note: From Christian Shaffer. Red and golden beets may be used instead of the chiogga beets.
1 bunch beets: any color
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (scant) toasted ground coriander seeds
1 shallot, minced
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fresh mint or chervil or parsley, whole leaves or rough chopped

1. Boil the beets in enough water to cover, with 2 tablespoons salt, until tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of beet.
2. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, coriander and shallot and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes. In another bowl, combine the crème fraîche, horseradish, one-half teaspoon salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Drain the beets and, while still warm, peel them. Slice them into wedges, about 8 to 10 per beet, and cool.
4. Pour the vinegar mixture over the beets and let stand, covered, at room temperature for an hour. Spoon the horseradish cream onto a platter, covering the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, mound the beets over the cream. Garnish the beets with the chervil and serve.
Each serving: 152 calories; 2 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 12 mg. cholesterol; 285 mg. sodium.

Teriyaki Beets from Fresh from the Farm and Garden by The Friends of the UCSC Farm and Garden

julia’s note: you can add one finely minced clove of garlic to this sauce if you like. Any color beet will do quite nicely in this recipe.

12 small beets (or one bunch full sized, beets quartered)

4 Tablespoons butter or canola oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Boil or steam beets until almost tender (10-15 minutes). Rinse in cold water and cut in half. Combine rest of ingredients in small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until sauce is smooth. Brush sauce on beets and heat under broiler 5-10 minutes, basting frequently.

Sauteed Chard with Garlic and Red Pepper

Deborah Madison--Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves (or green garlic)

2 pinches red pepper flakes

1 large bunch chard

Salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon or a few teaspoons red wine vinegar

Heat the oil with the garlic and pepper flakes in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to color. Add the cooked chard and toss to coat it with the oil. Add 1/2 cup water and cook until it's absorbed and the greens are heated through. Season with salt and a little lemon juice or vinegar.

http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/index.htmlhttp://www.twosmallfarms.com/http://www.mariquita.com/http://www.highgroundorganics.com/