Hello CSA Members,

Hope you are enjoying the non-rainy weather.  Have a great week and 4^th of July weekend!

Small CSA Box:  ½ lb Salad Mix, 1 bu Carrots, 4 ea Baby Red Romaine, ¼ lb Spinach, 1 pnt Strawberries, ½ lb Broccoli, 1 bu Turnips, and ½ lb English Peas

Medium CSA Box:  ¾ lb Salad Mix, 2 bu Carrots, 6 ea Baby Red Romaine, ½ lb Spinach, 1 cup Strawberries, 1 cup Raspberries, ½ lb Sugar Snap Peas, ¾ lb Broccoli, 2 bu Turnips, and 1 bu Radish

Large CSA Box:  1 lb Salad Mix, 3 bu Carrots, 8 ea Baby Red Romaine, ¾ lb Spinach, 2 cup Strawberries, 2 cup Raspberries, ¾ lb Sugar Snap Peas, ¾ lb Broccoli, 2 bu Turnips, ¾ lb English Peas, and 2 bu Fresh Thyme

~HINT:  To distinguish the difference between English and Sugar Snap peas is easy: Sugar Snaps have a smoother skin with a thicker shell, and a lighter shade of green than English. English’s shell is wrinkled and thinner.

Recipe of the week:

Willie Green’s Salad Mix with Sun-Dried Tomato – Balsamic Vinaigrette

8 oz Willie Green’s Salad Mix
4 tbl sun-dried tomato - balsamic vinaigrette

To make sun-dried tomato - balsamic vinaigrette:
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
1 tbl sun-dried tomatoes – soaked until soft and chopped
1 tsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp garlic – minced
¼ tsp shallot – minced
¼ tsp summer savory - chopped fine
¼ tsp green basil – chopped fine

Mix all ingredients in shaker bottle. Shake and allow to sit at room temperature for two hours, shaking every 30 minutes. Refrigerate unused portion.

Pour over 8 oz Willie Green’s salad mix and enjoy!

We are excited to begin the last session of the winter season this week. Thank you everyone that is a returning cutomer and welcome new customers.

We have discovered that about 1 in every 15 brussel sprouts is brown on the inside so please cut the sprouts in half before cooking. It seems that the sprouts are the hit of the season and we want to keep everyone happy.

We hope you enjoy the boxes this week. Have a happy holiday.

Small:1/2 lb Salad Mix, 1 bn Carrots, 1 Delicata Squash, 1/2 lb Spinach, 1 bn Leeks, 1/2 lb Brussel Sprouts, 1 hd Garlic, 1 lb Potatoes

Medium: 3/4 lb Salad Mix, 2 bn Carrots, 2 Delicata Squah, 1/2 lb Mache, 2 ea Celeriac, 3/4 lb Brussel Sprouts, 1 bn Collards, 2 hd Garlic, 1 bn Radishes

Large: 3/4 lb Salad Mix, 3 bn Carrots, 2 Delicata Squash, 3/4 Mache, 3 ea Celeriac, 1 lb Brussel Sprouts, 2 lb Potatoes, 1 bn Parsnips, 2 bn Beets, 6 hd Baby Lettuce

Delicata squash is a nice mild tasting and delicious squash. You can substitute other winter squash in these recipes if you wish. Delicata will store at room temperature for about 4 weeks.

Squash with Herbs

Ingredients:
2 medium winter squash (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 cups apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons wine or herb vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

If using delicata squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, then cut it lengthwise in half, and scrape out the seeds. Cut each piece in half again lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Other squash should be peeled, seeded, cut into 1x 1/2 inch pieces. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the sage and rosemary and cook until the butter just begins to turn color-3to5minutes. Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper and additional salt if needed.

Cream of Lamb’s Lettuce and Mushroom Soup

You can serve this soup hot or cold.

Ingredients for 4 servings
300 g (10 oz.) or 2 baskets of mache (lamb’s lettuce)
A few ceps (porcini) or chanterelle mushrooms
1 French shallot
1 bunch of chervil
1 tbsp. olive oil
500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock
6 g (1 tsp.) sugar
150 ml (10 tbsp.) liquid crème fraîche or heavy cream
Salt and pepper

Method
Rinse the lamb’s lettuce under running water.
Peel and finely chop the shallot; sauté it in olive oil in a large saucepan.
Add the lamb’s lettuce and chervil that has been washed, dried and chopped.
Sprinkle with sugar and cook for a few minutes before adding the broth.
Cover and cook 15 minutes longer.
Clean the mushrooms, trim the stem ends, slice thinly and brown quickly in a skillet.
Purée the soup in a blender and add the cream.
Reheat for a few minutes before serving with grilled ceps or chanterelles.

It is amazing to me that it is already the last week of session three. It seems like I just started delivering boxes to everyone. I hope everyone has been as happy with the boxes as my family has been. We have Gala Apples from Tiny’s this week.

Small: 1/2 lb Salad Mix, 2 Apples, 1 bn Carrots, 1 Butternut Squash, 1/2 kb Mache, 1 Onion, 1 Celeriac

Medium: 3/4 lb Salad Mix, 4 Apples, 2 bn Carrots, 2 Butternut Squash, 1 lb Potatoes, 2 Onions, 1 bn Leeks, 1 bn Parsnips, 1 bn Beets

Large: 3/4 lb Salad Mix, 6 Apples, 3 bn Carrots, 2 Butternut Squash, 2 lb Potatoes, 2 Onions, 2 bn Leeks, 1 bn Winterbor Kale, 2 hd Garlic, 1 Bn Bok Choy, 1/2 lb Brussel Sprouts

Butternut Squash Soup with Leeks

1 lg Butternut squash
2 ts Olive oil
3 md Leeks
6 c Vegetable stock
1 tb Dried thyme
1 tb Salt (optional)
1 1/2 ts Black pepper
Croutons to taste

Preheat oven to 425F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds and membrane. Place halves (cut-side down) on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until tender. Remove peel from squash when cool enough to handle. Mash or chop squash into chunks.

Meanwhile, cut off most of the green leaves from leeks (reserve for another use if desired). Slice leeks in half lengthwise and rinse well to remove all traces of dirt. Cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or soup pot and add leeks. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, until leeks are just barely soft. Stir in the squash, stock, thyme, salt and pepper, and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup about 20 minutes. Serve soup topped with croutons.

Farm-Style Leek Soup

2 lg Leeks (1 lb) with part of green tops, sliced
2 md Onions, sliced
1 lg Clove garlic, minced
1/4 c Butter
4 c Chicken stock
2 c Uncooked noodles (3 oz)
1 Bottle beer
1 1/2 c Shredded semisoft cheese (eg Muenster)
Salt and pepper

Cook leek, onion and garlic in butter for 15 minutes, using low heat and stirring often. Add stock, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add noodles, cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until noodles are tender. Add beer and heat to simmering. Gradually add cheese, cooking slowly and stirring until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

I am so happy to be able to offer you another great box this week. Thank you again to Alden Farms for providing the potatoes.

It seems that the brussel sprouts are the hit of the winter. My personal favorites are the baby turnips. The turnips can be used so many different ways from raw in salads to soups or stir frys. I am once again including a recipe from one of our customers for this week. Karen was nice enough to send a brussel sprouts recipe. Enjoy the box this week.

Small: 1/2 lb Salad Mix, 1 bn Carrots, 1 lb Potatoes, 1 Spaghetti Squash, 1 bn Parsnips, 1 bn Turnips, 1/2 lb Brussel Sprouts

Medium: 3/4 lb Salad Mix, 2 bn Carrots, 2 Spaghetti Squash, 1 Celeriac, 2 bn Turnips, 1 bn Lacinato, 1 Onion, 3/4 lb Brussel Sprouts, 1/2 lb Mache

Large: 3/4 lb Salad mix, 3 bn Carrots, 1 lb Potatoes, 2 Spaghetti Squash, 2 bn Parsnips, 2 Celeriac, 3 bn Turnips, 2 Onions, 3/4 lb Brussel Sprouts, 1/2 lb Mache, 1 bn Collards

Hashed Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Recipe

These got a little browned, but they were still crunchy and delicious.

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 lbs brussels sprouts
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 teaspoons butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp black mustard seeds or poppy seeds
2 Tbsp vermouth or dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste.

Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Cut bottoms off sprouts, and discard. Halve sprouts lengthwise. If you are really ambitions, carefully cut out and discard the firm core of each sprout half. Thinly slice the sprouts. As you work, transfer slices into bowl with lemon juice. When all sprouts are sliced toss them in juice and separate leaves. (Recipe can be prepared to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 hours.)

When ready to serve, heat oil and butter over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all sprouts. When very hot (almost to smoking point) add sprouts, garlic and seeds, and cook, stirring often, until sprouts are wilted and lightly cooked, but still green and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Some leaves might brown slightly.

Add vermouth, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Turn off heat, add salt and pepper to taste and stir in the lemon zest, reserving a little for top of dish. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining zest and serve.

Serves 4.

Honey Roasted Baby Turnips

Honey roasted baby turnips stuffed with currants and red lentils.
Yield: 6 canapés

6 baby white turnips, with tops trimmed off
1/4 cup black currants, soaked in hot black tea.
1/4 cup red lentils, cooked
2 cups salted water
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp finely chopped white onions

Boil turnips in salted water until tender.
Rinse with cold water, remove skin, top and scoop out flesh.
Sauté onions.
Combine currants, red lentils, sautéed onions, and lemon zest.
Stuff into turnips, and brush with honey.
Bake in oven 4 minutes, at 350, until warm and serve immediately.

I hope everyone enjoys these recipes.