Blue Gate Farm News – Volume IV,  Number 9  –  June 26, 2007

 

In this week’s box:

Kale: Red Russian

Swiss Chard

Tapestry Salad Mix

Zucchini: 8 Ball (round & green) or Sebring (long & yellow)

Peas: Sugar Snap (round & flat) or Snow (large & flat)

     or

Cucumber: Dive (short, green), Suyo Long (long, green) or Lemon (round, yellow)

For those with the Herb option: Genovese Basil, Anise Hyssop, Garlic Chives

 

For those with the Cheese option: Feta & Floral Chevre

 

Featured Recipes (on back): Sesame Kale Salad & Crispy Cornmeal Zucchini

 

Rain this week:  1.5”

 

What’s up on the farm?

Wow, that was some storm Friday night; we were out weeding in the West Garden and watched the system roll in over the hills.  It was an impressive sight but beyond the heavy rain and strong winds, it was more bluster than bite here on the farm.  Besides dodging raindrops this week, we’ve been putting in the next sowing of beets, beans and winter squash.  We also tilled up the radish bed, putting an effective end to the radish season and making room for our “security” crop of tomatoes (more about that later).  The weed warriors were out in force again trying to make space for the winter squash and to make things presentable for the Ice Cream Social on Sunday.  We had 40+ members, kids, dogs and goat kids join us for our first CSA Ice Cream Social.  The weather was just right as we played games, gathered eggs, toured gardens, laughed at the antics of the dogs and churned homemade ice cream.  We’ll try to get some photos of the event posted on the website this week so you can check out the festivities and see all the cute kids (human and goat) enjoying an afternoon at the farm.  Thanks to everyone who made the trip out and we hope to see the rest of you at the party in the fall.

 

You’ll notice that the salad is back this week, and we hope that the weather is kind and will allow us to harvest lettuce for another few weeks before the heat makes it bitter.  The new item in the boxes this week is Red Russian Kale.  Kale is very rich in vitamins A, C and the mineral calcium.  B vitamins and other minerals are also in excellent supply and Kale is the highest in protein content of all the cultivated vegetables.  Kale is interchangeable with broccoli and other hearty greens in recipes.  To store: wrap leaves in a damp towel or plastic bag and refrigerate, preferable in hydrator drawer for up to 1 week.  Cooking tips: wash kale leaves well, checking the underside of leaves for any residual “nature.”  Remove stems from mature kale leaves by folding the leaf in half lengthwise and stripping or slicing away thick stems.  Steam mature leaves 4-5 minutes, until limp but still retaining some texture.  Toss steamed kale with olive oil, lemon juice and a dash of salt and pepper…or a little fresh garlic.  Sauté young leaves with butter, garlic and onions and add to omelets, quiches, scrambled eggs, casseroles or mashed potatoes.

 

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean

 

 

Sesame Kale Salad

1 pound fresh kale (or chard, spinach or other greens)               1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbs soy sauce                                                                         2 tsp honey (or other sweetener)

2 tbs toasted sesame oil                                                                        1 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs toasted sesame seeds (crushed, if desired)                                    dash of black or ground red pepper

 

Separate kale leaves from stems. Chop stems and greens. Steam stems a couple of minutes, then add the greens and steam until just tender. Drain; let kale cool enough to handle. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Place in serving bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in another bowl; add to greens. Mix, chill and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Recipe Source: Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce

 

 

 

 

 

Crispy Cornmeal Zucchini

1 cup cornmeal

salt

freshly ground black pepper

fresh herbs (as desired: garlic, basil, oregano, chives or dill are good choices) minced

4 small or 2 medium zucchini or other summer squash (halved crosswise then sliced into ¼” strips)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 egg, beaten

olive oil

 

Mix cornmeal with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl, add herbs if desired.

Working with one piece of zucchini at a time, coat it lightly in flour and shake off any excess. Next, dip into the beaten egg, letting the excess drip off, then dip in cornmeal and coat well. Set the coated zucchini aside. Repeat the process with the remaining zucchini pieces.

Line a plate with a paper towel. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to thoroughly cover the bottom and heat over medium-high heat.  Transfer as many of the coated slices to the skillet as will easily fit and cook until they are brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the slices and cook other side. Transfer cooked sliced to the paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.

Scrape off any leftover bits of cornmeal from the skillet, add more oil if necessary and repeat the cooking process with the next batch of zucchini.

Season with additional salt to taste and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4

 

Recipe Source: Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables