Tuesday, July 31, 2012

CSA Week 8


1 head lettuce
1 bunch asian greens
1 bunch greens
1 bunch carrots
green beans
ailsa craig onions
summer squash
cucumbers
Islander - Sweet Purple Pepper
eggplant
2 bunches herbs

Rooty Goodness and Travel Tales:
 Assistant Manager Shannon Gilpatrick Checks In.  
ENJOY!!!
I, like most of you have never had a hard time finding reasons to love carrots.  They’re sweet, they have a satisfying crunch and are great for your vision.  I was recently made aware of another reason to love them,their grounding ability.  Immediately it made sense to me that a veggie that grows straight into the ground carries properties that can help connect your energy to the earth as well.  More specifically, root veggies such as carrots, onions and garlic are healing to the root chakra, and your heart chakra is nourished by things such as leafy greens, cabbage and basil.  So what does all of this mean?  It means that not only are you making sure that your belly is fed, but you’re actually investing in spiritual and emotional growth.  DEEP!!!! I bet you didn’t realize the complexity of joining a CSA.  By no means does this knowledge now make you any sort of guru, but it does allow you to think more about your intent as you eat your food.  You can think of how you’re feeding your creativity center in your sacral chakra as you eat a watermelon, and healing any hurt feelings in your heart chakra with parsley.  No to mention, eating squash brings  growth to your financial chakra......Sweet! 
I’ll now step down from my soapbox to say “hello again” to all the members I met last year and “nice to meet you” to the newbies.  Here we are for another round of fun and fashion at BKF.  It feels weird to be saying that now as we approach August, but I’ve been way too busy being the lettuce master and kicking it in my hammock in the meadow to write a newsletter.  Plus, I enjoy reading the ones Laura writes as much as you do.  So what’s been going on you ask? Well, at the end of last season, after doing some interrogating of everyone I know that travels, I decided to spend my winter in Indonesia, Thailand and a few other amazing southeastern countries.  I couldn’t pull myself completely away from farming and did a little work on an island close to Bali.  And I thought our springs were rainy!!!!!  It definitely made me grateful for the weather we have here.  Sure, it can be a little dry or a little wet, but in all honesty, it is all pretty ideal.  Because of the humidity in Bali, I couldn’t even think of working after 11am or so.  Imagine if we could only work those hours here? Nothing but a few cukes and a sad bunch of kale would make it into your weekly veggie share!  All in all my experience was great.  I came back even more addicted to rice and with a new appreciation for tofu, even though I’m still too lazy to cook it.


Ginger Garlic Green Beans
Gourmet  | September 2009
by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
Cook beans in a 6-quart pot of boiling well-salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, then plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain beans and pat dry.
While beans cook, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and oils in a large bowl.
Add beans and toss. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Eggplant Marinara Flatbread
Bon Appétit  | October 2010
by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
 4 tablespoons (about) olive oil, divided
6 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick eggplant rounds (3 to 4 inches in diameter; from 1 large)
1 loaf ciabatta or pain rustique, cut horizontally in half, trimmed to 9-inch length
1 1/4 cups purchased fresh marinara sauce
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil plus 6 whole leaves (for garnish)
1 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and pepper. Place in skillet. Cover. Cook until tender, turning, 10 minutes. Transfer to plate. Brush cut side of bottom half of bread with rest of oil. Cook in skillet, cut side down, until golden, 1 minute.
Place bread, cut side up, on baking sheet. Spread with 3/4 cup sauce. Crumble goat cheese over; sprinkle with chopped basil. Top with eggplant. Mound mozzarella on eggplant; spoon remaining sauce over.
Bake bread until topping is hot and crust is crisp, about 12 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces. Garnish with basil leaves.
Cucumber, Mustard, and Dill Salad
Gourmet  | October 2004
2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mild olive oil
1 pound cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoon finely diced sweet onion
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, and sugar in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking.
Slice cucumbers into disks.  Add cucumber, diced onion and dill to vinaigrette, toss to coat.
You are all great cooks and have great ideas, please share with the BKF community!!!  Let me know if you have any favorite recipes, veggie musings or thoughts on eating local and getting the most out of your CSA share.  I will shout them loud and proud!

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