CSA Week 12

1 bunch kale

1 bunch chard

1 head of lettuce

hungarian hot wax peppers

sweet peppers

broccoli

carrots

eggplant

potatoes 

sweet onions

tomatoes

Sun is shining and the weather sure is sweet.  With just a bit of much, much needed rain this morning during harvest, the skies have cleared, the temps have once again risen and the veggies are pretty much leaping and bounding out of the ground, over flowing the field and finding their way into your shares, kitchens and bellies! It is back to school time for some, but this summer season continues to rage on at Black Kettle Farm.  The tomatoes plants may look a bit  haggard, but they just can’t seem to stop producing, the greens are absolutely thrilled about it all, the savoy cabbage is just about ready to make an appearance and the carrots are strutting their stuff, growing deep, soaking in all the sweetness of the soil and looking forward to the fall months.  

When not harvesting and moving tons and (literally tons) of food around, the Kettle Crew can be found generally cleaning up shop.  It’s out with the old and in with the soil building cover crops.  Every thing that we have eaten in the early season, like say zucchini, once done producing, gets mowed and given back to the earth.  The ground is then put to bed and sown with a variety of crops that aren’t for eating, but for loving up the Kettle soil, like oats, clover, mustard and winter rye.  These efforts insure the future fertility of the farm, while also looking really, really beautiful.  A sea of green always feels good.

Generally speaking, there are are just so many reasons to feel good and/or super duper great here at Black Kettle Farm.  We are all still basking in the glorious glow of yet another fun and super successful gathering of CSA Members and Friends of the Farm this past Sunday.  With lots of badmitton, beautiful babies, delicious veggie fare, pig visits, folks mixing, making connections, and picnicing into the sunset, topped with all around great vibrations well into the evening hours, it was wonderful to have so much of the Kettle community right here at the source of it all!

Speaking of that truly amazing Kettle community, big huge thanks and gold star to Portland member Billy Slifka for finding the farm it’s fabulous, functional and incredibly styley new delivery van!  Great eagle eyes Billy!  The new van is smelling less like the dry cleaners and more like onions every day!  NICE!

HUGE MILESTONE!  Black Kettle Farm officially has merchandise!  Get your very own BKF Tote Bag and totally tote your veggies all around town!  100% Recycled cotton, made in the USA, and washable with the BKF logo and ready for lots of cargo.  $10.00. Show your Kettle spirit and get ‘em while you can!

Swiss Chard Quesadillas

Vegetarian Times, February 2007

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped (¾ cup)

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp.)

1 hot pepper, minced

¼ tsp. cumin seeds

⅛ tsp. Mexican oregano

¼ cup tequila

12 oz. Swiss chard, trimmed

8 6-inch corn tortillas

1 cup grated reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

1. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until golden. Stir in garlic, hot pepper, cumin and oregano, and sauté 2 minutes. Add tequila, and simmer 1 minute, or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in chard. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and steam 5 minutes, or until chard wilts. Uncover, and cook 3 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated.
2. Place 1 tortilla in skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with 1/4 chard mixture and second tortilla. Cook 2 minutes per side, or until browned. Slice into wedges and serve.

Crunchy Oven Roasted Potatoes

http://blog.seacoasteatlocal.org/2011/01/29/market-notes-crunchy-oven-roasted-potatoes/

Potatoes, washed, and peeled (optional)

Olive oil

Dried breadcrumbs, finely ground

Salt and pepper

 - Preheat oven at 400°F.

- Cut potatoes into wedges. Toss wedges with enough olive oil to coat well. Season with salt and pepper.

- Coat bottom of large roasting or baking pan with additional oil. Add potatoes to pan, and toss with enough breadcrumbs to coat lightly. Arrange wedges in one layer, pressing cut ends into breadcrumbs on bottom of pan.

- Roast 30 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each wedge over, this allows second side to brown. If needed, sprinkle with more breadcrumbs or oil. Finish roasting another 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

The potatoes can be waxy or starchy, peeled or unpeeled, and the breadcrumbs left plain or seasoned with herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, savory or sage.

With so few ingredients, this dish benefits from using homemade breadcrumbs. Leave pieces or slices of bread out to dry; once completely dry, grind in food processor or blender. Alternatively, wrap bread in kitchen or tea towel, and use a rolling pin to crush bread into crumbs. Make sure the breadcrumbs are dried thoroughly before storing in an airtight glass jar.

Eat like a Black Kettle Farmer!  Roast it all!

Heat oven to 375.

Coat a baking pan with olive oil.

Cube eggplant, onion, and carrots.

Dice hot peppers to taste and sweet peppers.  Toss together in a pan and season with salt and ground pepper.

Splash with balsamic vinegar and cook for about 30 minutes.

Cut fresh tomatoes into chunks and throw into the baking pan.  Move all veggies around and keep baking until all are soft, about another 15 or so minutes.  Sweet, delicious, filling and glorious!