Hi CSA Members!

I (Sharon) am writing you this week all the way from Santa Rosa, California while I am at the National Heirloom Expo with my good friends (and CSA members) Carly Gillepsie, Jen Nisonger, and Kirsten Brinkerhoff! Coleman, Kyle, and Jesse are doing a wonderful job of running the farm while I'm gone, so all I have to do is write you this email! I just wrote to those of you who will be recieving eggs this week, and if anyone else would like some, just shoot me an email and I will put you into the egg rotation : )

As I mentioned last week, I was on KCPW's City views show this morning with City Councilman Jim Bradley and Julie Peck-Dabling talking about urban agriculture. I hope some of you got to hear it! I am also in the midst of the Heirloom Expo, and have already heard some great talks from food movement greats like Amy Goldman of the Seed Savers Exchange,  Gary Ibsen of Tomato Fest, and tonight hearing from the famous Alice Waters. There are also amazing displays and exhibits including beautiful melon carvings, an enormous display of heirloom tomatoes, and a 15 ft tall tower of heirloom squash! I am getting really excited about heirloom food production here, and am so happy to be growing lots of tasty things for all of us to eat! In the spirit of the Expo and it's participants, I will include recipes that have been created by them!


Heirloom Squash Pyramid, I could stare at this for hours.....



OMG...So many heirloom tomatoes.....


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Week 16 Share

7oz Red Arrow Radish Microgreens
1 bunch Carrots (last week!)
1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 bunch Tokyo Long White Bunching Onions
Peppers (Serrano(Hot) and Pepperoncini(great for pickling), or Beaver Dam or Anaheim)
1 bag Basil (Genovese or Thai or Purple Ruffles)
Cucumbers or Sweet Peppers or Onion(Walla Walla,Tropea, Candy, or Red Candy)
Eggplant (little orange ones are called Brazillian Oval Orange)
Summer Squash
Tomatoes


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Alice Waters's Lentil Salad

Recipe courtesy of Alice Waters’s The Art of Simple Food.

SERVINGS
4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup lentils (French green lentils or black Beluga lentils are the best varieties to use for lentil salads because they have lots of flavor and they hold their shape when cooked.)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions or green onions or
3 tablespoons finely diced shallot
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

PREPARATION
1. Sort and rinse the lentils. Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until tender all the way through (adding more water if necessary), about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Toss the lentils with the red wine vinegar, salt, and fresh-ground black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if needed.

3. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, scallions or shallot, and parsley. Stir to combine. If the lentils seem dry and are hard to stir, loosen them with a bit of the reserved cooking liquid.

VARIATIONS
Add 1/2 cup diced cucumber.

Dice very fine 1/4 cup each of carrot, celery, and onion. Cook until tender in a couple spoonfuls of olive oil. Cool and stir into the salad in place of the scallions or shallots.

Garnish with 1/2 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese.

Toast and crush 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and add to the salad. Substitute cilantro for the parsley.

Dice 1/4 cup flavorful sweet peppers, season with salt, and let stand to soften. Stir in with the scallions or shallots.

AMY GOLDMAN'S GALETTE OF WHITE PEACHES AND TOMATOES

Serves 8

Peaches and peach tomatoes are a perfect match in this succulent dessert.

FOR CRUST:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into ¼" cubes
4 tablespoons ice water

1. Place flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Pulse to combine. Add 4 tablespoons butter. Pulse until pieces are size of pennies. Add remaining butter. Pulse 2 seconds. Add water. Pulse until ball forms. Remove to lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, gently press together. With palm of hand, smear a quarter of dough away from you in short, quick strokes. Working quickly, continue with remaining quarters until all dough is pressed and smoothed. Gather dough into ball and repeat quartering and smoothing. Cover with plastic wrap. Press into flat, round disk and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Dough may be frozen for up to 1 month.

2. After dough has rested, roll out into circle 1/8" thick using pastry mat and rolling pin wrapped in pastry cloth. Place on Silpat-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

FOR FILLING:
4 medium-size white or yellow peaches, peeled
6 small, light yellow or white peach tomatoes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice peaches and tomatoes into ¼" slices.

2. Preheat oven to 400°.

3. Mix flour and 2 teaspoons sugar and scatter over dough, leaving 1" border free of mixture.

4. Lay peaches in concentric circles around dough, still leaving a 1" border. After every 3 slices of peaches, place 1 tomato slice. Sprinkle slices with 4 tablespoons of sugar.

TO FINISH:
2 tablespoons melted butter
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Fold over 1" border to make scalloped edge. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until crust is golden and fruit is tender, about 35 minutes. If juices run over, use pastry brush to collect and brush over fruit. Carefully remove galette to rack. When cool, place on serving plate. Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.

 

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Yay! I hope you love the delivery this week, and I look forward to being back in town for the Solstice delivery next week!

 

Sharon