Week 16

During my workshare hours this week it was clear just how hard it is to keep food fresh and cool in our small-scale operation. The broccoli itself seemed to yellow between the farmer's truck and the cooler trailer. And we were instructed to bring out crates of it in bunches of only 6. Needless to say that made for constant trips from the cooler to the farmstand and back. Hot out! A good lesson to everyone who thinks the main cost of food is the land it grows on... Even cutting out the middleman by getting our produce either on-site or local farmers the costs incurred from getting it to the city, keeping it cool, so much of the produce goes bad before it even gets in your fridge. And I'm not sure about you, but I get some green monsters growing in the back of that bottom drawer even after bringing it home.
So this week the lady in charge of our newsletters left the farm. So here's a list of what we got, although your guess is as good as mine when it comes to exact varieties and farm location. We'll miss you Beth.

bunch radishes
head broccoli
yams
2 acorn squash
2 onions, red/yellow
6 apples
bunch spinach
green leaf lettuce
farm fresh eggs

Week 15, Recipe 3, Better Than Govinda's Seitan Cheesesteak Wraps

For those of you in the Philadelphia area interested in veggie or vegan food places, Govinda's To Go is pretty much a staple for ordering in. But with this recipe, we now have the know-how to do it ourself. This recipe comes from Michael of "Michael's Savory Seitan, Wheat Meat," made in the Philadelphia area. We met him at the farmstand on pick-up day. Greensgrow usually carries his stuff in Greensgrow's fridge, but this particular farmstand, he came out as a vendor and shared his enthusiasm and recipes with us. Thanks Michael. This meal has become Chris' specialty since it's pretty much a synch. Gets him out of dishes for a night. Again, thanks Michael.


Ingredients
1 tub of Micheal's Savory Seitan Wheat Meat
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or butter
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 red onion, chopped
1-2 frying peppers, sliced
1 cup shredded swiss cheese

fajita wraps or hoagie buns




Add seitan to olive oil, heating over medium-high heat. Let heat 3-4 minutes and add peppers and onions. Saute until vegetables become soft. Add cheese and BBQ sauce, stir until melted. Fill wraps and eat!

Points Tally
Taste: 5 points
Ingredients: 4 points
Documentation:5 points
Originality:0 points, great recipe, Micheal.

Total: 14 points

Week 15, Recipe 2, Curried Sweet Potato and Garbanzo Salad

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pat them completely dry with clean dish towel
3 cups of chopped leeks
1 medium clove of garlic, minced
zest of one lemon
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp Indian-style curry powder (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 or4 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup of loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup red onion or red spring onions, chopped



Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet and add the chickpeas. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they start getting a bit golden in color. Stir in the leeks and cook until the chickpeas are more golden and the leeks have browned a bit as well, roughly 7 - 10 minutes total. At the last minute stir in the garlic and the lemon zest. Remove from heat, and set aside.

While the chickpeas cool, make the yogurt dressing by combining the yogurt, curry powder, and salt in a small bowl. If you need to thin it out a bit, particularly if you are using Greek yogurt, whisk in warm water a tablespoon at a time. Taste, adjust, and set aside.
When you are ready to serve the salad, toss the chickpea mixture with most of the cilantro and most of the chopped red onion. Add about 1/2 of the yogurt dressing and toss again. If you like more dressing, keep adding until you are pleased. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the remaining onions and cilantro.




Points tally
Taste: 5 points
Ingredients: 3 points
Documentation: 5 points
Originality: 5 points, After indexing my favorite cookbooks and recipe sites, I can't find a recipe similar to this, I'm recording a bit after the fact, so sue me if it exists (don't really).

Total points: 18

Week 15, Recipe 1, Beet and Chevre Salad with Beet Greens

In my opinion, eating these 2 recipes (Beets and beet greens) together have to make a pretty balanced meal. The dark leafy greens with vitamin C, calcium, iron, the antioxidants in the beets themselves, the protein in the chevre and roasted walnuts...
I think Chris' comment of "That was dinner" was unwarranted. I do, however, agree with Chris that it probably wasn't the best pre-night out drinking meal I could have made. And we both had a pretty awful hangover the next morning for brunch. We couldn't even do mimosas.


Beet and Chevre Salad



Ingredients
4 medium beets, sliced 1/4" thick*
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice (1/4 orange)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove minces
2 Tbsp. red onion or shallot, minced*
1/2 cup crumbled chevre*

1 bunch beet greens*
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red onion or shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. vege stock or water
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup walnuts
parsley for garnish


Combine first 4 ingredients above in a ziplock and coat evenly. Arrange beets on a medium heat indoor grill. Close and cook 5-6 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, combine citrus dressing (next 6 ingredients) in a small bowl. When beets are done, toss with 2 Tbsp. of the dressing. Top with chevre.



Beet Greens and Walnuts

Wash greens and chop into 1/2" strips. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp. chopped red onion (reserved from above) and 1 garlic clove, minced. Cook 2 minutes. Add beet greens, balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock/water and cover. Let steam 3-4 minutes, toss, add 2 Tbsp. of the citrus dressing, let steam another minute or 2. Top with 1/3 cup toasted walnuts and parsley.

Points tally
Taste: 5 points
Ingredients: 4 points
Documentation: 5 points
Originality: 3.5 points (sorta kinda adapted from Roasted Beet Salad from Moosewood Restaurant's Cooking for Health and Balsamic Beet Greens from Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers' Greens Glorious Greens cookbook)

Total points: 22.5

Week 15 Share

Just to clear up any misconceptions, I do not always come out with 5 star recipes. Like the time I had it out with the lone eggplant left in the fridge. I tried a generic babaganoush recipe and it tasted slightly worse than when I tried the box of Idaho Joe's instant mashed potatoes. Made once and since stored in the pantry. I think when they say roasted eggplant, they mean roasted not steamed. And when they say puree, they mean pulse to just short of puree (jerks). That got one point, barely.
Or how about the recipe I made with broccoli, only to get asked by Chris, "There's something that smells like poop in here!" I won't post that one for all y'alls benefit. You're welcome.

However I'm pleased to say that the ones that do come out I really wind up liking. It may just be that when you grow something in your garden or are actively involved in the produce you eat, and know where it comes from, it kind of tastes better. A good example is the picky-eater kid that plucks a tomato that they watched grow from the bush on their back patio. "Yuuuummmm" Or maybe the picky-eaters know what they're doing by avoiding some of the waxed, flash frozen, and out of season produce that our grocery stores serve us. Maybe non-picky adults are just used to that crap.

OR of course you could attribute the 5 point recipes to my master culinary ability. I mean, whatever.








Yellow Plums - Lancaster County, PA and Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Watermelon – Lancaster County, PA
Spinach- Graiff Farms, Newfield, NJ
Cucumbers- Lancaster County, PA
Beets- Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Organic Sweet Potatoes- Shady Brook Organics, Lancaster County, PA
Sweet Frying Peppers- Lancaster County, PA
Cheese – Amish Swiss Cheese. Hometown Provisions, Lancaster, PA
Dairy Option - Amish butter

$5 extra bucks - (we spent more than $5)
Nature Soy Tofu - Philadelphia, PA
Sourdough Bread, Metropolitan Bakery, Philadelphia, PA
Peaches
Michael's Savory Seitan - Philadelphia, PA (not pictured)

Week 14, Recipe 3, Golden Peach Cake

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened*
3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 large eggs*

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (3 donut peaches)*
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon










1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter springform pan.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.
4. Spread batter evenly in pan, then scatter peaches over top. Stir together nutmeg, cinnamon, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top. Bake until cake is golden-brown and top is firm but tender when lightly touched (cake will rise over fruit), 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to warm.





Points
Deliciousness: 5 points, it went too quick
Ingredients: 3 points
Originality: 1 point, adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Nectarine-Golden-Cake-354960#ixzz0z9EBdlYf
Documentation: 5 points
14 Points

Week 14, Recipe 2, Grilled Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients
1 lb pasta, penne
6 skewers
1 pound unpeeled, large raw shrimp (36/40 count)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 1/2 teaspoons
Cajun seasoning, divided
1 pound fresh okra*
1 sweet onion, sliced 1/2" thick*
4 Leeks, cut into 1 1⁄2 inch pieces*
1 green bell pepper, chunked*
2 cups tomatoes, quartered*
Fresh Corn Vinaigrette (See recipe below)



1. Preheat indoor grill to medium-high heat. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Drizzle shrimp with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning. Thread shrimp onto skewers.
2. Drizzle okra, onion, and bell pepper with remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil; sprinkle with remaining 2 tsp. Cajun seasoning.
3. Grill okra, covered with grill lid or aluminum foil if indoors, 4 minutes on each side or until tender. Cut off stem of okra and slice in half lengthwise. Cover and set aside.
4. Grill onion slices, bell pepper and leeks, covered with grill lid (or foil), 6 minutes on each side or until tender. Set aside with okra.
5. Grill shrimp, covered with grill lid (or foil), 2 minutes on each side or just until shrimp turn pink.
6. Combine okra, bell pepper, onion and shrimp in a large skillet. Pour in al-dente pasta
7. Toss mixture with pasta and Fresh Corn Vinaigrette. (won't need all of it)
Serve with parmasan cheese (opt)


Fresh Corn Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 cup fresh corn kernels (frozen ok)*
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


1. Mash down corn kernels with the back of a wooden spoon, whisk in olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic clove, balsamic vinegar, spicy mustard, and chopped fresh thyme.
2. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Points
Deliciousness: 5 points
Ingredients: 6 points
Originality: 1 point, Adapted from CSA newsletter and southernliving.com
Documentation: 1 point

Total Points: 13

Week 14, Recipe 1, Broccoli Garlic and Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:
1 lb. Raw shrimp, peeled
1 lb. Spaghetti
1 cup pasta water, reserved
1 head of broccoli*, florettes removed and stem chopped
4 cloves garlic, 3 minced, 1 smashed
1/2 large white onion*
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup veg. broth
2 Tbsp Amish butter*
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
6 oz. Chevre cheese*
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. Black pepper
1/2-1 tsp. salt (or more to taste)

Put pasta water on to boil and cook spaghetti. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook 3-4 mins. Add broccoli and broth to skillet, cover and simmer another 4 mins. Remove vegetables to serving dish and cover. In same skillet heat remaining Tbsp. oil and heat with remaining clove. Add shrimp over medium heat, 3-4 minutes each side, or until just pink. Add cooked shrimp to reserved veggies and cover. Wipe out skillet and melt butter. Wisk in flour to create a roux. Slowly add milk, wisking, and cook 2-3 minutes. Add chevre cheese and pasta water (1/4 cup at a time) to good saucy consistency. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, then veggie/shrimp mixture. Remove from heat. Serve atop pasta.




Points
Taste: 5 points. I think it's the nutmeg
Ingredients: 4 points
Originality: 5 points, nothing to source
Documentation: 5 points
Total: 19 points

*farmshare ingredient, see points

Week 14

I'm reading "The Face on Your Plate" by Jeffrey Masson and he talks about how humans are the only species on earth that a)don't know instinctively what foods we are supposed to eat to keep healthy and b) choose what kind of diet they are going to follow (ie. herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, etc).
Maybe that's why we feel the need to document seasonal produce and ideas on what the heck to do with it. And we think we are the superior species?

Let us blog...






Niagra White Grapes – Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA
White Donut Peaches – Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Spring Mix- Blue Moon Acres, Buckingham, PA
Tomatoes- Lancaster County, PA
Okra– Lancaster County, PA
Broccoli- Lancaster County, PA
Cucumbers- Lancaster County, PA
Leeks- Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Cheese – Allegany Chevre –Firefly Farms Fresh, Accident, MD
Dairy Option – Farm Fresh Free Range Brown Eggs, Sandy Ridge Farm, Elizabethtown, PA

Week 13, Recipe 3, Caprese Spinach Salad

Week 13, Recipe 2, Citrus Beet Salad

Ingredients:
4 medium beets*
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch ground pepper
8 cups salad greens or baby spinach*
1/2 cup feta or crumbled chevre or whatever the share cheese was*
1/2 cup toasted pecans

Citrus Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. orange juice (1/4 orange)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced

Peel and slice beets into 1/2" slices. Toss them with olive oil S&P, and spread them in a single layer over an indoor grill/panini maker on medium high heat. Close grill and cook for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients and set aside.

Once tender, chop into 1/2" chunks, & toss beets in 2 Tbsp. of the dressing and arrange on top of individual portions of salad greens. Top with crumbled cheese and pecans. Save extra dressing for the table.

Points Tally
Taste: 5 points
Ingredients: 3 points
Originality: 2 points, Adapted from Moosewood Restaurants Cooking For Health, Roasted Beet Salad
Documentation: 0...