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52 Lowell Street, Lexington, MA
Wed – Fri: 2 pm – 7 pm; Sat: 9 am – 5 pm; Sun: 10 am – 4 pm
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Week of August 6, 2014 (Week #10)
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What's In Your Share This Week
In the Farm Stand
- Eggplant
- Tomatoes
- Walla Walla onions
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
- Beets
- Cucumbers
- Greens: your choice between frisee and Swiss chard; we’re also keeping an eye on our fall planting of kale; it’s not far from picking-size
- Scallions
- Peppers
Pick Your Own Crops This Week
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Plum Tomatoes
- Tomatillos
- Parsley
- Dill
- Cilantro
We do our best to predict what will be available but the CSA newsletter hits the press before the week's harvest begins. That means that sometimes you'll see vegetables at the stand that aren't on the list, and sometimes vegetables on the list are not actually ready for harvest.
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Notes from the Field
On Wednesday, Caroline and I undertook the sad task of pulling about a third of our cherry tomato plants out of the ground due to late blight. We quickly found our rhythm working together, efficient with our movements and doing our best to keep the infected plants from falling onto the neighboring beds. It was quiet work for both of us. I was a little surprised to hear Caroline expressing exactly what I was thinking, though, when she commented on the sacrificial feel of the work.
Our tending of those tomato plants began all the way back in the cold and short days of February. They got potted up, hardened off, transplanted, staked and tied, fertilized and irrigated over the course of the past 5 months. We were full of anticipation of them. And just when they were exploding with beautiful ripe fruit we had to destroy them.
To me, it brought to mind the Tibetan Buddhist practice of making sand mandalas, beautiful and exquisite renditions of sacred art, painstakingly created by a single grain of sand one at a at a time by monks, and now nuns, trained in the tradition. Long days are spent hunched over the work-in-progress that recreates divine dimensions. And as soon as this stunning art is completed, it is ceremonially destroyed. A deep meditation on non-attachment and the impermanence of this material life coupled with the receiving of blessings from the represented deities.
In the frenzy of July and August, I rarely have the wherewithal to take a step back from the work we’re doing and see it beyond the context of day to day urgencies and task management. We aren’t afforded quiet days during the unstoppable explosion of growth that is summertime. Mother Nature has a lot planned for the summer months and we can’t come close to keeping pace. I’m often distracted, thinking about the next task or priority to do and the logistics involved.
But every once in a while, we as farmers find ourselves in a quiet moment, unexpectedly, with a quiet mind. Oddly, late blight decontamination mode provided that moment. Sometimes, it’s difficult to see the challenges of farming through to the deeper insights they can provide. Especially when it comes to a treasured crop such as tomatoes. But sometimes, there’s the opportunity to think beyond the dollars and cents, expectations, anticipations and other important practicalities of this profession. I would have been a lot happier to not have that task in my day. But it did provide a much needed moment of reflection. We can’t afford to be overly attached to anticipated outcomes in this line of work.
In all sorts of ways, our job is to do everything we can to bring every crop to fruition—we labor every day and study up at night and in the winter to keep informed of best practices in organic vegetable production. But I’ve learned that some of the farmers that I admire the most are the ones who know when to cut bait. To be able to move forward, constantly, from successes and failures alike.
Removing a third of our cherry tomato crop was undoubtedly a setback. We know that late blight is on the farm, and it’s a matter of weather patterns as to whether or not it will spread incrementally or devastatingly. I appreciate that its initial arrival on our farm, though, was not as widespread as it could have been. And that it came at a time when my mind was quiet enough to be reflective, as well as reactive.
- Erinn, Dan, and the crew
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All About Peppers
 Selecting: Choose bell peppers that are firm, shiny, and wrinkle-free. The sweet red peppers that people enjoy are actually green bell peppers that have matured to a red color.
Preparation and Use: Peppers can be enjoyed in many ways, including raw, sautéed, grilled or roasted. Here is one easy way of roasting peppers in a hot oven, though you can also do it under the broiler or on top of a gas flame on the stovetop.
Storing: Keep them unwashed and dry in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Moisture is the bell pepper's enemy as it causes peppers to degrade faster. Peppers should keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Longer term storage: You can "flash freeze" bell peppers. In fact, it is really easy because peppers don't need to be blanched first. Simply wash the peppers, then cut them in half and remove the stem, rib membrane, and seeds. Cut them into the size you like to cook with: strips or dice, large or small. Arrange peppers on a baking sheet, keeping each piece separate so they don't stick together. Freeze until firm, about one hour. Transfer frozen peppers to a freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. When you want to use the peppers, just remove what you need from the bag and reseal. Hot peppers can be treated in a similar way. Frozen peppers can be used raw or in cooking. For best quality, use the frozen peppers within 8 months.
I have also successfully frozen roasted peppers. In this case, I divide the roasted peppers into portion sizes that I would for a single recipe before freezing in containers.
- Betsy Pollack
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Featured Vegetable: Peppers
Gazpacho
Gazpacho = Liquid Salad. I know this might seem like more of a tomato recipe than a pepper one, but this soup just isn't the same without chopped peppers. To me, gazpacho is the perfect thing to make when tomatoes are ripe and the weather is hot. I make this early in the morning, before the kitchen heats up (I don't have air-conditioning), and let it chill all day for a refreshing starter for dinner. The chopped vegetables lose their crispness when immersed in the cold tomato soup, so I store the two components separately and combine just before serving.
Serves 4
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 cups tomato juice (low-sodium is fine)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp Tabasco
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 green or red pepper, seeded and diced
2 scallions, sliced or ½ cup diced red onion
It's up to you. I think this is recipe is better when the tomatoes are peeled, but feel free to skip this step. This is the only step that heats up the kitchen. Bring a pot of water to a boil. At the same time, fill a medium bowl with ice cubes and water to make an ice bath. Cut a small X in the base of each tomato. When the water boils, drop one or two tomatoes into the pot for about 30 seconds, or until the skin around the X starts to peel back. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath to stop them from cooking. Using your fingers, you should be able to peel the skin off the tomato. If the skin is stubborn, don't sweat it. Just leave it on.
Chop the tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Transfer the tomatoes (along with any seeds and juice) to the blender. Add the tomato juice, minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and basil. Puree until smooth. I run the blender for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the tomato soup to a container and chill for at least 2 hours.
Before serving, stir diced cucumber, pepper, and scallion or onion into the tomato base. Ladle into bowls.
For a Latin Variation: Substitute lime juice for the vinegar, 1 minced jalapeño for the Tabasco and cilantro for the basil.
When it isn't prime tomato season, substitute a 28-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes with the juice for the fresh tomatoes and tomato juice.
Vary the chopped vegetables to use other crunchy vegetables you have on hand. At different points in the season, I will use diced radishes, salad turnips, and/or peas, though peppers and onions are always a constant.
Betsy Pollack is a LexFarm board member with a passion for cooking. She tries to eat as mindfully as possible, thinking about where food comes from, geographically and otherwise, eating seasonally, and supporting local agriculture.
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More Ideas for Peppers
Peppers do not appear in many recipes as the main ingredient. You can add them to a wide variety of dishes, such as quiche, risotto, pizza, or paella. They are a key component of many salsas. This week, we offer mainly recipes in which peppers are the major player, as well as ideas for adding peppers to other dishes.
Entrees
Peppers can be stuffed with many different fillings.
There's beef stir-fried with peppers for Chinese takeout at home.
Sauté peppers with onions and Italian sausages. Serve on a plate, or in a roll for a ballpark sandwich at home.
In this Southwestern-flavored gratin mixed peppers and corn are cooked in a custard for a vegetarian main dish.
Add peppers to chili, like this vegetarian cashew chili, which has been a long-time standby at Jackie's. This makes a big pot and freezes very well.
Cook peppers to add to fajitas.
On a cooler night, this easy oven roast with chicken (or pork) with assorted peppers and greens is a favorite at Betsy's.
Peppers can be added to quiche, as in this market vegetable quiche, or, in French, quiche maraichere.
Classic Pepper Recipes from Around the World
Piperade is a Basque melange of peppers and tomatoes, cooked down until it's melting. You can serve it as a side, over eggs, or as a base for braised chicken.
Peperonata is a similar preparation, without the tomatoes, from Italy. This could be a side or used on top of crostini for antipasto.
Romesco is a garlicky red pepper and nut-based sauce from the Spanish region of Catalonia. Try it with hazelnuts on broccoli or with almonds on cauliflower.
Soups
For a very yellow soup, try saffron and yellow pepper soup.
Add some diced pepper for some crunch in your gazpacho. For more inspiration, here are a dozen more ways to make gazpacho, some red, some green, some with peppers, and some without.
This recipe for Peanut Soup with Rice and Scallions will be delicious in late summer when local peppers and local sweet potatoes should both be available. This should freeze and thaw well.
Salads
Roast the peppers to caramelize the flavors. Then mix it with other Mediterranean flavors to make a roasted pepper salad.
Roasted peppers can also be added to Deborah Madison's lentil salad with lemon vinaigrette.
Or chopped raw peppers add crunch to black bean salad.
Miscellaneous
Make a very simple stir-fry as a side.
Add peppers to tomato sauce. This recipe can be easily quadrupled or even sextupled depending on how many tomatoes and peppers you have, and it definitely freezes well.
Do you enjoy butter on your corn? Try making a compound butter with roasted green peppers.
Hot peppers will be part of the share later in the summer. You can pickle them. Candied jalapenos are amazing; they step up the flavor profile of a banh mi sandwich, nachos, or any other way you enjoy pickled jalapeno slices.
For even more ideas, Mark Bittman suggests 16 ways to enjoy bell peppers. You can also check out more bell pepper recipes on Martha Stewart, Eating Well, the New York Times from Mark Bittman or Martha Rose Shulman, and Saveur.
- Compiled by Jackie Starr and Betsy Pollack
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Weekly Menu Planning Ideas
Periodically, CSA shareholder Jackie Starr will share her weekly menu ideas based on the week's share.
Having lived for 13 years in Seattle I'm excited to see Walla walla onions in the share. These are similar to Vidalias or other sweet onions – they are juicy and can spoil quickly if kept outside the fridge. My husband likes to caramelize them, but I find them almost too sweet that way, plus their water content is so high they cook down nearly to a textureless paste. I prefer to use them raw; briefly soaked in champagne vinegar and added to salads; lightly sauteed; or, especially, grilled or broiled in thick slabs that retain some crunch and get even sweeter.
Last summer I finally cooked with tomatillos and realized I'd been missing out all those years. I roasted the tomatillos, some hot peppers, and some garlic cloves and pureed all with lime juice and cilantro. We used it liberally throughout the week. Apparently it also freezes well.
Consider buying some kale if available at the farmstand or farmer's market – it would be delicious together with frisee– I love combining kale with fresh crunchy greens, such as frisee, romaine lettuce, or cabbage. Frisee can sometimes be slightly bitter and goes well with sweeter ingredients. Clean, dry, and shred some kale, and massage it with a bit of olive oil and kosher salt or a bit of the dressing you'd like to use. After 15 minutes or so, toss with chopped frisee and other salad ingredients, dress, and serve. Some good additions would be marinated beets and cherry tomatoes; shredded carrots, finely chopped celery, and apple; or sliced nectarine and toasted walnuts. I haven't tried this exact miso dressing or this one, but I often use similar ingredients in my kale salads. And of course, either with or without kale probably any dressing will taste great.
| Day |
Menu |
Notes and other protein ideas |
| 1 |
Eggplant and cherry tomato pizza; frisee salad |
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| 2 |
Green curry with zucchini, eggplant, peppers; cucumber raita; rice |
Can omit sweet potatoes. |
| 3 |
Leftover curry;red lentil dal with zucchini; cucumber raita |
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4
(if cool) |
Cashew-raisin kidney bean chili with lots of vegetables; cornbread; chips and tomatillo salsa |
This chili recipe uses a number of green peppers and freezes very well. It tastes even better a day or two later. Consider doubling the cornbread and take care not to overcook it, especially if you plan to eat leftovers the next day. It's also better to slightly undermix the wet and dry ingredients than to overmix them, which toughens up the bread. I sometimes prepare the wet ingredients and, separately, the dry ingredients the night before so I can quickly put this together for dinner after work. Of course on a hot day it would be nice to bake it in the morning or serve tortillas instead. |
4
(if hot) |
If chili turns out to be the wrong fare, weatherwise, this pasta with shrimp and tomatoes is a delicious way to use summer-ripe tomatoes. |
The pasta dish comes together quickly. I've made fresh pasta to go with it, which is also surprisingly quick if you're not cooking for more than two and have a hand-cranked pasta maker for rolling and cutting. |
| 5 |
One-pot chard and quinoa; marinated beets or carrots or shredded vegetable slaw; cornbread |
I like the cornbread rewarmed just slightly. |
| 6 |
Leftover quinoa served with leftover chili or as part of a composed salad. |
The composed salad could use any marinated vegetables from the previous few days; olives; some toasted seeds or nuts; cheese or hard-boiled egg; fresh tomato and cucumber; roasted peppers or onions; some garbanzos. The composed salad could be dressed simply with a good oil and vinegar or lemon juice. Some other possibilities include salsa verde with tomatillos; tahini lemon dressing, miso carrot sesame vinaigrette; yogurt cilantro dressing. |
| 7 |
Zucchini noodles with ricotta pesto |
I haven't yet tried this, but it promises to disappear your remaining zucchini, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and basil. In this link it is served with bacon. It could also be a side dish to whatever you prefer, such as grilled lemony chicken with rosemary. |
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Jackie Starr is a LexFarm founding member who has been a flexitarian home cook for 25 years. Her recipe selections and adaptations are informed by experiences living abroad, by having spent many years in the Bay Area and Seattle, and by a delight in local, seasonal bounty.
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Lexington Community Farm is a project of LexFarm in cooperation with Community Farms Outreach
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or to add another member of your household to the mailing list for this weekly CSA newsletter, send an email to csa@lexfarm.org.
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Farm Managers
Community Farms Outreach
Dan Roberts, Farm Manager
Erinn Roberts, Farm Manager
Staff
LexFarm
Janet Kern,
Acting Executive Director
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LexFarm Board of Directors
Ken Karnofsky, President
Derek Moody, Treasurer
Allison Guerette, Clerk
Susan Amsel
Nancy Gold
Carolyn Goldstein
Linda Levin
Amanda Maltais
Betsy Pollack
Charlie Radoslovich
Susan Schiffer
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