Summer CSA Share – #17

Welcome to the 17th share of the Pitchfork & Crow CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

  • Carrots
  • Basil
  • ‘Summertime’ Iceberg Head Lettuce
  • Summer Squash
  • Mixed Cucumbers – Slicers, lemons, and picklers
  • German Butterball Potatoes
  • Broccoli
  • Bartlett Pears
  • Mixed Sweet Peppers
  • Red Cabbage
  • Mixed Tomatoes – slicers and mixed pints
  • Italian Plums
  • Sweet Corn
  • Yellow Onions

The fall vibe has really set in on the farm.  The mornings are cooler, necessitating long sleeves and tall boots for work in the fields.  The first leaves on the pear trees are beginning to turn colors and the apples are ripe and ready for future cider pressing.  The winter squash plants are dying back and soon we’ll be hauling in loads of squash for curing.  The flour corn has colored up and is drying down in the field and the dry beans are nearing harvest too.  The weather has finally cooled off some after such a long hot summer, and it’s possible to think of simmering soups and baking savory treats.

We hope you’ve marked your calendars for the final CSA member open house coming up on Saturday October 7th.  We’ll have more details as we get closer to that date, but we’ll definitely have cider pressing, farm tours, and pumpkin choosing from the pumpkin patch!

Also, Jeff had a birthday over the weekend.  Amazingly he celebrated by getting away from the farm for an overnight camping trip at the coast.  Give him a high five for making another trip around the sun if you see him at the pick-up.

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Corn Bread with Basil, Roasted Red Peppers and Monterey Jack Cheese

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) grated Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños (about 6 ounces)
  • 1 1/3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed, drained
  • 1/2 cup drained chopped roasted red peppers from jar
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch baking pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Mix cornmeal and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add 7 tablespoons butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk buttermilk and eggs in medium bowl to blend. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir until blended. Mix in cheese, corn, red peppers, basil and onion. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake corn bread until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes in pan on rack. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cool completely. Cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature. If desired, rewarm in 350°F oven about 10 minutes.)

Cut corn bread into squares.

From Epicurous via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/corn-bread-with-basil-roasted-red-peppers-and-monterey-jack-cheese-4410

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Trout with Peppercorn Crust, Bacon, and Red Cabbage

  • 2 8-to-10 ounce trout, boned
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black peppercorns
  • 3 thick-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 cups coarsely shredded red cabbage (about 6 ounces)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine

Open both trout and arrange, skin side down, on work surface. Sprinkle trout with salt, then peppercorns; press peppercorns to adhere.

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels and drain. Add trout, skin side up, to drippings in skillet. Sauté until brown, about 3 minutes. Using large spatula, turn trout over. Sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer trout, skin side down, to plates. Add cabbage, onions and thyme to same skillet. Sauté until cabbage wilts, about 3 minutes. Add wine and bacon and simmer until cabbage is just tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon cabbage mixture alongside trout and serve.

From Epicurous via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/trout-with-peppercorn-crust-bacon-and-red-cabbage-4238

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Potato, Corn, and Cherry Tomato Salad with Basil Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
  • the kernels cut from 6 cooked ears of corn
  • 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

In a blender or food processor blend together the vinegar, the oil, the basil, and salt and pepper to taste until the dressing is emulsified. In a large saucepan combine the potatoes with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the potatoes, let them cool, and quarter them. In a large bowl combine the corn, the potatoes, the tomatoes, the dressing, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the salad gently.

From Epicurous via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/potato-corn-and-cherry-tomato-salad-with-basil-dressing-12279

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