Welcome to the 7th share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Rainbow Chard
  
• Carrots & New Potatoes
  
• Cauliflower
• Mixed Cucumbers – Persian, picklers, and lemon!
  
• Romaine Lettuce
• Basil
  
• Salad Mix – a mix of several lettuces
  
• Big Bunching Onions
  
• Mixed Summer Squash – choose from Dark Star zucchini, Magda cousa, and yellow straightneck summer squash
• Sweet Corn
• Tomatoes!

Farm Open House This Saturday!  Come out and visit your vegetables in the field, meet other CSA members, and take a tour around the farm.  Click here for the details.

It’s been all about beating the heat this week. Summer suddenly showed up in force, meaning adjustments to the work schedule.  I’ve been trying to get field work done in the mornings and evenings while still attempting to be productive in the heat of the afternoons.  This is maybe the busiest time of the season as farm maintenance is center stage but planting for fall and winter succession continues on.  The long work days of summer are here, and hopefully the heat will take a breather sometime soon.

I discovered last week that I’d accidentally added diesel fuel to our gas tractor the week before, so Jeff has been kind enough to take up the repair project.  It’s involved draining the fuel tank, replacing the fuel filter, and dis-assembling the engine to clean out the pistons after they’d seized up.  It’s no longer seized, but we’re not quite back to working order yet.  Lesson learned!  Pay attention to the fuel!

The week ahead looks like another hot one.  There’s plenty of field work to  be doing and some clean up for Saturday’s farm open house.  Hopefully it won’t be too hot for you to come out for a visit.

Enjoy the vegetables!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Romaine and Cucumber Salad with Garlic Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 heads of romaine, torn into bite-size pieces, rinsed, and spun dry (about 14 cups)
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise

In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, the garlic paste, and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the vinaigrette until it is emulsified. Add the romaine and the cucumbers and toss the salad well.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/romaine-and-cucumber-salad-with-garlic-vinaigrette-12280

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Cauliflower Steaks with Coconut-Turmeric Relish

• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt and Coconut-Turmeric Relish (for serving; optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove the toughest outer leaves from cauliflower (leave the tender inner leaves) and trim stem. Resting cauliflower on stem, cut in half from top to bottom, creating two lobes with stem attached. Trim off outer rounded edge of each piece to create two 1 1/2″-thick steaks; reserve trimmed off florets for making cauliflower rice or roasted cauliflower.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Cook cauliflower, gently lifting up occasionally to let oil run underneath, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet, turn steaks over, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until second side is golden brown, about 3 minutes, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast just until stems are tender when pierced with a cake tester or toothpick, 8–12 minutes. Let cool slightly.

If using relish, swipe some yogurt over each plate and place a steak on top. Spoon one-quarter of relish over each. Season with more salt and pepper.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit by Claire Saffitz, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cauliflower-steaks-with-coconut-turmeric-relish

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Summer Vegetable Frittata

 

• 6 large eggs
• 6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 oz prosciutto, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb medium zucchini (about 3), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 5 medium Swiss chard leaves, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 12 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 5 zucchini blossoms*
• 2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Cook prosciutto in oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until edges begin to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and chard and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add scallions and zucchini blossoms and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook, lifting up cooked egg around edge using a spatula to let as much raw egg as possible flow underneath, until edge is set, about 2 minutes (top and center will still be very loose). Sprinkle cheese evenly over top.

Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.

Cool frittata 5 minutes, then loosen edge with a clean spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges.

*Available at many farmers markets and specialty produce markets.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet by Angelo Pellegrini, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/summer-vegetable-frittata-109668

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