Welcome to the 23rd share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Broccoli
• Shallots
  
• Purple Viking Potatoes
  
• Mizuna – A lovely serrated leaved, mild mustard green great eaten raw or slightly wilted.
  
• Rainbow Chard
• Poblano Peppers
• Dill
• Tomatoes
• Festival Dumpling Winter Squash – Very similar to an acorn squash, but with a sweeter flavor.
  
• Green Apples – The perfect crisp and tart pie apple!
  

Throughout the growing season it’s always a goal to take down notes on what’s worked well and what needs improvements.  There are the obvious mistakes that linger, and the triumphs that seem so amazing in the moment but easily slip from memory as the wave of the work continues on.  But of course it’s also the little efficiencies discovered, the new varieties tested, the planting tricks to remember, all of which need to be documented for future reference.

This season especially has felt like a solo examination of my own strengths and weaknesses as I attempted to run the farm and ensure a plentiful harvest each week and it feels like there is more than ever to review.  As we near the end of the Summer CSA season (just two more weeks!) it’s time to reflect on the season as a whole and begin the process of planning for the future of the farm.  A future which is looking bright at the moment!

This past week was the first in ten months with no starts to water, no irrigation to change, no planting to be done.  In an effort to mark the occasion we got off the farm for a quick overnight in the woods.  It was a welcome change in the schedule and an excellent time for Jeff and me to discuss the farm’s evolution.  I think I can say we’re both excited to be here in this place and we’re enjoying having the conversation about the future.  Oh what a difference a year can make.

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:

Spiced Fillet of Beef with Mizuna Salad

For beef

• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 1/2 pounds center-cut beef tenderloin roast (fillet of beef), trimmed and, if necessary, tied
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For salad

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces mizuna or baby arugula, trimmed

For beef:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toast peppercorns, cumin, and coriander , then cool completely. Grind spices with red pepper flakes in an electric coffee/spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Stir in kosher salt.

Pat beef dry and sprinkle with spices on all sides, pressing to adhere. Heat oil in a large flameproof roasting pan set across 2 burners over high heat until just smoking, then brown beef on all sides, about 2 minutes.

Roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center registers 120°F, about 25 minutes. Let beef stand in pan 25 minutes. Beef will continue to cook as it stands, reaching 130°F (medium-rare).

Make salad and slice beef:

Whisk together oil, lemon juice, shallot, and salt in a bowl, then add pepper to taste.

Untie beef if necessary, then slice. Toss mizuna with dressing and serve beef topped with salad.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/spiced-fillet-of-beef-with-mizuna-salad-107005

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Dill Potatoes

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Place the fingerling potatoes in a medium pot, add cool water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove the pot from the heat and drain off the water. Toss the potatoes well with the butter and the chopped dill, melting the butter. Season with additional salt to taste, and serve.

From Epicurious.com via The Chef and the Slow Cooker by Hugh Acheson, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/dill-potatoes

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Wilted Chard with Shallots and Vinegar

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs and stems separated from leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced into rings
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Cut Swiss chard stems into very small pieces. Tear leaves into 2″ pieces and rinse well (you’ll want some water still clinging to the leaves).

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chard stems, shallots, and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are starting to soften but haven’t taken on any color, about 2 minutes. Add chard leaves, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until leaves are tender and have released some liquid, about 3 minutes (stems will have a bit of crunch). Mix in vinegar; taste and season with more salt if needed.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit by Jeremy Fox, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/wilted-chard-with-shallots-and-vinegar

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