Week 4

1 bag of Potatoes

1 bag of Peaches

1 head of Red Leaf Lettuce

1 large bunch of Arugula (yummy!)

1 garlic scape

1 bunch of Green Onion

Kale

It is always a treat to get farm fresh, organic potatoes.  I learned a long time ago from Farmer Mark that store potatoes are almost always from the previous season and suffer from a long wait in a dark place before they reach the store.  That causes the sugars to turn to starch and reduces the flavor of the potato.  Fresh ones have a slightly sweet flavor, and have noticeable moisture.  They are delicious plain, with a little butter and just sprinkled with a little sea salt, or any way that you like to eat them.  Store your fresh potatoes in a dark, cool place.  If you are fortunate enough to dig them up yourself, do not wash them until you are ready to eat them.  This helps keep the potatoes as fresh as possible while they are being stored.  We often eat potatoes in the spring that we pulled that past summer…and they are almost as good as the day we pulled them out of the ground.

But this week is about a different item that starts with a “P”.  Peaches….Peaches are usually a late July to mid August treat.  Pies, cobblers and just a good, juicy fresh peach are just some of the ways that peaches are delicious.  A peach just picked off the tree, where the fruit is still warm from the sun…that is something that will restore your faith in humanity.  Peaches can be picked a little less than fully ripe.  If you keep them in a brown paper bag for a day or two, they ripen nicely.

Peaches come in almost as many varieties as apples.  Check out some of the varieties here:  https://www.harvesttotable.com/peach_varieties_there_are_more/  For our purposes, lets consider yellow, white, freestone and clingstone.  Yellow peaches tend to be more acidic, and in my opinion have a little “peachier” flavor.  White are milder, and I find them sweeter.  Freestone are those where the pit falls away with no fruit attached.  Clingstone or cling peaches are those where the fruit sticks to the pit.   If you’re picking off of a tree, try to take just the fruit without taking any of the branch with it.  Pick your own are available at Great Country Farms (check http://greatcountryfarms.com for details) through the summer.

Either on the tree or in your Farmers Market, look for fruit that is firm, but will give just a little right where the stem meets the peach.  These are perfectly ripe and are the fruit you’ll be able to eat right away.

Pies are fun.  Cobblers are delicious.  Depending on my mood, I’ll go either direction.  On a quiet night in early June, where everyone in my family is away, I’ll go a completely different direction, and make a peach crisp.  Crisps are a little different.  They are a cobbler with a sweet topping that gets crispy from butter and sugar (one of my favorite combinations). 

To peel or not to peel…that is the question.  It is a little bit of work to get the peel off of the peach.  A peeler works, but perhaps the best way is to halve the peaches, and put the peach halves into boiling water for about 90 seconds.  You want to cook the peaches just enough so that the skin slips off (and it does!  Pretty cool!).  Once the skins are off, let the peaches completely cool.

Week 4 Peach Crisp

For the Topping:

½ Cup unbleached all purpose flour

½ Cup Oats

½ cup brown sugar

½ t cinnamon

a pinch or two ofnutmeg

1 stick unsalted butter

For the filling:

6-8 peaches (about 6 cups)

¼ cup apple juice (or water if you don’t have apple juice)

½ cups white sugar

1 t vanilla

1/3 cup corn starch

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To make the topping, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well so that all ingredients are very well incorporated.  Melt the butter.  I use a 2 cup measuring cup and the microwave.  Be sure to cover the cup (I use the wrapper from the butter) so that if there is an explosion, the cover keeps the butter in the cup.  Use 30 second increments until the melting is complete.   Slowly add the melted butter to the rest of the topping, stirring so that the butter mixes in well.  The mix will darken and come together.

If you decide to go with peeled or unpeeled, slice the peaches into reasonably sized slices.  This really depends on how big the beaches are, but the slices should be thin so that you get 16 or so per peach half. Add the sugar and liquid, and let the peach mix sit for a few minutes.  This will let some of the juice from the peaches come out and lets the sugar mix in.  Add the cornstarch and mix well.  Add the vanilla.  Mix well to incorporate everything.

Put the peach mix into a 9 x 11 pan.  Take the topping and crumple it so that it fully covers the peaches.  Its ok if there are gaps, they get filled in as the crisp cooks.  Cook for 35-45 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and the beaches are bubbling up from below.

Top with a good vanilla ice cream, or enjoy plain!

I know that my first three posts have come fairly quickly.  I was a little late getting the first published, and quickly followed with post two.  This week allows me to get more on my intended schedule.  I hope to publish on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  CSA deliveries are Tuesday through Thursday, so hopefully a more current publishing schedule will make it easier to actually use the recipes eat more of what comes in each box.

Box contents:

A large bunch of swiss chard

A bunch of Arugula

Radishes

A Garlic scape

Asparagus

Green Onions

Cherries

Peaches!!!

A Cilantro plant

OK, seriously….Peaches in June??  We’ve been CSA members for a very long time, and this is the earliest I can remember seeing peaches in one of the boxes.  I know Farmer Mark has planted trees that mature their fruit over a long period of time, but this is really early.   

The second treat in this week’s box is the garlic scape.  Scapes look a little like a green onion without the white part.  They are typically long and green, and have a little bulb at the tip.  What are they? You say…scapes are the part of garlic that grows above the ground.  Farmer Mark cuts them off so that the bulb gets most of the growth of the plant.  Scapes are milder than cloves.  As the base they may be a little woody.  They provide a wonderful garlic flavor to any dish you would add garlic to.  I prefer them cooked as opposed to raw.   They’re rare and wonderful.

This week, I’m going to try to help you use your scape. 

Pizza is a great family meal.  Kids and adults both love pizza in all shapes and flavors.  Almost anything can top a pizza, from plain cheese to more complex concoctions.  I went with garlic scapes, green onions, sausage, prosciutto cheese and a combination of smoked mozzarella and aged provolone.  Use your favorites, or things your kids will eat.

Cooking the pizza is a little tricky.  I use a pizza stone.  I’ve also used sheet pans.  If you use a sheet pan, be sure to also use spray oil so the crust doesn’t stick.  The spray will also help the crust to brown.  If you use a pizza stone, heat it well in the oven. Heating the stone also helps to brow the bottom of your pizza, and helps it cook evenly.

Dough is also a little tricky.  I’m not going to provide a dough recipe.  There are lots available online, and stores often sell premade dough of good quality.  I used a dough from Wegman’s .  It’s the same dough they use for their in house pizza.  Trader Joe’s also sells a good product.  Its perfectly ok for the dough to sit in the fridge.  It will last a week or a little more, and dough that is a little sour is really delicious.  If you’re using a store bought dough, be sure to let it sit out for several hours to come up to temperature.  This allows the yeast to activate, and start to rise again.  This is important to a successful experience.

My Week 3 pizza

4 inches of garlic scape chopped very fine

2-3 green onions sliced very thin

4 oz prosciutto ham

4 oz Italian sausage

¾ cup good pizza sauce (I use a jarred sauce made by Mids )

1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella

1 cup shredded provolone (use good cheese, it matters)

2 T chopped basil

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.  Put your pizza stone in the oven while it preheats.  While the oven is getting hot, roll your dough.  You want to get it as thin as possible, and you want to try and keep the diameter to something close to the diameter of your stone.  You may need flour on your rolling surface to keep the dough from sticking.  That is fine, and won’t hurt the dough.  Lightly flour the rolling surface and both sides of the dough and things should be fine.  Use a little more flour if the dough starts to stick again.

To assemble the pizza, carefully take the stone out of the oven, and place it on something that will easily allow you to pick up the stone without messing up the toppings.  I use an upside down stock pot placed on my counter.  With the stone on top of the pot, lightly spray the stone with spray oil.  Carefully and lightly fold your dough in half.  Carefully pick up the dough and place it on the stone.  Don’t forget…the stone is very hot (I’ve made this mistake…ouch!).  Then unfold the dough so that the entire stone is covered.  You may hear a little sizzle as the dough hits the stone.  That is fine.

Take the sauce and spread it across the pizza.  I use the back of a large spoon to do the spreading.  Top with the garlic scapes, then the onions, then sausage, and ham.  Try to keep the toppings as even as possible.  Once the toppings are on, add the cheeses.  I mix mine together first, you can do one then the other.

Bake in the 500 degree oven for 12-14 minutes.  Check every so often to make sure that the pizza doesn’t get too done.  Let it sit for 2-3 minutes when it comes out so that it cools a little bit.  Top with the chopped basil.  Slice with a pizza cutter and serve.

It is week 2 of my CSA.  I love spring and early summer boxes, but like our home gardens, some of my favorites items just haven’t matured to the point where they’re ready to distribute.  Early onions, greens and other spring crops like Asparagus typically fill boxes this time of year.  Boxes are smaller, but quality makes up for the lack of quantity.  I long for a vine ripe tomato!  Patience, Patience, Patience….

Week 2 Box Contents:

A pint of cherries

A large bunch of Kale (yes, it is really kale this week)

A large head of lettuce

A small bunch of radishes

Asparagus

1 parsley plant

I’m thrilled to get radishes, and grateful for the parsley plant.  Thankfully, I planted Basil, Parsley, Cilantro and Rosemary on Mother’s Day weekend.  Those plants are mature enough to take clippings, so the CSA plants (though a very welcome addition) aren’t critically needed.  The cherries are little bites of heaven.  Sweet cherries, just off the tree are special and fairly rare. Cherries bought from the store, especially conventional cherries have been picked as much a two weeks prior to being sold.  They may taste good, but nothing like what came in this box.

This week I went back and forth on what to use.  I love GCF kale.  It comes in the spring and fall.  Fall is actually better, as Kale gets even sweeter as it easily survives a light frost.  I decided to wait on the kale recipe, and go with an old friend…Quiche.  Quiche sounds complex, and it does have a lot of steps.  Whether you make your own crust (making the job a little more difficult), or use store bought, is up to you.  My sister Nancy, would mock me for using store bought.  She is right (third time this year) homemade is better. But sometimes time constraints just don’t allow.  The crust recipe below can be made in advance and frozen.  It will keep for a few weeks in the freezer.

Quiche:

For the pie dough (makes 2 large crusts)

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

¼ to ½ cup of ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt.  Add the cold butter all at once, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Try using the pulse feature, and limit the mixing time to 8 to 10 seconds.   This is important.  If you over process your dough will not be flaky.  The chunks of butter are what allows for the flakiness of your dough.

Turn the flour and butter mix into a large bowl.  Slowly add ice water and lightly mix to incorporate the liquid into the flour mixture.  Do this just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. To test your dough, squeeze a small amount together. If it is too crumbly, add a little more ice water.

Divide your dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc about an indch thick, and wrap each disc in plastic. Refrigerate your dough for at least 1 hour.  This step is important.  It allows the butter to chill again, and lets the gluten in the four relax, helping the flakiness factor improve.

For the Quiche:

3 spring onions chopped into large pieces. 

1 small bunch of asparagus

2 T Butter

2 C grated Provolone Cheese

pepper

8 eggs

½ C sour cream

½ C milk

Constructing the Quiche:

On a floured surface, roll out you pie dough so that it is a large circle that is about an 1/8 th of an inch thick.  The dough should be big enough so that the edges overflow your pie pan by about an inch.

Preheat the oven to 350.

Carefully place your rolled pie dough into the pie pan, roll the edges of the dough, and crimp the edges so that the edge looks nice, and sits on the edge of your pie pan.  Put the formed crust in the preheated oven and bake until its just brown.   If you have a pie weight, use it.  If not, take a fork and prick the bottom of the crust.  This will help keep it from puffing up.

While the crust is baking, sauté the Spring Onions in the butter. Its ok if they brown a bit.  When the onions are almost done, add the asparagus and cook until it turns bright green. 

Once the filling is done, make your egg filling.  I like the more custard style in this recipe.  You can make yours more in almost any combination.  Start by adding an egg or two to the sour cream, whisk together.  Add an egg or two at a time so that the mix is smooth.  Once all of the eggs have been added to the sour cream, add the milk and mix.  Finish with a little bit of pepper.   If you change the order in this step, it will not ruin the quiche.  It may result in some lumps of sour cream.  The pie will still taste good, but may look a little funny.

To assemble the Quiche,

Place the pie pan on a cookie sheet.  That way if it spills or overflows, it spills on the cookie sheet and not your oven. Start by adding the veggie mix.  Top the veggies with the grated cheese.  Slowly add the egg mix until the pie is filled.   Its OK to have a little extra egg, its also ok if it is a little less full.  The finished pie is pretty forgiving.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the top has a nice light brown color.

Serve with a salad made from the lettuce from your box.

This week is the first week of CSA delivery from my CSA partner, Great Country Farms in Bluemont Virginia.  My family joined their CSA over a decade ago.  We love the freshness, the variety and the link to nature that the CSA membership provides.  In past years, I’ve tried to have fun with the boxes.  One year was especially prolific with squash, and I tried to publish 100 squash recipes.   Unsuccessfully, I might add.  I think I got to 30 or so. 

This year I want to do a “what am I going to do with that box?” theme.  Depending on what arrives, I might offer ideas on a side dish, a salad, desert or a nice way to enhance a main course.  Celebrating the diversity of abundance will hopefully be fun, and delicious!  I probably will not use everything in the box in each recipe, but will try to pick the more obscure ingredients to help folks use the items that maybe were less likely to be eaten.

So here goes for the box that came Wednesday June 7^th.

This weeks box:

A 2017 GCF Magnet

A Basil plant

Asparagus

Green Onions

A bunch of Kale (or not!)

A head of green leaf lettuce

1 full pint of sweet cherries

Making authentic Chinese food in America is difficult, if not impossible.  We lack similar ingredients and tools, though Asian markets such as H mart have made the situation a little easier.  We also lack an authentic Chinese palate, having been dealt a terrible hand of mediocre restaurants and an American palate used to overly sweet and salty flavorings.

A spring box is ideal for taking a shot at an Asian meal.  The freshness of spring onions and the greens fit right into the thought process.  A word on the greens….when the box came, I thought what was sent was kale….After tasing the greens, I realized what came was Arugula.  This was a new item for GCF.  I don’t recall ever receiving Arugula in a box.  Happy accident for me, Arugula is my favorite leafy green veggie.

It is incredibly difficult to replicate restaurant Chinese food in the home.  Most home cooks don’t have the equipment or skills to make a dish that even remotely resembles what you might eat at your local Chinese place, even a bad one.  So I don’t even try to replicate….I do try to get close.  So here is my attempt at General Tso’s Chicken.  I use frozen chicken and sauce from a jar.  And the family just loves it.

CSA Week 1 Stir Fry

1 bag of frozen chicken.  I like the popcorn size pieces, and the kids seem to like them best

1 Jar of Wegman’s ® General Tso’s sauce.  Any sauce that you like will do

1 ½ cups rice (dry) or make what ever amount your family will eat

2 green onions (from the CSA box)

1 bunch what I thought was Kale (but was really arugula)

Some asparagus

1 T Vegetable oil

Cook the chicken as per the instructions on the bag

Cook the rice using a ration of 2:1 liquid to rice (i.e. 2 cups water to 1 cup rice)

When the rice and Chicken are about half way done, heat the oil in a skillet.  Chop the onion into 1 inch lengths, add to the hot oil and cook them for a couple of minutes.  Its ok if they start to brown.  Add the Asparagus and cook for a couple more minutes.   Add the greens, letting them completely wilt.

When the chicken is cooked and crisp, add the chicken to the vegetables.  Add the sauce, and heat through.

You’ll want a half cup of rice or a little more per person.  Mound the rice on each plate and top with the stir fry.  Dig in!

Hope you enjoy this.  Please let me know if this works for your family.