Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 20

Hello wonderful CSAers!

            Can anyone believe that this is the last week of the CSA? Twenty weeks went by so fast! Anyway, this week we have Cinderella Sugar Pumpkins, Bartlett Pears, Nantes Carrots, Arcadia Broccoli, Italian Red Onions and Paprika Peppers. This is the last of the produce for the season so it’s good timing. All that’s left out there is some kale and sad looking sunchokes.

               We are so grateful for the opportunity to meet you all and be a small part of your lives. We are passionate about growing good, healthy food and we appreciate you coming along on the journey. Soon we will be transitioning into custom growing for high end markets but we will still be available to you as partners in the local food movement. Next we will be focusing on classes that teach people how to grow some of their own food, cook it, preserve it, get creative with it. We will also be teaching classes on growing and using herbs, edible landscaping, permaculture, garden art, studio art, soap making, cheese making, urban livestock care and anything else we find inspiring enough to teach. We will also be launching several kids programs dealing with these same ideas. In our search for a new home we came upon some of the most wonderful people we have ever met and we are thrilled to continue our vision for sustainability with them. We hope you will join us for some garden dinners, wine tastings and garden tours in the coming seasons. We wish you prosperity and abundance and thank you again for adding a level of richness and happiness to our lives this season.

Much love-

Jen and Aby
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Ginger Pear Sauce

Ingredients

• 6 firm pears, peeled
• 1/2 cup grated fresh ginger
• 2/3 cup sugar

Preparation

Combine the pears, ginger and sugar in a large pot over low heat, stirring frequently until the sugar melts and the pear juices begin to accumulate. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 45 minutes. Pass the pear mixture through a food mill and place in a clean saucepan. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced, about 1 hour. Refrigerate in an airtight container.
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Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Served with Warm turkey and munsted cheese  sandwich

2 cans black beans- drained and rinsed
2 cups  (1 can) diced tomatoes
2 cups  pumpkin puree
1 cup red onion chopped
2+ cloves garlic- minced
4tbl olive oil
4 cups veggie or chicken broth
1 tbl cumin
1 tsp salt
1tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp ground pepper
3 tbl balsamic vinegar
Baked pumpkin seeds for garnish

·         Place oil, onion, garlic and seasonings into a large pot

·         Cook on low-medium heat until brown

·         Puree the beans, tomato and 2 cups stock

·         Add puree, pumpkin and the rest of the stock to the pot

·         Simmer uncovered until thick, about 40-45 minutes

·         Before serving, stir in balsamic vinegar

·         Garnish with baked pumpkin seeds
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Marjoram-Infused Winter Squash Bisque

Most any winter squash can be used, including pumpkin, butternut, buttercup, banana, hubbard or sweet meat. And if you’re in a pinch for time, you can substitute with two 12-ounce packages of frozen cooked squash.

• One 3½- to 4-pound winter squash

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram

• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

• Salt (optional)

• 1/2 cup half-and-half

• Toasted pumpkin seeds*, fresh marjoram sprigs and freshly ground pepper, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half; remove seeds. Place squash cut side down on a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until squash pulp is tender. Remove from oven. Cool 20 minutes. Scoop out squash pulp, discarding shells. Measure 2 3/4 cups squash pulp; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and apple; sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add broth, honey, marjoram and white pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in squash pulp.

3. Process squash mixture in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. (An immersion blender may be used for this step.) Return mixture to Dutch oven. Add salt, if desired. Whisk in half-and-half and cook over medium-low heat, 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, marjoram and freshly ground pepper.

* Note: To toast pumpkin seeds, place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; add raw pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until seeds are toasted. Toasted pumpkin seeds, called pepitas, are available in many supermarkets.
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Broccoli Sautéed in Wine and Garlic  

by Mario Batali

Cooking cruciferous vegetables without boiling them, as in this recipe, seems to make them more fragrant and heady—just the way the robust Romans like their food.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 pounds broccoli, cut into spears
1 cup Frascati or other dry white wine
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange

1. In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil with the garlic over medium-high heat until just sizzling. Add the broccoli and cook, tossing frequently and gradually adding the wine to keep the garlic from browning until the stalks are tender 8 to 10 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and zests, and tossing well, serve immediately.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 19

Hello wonderful CSAers!


      I can’t believe that next week is the last week of the CSA! This week we have red bell peppers, Cinderella pumpkins for baking, sweet corn, yellow onions, St. Valery carrots and pears. I made a pie this weekend with some of the pears. It would have been delicious if I had managed not to burn the crust.  This week’s carrots are a different variety from last weeks. These are heirloom St. Valery carrots. I am on the fence about these carrots- on the one hand I think they taste better than the stockier nantes carrots but on the other hand they are rather ugly. I guess it’s nice to try both.

 I am really, really excited that the pumpkins are ready. These are baking pumpkins and they have a great sugary flavor.  To bake pumpkins simply cut them in half and scoop out all of the seeds. Then cut each side in half again so the pumpkin is in fourths. Rub olive oil on the pumpkin wedges both front and back. Put on a baking sheet with a thin layer of water. Bake the pumpkins at 450’ until a fork pokes into them easily. This can be anywhere from about 15- 45 minutes depending on the size of the pumpkin. Once they are done take them out of the oven and peel off the skin. If you are eating the pumpkin as is I would suggest baking the pumpkin with some butter and brown sugar sprinkled on it. If you are baking pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie or making soup I would mash up the pumpkin with a fork or put in a food processor.

The seeds can be cleaned and baked in the oven on a cookie sheet with some olive oil and salt for a nutritious snack. Pumpkin seeds are especially good for prostate health.


Cheers-

Jen

Grilled Polenta with Corn and Parmesan

6 servings

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 3 cups water, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cornmeal
• Additional olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add corn; sauté until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Bring 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk cornmeal and 1 cup water in medium bowl to blend. Whisk cornmeal-water mixture into boiling water; return to boil. Cook until polenta is smooth and thick, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Stir in corn mixture.
• Brush 11x7x2-inch dish with oil. Spread polenta in dish. Cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill with oil. Cut polenta into 12 squares. Brush both sides with oil. Place on grill; cover grill. Grill until polenta is golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, sprinkling with cheese during last minute. Serve hot.

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Carrot Cake With Walnuts

Ingredients for cake:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice (or a combination of any of the following: powdered nutmeg, clove, and ginger)

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs beaten

2 cups grated carrots

Ingredients for icing:

8 ounces softened cream cheese

½ cup sifted confectioners' sugar

2 sticks softened unsalted butter

2 tsp whole cardamom pods

1 tsp dried lemongrass (or try ground ginger or, of course, vanilla extract)

Finishing touch:

½ cup finely chopped walnuts plus optional walnut halves or marzipan carrots.

TO MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 375F. Cover 2 round cake pans with a thin layer of butter and then dust with flour and shake out the excess. The pans should be 8 inches and 6 inches in diameter, respectively. Line the bottom of each with parchment paper.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, oil, and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in the grated carrots. Add the sifted dry ingredients from the medium sized bowl and stir to just barely mix. Overmixing might make the cake tough.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pans and place them in the oven. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 350F. Bake for 30 minutes or until cakes are done in the center. This time it took me 40 minutes, so keep checking. (Place a toothpick into the center of the cake, pull it out and if it is clean, no bits of cake clinging to it, the cake is done.) Let cakes cool on wire racks before removing them from the pans.

TO MAKE THE ICING: Crush the cardamom pods and extract the seeds. Grind them to a fine powder along with the lemongrass in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Ideally, combine all icing ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at a low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat at high speed for 5 minutes more

Spread the icing smoothly over the top and sides of each layer cake. There is enough icing to coat the cakes with 2 layer s of icing. Do the first, called a “crumb layer” due to all the stray crumbs that can still be visible in it, then place cakes in the fridge or freezer for a couple of minutes until icing is hard. Then proceed with the second layer. This will look smoother and more attractive. Press the chopped nuts into the sides. Stack the layers. You may want to decorate the top with, say, marzipan carrots or walnut halves.
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Pear and Blue Cheese Flatbread

The classic combination of pears, walnuts and blue cheese isn't just for salad. Toss the same ingredients onto purchased whole-wheat pizza dough and make your own gourmet flatbread at home.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced onions
20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground pepper , to taste
2 ripe but firm pears , sliced
1/2 cup finely crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes more.

3. Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Stir vinegar, sage and pepper into the onions. Spread on the crust and top with pears, walnuts and cheese. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes. Slice and serve.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:

3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers (or graham crackers)

3 tablespoons melted butter 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Filling:

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

16 ounce pumpkin

2 tablespoons light rum

To make the crust, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs with the melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. 

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan, and line the bottom with the crumb mixture. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.

Slowly beat in the sugar.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Gradually beat in the flour, pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin, and rum.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until the filling is set.

Let the cake cool on a ware rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate several hours before serving. The cake may also be frozen.

Just before serving, remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
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Pumpkin Pancakes

Everyone loves pancakes - especially when the weather gets cooler again in the fall. Made with pumpkin and cinnamon, these tasty pancakes are sure to please.

makes: 12-4 inch Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, adding yogurt, milk and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter onto a preheated, oiled griddle, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes slowly over a low-medium heat for approximately 4-6 minutes, flipping after 3 minutes.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 18

Hello wonderful CSAers!


      This week we have heirloom tomatoes, curly leaf kale, red bell peppers, nantes carrots, red potatoes, yellow onions, white peppers, jalapeno peppers and sunchokes.

    Just a couple of thoughts on the sunchokes, also called Jerusalem artichokes,

- they do not need to be peeled- just washed

-they will do best in the fridge

-they can be used in any way you can use a potato but I think they are best simply grated on a salad

-they are fantastically good for you so give them a try!

  Thank you for all of your warm e-mail and recipes this week. It was wonderful and unexpected to hear from you. It keeps us going so keep it up! Also, I was thinking that the wintesquash would start going out in this week’s bag but I was out there looking at them and they could do with a few more days. These cold nights should be making them sweeter so I decided to hold off for a week.


Cheers-

Jen

Thank you Una for sharing this fun recipe from Bobby Flay!

Easy tomato chutney

Makes 1 large jar

This simple chutney is a great way of preserving summer's tomato glut and is perfect on toast with a chunk of cheddar.

1. Put everything in a pan, season to taste and stir well to combine. Simmer for 30–40 mins or until jammy. Pour into a sterilized jar and leave to cool before transferring to the fridge. The chutney will keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.

 ingredients

• 250g red onions, finely sliced
• 500g mixed tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded, sliced
• 75ml red wine vinegar
• 140g brown sugar
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Kale and White Bean Soup

2 Cups White Beans

4-5 Carrots, Peeled and Chopped

4-5 Celery Stalks, Chopped

1 Onion, Chopped

5 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Bay Leaf

2 Quarts Chicken Stock

1 Bunch Kale

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Drain the beans and add all ingredients to your slow cooker except the

kale which you’ll add at the last minute.   Cook on low all day long.

Return home from a hard day at work, add the kale to the pot and prepare

a simple salad as an accompaniment to the meal.   Serve when the kale is

cooked, but still bright green.

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Chunky Sunchoke and Potato Mash

Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes) are neither artichokes nor from Jerusalem, but rather the tuber of a variety of sunflower native to America. The

knobby, gnarly vegetable is often overlooked, but its sweet, nutty flavor makes

it worth seeking out. Makes 6 servings

handful  Sunchokes, unpeeled, scrubbed, cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

3 tablespoons butter

Combine Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes in large pot. Pour enough cold

water over to cover; add 1 tablespoon coarse salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat

and boil gently until all vegetables are tender when pierced with knife,

about 18 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Return vegetables to pot.

Mash vegetables, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/2 cupfuls to moisten until

chunky mixture forms. Stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to bowl and serve.
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Stuffed Red Bell Peppers  

Mashed potatoes would be a perfect side dish.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

4 red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup cooked white rice, cooled
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 cups canned tomato sauce
1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 large egg

Cut off top 1/2 inch of peppers and reserve. Scoop seeds from cavities. Discard stems and chop pepper tops. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, parsley, garlic, and chopped pepper pieces. Sauté until onions soften, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in rice, paprika, salt, pepper, and allspice. Cool 10 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup tomato sauce, then beef and egg.

Fill pepper cavities with beef mixture. Stand filled peppers in single layer in heavy large pot. Pour remaining 2 cups tomato sauce around peppers. Bring sauce to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer 20 minutes. Spoon some sauce over each pepper. Cover; cook until peppers are tender and filling is cooked through and firm, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, cover and chill. Rewarm covered over low heat.)

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 17

Hello wonderful CSAers!

      This week you have summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pears and some ginormous cabbage. The summer squash can be used in any way that you would use zucchini. If you like to make zucchini bread during the winter you can actually shred the squash with a cheese grater, blanch it quickly in boiling water and put it into ziplock freezer bags. After the squash is frozen it should be good for about 6 months. Whenever you feel the need for zucchini bread you can just defrost the squash and cook with it. The frozen squash is also good in winter soups.

      I heard that last week some of you made some stellar pear sauce (or pear-apple sauce). You are all getting so creative! The pears are also wonderful sliced on a salad.

      We are almost done moving and everyone here at the farm is dirty and exhausted! The goats and chickens are thrilled. Maybe you can all trek out to see us this winter. If anyone wants eggs over the next few weeks please just let us know ahead of time and we will put them in your bag instead of you coming out to the farm to get them.

I hope you are all enjoying this strange weather we have been having. It’s been beautiful here at the farm.

Cheers-

Jen

Oriana’s Cabbage Salad

½ medium green cabbage, finely shredded

3 or 4 ripe tomatoes, diced

1 large ripe avocado cut into ½ in. cubes

3-4 green onions sliced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

Salt

Place the cabbage, tomatoes, avocado and green onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cilantro, lime juice, and salt (to taste) over the cabbage mixture and gently stir to combine the ingredients. Serve immediately in a large serving bowl or prepare individual serving plates. Serves 4

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Summer Squash and Corn Chowder

This soup uses copious amounts of summer squash and is substantial enough to eat as a light supper. Serve it with corn bread and a green salad. To remove the kernels from the cob, cut a small piece off the blunt end to make it straight across, place the cob blunt end down on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels.

About 2 pounds summer squash, of any variety (8 cups)

2 tbl. Butter

1 large onion

½ tsp dried thyme

2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (frozen would be ok too)

2 ½ cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1/8 to ¼ tsp. ground red pepper

Garnish: sour cream

If you can pierce the skin of the squash with your fingernail, the squash do not need peeling. Otherwise, peel them. Grate the squash; you should have about 8 cups . Steam the squash in a large steamer until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Mash the squash and set it aside.

In a large dutch oven, melt the butter and over medium heat sauté the onion and thyme for about 5 minutes until translucent but not brown. Remove from heat and add squash, corn, milk and cream. Season with salt and peppers. Over medium heat stir the mixture to heat it thoroughly; do not bring to a boil or it will curdle. Serve garnished with sour cream. Serves 4-6
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Corned Beef Sandwiches with Pickled Cabbage

Salt-and-vinegar chips and Guinness will turn this into a pub dinner.

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
about 3 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, coarsely crushed in resealable plastic bag with mallet
1 teaspoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
8 slices rye bread
4 ounces sliced sharp white cheddar cheese
12 ounces thinly sliced corned beef

Whisk mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in small bowl. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, sliced onion, crushed coriander seeds, and celery seeds; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté until wilted and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in white wine vinegar and sugar. Sauté until all liquid is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Wipe out skillet and reserve.

Place slices of rye bread on work surface. Divide white cheddar cheese among 4 bread slices; top with corned beef, dividing meat slices equally. Divide cabbage mixture over corned beef. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each remaining bread slice; place rye bread slices atop cabbage, mayonnaise side down. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each top bread slice.

Heat same skillet over medium heat. Add 2 corned beef sandwiches, mayonnaise side down. Spread some of remaining mayonnaise mixture over top bread slices. Cook sandwiches covered until golden brown and cheddar cheese melts, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining corned beef sandwiches and serve.

Farmland Vegetable Pie

For filling:
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bunch scallions, chopped, keeping greens separate
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound tomatoes
1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 ear)
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Havarti or Muenster cheese (4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup chopped basil
1 tablespoon cornmeal (not stone-ground)
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

For crust:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup whole milk plus additional for brushing



Make filling:

Place a heavy baking sheet on middle rack of oven, then preheat oven to 400°F.

Toss squash with 1 teaspoon salt, then drain in a colander 30 minutes. Pat squash dry.

Cook scallions (except greens) and garlic in oil with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes.

Transfer to a large bowl, then toss with corn, cheese, basil, cornmeal, and scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper.


Make crust and bake pie:

Pulse dry ingredients with butter in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Transfer to a bowl and stir in milk until mixture just forms a dough.

Gather dough into a ball and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 5 minutes.

Halve dough and roll out 1 piece on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate, leaving overhang.

Spread eggs evenly in crust and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add vegetable filling, mounding slightly in middle.

Roll out remaining dough in same manner and place over filling. Trim, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Press edges of crust together. Fold overhang under and crimp edge all around.

Brush crust with additional milk, then cut 3 steam vents.

Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 16

Hello wonderful CSAers!


      This week we have baby shallots, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, squash, pears, beans and sweet corn. The shallots are small but good. I dried them out some so they should store for a while before you need to use them. Just keep them in a cool dark place and they should last. Everything else is pretty self-explanatory. The rain we got last week is causing some of the cherry tomatoes to crack. I tried to make sure those didn’t go into the bags but I’m sure I missed some. So if there is a squashed tomato in there I am sorry.

      Remember, tomatoes can always be frozen for winter use. So if you don’t have time to deal with them right now just throw them in a ziplock bag and toss them in the freezer.

Cheers-

Jen

Grilled Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic

If you are a tomato lover, you will want to try this recipe. The cherry tomatoes have a sliver of garlic inserted for added flavor. The tomatoes are grilled just long enough to heat them, which intensifies their flavor. This side dish recipe goes well with other grilled foods, such as steaks, chops, or even burgers.

• 2 doz. cherry tomatoes, 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter
• 4 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary or parsley
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt, coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1. Remove stems, if necessary, from tomatoes. With the tip of a sharp knife, pierce tomatoes. Carefully insert a sliver of garlic into each one.
2. Place tomatoes in the center of a 18x12 sheet of foil. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil; sprinkle with rosemary, sugar, and salt. Bring the two long sides of the foil together and seal with a double fold. Fold remaining edges together to completely enclose tomatoes.
3. Grill tomatoes on the rack of a grill directly over coals or gas burners for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through. (Or bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through.)
4. To serve, carefully open foil packet (hot steam may escape from packet). Transfer tomatoes to serving plate or platter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Makes 24.

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Slow-Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta

• 3 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 14 slices baguette (preferably whole-wheat), toasted
• Anchovy fillets, Kalamata olives or sliced fresh basil for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Toss tomatoes with oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast until broken down, 45 to 55 minutes.
3. Combine the roasted tomatoes with basil and vinegar.
4. Top baguette slices with the roasted tomato mixture. Garnish with anchovy fillets, Kalamata olives or sliced fresh basil.

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PASTA WITH CHICKEN, ZUCCHINI AND CHERRY TOMATOES 

1/2 lb. med. noodles
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 chicken breasts cubed
3/4 lb. zucchini (1/2 inch cubes)
2 c. cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
2 tbsp. butter
Shredded Swiss cheese

Heat oil and butter over medium heat (300 degrees). Add onion and garlic. Cook until translucent. Increase heat. Add cubed chicken. Stir briskly until white. Add zucchini and halved tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil. Reduce heat to 250 degrees, cover, and cook 10 minutes.

Mix cooked, drained, hot pasta with 2 tablespoons softened butter. Add chicken mixture and toss. Serve with shredded Swiss cheese.
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Whole Wheat Popovers with Shallots

Eggy popovers benefit from the addition of savory shallots and healthy, whole wheat flour to give them more body. These hearty quick breads are substantial enough to serve as their own, unadorned side dish to a bowl of soup or stew. For another variation, add a half teaspoon of dried herbs of your choice.

• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
• Shortening or nonstick cooking spray
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a small skillet or saucepan cook shallots in margarine or butter until tender. Set aside.
2. Using 1/2 teaspoon shortening for each cup, grease the bottom and sides of six 6-ounce custard cups or the cups of a popover pan. Or, lightly coat cups with nonstick cooking spray. Place the custard cups on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl combine beaten eggs, milk, and shallot mixture. Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and salt. Beat with a rotary beater or wire whisk until the mixture is smooth. Fill the greased cups half full. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 40 minutes or until very firm.
4. Immediately after removal from the oven, prick each popover with a fork to let steam escape. If crisper popovers are desired, return popovers to oven for 5 to 10 minutes more or to desired crispness (be sure the oven is turned off). Serve hot. Makes 6 popovers.

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Garlic Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Hazelnuts

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss together green beans, shallots, garlic, oil and salt and pepper in a medium roasting pan. Roast in the oven until the beans are cooked through and light golden brown. Remove from the oven and stir in the lemon zest and hazelnuts. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Steak Frites with Blue Cheese-Shallot Butter

Emeril Lagasse, 2001

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 2 tablespoons crumbled creamy blue cheese, such as Maytag Blue
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 4 (8-ounce) New York strip steaks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• French Fries, recipe follows

In a bowl, combine the butter, shallots, blue cheese, parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Blend until creamy and well mixed. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic or waxed paper and form into a small log, about 1-inch in diameter. Cover and refrigerate until just firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat a grill.

Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper to taste. Grill to desired temperature, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from the grill and transfer to serving plates. Cut the Blue Cheese-Shallot Butter log into 4 pieces, and place one piece on each steak. Serve immediately with the French Fries.

French Fries:

• 3 large baking potatoes, like russets, about 2 pounds, peeled and cut into matchstick slices 1/4-inch thick
• Canola oil, fry frying
• Salt

Place the potato slices in a bowl of water. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Pat dry with towels.

Heat enough oil to come 4 inches up the sides of a large deep saucepan to 350 degrees F. Add the potatoes in batches and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the steaks.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 15

Hello wonderful CSAers!


**WARNING** the small green peppers in your bag are extremely spicy jalapenos. Please keep that in mind when handling them. I rubbed my eyes after we finished harvesting this morning and they burned for a very long time.


            This week we have colorful heirloom potatoes, heirloom tomatoes, Italian heirloom eggplant, cucumbers, sweet onions, mixed summer squash,  sweet peppers (large green and yellow) and HOT peppers  (tiny green ones).  We also have some yummy pears.  I think they are probably Bartletts.


            The large peppers have a nice mild flavor. They are great roasted or sliced on salads. The little green peppers are jalapenos.  The onions look like storage onions but they are not. We let them dry a little in the ground but they need to be used quickly not forgotten under the cabinet. I am still drying the shallots and garlic so it will last a little longer once we distribute it.

           As you may or may not know we are growing produce on two properties this season. Several months ago when we first started to realize that things weren’t going to work out well with the property in Forest Grove we started looking for additional land to farm. We were very lucky to find a sweet parcel off HWY 30 north of the city. Most of the crops for the fall are being grown on that property so as soon as the tomatoes are finished for the season we will be moving to that property full time. This was also are last week at the farmers market, if you pick up there please look for an e-mail from me letting you know what we have worked out for CSA pick-up.

        I hope this chilly, gloomy weather doesn’t mean that the summer is officially over!


Cheers-

Jen

           I spent several months in the Transylvanian mountains of Romania several years ago. While I was there I was introduced to salata de vinete which is a roasted eggplant spread. It is the best thing I have ever had with eggplant in it. It is best spread on a slice of good bread. I found this recipe on a Romanian website so please excuse the interesting grammar.

Salată de Vinete-  Romanian eggplant salad
- 2 eggplants
- sunflower oil or olive oil
- 1 onion
- lemon juice
- salt

The eggplants need to be roasted on the stove, over an open flame. But as I have an electrical oven , I actually oiled them and then grilled them in the oven, until the insides became very soft. After I removed them from the oven, I skinned them. It may help to have a little bowl with cold water in which you can dip the fingers, so you don't burn yourselves :) This can also be done on the BBQ with fantastic results.

I cut off the ends and removed part of the seeds (not all), the ones that just fall out. They need to be very well drained before you start working with them. Cut them in half and put them on a plate or a cutting board and let the juices drain for about 2 hours. After they are completely drained (if not, the juices can make them bitter) I mashed them with a fork or large wooden spoon. Or just throw them in the food processor.  

I put them in a bowl, added about 2 tbl. of salt and some lemon juice. From this point on, you have to do it like you do with mayo. Pour the oil in little by little, stirring continuously, with a wooden spoon, until it becomes like a paste, it changes a bit in color and it almost doubles the volume. The quantity of oil is entirely up to you.

In the end I added fine chopped onion and salt (if needed).

In the romanian traditional style we serve them with tomatoes, mayonnaise and/or pepper salad. Spread on crusty bread! It's delicious; I don't know one person that doesn't like this one! :)

 

Champagne-Poached Pears  

If you only have time for a dessert after the kids are in bed, try something elegant and expedient, like poached pears. This recipe works best with pink champagne.

1 bottle champagne, preferably pink (about 3 1/2 cups)
1 cup sugar
Zest of 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (optional)
2 large pears (such as Bosc) or 4 small pears (such as Seckel), peeled (firm, slightly underripe pears work best)

1. Combine all the ingredients except the pears in a pot and bring to a simmer.

2. Carefully lower the pears into the liquid (adding up to 1 cup water to make sure the fruit is fully submerged).

3. Simmer until the pears are tender, 15 to 17 minutes for small pears, 25 to 30 minutes for large ones.

4. Cool the pears in the cooking liquid for 30 minutes before serving, or store them in the refrigerator (still in the liquid) for up to a week.





Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Green Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

From Noca in Phoenix, AZ

It's hard to improve on grilled cheese with tomato soup—but that's exactly what the folks at Noca are doing. The restaurant layers red heirloom tomatoes and smoked mozzarella on the sandwich. It transforms the soup with green heirlooms—and serves it cold. The mix of flavors, textures, and colors takes this classic to a new level.

Gazpacho:
1 pound ripe green heirloom tomatoes, cored, cut into large chunks
1 6-inch piece unpeeled English hothouse cucumber, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup salted roasted Marcona almonds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or other white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon (or more) coarse kosher salt

Sandwiches:
8 1/3-inch-thick slices brioche or challah, trimmed to 5x3 inches
1 8-ounce package smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch-wide by 1/8-inch-thick slices
2 large heirloom tomatoes (preferably Brandywine), cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

For gazpacho:

Combine first 8 ingredients and 1 teaspoon coarse salt in processor. Blend to almost smooth puree (some texture should remain). Season with pepper and more salt, if desired. Transfer to medium bowl. Cover; chill at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.


For sandwiches:

Cut each bread slice into rectangle (about 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches). Arrange 4 bread rectangles on work surface. Top bread with half of cheese slices (trimming to fit) and 2 tomato slices. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Top with remaining cheese, then remaining bread; press to compact.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches. Cover and cook until bread is golden, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer sandwiches to paper towels. Cut each sandwich in half.

Divide gazpacho among 4 bowls; place on plates. Arrange sandwiches alongside.


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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese  

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

8 1/2-inch-thick slices crusty bread
4 large garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup currant or grape tomatoes or halved cherry or pear tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onions

10 medium heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors, cored, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
3 celery stalks, sliced thin on diagonal
1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled blue cheese

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rub bread with cut garlic halves; brush bread with 3 tablespoons oil. Combine remaining 1/3 cup oil, currant tomatoes, and green onions in medium bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Overlap tomato slices in concentric circles on platter, alternating colors. Scatter onion and celery slices over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato and green onion mixture over. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese.

Grill bread until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Cut each slice diagonally in half; serve with salad.


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Cold Cucumber Mint Soup

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped, plus 1 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt
2/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon English-style dry mustard, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
cucumber slices and mint sprigs for garnish

In a blender puree chopped cucumbers, yogurt, sour cream, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a bowl. Chill soup at least 6 hours or overnight.

Stir in finely diced cucumber and chopped mint and garnish soup with cucumber slices and mint sprigs.


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Orzo with Summer Squash and Toasted Hazelnuts  

People who turn their noses up at rice often find this tiny pasta irresistible.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Yield: Makes 8 servings
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

1 1/2 cups orzo (10 ounces)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped shallot (6 1/2 ounces)
2 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pound total), cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 medium yellow squash (1 pound total), cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup hazelnuts (4 ounces), toasted , loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and nuts coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest

Cook orzo in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain orzo in a colander.

While orzo is cooking, heat butter and oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallot, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, yellow squash, salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nuts, parsley, basil, and zest.

Add cooked orzo to skillet and stir gently. If mixture seems dry, moisten with some reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 14

Hello wonderful CSAers!

            This week we have an abundance of green onions, high in antioxidant potatoes, summer squash and zucchini, celery, heirloom peppers and a variety of heirloom tomatoes. It took me hours to harvest all of the tomatoes this morning, it was wonderful!

             So, a funny thing happened when we planted the peppers this season. We were out in the hoophouse having a wonderful conversation and it wasn’t until we got to the end of the row that we realized that everyone was planting different peppers. So we have been able to make some educated guesses about the pepper varieties but Aby is suggesting that before you eat the peppers cut a small bit from the bottom and test it for hotness. You shouldn’t have any really spicy peppers this week but better safe than sorry. It’s always good to remember that the seeds are the hottest part of the peppers so watch out for them.

           On a sad note I would also like to let you know that my computer died this week. I tripped over the cord and ripped my laptop off a high shelf. It cracked. The best tech guy I know has it now and is attempting to salvage my data. So I am working with e-mailing from my phone, which I am terrible at and all Facebook, twitter and blog posts are on hold. Sorry for any inconvenience.

          I hope you all had a lovely holiday weekend!

Cheers-

Jen
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Chicken and Green Onion Cobbler  

Packed with chicken and vegetables, this savory cobbler is a down-home main course. Uncork a chilled Sauvignon Blanc.

Yield: Serves 10

FILLING
7 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
3 to 3 1/2 pounds chicken breast halves with skin and bones
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads

2/3 cup diced carrots
2/3 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup frozen petit peas, thawed
1/4 pound smoked ham, chopped
2/3 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all purpose flour

TOPPING
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

FOR FILLING:

Combine 7 cups broth, chicken and saffron in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl and cool briefly; reserve broth. Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken into 3/4-inch cubes; place in 15x10x2-inch (4 quart) glass baking dish.

Bring broth to boil. Add carrots and celery; cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to dish with chicken. Add green onions, peas, ham, onion and parsley to chicken.

Spoon fat off top of broth. Measure broth, adding more if necessary for 6 1/2 cups. Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Ad flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in broth. Boil until thick and smooth, whisking constantly, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add to chicken. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)


FOR TOPPING:

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Whisk milk, egg and butter to blend in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls over filling.

Bake cobbler until topping is firm and golden brown, about 35 minutes.
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Buttermilk Biscuits with Green Onions, Black Pepper, and Sea Salt  

3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper plus additional for sprinkling
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
Coarse sea salt

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and green onions in medium bowl. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper in large bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup chilled butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk mixture and stir until moist clumps form.

Gather dough together. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead gently just to combine, about 3 to 4 turns. Roll out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using floured 2-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of biscuits with melted butter. Sprinkle each lightly with coarse sea salt and ground black pepper.

Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Orzo with Tomatoes, Feta, and Green Onions

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil

6 cups chicken broth
1 pound orzo (or riso)

2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.

Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature.


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White Cheddar Puffs with Green Onions

The puffs can be formed and chilled or frozen on baking sheets well ahead of time, then simply popped into the oven.

1 cup water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
2/3 cup minced green onions

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring 1 cup water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in flour. Stir over medium heat until mixture becomes slightly shiny and pulls away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes; transfer to stand mixer fitted with paddle. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition to form sticky dough. Mix in cheese and green onions.

Using 2 teaspoons, form dough into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch ovals; drop onto baking sheet 1 inch apart. (Can be made ahead. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cheese puffs until golden, about 30 minutes if at room temperature and 35 minutes if chilled or frozen. Serve immediately.


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Cream of Celery Soup  

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
5 cups chopped celery
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1-pound celery root, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon celery salted
2 14 1/2-ounce cans (or more) low-salt chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and onions. Cover and cook until very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Stir in celery root, potato, garlic and celery salt. Add 2 cans broth; cover and simmer until all vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree in blender in batches. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Pour soup into large saucepan. Add cream; bring to simmer, stirring often. Thin with more broth if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls.


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Celery Stuffed with Smoked Gouda and Sun-Dried Tomatoes  

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/4 cups (lightly packed) grated smoked Gouda cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 2 ounces)
24 small inner celery stalks with leaves, cut into 4-inch lengths (from about 3 bunches of celery)

Whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk and paprika in small bowl to blend. Mix in cheese and tomatoes. Season mixture with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Fill cavity of celery stalks with cheese mixture.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 13

Hello wonderful CSAers!

The tomatoes are finally ripening!!! Thank goodness. The cold weather this week totally freaked me out, I was out in the hoop houses every morning looking to see if the tomatoes were ripening. They are, slowly but they are! You all missed it but there was some serious happy dancing happening here at the farm this morning.  Also exciting news this week is that we have officially teamed up with a couple of other local farms for the rest of the season. So we will have a nice variety of produce for the rest of the season regardless of the weather. It’s good to have friends with hoop houses!

Also in this weeks bag you will find yellow and white kernel sweet corn, green ancho magnifico peppers, sweet red bell peppers, golden yellow zucchini, cucumbers, purple top Milan turnips and a variety of heirloom tomatoes. The big ones are beefeaters and the smaller ones are a mix of striped roman, purple smudge, chocolate cherry, violet jasper, weissenbart white, tomato berry…

                I hope you are all as excited about the tomatoes as I am. Have a great week!

Cheers-

Jen

Last summer I was reading an interesting book by Australian author Sarah Kate Lynch, Eating With The Angels. In that book she casually mentions a dish with fresh tomatoes, avocado and fresh mozzarella. Aby and I tested it out and it is maybe the best thing ever. Here is what you need:

Tomato, Avocado and Mozzarella Bruchetta

Fresh Tomatoes

Avocado

Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Good Artisan Bread

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Basil- optional

 

Slice the bread and toast it.

Drizzle the toast with a good olive oil.

Dice tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella and stir together in a bowl.

Sprinkle with basil and mix again.

Spoon tomato mixture onto toast.

Sprinkle with sea salt.

ENJOY!!!!
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Yellow Squash Ribbons with Red Onion and Parmesan

This super easy side can also be made with zucchini or a colorful combination of zucchini and yellow squash.

4 medium yellow squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Using a vegetable peeler, shave squash into ribbons to measure 5 cups. Discard seeds and core of squash.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash, onion, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add salt, red pepper, and black pepper, and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with cheese.
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Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

For a make-ahead meal, cook the orzo, then toss with the rest of the ingredients in a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

1 (16-ounce) package orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 diced tomatoes

1 roasted red bell pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Cook the pasta in a Dutch oven according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley and next 5 ingredients (parsley through bell peppers). Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in pasta and cheeses.
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Herbed Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

4 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked
3 medium tomatoes, as ripe as possible
1/4 cup (or small handful) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (or small handful) fresh mixed herbs — like Italian parsley, basil, rosemary, sage
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
3 ounces soft goat cheese, chilled and crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to the boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and boil for five minutes. Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes in quarters and scrape or squeeze out the juices and seeds. (Reserve, if you want, for a future batch of tomato sauce, or to mix into cream cheese for a fresh sandwich spread.) Chop the seeded tomato quarters into a rough dice. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any extra moisture.

When the corn has cooled, stand each ear up in a wide, shallow bowl and slice the corn kernels off with a chef's knife. Toss the corn with the tomatoes.

Finely mince the mint and herb leaves and toss with the vegetables, along with the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then crumble in the goat cheese and toss gently. Serve and enjoy!

Note: Of course this is good with many other mix-ins too; we added a few cubes of grilled eggplant to this salad. Sometimes we like pinenuts or a touch of balsamic vinegar.
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Coconut Creamed Corn

Creamed corn goes tropical with coconut milk, cilantro and lime juice. We love this with the kick of crushed red pepper, but it's great without it if you don't enjoy spicy food. Try it with garlic-rubbed grilled flank steak and a vinegary Asian slaw. 4 ears corn, kernels cut from cob (see Tip)

1 cup “lite” coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, (optional)

Preparation

Combine corn kernels, coconut milk and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain an active simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the coconut milk has evaporated, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro, lime juice and crushed red pepper, if using.

Tip: To remove kernels, stand a cob on its stem end in a bowl and slice them off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
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Smoky Corn & Black Bean Pizza

The secret to a grilled pizza is having all your ingredients ready to go before you head out to the grill. Make it a meal: Toss the extra black beans, diced tomato and some avocado with prewashed salad greens and a tangy vinaigrette and dinner is on the table in no time.

1 plum tomato, diced

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed

1 cup fresh corn kernels, (about 2 ears)

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella, preferably smoked mozzarella

1. Preheat grill to medium.
2. Combine tomato, beans and corn in a medium bowl. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a large baking sheet. Stretch the dough into about a 12-inch circle and lay it on top of the cornmeal, coating the entire underside of the dough.
3. Transfer the crust from the baking sheet to the grill. Close the lid and cook until the crust is puffed and lightly browned on the bottom, 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread barbecue sauce on it and quickly sprinkle with the tomato mixture and cheese. Close the lid; grill until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the crust is browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

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Turnip Gratin

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 pounds medium turnips, trimmed and left unpeeled
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1/2 tablespoon chopped savory
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Rounded 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Melt butter in an ovenproof  12-inch heavy skillet, then cool. Slice turnips paper-thin, then arrange one third of slices, overlapping tightly, in skillet, keeping remaining slices covered with dampened paper towels. Sprinkle with about a third of thyme, savory, kosher salt, and cayenne. Make 2 more layers. Cook, covered, over medium heat until underside is browned, about 10 minutes. Add cream and cook, covered, until center is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, then bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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Braised Turnips with Poppy-Seed Bread Crumbs

Turnips are appreciated in Algeria not only for their faithful ubiquity but also for how their characteristics change throughout the winter—sweet and mild at the beginning and assertively earthy toward the end. Here, to emphasize their natural nuttiness and complexity, they're gently glazed with butter, then sprinkled with garlicky toasted bread crumbs and abundant poppy seeds.

For turnips
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
6  medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For bread crumbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs from a baguette
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Braise turnips:

Melt butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, then add turnips, water, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium and stir turnips, then briskly simmer, uncovered, until all of liquid has evaporated and turnips are glazed and just tender, 20 to 35 minutes (they should be cooked through but still retain their shape).


Make bread crumbs while turnips cook:

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add bread crumbs and poppy seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and salt to taste. Just before serving, sprinkle bread crumbs over turnips.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

                Is it tomato season where you live - toss together this beautiful, simple tomato and cucumber salad that positively sparkles with the bright flavors of lemon and unrefined, extra virgin olive oil.  View the recipe.

You'll need:

    4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

    1 cucumber, peeled if the skin is bitter, seeded and chopped

    1 small red onion, chopped

    about 1 cup fresh curly parsley, chopped fine

    juice of 1 lemon, strained

    about 1/4 cup unrefined extra virgin olive oil (see sources)

    unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Watermelon Salsa

 

2 cups seeded and coarsely chopped watermelon

2 tablespoons chopped onion

3 tablespoons seeded, chopped Anaheim chile

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

In a serving bowl, mix together the watermelon, onion, and chile pepper. Season with balsamic vinegar and garlic salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to blend flavors.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 12

Hello wonderful CSAers!

This week we have some fantastic sweet corn, new red potatoes, cucumbers, fava beans and tomatillos. For recipes for the tomatillos and favas I would suggest checking out the old newsletters, all of which are archived on the website. www.sirensongfarm.com

This week I tried to find some unique ideas for cooking sweet corn and new potatoes. Of course, corn on the cob is always a good choice as well! I hope you have fun experimenting with some of these. Bon appetite!

Jen

Chicken and Corn Stew with Corn Wafers

For the corn wafers
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons sugar
1 large egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 whole boneless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 small green bell pepper, chopped fine
1 rib of celery, chopped fine
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 fresh or canned plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup fresh corn kernels including the pulp scraped from the cobs (cut from about 2 ears of corn)
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped fine

Make the corn wafers:

In a bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add the egg white and the salt and beat the mixture at low speed for 5 seconds, or until it is just combined. (The mixture will be lumpy.) Add the cornmeal, the flour, and the Parmesan and stir the mixture until it is just combined. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and chill it, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Arrange rounded teaspoons of the mixture 3 inches apart on buttered baking sheets and with a fork dipped in cold water flatten them carefully to form 2-inch rounds. Bake the wafers in batches in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown, with a spatula transfer the wafers immediately to racks, and let them cool.

In a 9-inch cast-iron skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the chicken, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a bowl. To the fat remaining in the skillet add butter and the flour and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until it is the color of peanut butter. Stir in the onion, the bell pepper, and the celery and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Add the broth, the tomatoes, the chili powder, and the chicken with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, simmer the stew, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, and stir in the corn. Transfer the chicken to a work surface and let it cool until it can be handled. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir it into the stew. The stew may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Stir in the scallion greens and the basil, season the stew with salt and pepper, and serve it in bowls topped with the corn wafers.


Fresh Corn, Cheddar, and Scallion Corn Bread

 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup fresh corn kernels including the pulp scraped from the cobs(cut from about 2 ears of corn)
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
3 scallions, sliced thin

Grease a jelly-roll pan, 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch. Into a bowl sift together the cornmeal, the flour, the sugar, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt. In a small bowl beat together the eggs and the buttermilk. To the cornmeal mixture add the buttermilk mixture, the corn, the Cheddar, and the scallions, stir the batter until it is just combined, and pour it into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake the corn bread in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.

Southwest Corn Frittata

Serve the frittata with chunky salsa, and put together an avocado, jicama and red onion salad with cumin vinaigrette to have alongside.

4 large eggs
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears of corn) or frozen, thawed
1/2 cup (packed) grated Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into small wedges

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion

Preheat broiler. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Mix in corn, cheese and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix in tortillas.

Heat oil in heavy medium broilerproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Pour egg mixture into skillet and stir to blend. Cover skillet. Cook frittata over low heat until eggs are almost set, about 8 minutes. Uncover skillet; broil frittata until top is set and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Slide frittata onto plate. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro. Cut into wedges and serve.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes with Rosemary

Yield: Makes 4 servings

1 pound unpeeled baby red potatoes (1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse kosher
4 large rosemary sprigs

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Toss baby red potatoes with olive oil and kosher salt on large rimmed baking sheet. Place rosemary sprigs alongside the potatoes. Roast until the potatoes are tender and beginning to brown in spots, about 45 minutes.

Red Potatoes Tossed in Roasted-Garlic Butter with Sage and Bacon

Reduce oven gridlock with this fantastic stove-top side. (The garlic can be roasted in the oven a day in advance.)

Yield: Makes 8 servings

12 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature

8 bacon slices, chopped

3 pounds 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter red-skinned potatoes
4 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
Fresh sage sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine garlic and oil in small ovenproof dish; cover tightly with foil. Bake until garlic is very tender, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer garlic and oil to processor; add butter and process until almost smooth. Transfer garlic butter to small bowl.

Sauté bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. (Garlic butter and bacon can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill. Bring garlic butter to room temperature before using.)

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half; transfer to heavy large skillet. Add garlic butter, bacon, and dried sage and toss over medium-high heat until potatoes are heated through, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer potatoes to bowl. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

Panfried Smashed Potatoes

These are everything potatoes should be: crisp-skinned yet pillowy, sprinkled with a generous amount of salty parmesan. They require no laborious peeling and are much easier to prepare than french fries.

Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 45 min

8 medium red potatoes (about 2 inches long; 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Generously cover potatoes with cold water in a 3-to 4-quart pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly crush to about 3/4 inch thick with a potato masher, keeping potatoes intact as much as possible.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Transfer potatoes with a spatula to skillet, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 minutes total. Serve sprinkled with cheese. Season generously with pepper.


Cooks' note:
Fried potatoes can be kept warm in a sheet pan in a 200°F oven up to 30 minutes.

Siren Song Farm Newsletter

Volume 11

Hello wonderful CSAers!

This week we have some delicious cabbage, yummy green beans, Italian heirloom zucchini and Purple Top Milan Turnips. We were really, really hoping the heirloom tomatoes would be ready this week but these cold nights are really slowing down the ripening process. I tried to find some fun recipes for the turnips. Give them a try they are quite tasty! Just trim off the skins and they are good to go. I hope you will enjoy cooking with them as much as we have this week!

Jen

 

Glazed Baby Turnips and Carrots

 

1 pound baby turnips (about 2 pounds with greens attached) or regular turnips
3/4 pound baby carrots (about 2 pounds with green attached)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Trim baby turnips and carrots, leaving about 1/2-inch stems if green were attached, and peel if desired. If using regular turnips, peel and cut into 1-inch pieces. In a steamer set over boiling water steam turnips and carrots separately, covered, until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Vegetables may be prepared up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

In a large heavy skillet cook vegetables in butter with sugar and salt and pepper to taste over moderately low heat, stirring, until heated through and glazed, about 4 minutes.

Skillet Turnips and Potatoes with Bacon

 

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 large garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
1 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Mix 1/4 cup water, vinegar, and sugar in small bowl. Combine oil and bacon in heavy large skillet; sauté over medium-high heat until fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add turnips and potatoes; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt and toss 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook until vegetables are almost tender, stirring and turning vegetables occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Push vegetables to 1 side of skillet. Pour vinegar mixture into cleared space. Toss vegetables with vinegar mixture. Spread vegetables in even layer in skillet; cook until golden and slightly crisp on bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn vegetables over; spread in even layer and cook until browned and slightly crisp on bottom, about 4 minutes. Continue to turn, spread, and cook vegetables until tender, golden, and crisp around edges, 7 to 8 minutes longer. Season with more sea salt and black pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with parsley.

Italian Turnip and Rice Soup with Parmesan Cheese


This elegant soup has a flavour that sharpens the appetite in unexpected ways; serve hot to 6 people as a first course, most especially before pork.

2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 pound of turnips peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice
3 pints of chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup of rice, arborio if you have it
salt and pepper
Garnish: minced parsley and 3 to 4 ounces parmesan cheese cup fresh grated parmesan cheese.


Melt the butter and oil in a large saucepan and bring to a froth. Toss in the turnips and saute til brown, about 5 or so minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook, covered, over medium heat for about 15 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in salt and pepper to taste, then parsley and 1 to 2 ounces of Parmesan.
Ladle into bowls and pass the extra Parmesan separately.

Turnip French Fries


Chop the turnip into french-fry strips and (if you wish) lightly coat with oil.
Place on a flat baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake at 180-190 C for 20 minutes.
Try some different seasonings.....: dried parsley and basil, a little sea salt or a touch of cayenne and sea kelp.

Creamy Cabbage

      4 cups  Shredded cabbage
    1/2 cup  Diced bacon
      1 tbl Flour
    1/2 tsp Salt
    1/4 tsp Paprika
    1/8 tsp Pepper
      1 cup  Milk
      1 cup  Soft bread crumbs
 
  Preheat oven to 400°.
 
  Boil cabbage 7 minutes; drain and place in a 1 quart casserole.. Fry bacon; remove and drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Stir in flour, salt and paprika; add milk slowly and cook until thickened. Pour sauce over cabbage, top with bread crumbs and sprinkle with bacon. Bake 15 minutes.

Cabbage & Noodles

An old recipe from Hungary

One large green cabbage
One pound (dry) wide egg noodles
1/2 to one full stick (pound) of butter
Spices to taste (dill seed and caraway are good)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Boil the cabbage in water (you can cut it into manageable pieces first if you prefer) until it is so soft it mashes/flakes with a fork. This can take some time, over an hour. Boil the egg noodles in water (add a bit of salt and cooking oil) until they are done. Slightly underdone is best.
Time this so the cabbage is done at the same time or before the noodles.
Remove the cabbage from the water and drain to let the bulk of the water go. Put the cabbage back in the empty pot or a large bowl. Cut it into tiny pieces. Use any implement you want, but if a fork isn't doing the trick, the cabbage is undercooked. When the cabbage is all in tiny little pieces, add the butter, spices, salt and pepper. Go easy on the spices, they will intensify later. Mix. Add the drained noodles and mix. Try to keep the noodles intact.

Okay, what you have now is a rather boring buttered cabbage pasta thing. You are wondering why the heck I recommended it to you. Well don't eat it, stick it in the fridge. The next day you have this weird cabbage stuff with a bit of flavor to it. You can eat a little, but don't write me to say it's only so-so. Stick it back in the fridge.
Now it's the third day. It's yummy. Heat it up on the stove (each day you have some- you can heat the whole potful). If there are any leftovers, stick them back in the fridge. Fourth day...heaven.

Blue Cheese-Walnut Green Beans Tender-crisp green beans tossed with creamy blue cheese and topped with toasted walnuts pair well with grilled steak or chicken.   1 pound green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts (see Tips & Techniques)

Bring green beans and water to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are just tender, 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more.

Add oil, salt, and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and toss with blue cheese until well coated. Sprinkle each serving with walnuts.



Tips & Techniques

To toast chopped or sliced nuts, stir constantly in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Sautéed Green Beans and Cherry Tomatoes   Here's a simple sauté that is well suited for a special meal and versatile enough for your everyday repertoire.   2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green beans and cook, stirring often, until seared in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes for tender-crisp or 6 minutes for tender. Push the beans to the side; add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, stir everything together and cook until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar, salt and pepper.

Braised Green Beans and Summer Vegetables 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 tablespoon (1 teaspoon dried) finely chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup(s) white wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 pound(s) green beans, trimmed

1 medium summer squash or zucchini, halved and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup(s) halved cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon(s) salt

1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup(s) finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and oregano and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add wine (or broth) and bring to a boil. Add green beans, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add summer squash (or zucchini) and tomatoes and continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.




Green Beans with Bacon and Hazelnuts 1 teaspoon oil

1  large shallot, minced

1 pound  green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup water

2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts (see Tips & Techniques)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until starting to brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add green beans and cook, stirring often, until seared in spots, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water; cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes for tender-crisp or 6 minutes for tender. Remove from heat and stir in bacon, hazelnuts, and salt.

Tips & Techniques

Toast whole hazelnuts on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 7 to 9 minutes. Let the nuts cool for a few minutes, then rub together in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the papery skins.