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.
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
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.