Two Small Farms What's in the Box

Two Small Farms

What's in the Box 2009

**If you're interested in signing up, you can do so at anytime, as long as there is room at the most convenient pick up site. Check to see if your preferred pick up site still has availability. And if we can't start you right away, we can add you to our waiting list. Read here more on how to sign up.

Fill out your e-mail address to receive our newsletter!

Subscribe Unsubscribe

Tomato U-Pick Days!

Free Email Newsletter

Recipes

Photo Gallery

Pickup Site List

High Ground Organics

Mariquita Farm

Ladybug Letter

Tell Your Friends

2008 newsletters indexed at our What's in the Box 2008 page

2007 Newsletters are indexed on our Blog

2007 Lists of what was in the boxes

2006 Lists of What was in the boxes

Old Newsletters as pdf files

Two Small Farms T-shirts!

Recipe Archive A-Z:
many recipes!

Red Cabbage and Orzo Soup

3/4 cup chopped red cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 thin lemon slices
1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallion greens

In a saucepan cook the cabbage in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is tender, stir in the
broth and 1/2 cup water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the orzo, simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the orzo is tender, and add the soy sauce and pepper to taste. Divide the soup between bowls and top each serving with half the lemon
slices and half the scallion greens.

Makes about 3 cups, serving 2.

Tabbouleh (from Joy of Cooking: this is a great way to prepare curly parsley)

Combine in a large bowl:

1 cup medium bulgur
2 cups boiling water

Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain in a sieve, pressing with the back of a large spoon to remove the excess moisture, and return to the bowl. Add:

4 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 cup chopped parsley sprigs
1 cup chopped soup celery
1 cup packed mint sprigs, chopped
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped

Stir in:

1/2 t allspice, optional
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

Whisk together:

1/3 C fresh lemon juice
1/3 C olive oil (extra virgin)

Add to the bulgur and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature

Collard Greens Braised (Adapted from Cooks Country)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 leek or 1 small onion, chopped
1 bunch collard greens, stemmed and chopped (rinsed well first of course)
½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
1-2 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp mild vinegar: champagne or cider

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in large sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add half of the greens, broth, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Cover and cook until greens are beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining greens and cook, covered, stirring occasionally over med low heat until quite tender, about 30 minutes. Remove lid and cook over med high heat until liquid is almost evaporated, about 5-10 minutes. Off heat, stir in butter, vinegar, and serve.

Chard-Tomato Peasant Pasta
(recipe told by Martin to Julia, who wrote it all down as best she could!)

1 bunch Erbette Chard, cleaned, stems removed, and very roughly chopped (can be in fairly large pieces)
olive oil
garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (3?)
4-5 medium sized ripe tomatoes, chopped
fresh pasta, we used Cafferata's fresh spaghetti or dried spaghetti
splash of white wine or squeeze of lemon
S & P

**note: have tongs or other utensil to fish cooked chard out of the water so you can boil the pasta in the same water. another note: save a little pasta water for the final dish....

Bring one large pot of water to boil, then add a couple of teaspoons of salt. Add chard pieces to the water and cook until blanched, 2 minutes or so. Fish out the chard with tongs or strainer. Add pasta to water to cook if using dried pasta...

Meantime, cook the garlic in the oil in a large saute pan for 1 minute over medium or medium high heat until softening a little, make sure it doesn't burn. Add blanched chard & chopped tomatoes. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Cook up the pasta now if you're using fresh pasta.

Now the fun part: toss everything together, with a splash of white wine or lemon juice, and add a little of the pasta water to make everything a tad soupy. Adjust seasoning (add S & P to taste) and EAT.

Sugar Pie Pumpkin: a great cooking pumpkin: for soup, muffins, pumpkin bread/bars/cookies, pie of course. Can you use it for a small jack o’ lantern or general fall decoration? Yes, that’s allowed too! You can even cook it when you’re done with the decoration.

You can bake the pumpkin (remove stem, cut in half, remove seeds, bake cut side down until tender all the way through) then puree the cooked pumpkin you scoop from the skin. (discard the skin). You can freeze the puree in 1 or 2 cup portions for later use: or make your pumpkin recipes now!

Fennel: This is one of my favorite vegetables. It’s quite versatile. If you and/or others in your family also love it: slice as thin as you’re able and make it into it’s own salad. Dress with a favorite vinaigrette and some shaved onion, or sliced olives, or just S & P. IF YOUR FAMILY or you don’t care for fennel, or think you don’t, try this: chop like celery and cook with the onion when you’re starting a chili or spaghetti sauce. There will be NO anise flavor at all, you will have used up the fennel, and all will be well. Really, this works!

Stir Fried Noodles with Cabbage and Chard

1 lb. dried Japanese ramen noodles, or capellini
½ head or so red or green cabbage, leaves cut from stem and sliced thinly
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tbsp garlic, minced (fresh)
1 tsp dried chile flakes
2 or more cups thin onion slices: about 1 large or 2 medium red or white or yellow
1 bunch chard or other cooking greens (cleaned and sliced into thinnish strips), and or julienned carrots
2 tbsp sake or rice wine
sliced, toasted almonds, or toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Sauce: Mix together:
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire OR fish sauce
3 tbsp rice wine or sake

Boil noodles according to package directions, but be sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse, set aside for a moment. Heat oil in heavy, large fry pan over medium/high heat, then add ginger, onions, and chile flakes. After about a minute or two, add the garlic. Cover and cook for a good amount of minutes, until the onions are soft. Now add the cabbage, and carrots if you’re using, and rice wine/sake. Cook until the cabbage is soft. Add the chard. Cook until it’s bright green, about a minute or two. Add the Sauce. Stir around a bit. Add the cooked Noodles. Top with the almonds or sesame seeds. Serve.

Crusty Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes
Adapted from Bon Appetit

2 pounds potatoes, quartered
5 large garlic cloves, sliced thin lengthwise
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

In a steamer set over boiling water, steam the potatoes, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until they are just tender. In a non-stick skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until it is pale golden. Add the potatoes, the rosemary and salt and pepper to taste and saute the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring for 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden.

Roasted Green Beans with Onions and Walnuts
from Simply Recipes

1 lb green beans, stem ends snapped off
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 medium thin-sliced garlic cloves
1/2 medium yellow or red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
Method

1 Adjust oven rack to middle position, preheat oven to 450°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (prevents burning on dark baking sheets, provides easy cleanup); spread beans and onions on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; using hands, to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, toss to coat, and distribute in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes.

2 While roasting, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, thyme, and garlic slices in a small bowl.

3 After beans and onions have roasted for 10 minutes, remove from oven. Drizzle vinegar honey mixture over the beans and onions; use tongs to coat evenly. Put back in the oven and continue to roast until onions and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans have started to shrivel, about 12-15 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with toasted chopped walnuts, and serve.

Serves 4.

Cooked Greens: an everyday recipe

Trim & wash the greens, leaving water on the leaves. Cut up into small squares or ribbons.

Heat frying/saute pan that will fit the greens, add a bit of oil (or bacon fat, or even butter if you like, I usually use grapeseed, peanut, or olive oil).

Add some-lots of chopped garlic and or onions. Cook only until barely translucent, don't let the garlic burn. Add the greens all at once, and give a stir. Then stir until they're bright shiny green, or even a darker green

OPTIONS:
-with chard I like to add a dollop of dijon mustard, and once in a while a dollop of cream cheese.

-you can add a couple of Tablespoons of rice wine or balsamic to finish the dish.

-S & P to taste if you like, but they're not crucial. Depends on your taste

-chopped/toasted nuts sprinkled at the end

White Bean Soup with Quinoa, Spinach, and Shiitakes
adapted from allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ready In: 2 Hours 40 Minutes
Servings: 6

1 pound dry cannellini beans
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 pound shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 large onion, leek, or other slicing allium, sliced into thin rings

1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary
1/2 cup quinoa
10 ounces washed fresh spinach, chopped (about what your csa bag is this week
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the cannellini beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Or, bring the beans and water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans before using.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until they soften and begin to give up their juices, about 4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pot, and set aside. Heat the remaining tablespoon of canola oil in the pot, and stir in the sliced onions. Cook and stir until the onions have caramelized to a dark brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine and rosemary, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the drained beans, and enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the cooked mushrooms and quinoa; continue cooking until the beans and the quinoa are tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove from the heat, and stir in the spinach leaves until wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS

1/2 lb sugar snap peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
S & P to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cut off rough edge of peas and a bit of the string along the side (your preference how much).
3. Spread peas onto baking sheet so that they are in a single layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with shallots, thyme and salt.
4. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Servings: 4

Matthew K's Agretti Spaghetti

I experimented tonight with half of my agretti and it came out really well. I modified this recipe from an Italian website that I found and I am happy.

[for two people]
1/2 pound spaghetti
handful of agretti
1 link Italian Sausage
2 green garlics or spring shallots, minced
1 Cup ricotta cheese
Olive oil

-Clean the agretti and remove the "bulbs"
-Boil agretti with spaghetti in salted water according to the cooking time on the spaghetti box (I was taught pasta water should be as salty as the sea) I use "course salt for ice cream making" to salt my pasta water, a hefty handful into the water is usually enough
-While the pasta is cooking, brown Italian Sausage in a pan with green garlic with a bit of olive oil
-drain the pasta and return to cooking pot, mix all ingredients together and add pepper to taste (I added a spoonful of my hot pepper infused oil to add a kick).

SPICY SAUTEED DANDELION GREENS

In Rome, this is a typical way of preparing bitter greens.

1 bunch dandelions,leaves cut crosswise into 4-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, smashed OR 1-2 stalks green garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook greens in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until ribs are tender, 4 to 5 minutes, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and drain well, gently pressing out excess water.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Increase heat to moderately high, then add greens, red pepper flakes, and salt and sauté, stirring, until liquid greens give off is evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Gourmet

Ginger Parsnip Soup adapted from Bon Appetit 2/2001

2 Tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onions
½ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped (about one pound)
1 cup half and half

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients and saute until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and parsnips; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
Puree soup (immersible blender or a traditional blender or food processor). Strain into another large pot; discard solids in strainer. (I would skip this step.) Whisk in half and half. Season with salt and pepper.

Planned for the box the Week of November 18th, 19th, and 20th - last week of the season!

Butternut Squash

Chard

Sweet Potatoes OR New Potatoes (German Butterballs)

Bag of Loose Turnips (mixed colors) OR anaheim chiles for some Friday folks

Beets

Chantenay Carrots OR Red Butter Lettuce

Leeks

Mystery

PDF version of this week's newsletter

--------

In the box the Week of November 11th, 12th, and 13th: