Weekly Produce, Recipes & Ideas 2008

December 29, 2008

Celery - Underwood Farms
Fuji Apples - Joanas Organic Farms
Breakfast Radishes - Underwood Farms, these beautiful little radishes are great sliced thin and put on a piece of bread with butter and sea salt.
Mixed Sprouts - The Sprout Farm, a mix of radish, onion and fenugreek sprouts. Sprinkle on salads or sandwiches
Snap Peas
Baby Broccoli
Cabbage - Finnley Organic Farms

Collard Greens - Lily’s Herbs, this simple recipe is one of the best I have had for vegetarian collard greens. Remove stems, and chop collards. After chopping, rinse in a colander very well. Sautee collards with diced onions, chopped garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil. When they are wilted add a splash of wine and 1/2 cup or so of water. Reduce liquid until gone.  Splash collards with a bit of red wine vinegar salt and pepper. Collard greens are one of those leafy vegetables that actually benefit from cooking longer.

Spinach - Sautee with onions and garlic, add a dash of nutmeg and a drizzle of cream.
Oranges - Agnew Sweet Acres, cut up into salads, drizzle with honey and cinnamon for a yummy dessert, and eat whole.
Grapefruit - use on salads, cut in half, sprinkle with brown sugar and enjoy for breakfast.
Avocados
Burgundy Potatoes - Wieser Farms

Side Note - I am in the process of finding another local farmer who does citrus. Agnew Sweet Acres Meyer lemon crop was wiped out by this last freeze. All of the oranges and tangerines are fine, but the lemons were totally wiped out. They also lost 170 saplings they just planted. Mother Nature!

Curried Orange and Avocado Salsa

Yield: 3 cups

2 large oranges
1 large red grapefruit
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh green onions
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
sea salt and pepper

Cut peel and white pith off oranges and grapefruit. Using small knife and working over heavy small saucepan to catch juice, cut between membranes of fruit to release segments. Using slotted spoon, transfer segments to work surface and chop. Transfer segments to bowl. Scrape juice from work surface into saucepan. Squeeze any remaining juice from citrus membranes into saucepan. Whisk curry powder into juice. Boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Cool.

Add avocado, green onion and cilantro to citrus segments. Drizzle with oil and 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon reduced juice (reserve remaining juice for another use). Season with sea salt and pepper.  Toss gently; serve immediately.

Sesame Snap Peas

This is the easiest recipe in the world! It has been adapted from Barefoot Contessas/Ina Gartens cookbook.  It is a staple at Auntie Em’s. The rare times of the year that it comes off our seasonal salads menu there is uproar from our customers. You can also trade the snap peas out for snow peas.  This is the perfect side dish to take to friends house, because the peas hold up very well for as long as 8 hours. And there is no cooking! Perfect served as a side dish to any Asian main dish, or great to have as a snack.

Ingredients

1/2 pound sugar snap peas
 Dark sesame oil to taste
 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
 Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Remove and discard the stem end and the string from each pod. Toss the snap peas in a bowl with sesame oil to lightly coat the peas. Add sesame seeds, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

December 22, 2008

Butternut Squash -Mc Grath Farms
Navel Oranges -Agnew Sweet Acres
Tangerines -Agnew Sweet Acres

Arugula -Mc Grath Farms

Pears
Rosemary
Honey Dates -Agnew Sweet Acres

Red Russian Kale - South Central Organic Farms Garlic

Asian Pears
Meyer Lemons - Agnew Sweet Acres
Sweet Potatoes

Cimarron Black Leaf Lettuce -South Central Organic Farms

Mixed Colored Baby Carrots -Mc Grath Farms
Fuji Apples
Brussels Sprouts
White Large Fingerling Potatoes

Chioggia Heirloom Italian Beets also called Candy Cane -South Central Organic Farms

Donna’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This recipe is from Donna Coppola, head chef at Auntie Em’s Kitchen. It is so delicate and flavorful.

2 lb sweet potatoes
2 egg yolks
2 T milk or cream
3/4 c flour, plus more for kneading
3/4 c corn meal
1 1/2 t salt
2 pinches freshly ground nutmeg
1 pinch cayenne
2 T rosemary, finely minced

 

Bake sweet potatoes whole and un-peeled at 375 until tender.  Cool and peel; do not refrigerate them.  Mash potatoes until very fine, mixing them together completely.  You could put them through a ricer or push them through a sieve for the best texture. 

In a bowl, make a mound of the potatoes with a well in the center.  Add the egg yolks and milk to the well, and mix with a fork.  Then, with a large spoon, mix the them into the potatoes.  Stir in the flour, corn meal, salt, nutmeg, rosemary, and cayenne.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead the dough for a few minutes until the mixture is uniform.  Sprinkle flour if the dough gets sticky.

Divide the dough into 8 or more pieces and roll into long ropes about 1/2" in diameter.  Cut the ropes into 1" pieces. Press each gnocchi on the back of a fork to make ridges.  Lay out the gnocchi in a single layer on a sheet pan and sprinkle with flour or cornmeal.  

In a large pot of salted boiling water, drop the gnocchi in and cook for about 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse with hot water.

Serve with brown butter and sage; sautéed greens with garlic, a little stock and sprinkled with bleu cheese; or with cream sauce.

December 15, 2008

Citrus is here! This week we have Navel oranges, Meyer lemons, Mandarin oranges (my absolute favorite).  The Mandarin are so sweet, easy to peel and the perfect sized snack. Mike and Sandra at Agnew Sweet Acres pick them per order. So all of your citrus was picked just a couple of days ago. Most citrus fruit in the stores is picked weeks to months before they are ripe, and then gassed with methane to ripen them. They are not able to sweeten on the vine naturally. You will definitely be able to tell the difference in taste.

Wild Mushroom Fried Rice

Yield: 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons minced ginger
3/4 lb. assorted mushrooms, stems removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons rice wine or sake
1 cup minced scallions
4 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup cilantro

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil and heat until hot. Add garlic, ginger and mushrooms and stir for 2-3 minutes. Lower heat to medium and add rice wine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add scallions, rice and soy sauce.  Cook for 2 more minutes stirring a couple of times.

Baby Gem Lettuces with Meyer Lemon and  Oil Cured Olives
(adapted from: Maggie's Table by Maggie Beers)

The Meyer lemon gives this salad a slightly fruity, fresh note. Use a very good extra virgin olive oil, and pluck the leaves from the parsley rather than chopping them.

Yield: 4

2 heads Baby Gem lettuce, gently pulled apart
1 head fennel, thinly sliced
1 handful freshly plucked flat leaf parsley leaves
1 Meyer lemon
¼ cup roughly chopped oil-cured olives
fruity extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

In a medium bowl  toss the Baby Gem Lettuce leaves, sliced fennel, parsley leaves and chopped olives. Squeeze juice from 1 Meyer lemon over the salad. Add just enough olive oil to coat the leaves, and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste.

December 9, 2008

What’s not to love about the winter seasonal kitchen? Winter produce gets a bad rap next to the delicate flavors of spring, and the bold flavors of summer. But we need to embrace the earthy flavors of root vegetables, all the rich creamy potatoes, the beautiful dark green, bold flavored greens that will go away soon.  The beautifully fragrant apples and juicy pears will be gone in a couple of months. So enjoy.  The relationship that I have with the farmers that I buy from constantly reminds me of why I love cooking. They share the same enthusiasm for what they grow, and I hope to continually inspire you with the great produce and innovative but simple recipes!  There is one thing that I always keep in mind when cooking-local, fresh, seasonal and delicious.

Lavender and Sage- Lily’s herbs ,to make hot tea, boil a pot of water, turn off and add herbs
Baby Greens-Lily’s Herbs
Buttercup Squash-Wieser Family Farms, great for stuffing
Fuente Avocados-Spencer Farms, these avocados are creamy and delicious. They are about 6 days from being ripe,  just leave them on your counter.
Artichokes-bring a pot of water to a boil. Add lemon, bay leaf, 2 or 3 garlic cloves and the artichoke. Turn down to a simmer, and cook for about 45 minutes. Artichoke is done when a knife slides easily into the center of the choke. To eat peel off the leaves and scrape the meat on the end of the leaf off with your teeth. To eat the choke, scrape the hairy choke off of the meaty part, and eat the whole thing. You can dip it in butter or and lemon aioli.
Sprouted Salad Mix-The Sprout Farm, this earthy salad of sprouts can be eaten by them self with your favorite dressing, or mixed into your baby greens.
Chives or Lily's Herbs - Chop and add to soups, salads, stews and stirfrys.
Snow Peas
Broccoli Raab
Bean Sprouts
Cilantro
Black Sesame Seeds
Brussels Sprouts-Chop into ¼’s and saute’ with olive oil, butter and garlic.
Butternut Squash-Weiser Family Farms
Green Onions
Cipollini Onions-peel and roast with olive oil and balsamic vin.
French Globe Carrots-Roast with sage and garlic.
Tangerines
Asian Pears

We are just about to burst into citrus season! Blood oranges, Cara Cara oranges, grapefruit, Meyer lemons, Rangpur limes, Key limes, Pixie tangerines and clementines. We took a great hit last year when the temperatures here in California hit record lows for several days in January. We lost a large amount of our crops.  But this year is looking good so far.

Ideas For Citrus Use
Citrus fruits are great for making cocktails (just muddle the fruit in the bottom of the glass and add a splash of vodka)
Use in place of vinegar in a salad dressing
Use orange sections in salads and desserts
Use lemon or orange juice to flavor couscous
Squeeze a little lemon juice on rice
Use citrus slices on fish for big bold flavor
Slice orange segments and mix with olives, rosemary and olive oil for a quick snack when company comes over
Slice oranges and layer between a hard cheese such a Manchego, drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and you have another quick and easy appetizer
Squeeze a bit of lemon into your hot tea

Pear and Sprout Salad with Sesame Dressing

Yield: 4

Dressing
1 ½ tbs soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 teaspoons brown sugar
1 ½ tbs peanut oil
3 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

Salad
1 large firm, ripe Asian pear, cored and sliced into thin strips
2 cups snow pea sprouts
2 cups bean sprouts
1 handful of chives, snipped into 1 inch pieces
1 cup snow peas, cut into matchsticks
1 stalk celery, cut into matchsticks
1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

Put all dressing ingredients into and jar with a lid, and shake, set aside.  Put all salad ingredients in a medium bowl and toss. Pour dressing over and toss lightly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto                           

Yield: 4 as a main course

1 butternut squash
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon cumin
5 tbs grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon chopped sage

Roast squash:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Halve squash lengthwise and seed, then cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and season with salt. Roast slices, skin side down, in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until tender and golden, about 50 minutes.
Set aside 6 crescent-shaped squash slices for serving and keep warm. Cut flesh from remaining slices into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding skin.
Start risotto after squash has been roasting 40 minutes:
Bring broth to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer, covered.
Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add rice, garlic, and cumin and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking but still al dente (it should be the consistency of thick soup), about 18 minutes total. (There will be leftover broth.)
Stir in squash pieces, then stir in cheese, salt, chives and sage.  Serve immediately.

Remember: refer a friend and get your next basket of produce free!

December 1, 2008

Thank you very much for your order.  Below is a list of your produce for the week. Everything is picked when it is ripe, so it is very important to refrigerate all of your produce right away.  Please email me if there is anything that you are unsure of how to use or cook.  The website is also a great guide on how to cook it and store it.  There might be things on your list that you don’t see in your box, because the same list goes out to all customers, and all customers don’t get the same boxes.  IMPORTANT REMINDER- please put any bags, containers or jars that we put your produce in back into your produce bags when you leave them out for us to pick up because we recycle them.  Also, if you want us to compost your produce scraps, please put them in a Ziploc bag and put them in your produce bag. Please, only produce scraps-no meat, etc.

Fuji Apples
Red Onions- Underwood Farms
Baby Spinach-Better Grow Farms
Nantucket Carrots- -from Wieser Farms
Burgundy Heirloom Potatoes-use just like any other potato. Mash, roast, and make potato salads. From Wieser Farms
Carnival Squash-slice up and roast or sauté. Or slice in half and stuff. From Underwood Farms
Rosemary-snip into salad dressings, dips, any roasted vegetables. Leave out on your counter in a glass of water.
Green Onions
Honey Dates-Agnew Sweet Acres Farms. Eat whole, or use in baking.
Fuyu Persimmons- K&K Farms. eat whole or slice up in salads. Delicate floral tasting fruit.
Easter Egg Radishes-Underwood Farms
Pepitas-(pumpkin seeds) eat whole or use in salads.
Red Leaf Lettuce
Carnival Squash - Cream colored with orange spots or pale green with dark green spots in vertical stripes - coloration sometimes divided part and part - golden flesh. Carnival Squash have hard, thick skins and only the flesh is eaten. It is sometimes labeled as a type of acorn squash. The delicious yellow meat is reminiscent of sweet potatoes and butternut squash and can be baked or steamed then combined with butter and fresh herbs.
Swiss Chard-Great sautéed with garlic and onions and tossed into pasta
Our sweet gift to you-Auntie Em’s Peanut Butter Cookie-enjoy.

 

Spinach, Red Onion and Pepita Salad

Yield: 4

1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar
1-teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup toasted pepitas
4 oz fresh baby spinach
4 Easter egg radishes, sliced thin
¼ red onion, very thinly sliced
2 oz goat or feta cheese

Whisk both vinegars and mustard together. Slowly drizzle olive oil into vinegar and whisk until emulsified. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. 

Place spinach, radishes and red onions in a medium bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with pepitas. Serve immediately.

November 24, 2008

Thank you very much for your order.  Below is a list of your produce for the week. Everything is picked when it is ripe, so it is very important to refrigerate all of your produce right away.  Please email me if there is anything that you are unsure of how to use or cook.  The website is also a great guide on how to cook it and store it.  There might be things on your list that you don’t see in your box, because the same list goes out to all customers, and all customers don’t get the same boxes.  IMPORTANT REMINDER- please put any boxes, containers or jars that we put your produce in back into your produce bags when you leave them out for us to pick up because we recycle them.  Also, if you want us to compost your produce scraps, please put them in a Ziploc bag and put them in your produce bag. Please, only produce scraps-no meat, etc.

Fuji Apples
Fennel-Tutti Fruity Farms. The three different parts of fennel-the base, stalks and leaves-can all be used in cooking. Cut the stalks away from the bulb at the place where they meet. If you are not going to be using the intact bulb in a recipe, then first cut it in half, remove the base, and then rinse it with water before proceeding to cut it further. Fennel can be cut in a variety of sizes and shapes, depending upon the recipe and your personal preference. The best way to slice it is to do so vertically through the bulb. If your recipe requires chunked, diced or julienned fennel, it is best to first remove the harder core that resides in the center before cutting it. The stalks of the fennel can be used for soups, stocks and stews, while the leaves can be used as an herb seasoning.
Broccoli Rabe-Underwood Farms It goes by several names. Broccoli raab, rabe or rapini.  It is very popular in Italy. It has a slightly nutty, bitter flavor, which works so well with Parmesan, garlic, red pepper, anchovies, tangy black olives, sage, any citrus juice, olive oil, sesame oil,. It can stand up to strong flavors. Serve with pasta, eggs, potatoes, risotto or grains.
Preparation: sauté, steam, stir-fry or boil.
Storage: Keep in crisper drawer, unwashed for up tow three of four days.
Leeks-Underwood Farms You can use the white parts for soups, stews, sauté and serve over chicken. Use the green part in stocks. You can freeze the green parts until you are ready to make stock.
Parsnips—Wieser Farms They look like white carrots.  They are a nutty tasting root vegetable. Great in soups, stews, chowders, pot pies, or roasted as a side vegetable.
Sunshine Squash-Wieser Farms -Rich and complex. Similar in appearance to a pumpkin, this variety of squash is a Kabocha winter squash that has a bright reddish-orange skin. Common Kabocha varieties include the Green Kabocha and the Orange Kabocha, also known as the Sunshine squash. Good for baking, the golden orange flesh of the Sunshine, which is a tender stringless flesh, provides a sweet nutty flavor as a side dish, as a filling for pies, as a soup squash, or when prepared in baked goods. Small and globe-shaped, the Sunshine squash typically grows to 3 or 4 pounds in size.
Rutabaga-Wieser Farms - The rutabaga is very similar to the turnip except that it generally has yellowish flesh, a more dense root with more side shoots and they are usually harvested at a larger size. Unlike the turnip, the rutabaga has smooth, waxy leaves.
Culture - Requires the same growing conditions as the turnip--cool conditions for rapid growth and good quality.
Storage - If stored between 32 to 35 degrees. F. and at a humidity near 90 percent rutabagas will keep for four to six months. Waxed roots will keep under refrigerator conditions for one to two months.
Candy Cane Beets-McGrath Farms-gorgeous, flavorful and delicate.  Roast in oven at 350 for 30 minutes in skin and slip out of peels. (don’t forget to sauté the beet greens!)
Red Torpedo Onion Use just like regular onions
Garlic
Russian Fingerling Potatoes
Rosemary
Thyme
Marjoram

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

Yield: 4

2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
3 cups water, chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs.), peeled, seeded, and diced
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbs. thyme
1-2 tbsp. pureed chipotle with adobo (or a few dashes of bottled chipotle sauce)
1/2 cup cream (optional)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery, cook another 5 minutes.

Add liquid, potatoes, squash, vinegar, brown sugar, and thyme. If you are using water, add a little salt. The liquid should cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.

Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Working in batches, transfer mixture to blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Return puréed soup to pot. Add cream to soup and stir in. Season with salt and pepper.

Baked Apples

Yield: 2

2 apples
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/8 cup butter
pinch powdered cinnamon
pinch powdered nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 350F. Cut out the core of the apple, being careful NOT to cut entirely through the bottom. Just enough to create a nice hole. In a small mixing bowl, blend together the butter, sugar and spices. Then spoon the sugar mixture into the hole of each apple, dividing it  up equally. Place the apples in a shallow baking pan, and bake for about 15 minutes. The sugar will begin to melt and the apples will be just tender. Bake longer if you prefer softer apples.


Ten great ideas for parsnips:
1. Oven roasted with Curry and Elephant Garlic
2. Mashed with Sweet Butter and Fingerling Potatoes
3. Grated raw and added to Waldorf Salad
4. Pan roasted with brown Butter and Sage
5. Sauted with Apples and shaved Brussels Sprouts
6. Baked with Cream and Bread Crumbs
7. Braised with Nantes Carrots, sweet Butter and Cumin
8. Shaved raw into Autumn Salads
9. Matchstick saute with fresh Herbs and Olive Oil
10. Diced and added to Autumn Soups and Stews

November 17, 2008

Thank you very much for your order. I am going to start including photos with your descriptions to help you identify your produce. If you would rather me email you this info, please let me know. Below is a list of your produce for the week. Everything is picked when it is ripe, so it is very important to refrigerate all of your produce right away. Don’t refrigerate any hard squash, because they get sweeter as the sit out at room temp. Make sure you store any herbs in a baggie in the fridge, because the air circulation will burn the leaves.  Please email me if there is anything that you are unsure of how to use or cook.  The website is also a great guide on how to cook it and store it.  There might be things on your list that you don’t see in your box, because the same list goes out to all customers, and all customers don’t get the same boxes.  IMPORTANT REMINDER- please put any bags, containers or jars that we put your produce in back into your produce bags when you leave them out for us to pick up because we recycle them.  Also, if you want us to compost your produce scraps, please put them in a Ziploc bag and put them in your produce bag. Please, only produce scraps-no meat, etc.

Dandelion Greens Eaten raw, they are wonderful tossed into salads where they add spice and interest. Lightly boiled, sprinkled with salt and a bit of cider vinegar make an easy and delicious side dish. In France, where dandelion greens are still very popular - they are often lightly sautéed with bacon and garlic. They can also be used as a substitute for spinach, swiss chard and kale in almost any dish.
Baby Greens Ready to eat. Just dress with your favorite dressing.           
Asian Apple Pear
Broccoli was first grown in the Italian province of Calabria and was given the name Calabrese. Today there are many varieties. In the United States, the most common type of broccoli is the Italian green or sprouting variety. Its green stalks are topped with umbrella-shaped clusters of purplish green florets.
Herbes de Provence Herbes de Provence is a good addition to any dish from the Mediterranean region and is especially good mixed with olive oil to coat chicken, fish, tomatoes or chunks of potato for roasting, adding to a pizza sauce or sprinkled over game or kabobs before roasting. It's also used for seasoning salads, sauces and cheeses, as well as soups and stews. Try rubbing the blend on whole turkey or the breast before roasting. Rub beef, lamb or veal with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then press the herb blend into the meat. Sear the meat in a very hot skillet on both sides, then remove and finish roasting in a 300 degree oven until cooked to your preference. When grilling add a pinch or two of herbes de Provence to the coals when they are hot.
Rosemary                                       
Braeburn Apples                               
Camomile Great with roasted veggies first of the season Great for making tea
German Butter Ball Potatoes. First of the season.  Creamy, buttery and rich.
Persimmons                             
Fennel
Swiss Chard  Saute with garlic and olive oil.
Sweet potatoes                         
Limes                              
Cilantro
Mustard Greens                       
Ginger

Persimmon, Dandelion Green, Pomegranate and Pecan Salad
1/2 cup pecan or walnut pieces
1 ripe pomegranate
4 ribs celery
2 small or 1 large fuyu persimmon
1/2 pound Dandelion Greens
extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled, optional

Preheat oven to 350. Place nuts on baking sheet and toast till fragrant and lightly browned, 5-10 minutes. Remember the nuts will continue to brown after you remove them from the oven, so take care not to over-toast. Put nuts into a shallow bowl to cool and set aside. To remove the pomegranate seeds, cut off the crown and score the peel as if planning to cut into wedges. Then submerge pomegranate in bowl of water, split fruit and loosen all seeds. Drain seeds and set aside. Use peeler to pare off strings from celery. Slice celery thinly on the diagonal and place in salad bowl. Cut away stem from persimmon, then cut fruit vertically in quarters and cut quarters crosswise into thin slices. Add them to bowl along with nuts, greens and as many pomegranate seeds as desired. Drizzle olive oil over salad, squeeze in lemon juice to taste, add salt and pepper and toss. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese if desired. Makes 8 servings. (adapted from Amelia Saltsman/Fresh From The Farmers Market)

Persimmon Salad With Fennel
Ingredients
1 fennel bulb, washed, trimmed (about 6-7 oz.), thickly sliced (about 2 cups)                
2 med. ripe Fuyu persimmons (about 8 oz. total), washed, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 tsp. fennel leaves, finely chopped      
Orange Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil                  1-2 tsp. grated orange peel
Juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)         2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt               
Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the oil, orange peel, orange juice, vinegar, and salt together in a salad bowl. Then slice the bottom off the fennel bulb, reserving some of the green leaves. Remove the tough outer leaves from the bulb. Then quarter and slice the bulb as thinly as possible. Chop finely a teaspoon or two of the reserved green fennel leaves. Place the fennel bulb and leaves in a salad bowl and toss immediately to coat all surfaces with the vinaigrette dressing.Then cut a small amount off the top and bottom of the persimmons. Slice each persimmon (skin and all) into 1/4 inch thick rounds and then into quarters. Add the persimmons to the salad bowl and toss gently to coat all pieces of persimmon with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. You may want slightly more orange peel, orange juice, and/or balsamic vinegar. Also, if your orange is not very sweet, you may want to add a pinch or two of sugar.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Lime + Cilantro

Yield: 4 as a side

2 small or 1 large sweet potato, washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons unsalted, organic butter
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
a couple pinches of pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, well washed and chopped
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Zest of one lime
More salt and pepper to taste

To a large pot of boiling water add the sweet potatoes. Cook until they are soft but not falling apart, about 35-40 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and return them to the pot. Mash together with the butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Just before serving, mix in the chopped cilantro, lime juice and zest, then salt and pepper again to taste.

Mustard Greens with Ginger and Garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs peeled, chopped ginger
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp chicken broth or vegetable broth (vegetarian option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook a minute more, until fragrant.
2 Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Thank you very much for your order.  Below is a list of your produce for the week. Everything is picked when it is ripe, so it is very important to refrigerate all of your produce right away.  Please email me if there is anything that you are unsure of how to use or cook.  The website is also a great guide on how to cook it and store it.  There might be things on your list that you don’t see in your box, because the same list goes out to all customers, and all customers don’t get the same boxes.  IMPORTANT REMINDER- please put any bags, containers or jars that we put your produce in back into your produce bags when you leave them out for us to pick up because we recycle them.  Also, if you want us to compost your produce scraps, please put them in a Ziploc bag and put them in your produce bag. Please, only produce scraps-no meat, etc.

Red Oak Leaf Lettuce- McGrath Farms. The red pigment in red leaf lettuce contains small amounts of fairly strong antioxidants. Eating red leaf lettuce is a delicious way to get lots of vitamins A and K, plus the anti-oxidants beta carotene and lutein.
Fennel-a root vegetable. Use in pastas, stir fry’s, top fish or chicken or just sauté with olive oil and lemon and serve as a side vegetable.
Grapes-from K and K farms. This is the very end of the season, so enjoy!
Black Russian Kale-McGrath Farms.  Also called black kale, Tuscan kale, Lacinato kale, dinosaur kale  Black kale is a member of the brassica family which hails from Tuscany where it was developed in the 18th century. To use, remove center ribs from all but the smallest leaves then blanch leaves for 3-4 minutes. Cool then squeeze out the leaves and sautee them with garlic and olive oil. This is a very hearty green and pairs well with rich dishes of pastas, beans or pork.
Indigo Carrots-beginning of the season on these-from Wieser Farms. Use just like other carrots.
French Heirloom Potatoes-use just like any other potato. Mash, roast, make potato salads. From Wieser Farms
Red and Green Leaf Spinach-McGrath Farms. Fresh           After washing, dry curly leaf spinach leaves completely by using a salad spinner or by blotting with paper towels.
Sautéed          Use a small amount of oil. One teaspoon of oil is sufficient for three cups of chopped fresh curly leaf spinach in a non-stick pan. Curly leaf spinach may also be sautéed in stock by stirring the leaves constantly and adding more stock as it evaporates.
Butternut Squash- Wieser Farms. Stir-Fry: tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered.
Microwave: 1/2 the squash and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 - 9 minutes.
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 - 8 minutes.
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes..
Radicchio-a slightly bitter vegetable. Use like cabbage or lettuce. Really good cut in quarters and sautéed in a very hot pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Take out of pan and drizzle with a bit of honey and balsamic vinegar.
Culinary Lavender-boil a quart of water, turn off and add lavender and let it steep for 10 minutes, serve as a hot or cold tea.
Lemon Verbena- steep in hot water for 10 minutes and drink hot or as a tea
Lemongrass Leaves-- steep in hot water for 10 minutes and drink hot or as a tea
 Parsnips-They look like white carrots.  They are a nutty tasting root vegetable. Great in soups, stews, chowders, pot pies, or roasted as a side vegetable.

Thank you very much for your order.  Below is a list of your produce for the week. Everything is picked when it is ripe, so it is very important to refrigerate all of your produce right away.  Please email me if there is anything that you are unsure of how to use or cook.  The website is also a great guide on how to cook it and store it.  There might be things on your list that you don’t see in your box, because the same list goes out to all customers, and all customers don’t get the same boxes.  IMPORTANT REMINDER- please put any boxes, containers or jars that we put your produce in back into your produce bags when you leave them out for us to pick up because we recycle them.  Also, if you want us to compost your produce scraps, please put them in a Ziploc bag and put them in your produce bag. Please, only produce scraps-no meat, etc.

Celery
Garlic
Baby Jewel Beets-gorgeous, flavorful and delicate
Oranges
Fennel-a root vegetable. Use in pastas, stirfrys or just sautee and serve as a side vegetable.
Grapes
Pears
Apples
Baby Greens
Mixed Heirloom Carrots-beginning of the season on these-from Wieser Farms
Mixed Heirloom Potatoes-use just like any other potato. Mash, roast, make potato salads. From Wieser Farms
Butter Cup Squash-slice up and roast or sautee. Or slice in half and stuff. From Wieser Farms
Radicchio-a slightly bitter vegetable. Use like cabbage or lettuce. Really good cut in quarters and sautéed in a very hot pan with olive oil, salt and pepper. Take out of pan and drizzle with a bit of honey and balsamic vinegar.
Culinary Lavender-boil a quart of water, turn off and add lavender and let it steep for 10 minutes, serve as a hot or cold tea.
Rosemary-snip into salad dressings, dips, any roasted vegetables. Leave out on your counter in a glass of water.
Broccoli Rabe-one of my favorites. Featured on the fall vegetable list.
Meyer Lemons-featured on the fall vegetable list

Your gift from Auntie Em’s: a pack of our signature cupcakes, coconut, chocolate, carrot cake, and red velvet. Enjoy

Chicken, Curry and Grape Salad

Yield: 4

2 teaspoons curry powder
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon mango chutney
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 cups 1/2-inch pieces cooked skinless boneless chicken breast
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Stir curry powder in small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, mango chutney, minced ginger, and grated lemon peel. Whisk to blend. Stir in chicken, grapes, green onions, and chopped walnuts. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

Zucchini and Fingerling Potato Hash Browns

Yield: 4

1 lb Fingerling potatoes
4 small or 2 large zucchini
1 onion
¼ cup vegetable oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Slice potatoes, zucchini and onion into matchstick sized strips. In a medium sized skillet heat oil over high heat.  Add potatoes and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring only once. Add onion and zucchini strips; turn heat down to medium and sauté vegetables until tender and soft, stirring only once so the vegetables will brown. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and serve immediately.

Roasted Figs Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Wrapped with Basil and Prosciutto

Yield: 6 as a starter

4 Turkey or Brown Mission Figs (slightly firm)
4 oz Goat Cheese
8 basil leaves
2 slices Prosciutto sliced length wise in 8 strips

Pit dates and fill with goat cheese.  Wrap 1 basil leaf around each fig, and then a piece of Prosciutto.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in medium sauté pan over medium flame, and add the dates, turn frequently until brown on all sides.  Serve immediately.

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