week 4 2014 .cwk - Sunny Sky Farm CSA

Sunny Sky Flyer
July 3rd 2014
Week 4: Vol. 19, No. 4
“What’s up down on our farm”
In the Summer Time
This week we begin to move into our early summer crops and finish
up with some things until we replant them again for fall. Beets and
broccoli are in now with kohlrabi and cabbage soon to follow. Salad
mix, radishes, salad turnips and strawberries are finished after this
week and next week may be our last week of early season head lettuce
as the final spring planting of it has basically caught up to this
weeks heads. I started 6 varieties of head lettuce each a week apart
but I’ll need to adjust that seeding schedule and wait closer to 10-14
days apart for the final heads in July. Lettuce does not do well in the
heat and can go from perfect to a “melted” head in a day or two.
Fortunately our head lettuce can last a long time with proper care
and refrigeration. This weeks heads are huge so the ability to keep
well after harvest is a big plus.
Forth Box
Broccoli
garlic scapes
“Jericho” head lettuce salad mix
strawberries
salad turnips
scallions
beets
next week: beets, scallions, lettuce, carrots and more
This spring I invested several hundred dollars in making movable
sprinkler irrigation and it has paid dividends for the early brassicas.
Timely watering is important for young plants getting established
and that often coincides with a dry spell in May. Just in the nick of
time we got the irrigation into the field and water three times in one
week and the plants responded immediately. This is some of the
nicest early broccoli in a long time and most of this weeks variety
“Early Dividend” has matured nearly all at once so we have a ot for
the shares. I hope you enjoy it and everything else we have this week.
Have a fun and safe 4th of July!
Food For Thought
"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink,
taste the fruit."
Henry David Thoreau
"Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels."
Mark Twain
"We go in withering July
To ply the hard incessant hoe;
Panting beneath the brazen sky.
We sweat and grumble, but we go."
Our broccoli for this week is nearly perfect!
Payment Notice!
Final installment payment was due on July 1st
unless you have made other arrangements!
Don’t Forget!
Ruth Pitter, The Diehards
Some of our Thursday crew cleaning up and grading this
weeks enormous head lettuce.
We need to reuse our boxes every week so returning
or leaving them at your pick up location each week is
important.
Use your beet greens too, they are so tasty.
Sunny Sky Farm: 9697 Lake Meyers Road, Amherst Junction, WI 54407
www.sunnyskyfarm.com
Beets - MACSAC Foodbook
Cooking Tips
• No need to peel, only scrub clean; trace minerals lie just below the surface of the skin.
• Grate into most any salad, cooked or raw.
• Cube beets into veggie soups or stews.
• Serve sliced, steamed beets at room temperature tossed in olive oil with a dash of salt and pepper, or use a simple vinaigrette.
• To bake, cut off leaves and wash roots. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-2 hours or until easily pierced with a fork. Rub off skins and cut off
roots. Serve whole or sliced.
• Young beet greens can be enjoyed tossed raw into a mixed green salad.
• Try beet greens steamed or sautéed, or in any dish calling for a mild, tender green such as spinach or chard
Storage Tips
• Beet greens are best used fresh, as their integrity will diminish rapidly.
• Store greens wrapped in a damp cloth or in a plastic bag in a drawer of the refrigerator.
• To maintain firmness of beet roots, cut off leaves and stems 1-2 inches above the root crown. Store in a plastic bag and refrigerate in the
hydrator drawer. Beets will retain their integrity for three months or longer if stored properly.
Coriander Beet Chips
3 medium beets, peeled
4 cups high smoke oil (peanut or grapeseed)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t thyme
Grind up the salt, thyme and coriander in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Set aside for sprinkling later. With a mandoline or a
sharp knife, cut beets very thinly. In a pot, bring your oil between 320-375 degrees. It s a good idea to attach a thermometer to the side of
the pan as the temperature will fluctuate as you take the beets in and out of the oil. Once your oil temperature is within the specified range,
drop in a few beet slices at a time without crowding the pot. Leave them in the oil for approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove them when they
start losing their burgundy red color and become orange red instead, but before the edges start turning brown.
Thicker slices might need more time, so take them out a few at a time as you see them turning the desired color. They will not be crisp like
regular potato chips, but they will firm up slightly as you let them air dry. Drain the chips on a paper towel and while they re still warm,
sprinkle the chips with the coriander thyme salt. If you have any left before you re done frying them, store them in a covered container or a
paper bag, where they will remain crisp for a little while. If they wilt, you can re-crisp them in the oven on low for no more than 10 minutes.
Roasted Beets with Feta
4 beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup minced shallot
1 T red wine vinegar
2 T minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil, and place onto a baking sheet. Bake beets in preheated oven until
easily pierced with a fork, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once done, remove from oven, and allow to cool until you can handle them. Peel beets, and cut
into 1/4 inch slices. While the beets are roasting, whisk together shallot, parsley, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar in a bowl
until blended; season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. To assemble the dish, place the warm, sliced beets onto a serving dish,
pour vinaigrette over the beets, and sprinkle with feta cheese before serving.
Roasted Beets and Sautéed Greens
1 bunch beets with greens
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 T red wine vinegar (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chopped onion (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Wash the beets thoroughly, leaving the skins on, and remove the greens. Rinse greens,
removing any large stems, and set aside. Place the beets in a small baking dish or roasting pan, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. If
you wish to peel the beets, it is easier to do so once they have been roasted. Cover, and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a knife can slide
easily through the largest beet. When the roasted beets are almost done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over mediumlow heat. Add the garlic and onion, and cook for a minute. Tear the beet greens into 2 to 3 inch pieces, and add them to the skillet. Cook and
stir until greens are wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the greens as is, and the roasted beets sliced with either red-wine
vinegar, or butter and salt and pepper.
Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 t ground black pepper
1 T brown sugar
3 T soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews
Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still
crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter. While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix
in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce
over the broccoli. Serve immediately.
Alyson's Broccoli Salad
10 slices bacon
3 T white wine vinegar
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
2 T white sugar
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine
the broccoli, onion and raisins. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise. Pour over broccoli mixture, and toss until
well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.
well mixed. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Before serving, toss salad with crumbled bacon and sunflower seeds.
Grated Beet Salad
1/2 pound beets
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp minced chives, mint or parsley (or a combination)
Leaves of 1 romaine heart.
Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler, and grate in a food processor fitted with the shredding blade. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice and
olive oil. Toss with the beets and herbs. Season to taste with salt. Line a salad bowl or platter with romaine lettuce leaves, top with the
grated beets and serve.
Mixed Spring Greens with Roasted Beets
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3/4 tsp. balsamic vinegar (optional)
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or pureed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 ounce mixed baby salad greens, washed & dried A handful of fresh herbs, like chervil, tarragon, parsley and chives, chopped.
2 medium or 4 small beets, roasted (about 3/4 pound), cut in small wedges or half-moons
Whisk together the vinegars, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl or measuring cup. Whisk in the olive oil. Toss with the lettuces, beets and herbs
just before Serving variation: Add 1 to 2 ounces crumbled feta or goat cheese to the mix.
Beets and Greens
1 bunch beets - trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached,
greens washed and reserved
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
sea salt (optional)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
fresh-ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rub the beets with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and place onto
prepared baking sheet. Place in preheated oven, and bake until the beets can be easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 60 minutes depending on size.
When done, allow to cool on the baking sheet until cool enough to handle, then remove and discard the skin, and cut the beets into wedges or
slices. Meanwhile, cut the beet greens in to 1/4 inch wide ribbons. Heat the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add
the onion; cook and stir until it begins to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Once the onions have begun to caramelize, stir in the beet
greens and cook until they wilt. Add the beet slices and continue cooking until heated through. Season with sea salt and pepper before
serving.