White House Gardens Week #10, August 19, 2010

Week #10 August 19, 2010
This has been a very challenging week for me in the garden.  There is so much more to plant for you, but I seem to be running out of time!  That’s my biggest challenge, finding the time to do all that I want to do.  There are so many new things that I want to try and grow.  When these things overwhelm me, I feel like I’m running in circles, and not accomplishing anything.  The days are definitely getting shorter and I can feel the coolness in the air now that the humidity has left.  Fall is upon us and summer is winding down. 

The tomatoes are peaking, especially the cherry tomatoes, but the heirlooms are not ripening yet.  Hopefully the nice weather will continue so we can enjoy the many colors and flavors of the heirloom tomatoes.  The lettuce in your share is an iceberg lettuce.  I am not happy with it’s appearance, I think I let it grow a little too long before picking.  Please let me know what you think of the taste.  Iceberg lettuce is a challenge to grow in my soil, too much clay.  There will be a couple of weeks without lettuce, until the next planting is ready.  In all, I have been pleased with the fact that I have put lettuce in your shares more times than not.  That was one of my goals for this year. 

Another goal was to grow more and better melons.  I definitely got more, but I felt most of them did not taste very good.  I would love to hear your comments on the melons, especially the muskmelons or cantelopes. 

I am also not pleased with the fennel that I picked this week.  I have tried to grow fennel for several years and I think this year may be the last.  Many of the bulbs had bolted without even becoming a bulb!  There is some information about fennel and a couple of recipes in the newsletter.  My favorite way to cook fennel is to sauté it in olive oil and garlic.  Trim the stalks from the bulb and slice crossways into ¼” slices.  Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and crushed red pepper to taste and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add the fennel slices and cook over medium heat until lightly browned and tender.  This makes a great side dish. 

All the peppers this week are hot and/or mildly spicey.  Large shares include some Cubanelles, which are only slightly hot.  The others are jalapenos, Serrano (thin green and/or red), Cayenne (small red, shriveled), Czech Black (dark purple), or Bulgarian Carrot (yellow).  Small shares do not include Cubanelles.  There will be more later.

Tomatoes  Cherry and slicing tomatoes.  Included in the newsletter is a recipe for Jamie Oliver’s “The Mothership Tomato Salad”.  I love this recipe because it’s so simple and can be used to make a salad, a topping for bruschetta, or tossed with pasta.
 
Lettuce  Iceberg type. 
 
Carrots  Carrots (and many other vegetables) are great roasted.  Cut them into slices or chunks along with any other vegetables you may have, such as onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic.  Cut all the vegetables into same size pieces so they cook evenly.  Toss with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Bake at 400 degrees until tender.  The time will depend on what vegetables you are using.
 
Fennel  See above on how to sauté fennel.  Also see info and more recipes in this newsletter
 
Watermelon  The dark green ones have red flesh, and the light green ones with dark stripes have yellow flesh
 
Red Onions 
 
Green Beans  Romano (Italian flat green beans) or Tongue of Fire.  The later can be eaten as a fresh bean or picked later as a fresh shell bean.  Tongue of Fire is green with red streaks. 
 
Peppers  This week’s share is all about hot peppers.  Try the Cubanelles stuffed with meat or cheese and baked.  Use the jalapeno, Serrano, Bulgarian Carrot, Cayenne, or Czech Black to make salsa or add them to fried potatoes.

The Mothership Tomato Salad
From “Jamie at Home” by Jamie Oliver
2 ¼ pounds mixed ripe tomatoes, different shapes and colors
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good pinch of dried oregano
Red wine or balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
1 fresh red chili, deseeded and chopped
Depending on the size of your tomatoes, slice some in half, some into quarters and others into uneven chunks.  Straightaway this will give you the beginnings of a tomato salad that’s really brave and exciting to look at and eat.  Put the tomatoes into a colander and season with a good pinch of sea salt.  Give them a toss, season again and give a couple more tosses.  The salt won’t be drawn into the tomatoes; instead it will draw any excess moisture out, concentrating all the lovely flavors.  Leave the tomatoes in the colander on top of a bowl to stand for around 15 minutes, then discard any juice that has come out of them.

Transfer the tomatoes to a large bowl and sprinkle over the oregano.  Make a dressing using one part vinegar to three parts oil, the garlic and the chili.  Drizzle the tomatoes with enough dressing to coat everything nicely.

This is a fantastic tomato salad, which is totally delicious to eat on its own.  It’s also great served with some balls of mozzarella or some nice, grilled ciabatta bread. 
Note:  This can also be tossed with hot pasta.  Crush the tomatoes with your hands, then toss with pasta, add fresh mozzarella and basil. 

Fennel From a distance, fennel plants growing in the
field look like a tall, rich, plush carpet. With a sweet, delicate anise flavor,
fennel can be used much like celery in soups, salads, stir-fries, and
other dishes. When used raw, its distinct taste shines through. When
cooked, it imparts a subtle but delicious quality to the finished dish.

STORAGE
Cut off the stalks where they emerge from the bulb. To use the feathery
foliage as an herb, place the dry stalks upright in a glass
filled with two inches of water, cover the glass loosely
with a plastic bag, and store in the refrigerator
for up to five days. The unwashed bulb will
keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for at
least a week.

Fennel and Potato Gratin
This is a tasty variation of a traditional
dish. Replace the half-and-half with
whole milk for a less rich dish. Friend
of the Farm.
Serves 4 to 6
butter for greasing the baking dish
1 medium fennel bulb, cut crosswise into
1/8-inch slices (about 2 cups)
2 cups thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes
(about 2 large potatoes)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons butter
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly coat a shallow 2-quart
baking dish with butter.
2. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of fennel slices.
Cover with half of the potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to
taste. Repeat layers until you’ve used up all your slices.
3. Bring the half-and-half to a gentle boil in a medium pan over medium-
high heat. Pour it over the fennel and potato.
4. Using a large spatula, press down on the top layer to submerge it.
Dot with butter. Bake until potatoes are tender and the top is golden,
about 1 hour.
HANDLING
Remove any damaged spots or layers. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise
and check the inner core. If it’s tough, remove it with a paring knife.
Fennel should be washed carefully, because dirt can lodge between
the layers of the bulb. Chop or mince the leaves.
 
Rich Summer Fennel Soup
This hearty soup makes for a meal on its own, and it’s even better the
next day for lunch, though the farm crew seldom leaves any behind.
To make your tomatoes virtually peel themselves, score a very
shallow X on the bottom of each one, put them in a heatproof
bowl or measuring cup, and pour boiling water
over them. Leave them in the boiling water for a
minute or so if necessary; the peel will loosen completely.
Angelic Organics Kitchen.
Serves 3
Bouquet Garni:
1 sprig parsley, stem only
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
Soup:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium or large fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 medium potato, peeled, cubed
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 tablespoons Pernod (licorice-flavored liqueur) (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream or silken tofu
salt
white pepper
chopped parsley
1. To prepare the bouquet garni, tie together the parsley stem, bay
leaf, and thyme sprig in a piece of cheesecloth.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add
the onion; sauté for 1 minute. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.
3. Stir in the fennel, carrot, and potato and cook for 5 minutes. Add
the tomatoes, stock, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, then reduce
the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the fennel
is very soft, about 30 minutes.
4. Discard the bouquet garni. Let the mixture cool slightly and then
purée it in batches in a food processor or blender. (If you are using tofu
instead of cream, add it now and purée with the rest of the ingredients.)
5. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the Pernod and cream. Heat over
medium-low heat to allow the soup to heat through, but do not boil. Season
with salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
Excerpted from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farm
by Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith Publisher). Check with your local farm or bookstore for availability.

White House Gardens Week #9, August 12, 2010

Almost half way through the season, it’s hard to believe.  Somewhere in early July I lose track of time, and then all of a sudden, it’s August.  Where did the time go? 

I love the summer vegetables, but my favorites are the ones that grow in cooler weather: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, carrots, spinach.  That’s what I have been busy planting for you, the fall vegetables. 

This week’s share is just the beginning of the summer vegetables.  The tomatoes are beginning to ripen faster, the peppers are getting huge, and the eggplant is just beginning to produce.  The first planting of green beans are being pulled up to make room for kale and spinach, and the second planting of beans will be ready to pick any minute!  The melons are winding down, and the winter squash is creeping out of it’s row into the cauliflower.  I planted 12 varieties of potatoes, 1800 row feet in all.  That’s a lot of potatoes to dig!  I have dug one row and we harvested about 150 pounds.  Hard work when you’re doing it with a potato fork and two people!  I put a call in to a friend that has a piece of equipment I sold to him several years ago that might make the potato digging go a little faster.  I hope it works! 

The heirloom tomatoes are beginning to ripen, however, the entire tomato crop is plagued by septoria leaf spot, a disease that affects the leaves, not the fruit.  This disease causes the leaves to turn brown and eventually fall off.  The fruit is affected by sun scald because there is no foliage to cover the ripening tomatoes.  I hope the plants can hold out another couple of weeks, but it seems to be spreading rather rapidly.  We’ll see what happens.  We had a lot of rain earlier in the season, which can contribute to tomato diseases.  I don’t use any fungicides that aren’t approved for organic use, and I only used a copper fungicide one time this year. 

All of the onions have been harvested and are drying in the greenhouse with huge fans blowing are over them.  The summer squash and zucchini plants are done, although I did plant another row a week ago.  Nothing has come up yet.  Hopefully we will have a warm, dry fall and the plants will have a chance to produce some more zucchini. 

Lettuce  This week’s lettuce is a red romaine and/or a butterhead called Nancy.  Next week look for iceberg lettuce!
 
Potatoes  This week’s variety is Dark Red Norland.  Don’t wash your potatoes until you are ready to use them.  Store in the bag they came in, out of direct light.  Light causes the potatoes to take on a green cast, which is actually harmful if eaten in large quantities.  If any of your potatoes are green in some areas, cut or peel this green off, don’t eat it!
 
Peppers The peppers are just beginning to ripen.  Green peppers are actually non-ripe red peppers.  Some of you may have received some ripe, red peppers.  There will be more to come!  The long, reddish pepper (if you got one) is called Carmen.  It is red when fully ripe and very sweet.  If your peppers are just beginning to redden, let them stay at room temperature for a few days and they will continue to ripen.  The pale yellow one is called Flavorburst and turns bright yellow when ripe.  Next week look for mildly hot, or hot peppers.

Eggplant  I grow 4 varieties of eggplant:  Violetta (long and skinny shape), Prosperosa (globe shaped with a tinge of purple), Rosa Bianca (globe shaped, light purple), and Galine, a traditional eggplant.  The taste is the same, just the color and shape are different.  Here is a link to  Recipes for Health from the New York Times with many suggestions for preparing eggplant.  My favorite way to prepare eggplant:  Cut the eggplant into ¼” slices.  Bread with flour, then beaten egg,  then seasoned bread crumbs and fry until golden brown.  I love eating this hot or cold. 

Green Beans  This is the last of Provider.  Next will be Italian Romano beans and/or Tongue of Fire, a flat green bean with mottled/reddish hues.  Tongue of Fire can be picked for fresh use or left on the plant to produce fresh shell beans, both of which we will enjoy.
 
Melons  This week’s share includes muskmelons and watermelon.  If your watermelon is a light green color with dark stripes then it has yellow flesh.  If it is dark green, then it has red flesh.  It is very difficult to tell when watermelons are ripe.  Thumping is one technique.  If the watermelon produces a deep, hollow sound when thumped, then it is probably ripe!  Watermelons do not continue to ripen after being picked, so it’s pretty much a guessing game.  Please let me know if yours is NOT ripe. 
 
Tomatoes  Hybrid tomatoes Early Girl, St. Pierre, Celebrity and/or Estiva.  Cherry tomatoes are Sun Gold, Black Cherry, Sweet Chelsea or Sun Cherry.  A very few of you got some heirloom tomatoes.  These are the misshapen, sometimes cracked, ugly globes!  They sure don’t win any beauty contests, but their flavor is superb. 
 
Eggplant and Tomato Gratin
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This is a delicious, low-fat version of eggplant Parmesan. Instead of breaded, fried eggplant, though, the eggplant in this dish is roasted and sliced, layered with a rich tomato sauce and freshly grated Parmesan, and baked in a hot oven until bubbly.
For the tomato sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)
2 pounds fresh  tomatoes, quartered if you have a food mill or else peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 1/2 (28-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes, with juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
2 sprigs fresh basil
For the gratin:
2 pounds eggplant,   roasted
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1.   Roast the eggplant. Roast,  cut in half lengthwise,  cut sides down at 450,  about 30  minutes
2. Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy, preferably nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Stir until tender, about five to eight minutes, then add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes, salt (1/2 to 1 teaspoon), pepper, sugar and basil sprigs. Turn the heat up to medium-high. When the tomatoes are bubbling, stir well and then turn the heat back to medium. Stir often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and are beginning to stick to the pan, about 25 minutes. Remove the basil sprigs.
3. If you did not peel the tomatoes, put the sauce through the fine blade of a food mill. If the tomatoes were peeled, pulse the sauce in a food processor fitted with the steel blade until coarsely pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set aside 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and mix with the bread crumbs. Oil the inside of a two-quart gratin or baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce over the bottom of the dish. Slice the roasted eggplant about 1/4 inch thick, and set an even layer of slices over the tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon a layer of sauce over the eggplant, and sprinkle with basil and Parmesan. Repeat the layers one or two more times, depending on the shape of your dish and the size of your eggplant slices, ending with a layer of sauce topped with the Parmesan and bread crumb mixture you set aside. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until bubbling and browned on the top and edges. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: The tomato sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The casserole can be assembled a day ahead, covered and refrigerated, then baked when you wish to serve it. Don’t add the last layer of bread crumbs and Parmesan, with the drizzle of olive oil, until right before you bake it.

White House Gardens Week #8, August 5, 2010

Week #8  August 5, 2010

It’s hard to believe that August has begun, and we are barely half way through the 20 week season.  I have been busy planting the fall crops: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, carrots, and many others.  All of these vegetables actually like cooler temperatures, and they taste better when the weather is cooler too. 

The tomatoes are beginning to pick up speed.  Everyone received a few, most of you also got cherry tomatoes. 

The melons are ripening in a big hurry:  everyone received at least one.  I planted several varieties, each one becoming mature at different times.  But I guess the melon seeds didn’t read the seed packet, because they all want to be picked right now!  I guess it’s true that you should be careful what you wish for.  My wish was to be able to grow good tasting melons.  I got my wish regarding quantity, let me know how they taste.  Next week the watermelons should be ready. 

Tomatoes  Slicing variety: either New Girl, Estiva, St. Pierre, or Pink Beauty.
Cherry Tomatoes  Large boxes only.  Sun Gold, Black Beauty, Sweet Chelsea, and/or Sun Cherry.
Green Beans  This is the third picking of Provider, and they are still going strong.
Peas  Shelling peas in large boxes only.  This is the last of them.  Please shell these as soon as possible and store in the refrigerator. 
Lettuce  Green Ice (green, crinkly leaves) and/or Antares (red, oak leaf)
Melons  Orange muskmelon named Halona or Athena, although some of you may have a green type, also.  If the rind still feels hard, leave the melon on the counter for a day or two to ripen further.  If your melon feels soft, then consume immediately!
Peppers  The peppers are just beginning to get big.  These first ones are Hungarian Banana Peppers which are a little spicey! (HOT).  In the future I will be putting all hot peppers in a bag in your box, to distinguish between sweet and hot. 
Onions  All the onions have been removed from the field and are drying in the greenhouse.  This is the first batch of cured onions.  These do not need to be stored in the refrigerator.
Basil  Store basil like cut flowers.  Trim the stem, remove lower leaves, and store in a vase of water. Cover the top with a plastic bag   Don’t store basil in the refrigerator, it will turn black from the cold. 

The following recipe for green beans is from a blog I read, Dad Cooks Dinner    You can use this technique for just about any vegetable.

Recipe: Steam-Sauteed Green Beans

Equipment:
Wide saucepan or fry pan with a lid
Ingredients:
1 pound green beans, stem ends trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp butter (optional, but pretty plain without it)
1 lemon, zested then halved (optional)
 Trimmed beans
1. Steam the Green Beans: Put the beans in the pan. Add the garlic, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, and 1 tbsp butter. Cover the pan, and put over medium-high heat. Wait for the water to come to a boil, then cook, covered, for 8 minutes
2. Saute the Green Beans: Remove the lid, and cook, stirring the beans occasionally. Keep cooking until all the remaining water boils off and the beans are tender, and just starting to brown, another 2-3 minutes.
*You should be left with just the butter in the pan, and you'll know you're there when you hear the beans start to sizzle. I test for doneness by biting into a bean; it should have just a hint of crunch to it.

3. Season the beans: Squeeze the lemon over the beans and stir to combine. Pour the beans, butter and lemon juice onto a serving platter. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and serve.

Variations:
*I'm in a real hurry: Skip the garlic and lemon - just use beans, salt, pepper and butter.

*I want to be really healthy: Cut the butter back to 1 teaspoon.  I wouldn't eliminate it entirely.  Even a little butter adds a big hit of flavor to the beans.

*Olive Oil: Substitute olive oil (or any other vegetable oil) for the butter, or do half butter, half oil.

*Asian: Add 2 cloves of minced garlic with the green beans, substitute 1/4 cup soy sauce for half the water, and substitute 2 tsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil for the butter.

*Orange beans: Substitute half an orange and its zest for the lemon.

Notes:
*Trimming green beans: I grab a handful, line them all up with the stem side facing in the same direction, then push the bunch of beans up against my knife to get the stems in a line.  This makes it easy for me to  chop the stems off a lot of beans in one slice.

This has been another amazing week in the garden.  A total of two inches of rain fell on Friday and Saturday.  Then tonight we had another downpour.  I  haven’t checked the rain gauge yet, but it should be close to another inch.  I had trouble deciding what to put in your boxes, there’s so much ready to be picked! 

The tomatoes are beginning to pick up speed.  Everybody got either cherry tomatoes or small, slicing ones.  The heirlooms will take a bit longer to ripen, they should be ready in a few weeks. 

The green beans are loving all the rain. They should be in your shares for the next couple of weeks.  The next planting of beans has not done well, so there will probably be a gap in between. 

Everyone received a muskmelon in their share.  This one has orange flesh and has pretty good flavor.  Leave it on the counter for a day or two, and it will ripen further.  These are the best melons I have ever grown, as far as quantity and appearance.  The taste can vary so much between fruits, I hope yours tastes good.  If not, please let me know, so I can decide whether to grow this particular variety again.  They are a hybrid call Halona.  I grow all the melons on a 30’ x 150’ piece of landscape fabric.  The transplants are planted through holes in the fabric.  They are covered with row cover until they bloom, to exclude insects, such as the cucumber beetle and squash bug.  The row cover must be removed when they bloom so that bees can pollinate them.  Usually my melon plants succumb to disease before the fruits reach full maturity, but so far this year, they are loaded with fruit, and only now are showing signs of deteriorating.  Here’s hoping they will be able to hang in there so that the fruit can ripen.  I grew 8 varieties this year, along with 4 varieties of watermelon. 


Tomatoes  Everybody got either cherry tomatoes, or small slicing tomatoes.  I grow 4 kinds of cherries:  sun gold (orange), black cherry (dark purple),  sun cherry, and sweet Chelsea cherry (both red).  The slicing tomatoes are either Early Girl or Estiva, both hybrids, and very reliable.  

Green Beans   Provider is the variety I grow for the main crop of beans.
 
Beets  Red Ace is the variety I grow. See Recipes for Health at New York Times for more recipes.

Savoy Cabbage  This cabbage has finer texture than red or green cabbage, with crinkly leaves.  Use like regular cabbage in coleslaw or sauted, as in Hungarian Cabbage & Noodles.  See Week #3 for a recipe.  Or try this very simple coleslaw recipe: 
 
Cole Slaw
10 cup cabbage, sliced thin, tossed with salt
½ t. salt – let cabbage drain tossed with salt for a couple of hours
Dressing
1 cup cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar – white or apple cider
 
Lettuce   This week’s share includes either Slobolt (green, ruffly leaves)  or Antares (red, oak leaf).  Remember that summer lettuce can be a little bitter.  Shareholder Susan Connelly shared a tip from the Food Network:  Wash the lettuce very well, store in a plastic bag, with lots of air in it in the frig for a couple of days.  Supposedly, this removes the bitterness. 
 
Cucumbers  This summer I can’t seem to get enough of Cucumber Salad.  I have been making it weekly since I began picking cucumbers.  This will be the last of the cucumbers.  I pulled up the plants this past weekend; they were declining rapidly.  See Week #3 for a recipe for Cucumber Salad. 
 
Carrots  This variety is Napoli, the mainstay of carrots!

White House Gardens Week #6, July 22, 2010

We finally got some measurable rain tonight.  It interrupted the picking twice!  Boy, it was great to have some rain.   I’m not sure how much, but we sure did get muddy!

Every time I plan for what to pick for your shares each week, I worry that there won’t be enough, or that the quality won’t be good, or there won’t be enough variety.  Then I start picking, and I’m surprised at what is ready and how much.  All my careful planning goes out the window when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

While checking the bean plants this week, I was amazed that there were beans on the plants, about 3” long.  Look for green beans in your share next week.  The tomatoes are slowly ripening.  Several of you got a pint of cherry tomatoes or some Early Girl tomatoes.  With this rain, they will begin to ripen faster.

Some of you got pickling cucumbers and the rest got shelling peas.  There will be more peas hopefully.  They are late this year because the first planting failed (not enough rain).  I replanted knowing that the hot weather might compromise the plants, but they seem to be doing fine.  There are blossoms and small pods all over the plants.  The hot weather doesn’t seem to be bothering them too much. 

Romaine Lettuce  I have been more successful this year putting lettuce in your boxes more often.  We may skip a week or two, but the next planting looks very promising.  Lettuce grown in hot weather can be a little bitter.

Onions  These are fresh, store in the refrigerator, and the green tops can be used like green onions. 

Cucumbers  This will probably be the last of the cucumbers for awhile.  The plants are beginning to deteriorate and succumb to disease.  I will be planting some in the greenhouse this weekend in the raised boxes that grew the first potatoes.  This is a new experiment, I hope it works out.  Several of you received pickling cucumbers.  These are the short, fat ones, with a little bit of white at one end.  See last week’s newsletter for a recipe for refrigerator pickles.
Zucchini  The zucchini plants are also winding down.  There should still be some for the next 2 weeks.

Kale  This variety is called Red Russian.  See Week #2 for a recipe for sauted kale or kale chips.

Peas   These are a shelling variety.  Shelling peas is not hard, but can take some time.  Snap off the top, pull down to remove the string, then split open the pod.  Fresh peas are my favorite snack when I’m working in the garden. 

Kale with Garlic and Bacon
 (This recipe serves 8, and calls for more kale than is in your share, so adjust amounts accordingly.)
Shredding the kale allows you to cook it for a shorter period of time, so it retains an appealingly bright color and is gentler in flavor than if it had been slow-cooked.
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Active Time: 50 min
Total Time: 1 hr

2 1/2 pounds kale (about 4 bunches), tough stems and center ribs cut off and discarded
10 bacon slices (1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups water

Stack a few kale leaves and roll lengthwise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining leaves.
Cook bacon in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons fat from pot, then cook garlic in remaining fat over moderately low heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add kale (pot will be full) and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Add water and simmer, partially covered, until just tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Toss with bacon and salt and pepper to taste.
Pappardelle With Greens and Ricotta
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

1 pound greens, such as chard, kale or broccoli rabe, stemmed and washed well, or half of a 1-pound bag prepared greens
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste, minced
3/4 cup fresh ricotta
3/4 pound pappardelle
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the greens (you may have to do this in two batches). After the water returns to a boil, boil two to four minutes until the greens are tender. Using a deep-fry skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer them to the ice water. Do not drain the hot water in the pot, as you’ll use it to cook the pasta. Drain the greens, squeeze dry and chop.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute just until fragrant, and stir in the greens. Toss in the hot pan for about a minute, just until the greens are lightly coated with oil and fragrant with garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

3. Place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl. Bring the water for the pasta back to a boil, and add the pappardelle. Cook al dente. Ladle 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the pasta into the ricotta and stir together. Drain the pasta, and toss with the ricotta, greens and cheeses. Serve at once.

Yield: Serves four.
Advance preparation: The greens, prepared through step 2, will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.

White House Gardens Weeks #4 & #5 2010

Week 4:

What happened to the rain?  It’s been pretty miserable for all the vegetables, but the weeds love this hot, dry weather!  Most of the garden is irrigated and the irrigation has been running non-stop since Sunday.  I got a lot planted this past weekend.  I hope it can survive this heat wave.  Again, if anyone can spare an hour or two, there is a lot of weeding to be done.  A few members will be volunteering early Sunday morning, starting at 7:30.  We would love to have you join us. 

In your share this week you will find:

Cucumbers  I grow several varieties, and they are at their peak right now.  I love cucumber salad made with vinegar and a little sugar.  Slice the cucumbers thin (peeled or not), add a little onion, and salt them.  Place them in a colander for about an hour and let them drain.  Rinse and press or squeeze out the water.  Make a dressing with vinegar, (I like rice wine vinegar) and a little sugar to taste.  Toss the cucumber slices with the dressing, add a little diced hot pepper if you like it spicy.  The amount of vinegar depends on how much cucumber you are using.  Start with a tablespoon and add more if needed.
 
Carrots   Kinko or Napoli are in your share.  The Kinko are the short, stubby ones.  These grew very nicely in some raised boxes that I filled with compost and soil. 
Potatoes  These are new, red potatoes, just dug Tuesday evening.  (Thank you, Rick)  They are not washed and are very thin skinned.  I don’t wash potatoes because they last longer.   Fresh dug potatoes are my favorite vegetable, there’s nothing like them.  Below is a recipe courtesy of Michael Ruhlman, who writes a food blog I read.  www.ruhlman.com These are his comments included in the recipe.  I used parsley instead of tarragon.
 
Spring Potatoes with Tarragon and Chives
I love this technique for new potatoes.  It takes advantage of the fresh herbs that are now in full bloom and can be made up to an hour before serving (gently reheat, serve warm, not piping hot). I believe it’s important to cook potatoes gently, so poach rather than boil (unless you’ve got hungry kids giving you the evil eye, in which case, boil away).
1 pound beautiful potatoes (any variety of thin-skinned potato)
2 ounce butter or to taste
plenty of salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh, lightly chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon minced chives http://ruhlman.com/
olive oil to taste (optional)
Cover the potatoes with water and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low; water can be at an infrequent bubble (just avoid rolling boil that knocks them around), 20-30 minutes.
When they’re tender (pierce with a knife, take one out and cut it and taste it if you’re unsure), strain them, allow them to cool till you can handle them and peel them (again, if you’re in a hurry, you don’t have to peel, they’re just better if you do). Cut them as desired.
Melt the butter in the same pan you cooked the potatoes in, add the salt and pepper, swirl, add the potatoes, stir gently to coat with butter, add the tarragon and chives, and stir to distribute the herbs.  Taste.  Add a tablespoon of very flavorful olive oil if desired, more salt if needed.  Cover until ready to serve.  Gently reheat if you want.


Onions  These are young bulbing onions, also known as spring onions.  Use them as you would dried, cured onions.  You can even use the tops, like green onions. 
Swiss Chard  This is a green like spinach, with a little stronger taste.  It is related to beets and has a similar taste.  The leaves and the ribs can be eaten, but the ribs take longer to cook than the greens.  Here is my favorite way to enjoy Swiss chard:
 
Creamed Swiss Chard With Prosciutto
This recipe is one of my sister’s favorites.  You can use prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon.  They all work great.
2 T. olive oil
¼ cup diced prosciutto
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 T. minced garlic
8 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves  (you can use the stems also, separate them from the leaves and cook the stems first, then add the leaves)
1/3 heavy cream
Salt and pepper as needed
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ t. grated nutmeg
Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the prosciutto and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Increase the heat to high and add the onion and garlic.  Saute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute more.
Add the Swiss chard, sautéing just until the leaves wilt, about five minutes.  Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.  Cook the Swiss chard until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
Season generously with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and nutmeg.  Serve immediately in a heated bowl or on heated plates.

Beets  Chioggia and red beets are in your bunch.  The Chioggia are also called Candy Stripe Beets.  I thought I didn’t like beets until I tried baking them.  Wrap the beets in a foil pouch and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour.  Smaller beets will take less time, and larger ones may take more.  When they are tender, remove from the oven and let cool until you can handle them.  Peel, slice or cut up the way you like.  Toss with olive oil, any vinegar you like, and salt and pepper.  Wonderful salad!  The roots will store longer than the greens, so remove the greens and store separately.  The greens can be sauted just like the Swiss chard, or add them to the chard recipe. 
Zucchini  It keeps on growing!
Parsley and Chives  Use these in the potato recipe!

WEEK 5:

I have been pickling many vegetables this year.  Asparagus, cauliflower, and now cucumbers.  Many vegetables can be preserved by pickling and my goal is to try as many as I can.  The asparagus was a success.  The cauliflower and pickling cucumbers need to age a bit before trying them.  In your share this week you have a lot of cucumbers!  Make some cucumber salad (recipe in last week’s newsletter).  It is very refreshing on a hot day.  Or make shareholder Pat Brannon’s refrigerator pickles.  The recipe is in the newsletter.  Not all of you got pickling cucumbers.  They are the short, fat ones.  I put enough in your share, if you got them, to make the refrigerator pickles or another one, if you like.  If you didn’t get pickling cucumbers, then you got shelling peas.  The peas are just starting to ripen, there will be more later if the heat doesn’t reduce their flowering. 

Cucumbers  Slicing and/or pickling cucumbers.
 
Zucchini/Summer Squash  Here is a link to a blog I read, “Well Preserved” by Eugenia Bone, who writes for the Denver Post.  http://blogs.denverpost.com/preserved/2010/07/13/what-to-do-with-all-that-zucchini/ She has some very good ideas for using all the zucchini.  Eugenia has also written a book “Well Preserved” that I purchased and have tried her recipes for pickled asparagus and cauliflower.  I particularly want to try the zucchini fritters she mentions in the blog.  Many people may wonder why there is so much zucchini sometimes.  The trouble with growing zucchini is you can have a bad year (like I did last year) and then there is very little.  So, we farmers plant more, and then a good year comes along and we are overrun with the stuff! 
 
Red Cabbage  The heads of cabbage got huge with all the rain.  I love braised red cabbage and have included a recipe in the newsletter.
 
Lettuce  Two varieties this week, Green Ice and Red Fire
 
Red Onions  These are young onions before they are fully developed.  Use like regular cured or dried onions, but they must be stored in the refrigerator.  Use the green part just like green onions.
 
Shelling Peas  Just a few of you received a pound of shelling peas.  These are great lightly steamed and tossed with butter and any herbs you have on hand.
 
Dill  Add to potato salad or boiled potatoes, a salad, or your favorite pickle recipe!
 
Grandma’s Refrigerator Pickles
7 cups thinly sliced cucumber
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced green pepper
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons pickling salt and ½ tsp. celery seed over the sliced vegetables
Mix together 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups sugar (I cut the sugar)
Pour over and mix through.
Put in a large container or bowl in the refrigerator and stir once daily for three days, then enjoy!  Store in smaller containers or freeze.  Make sure you leave a little headroom in the freezer container for expansion.


This recipe came from a German friend, Gertrude.  I watched her make it and took notes.  She does not have a written recipe for this.  She’s made it so many times (she is in her eighty’s), that she knows it by heart.  All measurements are approximate.  She couldn’t give me exact quantities.  She said it depends on the cabbage, the weather, and your mood I guess!
 
Braised Red Cabbage
Quarter and core a medium head of red cabbage.  Slice it as thin as you can.  Toss with 1 tsp. salt and let stand in a colander over a bowl for a minimum of one hour or up to 4 hours, until the cabbage wilts.  Chop an onion and sauté it in 1 Tbsp. of oil until wilted.  Add the cabbage, salt & pepper, and toss to combine.  Simmer the cabbage on low heat, covered, about 30 minutes, or until tender.  Add water, 1 Tbsp. at a time if needed.  Add about 3 Tbsp. of cider vinegar, more or less to taste, and simmer another 30 minutes.  Taste and add more vinegar if desired.  Add about 1 Tbsp. of flour to bind all together, and more water if too dry.  Continue simmering until tender if needed.   









                                            

White House Gardens Week #3, July 1, 2010

Week #3    July 1, 2010
The rains have finally subsided, and I think we are on to some warm summer days this week and through the weekend.  The last rainfall was 1.5” (Sunday and Monday).  I worked very hard on Sunday to get the corn and shell beans in because I knew it was going to rain.  I’m very glad I did, even though the temperature was approaching 90!  I was worried that the rain would put the garden over the edge and some things would drown, but everything looks very good.  Most things are planted, except for the 2 week rotations of lettuce, beans, radishes, and other crops that grow fast.  In a couple of weeks I will be planting the fall crops of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale.  I will also plant more carrots, kohlrabi, fennel, turnips, spinach, the list goes on.  The melons and cucumbers look fantastic, best I have ever grown.  Let’s hope no diseases venture in to ruin the crop, which can happen.

Lettuce: The lettuce this week is a romaine type.  There won’t be lettuce for a couple of weeks.  The next planting was delayed due to the rain earlier in June.  I try to plant lettuce every two weeks. 

Onions  These are green onions that grew a little large, but they are still very good.  They are a good size for grilling.  Trim the roots but leave the root end and the green part in tack.  Toss in olive oil, salt and pepper, and grill until tender. 

Broccoli  The broccoli all matured at the same time, even though I plant different varieties to stagger the harvest.  This is due to the warm weather and rain.  Most of the heads are quite large and are actually a little more mature than I would like. 

Broccoli Raab is a member of the broccoli family.  The stems, leaves, and little buds are all edible.  I like it sauted in olive oil with garlic and crushed red pepper.  There is a recipe in the newsletter for preparing broccoli raab or rape. 

Turnips  These are Hakurei turnips, the only kind of turnips I grow.  I think they are the best tasting.  They are meant to be eaten raw or lightly cooked.  The greens are edible, too, and can be used in soups, stews, or sauted like other greens.  I like the turnips in salads in place of radishes or added to a raw vegetable platter.  If you will be storing the roots for later, remove the greens and store them separately.  The roots will store longer than the greens. 

Cabbage  I love cabbage and noodles.  Share holder Pat Brannon has shared her recipe with me and I am including it in the newsletter.  There will be cabbage for the next 3 weeks, as it is all ready to be picked!  Next week will be red cabbage, the following week, Savoy. 

Sugar Snap Peas  This is the last of the peas for awhile.  I hope you are enjoying them as much as I do.  They are so sweet!  The shelling peas should be ready the middle to end of July.  The first planting did not come up, so I had to replant later than I would like.  Here’s hoping they will do well in the warmer weather. 

Basil  There are several ways to store basil, but in the refrigerator isn’t one of them !  The cold temperatures will turn the leaves black.  Try trimming the stems (like cut flowers) and putting the basil in a vase of water.  Or store in an open plastic bag on the counter.  In any case, use it up, as it won’t last.  I make pesto and freeze it in ice cube trays, then store in plastic bags in the freezer.  I have also made a pesto with basil and olive oil, but left out the cheese and pine nuts.  To make a basil paste:  Process 3 cups firmly packed basil leaves with 4 tablespoons olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor to a very fine paste.   Freeze in ice cube trays.  When frozen, remove the cubes and store them in a plastic bag in the freezer.  I add a cube to tomato sauce, or soups and stews, when fresh basil is not available and it’s just like summer! 

Next week look for new potatoes, carrots, Swiss chard, beets, parsley and cabbage.



Broccoli Rabe with Oil and Garlic 
From Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen by Lidia Bastianich
Sometimes you see broccoli rabe cut into little pieces, but I like to serve the whole stems with the leaves attached.  If you peel and trim them the way I describe below, the stalks will cook at about the same rate as the leaves.  Broccoli rabe is a vegetable I like al dente.  By that I don’t mean really crunchy, but with some texture left to it. 
1 pound broccoli rabe  *see notes below
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Salt
¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, or to taste
¼ cup (or as needed) water
Makes 4 servings
To trim the broccoli rabe, first cut off any wilted or yellow leaves and the tough ends of the stems.  Then, holding a stem with the florets in hand, nick a little piece of the end of the stem with a paring knife and pull the little piece of the skin toward you, peeling the stem partially.  Continue working your way around the stem until it is peeled.    As you peel the stem, some of the large, tough outer leaves will also be removed;  discard those as well.  Repeat with the remaining stems.  Wash the trimmed broccoli rabe in a sinkful of cold water, swishing the stems gently to remove all dirt from between the leaves.  Let the leaves sit a minute or two undisturbed, to allow the dirt to settle to the bottom of the sink, then lift the broccoli rabe from the water with your hands or a large skimmer.  Drain in a colander.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden brown, about 1 minute.  Carefully lay the broccoli rabe into the oil and season lightly with salt and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper.  Stir and toss to distribute the seasonings.  Pour ¼ cup water into the skillet and bring to a boil.  Cover the skillet tightly and cook, lifting the lid to turn the stalks occasionally, until the broccoli rabe is tender, about 10 minutes.  Taste, and season with additional salt and crushed red pepper if necessary.  Serve hot. 
*You don’t have a pound in your share, but it should be enough for 2 servings, so adjust the ingredients as needed.  Most of the stems won’t need trimming as described above, they are much thinner and more tender than Lidia describes in her recipe.

Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles
4 (or more) slices thick cut bacon (0ne can never have too much bacon!)
2 T butter
3 T sugar
1 large onion, sliced
½ head cabbage (about 8 cups), sliced thin
3 links of Slovene Sausage from Al’s meats, cut into 1 inch pieces*
2 cups noodles, cooked and drained**


Cook bacon until crispy and remove from pan. Add butter and sugar to bacon drippings and sauté onion until soft. Add cabbage. 
When cabbage has begun to wilt add sausage. Stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper.  Taste. Add a little more sugar if needed.  Keep warm while cooking noodles. 
Add noodles and warm together. Serve.

* This is our favorite (Al’s Quality Meats, 563 W Tuscarawas Ave), but you could substitute kielbasa, or for a bit of kick Al’s Hungarian sausage. Al’s Quality Meats is in Barberton, just down the street from Al’s Restaurant, open for lunch daily- the best area Hungarian dining!
http://www.chew.hu/giving_hungarian_food_a_good_n.html

** Al’s market has a locally (made in Cleveland) noodle. I met the noodle lady (Lyda?) on one of my visits to Al’s meats. They are wonderful egg noodles available in a variety of widths and thicknesses and worth stocking up on.