This Week’s Share
- Basil
- Chard
- Cucumbers, Slicing and Lemon
- Onions, Torpedo
- Potatoes, Sangre
- Summer Squash
- Sweet Corn
- Tomatoes
On Rotation
Share Notes
- Cucumbers: Here at SIO we grow a classic green cucumber and a lemon cucumber variety, which is round and yellow but tastes nothing like a lemon. Both can be used fresh sliced in salad and on sandwiches, for soups, lightly sautéing, and for sauces.
- Potatoes: This week in your share you will receive 3 pounds of beautiful, large Sangre potatoes. As we allow your potatoes to size up the fields there is always some chance for small cosmetic damage. There is a possibility over the season you may see damage from wire worm or scurf and the damage is usually to a small portion of the outer skin which can be easily peeled or cut off.
- Tomatoes: Out here on the farm we grow three types of tomatoes. These are slicing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and San Marzano paste tomatoes. Throughout the season you will receive all three types of tomatoes in your share.
Recipes
Basil Recipes
Basil Pesto
Recipe from Francesca Benedetti (CSA Coordinator at SIO)
Note: If you have never made fresh pesto you are truly in for a treat. Its easy, delicious, and can keep for up to 6 months in the freezer (or up to a year if you don’t add the cheese before freezing). You can look forward to another pesto size quantity of basil in a future share, so if you just can’t resist eating your whole batch at once you can do another round in a few weeks.
2 cups basil, thick longer stems removes
3-4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pecans
¼-½ cup olive oil (how much depends on your preferred pesto consistency)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Put basil and garlic in a blender or food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the toasted nuts and pulse a few more times. Now pour the olive oil into the blender/processor relatively slow with the blender/processor going until a paste is formed. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue adding oil (up to 1/2 cup) until your desired pesto consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also add in 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice near the end for a more tangy flavor. Makes approximately 1 cup pesto. Great on pasta, sandwiches, vegetable dishes, corn on the cob, toast, and many more things.
Insalata Caprese
Recipe passed down through generations of Italians who have enjoyed this delicious combination of flavors fresh from their gardens’ for hundreds of years.
Note: This simple tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad originates from the island of Capri in the Campania region of Italy, and it is truly one of the most delicious ways to enjoy the flavors of summer. If you are up for a real treat try making your own 30-Minute Fresh Homemade Mozzarella (recipe below) to accompany the SIO grown tomatoes and basil.
1 slicing or heirloom tomato, sliced to ½ inch thickness
1 ball fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼ inch thickness (make your own, recipe below)
10 leaves fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
*This recipe gives snack size quantities, but its very easy to double, triple, or increase at whatever proportion to meet your needs.
Fresh Homemade Mozzarella (in only 30 Minutes)
Adapted from Ricki Carroll, Author of Home Cheese Making
1 gallon whole (or 2%) cow milk (avoid ultra-pasteurized)
1 ½ tsp citric acid (found in the bulk spice section at New Season, Fred Meyer, etc.)
¼ tsp liquid rennet*
Cheese salt (any non-iodized salt, such as kosher, sea salt, or non-iodized table salt)
Cooking thermometer (a.k.a. Candy or cheese thermometer)
Cheese cloth (optional)
* Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes produced in any mammalian stomach to digest the mother’s milk, and is often used in the production of cheese. There are non-animal sources for rennet that are suitable for vegetarian consumption (Foster and Dobbs located in NE Portland and Kookoolan Farms in Yamhill both carry the animal and vegetarian liquid rennet, along with many other useful cheese making supplies).
Combine rennet and ¼ cup water in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, dissolve citric acid powder in ½ cup water and stir until dissolved. Pour citric acid into a very large pot. Add milk, stir, and heat moderately. Small clots starting to form and floating in the milk is normal.
Using a cooking thermometer, remove pot from heat when the milk reaches 88 degrees. Add rennet and stir for 30 seconds, then allow to set undisturbed for 6-8 minutes. The process is complete when the liquid milk has transformed into a semi-firm custard consistency.
While still in the pot, cut the curd gently with a knife. Drawing the knife through the curd from top to bottom and from side to side, you’ll end up with a checkerboard pattern in the surface of the curd. The liquid whey should be clear and slightly yellowish.
Scoop out the curd and put into a colander (or in cheese cloth in a bowl). Curds will be soft but should hold their shape. Drain curds briefly while gently pressing. Pour off pooling whey.
If you have a microwave, microwave curds on high for 1 minute. Drain off excess whey, then knead the curd the same way you would bread. Heat for 30 seconds, drain, and knead again. Repeat this process at least 3 times. Note that the cheese curd will become very warm, so you may want to wear rubber gloves. Incorporate salt in small amounts as you knead (not more than a teaspoon).
If you don’t have a microwave, heat a pot of water to near boiling-about 180 degrees. Dip the curd in the hot water for several seconds, remove, and knead. It’s helpful to divide the curd into several segments. Repeat the process about 3 times. Incorporate salt to taste.
Stretch! As you knead, the mozzarella will gradually become smooth and pliable, much like bread dough. When the curd stretches effortlessly like salt water taffy, shape the cheese in any manner you like (balls of any size, one large ball, or strands). Cool in ice water. Once cool, it’s ready to eat! Makes about 3/4 pound.
Corn Recipes
Note: Remember to look at the Chef’s Corner in the Week 12 blog post for corn ideas from Laurelhurst Markets’ David Kreifels.
Grilled Chicken & Corn Red Potato Salad with Jalapeno Vinaigrette
Recipes adapted from www.simplyscrupmptiousfoodie.com
Note: This salad can be made with or without the grilled chicken. If you do include the grilled chicken feel free to make it using your favorite recipe, or you can try out the Lime and Herb Grilled Chicken recipe included below. Either way, make sure you enjoy this fun Southwest twist on potato salad.
Jalapeno Vinaigrette
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
a pinch of salt
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded and finely chopped
Grilled Chicken & Corn Red Potato Salad
2 cups Grilled Chicken, chopped and diced (recipe below)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for drizzling on corn
5-7 red potatoes
2 fresh ears corn, with husked removed
Put the onions and jalapeno in a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Then whisk until the vinaigrette becomes a smooth dressing. In a pot of salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool, then cut into bite-size pieces. Grill the corn and keep turning until almost all sides have char marks, which should take about 10 minutes or less. Slice the kernels off the cobs. Add the corn to the potatoes. Then add the grilled chicken. Add the vinaigrette. Then toss to combine all of the ingredients. Serve as a side dish or have this yummy salad as a quick to-go lunch!
Lime and Herb Grilled Chicken
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic power
2 tablespoons parsley (could also use basil)
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon sage
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
Place the chicken into a bowl and pour the lime juice over the chicken. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, parsley/basil, rosemary, sage, and black pepper. Drizzle the chicken with one tablespoon olive oil and turn to coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for an hour or two. Preheat a grilling pan or once again the beloved George Foreman grill. Place the chicken onto the grill. Grill for about 15 minutes, or until beautiful char marks have developed.
Summer Squash Recipe
Zucchini Provencal
From Herbs Love Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and Zucchini by Ruth Bass
Note: Use the basil and garlic in whatever quantity you please.
1 pound zucchini (4-5 small, 2 medium, or one large)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large ripe tomato
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Scrub the zucchini and slice into 1/4-inch rounds (if using medium or large size zucchini you may need to cut rounds into halves or quarters). Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes over very low heat, taking care not to brown the onion. Core the tomato, halve crosswise and scoop out some of the seed with a melon baller or small spoon. Chop the tomato coarsely. Add the zucchini to the skillet and cook over low heat stirring frequently to prevent any vegetables from sticking. After 2 minutes, add the basil and parsley. When the zucchini is almost tender add the chopped tomato and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
Potato Recipe
Grilled Chicken & Corn Red Potato Salad with Jalapeno Vinaigrette
(see above in Corn Recipes)
Tomato Recipes
Insalata Caprese
(see above in Basil Recipes)
Zucchini Provencal
(see above in Summer Squash Recipe)