CSA Week 10: August 2 to August 8

This Week’s Share

Share Notes

• Garlic: Your garlic this week in not fully cured, so keep in the refrigerator for longer storage.

• Onions, Siskiyou Sweets: Spanish onion with juicy, mild, sweet white flesh, similar to a Walla Walla type onion.

Farm News

Calling All SIO Boxes

Just a friendly reminder to those of you picking-up at our box pick-up sites to please return any lingering SIO CSA boxes you may have at your house. The reusable boxes are essential for the packing and delivering of your weekly shares, and we miss each one that doesn’t make it back to the farm. Thanks for your help in keeping SIO boxes in circulation throughout the season.

Come Join Us

Your Invited to the SIO Annual Potato Harvest Party and French Fry Feast
Saturday August, 20th 10am-2pm

Join us for our annual potato harvest work party and french fry feast. This is a very kid friendly event. Please bring a potluck dish to share. Join us anytime during the event, even just for lunch!

Schedule of Events

• 10-12:30 spuds harvest
• 12:30-1pm farm tour
• 1pm-2pm potluck lunch

Chef’s Corner: August

In addition to the crops SIO grows for our CSA program, we also grown and sell produce to 30-40 Portland area restaurants and kitchens, and this season at SIO we are partnering with some of those restaurants for some culinary inspiration. We have been picking the brains of some of the areas most talented chefs and restaurant owners, and have asked them to provide us with recipes and general cooking techniques based on the crops that you receive in your shares. Out at the farm we crop plan separately for both our CSA program and restaurant sales, so you don’t have to worry that part of your share may be going to the restaurant down the street. The recipes that the chefs will feature include a variety of vegetables that you will see in your shares throughout the month, so remember to look back at the Chef’s Corner weekly. For the month of August our featured Chef is Kevin Sandri owner of Garden State Food Cart on N Mississippi & Skidmore.

Kevin Sandri, Owner and Chef at Garden State Food Cart

I’d been a cook since high school in New Jersey, but it wasn’t until I majored in Environmental Studies at the Evergreen State College in the great NW and studied things like appropriate technology and organic gardening, that I developed into someone approaching a chef. When you’ve grown the vegetables and see the striking difference between something fresh-picked and something at the grocery store (we’re talking NJ in the ’80’s, ok?), you start to treat them differently. And maybe everything else around you, too. After cooking in Olympia, Seattle, and San Francisco, I moved to Portland, initially to escape the restaurant business and be a musician with the Foghorn Stringband. We had some fans who were farmers, and when that time came to a close, I was ready to return to cooking professionally with produce from new friends like Tanya and Josh at SIO, Mike and Jill Paine at Gaining Ground Farm in Yamhill Co., and Chris and Amy at Square Peg Farm in Verboort. The Garden State food cart opened in 2007 with the goal of utilizing the low overhead of a food cart to provide great locally-sourced food at reasonable prices. And to also preserve my relatively independent lifestyle. We’re still in business! Only, we’ve left Sellwood and now call N Mississippi & N Skidmore home. Our website is www.gardenstatecart.com

Recipes for Sauvie Island Organics by Kevin Sandri

Cazilli

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
1 Tblsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tsp. rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 eggs, scrambled
1 cup lightly-seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup olive oil for frying

1. Cook the potatoes with skins on in salted water until just done, drain.

2. Run the potatoes through a food mill, add herbs, salt, and pepper and mix well.

3. Using a large tablespoon, spoon the mash into a dozen or so balls. While still warm (it’s easier), squeeze them into tight, oval-shaped cazilli.

4. Dip the cazilli into the eggs, then the bread crumbs. Shake off excess crumbs.

5. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the cazilli until golden brown, drain on paper towels.

Melon and cucumber salad with ricotta salata and basil

1 Tblsp. pickling vinegar
1 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup pickled onion, chopped (recipe provided below)
2 cups seedless melon, cubed
1 cucumber, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (or use feta)
1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
optional: 1/2 lb Oregon bay shrimp

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients to make a dressing. Combine onion, melon, and cucumber in a bowl, and toss with the dressing. Top with cheese and basil.

Pickled Onions

1 lb torpedo onion
2 Tblsp olive oil
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper

3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs fresh thyme
red wine vinegar

Peel the onions, halve them lengthwise, and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on a hot grill for 2 minutes on each side.  Place them into a glass jar with the garlic, bay leaf and thyme, then cover with vinegar. Let marinate for at least one hour before using.

Carrot Soup with Zucchini Crumble

4 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
2 sweet onions, diced
10 medium-size carrots, sliced
3 cups stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 Tblsp sea salt
1 zucchini, very small dice (brunoise)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

Heat 2 Tblsp. of the oil on med. low and sweat onion until translucent. Add carrots, and on med. heat sauté until caramelized and cooked through. Add stock and salt, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the 2 Tblsp. remaining oil to another pan, and on med. low heat sauté the zucchini briefly for 2 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and stir until they are toasted brown. Add the thyme, stir, and remove from the heat.

Puree the carrot mixture in a food processor until smooth. Place into a bowl (serves 4), and top with the zucchini crumble.

SIO Recipes

Beans Recipes

Roasted Green  Beans
From Serving Up the Harvest by Andrea Chesman

Note: This recipes is easily increased or decreased to meet your needs

1 pound beans (green, yellow, or dragon’s tongue)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Lightly grease a large sheet pan or shallow roasting pan. Arrange the beans in a single, uncrowded layer on the prepared pan. Drizzle the oil over the beans and roll the beans until they are evenly coated. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until the beans are well browned, shaking the pan occasionally for even cooking. Transfer the beans to a shallow serving bowl or platter and sprinkle with the salt. Serve immediately.

Summer Squash, Yogurt & Mint Salad
(see below in Summer Squash Recipes)

Chard Recipe

Chard and Feta Tart
Adapted from Eating Well in Season by Jesse Price

For the crust:

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or oregano (or ½ teaspoon dried)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
5 tablespoons cold water

Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, thyme (or oregano), salt and pepper in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the 1/3 cup oil and 5 tablespoons water. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry to form a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic and chill for 15 minutes

Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F. Coat a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom with non-stick cooking spray/shortening/butter. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to the prepared pan and press into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any overhanging dough and use it to patch any spots that don’t come all the way up the sides. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork in a few places. Bake the crust until firm and lightly browned, 20-22 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 10  minutes.

For the filling:

2 teaspoon olive oil
6 cups chopped chard, leaves and stem separated
2 tablespoons, garlic minced (use green garlic if you have some)
1 Siskiyou Sweet onion, sliced
2 tablespoons water
2 large eggs
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

While the crust is chilling and pre-baking, you can get started on the filling. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chard stems and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and onions and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add chard leaves and 2 tablespoons water and cook, stirring, until leaves the leaves are just tender and the water has evaporated, 2-5 minutes. Transfer the greens to sieve over a bowl and let drain and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk eggs, ricotta, lemon zest and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in to a large bowl. Fold in the greens, olives, and feta. Spread the filling into the crust. Bake the tart until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Cucumber Recipe

Sesame Noodles with Cucumber
From Vegetable Love by Barbara Kafka

1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably tamari
3 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
8 ounces dried Chinese noodles or vermicelli (if you can find fresh Chinese egg noodles use them here)
2 cucumbers, trimmed, peeled and halved and seeded
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

In a large serving bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, soy, peanut butter, vinegar, sugar, salt and garlic, if using, until smooth. This can be done up to 2 hours before serving. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain. Rinse under cool water until they just stop steaming. Drain thoroughly and add to the dressing. Toss to coat. Cool completely, tossing once or twice. While the noodles are cooling, cut the cucumber halves lengthwise into strips as thin as possible; the strips should match the thickness of the cooked noodles. To serve, put the cucumber strips over the center of the noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds over the cucumbers. Bring to the table, toss thoroughly and serve.

Summer Squash Recipe

Summer Squash, Yogurt & Mint SaladFrom What’s Cooking Vegetarian by Jenny Stacy

For the salad:

2-3 summer squash (zucchini and/or patty pan), cut into sticks
1/4 pound beans (green and/or yellow), cut into thirds
2-3 chard stems, sliced
2 cups greens (could use salad share greens, chopped lettuce or chard)
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips (optional)

For the dressing:

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped mint
Pepper

Cook the summer squash and beans in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 7-8 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool completely. Mix the summer squash and beans with the bell pepper if using, chard stems, and greens in serving/salad bowl.

To make the dressing, mix together plain yogurt, garlic, and chopped mint in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Season with pepper to taste. Spoon the dressing onto the salad and serve at once.