This Week’s Share
Crop |
Family Share |
Individual Share |
| Carrots | 2 pounds | 1 pound |
| Corn | 8 ears | 4 ears |
| Cucumbers | 2 slicing, 12 ounces lemon | 2 slicing |
| Eggplant | 2 each Italian Bell type | 1 pound Japanese |
| Fennel | 1 bulb | ——- |
| Garlic | 1 each | ——- |
| Lettuce | 1 each | ——- |
| Onions, Copra | 2 each | ——- |
| Summer Squash | 2 pounds | ——- |
| Tomatoes, Slicing | 4 pounds | 2 pounds |
| Tomatoes, Heirloom | 2 pounds | ——- |
Chef’s Corner: September
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 September our featured Chef is Erin McBride co-owner of the newly opened 2nd Story restaurant located in Ladd’s Addition above Cellar Door Coffee Roasters on SE 11th and Harrison.
Erin McBride, Co-owner and Chef at 2nd Story
I was lucky enough to grow up cooking with my mom and grandmas. Even better, my paternal grandparents owned a farm. Summers were spent picking green beans and tomatoes, shucking corn, peeling and pitting peaches, etc. for all of the preserving that went on. I ended up getting my first real cooking job because I decided I didn’t want to take classes one spring quarter (the weather was way too nice that year!). Cooking and food made me happy so I ended up in culinary school. It wasn’t until I was in culinary school that I realized even a lot of cooks didn’t know where their food came from, let alone how to cook seasonally! This led me to the UCSC Farm and Garden Program where I learned how to grow an amazing variety of food. Even better, UCSC introduced me to Andrea Pastor and Jeremy Adams, my co-horts in opening 2nd Story. I came and visited Portland during that time to try out for a job at Higgins Restaurant. To my fortune, my mentor from culinary school put my in contact with her sister-in-law, Shari Raider. Shari and her husband were kind enough to open their home to me during my visit. Luckily I got the job and had an awesome introduction to SIO! Working for Greg Higgins for over 6 six years I was able to cook with the most amazing seasonal and local produce, so there was no doubt when we opened 2nd Story that I would seek out the same.
Andrea and Jeremy opened the Cellar Door Coffee Roasters shop over three years ago (after starting out at the Montavilla Farmers Market) and the three of us opened 2nd Story in the space above the coffee shop a month ago. We recently started doing all of the baked goods and food for the coffee shop in house: seasonal fruits and veggies in baked goods, quiches, soups and salads. 2nd Story features ingredient driven small plates and spirits. Basically whatever we get excited about! I’ve been having a lot of fun pickling some veggies from SIO, so the pickle jar has beets, zucchini bread and butter pickles, cumin carrot pickles, and green beans right now. The buckwheat crepe with almond pesto and chevre features fennel from SIO along with beet greens and potatoes. The quinoa salad recipe that follows is similar to the one on my menu right now as well.
We are located at 2001-2005 SE 11th Ave on the corner of SE Harrison. Cellar Door is open from 7 am-7pm daily, and 2nd Story is open Thursday through Sunday from 4:30-11. We would love to have you come check out 2nd Story, and if you come visit in the next month (we’ll say by Oct. 16) I would love to treat you to an ice cream (or sorbet!) sundae to finish out your meal. Just let us know you’re a CSA member. Also feel free to e-mail me with any questions, recipe or otherwise.
email: 2ndStoryPDX@gmail.com
website: www.2ndStoryPDX.com
twitter: @2ndStoryPDX
facebook: 2nd Story
phone: 503-741-9693
Recipes for Sauvie Island Organics
Quinoa Salad with Veggies
Feeds 3-4
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
3 ears of corn, cut off the cob
1/2 onion, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 eggplant, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup basil, torn
1-2 tomatoes, diced
lettuce, washed and torn
Apple cider vinaigrette to taste (recipe below)
– Bring 8 cups of water (with a good pinch of salt) to a boil, stir in quinoa. Cook until done (the little white dot in the center will disappear) approximately 10 min. Drain water off of quinoa using a fine strainer and spread onto a cookie tray to dry and cool, don’t rinse the quinoa or it will end up soggy. This can be done a day ahead!
– In a large saute pan: heat olive oil, add the corn and onions, cook until onions are translucent then add in the zucchini and eggplant. Cook until the zucchini and eggplant are tender. I don’t mind the slight bitterness of the eggplant, so I don’t usually salt it ahead of time…
– In a bowl, add the warm veggies to the quinoa. Add diced tomatoes and basil. Season all of it with the apple cider vinaigrette to taste, same goes for salt and freshly ground black pepper. I serve it at home over leaf lettuce. You will have some leftover vinaigrette, I just use it later in the week & the quinoa salad is great even after a few days in the fridge!
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup oil (rice, canola, etc)
Tomatoes with Feta & Olives
This one is pretty straight forward, but I can’t seem to eat my fill of it right now!
Sliced tomatoes, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle with olive oil
Crumble feta over the top (most feta is sheep or sheep/goat milk combo for those of us with cow milk problems)
Chop some pitted kalamata or nicoise olives & add those
Tear some basil and enjoy!
Carrot-Zucchini Bread
Makes 2 loaves, this freezes great!
4 eggs
1 cup oil (rice, canola)
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour*
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups zucchini, shredded
1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
*Gluten Free: substitute an equal amount of gluten free flour & add 2 teaspoons xanthan gum. This is how I make it for our coffee shop!
– Preheat oven to 350
– Brush loaf pans with butter or oil and coat with flour (or gluten free flour)
– In a bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in the two cups of sugar, then oil and vanilla.
– Mix together the dry ingredients
– Switch to using a rubber spatula & fold in the dry ingredients in two parts. The batter will be super stiff so be careful not to overmix!
– Fold in the zucchini and carrots, let it sit for a few minutes, give it another quick fold and then divide it between the loaf pans.
– Bake until a skewer comes out clean, should be about an hour.
SIO Recipes
Corn Recipes
Lazy Corn Stew with Tomatoes
Adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison
1 bunch scallions
1/2 pound summer squash (or eggplant)
4 ears sweet corn
1 pound tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeded finely and diced
Several sprigs of basil
Cut the scallions, including the firm greens, into 1/2-inch lengths. Cut the squash into a 1/3-inch dice. Shuck the corn, the slice off the kernels with a sharp knife. Reversing your blade, press out the corn milk. Peel and seed the tomatoes, squeezing the seeds and juice into a strainer placed over a bowl. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. When bubbling, add the scallions and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the squash, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add 1/4 cup water. Lay the tomato pieces over the squash, add the strained juice, and cover with corn and half of the jalapeno. Bury 2 large sprigs of basil into the vegetables, the cover the skillet. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix together 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves and the remaining jalapeno. When the vegetables are finished cooking add salt and pepper to taste and strew the top with basil-jalapeno mixture.
Corn, Cucumber & Tomato Salad
Recipe by Molly Watson, www.about.com
2 or 3 ears corn
1 cucumber
3 tomatoes
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
Basil, mint, cilantro, or parsley (optional)
Shuck corn and cut off kernels and put in a large bowl. Peel, seed, and dice cucumbers, and add to bowl. Core and dice tomatoes, add to bowl. Dice onion and add to bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar or lemon juice, garlic if you like, and salt. Pour over salad and toss to combine thoroughly. Mince herbs and use to garnish salad, if you like.
Warm Corn Custard with Berries
Adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison
1 3/4 cups whole milk or light cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 ears sweet corn, shucked
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup blackberries (huckleberries, blueberries, raspberries or sliced peaches are all contenders also)
1 tablespoon or more light brown sugar
Whipped cream, optional
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Heat a kettle of water. Slowly heat the milk with the sugar and vanilla bean until it comes to a boil. Turn off the heat a let steep for at least 10 minutes. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk and set the pod aside to dry. You can embed it in sugar to make vanilla sugar.
Slice the corn kernels off the cobs and then reverse your knife and press out the milk. Scrape up the kernels and milk and put them in a blender with the flour. Add the warm milk and puree at highest speed for at least 2 minutes. Pour the corn-milk into a fine strainer set over a 1-quart measure. Work a rubber spatula back and forth over the strainer, pressing the milk through. You should end up with about 3 1/2 cups liquid. Rinse out the strainer and set it aside. Beat the egg and yolk in a bowl, then whisk in the corn-milk. Pour it once again through the strainer to get rid of any bits of egg white, then pour the milk into 6 custard cups and set them in a baking dish. Put the dish in the oven and remove one of the cups, to make it easy to pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the sides. Return the single cup to the pan. Reduce heat to 325˚F and bake until the custard is set except for a wobbly dime-sized circle in the center, about 50 minutes. Remove and let cool in the water bath to finish cooking.
An hour before serving, toss the berries with the sugar and set aside. If the berries are tart you may want to use a little more sugar. Serve the custards with the berries on top, and whipped cream, if you like. Best served when still a little warm from the oven.
Eggplant Recipes
Grilled Tahini Chicken with Eggplant and Mushrooms over Soba Noodles
From Food to Live By by Myra Goodman
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
About 3 1/2 cups Ginger Garlic Tahini (recipe below)
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 cups eggplant cut into a 1/2-inch dice
2 cups sliced mushrooms (preferably shitake, but any kind will work)
8 ounces soba (buckwheat) noodles
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup thinly sliced scallions for garnish
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Place the chicken breasts in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag and add 2 1/2 cups of the Ginger Garlic Tahini Sauce (recipe below). Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 6 hours. Set up a grill and preheat (or start the coals) for use at a medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill the breasts for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken breasts to platter.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile place a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the eggplant and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until tender, 5 minutes longer. Add the soba noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander, then return them to the pot. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to combine. Add the eggplant mixture and stir to combine.
Transfer the noodle mixture to a large platter. Cut the chicken breasts diagonally into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Arrange the chicken strips over the noodles and sprinkle the scallions and basil on top. Drizzle some of the remaining Ginger Garlic Tahini Sauce over the chicken, or serve the sauce on the side.
Ginger Garlic Tahini Sauce
1 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tahini, preferably roasted
2 tablespoons minced or grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
3/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3/4 cup canola oil
Place all ingredients in a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine. The Ginger Garlic Tahini Sauce can sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours or can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 weeks.
Baked Eggplant with Feta Cheese and Tomatoes
From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
1 1/2 pounds eggplant
About 1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 ounces feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Slice each eggplant lengthwise in half and score the cut sides in a crisscross pattern. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry over medium-high heat until golden. Fry the second sides for a few minutes, then remove to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon fresh oil in the skillet, add the tomatoes, and cook over medium-high heat until they have broken down into a chunky sauce, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the eggplants, cut sides up and snugly side by side, in a baking dish. Crumble the cheese over the tops, spoon the tomato over the cheese, and sprinkle with oregano. Cover and bake until the eggplant is tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes more. Great served with quinoa, brown rice, or cous cous.
Fennel Recipe
Fennel with Oil and Lemon
From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
1 bulb fennel
Salt
White pepper
Olive oil or white truffle oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Trim the fennel, then slice paper-thin. Toss with a few pinches salt, then coat lightly with oil. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the top, toss, and taste. Season with white pepper and serve garnished with finely chopped fennel greens if you have them.
Tomato Recipes
Lazy Corn Stew with Tomatoes
(see above in Corn Recipes)
Baked Eggplant with Feta and Tomatoes
(see above in Eggplant Recipes)