2013 CSA week 5 July 3rd
July 2, 2013
Head high by the fourth of July
All attempts were made to make this weeks box grill worthy, with the exception of the basil, cabbage and potatoes (which will make excellent salads or slaws) everything in the box can be thrown right onto the grill. If you’re like me, the last place you want to be in this weather is slaving over the stove. I will fight the urge to rant about farm field work in this kind of heat due to my rants over the last few years regarding cold and wet ‘Juneuary’ except to again applaud my crew for their tireless dedication. The needs of the farm don’t take a break just because we all want to nap in the shade! While the onset of the heat meant the end of the snap peas and a surge in the growth of the weeds it also means that the much anticipated summer crops are thriving. When the all too short Oregon summer only allows such a small window to enjoy a locally grown tomato or melon those of us that savor such delights are inclined to do a little happy dance as the temperatures soar, the nighttime temps stay warm and the crops can almost be seen to grow before our eyes.
We’ve been trying for years to get have red white and blue potatoes ready in time for the 4th of July and this year is the closest we’ve ever come. While red, yellow and blue potatoes could be perceived as mildly unpatriotic (there’s no yellow in that flag!) certainly not our intent.
The first fava bean harvest of the season is always a happy day for me, especially this year after a frenzied spring planting was in order when we lost our entire overwintering crop. Long a seasonal staple in the Mediterranean diet and around the world, fresh fava beans have only recently begun to gain popularity in the U.S. I think our high speed, fast food culture frowns too easily on a vegetable that requires two stages to prep and produces more compost than edible product. I’m a patient man, as a farmer and father it sort of comes with the territory. I’ve waited a year to toss these tasty little green treats in some good olive oil, the time to shuck and peel them seems insignificant. I hope that after you eat them you’ll feel the same way I do, content with the knowledge that the humble fava bean is only one of the truly great tastes of the season, the best is yet to come.
Back to my comment about just dumping the whole box onto the grill. Our newest favorite way to prepare favas is considerably less time consuming, grill ‘em in the pod! See this weeks recipes for how it’s done.
Many thanks to those of you that came out to Lincoln Restaurant last week. The restaurant was packed and it was great to meet many of you in person. We’ve worked with Jenn and Dave for years but this was the first time I had ever eaten there. AMAZING!! It is no wonder they are receiving so many well deserved accolades.
Stay cool and have a great 4th of July.
Dave, Lori and the crew
Logistics:
2nd payment due.
For those of you with your second $300 payment due on your CSA share, now’s the time.
You can either mail us a check to:
Creative Growers
88741 Torrence Road
Noti, OR 97461
OR
Go to Paypal.com and initiate a payment to csa@creativegrowers.com.
Thank you.
While we continue to wait for our long ago ordered totes to arrive some of you will continue to get your shares delivered in waxed boxes. Please save and return these to your pick up site.
Sometimes in the frenzied assembly of the CSA box pack will we accidently put more than one bread card in a box. Please respect Grand Centrals generosity by only using one coupon.
Please remember that our pick up site hosts generously provide space for us and we ask that you keep the area neat and tidy. You can either ‘grab and go’ with the tote or transfer to your own bag or box and leave the empty in a neat stack.
Don’t forget to like us on Facebook
In The Box:
3 Lettuce Freckled Romaines
1 bunch Basil
1 bunch Baby Fennel
2 lb New Potatoes
3lb Fresh Fava Beans
1 Walla Walla Sweet Onion
1 or 2 Zucchini
1 or 2 Green or Red Cabbage
Crop Notes and Recipes:
Everything in your box this week will store best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Fava Beans:
Grilled:
Simply toss the beans in their pods in an olive oil in a large bowl.
Toss them in a single layer on a hot grill and flip when they start to char.
Remove sprinkle a little salt and eat after removing the bean from the pod
(like edamame)
I prefer to remove the inner bean from the ’skin’ with a nick of my thumbnail and a little squeeze to coax out the tasty soft inner core.
The salt and charred bits of pod on your fingers adds to the flavor
Careful with the kids (or mildly intoxicated adults) as the beans within the pod can be very hot.
To prepare the fava beans for cooking the old fashioned way, remove them from their pods. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for one to two minutes, until they slip fairly readily from their skins. Transfer the beans with a skimmer or slotted spoon to the ice water. When they’re cool, drain the water and remove the beans from their skins. See this Utube video for a chef demo. (Alright the robots can be helpful, I know) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k33UyOHxtT8&feature=related Once prepped they can be sautéed lightly in a little olive oil and enjoyed as a side or tossed into pasta.
Fennel
Grill the fennel and onions brushed with olive until caramelized and gooey, then combine for a sweet side of a topping for burgers and dogs.
Slice the fennel thinly and combine with the cabbage in your favorite slaw.
We usually do a mayo free slaw adding 2 parts vinegar (red wine vinegar usually) to one part olive oil in small amounts until the slaw reaches the consistency we like. Salt and Pepper to taste then chill to let the flavors soak in.
Zucchini
Grill It! Slice lengthwise into thin strips or thicker strips if you like a little bit of a rawer crunch below the char. Brush with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar and grill until your preferred consistency. I like to get them to the point where they dissolve in your mouth.
Grilled Pizza
For those not into burgers, dogs and steaks try making a veggie pizza on the grill. I’ve never cooked one myself, but I have had one prepared by the afore mentioned Tim of Downpour Coffee and it was delicious. Google it and see what you find.
This entry was posted in Box Notes, General, News from the Field, Recipes. Bookmark the permalink. ← 2013 CSA week 4 June 26th 2013 CSA week 6 →
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