Mariquita Farm What's In The Box 2012

Community Supported Agriculture

PUrple Cauliflower

What's in the Box 2012

Below is a list of what is planned to be in our shares for a given week. These are our best guess based on how the fields and crops are looking several days before harvest. Sometimes crops we've been counting on get destroyed by hail, or a heat wave can push a crop past its prime before we have a chance to pick it. Sometimes deer or gophers harvest more than their “share” and sometimes we just make a mistake in our estimation. If you see a 'mystery' item on the list, we don't mean that you'll be mystified by what it is, only that we are playing it safe because we're not sure if we'll have enough of a certain item for everyone, and want to keep our options open about the substitutions we'll make. We figure that it's better to surprise people than disappoint them. And if we're unable to put one item in the box, we will fill that slot with something else. Think of the 'what's in the box list' as a guide, but be prepared for small surprises, and trust that we'll do our best to give you the best we can coax from Mother Nature. -Andy

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Carrots

Carote all Giudia
Braised Carrots, Jewish Style
Adapted from Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein

¼ cup olive oil or rendered goose or duck fat
1.5 pounds carrots, any color, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ cup water
6 Tablespoons raisins, plumped in water or sweet wine
3 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
S & P to taste
Dash of vinegar or sugar to taste, optional

Warm the oil (or fat) in a sauté pan over medium heat.
Add the carrots and saute until well coated with fat, 5-8
minutes. Add the water and cover the pan. Reduce the
heat to very low and simmer until the carrots are tender,
about 20 minutes.

Add the raisins with their liquid, and the pine nuts. Season
with S & P. Add a little vinegar or sugar, or both. Serve
warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

~~~~~

Chilaca Chiles

Chilaca Chile Snack
(Diana Kennedy, Food & Wine, April 1996)

This Botana de Chilacas is a delicious way of using raw
chilacas. Poblano chiles can be substituted, but they do
not have the same sweet, deep flavor. Serve as an
appetizer or as a first course with corn tortillas.

8 chilaca chiles or 7 small poblano chiles—charred and
peeled, with stems, seeds, and veins removed
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
3 tablespoons finely crumbled queso fresco or cream
cheese
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

Tear or cut the chiles lengthwise into thin strips. Place in a
medium bowl and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Set
aside for the flavors to meld, about 30 minutes. Just
before serving, stir thoroughly. Serve at room
temperature.

~~~~~

Red Kale

Rice with Kale and Tomatoes
(Gourmet, 1990)

1/2 cup long-grain unconverted rice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
a 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, and
chopped
2 cups finely chopped rinsed kale leaves

In a small heavy saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil,
add the rice and salt to taste, and cook the rice, covered,
over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is
absorbed and the rice is tender. In a heavy skillet cook
the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until
it is golden, add the tomatoes and the kale, and cook the
mixture, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until
the kale is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and in a bowl
combine well the rice, the kale mixture, and salt and
pepper to taste.

~~~~~

Leeks

Fish Braised with Leeks
Adapted from the minimalist cooks dinner by Mark
Bittman

1 ½ pounds leeks, trimmed, chopped, and washed
½ cup white wine or chicken or fish stock
S & P to taste
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional
About 1.5 # cod, salmon, or other fish fillet, about 1 inch
thick

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scatter the leeks over
the bottom nof an ovenproof casserole. Mix with the
wine, S &P, and optional mustard. Top with the fish;
sprinkle the fish with S & P. Cover the casserole.

Bake for 10-15 min., or until a thin-bladed knife meets
little or no resistance when inserted into the thickest part
of the fish. Uncover and serve the fish with the leeks and
pan juices spooned over it. Serves 4

~~~~~

Chioggia Beets

Chiogga beet salad
(Adapted from the LA Times: November 15, 2006)
Servings: 4

1 bunch beets: any color
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (scant) toasted ground coriander
seeds
1 shallot, minced
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fresh mint or chervil or parsley,
whole leaves or rough chopped

Boil the beets in enough water to cover, with 2
tablespoons salt, until tender, about 30 minutes,
depending on the size of beet.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, coriander
and shallot and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.
In another bowl, combine the crème fraîche,
horseradish, one-half teaspoon salt and pepper and
set aside.

Drain the beets and, while still warm, peel them.
Slice them into wedges, about 8 to 10 per beet, and
cool.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the beets and let
stand, covered, at room temperature for an hour.
Spoon the horseradish cream onto a platter,
covering the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, mound
the beets over the cream. Garnish the beets with the
chervil and serve.

~~~~~

Couve Tronchuda

Caldo Verde, a traditional Portuguese soup
(from Chef Jonathan Miller)

2 garlic cloves, chopped
olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 oz linguica, thinly sliced
1 lb potatoes, diced
1 bunch couve tronchuda, shredded

Heat a pot with some olive oil in it and add the
garlic, onion, and half the sausage. Cook over
moderately high heat, stirring, until the onion is soft,
about 8 minutes. Add about 2 quarts of water, the
potatoes, and some salt. Boil, reduce heat to low,
and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 8-10
more minutes. Mash the soup with a masher, or use
a food processor to create a coarsely mashed, rustic
texture. Return the soup to a simmer and add the
couve tronchuda and simmer until it is cooked
down, at least another 5 minutes. Add the remaining
linguica and heat through, tasting for seasoning.
Serve warm with quality olive oil drizzled on top.

~~~~~

Acorn Squash

Roast Squash Appetizers
from Chef Jonathan Miller

1 acorn squash
1-2 T mascarpone cheese
4-6 sage leaves, chopped
2 portabella mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 sour baguette, refreshed in the oven and then
sliced into thin rounds
chives, chopped

Heat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half,
lengthwise, and put cut side down on some
parchment on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until
very soft and caramelized, 45-60 minutes. Cool and
scoop out the seeds and strings. Then scoop out the
flesh and mash it together in a small bowl. Add a
little salt, the mascarpone, and the sage.

Taste for seasoning. While the squash roasts, roast
the portabella caps. Discard the stems, and drizzle
some olive oil, some salt, and some of the garlic on
the gill side of each portabella cap. Roast those in
the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until very soft. When
cool, cut into small wedges. Spread a little roasted
squash on a crostini, top it with a wedge or two of
mushroom, finish with a little chive sprinkle, and
serve.

~~~~~

Early Girl Tomatoes

Fall Risotto with Chanterelles and Late
Harvest Tomatoes
(Adapted from Fields of Greens by Annie Somerville)

If chanterelles aren't available, use white
mushrooms, or cremini, or a combination of the two.

Stock (vegetable, chicken, or 'tomato mushroom on
p. 157 if you own this book)
1/2 pound fresh chanterelles or other mushrooms
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
S & P
2 medium sized leeks, white parts only, cut in half
length- wise, thinly sliced, and washed, about 3 cups
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (dry, not a super sweet wine!)
1/2 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, chopped
1 Tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Pour the stock into the saucepan, bring it to a boil,
and reduce it to 6 cups. Keep the stock warm over
very low heat.

Using a brush or a damp cloth, carefully clean the
mushrooms. Remove the dirt and bits of organic
matter, but don't wash them, or they'll soak up the
water and lose their delicate flavor. Trim off the base
of the stem if it is particularly dirty and discard. Cut
the mushrooms into large pieces or thickly slice
them, being sure to include the stem.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet;
add the chanterelles, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few
pinches of pepper, and 1/4 cup stock. Gently saute
over medium heat until the mushrooms are barely
tender. (cooking time depends...) Transfer to a bowl
and set aside.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons
butter; add the leeks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few
pinches of pepper. Saute over medium high heat
until the leeks begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Cover
the pan and steam the leeks until tender, about 5
minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

~~~~~

Romanesci

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with Anchovy
Sauce (Chef Jonathan Miller)

Here's a little variation on my favorite way to have
romanesco cauliflower. It's perfect just as it is, but you
could serve it in any number of salads, incorporating it at
this time of year with roasted peppers and cherry
tomatoes, or serving it with lentils, or Israeli couscous and
preserved lemon. Also, feel free to include garlic in the
sauce. But it is just great on its own with a piece of bread
to mop up the sauce. Use any extra sauce on sandwiches
or on roasted vegetables.

4 T butter
olive oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped
4 anchovies, minced
2 heads romanesco cauliflower, cut into florets
chili flakes

Heat the butter and 4T olive oil in a small saucepan.
When the butter melts add the scallions, anchovies (and
garlic if using), and cook slowly until the anchovies break
down, about 15-20 minutes. Taste for salt and set aside.

Toss the romanesco in some oil, salt, and some chili flakes
and roast at 400 until slightly colored and nutty tasting,
about 20-25 minutes. Toss with the scallion sauce and
taste again. Serve warm or at room temperature.

~~~~~

Gala Apples

Quick Apple Crisp

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut a bunch of apples (peeled or
not) into a pie dish, until it's full or you use up all your
apples. Blend 1 cup flour, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 stick
butter in a mixer (add a bit of cinnamon if you like), with a
fork, or your fingers - blend until crumbly and mostly
mixed. Press the topping firmly over the apples, covering
the entire surface of the dish. Bake for about 45-60
minutes, until the topping seems nice and the apples are
soft (poke 'em with a fork to check). Serve warm or cold.
Yum!

from Anne S. in Santa Cruz

~~~~~

Chard

Chard and Tomatoes
(From Too Many Tomatoes, Squash, and Other
Good Things by L. Landau and L. Myers)

2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large tomatoes (or equivalent with different sized
tomatoes), peeled and diced
1/2 cup cooked ham (optional)
2 cups cooked chard (easy to blanch: just immerse
roughly chopped leaves in boiling water for 1-2
minutes)
butter
S & P
Nutmeg
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until
golden. Stir in the tomatoes, ham if using, and chard
and heat until bubbly. Add butter, Salt and Pepper
and nutmeg to taste. (This dish can be kept ‘lighter’
by skipping the ham and the butter!) Serve,
sprinkling with the parmesan cheese.

~~~~~

Cubanelle Peppers

Tomato and Sweet Pepper Salad
(Adapted from The Vegetable Market
Cookbook by Robert Budwig)

3 sweet peppers
4 ripe tomatoes
1/4 preserved lemon (or 2 tsp grated zest
with some of the lemon's juice)
2 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
pinch sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 t black pepper

Grill or roast peppers, remove skins, cut into
small cubes and set aside. Blanch tomatoes
for 15-20 seconds in boiling water. Drain and
remove skins and stems. Cut in half and
remove seeds. Cut into small cubes. Rinse the
preserved lemon under running water and
remove the pulp. Cut the rind into fine dice.
Arrange peppers, tomatoes and lemon in a dish.
Mix remaining ingredients to make a dressing
and pour over the salad. Mix well.

~~~~~

Red Beets

Balsamic-Dressed Roasted Beets
(Cooking Light, November 2005)

A simple sweet-and-sour dressing complements
earthy roasted beets. Its bright flavors make this
dish a fitting accompaniment for roasted meats.

6 medium beets (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon sugar
1 star anise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub
with a brush. Wrap beets in foil. Bake at 400°
for 1 hour or until tender. Cool beets to room
temperature. Peel and cut each beet into 8
wedges.

Combine juice, vinegar, sugar, and star anise
in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until
reduced to 1/3 cup (about 10 minutes).
Discard star anise. Combine beets, vinegar
mixture, salt, and pepper; toss well.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

~~~~~

Ruby Crescent Potatoes

Julia's Potato Salad Serves 6–8

4 pounds new or fingerling potatoes, cut into
rough 1 inch pieces and cooked til tender
2 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin
1 small head fennel or celery stalk, cut into
small dice (optional)
1/4 cup sweet pickle (not relish), cut into
small dice (optional)
small-medium handful washed and chopped
arugula leaves
1 cup mayonnaise (homemade makes this
dish sublime)
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 generous bunch minced fresh parsley

Layer warm potato pieces in medium bowl;
sprinkle with vinegar, salt, and pepper as
you go. Refrigerate while preparing
remaining ingredients. Mix in remaining
ingredients; refrigerate until ready to serve.

~~~~~

Padron Peppers

Pimiento de Padron (Padron Peppers)

Cook over high heat in a bit of oil in a sturdy
frying pan on a stove or on a campfire until
charred on at least two sides. Then sprinkle
with a great salt and eat. We use the stems
to hold them. It's that simple!

Padrons on the fire

What we've seen restaurants do to these
peppers. See above. then you can serve
with a fancy cheese such as burrata or other
favorite cheese. Edward of Incanto said
they are to be consummed with a 'crisp
white'. Wine, of course! We've also seen
them roasted inside a wood burning pizza
oven, served on top of a pizza...

~~~~~

Tomatillos

Tomatillo Salsa

2 pounds fresh tomatillos
1 cup onion -- chopped
1 or 2 hot peppers, cored seeded and
chopped. (you can also use dried chiles,
leave seeds in either dried or fresh for more
heat)
1 cup fresh cilantro -- minced
1/4 cup Fresh lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
salt to taste

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash
throughly, dry and halve or quarter.
Combine tomatillos, onions, chiles, and
garlic in a non-reactive pan. Over med-high
heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce
heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20
mins. Cool a little or a lot then put into
blender with cilantro and lime juice, blend
away, salt to taste, and you have some
GREAT salsa verde Mexicano.

~~~~~

Mustard Greens

Warm Salad of Mustard Greens and
Black-Eyed Peas
(From Cooking Light, October 2001)

2 bacon slices, chopped
12 cups torn mustard greens, stems
removed (about 12 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (16-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
and drained
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over
medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon
from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings
in pan; set bacon aside. Add greens; cook 4
minutes or until wilted. Combine greens,
salt, and black pepper in a large bowl, set
aside. Add oil to pan. Stir in onions,
caraway seeds, garlic, and jalapeño; cook 1
minute. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Stir in
vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add pea
mixture to greens mixture. Sprinkle with
reserved bacon.

~~~~~

Eggplant

Eggplant Rounds with Cheese and
Tomato Sauce
Aadapted from D. Madison's Vegetarian
Cooking for Everyone

6-8 eggplant rounds per person, grilled,
broiled or fried (from the skinny asian
eggplants, reduce number of slices if using
the large purple ones.)
3/4 cup grated or sliced mozzarella
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or goat
cheese
about 4 cups favorite tomato sauce
chopped parsley or basil

Place the eggplant rounds on a sheet pan
and cover with the cheeses. Bake at 375
degrees until the cheese melts. Serve with 2
or 3 spoonfuls of the sauce on each serving
and garnish with the parsley or basil.

~~~~~

French Breakfast Radishes

Spring Radish Salad
Adapted from Verdura Vegetables Italian
Style by Viana La Place

1 bunch fresh radishes
2-3 very sweet carrots
2 bunches arugula
salt and pepper to taste
E.V. olive oil
2 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
Lemon wedges

Trim the radishes and slice them thinly. Peel
the carrots and cut them on the diagonal into
very thin slices. Snap off the tough stems
from the arugula. Gather the arugula into a
bunch and cut it crosswise into strips.

Arrange the arugula on a platter. Scatter the
sliced radishes and carrots over the arugula.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle
with enough olive oil to lightly moisten the
vegetables. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the
top. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze
over the salad.

~~~~~

Cherry Tomatoes

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes 4 servings

2 baskets Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Finely chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon Finely chopped rosemary
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix tomatoes, onions, parsley, rosemary,
garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a shallow
bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover
the bowl and let tomatoes marinate at room
temperature at least 1 hour, but preferably 3
to 4 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally.
Enjoy with crostini or as a side dish.

~~~~~

Chioggia Radicchio

Grilled Radicchio Treviso With
Scamorza Cheese
by Gourmet Magazine

4 (9‑inch) heads Treviso radicchio
1/4 cup extra‑virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely grated smoked Scamorza
cheese or smoked mozzarella (3 oz)
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Prepare grill for cooking.

Remove any loose outer leaves from radicchio
and trim bases, leaving heads intact. Quarter
each head lengthwise. Brush radicchio lightly
with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill radicchio on a rack over moderately hot
coals (coals are ready when you can hold
your hand 5 inches above rack 3 to 4
seconds), covered, turning every 10 minutes,
until outer leaves are browned and hearts are
tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.

Sprinkle cheese over cut sides of radicchio
and grill, uncovered, until cheese begins to
melt, about 2 minutes. Transfer radicchio to
a platter and drizzle with vinegar.

~~~~~

Basil

Roasted Garlic Basil Sauce

4 large garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley
leaves
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap garlic cloves
tightly in foil. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick
slices and season with salt and pepper. Put
foil-wrapped garlic and zucchini on a baking
sheet and roast in middle of oven until garlic
is tender and zucchini is pale golden, about
15 minutes. Unwrap garlic and cool. Have
ready a bowl of ice water. In a saucepan of
boiling water blanch basil and parsley 10
seconds and drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs
in ice water to stop cooking and drain in
sieve. Sauce ingredients may be prepared
up to this point 1 day ahead and kept
separately, covered and chilled. In a blender
blend garlic, zucchini, herbs, water, and
lemon juice until smooth, about 1 minute,
and season with salt and pepper. Makes
about 3/4 cup. Each 3 tablespoon serving
about 14 calories and 0 grams fat. Gourmet
September 1997

~~~~~

Broccoli

Mustard butter pasta with broccoli
adapted from The Tassajara Recipe Book

5/8 cup butter, softened (or part olive oil)
4 Tblsp dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
2 Tblsp parsley, well minced
2 Tblsp chives, finely sliced or green onion,
minced
Salt and Pepper
1 Tblsp oil
2 cups broccoli, cut into small flowerettes
(or cauliflower or romanseco!)
3/4 pound pasta

Blend butter and mustard. Set aside.Slice
garlic and pound it with a mortar with a
healthy pinch of salt. When the garlic is
pulpy add the parley and chives (or onions)
and pound a bit more to release the flaovrs.
Blend this mixture into the mustard mixture
with a few twists of black pepper.

Bring a large amount of water to a boil with
the tablespoon of oil and a spoonful of salt.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. If you
are using fresh pasta, add the broccoli at the
same time. If using dried pasta, add the
broccoli for the last couple minutes of
cooking. As soon as the pasta and broccoli
are done, drain and put them in a 12" skillet
allowing a bit of the cooking water to
dribble in. Add the mustard mixture and,
over moderate heat, toss the mixture until
everything is evenly coated. Keep the heat
low enough that the butter doesn't bubble or
fry as that would change the flavor. Adjust
salt and pepper to your taste and serve.

~~~~~

Planned for the box the Week of November 14th & 15th:

White Carrots

Acorn Squash

Yellow Potatoes

Monica OR San Marzano Tomatoes

Early Girl OR Momotaro Tomatoes

Mystery: could be Broccoli OR Leeks OR Cauliflower

Chard

Pippin Apples

PDF of this week's newsletter

~~~~~

In the box the Week of November 7th & 8th:

Portuguese Cabbage

Chilacas

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

Rainbow Carrots

Red Norland Potatoes

Purple OR Cheddar Cauliflower OR Broccoli

Dry-farmed Early Girl Tomatoes