Coming soon - farm-to-table restaurant!

So I have started this project and the concept of this restaurant is farm-to-table. So the menu will reflect the seasons of the local harvests. The "freshtaurant" will serve lunch and dinner and a sunday brunch. Everything will be fresh and local. I built a wood-fired oven to use for a large part of the operation. I plan on incorporating a local farm co-op workshare program to unite the community ...with the farmers/growers. The whole concept is to get people interested in real food, from growing to preparing to eating. This will provide those who are interested in a sustainable lifestyle (and are too busy) to become more aware from season to season of their environment, and an opportunity to support our local agriculture while having access to fresh food. If you are interested in this concept, and would like to be apart of it in any way then let me know. I will also be selling c.s.r. (community supported restaurant) shares which will give some an opportunity to invest! Email for more information!

Great people here!

Check out FERN, an important new non-profit journalism organization covering food and ag. http://t.co/k6Gww5Re

Final harvest!!!

It's been great growing for this cool community here in Bedford and we plan on continuing. Jeff is finishing the CSA building into a small  fall/winter farm store where you can find organic veggies, meat and eggs. You can check out the blog for recipes, updates on the farm-to-table restaurant, the farm store opening and the kind of veggies you can find there. We will also contact all of our members via phone to update them about the opening of the farm shop. If you are not a CSA member and would like to be contacted personally for the farm buzz, email or call.  

Thank you and see you next year!!!!

Mandi Horn

Horn O' Plenty

mandisahorn@gmail.com

(814)285-2658

The last harvest...

tomatoes

peppers

turnips

radishes

pea shoots
strawberries

mizuna

chard

onions

thyme, oregano & sage

Turnips are often boiled but are also great raw: Sliced very thin, or thin matchsticks or shredded and added to salads or slaws for crunch. Try them roasted or steamed tossed with butter or your favorite oil and herbs for a simple side dish. Or you could mash them like potatoes or puree them into creamy soups like butternut squash soup. Dice turnip and add to hearty soups or braised or roasted meat dishes. Don't forget that the turnip greens (leaves) make a great meal as well. Turnips go well with chervil, chives, lemon, honey, sherry, mushrooms, fennel seed, coriander, nutmeg, turmeric and of course anything goes well with cream, bacon, salty cheeses such as Parmesan. Use your imagination and enjoy these turnips!



Radish and Turnip Salad:

This cool and crunchy salad make a great side dish.

12 radishes sliced very thinly.

3 small turnips sliced very thinly. (I use a mandolin for both turnips and radishes)

1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

juice of half  lime

1 tablespoon chives chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir gently but combine thoroughly. Taste and season with salt to "pop" the flavors.

Pickled Turnips:

6 cups water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup ginger peeled julienned

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 bunches of small to medium sized turnips (add some radishes if you wish)

*(optional) 3 small (1- to 1 1/2-inch-long) fresh hot chilies, split lengthwise in half

Bring water, vinegar, sugar, and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a 3-quart nonreactive saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Cool, then stir in chilies, ginger, and garlic. Scrub turnips in cold water and trim, leaving 1/2 inch of stems attached. If any are ping-pong-ball size or larger, halve or quarter. Pack turnips into glass jars or a glass bowl and pour in cooled pickling liquid, dividing chilies, ginger, and garlic among jars. Chill, covered, 1 day for flavors to develop.

Note: Pickled turnips keep, chilled, up to 1 week. Color may fade if using radishes; vegetables will wrinkle after 2 days.



Thursday's harvest

The end of September is nearing and so ends our C.S.A.  By the calendar, we are as far as we can get from the spring equinox and after today, we have one final harvest left for this year. I feel this is the appropriate time to thank you for your commitment to eat local, organic produce this season. We hope you have enjoyed watching the progression from early spring through late-summer and having a connection to our farm (and family). It has been an a fairly exceptional year for us and we hope for you as well.  As with every year, certain things do very well and others flop pathetically. Such is the life of a farmer...  We thank you for your support and patience, and to thank you for joining us this year, we are going to be sending special invitations specifically for our CSA members to join us in a pre-opening dinner at our new farm-to-table restaurant.  Plans to break ground for the restaurant begin this fall, and the opening is anticipated sometime this coming spring. Soon, we will all be joining each other! Thanks again!

Weekly Harvest 

cucumbers

green tomatoes
green beans

radishes

carrots

peppers

pea shoots

kale/collards

leeks

sorrel

rosemary & mint

Radish Slaw Recipe:

(This is our new favorite slaw!!!)

3/4 Pound radishes shredded

1/2 small cucumber sliced thinly and chopped

1/2 med pepper sliced thin then chopped

1 small onion thinly sliced

1/4 cup kale julienned

For The Slaw Dressing:

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tablespoon honey

salt & pepper to taste

Mix dressing together, and mix slaw together and combine. Serve same day.

Potato Leek Soup with Sorrel Recipe:(The sorrel in this recipe makes the soup all lemony.)

2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 medium to leeks, cleaned and chopped, using all of the whites and at least half of the greens
3 cups chicken broth, veggie broth or water
4 oz. sorrel, taken off the thick part of the stem and chopped roughly
1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream or milk, to taste
salt and pepper
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
*optional yogurt or creme fraiche

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the oil and butter. Add the leeks and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and the stock or water. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the sorrel . Transfer to a blender in batches and blend until smooth. When the soup is all blended, add the milk or cream and rewarm gently, taking care not to boil.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve garnished with the yogurt or creme fraiche.

September 15th harvest

green/wax beans

scotch bonnet & jalapeno peppers

radishes

radish greens

brussels sprouts

mibuna

sorrel & basil

Mibuna is a delicious delicate green in the mustard family. It is great raw in salads or perfect lightly cooked and seasoned, like chard.

Pickled Greens Stir-fry... In this recipe I used radish leaves and mibuna for the greens, scotch bonnet for the peppers and also chopped brussels sprouts stirfried in, and last, some sorrel that I chiffonade and added it in raw very last!

Here is a link for the delicious Pickled Greens Stir-fry: (You can add any cooked meat to this stir-fry to make a main dish). http://www.highdesertgarden.com/2011/06/pickled-asian-greens-xue-li-hon.html 

Farm harvest and Farm-to-table restaurant...

A note to everyone,

Only three more weeks left to the CSA.... so sad.  However we do have something to look forward to and that is the restaurant coming soon - this spring!!!  Horn O Plenty Farm-to-Table Restaurant will be located in the small town of  Wolfsburg, off Route 30, just outside of Bedford on the original Lincoln Highway. Soon our farm-fresh restaurant will be serving lunch and dinner, and our menu will coincide with the season's harvest from our farm and other organic, biodynamic and ecologically conscious farms within our region. This is a picture of the old log/stone house build by William Todd, a descendant of Mary Todd, Abraham Lincoln's wife. It is the second oldest house in Bedford County and we are converting this gem into a restaurant with a wood-fired masonry oven, this is truly an exciting time!

Our quail just begun laying eggs! These little birds and their eggs are so tiny and cute... but maybe everything tiny is cute! We have around 20 packs of ten eggs available for sale at the farm for $3.00. We also have a sale on our free range chicken eggs for $2.00/ dozen. Swing by the farm, or let Jessica, at Wholesome Living, know your interested and I can arrange to drop them off on the next harvest day.

Harvest hugs,
Mandi

September 8th harvest...

green beans/wax beans

peppers

tomatoes

french breakfast radishes

zucchini

scallions

kale/collard greens

celery

tarragon, thyme & sage

Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Tarragon Dressing:
3 quart green and yellow string beans
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 green oinions, chopped
2 tbsp chopped tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
salt to taste

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the beans until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the beans and spread them on a large baking sheet to cool. Pat dry.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the shallots and tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Place the beans and tomatoes in a large bowl, add the dressing and toss well. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Green Bean, Mozzarella & Sesame tossed with Honey Mustard Dressing:
2 quarts green beans beans
6 chicken eggs or 12 quail eggs
8 oz mozzarella, preferably buffalo
toasted sesame seeds

dressing:
4 tblsp cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
1 tsp salt
12 tblsp extra-virgin olive oil

1,Steam the snap beans until just done.

2.Put the eggs in a pan cover with water and bring to boil. Turn off the heat and leave the eggs in for 10 minutes for chicken eggs and 1-2 minutes for quail eggs.  Put the eggs in cold water before shelling/peeling them.

3.Cut the mozzarella in small cubes and set aside. Divide the eggs in two.

4.Whisk the ingredients for the dressing or put them in an empty glass jar,with a lid and shake.

5.Put the beans, eggs and mozzarella on a dish, drizzle plenty of dressing over and sprinkle it all with toasted sesame seeds!

Serve with a nice bread.

September 1st harvest!

Green beans

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Cucumbers

Stinging nettle(Careful getting it out of the bag! Use gloves, or it It will sting ya!)

Peppers (jalapeno and Anaheim Chili)

Chard

Onions

Sage, Rosemary and Tarragon

Stinging Nettle Ravioli with Sage Butter:  (Borrowed from Fat of the Land)

Filling
Make the filling while your pasta dough is "resting" in the fridge. The hardest part in this step is dealing with the nettles. Wear gloves and clean up carefully—you don't want a stray leaf nabbing you when you least expect it.

10 oz stinging nettles (equivalent to 1 package frozen spinach)
1 15 oz ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

1. Blanche nettles for 1 minute in boiling water and drain. This is enough to neutralize the sting. Squeeze out excess water, remove stems and then chop the nettles.
2. Combine cheeses, seasoning, and egg into a bowl. Stir in chopped nettles.

Pasta: (You can make your own or buy wontons to use and skip this first pasta step - but there is nothing like fresh pasta!)

Be prepared to add more flour as necessary; as with baking, anything can influence the making of fresh pasta: heat, humidity, the stock market...

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 tsp milk

Combine pasta ingredients in a mixer and mix with dough hook til smooth. Then refrigerate in plastic wrap while you make the filling.



After retrieving the pasta dough from the fridge, roll it into a log and cut it into a dozen equal parts. Each part then gets fed into the pasta maker, starting at 1 and finishing at 6.

Make two leaves at a time (top and bottom layers), trim them, and use a melon ball scoop to add the filling at intervals. Next sandwich the two leaves and use a fluted pasta wheel to get those nice scalloped edges, making sure to firmly press the two leaves together around each dumpling.

Sage Butter Sauce:

Figure a minimum of a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of chopped fresh sage per serving. Melt butter in small saute pan over medium heat. While the butter is starting to melt, gently drop ravioli into a pot of salted water on low boil. Add sage to butter. The ravioli should start floating to the surface after a couple minutes. Remove to a warm plate with slotted spoon. Meanwhile, stir the butter and sage as the butter foams, and just as it starts to brown a tiny bit kill the heat and pour sauce over ravioli. Add a few grindings of salt. The specks of brown, caramelized butter sweeten the sauce ever so slightly, and combined with the sage, this simple sauce packs a wallop that belies its meager list of ingredients.













Curried Lentils with Tomatoes and Yogurt Cucumbers:

2 ounces lean thick-sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch strips (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion, minced
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups water
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the cucumbers and yogurt:
1 large European cucumber—peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup yogurt or sour cream
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1. In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the saucepan.
2. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the ginger, curry powder, jalapeno and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir in the lentils, water and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sprinkle the cucumber slices with a large pinch of salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

4. In a small skillet, toast the cumin and coriander over moderate heat until fragrant, about 40 seconds; transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream and orange zest. Stir in the cucumber slices and season with salt and pepper.

5. Transfer the lentils to a large shallow bowl. With a rubber spatula, gently stir in the orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the cucumber salad over the lentils. Sprinkle the bacon and tomatoes over the cucumbers and serve warm or at room temperature.

Harvest for August 25th

green beans

tomatoes

baby beets

peppers

onions

chard

baby carrots
squash

cucumbers

spearmint, thyme & oregano

Here is a great lentil salad with roast beets and carrots recipe at http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/lentil-salad-with-roast-beets-and-carrotsecipie

Balsamic marinated roasted baby beets and baby carrots :

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup balsamic Vinegar
• 1 pound baby beets halved
• 1 pound baby Carrots cleaned and trimmed
• 8 ounces Feta Cheese crumbled
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves separated
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, add the beets and carrots, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Lightly oil a sheet pan and add the beets and carrots in a single layer. Sprinkle with thyme and season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven until heated through and browned. Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes:
For a more pungent flavor, use goat cheese instead of feta cheese.

August 18th's Harvest...

tomatoes

peppers

green/wax beans

kale or collard greens

cucumbers
baby carrots & their edible greens!

zucchini

onions

basil

Carrot tops are edible!!!! Yes, and they are delicious too! Great for soup stock, in with your greens or salad or as a garnish. Carrot greens are highly nutritive in minerals and vitamins and are an outstanding source of chlorophyll, the green pigment that studies have shown to combat the growth of tumours. Chlorophyll contains cleansing properties that purify the blood, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands. Scientists have been unable to synthesize chlorophyll in the laboratory, but green plant foods contain sufficient quantities to protect the human body. Carrot leaves also have antiseptic qualities, so they have been added to mouthwashes and, mixed with honey, to disinfect sores. They are also diuretic (increase urine flow), and can help treat kidney disease and edema. Chewing carrot leaves can heal injuries in the mouth, bad breath, gum bleeding and mouth ulcers. They also contain a lot of potasium witch make them slightly bitter. Chopping them up finely with some garlic and vinegar can cut the bitterness, and this makes a simple "pesto vinaigrette" that can be spread on bread or used as a marinade. Carrot tops can be sauteed with other vegetables with olive oil and garlic, and added to a variety of dishes such as casseroles, pizzas, and burritos. They can be cooked into soups and stews, and added to eggs.

Carrot Green, Parsley & Hazelnut Pesto for Green Beans or Pasta:

Great way to use up those carrot greens!

¾ cup hazelnuts (or mixture of hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts)
1/8 cup carrot leaves, chopped
1/8 cup parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
¼-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh-grated parmesan cheese generous pinch of sea salt.
*Green beans or pasta

Toast the nuts on the stove top in a pan for a few minutes to bring out the flavour. In a food processor, puree the nuts, carrot leaves, parsley leaves, lemon juice and garlic.

Add cheese, salt, and olive oil. Blend, and increase olive oil if the pesto is too thick. Cook beans or pasta until al dente, drain and toss with pesto while still hot.

Italian Stewed Tomatoes and Zucchini:

1 1/2 pint tomatoes

1 onion

2 zucchini

1 green pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons oregano chopped

2 tablespoons basil chopped

1 teaspoon Romano cheese grated

*(optional) Serve as a side dish or over pasta of your choice

Directions:

1. Peel tomatoes by placing in boiling water for a few minutes and then putting them in cold ice water. The skins will peel off easily. *If you don't mind the skins then skip this step!
2. Chop onion and green pepper.
3. Put tomatoes in a sauce pan with peppers, olive oil, garlic and onions, and sugar.
4. Cook uncovered about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Cut zucchini into coins and cut the coins in half and add them and the herbs at the end of the cooking process.
6. Serve topped with cheese. 

August 11th's harvest!

green/wax beans

tomatoes

zucchini

cucumbers

peppers

baby carrots

basil & chives

This year we grew two different cherry tomatoes - Principe Borghese and Purple Plum! The Pincipie Borghese is a traditional Italian grape tomato that's often used for drying due to its excellent flavor, small size, few seeds, and low moisture. Their flavor is so intense, they make a great choice for tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, eating fresh in salads or as a preserve. The Purple Plums are a dark mahogany color and plum shaped. They are thick walled with lots of meat so they can be sliced easily and are wonderful for eating fresh or making chutney. They also make a memorable sauce with their complex flavors.

Zucchini Stewed with Tomatoes:
1 medium sized zucchini sliced into 1/2 " thick circles
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 quart cherry tomatoes
1 medium pepper chopped
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup white wine
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil separated

1. (If you don't mind the tomatoes skins in your stew then disregard the peeling instructions) To peel the tomatoes, place them in boiling water for 1 minute and then immediately transfer to cold water.
2. Peel and half the tomatoes, and place in a large saucepan with the peppers, garlic, salt, wine, 2 tablespoons basil and sugar then cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
3. Meawhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and saute onions until the edges barley browning (about 5 minutes). Add zucchini and salt and pepper and continue coking and stirring until the squash begins to soften (about 5 minutes).
4. Add to stewed tomatoes and continue cooking as long or as briefly as you like.
5. Add the rest of the fresh basil and season according to taste.

August 4th Harvest!

tomatoes

peppers

cucumbers

zucchini

green beans

onions

garlic

mint & oregano

July 28th Harvest....

tomatoes

cucumbers

zucchini

green beans

onions

garlic

sage & basil

Beat the summer heat with this easy recipe - Sesame Garlic Cucumbers with Green Onion Vermicelli!

For the Sesame Garlic Cucumbers:

1 cucumber
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Method:

Cut the cucumber into about 4-5 pieces. Crush the cucumbers with your hands by pushing down on them. You can also use a cleaver or other flat metal object to crush the cucumbers. Crushing the cucumbers gives the dressing more surface area to penetrate, but if you’re into being nice and neat feel free to chop the cucumbers into 1 inch pieces. Put the cucumber pieces in a bowl and sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of salt and toss. Wait about 15-20 minutes for the water to be drawn out and then rinse and drain the cucumbers.
Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic and sugar to the cucumbers and gently toss. Taste and salt if necessary.

For the Green Onion Vermicelli Recipe:
1 bunch of green onions sliced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt to taste
2 bricks of rice vermicelli (or any rice noodle)

Method:
Cook the vermicelli according to the package instructions, drain and cool. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pot on high heat until the oil is shimmery but not smoking. Add the green onions and ginger. Be careful, the oil will bubble and there will be steam! Take the pot of the burner and let cool before adding the soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste and add salt if needed. Toss the vermicelli with the green onion oil. If the noodles are too dry, add a bit more soy sauce. Top with sesame garlic cucumbers and  Enjoy!



Harvest for July 21st

zucchini

wax/green beans

tomatoes

Swiss chard

garlic

onions

Thai basil

Harvest for July 14th

blueberries!

green/wax beans

snow/snap peas

lettuce

chard

zucchini

garlic

basil 

Blueberry Vinaigrette Recipe:   (....serve drizzled over lettuce greens with fresh blueberries, peach slices and blue cheese crumbles....) Mmmh WOW!!!!

1/2 cup fresh blueberries (set aside a few for the salad)
1 small clove garlic, crushed

1  small green onion chopped

1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons good vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

In a blender, whiz most of the berries, garlic, onion, vinegar, honey and mustard and until berries are liquefied. Drizzle the olive oil through the top while the blender is running until the desired consistency and mouth feel are achieved. Season with salt and pepper.

*After resting a few minutes, the dressing becomes quite viscous, almost jelled.  

Sauteed Swiss Chard Stems with Cream and Pasta Recipe: (Chicken would make a nice addition to this recipe)

1 lb Swiss chard, yielding 2 cups of chopped ribs (set aside the leaves)

1/4 cup (half a stick) butter

3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream

2 cloves crushed garlic (more or less according to taste)

4 tablespoons basil chopped

Enough dry pasta to make about one quart of cooked pasta (use rice pasta if gluten-free is required)

Salt and pepper

1.Separate the ribs from the greens. Chop the greens and set aside. Cut the ribs into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Blanch the ribs in lightly salted boiling water for 3 minutes.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the drained, blanched ribs and simmer for 4 minutes. Add heavy cream, garlic and greens and cook until cream reduces by two-thirds.

3. While the cream is reducing, cook up your pasta according to the pasta's package directions.
4. Mix creamed chard with pasta and top with basil. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serves four.



July 7th Harvest!

peas
leek blossoms!

green & wax beans

lettuce

green onions

fresh garlic

chard

thyme, oregano & sage

Snap peas~ snap peas are delicious sweet peas inside of a sweet juicy pod. They are best eaten whole in it's pod, especially raw if you can, they may also be cooked anyway you want to consume them!... nothing beats a fresh snap pea! NOTHING!!!! 

Snow peas~ Snow peas are a flat crispy pod with tiny little peas inside. You eat them whole as well as the snap pea and they are excellent raw or stir-fried or.... in anything!

Grilled Snap Pea Recipe:

Ingredients-

1 quart sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 green onions cut in half length wise.

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

sea salt to taste
*option: garnish with leek blossoms

Directions

1. Preheat the grill to medium.
2. Wrap all the ingredients except leek blossoms in a single layer inside a tin foil-made pouch. (Be sure to seal it so it steams and cooks faster). 
3. Grill  8 -12 minutes until tender but firm... or however you like! *Garnish with fresh leek blossoms!

Harvest for June 30th...

green beans

lettuce

Swiss chard

radishes

green onions

mint

rosemary & thyme

Swiss Chard (photo) also known as spinach beet, and is the same species as the beetroot. We grow several varieties, ruby red, silverado, and golden. Swiss chard is a delicious leafy vegetable with an edible stem. Chard can be eaten raw which has a pungent slightly salty taste and when cooked, the flavor becomes more than that of cooked spinach. 

Sauteed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon finely sliced garlic scapes (or minced garlic) 

1/2 cup green onion chopped

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt to taste (optional)

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic scapes and green onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted - (doesn't take long). Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Hot summer night drink!!!! Oh yeah!
Mint Julep: (contains alcohol)
8 to 10 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint for garnish
1 tablespoon of sugar, more or less to taste
1 1/2 ounce clean fresh Kentucky spring water
3 ounces premium Bourbon
Crushed ice
*Optional: Replace the water with seltzer to make it more lively.

1.Put the leaves in a 12 ounce cocktail glass and pour the sugar on top.

2.Rinse the mint leaves but don't dry them. The moisture from the rinse is helpful in making the drink.

3.Muddle them together with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon. When the leaves and wet sugar begin to turn to a mushy paste, add the water and the bourbon, and stir with a fork until the sugar dissolves.

4.Top with crushed ice, garnish with the sprig of mint, get your bets down, and serve.

Turkey Salad:

8 oz cooked shredded or diced turkey

1/2 cup chopped chard stems (like celery) 

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup diced carrots

2 tbs chopped rosemary

3 tsp chopped thyme

6 lettuce leaves red or green

Dressing:

1/2 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise or yogurt (may need more if it doesn't stick together).

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tbs lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

In large bowl, stir together all salad ingredients except lettuce leaves.
1. Mix all dressing ingredients together and stir into the salad.
2. Lay lettuce leaves out flat and fill the center of each lettuce leaf with the salad, then wrap the leaf around the salad. Hold together by inserting a tooth pick.


Harvest for June 23rd

Peas

edible blossoms

lettuce

radishes

strawberries

garlic scapes

green onions

oregano, cilantro & tarragon

Since it is still early for farm fresh tomatoes, there is yet another remedy for the salsa blues...

Strawberry Salsa Recipe:

1 pound strawberries, diced

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion

3 chopped garlic scapes

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

fresh ground pepper

To prepare the strawberry salsa stir together the diced strawberries, spring onion, garlic scapes, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, and lime juice in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and walla! *(You can use the strawberries in place of tomatoes in your favorite salsa recipe - even try strawberry avocado salsa!)

Serve with tortillas, or in tacos, or use in wraps with turkey and blue cheese, or on top of grilled salmon...

Enjoy!







Harvest for June 16th!

lettuce

strawberries

boc choy

green onions

pea shoots & blossoms

garlic scapes

dill, sorrel & thyme

Sorrel:

Sorrel is an herb/ leaf vegetable (depending on how you use it). Sorrel leaves have a lemon/ kiwi-like flavor that is delicious in any salad, soup or stew or used in egg dishes such as quiche asparagus sorrel tart! (Just an idea!). It's great in fish or chicken marinades as well... use it in anything savory that you would squeeze a lemon in.

Quick Pressure Cooker Sorrel Ginger Chicken Recipe:
1. Brine (soak in salt water) 6 chicken thighs for at least an hour.
2. Clean and chop:
A bunch of sorrel (stems and all)
few sprigs of thyme
1 1/2 to 2 inches of ginger
Some Garlic Scapes
few stalks of celery

3. Brown chicken then layer with the veggies in a pressure cooker.

4. Add some red pepper flakes about 1/3 cup water / broth / or diluted brine.

5. Cook for 8 minutes at full pressure.

Allow pressure cooker to cool to remove lid and immediately and serve over brown rice.

June 9th Harvest...

June 9th's expected harvest~

strawberries

lettuce

spinach

spring onions

pac choy

garlic scapes

pea shoots & pea blossoms

chervil, dill & rosemary

Garlic Scapes, pea shoots, pac choy & chervil:

See previous harvest info.

Strawberries!!!!!

The first strawberry harvest of the year....!!! Because of all of the rain, these big berries are full of water, therefore, their sugar content is diluted. You may want to sweeten them with a little honey or something, or just eat them how they are!

Strawberry caprese salad recipe:

Yield: 3 servings

1/2 lb. strawberries, sliced

2 tbs honey

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. mint leaves

1/4 cup almonds, sliced

1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, 1/2-inch slices

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

In a bowl, combine strawberries and honey. Cover and set aside.

Mint pesto drizzle: In a food processor, combine the olive oil, mint leaves, sliced almonds, Parmesan cheese and garlic.

Divide the mozzarella and place the slices (overlapping) on each serving plate. Spoon 1/2 cup strawberries around and on cheese. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of the mint pesto drizzel over cheese and strawberries on each plate. Garnish with mint leaves. 

(You can also make a strawberry mint pesto pizza!!!!!)

Strawberry spinach salad recipe:

Yield: 4 servings

2 bunches spinach, rinsed

and carefully dried

4 cups strawberries, sliced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup honey

¼ tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar,honey, paprika, sesame seeds and poppy seeds.

Pour over the spinach and strawberries and toss to coat.

June 2nd Harvest...

June 2nd's anticipated harvest~

lettuce

pea shoots

flowering yukina savoy

Greens mix of mizuna, purple osaka, baby pac choy & spinach

spring onions

garlic scapes

oregano & dill

Green mix & pea shoots: See May 5th & May 12th harvest info.

Flowering yukina savoy:

It's not flowering in this picture....

Yukina savoy has dark, crispy cabbage-like leaves. It can withstand temperature which makes it very tasty in sauteed or wilted recipes! I've used it raw in slaws and salads. We planted the yukina under row cover to protect it as much as possible from flea beetle damage, and with the hot temperature rise over the last week it has now flowered, but no worries! It is excellent even with the tender flowering stock.... just treat it like the turnip shoots or broccoli raab.  

Wild garlic scapes:

Garlic scapes are the tender stems sent out by the plant to produce seed and boy are they delicious! These delicate scapes are from wild & domestic garlic here on the farm. They are so tender and are great added to anything!!!! To cook them, lightly saute or add them to soup stock or stir fry etc... 

Oregano:

A popular herb whose name means "mountain joy". Oregano contains oils, so naturally it's flavor is lost via high heat.  It retains its flavor better with hot dishes when added toward the end of cooking. (Just like tarragon and chervil). Heating too long results in bitterness.  Oregano's signature flavor is in many Italian, Mexican and Spanish dishes.

Creamy Yogurt Oregano Dip:

This would make a great sauce for falafel, hamburgers, or just crackers or vegetables as dip devices.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Plain Greek (strained) yogurt (see note below)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 spring onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons snipped garlic scapes
1 quick dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate to develop flavors, at least 2 hours. Serve as a thick sauce for lamb burgers, falafel, as a dip plate, etc.

*Greek Yogurt Note: it's a strained therefore thicker yogurt. You can make your own too: Set strainer over 4-cup measuring cup. Line strainer with paper towel. Add yogurt to strainer; chill until yogurt is thick (about 1 cup liquid will drain from yogurt), at least 2 hours or overnight.

Grilled New Potatoes & Asparagus with Creamy Dill-Chervil Sauce Recipe:

Asparagus Ingredients:

New potatoes (cut in half ) & asparagus lightly coated with olive oil, salt & pepper to taste.

Dressing ingredients:1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1-2 tablespoons water or broth
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh baby dill
1 tablespoon snipped  garlic scapes

1 teaspoon sugar *(always optional)

Preparation:

1. Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth. Adjust with more lemon juice, water, or broth to achieve desired taste and consistency.
2.Grill new  potatoes on grill over medium high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with fork, stirring potatoes occasionally. Around 50 minutes. Grill asparagus in a single layer 10–12 minutes (depending on thickness), or until tender and dark green.
3. Arrange grilled asparagus and potatoes on a serving dish and drizzle with dressing. Serve extra dressing on the side.