Angel Family Farm Hurricane Irene Update

This is a personal note from our farmer:

Hello all,

I hope that all of you stayed safe this weekend and were well prepared for the storm. Unfortunately there was no way we could have saved the farm from flooding.

Its a complete disaster. Ana had tears in her eyes as she made her way into the fields with water almost reaching her hips.

It was going so well this year-- :(

Ana and Crisostomo have made it their personal duty to deliver something this week to their CSA's.

They will not give up on their promise to provide you with good food each week. Although the conditions are a bit extreme they are picking and gathering as much as they can to make the delivery tomorrow.

Please be cautious that the share may not be as big as usual but please know we tried and are trying to maximize what we can.

Thank you
Angel Family Farm

Just Food is with us This Week!

Just Food will be visiting us this Wednesday at our CSA site.

Just Food is a non-profit that works with communities to make fresh, locally grown food accessible throughout NYC. One way they do that is by helping start and support CSA sites like ours. Over the years, Just Food has helped over 100 NYC neighborhoods connect with 29 vegetable growers to create an extensive network of CSA throughout the city. They work to support city groups in starting and maintaining CSA sites as well as with farmers who want to grow for CSA.

This year, Just Food is formalizing their relationship with all the people who have benefited from CSA by creating a CSA Network that each one of us contributes to —$3 of your share fee goes to Just Food to help them build new CSAs, support additional farms and existing sites, and make NYC a better place to eat and live.

Just Food staff member Paula Lukats will be joining us at our distribution this Wednesday to meet (and thank!) members, talk more about Just Food and answer questions about the new Just Food CSA Network. Be sure to take a minute to say hi and grab a reusable bag when you pick up your share. And find out more at justfood.org!

This Week's CSA Selection - August 17, 2011

EGGPLANT

POTATOES

LETTUCE

CUBANEL

PEPPERS

PARSLEY

CABBAGE

Do You Have A Friend Who Didn't Get to Join the CSA this Year?

We need a volunteer to help out on Wednesdays at 2:00. If you know someone who can commit to this for the rest of the share season, we can offer that person a free vegetable share in exchange for their help.

This is a perfect opportunity for someone who was unable to join the CSA this year. We can also offer this opportunity to someone who is already a member but would enjoy the extra veggies.

The person would be required to arrive at 2:00 and wait for the farmer to deliver the produce. They would also need to give the crates from the previous week back to the farmer (the crates are stored at the CSA site). Then the person would need to keep an eye on the produce and wait for the first set of CSA volunteers to arrive, which is around 4:00. There may be a few other odds and ends we ask this person to do, but there would also be plenty of down time to read or catch up on other personal work while waiting. 

Our CSA is entirely member run. So, we need everyone's help to find someone to fill this position. If you know someone who is interested, please have them e-mail me asap at wellnessandenergy@gmail.com

This Week's CSA Selection - August 3, 2011

Onions

Basil
 
Swiss chard
 
Cilantro
 
Kale
 
Lettuce
 
Green tomatoes

Ratatouille

If you haven't made Ratatouille yet, it's definitely worth a try.  If you have kids, plan a night to watch the animated film (Ratatouille), and beforehand, bring everyone in the kitchen to make the recipe together.

This post is inspired by Doug, who posted in the comments last week:

Ratatouille makes a great dinner if you fry some polenta slices in olive oil, put the ratatouille on it, and top it with a big chunk of goat cheese. - Doug

Below is a recipe I found on SparkPeople several years ago:
Nathan's Two-Thumbs-Up Ratatouille
This veggie-packed dish makes six healthy and hearty servings.

Ingredients
2 small onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
1.5 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil OR 2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh marjoram, OR 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
2 summer squash, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cups chopped tomatoes
12 ounces dry pasta, cooked according to package directions
 
Optional ingredients: sliced black olives, fresh parsley, Parmesan cheese, Mozzarella cheese
 
Directions
Sauté onion, garlic and bay leaf in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add eggplant, basil, rosemary, salt and marjoram.
Cover and cook over medium heat.
Stir occasionally until eggplant is soft, about 15-20 minutes.
Add squash, sweet peppers and tomatoes.
Simmer 10 minutes until tender.
Remove the bay leaf carefully.
Serve over hot, prepared pasta.
Sprinkle with parsley, black olives, shredded Mozzarella cheese and/or grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

That's Not Trash, That's Dinner

In case you didn't see it - New York Times article on using food scraps:

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/27/dining/thats-not-trash-thats-dinner.html?pagewanted=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha210

This Week's CSA Selection - July 27, 2011

Leeks

Mizuna

Corn

Collards

Yellow Squash

Broccoli

Steamed Eggplant with Sweet Miso Sauce

This is one of my creations from years ago. The sweet miso sauce goes with a lot of different vegetables. In fact, last night I sauteed eggplant, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, a beet, and beet greens and after cooking, mixed it all in this sauce. YUMM!

Steamed Eggplant with Sweet Miso Sauce
2 large eggplant
4 TBSP Miso
2 Tsp Agave Nectar

Chop eggplant into small slices or pieces.  Place in about 2 inches of water.  Steam until skin and pulp are soft.

Drain water.  Mix miso and agave nectar in a separate bowl.  (if you need extra, it’s ½ tsp of agave nectar to every 1 TBSP of Miso).  

Pour sauce over eggplant, mix together and serve

This Week's CSA Selection - July 20, 2011

I know you already know what the distribution was this week. However, I'm posting it on the blog anyway so we have it on record. That way people who are interested in joining next year can have an idea of what to expect.

Squash

Cilantro
 
Bell peppers
 
Onions
 
Tomatos
 
Eggplant

This Week's CSA Selection - July 13, 2011

Broccoli

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Mint

Beets

Zucchini

Beets! Storage and Preparation Tips

Some tips on beets from Just Food. 

What's red or gold or striped all over? Beets!

If you're guilty of forsaking beets in the summer months, you're missing out! Unlike the full-grown winter version, the root of young summer beets can be eaten raw and makes a beautiful addition to salads. Summer beets also usually have their greens attached, which can be used like Swiss chard. Still not convinced? Check out the beet tips below for more inspiration.

*Beet greens are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C.
*To prolong shelf-life, store your beet roots and greens separately.
*Beets taste especially delicious with: citrus flavors like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice; bold spices like mustard, cilantro, and curry; and tangy dairy like yogurt, sour cream, or goat cheese

Sign-up for Just Food's weekly newsletter here: Just Food Newsletter

Tuna and White Bean Salad

From Doug:

The sage was really good this week and I love sage, but have only used it in dishes that it's too hot for cooking now. So I searched on Epicurious and made the tuna-white-bean-sage salad at http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tuna-and-White-Bean-Salad-103430. It uses the red onion too, and reviewers suggested using cilantro as well. It turned out to be very good hot-weather dish.

Barley and Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

(A week ago, Lizzie posted this recipe in the comments. Be sure to check the blog throughout the week to see what recipes CSA members are sharing.)

Made this soup tonight and it was delish! Got the recipe straight from epicurious but it fittingly had most of this weeks ingredients.

Barley and Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled carrots
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
10 cups (or more) low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup pearl barley
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2/3 cup dried lentils

4 cups (packed) coarsely chopped Swiss chard (about 1/2 large bunch)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill


Heat oil in heavy large nonreactive pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots; sauté until onions are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Mix in cumin; stir 30 seconds. Add 10 cups broth and barley; bring to boil. Reduce heat; partially cover and simmer 25 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice and lentils; cover and simmer until barley and lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Add chard to soup; cover and simmer until chard is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in dill. Season soup with salt and pepper.

This Week's CSA Selection - July 6, 2011

Beets
 
Carrots
 
Sage
 
Peas
 
Cilantro
 
Red onions
 
White onions

This Week's CSA Selection - June 29, 2011

Swiss Chard

Carrots

Dill  

Parsley

Onions
 

Oregano
 

Maybe: Kale

Parsley Garlic Ginger Dressing

This is my absolute favorite dressing.

Combine all ingredients in a blender
1 bunch parsley
3/4 in. ginger root (thin slices)
¼ c. sesame oil
1 – 2 small cloves garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ c. tamari
¼ c. water

Rinse produce.  Rip off a huge handful of parsley.  Usually this is the whole top of an average bunch.  Place in your blender.
 Slice about ¾ in. of ginger root into a few slices.  Slice 1 clove of garlic.  
Add ginger, garlic, and rest of ingredients to the blender.  

Blend.  Make sure everything gets chopped.  Taste with a piece of lettuce or veggie.  If you think it needs more garlic, add another small clove.  You can also add another slice of ginger if you think it needs to be a little more gingery.

Lemon tip – I prefer to pick lemons that look a little ugly.  They are really soft and starting to turn brown.  They skin is not moldy or punctured though.  I think these are the juiciest lemons.  If you get a lemon that’s a little more firm, put pressure on it and roll it around on a table top.  This helps break up the beads before you slice it and will help you to squeeze the juice out.

You can make extra of this dressing and freeze it.

Melissa

This Week's CSA Selection - June 22, 2011

Here's what to expect in this week's drop off.

Arugula

Purple Broccoli Rabe

Green Lettuce

  

Green Tatsoi 

Mizuna

Mustard Greens

Purple Tatsoi

Spinach

Share Your Recipes

Share your recipes below. The only rule is that the recipe must include at least one item from our pick-up this week.

Thai Beef Salad

If you still have ingredients from last week, see this message from Doug. I suspect the same will be true with this week's produce.


Posted June 17th

You can actually use *all* the ingredients from this week in a Thai beef salad. Google "Thai beef salad" and substitute radishes for cucumber.

If you do a search and find a recipe you love, post it here.