Week 9: 8/3 - 8/6
Thursday 3pm - till Sunday Night | SELF SERVE
13197 10TH St. South. Afton, MN. 55001 | 612.770.7194
On the farm this week: Believe it or not, we are starting to plant our winter crops. It always seems wrong to plant out spinach in the high heat but this is the way of things. Before long we will start to feel the temps dropping and the nights coming earlier in the day so we have to prepare now for slowing growing conditions later. We are harvesting everything under the sun right now so your bags are nice and full this week, we hope you can put it all to good use or freeze what you won't get to right away.
Please remember to bring back last week's purple CSA bags!
In Your Bag This Week
Beans: nice thin french beans can be eaten raw or cooked. easy to add as a side dish to any meal. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Flavor Mix Micros: Mild and tasty, these make an easy salad on their own or can add some color to any other salad. Try them on eggs or sandwiches – or anything, really! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Bok Choi: chop for a stir fry or add to any baked dish for added veggie points. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Cucumbers: They are here!! crunchy and refreshing, chop up for a salad, add to sandwiches or just eat with some salt! Store in a bag in your fridge.
Fennel: This beautiful summer veggie adds major fresh notes to any dish! you can use the fronds like an herb to flavor fish or chicken or add to salads while the bulb can be shaved and eaten raw or chopped and cooked. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Zucchini and Summer Squash: perfect summer veggie! sautéed, grilled or baked they make a great side dish. Store on your counter in water like flowers.
Beets: the greens are nice and can be chopped, sautéed and eaten with a little goat cheese and balsamic vinegar. The root has beautiful rings of pink and white on the inside making it a lovely addition to salads. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Cherry Tomatoes!: These are on the CSA ONLY TABLE and should not be stored in your fridge, leave them on your counter to maintain their sweet flavor.
Heirloom Tomatoes: These beauties are great for caprese salad, sandwiches or salads. beautiful flavor and fun shapes and colors! Store on your counter.
Walla Walla Onions: Sweet onions ready for caramelizing! Store in a bag in your fridge. .
Carrots: these carrots are sweet, crunchy, and oh so addicting! Store in a bag in your fridge. Remove the green tops to keep them crisper longer.
Green Onions: AKA Scallions, these are easy to add to any dish for some onion-y goodness! The whole plant is edible, just cut off the roots and chop the rest. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Creamy Orecchiette with Spring Onions, Fennel & Bacon | Serves: 4 | total time: 50 mins
Ingredients
6 slices (about 6 ounces; 170g) thick-cut bacon
1 pound (450g) spring onions, trimmed, white and green parts divided and thinly sliced (see note)
1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound; 450g), cored and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
1/4 cup (60ml) water
Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (235ml) heavy cream
1 pound (450g) dried orecchiette pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (about 3 ounces; 85g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for serving
Instructions
In a large, straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until meaty parts are crisp and fatty parts are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer bacon to a cutting board and reserve rendered bacon fat in the pan. Cut bacon crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces; set aside.
Return pan to stovetop and increase heat to medium-high. Add white and light green spring onion parts, fennel, and water, season with salt and cook, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until vegetables just begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add baking soda, stir to combine, and continue to cook until vegetables are very soft and beginning to break down, about 8 minutes longer.
Add remaining green parts of spring onions. Cook until well-incorporated with vegetable mixture and just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a blender and blend on high speed until smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Season lightly with salt. Wipe out sauté pan and transfer blended sauce back to the pan, passing through a fine-mesh strainer if desired. Warm sauce over low heat, occasionally scraping down the sides of the pan to prevent skin from forming.
Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook orecchiette until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than the package directs). Reserve pasta cooking water.
Transfer pasta to pan along with 1/2 cup pasta water and bacon, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring rapidly until sauce has thickened slightly and pasta is well-coated, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, season generously with pepper, add Parmigiano, and stir rapidly to combine. Season with salt, if needed. Divide pasta into serving bowls and garnish with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.
Beet and Rye Panzanella Salad | Serves: 2 | Total Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
1½ pounds small beets, any color, scrubbed (about 10)
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
½ loaf rye bread, crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large orange
4 ounces ricotta salata (salted dried ricotta), crumbled
1 cup torn fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley, tarragon, and mint)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°. Place beets in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish and add water to come ½" up sides. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake beets until tender and a cake tester or paring knife easily slides through flesh, 45–60 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, toss onion, 3 Tbsp. vinegar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl to combine; set aside.
Toss torn bread and 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet to coat; season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing once, until bread is golden brown and crisp around edges, 8–10 minutes; set aside.
Rub beets with paper towels to remove skins, then halve (or quarter if large) and place in a large bowl; add onion with liquid.
Using a small sharp knife, remove peel and white pith from orange. Working over bowl with beets, cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze membranes to release juices; discard. Add reserved toasted bread and 2 Tbsp. oil and toss to combine. Let sit a few minutes for flavors to meld.
Just before serving, fold in ricotta salata and herbs, drizzle with more oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
We wash everything in your bag but we wash them in bulk so some things may need an extra rinse at home. Please bring your bag back next week so we can re-use them! thanks!