Tangerini's Farm-CSA News

Believe it or not, we are getting ready for Week 14 of the Main Season share. I am so glad to see how so many of you have made provisions to get your share picked up during the Fall months. I know it is difficult given the change in schedules, the back-to-school nights, the sports schedules and the lessening of daylight. Keep up the good work! If you need to change your day to accommodate your schedule, just email me.

We have been planting steadily for the last few weeks and will continue to plant through September. You can expect more lettuce mix, spicy mix, radishes, arugula and turnips. In addition, we will start to put out more of the storage crops - squashes, potatoes, onions, root crops and brassicas (broccoli, cabbage,etc.). This is a great time of year to pull out those recipe books and try something new!

Thanks to all who came to volunteer on Saturday morning for our Potato Harvesting event. It is so much more fun harvesting with a lot of people. The nine of us picked 65 crates of Kennebec potatoes, just under 3000 pounds. In the weeks to come, we will pick at least another ton and a half and get them ready for storage.

Our next field event will be Garlic Planting. It will be held on Saturday, October 17th. Please RSVP if you plan to come. WARNING, if we don't have enough interest we will not be adding garlic to the CSA in 2010 as it is a very labor intensive crop to plant! We are also starting up our annual "Fun on the Farm" weekends. They run from 10:00 - 4:00 PM, every Saturday and Sunday, and will continue through October. It is a great time to come to the farm and explore our hay maze or go on a wagon ride.

Please also try to make time in your busy schedule for our upcoming Fall Harvest Potluck Dinner. We are hoping for a large turnout and want to try for one last get together before the end of the season.

See you at the farm,
Laura

PS: Everyone with a Flower Share, the hydrangeas are ready for picking!

Peppers

Peppers are one of those versatile vegetables. They take well to being stuffed and baked, stewed, sautéed, grilled, roasted and/or stir-fried. One of my favorite ways to eat them, besides raw in salads, is stuffed and then baked or grilled.

Cheddar and Corn Jalapeño Poppers

18 large jalapeño peppers
1-1/4 c grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 c chopped corn kernels
2 T minced green onion, white and green portions
Salt and pepper

Cut 1/4 inch off the top of each pepper; reserve the tops. Using a thin knife or small melon baller, hollow out the centers of the peppers, removing the seeds and ribs; do not cut through the flesh. Prepare a grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat. In a bowl, stir together the cheese, corn and green onion and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the center of each pepper with 1 to 2 Tbs. of the cheese mixture, filling to within 1/8 inch of the top of the pepper. Place the filled peppers upright in a pepper roaster or other dish and set the cut tops back on top of the peppers. Place the roaster on the grill over indirect heat and cover the grill. Roast until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

18 narrow peppers (banana, jalapeno, etc)

1 c finely diced onions

1 tsp finely diced garlic

1 lb fresh chorizo, casings removed

4 oz shredded four cheese blend

2 T cream cheese, softened

1 T oil

Salt and pepper to taste

If using a roaster to keep peppers vertical, cut 1/4 inch off the top of the pepper and use a thin knife to remove the seeds and ribs from the peppers. If not, make an opening on one side of the pepper by cutting a slice of skin off. Scoop out the veins and seeds from the inside. In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions till soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic ad chorizo, and crumble the sausage with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir fry for about 8 minutes till the sausage is cooked through. Transfer the mixture to a paper towel lined plate and let it cool down. Once the sausage mixture is cooled down, mix it with softened cream cheese and the four cheese blend and stir to combine. Stuff the center of each pepper using your fingers to press down the stuffing to fit as much as you can into each pepper. Place the filled peppers upright in the roaster, or lay them flat on a foil lined roasting tray. These can be grilled in a covered grill or roasted in the oven. If roasting, roast for 20-25 minutes in a 400F oven. Roast or grill till the peppers are tender.

Stuffed Peppers

1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice

4 medium red bell peppers

3/4 lb ground beef or pork

1 c chopped onion

1/2 c chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground allspice

2 c bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce, divided

1/2 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 c dry red wine

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450°. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside. While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the next 5 ingredients (beef through allspice); cook 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat. Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.
While beef cooks, combine 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Spoon about 3/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine mixture to pan. Cover with foil. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.

Potatoes

I have always been a fan of french fries, especially thick steak fries you can get at Fall fairs. It was only this summer that I realized how easy they are to make at home! The fries to beat all other fries are those made with Tangerini potatoes. Taken fresh from the field, they taste like no other fries I have ever had. You must try them....

Classic French Fries

3 to 4 c oil for frying (vegetable, olive, peanut, etc)

2 lbs potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and dried

Sea Salt, to taste

Pour enough oil into a deep pan to reach at least 2 - 3" up the sides of the pan. Don't fill more than three-quarters full or you risk burning yourself! Heat the oil to 325°F. Using a chef's knife or a mandoline, cut the potatoes into sticks 1/4 inch wide and about 3 inches long. Dry the potatoes thoroughly with clean paper towels. Divide the potatoes into batches of about 1 cup each. Fry the potatoes until lightly colored but not brown, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the potatoes in 1-cup batches until they are golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on fresh paper towels. Repeat with remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Note: In this recipe, they recommend a double fry cycle. I have cooked them both ways (frying once vs twice) and only occasionally find that it makes a difference. It really depends on the moisture level of the potatoes.

Classic French "Fries"
For those that can't stand to fry, try baking them. Follow the directions for the preparation of the potato slices, then toss them in a bowl and coat liberally with extra-virgin olive oil. Place slices on a large metal baking sheet, not overlapping, and bake for about 15 minutes at high heat (450 degrees). When they begin to brown, flip the slices over and continue baking for 5- 10 minutes more until brown and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Don't Forget...

to stop into the farm stand to check out these other local products!

From week to week, there will be local products and produce for sale in the indoor farm stand. Don't forget to check it out when you're there for your share pick-up!

Raspberries are available for purchase at the farm. You can pick your own or buy them at the stand. They are $5.00/pt or $6.95/lb. Everyone entering the field will be charged a minimum of $5.00. This will be credited to your purchase.