p i c k - l i s t
New Potatoes - Hakurai Turnips or Radishes - Mint - Basil - Lettuce - Fennel -
Tomato - Summer Squash - Zucchini - Cucumber
Oh goodness, we are feeling the end of strawberry season closing in. Though PYO is going strong, and we are still up at first light picking berries, the picking has changed. The early-midseason plants are no longer dripping with berries like it was 2 weeks ago. And for every good berry in a quart there are about 4 or 5 that get picked and tossed to the wayside.* HOWEVER- do not lose faith, there is one planting that is just now ripening up. Enter, the malwina strawberry. This variety is very late season and very delicious. And for those that are late to the game on preserving fruit for winter (me) this planting gives me hope that I still have time to fill my freezer… In other news outside of berries (what? we do things other than grow strawberries at Edgewater Farm?!) Our lettuce crop is begging to be picked, Mike announced, “it’s bring your hoe to work week” (the weeds have exploded), we are hiring in our farmstand kitchen (read below), and I grabbed a handful of blueberries from the field (first to ripen!!) on my way home from work today.
*That said, if you are pumped about jamming berries, freezing berries, strawberry shortcake, or fresh eating the ripest fruit, now is your time to party in the PYO patch!!
And if you are interested in joining our kitchen crew, or know someone who would love nothing more then to chop and nourish with the freshest vegetables, read the following:
ISO: FARMSTAND KITCHEN LEAD
Looking for a: Detail-oriented, vegetable-loving cook or baker to add energy to our creative, hard-working crew!
Must have:
Leadership experience
Knowledge of food safety,
A love of rising early (the job requires shifts starting at 5 am to successfully execute our daily operations),
An eye for beauty & taste for good food
The ability to work 4-5 days a week (at least one weekend day)
Availability NOW through NOVEMBER (commitment to next season is greatly valued!)
A can-do-attitude with problem-solving & excellent communication skills.
A passion for transforming our own produce into creative & delicious products to sell in our farmstand!
Fill out an application at https://www.edgewaterfarm.com/employment & email it directly to Emily at emsedibles13@gmail.com
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:
This salad- and variations of it, are all you need to eat every night all Summer long. Do yourself a favor and keep a block of feta in your fridge and a couple of limes on your counter.
For the crunch, I used:
1 cup each of halved and thinly sliced hakurai turnips and or radishes (3 1/4 ounces)
Quartered and thinly sliced cucumbers (from 5 ounces or 2 whole).
Quartered and thinly sliced fennel (as much as you like)
Continue as the Summer goes on and build on this recipe! Use whatever is crunchy and you’re craving, such as peppers, carrots, lightly cooked corn cut off the cob, celery, green beans and more.
To bulk this up into a more rounded dish, you could add a cup or two of thinly sliced lettuce, 1 to 2 cups of cooked, cooled grains such as barley, quinoa or farro, or a cup or so of cooked black beans, to add to the Southwestern vibe. In each case, it would be best to double the dressing so you’ll be able to cover everything evenly.
Serves 4 as appetizers and 2 as more of a meal-sized salad
3 cups chopped, crunchy vegetables (see above notes)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta, queso fresco or ricotta salata
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup well-toasted sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon chile powder or 1/8 teaspoon each your choice combination of chile powder, cumin, cayenne or sumac
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
Mix the vegetables, feta, scallions, seeds and mint in a medium bowl. Whisk lime juice, olive oil, salt, spice and black pepper in a small dish and pour over vegetables, tossing to evenly coat. Adjust with more salt or pepper as needed. Garnish with mint and crunch-crunch-crunch away!
(I hesitantly include this recipe as it's one million degrees and no one wants to turn an oven, on but I can’t stop myself because, delicious).
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 fennel, stems removed (reserve fronds for garnish), sliced in half and then and then into thirds
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, crushed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium pan, heat the olive oil. Season both sides of the fennel well with salt and pepper, and sear the fennel for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until lightly caramelized. When you are on your last fennel, turn the heat down to medium low. Add in the coriander seeds and garlic and toast lightly for a few seconds. Transfer all the seared fennel to a sheet tray and cover with the lightly toasted garlic and coriander seeds. Pour 1 tablespoon of water and the lemon juice onto the fennel. Cover the sheet tray with foil and put it in the oven. Let steam for 20-30 minutes, until a knife slides through easily. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese. Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. Remove from oven and plate the fennel, topping with fresh lemon zest and fennel fronds.
Other notes on fennel:
Sarah (Edgewater’s plant whisperer) has taught me about chopping up fennel, and adding it to water. And we all should be drinking more water! for extra infused water, include mint!