P I C K L I S T

Plum Tomatoes - Cherry Tomatoes - Sweet Peppers (red, yellow and orange carmen) -

Shishito Peppers - Mizuna Greens - Radish - Parsley - Carrots - Melon

Announcement: after 3 months of dry ground, the earth is hydrated! All of our fall seedings and recent plantings are loving this mix of sun and precipitation- and the sporadic visits from field rainbows are absolute magic- end of August is shaping up to be a real beauty. As for Fall plantings we are busy with seedings of radishes (classic, daikon, watermelon), arugula, and spinach. Kale and lettuce are in the ground, the carrot harvester is up and running and it won’t be too long before we start digging potatoes. We’ve just barely begun our onion harvest- which historically requires all hands on deck. Pulling onions is deeply satisfying and with a full crew it can turn into a real party. That said, I say this from afar because the harvest typically takes place later in the afternoon/early evening about the same time I am cruising into nightly rituals with kiddos- dinner, bath, stories, bed. HOWEVER, the onion pull is located at the field adjacent to our house so we (kids) get to do a little harvesting right before slumber.

Also as far as Fall crops are concerned, I am using you all (our beloved CSA members) to encourage new growth on our cut and come again crops. For example, your bunches of parsley and mizuna will clean up the field plantings of said crops and if (emphasis on IF here) we can keep up with weeding those plantings they will be ready to pick again in a month or so… That said, the light levels continue to change so fast so crop production will inevitably slow down. OOOOF this time of year is so bittersweet.

And while I am giving you all the Fall food feels right now I want you to know that I am busy trying to figure out our fall CSA plan. It will look different then past CSA years- we are considering pre packing all shares into boxes because the time slot for pick up is a short window.. So with that know the information on the FALL CSA will be coming to a farmstand/email near you. And as soon as I know the plan, you will know the plan

TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:

Savory Toast adapted from: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/savory-toast

Spread sourdough or whole wheat toast with Greek yogurt or creme fraiche. Top with shaved radishes, fresh herbs, mizuna stems and flaky sea salt.

Quick pickled radishes:

FYI, I am really just here to up your taco game.

Add these pickled radishes to your taco repertoire and your life will be better for it, I promise.

1 bunch of radishes
1.5 cups white vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro (optional)
1 seeded, and chopped jalalepeno (optional)

In a small pot, bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil to dissolve. Add red pepper flakes and set aside to cool.
Trim radishes and slice super thin, i love my mandoline for this- but please of please use the safety!.
Fill mason jar with radishes, cilantro and jalapeno, layering to evenly distribute.
Pour over cooled pickling liquid. Top off with water, seal and refrigerate. Wait 24 hours to let flavors do their thing before using.

Mizuna greens: AKA Japanese mustard greens AKA my personal favorite greens.

I might be a little in love with Mizuna- and have been for a while now. I first discovered them when I was the head mesclun seeder (I’ve since retired from that gig). They are excellent as baby greens however when mature, their flavor becomes even more potent with a horse radish kick. If you think these greens are good now, you will go bananas for them in the Fall. The cold really ups their flavor- just wait. These greens can be eaten fresh in a salad or sandwich or braised. I love them in scrambled eggs/ frittata if you are feeling fancy.

Pan con Tomate

JENNY’S NOTE: ok, ok i feel like some of you may be judging me for having not one, but two recipes with simple ingredients atop fresh bread- like maybe you think i am slacking here. BUT this stuff is soooo good, and I would be doing you all a great disservice if I kept this insanely good and easy tomato recipe to myself. And yes, as a result of entirely too long of days we often do in fact eat toast and tomatoes for dinner.

1 ciabatta loaf
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, halved crosswise
2 lb. tomatoes, cored
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, chopped oregano, and/or oil-packed anchovy fillets (for serving; optional)
RECIPE PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 300°. Holding a bread knife so it’s parallel with work surface, slice ciabatta in half lengthwise (like opening a book). Slice each piece in half lengthwise down the center, then cut each strip on a diagonal into 4 pieces (you should have 16 pieces total).
Drizzle 3 Tbsp. oil over bread and rub each piece to evenly distribute oil. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly browned and dried out, 30–40 minutes. Rub warm toast with cut sides of garlic; set aside.
Meanwhile, slice a thin round off the bottom of each tomato. Starting at cut end, grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a grater into a medium bowl until all that’s left are the flattened tomato skins. Finely chop skins and mix into grated flesh; season very generously with salt.
Spoon a generous amount of tomato sauce over each toast (you may have some left over). Let sit at least a minute or two so bread can absorb some of the juices. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with more salt, and top as desired.

tomato-recipes-slideshow

Salting the tomatoes ahead of time and letting them release some of their liquid is essential. It will allow the tomatoes to caramelize and ensures that the bottom of the crust stays flaky.

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided
¾ cup (1½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1½ lb. cherry tomatoes, halved!
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 oz. firm cheese (such as Asiago, cheddar, or Gouda), finely grated (about 1½ cups)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon
1 Tbsp. finely parsley

Pulse 2 cups flour and 1¼ tsp. kosher salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl; drizzle with vinegar and ¼ cup ice water. Mix with a fork, adding more ice water by the tablespoonful as needed, just until a shaggy dough comes together. Turn out onto a work surface and lightly knead until no dry spots remain (be careful not to overwork). Pat into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400°. Gently toss tomatoes, garlic, and remaining 1 tsp. kosher salt in a large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes (tomatoes will start releasing some liquid). Drain tomato mixture and transfer to paper towels.
Unwrap dough and roll out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper to a 14" round about ⅛" thick. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet. Scatter cheese over dough, leaving a 1½" border. Arrange tomatoes and garlic over cheese. Bring edges of dough up and over filling, overlapping as needed to create about a 1½" border; brush dough with egg. Sprinkle tomatoes with sea salt and pepper. Chill in freezer 10 minutes.
Bake galette, rotating once, until crust is golden brown and cooked through, 55–65 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet. Finely grate zest from lemon over galette; sprinkle with chives.
Do Ahead: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Recipe by Andy Baraghani