p i c k l i s t
Tomatoes - Carmen Sweet Pepper (big) - Shishito Peppers (little) - Summer Squash -
Golden Zucchini - Mint - Basil - Corn - Cabbage - Blueberries - Eggplant
Great news! No deaths today while picking mint during the supposed tornado. That said, there was a lot of talk around death while picking herbs and how our tombstones might read. Here lies Jenny and Roy* (yup, you read it right, not Ray), who just needed 8 more bunches for CSA. Once we picked those last 8 bunches we put the truck in 4 wheel drive and headed to the pack-shed to seek salvation from the storm. There we were met by the entire field crew. When thunder or lightning, tornado or hurricane make their way to Edgewater Farm we (field crew) consistently pray for movie day and almost always are met with so many tasks around the packshed. Luckily it was CSA eve, and everyone was there to pitch in on the final squash count, box stack, and pinting of shishitos.
But the big news today is your basil bunch. Each basil bunch was picked from a greenhouse that by the time you are reading this, the greenhouse will be stripped of any remaining basil. The beds will be tilled, and the soil amended as we get ready for the Fall CSA planting. More News on Fall CSA later, but get stoked. That said, these basil bunches could potentially be the ugliest basil bunches you’ve ever seen- as a grower, it is too hard to waste a whole house of basil because stalks are too woody and it's already been harvested through twice. However, like last week’s hakurai turnips (was that last week?) the flavor of the basil is perfect and will take your tomatoes to a whole new level of SummerTime eating.
And lastly, two weeks of cabbage in a row? You betcha! Now you have 0 excuse to not sauerkraut, ferment and get that good gut microbiome.
ROY* an Edgewater 19 year field crew veteran and one of my best friends. He comes up from Jamaica in May and stays through the end of harvest season. Leaves before all of our fingers frost in November. He is always down for a good joke, a helping hand, coffee, and donuts. Lately we’ve shared the mantra, if you go, I go. (This is clearly a joke as both he and I have practically signed on to Edgewater Farm forever and ever, Amen).
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES:
Tomato and Corn Pie (smittenkitchen)
JENNY’S NOTE: PLEASE know that i cursed this recipe the WHOLE time. Especially when i came to the part about blanching tomatoes in which i declared, “this is too much work i will never ever make this again.” But then it was served to my picky 4 yearold eater who said, “yum mama, did you make this? Can we have it again tomorrow night?” WHAT THE HELL. So now, it will be in heavy rotation as our Sunday night go to while the tomatoes are at their peak, the basil abundant, and the corn sweet as sugar.
Now back to the recipe: A few notes: First, butter-brushed biscuit-crusted savory pie, where have you been my whole life? I’ve been living on the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line, clearly. Second, this recipe works exactly as-is, save one irksome issue: our pie was a puddle when we cut into it. I simply poured off the crust-sogging liquid, but I’d advise you to instead seed and juice your tomatoes if you bear it (I hate tossing the most flavorful parts, personally) or risk a mushy base. Third, this pie includes the curious instruction to peeling your tomatoes, which I first dismissed as an annoying extra step but in the end felt that it was absolutely brilliant. No chewy separating tomato skins! Just pure, instense peak-season tomato goodness. Consider me converted.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.
Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.
Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired (see Notes above recipe), gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes
SHISHITO PEPPERS: These peppers are soooo good when pan fried/grilled with a little olive oil and salt. Pull from the pan once blistered, consume immediately- never look back, your life is forever changed, this is your new favorite pepper, you’re welcome.
This eggplant is magical. Not greasy (even though you fry in oil) crunchy, crispy and insanely addictive.
The trick is to slice it thick-ish and salt it generously. Let it sit out releasing puddles of water. Pat dry aggressively, cover in corn starch aggressively and then fry in hot oil until it comes out golden and dark brown in some places (you want to make sure the eggplant meat inside is cooked, custardy and sweet). I have topped the eggplant with garlicky tahini, amba (mango pickle sauce), fresh parsley and sea salt but you can really do whatever you want here.
1 large eggplant or 2 medium eggplants
kosher salt
1 cup cornstarch
4 cups canola oil or any oil with no flavor
sea salt to finish
serve with garlicky tahini (recipe below), amba, fresh parsley, fresh lemon, parsley, honey
Directions- Slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick pieces. You have the option of keeping the skin on or removing the skin. I keep it on, because I don’t like to waste it but if you remove the skin, it will get even crispier. Place the eggplant slices on a sheet tray and generously salt the eggplant. Let it sit out at room temp for at least 1 hour. Puddles of liquid will come out of the eggplant. Before frying, take a kitchen towel and pat down the eggplant well, drying them off as much as possible. Slice in half on a diagonal (I think they are too big to fit in a sandwich or a pita this way so I like to slice them in half) Place the cornstarch in a bowl and toss each piece in the cornstarch well. Shake off excess and place on a dry sheet tray. Heat up the oil in a deep pot. If you don’t have a thermometer (which I don’t) heat on high and sprinkle a little cornstarch in the oil. If it sizzles it should be ready. Turn the heat to medium high it should be around 350 degrees f and add in the first piece. I like to fry one at a time so that the oil temp stays up (if you overcrowd the oil the temp will come down and the eggplant wont fry they will soak)
Flip the eggplant over once the bottom is golden and brown in some places around 1-2 minutes. When the other side is golden another 1-2 minutes remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to let dry. Immediately season well with sea salt.
Serve this eggplant on its own, on sandwiches, in pitas…you can do a lot with it.
For my crispy eggplant fries, I peeled the eggplant and sliced them into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Salted them and let them sit out for an hour, pat dry and then sliced them into strips (keep them thicker so that there is enough eggplant inside to get creamy, while it’s frying). Toss the strips in the cornstarch and 1 handful at a time fry in the oil until golden. Let it fry for 3 minutes until they are golden and lightly browned (make sure they get to that golden light brown color, you want the meat inside to cook). Remove from the oil and place on paper towel. Season well with salt and serve with yummy condiments like garlicky tahini, amba, silan, honey….etc.
Garlicky tahini–
1/2 cup tahini paste
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
large pinch kosher salt- or to taste
3 tablespoons cup ice water
Directions- Place everything in a bowl and mix. The tahini will get thick and pasty but keep mixing. Add more water to loosen, if needed.