- t h e p i c k l i s t -
SHISHITOS! - BELL PEPPER - ROMAINE LETTUCE - RED KALE - GREEN BEANS - FLAT PARSLEY - CARROTS - BLUEBERRIES - PATTY PAN SQUASH - DANGJO CHEONG YANG (PURPLE HOT PEPPER) - TOMATOES
No one is surprised to hear that this newsletter was written inside a dry farm office space while torrential madness was going on outside. Also, prior to dry office salvation, Kayleigh and i were cutting the last bunches of parsley from the field… and then it started. from light rain to heavy rain, with all the gusts included, there were too many curse words to name at this moment and I’m going to be perfectly frank with you and say- there was 0 fun being had. My boots are once again filled with water, the fields are once again overwhelmed with moisture, the crew is attempting a blueberry pick in this mess, I’m pissed. If you listen closely, and raise your ear to the wind just right, i bet you can catch a listen to the collective farmer grunt of frustration heard round the Upper Valley, etc… this is a tough year for job production/field production/general lifestyle that so heavily depends on the weather.
But to sweet us all up, let’s go pick some blueberries…
Taking place this SATURDAY, it’s a Pop-up PYO Blueberry “glean”
I put the glean in quotations, because it is not the end of the season by any means, and these berries are good!- so it’s more like a PYO til your heart’s content. Why are we doing this? Because, why not- yall are great, our crew has moved on from this field to another and tis the season to harvest!
AND now, the details… BUT, email me if you have any questions at all (jenny@edgewaterfarm.com):
WHO: Open to the entire Edgewater Farm C.S.A. community
WHERE: if you are coming from the North End of River Road, go past the Greenhouses and McNamara Dairy- turn at the Cemetery.
THE ADDRESS for all your googling: 355 River Road/ Plainfield, NH
WHEN: This Saturday!!!, JULY 31st from 11:30-1:30pm; rain or shine though we will cancel in case of thunder and lightning
HOW: You pick! Bring your own containers, we will have zero supplies for you to pick into. FYI, if you have a used yogurt container and a shoelace, poke holes in in the yog. container and make yourself a picking necklace- it’s fashion forward and an extremely efficient way to pick- very hip, all the kids are doing it.
WHY: So many reasons, here are a few... because it's awesome, the berries are free and delicious, it's the end of July and this is what you do as we enter August: pick and preserve!
PRO TIPS:
½ cup mayonnaise
1½ tsp. (or more) Sriracha
1lb. thick-cut bacon (thin strips have a tendency to get burnt and overly crisp)
8 ½"-thick slices white sandwich or Pullman bread
2 ripe medium beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick slices
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ head of iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
Step 1: Prepare a grill for medium heat. Stir together mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl. Taste and add as much Sriracha as desired to meet your preferred level of spiciness.
Step 2: Arrange bacon strips across grate and grill until lightly charred around the edges, 5–7 minutes. (Flare-ups are common, so lower the lid if needed and carefully raise just to check doneness.) Turn bacon over and grill until browned and crisp, about 4 minutes. Cooking times can vary significantly based on how thick your bacon is and the heat of your grill. (If you’re grilling bacon for the first time, keep a close eye on it and check often.) Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Step 3: Arrange bread on grate and grill until toasted, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a cutting board.
Step 4: Spread Sriracha mayonnaise over 1 side of each slice of bread. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper, then build sandwiches with lettuce on the bottom, tomatoes in the middle, and bacon on top (tear lettuce leaves and cut bacon in half to fit nicely if needed). Close up sandwiches and slice in half on a diagonal.
Step 5: You can also serve this as a BLT buffet: Arrange toast, bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce on platters with Sriracha mayo and salt and pepper alongside and let everyone make their own.
1 pound SHISHITOS
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1tablespoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
Lime wedges (for serving)
Step 1: Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Toss chiles with oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Grill chiles on a grill topper, turning occasionally, until blistered and charred, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter; drizzle with fish sauce and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
And while the grill is on… PATTY PAN SQUASH!!
Cut into thick slices, pattypan squash, which look sort of like small flying saucers, can make a juicy sort of “steak” that could be topped by a pungent sauce. Grill or roast the “steaks” and serve them with this gorgeous green sauce. You’ll need only half the amount of salsa verde that this recipe yields, but it keeps very well in the refrigerator and it’s great to have on hand.
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), halved, green shoots removed
Salt to taste
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed (optional)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup (tightly packed) parsley leaves (25 grams)
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds large pattypan squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Combine the garlic, salt, anchovy fillet and capers in a mortar and pestle and grind to a paste. If you wish to make the sauce in a mini food processor or with an immersion blender (an immersion blender works very well, especially if it has a strong motor), transfer to the processor or place in a jar. Add the parsley. If using a mortar and pestle, grind together until you have a paste. If using a food processor or an immersion blender, add the olive oil with the parsley and blend to a purée. If using a mortar and pestle, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and work into the mixture. Continue to grind until you have a very smooth mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If serving within a few hours, allow to sit at room temperature. Otherwise, refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat, and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Alternately, prepare a hot outdoor grill.
Slice the squash 3/4 inch thick and toss in a bowl with the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Sear in the hot pan for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until the surface is lightly browned, and transfer to a sheet pan. Place in the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn the pieces over and roast for another 5 minutes, until they are sizzling and tender all the way through. Remove from the heat. If grilling, grill the pieces for about 5 minutes on each side, until they are tender all the way through and beginning to drip.Transfer the squash slices to a platter. Top each one with a teaspoonful of the salsa, and serve hot or warm.
Transfer the squash slices to a platter. Top each one with a teaspoonful of the salsa, and serve hot or warm
YOUR HOT PEPPER OF THE WEEK:
Dangjo Cheong Yang is a unique Asian pepper that is similar in pungency and appearance to a serrano. The fruit are purple in color and ripen to a deep dark red color. It’s easy to harvest and uniform. Outstanding yield and good ripening ability in short season growing areas.