P i c k l i s t
Potatoes - Corn - Garlic - Onion - Green bean - Cuke - Summer squash - Italian frying peppers - Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper - Cherry Tomatoes - Eggplant - Collard Greens
This week at egdewater:
All sorts of weather this week resulting in some movement toward ripening but unfortunately the nights are still so cold! The pepper field remains mostly adorned with green fruit aside from these carmen peppers- the italian frying peppers- that are in your share this week. Like a watched pot that just won’t boil, so too these peppers just won't ripen. However, the field tomatoes are finally kicking in and we are all so jazzed about this late August candy otherwise known as cherry tomatoes. It is actually so incredible what a couple of days of sunshine on a field can do to a stunted looking crop. With Sunday’s perfect Summer weather, suddenly the fields jumped and the plants perked right up. We are all just holding on so hard to these few days of SUN while we can before we go right back into the dreary mess this coming Friday.
In other news, we are in that very sweet spot of Summer- the time in between school starting and camp ending and all the college kids returning to school. It is a time in which all child care suddenly disappears and we get two special guests full time on our field crew. A very funny but also quick to fall apart 4 year old, and a 7 year old who loves being on field crew for the camaraderie and the snacks but not entirely for the actual work. These make for very interesting days.
Many moments as a mom and a farmer i think the following,
“Teach your children well… unless you kill each other first”
“should i just say “f” it and take them to the beach?”
“Where is the nearest snack? Why won’t this cucumber or sweet pepper or cherry tomato do the trick?”
“Thank heavens for farmstand cookies”
“Nothing is possible without grandparents” (in particular Grannie Annie, aka Anne Sprague co-founder farmer of Edgewater)
These kiddos were born and raised here, so they absolutely know the drill, but it still remains a challenge to take them to work. However, when it is good, it is very good- and nothing feels better than working alongside your kiddo while everyone is in the flow of farming. But the moments of flow are so very unreliable. We are in the middle of our big harvest season. This is akin to asking an accountant to take their kiddo to work during tax season, ya know? All this said, at the end of the day we are all a little grumpy, and tired and hungry, but I am positive that by next Thursday, when they do go back to school, we will be missing them on the crew. Because while they are both total pain in the butts, they are also totally lovable and silly and very much a piece of the Edgewater Farm puzzle. So if you open your delivered box this week, or pick up your farmstand share and your vegetables look a little curious- maybe an overly peeled onion? Or a green potato? Please know that they were likely touched and picked and peeled by the hand of a tiny person on the cusp of figuring it all out. ENJOY!
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
Peanut Butter & Greens Sandwich
Makes 1 sandwich RECIPE BY: LUKAS VOLGER
2 slices sandwich bread
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
Salt, if needed
1/4 - 1/3 cup Marinated Greens (see below)
Sriracha
1 scallion, white green and white parts, thinly slicedOlive oil or butter
Flaky salt
Spread both sides of the bread with peanut butter and, depending on the saltiness of the peanut butter, sprinkle it with salt to taste. Spread the marinated greens over one slice and top with the scallion, and sriracha to taste. Close the sandwich.
Place a skillet over medium heat. When hot, pour in a thin film of olive oil or melt a pat of butter in it. Place the sandwich top-side down and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, pressing down gently if needed so that it begins to brown. Add a bit more olive oil or butter if the pan looks dry, then flip and repeat. Sprinkle the sandwich with a pinch of flaky salt, slice in half, and serve immediately.
Marinated Greens… Makes about 2 cups
PSA, JENNY’S NOTE: Even if you do not make this sambo, I encourage you to make these greens. They are awesome on their own, or throw them into scrambled eggs, frittata, eating atop rice, etc…
2 bunches (about 1 1/2 pounds) leafy greens: hello, Collard Greens!
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt
Fresh lemon juice
Trim off and discard the tough stems from the greens. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Pile in the greens, in batches if necessary, and add a splash of water (you can also cover with a lid to compress them). Add a big pinch of salt and gently cook, stirring with tongs, until wilted and tender. Cooking times will vary depending on type of green, so watch and taste as you go. If cooking a combination of different greens, cook each type separately. Add a splash of water to the pan if it dries out.
Transfer to a colander to drain and cool until safe to handle. Gently squeeze out excess liquid using your hands or a spatula or wooden spoon, pressing against the side of the colander. Coarsely chop the greens, then transfer them to a medium bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon, red pepper flakes, or salt as needed.
SERVES: 4 (aka Crispy Chili-Yogurt Chicken Legs over Schmaltzy Bread)
ACTIVE TIME: 35 MINS TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 20MINS
This chile-flecked yogurt marinade gets stained bright orange when blended with mild chile flakes such as Aleppo pepper or Gochugaru. You’ll notice that I’ve given a much smaller quantity of Italian red pepper flakes (also known as pepperoncini) as a substitute. These are much spicier, so you won’t need as much, and therefore they won't strain the yogurt a rich hue. But they’ll work great nonetheless. Use whatever you’ve got! If you’ve ever made Samin Nosrat’s Buttermilk Marinated Roast Chicken, you may be familiar with the tenderizing effect that sour dairy has on meat--the enzymes in dairy products like buttermilk or yogurt help to break down the proteins in the chicken, resulting in supremely tender meat with an undeniable tang. As for the slices of bread that's it beneath the chicken,stale bread, which has dried out, will resist sogging out underneath the chicken and lead to crispier fried edges. If you only have fresh bread, slice it up and leave it out at room temperature to dry out for a few hours if possible. If you don’t have time for that, you’ll just need to embrace the crispy gone soggy factor (which I happen to think is pretty special in its own right).
PRODUCE
2 whole heads garlic
4 large shallots
2 large bunches kale, collard greens, Swiss chard or spinach
1 lemon
PANTRY
2 tablespoons fennelseed
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
½ loaf crusty, stale sturdy sourdough bread (the staler the better, really)
2 tablespoons mild chili flakes(Aleppo, or Gochugaru) OR 2 tsp hot red pepper flakes(Italian)
DAIRY
1 cup whole milk yogurt
MEAT
4 bone-in,skin on chicken legs(about 2½ pounds)
1. Marinate the chicken: In a blender combine 2 tablespoons fennel seed, 2 tablespoons mild red chili flakes(or 2 teaspoonsItalian red pepper flakes), and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon. Blend on high until the spices are finely ground. Add 1 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 8 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, and blend again until smooth. Pat 4 chicken legs dry, and season all over with salt. Place the chicken in a baking dishor large resealable plastic bag. Pour the chili yogurt all over the chicken and let sit, turning occasionally, at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 450 when you’re ready to cook.
2. Meanwhile, prep your veg and bread: Slice the stale bread into three or four 1” thick slices. (They ultimately need to fit in a 9 x 13 baking dish in a single layer so think about that as you decide how many you’ll need) Peel 8 small shallots, cut them in half through the root end. If your shallots are large, cut them in quarters. Cut the remaining head of garlic in half crosswise. Cut or tear 2 bunches of greens into 3 inch pieces(if you’re using kale or collards, you’ll want to remove the tough centerstem).
3. Roast the chicken: Place the shallots, halved garlic and bread in a clean 9 x 13 baking dish. Drizzle all over with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper, turning to coat everything. Arrange the chicken legs on top of the bread and vegetables. Roast, until the bread is golden brown and very crisp underneath, 25-30 minutes. The chicken will not yet be browned and crisp. Using tongs, move the chicken legs to a plate momentarily, while you flip the bread slices over, and stir the shallots and garlic. Return the chicken legs to the bread, and continue to roast until the chicken skin is crisp and deeply burnished, 12-16 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken and bread to a plate or cutting board to rest.
4. Add the greens and finish: Stir the greens into the baking dish along with the shallots and garlic, drizzle with some more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and return to the oven to cook,stirring once halfway through until wilted and tender, 5-10 minutes longer depending on what greens you’re using. If it looks like the drippings at the bottom of the pan are burning you can add a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen them up. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon all over the greens, chicken and bread. Divide the bread,shallots, and greens among serving bowls. Top each one with a chicken leg. Serve the roasted garlic alongside for schmearing on the schmaltzy bread.