Tag: Eggplant

  • CSA 2026 WEEK 33

    From Our Farm

    Basil, Thai

    Eggplant, Fairy Tale or Japanese

    Pears, Baldwin

    From Our Partners

    Carrots – Clem’s Organic Garden

    Corn, Sweet – Watsonia

    Kale, Curly or Lacinato – Tendwell Farm

    Squash/Zucchini Mix – Watsonia

    Watermelon, Seedless – Watsonia

    Try out this great recipe we found around the web that feature items from your CSA share:

    Summer Vegetable Tian

    Ingredients:

    • 5 to 9 tablespoons (75 ml to 135 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 10 sprig fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, tarragon and/or basil
    • 3 pinch fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1 1/2 pound (680 grams) tomatoes
    • 1/2 pound (227 grams) zucchini, green or yellow, scrubbed and trimmed
    • 1/4 pound (113 grams) eggplant, washed and trimmed
    • 1/4 pound (113 grams) red onion(s)
    • 1 loaf or so good bread, for serving

    Instructions:

    1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 400° F. Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into the baking dish, tilting it so the oil coats the sides. Scatter over half the garlic and a little more than half of the herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
    2. Slice the vegetables: they should be cut about 1⁄4 inch thick. Ideally they should all be about the same size, so if any are particularly large, you might want to cut them in half the long way before slicing them. This is a nicety, not a necessity.
    3. Arrange the vegetables in the dish in tightly overlapping circles. Try to squeeze the eggplant between slices of tomato and get the zucchini and onions to cuddle up to one another. Keep the circles tight, since the vegetables will soften and shrink in the oven. Season generously with salt and pepper, tuck the remaining slivers of garlic in among the vegetables, top with the remaining herbs and drizzle over as much of the remaining oil (3 to 7 tablespoons) as you’d like. Place the tian on a baking sheet lined with foil, parchment or a silicone baking mat. Bake the tian for 70 to 90 minutes, until the vegetables are meltingly tender and the juices are bubbling.
    4. Serve the tian a few minutes out of the oven or allow it to cool to room temperature. Either way, you’ll want bread…a lot of it.

    Recipe adapted from: https://food52.com/recipes/77581-summer-vegetable-tian?

  • CSA 2025 SPRING WEEK 12

    From our Farm

    Italian Basil

    Japanese Eggplant

    Red Onions, cured

    Green Jalapeño Peppers

    Watermelon

    From Our Partner Growers

    Green Beans, Blackwater Farm GA

    Sweet Corn, Blackwater Farm, GA

    Curly Green Kale, Clem’s Organic Gardens, NC

    Grape Tomatoes, Watsonia, SC

    Try out these great recipes we found around the web that feature items from your share:

    Stir-Fried Eggplant With Basil and Chiles Adapted from Bon Appétit

    Ingredients

    2 chiles, such as cayenne, Fresno, or jalapeño (red or green)
    1 Tbsp. honey
    Pinch of kosher salt
    3 medium Japanese or Chinese eggplants (about 12 oz. total)
    3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    ¼ lb. ground pork, ground chicken, tempeh crumbles, or crumbled tofu
    3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
    ½ cup basil leaves, plus more for serving
    2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
    2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

    Instructions

    1. Finely chop chiles and toss in a small bowl with honey and salt. Let sit until ready to use.
    2. Slice eggplants crosswise into 3″ pieces, then quarter lengthwise. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Cook eggplant, tossing occasionally, until browned and crisp-tender, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
    3. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in same skillet. Cook pork, breaking into small pieces, until browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sesame seeds and cook, tossing, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup basil leaves and toss until wilted, 2–3 minutes.
    4. Stir vinegar and tamari into chile mixture. Return eggplant to skillet and add half of sauce. Cook, tossing often, until eggplant is tender, 1–2 minutes more. Season with salt if needed.
    5. Transfer eggplant stir-fry to a plate and drizzle with remaining sauce. Top with more basil.

  • Spring 2022 CSA- Week 7

    This week, members will enjoy the following products from Frog Song Organics (FSO):

    • Green Beans
    • Eggplant
    • Dill
    • Fennel bulb with Fronds
    • Red Leaf Lettuce
    • Sweet Red Onions – cured
    • Jalapeno Peppers
    • Squash Mix
    • Cherry Tomatoes – Little Pond Farm
    • Stone Fruit including Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines

    Tomato Sambal from FoodandWine

    Ingredients
    • (FSO adaptation) 1/2 lb of Jalapenos, deseeded and sliced
    • 6 ounces cherry tomatoes
    • 2 small banana shallots or 4 small Thai shallots, peeled and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced 
    • 1 ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
    • ¼ cup neutral-flavored oil, for frying
    • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (or 1 teaspoon lime juice mixed with 1 teaspoon brown sugar)
    • ½ teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
    • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
    • (FSO addition-1/4 inch piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced. Optional)
    Directions
    • Step 1: In a mortar and pestle or a food processor, place the chiles, tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and ginger. Mash or pulse until a semi-fine paste forms (you don’t want to make a puree — the sambal should have a little texture).
    • Step 2: In a medium skillet, heat the oil over a medium. Add the spice paste to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the sambal darkens, is fragrant, and reduces to a thick consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix in the tamarind paste and sugar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool.

    Use for flavoring in stir-fry, as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip. This versatile concoction gives a kick to just about anything which could us a sweet zip. Enjoy.

    Grape and Fennel Sala- Eatingwell

    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
    • 5 cups red and green seedless grapes (about 1 3/4 pounds), halved
    • 1 large fennel bulb, halved, cored and thinly sliced
    • 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
    • 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
    • 3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
    Directions
    • Whisk oil, vinegar, fennel seeds, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add grapes, fennel, celery and scallions; toss to coat. Serve topped with almonds.

    Szechuan Green Beans

    Ingredients
    • 1/2 lbs. of green beans, ends trimmed
    • 1 tsp of ground Szechuan peppers or crushed red pepper
    • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
    • 1-2 white ends of scallions, chopped
    • Tbsp of of peanut or avocado oil

    Sauce

    • 1/4 cup rice or red wine vinegar
    • 3 Tbsp aminos or soy sauce
    • 1-2 tsp of hoisin sauce (to taste and consistency preference)
    • a few dash of sesame oil
    Directions
    • Whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.
    • Trim ends of green beans and steam over boiling water, no longer then 4 minutes so they remain firm. Set aside.
    • Heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic for about a minute, then add ginger and scallions. Stir in pepper and finally sauce, keeping sauce hot.
    • Add sauce mixture to a bowl and toss with steamed beans.
    • Optional: For add cooked FSO ground pork or sautéed mushrooms. For more texture, add a quick dry roasted sesame seed.

    Homemade Chips in Lard with Dill

    Ingredients
    • Potatoes of choice, sliced thinly (for larger potatoes, use a mandolin to thickness preference)
    • 1/2- 1 cup of Frog Song Real Lard
    • Corse sea salt
    • Fresh chopped dill to liking.
    Directions
    • In a Dutch oven, heat lard over medium heat to 350 degrees. If you are not using a Thermarator, the oil should be hot enough to sizzle when splashed with water but not smoking.
    • Prepare your “mise en place” (putting in place), as the process happens quickly: Slice potatoes to desired thickness, keeping as uniform as possible and mix course sea salt and freshly dill in a bowl in a seperate bowl.
    • Working in batches and using a slotted spoon, fry potatoes until golden brown. Remove from oil and place in bowl. Toss immediately with salt and dill so those ingredients bind with the oil. Dry with a paper towel and move on to next batch.

    Notes: If using an air fryer, heat lard first and toss potatoes with lard and salt at 350 F until golden brown. Toss with fresh dill when finished.

    This recipe pairs will with a quick dip of Greek yogurt, chopped shallots, capers, and lemon juice.

  • CSA Summer 2 – Week 1

    Welcome to the Summer 2 CSA Season! We are harvesting from our farm:

    • Tulsi (Holy Basil)
    • Red & Green Okra
    • Cubanelle or Corno di Toro Green Peppers

    Plus adding these great items from partner producers:

    • Green Cabbage – New Sprout
    • Mediterranean Eggplant – New Sprout
    • Curly Green Kale – New Sprout
    • Purple Top Turnips – New Sprout
    • Grape Tomatoes – New Sprout
    • Vidalia Onions – Oso Sweet


      Recipe: Crispy Shoestring Oven Roasted Okra Fries

      This is a farmer John original – when dad makes dinner for the kids, they eat this okra up! You can make it as a side dish, or top any dish like grits or pasta with these crispy bits.

      1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees, convection if available. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, or 9 x 13 glass pans.
      2. Wash okra and slice lengthwise into narrow strips. Each piece should be cut into quarters.
      3. Toss in a bowl with salt to taste and a small amount of avocado, sunflower, or high-heat oil of your choice.
      4. Arrange okra on your baking dish in a single layer with plenty of space.
      5. Roast until very crispy. Check after about 20 minutes and stir if needed. Total cook time should be about 30-35 minutes.

    Chicken & Okra

    Recipe: Frango com Quiabo (Chicken and Okra)

    Contributed by Leidy Dos Santos

    This dish is the flagship of my state, Minas Gerais. Usually associated with caipiras (people that live in the countryside), frango com quiabo is my favorite childhood dish and every spoonful takes me back to the little farm where I grew up. I hope you enjoy it!

    Ingredients:

    1 whole chicken

    1 pound of okra

    2 medium onion

    5 garlic cloves

    1 lime

    1 tablespoon of paprika (we use annatto for color is Brazil, but paprika works too)

    1 cup chopped green onions

    1 cup chopped parsley

    3 tablespoons olive oil

    Salt to taste

    Cut the whole chicken your preferred way. I cut it into 10 pieces.

    Marinate the chicken in lime juice, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 1 diced medium onion (the smaller, the better), paprika, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and salt. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 min.

    Meanwhile, cut the okra in thick slices and sautee in olive oil on high heat until the sliminess is gone. Set aside.

    Cut 1 medium onion in very small pieces and add it to a hot pot with olive oil. Cook it until it’s on the verge of burning, but not burned. It should have a deep brown color that’s going to make the chicken look and taste amazing. It takes some time and stirring, but it’s definitely worth it.

    Add the chicken to the pot after the onions are ready and cook it for about 10 minutes to sear it.

    Add the okra and 2 crushed garlic cloves.

    Add salt and enough water to cover it up and let it simmer on medium heat until the chicken is cooked (30 – 40 min).

    Garnish with green onions and parsley. Enjoy!

    We eat it with rice and polenta, but just rice is great too.





  • Summer 1 CSA – Week 5

    This week, our members will receive the following produce from our farm, and our partner producers’ farms:

    • Sweet Italian Basil, bunch
    • Japanese Eggplant
    • Malabar Spinach
    • Collard Greens – NSOF
    • Red Beets, loose – NSOF
    • Sweet Red Onions
    • Plum Tomatoes
    • Butternut Squash – NSOF
    • Florida Pears
    • Florida pears are fine textured inside, and will be juicier when ripe
    • If you leave your pears on the counter for a few days, they will ripen and turn lighter, a yellowish green

    Roasted Beet and Winter Squash – NY Times Cooking

    Ingredients
    • 2 pounds kabocha or butternut squash
    • 1 bunch beets
    • 2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1 small garlic clove, minced or put through a press
    • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons walnut oil
    • 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts (about 1 1/2 ounces)
    • 2 tablespoons mixed chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, mint, tarragon, chives
    Instructions
    1. Roast the beets. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the greens off of the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stems attached. Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish or ovenproof casserole. Add about 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly with a lid or foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the beets are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. If not using right away, refrigerate in a covered bowl
    2. Line another roasting pan with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Peel the squash and cut in 1/2-inch thick slices. Toss with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and salt to taste and place on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until lightly browned and tender. You can do this at the same time that you roast the beets, but watch carefully if you need to put the baking sheet on a lower shelf. Remove from the heat and allow to cool
    3. Mix together the vinegars, garlic, salt, pepper, the remaining olive oil and the walnut oil. When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the ends off, slip off their skins, cut in half, then slice into half-moon shapes. Toss with half the salad dressing. In a separate bowl, toss the roasted squash with the remaining dressing
    4. Place the greens on a platter, leaving a space in the middle. Arrange the beets and squash in alternating rows in the middle of the platter. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and the walnuts. If desired, sprinkle on crumbled feta. Serve

    Malabar Spinach Chutney – Healthy Indian

    Ingredients
    • 3 Cups Malabar Spinach – Washed, rinsed, chopped
    • 5 Chili Peppers Dry Red Chili – Medium length
    • 1 Cup Onion – Fine Cut
    • 2 Cloves Garlic – Medium size
    • 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
    • 1 Teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
    • 1 Teaspoon Tamarind – or to taste
    • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt – or to taste
    Instructions
    1. Cut spinach, onions and garlic and set them aside in separate piles.
    2. Sauté spinach in a half teaspoon of oil for about 3 to 5 minutes and set aside in a bowl.
    3. Sauté seasoning ingredients (red chili pepper, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds) and set aside to cool.
    4. Gather sautéed seasoning ingredients, tamarind, salt and turmeric in a plate.
    5. Blend to coarse powder.
    6. Add sautéed spinach to the powder and blend one more time to ensure they are mixed well.
    7. Sauté onions and garlic in one teaspoon of oil till golden brown.
    8. Mix with the blended ingredients and transfer to serving dish.

    Stir-fry Eggplant and Basil – Food 52

    Ingredients
    • 3 eggplant (the long, skinny type)
    • 1 1/2 cups basil leaves
    • 2 green onions or scallions, minced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon water
    Instructions
    1. Wash and cut eggplants into 1/3 ” thick slices, immerse cut eggplants into salted water for 5 minutes, remove and drain; Mince garlic and green onions; Wash and dry the basil leaves.
    2. Heat oil in pan, fry eggplant until it is a bit soft, drain and set aside.
    3. Using the same pan, add the minced garlic, spring onions, all the seasonings, a tablespoon of water, and stir in with the eggplant.
    4. Add basil leaves, stir and immediately turn off the stove.