Tag: farmer john

  • CSA 2023 Winter Week 10

    We are providing an array of delicious items from our farm in our CSA shares this week:

    Bok Choy
    Broccoli
    Rainbow Chard
    Radishes
    Red Butter Lettuce
    Snow Pea
    Scallions
    Bonita Sweet Potatoes
    Turmeric
    Sweet Pepper Mix – Little Pond Farm

    This week’s CSA share brings a rainbow of tasty nourishing items. First, the sweetest of the sweet, our white fleshed bonita sweet potatoes. These hardy tubers are delicious roasted with honey, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt and thyme. Add grated turmeric or galangal to step up the flavor and nutrition.

    Spring abundance is on full display with bok choy, chard, red butter lettuce, snow peas, and scallions. Enjoy our greens lightly sautéed or raw in salads. Add radishes for much more than flavor: they’re great at detoxifying the body as well as a host of other benefits. One satisfying crunch will help purify your blood and increase oxygen into your bloodstream. Raw radishes a bit much for your palette? We hear you. Here’s a tip: wash and salt the radish before steaming or baking for around 10 minutes. That should do the trick, less bitter, more spice.

    Turmeric is also one of nature’s best healers. Curcumin is what makes it a “functional food,” with health benefits far beyond basic nutrition. Click here to learn more about why we love it and see how Farmer John prepares his turmeric tea to “extract all the good stuff” and make the most of its healing properties.

    Our scallion recipes below share some of our favorite ways to enjoy the spring onions in this week’s share. We would love to see how you enjoy the colors and flavors of this spring feast. Please share your photos and tag us at @frogsongcsa.

    SPRING SEASON RENEWAL INFORMATION

    Thank you for supporting our farm! We love our members and are already planning your spring 2023 season. Renewing your membership is easy: All CSA Memberships will automatically renew and charge to your card on file on March 26. Of course, you can also opt out. If you decide not to renew, please let us know by email before March 26. For more information, visit our website frogsongorganics.com.

    Mushroom, Tomato, and Scallion Frittata – adapted from delish.com

    Ingredients:
    2 tbsp. olive oil
    12 scallions
    1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms (can substitute other varieties)
    1 cup cherry tomatoes
    Salt and Pepper to taste
    8 eggs
    1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

    Instructions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a over medium heat. Add scallions, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cover, and cook until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the vegetables, add tomatoes, and stir for 2-4 minutes.
    3. Sprinkle cheese over the frittata, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

    Chinese Scallion Pancakes

    Ingredients:
    3 scallions—2 minced, 1 thinly sliced
    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    1/2 pound of pizza dough, at room temperature
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon water
    2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
    1/2 cup canola oil

    Instructions:
    1. In a small bowl, mix the minced scallions with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and the salt.
    2. Cut the dough in half and roll out each piece to a 10-by-6-inch rectangle.
    3. Spread the scallion mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Starting at a long edge, roll up each piece of dough and pinch to seal. Coil each roll of dough into a round and tuck the end under the coil. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.
    4. In a bowl, mix the sliced scallion with the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and the soy sauce, water and vinegar.
    5. With a large, heavy rolling pin, roll out each dough coil into an 8-inch round. (It’s okay if some of the scallion mixture comes out; it will stick to the dough as you roll.)
    6. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Fry one pancake at a time over moderately high heat, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes total. Drain on paper towels. Cut the pancakes into quarters and serve with the soy dipping sauce.

    Roasted White Sweet Potatoes with Honey Cinnamon Glaze – adapted from nutmegnanny.com

    Ingredients:

    4 white sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed
    1/4 cup honey
    1/4 cup olive oil
    2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    Kosher salt, to taste
    Black pepper, to taste

     Instructions:

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
    2. In a large bowl add cubed sweet potatoes and add in honey, olive oil, fresh thyme leaves, cinnamon, kosher salt, and black pepper.
    3. Stir to combine.
    4. Add to your prepared rimming baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

  • CSA 2023 Winter Week 8

    This week’s share:

    Spring Onion
    Bok choy
    Rainbow Chard
    Watermelon Radish
    Murasaki Sweet Potato
    Galangal Root
    Gai Lan (flowering broccoli)
    Bok Choy
    Red Lettuce
    Mini Sweet Peppers from Worden Farm

    Galangal vs ginger. Is there a difference?

    At a glance that might look like ginger root in your CSA box, but look closer: notice the dark brown rings and tannish color? Touch it. The peel is stronger, and it seems dense, right? Nope, definitely not ginger. So what exactly is it? It’s galangal (as known as Thai ginger), same rhizome family but more like cousins than siblings.

    How do they compare? Well, galangal’s more intense, bitter, and spicier than ginger. It gives recipes an earthier note than it’s sweet cousin. Galangal is bold and citrusy and a perfect complement to lemongrass and/or coconut milk. Use it as a spice in marinades, soups, and stir-fries. Dehydrate to make a powder that keeps indefinitely, or store in a loosely sealed plastic bag lined with a paper towel and place it in the fridge for up to three weeks.

    Health Benefits

    Like ginger, galangal has a myriad of health benefits. For starters, it’s packed with Vitamin C and potassium that boosts immunity and keeps our heart healthy. In Ayurveda, it’s prized as a remedy for fevers, jaundice, heart ailments and bone disorders. Beauty tip: a mug of warm galangal tea will boost collagen production. Steep in hot water for 15-20 minutes and sweeten with FSO cane syrup or honey. However you enjoy it, let us know! Follow us on social to share kitchen inspiration with other members, and keep the photos coming to @frogsongcsa!

    Want to know what’s cooking at the farm? Check out Farmer John’s weekly updates, find out what’s happening in the field, and glean a few of his own kitchen tips.

    FSO tip: Puree galangal before adding to recipes to prevent clumping, prolong freshness and prevent mold. You can also store the puree in the freezer to toss into soups, smoothies, or sauces later.

    Galangal Coconut Soup with Seminole Pumpkin

    adapted from netmeds.com

    Ingredients:

    1 medium galangal, finely chopped

    2 cups coconut milk

    3 tbsp black pepper powder

    1 small Seminole pumpkin, cut, peeled and boiled (can substitute other pumpkin)

    1 tbsp soy sauce

    2 tbsp lime juice

    3 sweet onions, sliced

    Salt, as needed

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the coconut milk, adding some water in a vessel on medium flame.
    2. Put in the galangal pieces and black pepper powder and stir for 10 minutes.
    3. Add the pumpkin slices and cook for another 2 minutes so they become soft and slightly mashed.
    4. Pour in the lime juice, spring onions, soy sauce, salt and allow it to boil for 5 minutes until all the flavors blend.
    5. Turn off the stovetop, adjust for salt and pepper and serve hot.

    Bok Choy with Lemongrass, Pecans, and Galangal

    adapted from mjskitchen.com 

    Ingredients:

    2 Tbsp. coconut oil

    1 pound bok choy, ends removed and leaves/stalks sliced vertically

    4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

    1/2 cup pecans, cut vertically

    1/4 tsp lemongrass powder

    1/4 tsp galangal, grated

    sea salt, to taste

    cracked pepper, to taste

    Instructions:

    1. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat.
    2. Add the Bok Choy, garlic and pecans. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. (The amount of time depends on how crispy you like your bok choy stalks.)
    3. Season with lemongrass powder, galangal, sea salt and pepper. Toss and sauté for 1 minute.
    4. Remove from heat and serve.

    Dim Sum Style Gai-Lan

    adapted from food.com

    Ingredients:

    1 lb Gai-Lan

    2 tsp salt

    1 tsp baking soda (to preserve broccoli’s color)

    1 garlic clove, sliced

    1 inch galangal peeled and grated

    2 tsps toasted sesame seeds

    Sauce

    3 tbsp oyster sauce

    3 tbsp water or chicken broth

    1 tbsp mirin or sherry

    1 tbsp FSO cane syrup

    Instructions:

    1. Rinse Gai Lan and trim the end of the stems.
    2. Bring eight cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan or stock pot.
    3. Stir in salt, baking soda, garlic and ginger.
    4. Add gai-lan. Cover and simmer about 4 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green and is tender-crisp.
    5. Drain and serve drizzled with the oyster sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

    Sauce: Mix oyster sauce with water or broth, mirin and FSO syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil to melt the sugar. Remove from heat.