Tag: potatoes

  • Shrimp and Potato Chowder (Grain-free)

    A chowder recipe adapted from Southern Living.

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil
    • 2 bunches scallions, chopped
    • 2 pounds potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
    • 6 cups bone broth or meat stock
    • 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
    • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (I prefer raw cream, or for a dairy-free option, use coconut milk)
    • 1 1/2 pounds wild shrimp

    Instructions

    1. Place the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Melt the butter and then add the onions.
    2. Cook the onions for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    3. Add the potatoes, stock, and salt then bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.
    4. Stir in the cream and cook until hot (but not boiling).
    5. Add the shrimp and cook until no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes.

  • Spring CSA – Week 10

    Our members will be enjoying the following produce from our farm this week:

    • Sweet Italian Basil, bunch
    • 1/2 dozen eggs, or roselle tea for our vegans!
    • Cucumbers
    • Rainbow Chard, bunch
    • Panisse Butter Lettuce
    • Sweet Red Onions, cured
    • Tri-Color Potatoes
    • Summer Squash Mix
    • Tokyo Turnips
    • Strawberries!

    Roasted Zucchini and Red Potatoes – source: Cookpad

    Ingredients
    • 6 baby red potatoes
    • 2 medium zucchini
    • 1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
    • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
    • 1/2 tsp dry basil
    • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
    Instructions
    1. Chop red potatoes into quarters.
    2. Cut the ends of the zucchini off and chop zucchini into half moons about 1/2 inch thick.
    3. In a small bowl mix together below seasonings.
    4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
    5. Using a large pot, in salted water, boil red potatoes for 5-10 minutes until fork tender.
    6. Drain potatoes and spread on baking sheet with chopped zucchini.
    7. Mix melted butter and olive oil together and drizzle over potatoes and zucchini.
    8. Take the bowl of mix seasoning and using a pinch at a time, sprinkle seasoning mix over potatoes and zucchini.
    9. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes.
    10. Turn on broil and broil (7 inches below coil) for 10 minutes.
    11. Let cool for 3 minutes and serve

    Swiss Chard with Pancetta – source : Food and Wine

    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
    • 2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
    • 1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard or rainbow chard, stems and inner ribs cut into 1/2-inch pieces, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
    Instructions
    1. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the pancetta, garlic and rosemary and cook over moderately high heat until the garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the chard leaves, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, toss to coat and serve.

  • Spring CSA – Week 8

    Our members will receive the following produce from our farm in their shares this week:

    • Beans – Green and Yellow Mix; snap beans are delicious raw or cooked.
    • Lemon Basil, Bunch
    • Rainbow Chard, bunch
    • Cucumber, non-conformers; expect to get all shapes and sizes!
    • Scallions, bunch
    • Potatoes, White Kennebec
    • Spring Mix
    • Summer Squash – Mixed varieties
    • Mixed Stone Fruits – Peaches, nectarines and plums from our farm; Florida peaches are still juicy when firm (perfect for salads and snacks) although will soften in a couple days

    Green Beans and Cucumbers with Miso Dressing – source: Bon Appetit

    Ingredients
    • 3 cucumbers, Kosher salt
    • 1 pound green beans, trimmed
    • 1½-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
    • 1 serrano or Fresno chili, finely grated
    • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
    • ⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
    • ¼ cup white miso
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions (for serving)
    Directions
    1. Lightly smash cucumbers with a rolling pin, then tear into bite-size pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Let sit to allow salt to penetrate.
    2. Meanwhile, place green beans in a large resealable plastic bag, seal, and smash with rolling pin until most of the beans are split open and bruised. Whisk ginger, chile, garlic, vinegar, miso, olive oil, and sesame oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Add dressing to beans and toss around in bag to coat; season with salt.
    3. Drain cucumbers and add to bag with beans. Shake gently to combine. Transfer salad to a platter and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

    Real Fruit Rollups – recipe from one of our CSA members 🙂

    Cheesy Potato Kulchas with Swiss Chard and Scallion – source: Food52

    Ingredients
    • Kulcha Dough
    • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
    • 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
    • 1 1/4 cups warm water (approximately 120°F)
    • 6 tablespoons very soft butter
    • Potato Filling
    • 11-ounces white potato, peeled
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like sunflower or avocado)
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
    • Fine sea salt
    • 1/2 pound (1/2 to 1 bunch, depending on the size) Swiss chard
    • 1/4 pound (1 bunch) scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
    • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    • 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
    • 1/4 pound cheddar, shredded (or another grateable, melty cheese you love)
    Directions
    1. Heat the oven to 375°F with a rack positioned in the lower third.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, the sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warm water and stir, using a sturdy silicone spatula, till there are no spots of dry flour and a slack, bumpy dough forms. Cover the bowl with a plate or lid and let the dough rise in a warm place (around 75 to 80°F) for 1 hour while you get on with the filling.
    3. Dice the potato into roughly 1/2-inch cubes and chuck it into a 8- to 9-inch skillet (preferably well seasoned cast iron so nothing sticks or you could use a parchment-lined quarter sheet pan instead). Pour the water and oil over the potato chunks, add the ground turmeric and a fat pinch of salt and toss to coat. Roast the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes.
    4. While the potatoes are roasting, remove the stems from the Swiss chard and finely mince them. Roughly chop the leaves and reserve separately.
    5. Remove the potatoes from the oven and add the minced Swiss chard stems, scallions, caraway and nigella seeds. Stir, then return to the oven for 15 minutes.
    6. After 15 minutes, add the Swiss chard leaves on top and continue to bake till the chard is wilted, about 10 minutes. By now, the potatoes should be tender and fully cooked. Remove the pan from the oven and crush the potatoes, using a fork or potato masher, ensuring there are no large lumps. Let the mixture cool fully, then stir the cheese through. Season with salt to taste. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions (approximately 80 grams each). Roll each portion into a ball and set aside.
    7. Turn up the oven to 400°F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
    8. Use about 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour to very generously dust a work surface. Use a plastic bowl scraper or spatula to turn the dough out onto the floured surface and dust it with more flour. With your hands, pat the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick (or roughly the surface area of a half sheet pan). If there is so much flour that you can’t see the dough, dust off some with a pastry brush.
    9. Use a small offset spatula to spread about 4 tablespoons of butter onto the dough, like you’re buttering your morning toast.
    10. Starting from one long side, fold the dough in thirds like you would a letter. Dust the dough lightly with flour and with your hands, press the dough into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Spread the remaining 2 tablespoons of soft butter over the dough as evenly as possible.
    11. Starting from one long side, roll the dough up like you’re making cinnamon rolls and pinch the seams closed. The dough is very soft, so the roll may be misshapen but that’s okay. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into 6 equal portions (approximately 115 grams each).
    12. Working with one portion of dough at a time, flip the dough cut side down onto a generously floured counter. Use your fingers to pat it into a 5-inch circle. Place one portion of the potato filling in the center of the dough circle, then bring up the dough and pinch the top closed, sealing the filling within. This looks like a lot of filling but the dough is super extensible and you can tug at it as needed. If any butter bursts through the dough, simply dust the spot with more flour.
    13. Pat the ball into a 6-inch circle. Use a pastry brush to flick away excess flour on both sides of the kulcha, then transfer it to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat in the same way with the remaining dough and filling to make 5 more kulchas.
    14. Bake the kulchas, 3 each on a sheet pan, in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, till they’re slightly puffed and the bottoms are flaky and golden brown.
    15. Remove from the oven and let the kulchas cool for 5 minutes before tearing into them.

  • Last CSA Share of the 2019 Spring Season!

    We are finishing out our 14 week spring season with some delicious Organic and non GMO Sweet Corn, Sweet Italian Basil, Malabar Spinach, Cured Red Sweet Onion, Tri Colored Potatoes, Eggplant, Corno Di Toro Peppers, Edamame, Mixed Potatoes (red, white, purple) Juliet Tomatoes and some sweet Blueberries Melons.

    Sorry about the Blueberries folks but we couldn’t end the season without a little surprise now could we. All of our Wednesday and Thursday CSA Members will receive sweet Cantaloupes grown on the farm. Saturday markets will most likely have melons too but we won’t know until Friday, and that’s the way it goes.. Welcome to farming! 🙂

    Cantaloupe- Our melons are picked when they are presumed ripe, however, we are currently growing several different varieties all with different characteristics which can make it difficult to know for sure, the only way to know for certain that you have a deliciously sweet and ripe melon is to cut into it. If you happen to get an unsatisfactory melon please let us know and we will try our best to replace it with a good one the following week at one of the farmers markets.

    Malabar Spinach is not exactly a spinach, It actually belongs to the Basellaceae family (vine family of flowering plants) and is a very warm season crop unlike traditional spinach. There are two main species of Malabar spinach: Basella alba (included in your share) which has green stems and thick fleshy leaves, and Basella ruba which has red stems, we grow that too. The mucilaginous texture is especially useful as a thickener in soups and stews. Mucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by nearly all plants. You will notice when you bite into it that it is thicker and the inside of the leaf tends to be a bit gooey for lack of a better word. It is most popular on sandwiches and in sautes.

    Click here for a simple and healthy  sautee recipe with Malabar Spinach

    Sweet Corn this sweet corn needs no introduction, just bite into it and you will see for yourself. My favorite way to eat this corn is raw, right off the cob but if you would rather cook it remove the husks, and bring a pot of water to boil. Boil the shucked ears for only 1 to 2 minutes, in unsalted water, do not overcook. Ok, ready for the whole truth?? You may have noticed that we cut the tops off of our corn and that is not necessarily for the ease and hassle free shucking but because the majority of our sweet corn crop has worm damage or undeveloped kernels at the very top of the ear. This is nothing to be alarmed about, it is just a natural process and how can you blame them? Who wouldn’t want to feast out on this delicious sweet corn?! Growing organic sweet corn takes practice, patience and most of all relentless determination. It takes time to learn what works well for your crop and what doesn’t through seasons of trial and error. “Pest management in an organic system is based on prevention. The goal is to have a healthy, balanced plant and soil system in which pest populations will be stay within tolerable limits. In a conventional system, synthetic pesticides may help a grower save the current crop from an immediate pest problem; however, in many cases, the problem recurs or another develops. The organic approach is based on the theory that major pest problems usually occur when something is out of balance in the system. Are the plants undernourished or stressed from growing too quickly? Is there a nutrient imbalance? Is the soil too wet or too dry? Has a good crop rotation been followed? Is there a diversity of plants to support beneficial insects? Thus, studying the problem and trying to determine why it occurred should help prevent similar problems in the future. This will, of course, take time to learn and develop”. –NCSU.EDU

    Edamame are immature soybeans in the pod. I apologize if you received some that were pretty thin and beanless. I took home a handful to experiment with and noticed many of the pods had little or no beans in them almost as if they were dehydrated or scorched by the sun. Some of them were plump bean pods holding one or two soybeans inside. The easiest and best way to eat edamame is to boil or steam the pods and serve with salt. Make sure you give them a good wash because they came straight from the field rather than the freezer. I soaked mine in water twice to make sure the sand and dirt were removed and then I put them in a microwave safe bowl with just enough water to cover the tops. I added a pinch or two of coarse ground sea salt and covered. I cooked they soybeans on high for two minutes, removed them and added another pinch of sea salt and let cool. The easiest way to eat edamame is to drag the seedpod between your upper and lower teeth to removing the soybean from the pod and discarding the unedible pod. It certainly won’t fill you up but it makes an enjoyable snack or appetizer.

    Japanese Eggplant is unique in that is has a tender skin so you don’t have to peel it, it also has a sweeter flavor than that of the classic Italian eggplant. The color varies from light pink, white, lavender and purple. Slice it thin longwise and throw it on the grill or chop it and stir fry it, the spongy flesh soaks up any marinade or sauce. Especially delicious with asian sauces, ginger and basils.  Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers. You can keep eggplants out of refrigerator if you plan on using them within 2 days but if not I would suggest wrapping them in a dry paper towel and placing them in a reusable container or perforated bag in the produce drawer.

    Corno del Toro Peppers- The Corno di Toro or Bull’s Horn chile gets its name from its curved, long and slender pod that comes to a pointed tip, resembling that of a bull’s horn. When immature its skin is green and depending upon variety will ripen to a vibrant red or yellow hue when fully mature. Reminiscent of classic Italian frying peppers the Corno di Toro is an ideal variety for a traditional Italian appetizer, fried simply in olive oil and finished with sea salt and parmesan cheese. It is also a popular variety for cooking down to make Italian sauces. Whole peppers can be grilled, roasted or sautéed for use on sandwiches, pasta and pizzas. Their larger size also makes them an ideal pepper for stuffing with a combination of rice or pasta, herbs, and cheeses then roasting or baking. – SpecialtyProduce.Com

    Sweet Italian Basil- Fragrant and beautiful basil adds a fresh element to any dish, Top it on pasta, sprinkle it on pizza, or chop it up fine and toss it in some balsamic vinegar with some fresh mozzarella and Juliet tomatoes from your share for a deliciously simple, Italian classic..The Caprese Salad.

    Juliet Tomatoes– Great flavor, fresh or cooked. The Juliet is a larger sister variety of the well-known Santa grape tomato, and is one of the most disease resistant varieties available. The delicious, rich tomato flavor is ideal for salads, makes a great salsa, and fresh pasta sauce. Many farmers and chefs refer to it as a mini Roma because of it shape and deep red color.

    It has been such a pleasure to provide you with fresh, locally & sustainably grown produce. We hope you will join us for our Fall Season starting in October- Fall membership opening soon. Ciao for now- Shani

  • Last ‘Spring 2018’ CSA Share June 13-16

    The Last share of the season includes: Thai Basil, Purple Daikon Radish, White Potatoes, Yellow & Purple Carrots, Green Cabbage, Fennel, Cured Sweet Onions and our first of the season Cantaloupe.

    As this is our Last 2018 Spring Season CSA Share we would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to all of our loyal members for investing in our Farm and appreciating the fruits (and vegetables) of our hard labor.  Our farm was first created from the support of our CSA members and continues to be a very treasured and valuable relationship. We are continuously modifying our program to fit the needs of a changing society and we value the feedback our members provide. We will be taking a quick, welcomed summertime break but we’ll be back in October with new varieties of delicious Fall vegetables for you, your families, friends and neighbors.

    Can’t Wait that long? Find us at the Downtown Gainesville Farmers Market (on Wednesdays)

    St. Augustine Farmers Market (Saturdays)

    Winter Park Farmers Market (Saturdays)

    or Simply Order What You Want Online with our new Online shopping system.

    Cantaloupe- It’s not the sweetest cantaloupe you’ve ever tasted but you can thank the rain for that. With all this excess rain we were lucky to get a crop at all. These fruits, along with tomatoes thrive in dry weather conditions. Hopefully with the sunshine and minimal rainfall this past week will provide us with sweeter cantaloupes and watermelons. The surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria therefore it is recommended to wash and scrub a melon thoroughly before cutting into it. The fruit should be refrigerated after cutting it and consumed in less than three days, I would recommend washing and prepping your melon as soon as you receive your share. Because of its mild flavor you might want to mix it with some sweet fruit like blueberries, strawberries or peaches or wrapping it with a salty prosciutto (Italian, thin sliced dry cured ham) for a favorite Italian antipasto. Prosciutto Wrapped Melon with Basil

    Thai Basil- This wonderful smelling Thai basil is a specialty type of basil that you won’t find in most grocery stores. Widely used throughout Southeast Asia because of it’s flavor described as anise/licorice-like and slightly spicy, it holds quite nicely under high or extended cooking. Thai basil has small, narrow leaves, purple stems, and pink-purple flowers, all edible. Shaved Fennel with Lime, Sprouts and Thai Basil

    Purple Daikon Radish-  The word ‘daikon’ is Japanese for “great root”. Daikon type radishes are native to Asia where they have been cultivated for thousands of years. When grown in a cool climate the purple daikon will be mild, but when grown in warm to hot climates (Florida) the radishes will develop a more intense heat. Radishes are primarily eaten raw, however if you prefer to cook them and need some ideas take a look at 5 tasty ways to cook radishes..

    Fennel- As a member of the carrot family the fennel plant, fennel- both frond and bulb are edible and possess both culinary and medicinal qualities. It has a flavor much like licorice/anise and is one of the primary ingredients in absinthe. Not sure what to do with fennel? Here’s a delicious Fennel and Basil Pesto recipe sure to be a crowd pleaser!  Fennel has some very interesting healing properties and uses that you may have not known about. Check them out in this article! https://ehealthyfood.com/fennel-health-benefits-extraordinary-vegetable/

    Cured Sweet Onions- Onions the powerfully delicious healing vegetable. Everyone knows onions are for eating but they also possess powerful anti-inflammatory qualities and antioxidants that can help you heal cuts and wounds, fight colds, and even soothe bee stings and other insect bites. Check out some of these homemade remedies using fresh onions to help cure what ails you, Onion-The Amazing ‘Cure All’ -HomeHealthyRecipes.com

    Yellow & Purple Stewing Carrots- I’m sure by now you have tasted the difference between all the colorful carrots we provided throughout the CSA season. The orange baby carrots are by far the sweetest of the carrot variety while the yellow carrots provide a more “nuttier” flavor and the purple a mild to bitter flavor. Towards the end of the season the carrots start to lose their sweetness as well as their crispy texture, so they are best cooked in a stir-fry or try roasting them with this delicious past blog recipe by Amy Rupert Secol: Roasted Roots

    White Kennebec Potatoes- Fry-em, dice-em, stew-em, roast-em. As one of the most versatile vegetables on the market it’s no wonder potatoes are the world’s fourth-largest food crop, following corn, wheat and rice. China leads the world in potato production, and, together with India, produces 37% of the world’s potatoes. In the US Idaho is by far the largest producing state growing nearly one third of the nation’s potatoes, next in line are Washington and Wisconsin followed by 33 other states. Florida is known for their potatoes as we are the #1 supplier of a potato variety used for french fries in fast food restaurants, how’s that for our claim to fame! Read more about the challenges that face the Floridan potato farmer in this article by Spudman.com- Florida’s Potato Industry changing, moving

    Peace, Love and Good Clean Food -Shani Crider