Tag: purple potatoes

  • CSA 2023 Fall Week 1

    This week’s share includes:

    Nonconformer Cucumbers

    Fennel (NSOF)

    Curly or Lacinato Kale

    Sweet Habanero Peppers

    Fuyu Persimmons

    Watermelon Radishes (COG)

    Roselle

    Purple and White Potato Mix

    Cherry Tomatoes (WAT)

    Welcome to your fall share! Week one brings us a diverse mix of fruits and veggies, including our first fennel of the season from partner New Sprout Organic Farms up in Appalachia. We’ve just made our final trip of the year to North Carolina. Now that the extreme heat of summer is behind us, we’ll have more variety to offer from our own farm.

    The arrival of fall brings us great news on the personnel front too! We’re happy to report the safe arrival of our seasonal guest worker crew. Each year they come from Mexico to plant, maintain, and harvest crops during our peak growing season of October-June. This highly skilled team is authorized to work on the H2A visa which is especially for agricultural work. This program requires a lot of paperwork, expense and hassle, but every year it has been worth the effort to host these reliable, hardworking, and high quality folks who do amazing work to grow organic food for our community. Bienvendios!

    We hope you enjoy this week’s recipes, all inspired by your share. We love seeing our own kitchen magic! Please tag us on IG @frogsongcsa and show us how you’re loving our tasty, fresh fruits and veggies!

    Fennel/Potato Au Gratin – adapted from oliveandmango.com

    Ingredients:

    • 1-2 large bulbs fennel, stalks removed, halved lengthwise, and cut into ½ wedges
    • 3-4 medium sized potatoes, thinly sliced (white, purple, or red)
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
    • ½-1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
    • 1½ cups finely grated Parmesan, divided
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
    • ¼ cup bread crumbs

    Instructions:

    • Heat oven to 425°F. Place fennel and potatoes in a medium size 3-qt casserole dish, sprinkle rosemary, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper to taste and 1 cup of the Parmesan. Pour cream and toss everything to combine. Dot with butter. Cover dish with foil; bake for 60 minutes.
    • Uncover baking dish; combine remaining Parmesan and bread crumbs and sprinkle over top and until golden and bubbling and fennel is tender about 20-30 more minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes then serve and enjoy. Garnish with rosemary and, if desired, the snipped reserved fennel fronds.

    Quick Pickled Watermelon Radishes

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup rice vinegar (120ml)
    • 1/2 cup water (120ml)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (13g)
    • 1-quart watermelon radishes, peeled and sliced thinly crosswise

    Instructions:

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar until sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
    • Add the radishes and toss to coat.
    • Lay a clean paper towel on the surface to keep the radishes submerged. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
    • Pickled radishes can be packed into a jar with their brine and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

    Habanero-Jalapeno Chili

    Ingredients:

    • ½ pound FSO bacon
    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 green bell pepper, diced
    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 6 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
    • 6 habanero peppers, seeded and chopped
    • 1 pint cherry tomatoes
    • 1 pound kidney beans (cooked)
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 3 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
    • 2 (16 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained
    • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
    • 3 ounces tomato paste
    • 1 ounce chili paste
    • 2 cups water

    Instructions:

    • Place bacon in a large soup pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess grease, leaving enough to coat bottom of pot Remove bacon, drain on paper towels and chop.
    • Brown beef and pork in pot over medium high heat. When meat is browned, stir in the bell pepper, onion, jalapeno peppers, habanero peppers, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, beer, tomato paste, chile paste and water.
    • Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and bacon and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

  • Fall 2021 CSA – Week 1

    Welcome to the first week of our fall CSA! We are harvesting from our farm the following produce for your shares:

    • Roselle Hibiscus Calyces
    • Okra
    • Spring Mix
    • Purple Potatoes

    We will also be adding some delicious variety from our partner producers:

    • Collard Greens, bunch – NSOF
    • Red and Yellow Bell Peppers – NSOF
    • Mediterranean Eggplant – NSOF
    • Yellow Squash – NSOF
    • Green Zucchini – NSOF
    • Cucumber – NSOF

    Check out this simple recipe for using the calyces to make Fresh Roselle Hibiscus Tea

    Greek Baked Vegetables (Briam) – NYT Cooking

    Ingredients
    • 1 medium eggplant
    •  Salt
    • 2 medium red onions
    • 4 large garlic cloves
    • 1 ½ pounds potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired
    • 1 ½ pounds zucchini
    • 2 large bell peppers, seeded
    • ⅓ to ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, to taste
    • 2 pounds tomatoes, grated or peeled, seeded and chopped, or a 28-ounce can, drained (reserve liquid)
    •  Black pepper
    • ½ to 1 pound small okra, ends trimmed, optional
    • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
    • 2 tablespoons chopped marjoram or oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
    Instructions
    1. If the eggplant is thin and long, slice it about 1/4-inch thick. If it’s fat, halve it lengthwise, then slice in 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Sprinkle with salt and put on paper towels for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the onions and mince the garlic. Cut the potatoes, zucchini and peppers into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Squeeze excess water from eggplant and pat dry.
    2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onions. Stir often, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and stir in the garlic. Cook for another minute or two, until fragrant.
    3. Lightly oil a deep earthenware baking dish or a heavy Dutch oven. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Spread a thin layer of tomatoes in the baking dish or Dutch oven and top with one-third of the onions and garlic. Top with half the potato slices. Season with salt and pepper. Layer half the zucchini slices over the potatoes and season, then layer on half the eggplant, half the peppers and half the okra, if using. Sprinkle on half the parsley, about a third of the marjoram or oregano and some pepper. Layer another third of the onions over the vegetables and top with half of the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with half the remaining marjoram or oregano. Repeat the layers with the remaining vegetables, ending with a layer of onions topped with the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Pour the juice from the tomatoes over the mixture.
    4. Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Press the vegetables down into the juice and bake another 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Cool until warm before serving, or refrigerate overnight and reheat. If there is too much liquid, strain in a colander set over a bowl, reduce the juices over medium-high heat (place a flame tamer over the burner if you’re using the earthenware dish) and pour over the vegetables.

  • CSA Summer 2 – Week 3

    This week, we will be harvesting the following produce from our farm:

    • Lemon Basil, Bunch
    • Bi-color Okra
    • Purple or Bi-Color Potatoes (Purple & White)

    And from our Partner Producers, the following yummy produce:

    • Green Cabbage – NSOF
    • Orange Carrots, loose – COG
    • Dandelion Greens, Bunch – NSOF
    • Yellow Bell Peppers –NSOF
    • Slicer Tomatoes – NSOF
    • Green Leaf Lettuce – OAF

    Dandelion Tart – NY Times Cooking

    Ingredients
    • 1 generous bunch dandelion greens, about 12 ounces
    •  Salt to taste
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 6 mushrooms, sliced (about 1 cup sliced mushrooms)
    • 1 or 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced
    • 4 large or extra large eggs
    • ¾ cup low-fat milk
    •  Freshly ground pepper
    • ¾ cup Gruyère cheese, grated (3 ounces)
    • 1 yeasted olive oil crust
    Instructions
    1. Cut the tough stems from the dandelion greens, about 1 inch from the bottom, and wash in two changes of water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the dandelion greens. Blanch four minutes and transfer to the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and chop.
    2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes, and add a pinch of salt and the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for four to five minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and the onions are golden. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the dandelion greens. Stir together for a minute, and remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Brush the bottom of the pastry shell, and place in the preheated oven for five minutes. Remove from the oven. Whisk the milk into the eggs, add 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste and stir in the cooked vegetables and cheese. Turn into the crust. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top is lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

    Variation: Omit the crust and make this as a gratin. If you wish, you can make the gratin using only three eggs and 1/2 cup milk.

    Advance preparation: You can prepare the greens up to three days in advance and keep them in the refrigerator. You can make the recipe through step 2 several hours before assembling and baking the tart.

    Asian Slaw Recipe with Basil

    Ingredients

    For the dressing

    For the slaw

    • 4 cups green cabbage, washed and dried, finely sliced
    • 1½ cups red bell pepper, washed and dried, thinly sliced
    • ⅓ cup red onion, thinly sliced
    • about 3 dozen medium-sized basil leaves, washed and dried, finely chopped
    Instructions

    For the dressing

    1. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the lemon juice, sugar, garlic, chili paste and ginger. Once it’s blended, gradually whisk in the oil. Set aside.

    For the slaw

    1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the cabbage, peppers, onion and basil.

    Assembly

    1. Drizzle the slaw with the dressing and serve!

  • 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

  • Weekly CSA Share: Week 10, May 8-11

    This Weeks “Mothers Day” Share Includes: Collard Greens, Green Cabbage, Rainbow Carrots, Scallions, Panisse Lettuce, Baby Summer Squash, Tri Colored Potatoes (Mixture of Purple Majesty, New Red and White Kennebec), First of the season- Tri Colored Beans, and a Florida Peach and Plum variety pack for your tasting pleasure. 🙂