Tuesday, Feb 8 Harvest Bag
all for $20
includes the following items:
Brussels Sprout ( see recipe idea below)
artichokes
butternut squash
vine ripened tomatoes ( grown by Jacinto Bautista in Arroyo Grande)
Sierra Gold potatoes
sugar snap peas ( edible pod, eat the whole thing)
orange Mokum carrots
Satsuma Mandarin oranges from Encino Grande Ranch in Cuyucos, certified organic
Fuji apples from Cuyama Orchards, certified organic
Yes, you may encounter a few aphids in the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and kale...just use a strong stream of water from your kitchen faucet and you should be able to rinse off most of the critters. One of many "advantages" of not spraying pesticides on the vegetables!
VENDORS THIS TUESDAY
Little Red Hen bread
Oceano Craft scones and cookies
Steaming the artichokes until tender is the best method. When people tell me they were "tough"...it is because they didn't steam them until the outer leaves pull off very easily.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RECIPES:
WAYS TO PREPARE THE BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Rinse and cut the squash lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and excess fiber. May peel skin if desired.
Stir-Fry: tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees 30 ˆ 40 minutes, uncovered.
Microwave: 1/2 the squash and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 ˆ 9 minutes.
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 ˆ 8 minutes.
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 ˆ 45 minutes.
Recipe idea for butternut squash from "Cook's Illustrated" magazine:
heat oven to 425 degrees, put oven rack on lowest position in oven, peel the skin using a vegetable peeler until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining ( roughly 1/8 inch deep), halve squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds, place squash cut side down on cutting board and slice crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rings, toss squash with 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until evenly coated, arrange squash on rimmed baking sheet in single layer, roast until side touching sheet is well browned ( 20 to 25 minutes) and then use a spatula to flip each piece, cook another 10 to 15 minutes until both sides are browned, top with some pecans, goat cheese or maple syrup if desired
EASY TIPS FOR PERFECT ROASTED VEGETABLES
adapted from The Santa Monica Farmer's Cookbook by Amelia Saltsman
Roasting vegetables concentrates their flavors, develops and caramelizes natural sugars, and gives them that appetizing crisped look. Best of all, the same technique works for just about any vegetable you've got on hand, any time of the year. Follow these simple steps for great results.
Keep vegetables or vegetables pieces a uniform size for even cooking.
Toss cleaned, trimmed vegetables with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. For convenience, do this directly in the pan.
Always preheat the oven.
Roast dense vegetables, such as beets or potatoes, at 400 degrees, quick-cooking ones, such as asparagus or tomatoes, at 425 to 450 degrees.
Don't crowd the pan, or your vegetables will steam rather than brown. Large baking sheets and heatproof-glass dishes are ideal for roasting.
Roast vegetables uncovered in the upper third of the oven for better browning.
Halfway through the cooking time, remove the pan from the oven and give it a shake or use a spatula to loosen and turn the vegetables.
When the vegetables are browned and tender, season again with your favorite seasonings...salt, pepper, garlic powder.
If serving the vegetables at room temperature, allow them to cool before piling them onto a serving dish( so they won't steam themselves and get soft).
Brussels Sprout.
An easy recipe:
Wash off the sprouts, cut them in half, coat with a little olive oil, garlic powder and salt and pepper, spread them out single layer on a cookie sheet ( don't crowd them ) and roast in your oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once or twice until crispy on the outside. You can add a little Balsamic vinegar during the last 5 minutes of roasting them if desired. The other night, I tried a quick "pan-fry" method of cooking the sprouts...unfortunately, they came out rather bitter tasting, so I strongly recommend the slower oven roasting method mentioned above.
