Category Archives: Peppers

Lacinato Kale

2016 CSA Summer July 30 Kale

2016 CSA Summer July 30 Kale

  • Field Arugula
  • Field Mix Greens
  • Chard
  • Lacinato Kale
  • Onions
  • Specialty Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Thai Basil
  • Yellow Squash
  • Gold Zucchini
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Gourmet Cucumber

Welcome to our newest CSA members! Here is the kale chip recipe we promised, listed below.

– jelly roll pan

-leaves of kale, prepped

-1-3 tablespoons oil

-salt and pepper, spices to liking

-oven 300-325F

(a jelly roll pan is a double bottom cookie sheet with sides)

To prep your kale, just give it a check for any natural debris or water, dry where necessary and remove any of the greater sized ribs or veins of fibrous tissue that run thru the middle of the leaf.

Rip by hand or cut with scissors your pieces into large sections. Toss these pieces with your oil and seasoning, being sure that your greens are evenly coated with the oil. Spread the prepped pieces out on your pan…i like to use a sheet of parchment paper between the baking sheet and the greens. Besides salt or pepper, we like to use spices like garlic, cumin and smoked paprika. We have even had chips that were curry flavored..use your imagination and your favorites for these greens. We love to use the pesto here, adding to the oil then tossing the oil with the greens… Bake your chips up for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking for doneness along edges and turning the chips over, if you like. Bake for another 7-9 minutes or until the leaves are cooked all the way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a bit while prepping a presentation plate with paper. Use tongs to move the chips from pan to plate and serve with a side of nutritional gourmet salt to taste. These chips have turned even the most biased into rabid kale eaters! J

Mike on Cville

Mike on Cville

The image from the above right is when Michael appeared on the cover for Cville Weekly two years ago. The article “Beyond Organic” can be viewed at this website: http://www.c-ville.com/beyond-organic-local-farmer-michael-clarks-produce-thrives-despite-growing-pains/#.V5vqo_krLDc. This can introduce you to a more in-depth look into him and his experiences.

To your health & pleasure, always,

2016 CSA Summer July 23rd

2016 CSA Summer July 23rd

  • Field Arugula
  • Mixed Field Greens
  • Chard
  • Squash Blossoms
  • Onion bunch
  • Garlic
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Thai Basil
  • Yellow Squash
  • Gold Zucchini
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Gourmet Cucumber

2016 CSA Summer July 23rd: A friend of mine turned me on to a new quick way to make fresh tomato sauce: use a food grater! I had not heard of this and an online search returned many results; the inspiration for the following recipe for a grain-free spaghetti dinner comes from a combination of input from Little Things and Food & Wine. For the sauce, cut the tomatoes horizontally in half and grate them into a bowl, thus removing the skin from the equation. Some recipes suggest using this raw, and certainly you can, but we liked it better by sautéing the garlic and onion first and then adding the freshly grated tomato for a few minutes at the end to marry the flavors. For the grain-free spaghetti, substitute zucchini that has been made into strips with a peeler. This is consumed raw. (There is a video of this technique at Little Things.) Three augmentations that can enhance this basic outline: use your arugula torn over top the zucchini, under the hot sauce to just wilt it into the dish; tear the squash blossoms into strips over the top; grill, roast or sauté the eggplant to add a new dimension to the dish.

2016CSA_Summer_Jul_23 Food and Wine Tomato grated

2016CSA_Summer_Jul_23 Food and Wine Tomato grated

For a chilled infused salad, cut onion, cucumber and tomato into a bowl, dress with vinegar and steep in the refrigerator until cold. This can be used on top of your greens or can stand alone as a side.

To your health and your pleasure! Enjoy

Fire Roasted Chilis

2015 CSA Summer August 1st Planet Earth Diversified

2015 CSA Summer August 1st Planet Earth Diversified

  •  Green Beans
  •  Eggplant
  • Pepper Medley
  • Watercress Box
  • Collards
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumber
  • Potatoes
  • Garlic
  • Mint
  • Poultry Herb Blend
  • Lemongrass
  • Zucchini/Squash
  • Squash Blossoms

Seen here, the fire roasting of our pepper medley, is another way to enjoy this fruit. Cleaned of their toasted skins, these roasted chilies can be used in recipes or frozen for later. If firing up the grill, consider also cooking the eggplant. We have used both peppers and eggplant as a grilled substitute for hot dogs. Mike’s pepper dog recipe: choose peppers sized for the bun, cut long way and remove the seeds; replace this with cheese (mozzarella or cheddar) and wrap bacon, securing the stuffing, from top to bottom. Secure with toothpicks to keep bacon from unraveling. Grill until well done, being careful with drippings and your fire.

Mint, this week to accompany cucumber, tabbouleh salad, julep drinks, maybe a yogurt raita…try in a simple marinade of some of your CSA veggies such as chilled tomato and cucumber garnished with fine chopped mint. We would recommend a light vinegar such as the white wine vinegar from Virginia Vinegar Works which is not only delicious but is sourced from our local vineyards. Many of the places that sell our products also carry it, such as Foods of All Nations, Integral Yoga, Feast and Greenwood Gourmet Grocery.