p i c k l i s t
CHERRY TOMATOES - FLAT LEAF PARSLEY - SWEET CARMEN PEPPERS -
CORN - ONION - GREEN BEANS - EGGPLANT - KALE - SHISHITO PEPPERS!
This week we are dealing with the good (your kale), the bad (aphids on the kale), and the ugly (it’s just not that cute). However, the aphids (the tiny white and green bugs for those that are unfamiliar) don’t really do MUCH damage to the kale nor do they modify the taste, so they are not a huge concern to us farmers. We will not lose an entire crop because of them. But you, the eater of the kale might be thrown off by a tiny colony making home in your food. If that is the case, wash your greens OR tear off the piece of kale with tiny aliens living in it, and carry on with your meal making. Another not so super cute look this week involves your green beans. They are good and delicious BUT some of them are marked with what looks like rust. This is due to plant density and often happens towards the end of a green bean plant’s life cycle. Bottomline here, this green bean plant gave their all from sprout to harvest, and we are the lucky eaters along the way. Let us consider this rust a mark of age and prestige.
Other news from the week: we finally wrapped up our onion harvest which amounts to about half a normal sized crop for us. We celebrated this - not even close to a- victory with our field crew and after hour beers on Saturday night on our front porch underneath the most brilliant harvest moon. Three of our eight greenhouses we set aside for Fall CSA have been planted up with all sorts of green things- lettuce, kale, chard, asian greens, herbs, etc- all to balance out the bounty of root crops that lie ahead. Oh, and my favorite update from the week came about while picking cherry tomatoes in which I learned ALL ABOUT the MacDonald’s Farmers Almanac (not to be confused with the Ronald variety). This is a book that is heavily leaned on by the Jamaican farmers on our crew. The book guides you through the growing season by using the moon as a tool for when and what to plant. For example during a full moon in September, you harvest your carrots, during a new moon in June, you seed your beets. Roy, a long time farmer that splits his time between here at Edgewater and back home in Jamaica, has a few employees working for him in Jamaica. Because he is not there from May-November, he uses the Almanac to guide his decisions. So far so good he says. He has been looking to Macdonald’s (but actually the moon) for farming guidance for over 20 years now. So awesome to learn about this practice, and maybe it’s not a bad idea to look to the moon for guidance as it is such a constant! Not to mention the force it has on tides and birth!
Lastly, I’m already looking forward to next week’s CSA when we begin to harvest our soybean planting (hello edamame!)
Pro-tips:
Yield: 4 servings
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon peel (available in stores)
⅔ cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
2 medium eggplants
1cup fine bulgur
⅔ cup boiling water
⅓ cup golden raisins (optional)
3½ tablespoons warm water
2 teaspoons parlsley, chopped, plus extra to finish
2 teaspoons mint, chopped
⅓ cup pitted green olives, halved
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
3 green onions, chopped
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup Greek yogurt (optional)
Salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To make the chermoula, mix together in a small bowl the garlic, cumin, coriander, chili, paprika, preserved lemon, two-thirds of the olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh of each half with deep, diagonal criss cross cuts, making sure not to pierce the skin. Spoon the chermoula over each half, spreading it evenly, and place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Put in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely soft.
Meanwhile, place the bulgur in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water.
Soak the raisins in the warm water. After 10 minutes, drain the raisins and add them to the bulgur, along with the remaining oil. Add the herbs, olives, almonds, green onions, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Serve the eggplants warm or at room temperature. Place ½ eggplant, cut side up, on each individual plate. Spoon the bulgur on top, allowing some to fall from both sides. Spoon over some yogurt, sprinkle with parsley and finish with a drizzle of oil.
GARLICKY NIGELLA GREEN BEANS From Eden Grinshpan’s book EATING OUTLOUD
serves 4
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for boiling water
1 pound green beans trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon nigella seeds or sesame seeds, lightly toasted (or no seeds at all- this will still be insane)
1 large garlic clove, grated
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Bottomline, a quick and easy way to demolish these beans and obsess over how good…
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer the beans immediately to a serving bowl. Toss with the salt, olive oil, nigella seeds, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice and serve warm.
One big ass kale salad
I need yall to know that all week I’ve been eating one big ass kale salad, and you should too! KEEPS FOR DAAAAAAYS! All you need is your big old bunch of kale, Olive Oil, lemon juice, honey, feta, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Add everything to taste, massage together for a few minutes to break down the kale and, VOILA! Lunch after lunch after lunch until gone :)