BEFORE WE GET INTO THE VEG OF IT ALL… a note about Hurricane Melissa and its impact
Hurricane Melissa just slammed through Jamaica. As many of you know, our field crew is composed of long-time Jamaican farmers Roy, Strong, Jasper, Georgie. They come up yearly on an H2A visa and spend May-November planting, picking, hanging out, sharing meals, etc with us and November-April back home with family. This past week felt extremely tense watching the storm roll in on our phones and hearing stories from afar. We are still hearing how it is all unfolding. For the next few weeks, I will bring a big jar with a sign on it that says Jamaica hurricane relief to CSA pick up (WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS, 4:30-6PM). Any cash donations would be supremely helpful. It will be the quickest easiest way to get money directly to these guys for them to bring back home. It looks like a lot of rebuilding is in order.
And if you feel inspired to put a jar out at your own workplace or something of the like, collect cash and then bring any earnings to CSA pick up, just know this cash going directly to people who have spent their whole lives sending money home and caring for others. Last week at pick up we collected over $1000 from your cash donations. It gave me chills counting up the cash last week and realizing what a difference community and a jar can make. Thanks yall… and now the pick list etc…
P I C K L I S T
ROMA TOMATOES - PEPPERS (carmens and hotties!) - CILANTRO - LEEKS -
SWISS CHARD - BROCCOLINI - SWEET POTATOES - LEMONGRASS - CARROTS
BREAD SHARE: APPLE OATMEAL
KITCHEN SHARE: GARLIC SCAPE PESTO - RED PEPPER HUMMUS - PIZZA SAUCE
update TAKEOVER FROM EMILY OF EDGEWATER FARM KITCHEN & BUDDING NOURISHMENT, read on for all the nutrition based pro-tips…
Emily McNamara here. I can't believe I've been at Edgewater for 13 seasons. This past summer, I took a leap of faith and decided to follow my heart into work with Functional Nutritional Therapy, which aims to help people optimize their digestion, blood sugar regulation, hydration, fatty acid handling & mineral balance by incorporating nutrient dense, whole foods into their lives. I've always enjoyed a challenge, and it's been fun to turn my attention beyond the edgewater kitchen and what to do with 3 bushels of tomatoes and towards sharing simple, approachable, nutrient dense ideas with clients incorporating our local produce. I've had so much fun working with people, that I'm opening up more private sessions to folks this fall! If you're interested in working together or learning more, check out my offerings and click the following link. Also read on for what to do with this week’s veg and how to prep it for peak nutrition:
PART I: Vegetable Roasting, FIRST THINGS FIRST Preheat the oven to 325'-350' F.
Sweet potatoes & carrots- chop up leaving the skins on & pop in the oven tossed with olive oil, salt & pepper... or leave whole to really maximize the nutrition. This will, however, lengthen the cook time.
[Carrots & sweet potatoes are loaded with vitamin A, as beta-carotene, which helps us see & fiber which promotes gut health.]
Golden plum tomatoes, yellow onion or leeks, carmen peppers (my favorite!) & broccolini can also be chopped up. Also Garlic. I like to mince up at least 6 cloves per sheet pan and let them sit for 10 minutes to release their potent nutrients. Toss in as many of those hot peppers as you dare, those babies really bring the heat, and you may want to proceed with care, especially if you've married into an Irish family! Pull the pan out & toss with the carrots & sweet potatoes & olive oil. This is when I would also toss on my chicken legs, fish, sausage, meatballs, beans, chickpeas, or whatever other protein you might enjoy.
[Golden tomatoes are also a nice source of vitamin A & C- but lycopene is actually richest in red tomatoes and, believe it or not, tomato paste- So feel free to toss a little tomato paste into your sheet pan of vegetables! I cannot speak highly enough of the benefits of onions & leeks (AND GARLIC!) They are a wonderful source of quercetin, an antioxidant & anti-inflammatory, sulfur- with antiviral & antibacterial properties (can you say perfect for this time of year?!) and allium compounds which help reduce blood pressure & cholesterol. Peppers are another great source of vitamin C- 1 raw bell pepper fulfills about 150% of your RDA of vitamin C- so save one out & let your immune system thank you! Broccolini is another heavy hitter for vitamin C and keep in mind that cruciferous vegetables are a wonderful source of sulforaphane which has anti-cancer properties.]
Chop up the chard & mix in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Roasting generally takes about an hour. Cilantro can be added at the very end.
[Chard is a well-known source of Vitamin K. Cilantro is considered a heavy metal binder & delicious addition as long as you don't have a genetic variation that makes it taste like soap. I often recommend people serve their fish with a side of cilantro pesto if they're concerned about heavy metal exposure. If you're wondering if you should use the stems, our in-house Edgewater chef & fearless leader this year, Alex Mentus had me in awe of her stem usage which included her stellar cheese sauce, pickled and vegetable stocks. Shout out to her at Rooted Anchor for tips & tricks or for your next catering event!]
PART II: Rice… For tonight's dinner I plan to use that beautifully fragrant lemon grass (bruise/ chop into large pieces to release flavor) in the pot with the rice to infuse the coconut milk & bone broth. For the adventurous, add other spices like coriander, curry, paprika, cumin, garlic or onion powder with some seaweed to up the nutritional content!
MORE FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
LEMONGRASS: A word from me, Jenny. I LOVE THIS HERB. Think of it like a bay leaf to add flavor to stock/rice/curries/etc… also makes a perfect tea. You will find this herb used all over southeast Asia. In Jamaica you will hear it called fever grass, meant to make you better when sick. Helps bring the down fever. I am obsessed with it in my chicken stock. If you do not want to use it right away, put it in a ziplock and freeze.
The following recipes were crafted specifically for this week’s CSA by our friend and hyper local chef (he lives just up the road), Mitchell Davis. if you are curious about alllll the recipes he has to offer, check out his substack:
Lebanese Chard Stem Salad
Makes about 6 servings
The leaves of Swiss chard are a delicate, flavorful alternative to spinach, Tuscan kale. or other leafy greens. But did you realize the chard stems are a delicious vegetable in their own right? Because they are tough, they need to be treated a little differently, that is, cooked for a bit. But don’t throw them away! Make this delicious Lebanese salad or spread, a great addition to a selection of meze appetizers.
Salt
Stems from one large bunch of Swiss chard (about 1 pound)
4 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 large garlic clove, grated on a Microplane
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
Sumac, za’atar, sesame seeds, or other garnish
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Rinse the stems well to remove any dirt and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, removing any stringy fibers. Boil the cut stems until tender, about 25 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drain the stems and place into the ice water to chill. Drain again, really well, pressing the stems against the strainer with the back of a spoon or ladle to remove any excess water. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, Greek yogurt, garlic, and lemon juice. Add the drained chard stems and stir to coat. Serve on small plate drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with the garnish of your choice.
Sweet Potato Gratin
Serves 6
Sweet potato gratin is a creamy, comforting dish that’s as appropriate for a weekday dinner as it is for a Thanksgiving feast. You can change up the flavor profile of the cream infusion depending on your mood—sage, rosemary and garlic for a classic herbal taste or cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and lemon zest for something different. The only caveat is to be sure to cook the gratin fully. There’s nothing more disappointing than encountering a hard chunk of sweet potato in the soft, creamy mix.
Butter, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
Either 2 cloves garlic, smashed, 3-inch sprig rosemary, and 1 sprig sage,
or ½ teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and strips of zest from 1 lemon
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4), peeled
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyére
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
2 eggs
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Generously butter a large gratin dish and set aside. Place the 2 cups of cream in a small saucepan and add turkey the garlic, rosemary and sage or the Bahamian, ginger, nutmeg and lemon zest, as you prefer. Bring the cream to a boil—watching closely so it doesn’t overflow—then reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes to infuse with the flavors. Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, thinly slice the sweet potatoes with a mandoline or sharp knife. Arrange half the sweet potatoes in a layer on the bottom of the buttered dish. Season the sweet potatoes with salt and pepper and top with 1/3 of the Gruyére and half the Parmigiano. Arrange a second layer of potato slices on top, season with salt and pepper, and top with another 1/3 of the Gruyère and the remaining Parmigiano. Beat the two eggs in a small bowl. Strain the warm cream into the eggs while whisking until blended. Pour this mixture over the sweet potatoes. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft. Remove the foil and top with the remaining 1/3 of the Gruyère. Bake another 25 minutes or so until brown and bubbly.