P i c k l i s t
lil TOMATOES - LEEKS - COLLARED GREENS - HABANADA PEPPERS - JIMMY NARDELLO PEPPER - CAULIFLOWER - LEMONGRASS - GARLIC - WINTER SQUASH - HERB OF CHOICE! - GREEN BEANS
EDGEWATER update:
First and foremost, this week’s share is very Jenny (me) coded. The pick list is basically a list of all my favorite things. Starting with the pint of habanadas, moving right into lemongrass, and to top it all off, collared greens. Booyah!
I’ll delve more into the ins and outs of these baddies in the protips section, but for now this is a real glimpse into my dinner plate. This is also a push for us on field crew to occasionally look beyond the standby pepper and potato stash and spend a little more time with our labor of loves… ahem, lemongrass.
As far as the week goes, after three days of on again off again rain slog, we are ready for some sunshine. That said there were some nor'easter highlights. For example, the rain held off on Saturday long enough for the farmstand crew to host for Sullivan county’s farm day. They brought out the scoville pepper sampler, our own version of “hot ones”. Pooh got his crew- the four horsemen- together to bring live music to the plant barn. There were pumpkin themed games and samples aplenty. It was a pretty cute scene.
That said, when the rain arrived Saturday afternoon we knocked off early and got to hang out in dry socks a little bit longer. But by day 3- Monday around 2pm- there was not a dry sock in sight. This weather system- both the rain and the drops in temp has slowed down our harvests. We are no longer out of breath trying desperately to keep up with the field tomatoes (cherries and Romas). Don’t get me wrong, our days continue to be total maxed out mayhem, but there is a change and our pace has relaxed ever so slightly.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
Habanadas and your 1 jimmy nardello pep: I can not stress enough how perfect these peppers are. The habanadas are smoky and sweet, and the jimbo roast beautifully. In fact, they are both perfect for roasting with their extra thin walls. My fave Fall activity is to roast a heap of these cuties, freeze them in ziplocs and eat all winter long. Try it, your january self will thankyou.
LEMONGRASS: If anyone is curious what I will be doing with my lemongrass this week, I intend to add it to a massive batch of bone broth. To prep the lemon grass, smash it (to release the aromas) and chop into 1-2 inch pieces. freeze for later OR ADD it to broth/tea/curry/etc.. Right away).
The following recipes are 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:
Pepper Steak
Serves 2 to 4
About ½ pound skirt steak, flank steak, “minute steak,” or another flavorful, tender cut of beef
Salt
Extra-virgin olive, peanut, or other neutral vegetable oil
1 large white or yellow Spanish onion, split in half vertically and sliced
1 ½ pounds sweet peppers, such as, Jimmy Nardellos, Carmen, Havanada, Cubanelle, or bell peppers, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 heaping teaspoon double-concentrated tomato paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ cup beef, chicken, or vegetable stock, or water
Freshly ground black pepper
Lay the steak out flat on a cutting board and pat dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife held on an acute angle in relation to the cutting board, slice the meat across the grain into thin strips. Toss with salt and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat a tablespoon or two of oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt and cook until the onion wilts and the edges begin to brown, 7 or 8 minutes. Add the peppers and continue cooking until the peppers also wilt and begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook just a couple of minutes more, maybe 12 minutes total.
Remove the cooked vegetables to a plate, scraping out all the bits from the pan. Don’t worry about any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add another tablespoon or so of oil.
Add the steak to the hot oil and sauté, laying the strips out so they brown and then tossing often so the meat cooks evenly, 5 or 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste and soy sauce and continue cooking, coating the meat with this umami-rich mixture as it heats. Add the pepper and onion mixture back to the pan along with any juice that has accumulated on the plate.
Pour in the stock and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce thickens, another couple of minutes. Add a pinch of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Taste the sauce, adjust the seasoning.
Smokey Southern-Style Collard Greens
Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic
Pinch red pepper flakes
3 or 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water
1 smoked turkey leg or wing, 1 ham hock, or 4-ounce piece smoked slab bacon, or 1 block smoked tofu
1 bunch collard greens, washed well, stemmed, and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or so, until fragrant. Add the stock and turkey leg or other smoked product and bring to a boil. Add the collard greens, bring back to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for about an hour until tender. Stir in the vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Serve with some of the smoked meat or tofu, shredded and stirred in.
Lemongrass Chicken with Thai Basil
Serves 4
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon palm or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut or other oil
2 stalks lemongrass, tender inner parts only, minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 red Thai bird chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pound skinless and boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced, or 1 pound ground chicken
1 cups Thai basil leaves, loosely packed
1 lime, cut into wedges
In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, and chiles, and sauté until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Turn up the heat to high and add the slice or ground chicken. Cook until the chicken is browned, stirring frequently. Add the sauce and cook until it reduces and coats the chicken. Stir in the basil leaves until wilted and serve with lime wedges.