Potato, Squash and Goat Cheese Gratin

2 medium yellow squash

4 medium red potatoes

3 tbsp olive oil

4 oz goat cheese

salt and pepper

¼ cup whole milk

1/3 cup fresh grated parm cheese

1 tbsp thinly sliced basil




Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

-Slice squash and potatoes into very thin slices, 1/8 inch of less. Toss in olive oil to coat.

-Pour a small drizzle of olive oil into a casserole dish. Place 1/3 of the squash and potato slices in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Top with half of the goat cheese. Repeat with another 1/3 vegetables and ½ cheese. Finish with final 1/3 of vegetables.

-Pour the mild over the entire dish. Top with parm cheese. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 more minutes. Serve with fresh basil.

Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-potato-squash-and-goat-90647

Basil and Tomato Bruschetta

12 pieces crusty Italian Bread, 1 inch thick

1/3 to ½ cup olive oil

2 large ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and diced

2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

24-36 basil leaves, torn into small pieces

12 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

salt and pepper




Instructions:

1.     Toast bread over a grill or very hot oven of 425 degrees F. Brown on both sides and then remove and brush with oil.

2.     In a bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano and basil. Place garlic cloves in a separate bowl.

3.     Serve bread warm and rub clove on bread, top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and olive oil. You can also sprinkle with parmesan cheese and put under the broiler for just a minute to heat the top.

Source: http://kl-recipes. http://oldtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/friday-recipes-basil.html

Roasted Fennel

2 fennel bulbs (thick base of stalk), bulbs halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise in 1 inch pieces

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar




Instructions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2.     Rub just enough olive oil over the fennel to coat. Sprinkle on some balsamic vinegar, also to coat. Line the baking dish with aluminum foil. Lay out the pieces of fennel and roast for 30-40 minutes, or until the fennel is cooked through and beginning to carmelize.

Source: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_fennel/

Pasta with Kale and Walnut Pesto

Recipe suggested by shareholder Beige Berryman:

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp walnuts

1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn (about 12 cups)

1 cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving

1 small garlic clove

kosher salt and black pepper

½ cup olive oil

¾ lb fusilli, penne or some other short pasta

Instructions:

1.     Heat the oven to 350^oF. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes; let cool. Chop 2 tbsp of walnuts and set aside.

2.     Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the kale and cook until bright green, 30 seconds. Transfer the kale to a colander (reserve the cooking water); squeeze dry when cool enough to handle.

3.     In a food processor, combine the kale, pecorino, garlic, the remaining 1/3 c of unchopped walnuts, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream.

4.     Bring the reserved cooking water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the pesto and ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to coat (add more cooking water if the pasta seems dry). Serve the pasta sprinkled with pecorino and chopped walnuts.

Source: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pasta-kale-walnut-pesto-00100000079770/index.html

Nettle Tea

The farm has much to offer, in addition to the annual vegetables we plant every year. Around the periphery of the farm we have many wild edible plants that nature provides without us lifting a finger. One of these precious gifts is nettle.  Like many wild plants, nettle can be seen as both good and bad. Another name for it is Seven-Minute Itch. However it would be more appropriate if it was called “Seven Minute Sting” instead!  Nettle is covered in small hairs that contain a chemical that causes a stinging sensation and red rash. Interestingly, dock often grows in the same places as nettle, and dock is a natural antidote. Just bruise the leaf and rub the juice on the nettle sting. The sting feels worse on hot humid days.

The Rodale Herb Book describes nettle as, “a beast with a heart of gold.” According to the University of Maryland website, when nettle comes in contact with a painful area of the body, it can actually decrease the original pain by reducing levels of inflammatory chemicals in the body, and by interfering with the way the body transmits pain signals.  This is why is it is used to relieve the pain of rheumatism. 

The stinging qualities of nettle disappear when the plant is cooked or dried.  Nettle’s biggest claim to fame is it is extremely rich in iron.  According to MedicinalHerbInfo.org, the warm tea is used for asthma, hay fever, allergies, colds, fever, flu, mucous in the lungs, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, various hemorrhages, urinary infections, regulating blood sugar and intestinal problems.

This year CSA shareholder Sarah Punderson is a working share member who is experimenting with various added value products that we can make from the farm. One of these products is nettle tea. Earlier this spring, before the CSA even started, she foraged around the farm and harvested nettle leaves. She then dried it, cleaned it, bagged it, and now it is ready to sell to you!

Bags of dried nettle tea are now being sold at the CSA pick up for $4 each. Use the tea just as you would any loose-leave tea:  put dried leaves in a tea ball or strainer, and soak in hot water for a few minutes. Add honey if you prefer a sweeter flavor. It tastes similar to green tea.