High Ground Organics

Potato Leek Pavé (Potato Leek “gratin” Squares)

Sarah Brewer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:30:06 +0000

In classic French cuisine, a pave is a cube or squarish block of food resembling old French paving stones. This potato gratin uses little liquid and is cooked under weight so it is compact. This is a two day affair (for the best results, but could be hurried along. See Notes and Tips) and takes a little work, but tastes great and is a nice addition to a fancy meal. Once made, the second day work to get it on the table goes quickly.

INGREDIENTS:

3 leeks, trimmed of most of the green parts, split, rinsed, and finely sliced

¼ cup white wine

5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible lengthwise on a mandolin

½ pint heavy cream

Butter as needed

Grapeseed oil as needed

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

Special Equipment:

1 8x8x3 inch baking pan

Foil

1 8×8 in cardboard square, wrapped in several layers of foil, or a second pan the same size

1 oven-proof weight (like a brick) smaller than the inside dimensions of the baking pan

METHOD:

Heat a pan over medium heat, and when hot, add some oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper and some thyme. Add the white wine and cook until evaporated. Reduce heat to medium-low or low. Cook slowly, trying not to let them color, until meltingly tender.

Heat the oven to 375°F. While the leeks cook, lightly oil the inside of the baking pan. Line it with foil so the foil is smooth, leaving a little over lap to help remove the pave later. Carefully butter the foil well, and set aside. Butter the foil wrapped square or the bottom of the second pan. When slicing the potatoes, slice them directly into a non-reactive bowl into which you have poured the cream. When the leeks are done, remove from the heat and let cool a little. Taste for seasoning and season if needed. Place the buttered pan in front of you. Remove potato slices from the cream, shaking off excess. Carefully cover the pan bottom with a layer of potatoes, then lay in more potatoes until half are used, seasoning with salt, pepper, and thyme as you go. Once half the potatoes are layered in, add the leeks, and smooth them down into an even layer. Lay in potatoes until almost all are used. Carefully lay in the last layer so it forms a nice even layer. Cover with the foil wrapped square or buttered pan, and place the weight on the center of the top. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for one hour. After one hour, the potatoes should be tender. If you wish, check by removing the weight and cover and carefully poke with a toothpick. It should slide in easily without resistance. When the potatoes are done, be sure they are covered well and the weight is in the center. Allow to cool on a rack, still weighted, for two hours. Refrigerate at least 5 hours, or overnight, so the pave sets up firmly.

When ready to serve, heat the oven to 400°F. Bring the potatoes to room temperature, and use the foil overlap to pull the potatoes from the pan. Peel the foil away, and cut the potatoes into 2 inch by 2 inch or 4 inch by 4 inch squares (2×2 are much easier to work with). Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add enough oil to film the pan. When hot, add the pave squares without crowding them, to the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the surfaces are golden, then carefully turn and brown the other side. When brown, place the squares in an oven safe pan and heat in the oven 10 minutes or until heated through. Serve hot.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:

You can use other things for the filling. Try mincing and sautéing mushrooms, onions, or a combination. You could use a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower also. Although the recipe is long, once you have done it is pretty simple. Since most of the work is done ahead of time, and the finishing is fairly easy, this can be an elegant dish for a fancy dinner party where you need to pay attention to other dishes just before service.

Serves: 4-8

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Carrot Puree/Mashed Carrots/Carrot Baby Food

Sarah Brewer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:26:14 +0000

Okay, let me just get this out there right away. This dish started out as baby food for my first child. At the time, many of our friends wanted to come over and play with him, and stayed for dinner. At some point, I was too tired to make separate dishes for grown-ups, so I just served what I had made him (a trio of purees if I recall correctly), and it was a hit. So here it is, in its amended grown-up form.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch Chantenay (or other sweet) carrots, stems removed, peeled, and cut into ½ inch thick slices (1-1½ pounds)
1 teaspoon sugar (or not). If the carrots are sweet, this may be superfluous)
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to cover carrots by 1 inch
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
-OR-
A pinch each of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom

METHOD:
Place the ingredients in a 2½-3 quart saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook the carrots until one will smash easily when pinched between thumb and forefinger. Remove the carrots from the liquid to a bowl and keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid over medium-high heat until it thickens a bit and there is around a half-cup left. Add the carrots back in and heat through. Puree the carrots as you wish-food processor, blender, or baby food mill. If the puree is too dry, add a little more butter or oil to the puree to get it to move easily and achieve a silky texture. If the puree seems too wet when done, put back into the saucepan over heat for a few moments, stirring, until the puree is no longer soupy and has reached the correct consistency. The puree should hold its shape when spoon onto a plate.

Serve hot to adults, cool it down for babies.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
I use this technique for parsnips and for turnips/rutabagas. Parsnips never need sugar, and cook in less time. Turnips and rutabagas can benefit from sweetener and having a potato (such as a Carola, Yellow Finn, or the like) added into the pot to mitigate possible bitterness and to help the puree stiffen a little. For the carrots, you can add character to the dish by sprinkling sugar into the pan as it heats up, caramelizing it before adding the butter and the rest. I like to play with the flavoring for this dish as it is quite flexible. I have used; garlic, cinnamon, and cardamom, and sometimes vanilla extract; thyme and fennel seed powder; garlic, ginger powder, a few drops of soy sauce, and mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine); Herbes de Provence, lavender, and garlic. Orange juice, cinnamon, and cumin is a good combination as well. I found that my children were quite happy to eat these carrots with the various seasonings as well as when they were fairly plain, and if you ever tasted jarred baby food you would understand.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Winter Caprese Salad (Roasted Red Beets, Rocket, and Mozzarella)

Sarah Brewer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:24:32 +0000

Here’s a riff on a salad I had at a friend’s restaurant. I use baby arugula in lieu of basil, but if you can find basil, use it by all means. I cook the beets longer than I usually would so they take on a texture similar to tomatoes, and you could use different colored beets just as you might use various tomato types, just remember to keep the red beets separate while prepping until the last moment as they will stain everything.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch beets, stems trimmed to 1 inch, well washed
2 cups young tender/baby arugula, washed and dried
1 large fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese ball (approx. 8 ounces), quartered lengthwise and sliced into thin slices (approx. 1/4 inch)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus more as needed
1 small shallot, minced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or as needed
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus 3-4 sprigs

METHOD:
Heat oven to 425°F. While oven heats, place beets in oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil (around 1 tablespoon), 1 tablespoon water, salt and pepper, and thyme sprigs. Cover tightly with foil and when oven reaches temperature, place in center of oven and roast for 1 hour. Cook the beets until they are quite tender. While the beets cook, make the dressing. Place the minced shallot into the 2 tablespoons of vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper, and allow flavors to marry 15 minutes. Add the minced thyme and then drizzle in oil in a steady stream, whisking all the while, until the dressing is thick and emulsified. When beets are tender soft they are done. As soon as you can handle beets without burning yourself, slip them from their skins, using a sharp paring knife as needed. Trim the ends and then slice them into ¼ inch slices. Place in non-reactive bowl and drizzle with a little red wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow to cool, tossing every once in a while. When cool, toss beets with a little dressing.

Set out plates, and then bowls with cheese and beets. Sprinkle plates with arugula, and then use one hand to place a piece of cheese and the other to place a slice of beet on that, continuing until one quarter of the ingredients are used. Repeat with the other 3 plates. Drizzle plates with dressing and then a touch of salt and pepper, and serve. Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can just toss the cheese and beets together and sprinkle with the arugula, or mix them all together. If you have basil, tear up the basil leaves and mix in with the cheese or sprinkle over. If you use different colored beets, you might want to keep them away from the red beets until you serve, or else the red beets will stain everything else.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Organic Seed

Sarah Brewer — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:10:48 +0000

CSA Newsletter Feb. 21, 2012

Community Supported Agriculture

Final Winter CSA Delivery This Week (Feb. 22 & 23)
2012 Spring CSA Session starts March 14 & 15 — Be Sure to Sign Up!
Cooking Classes with Joni Sare in February, March, and April

Organic Seed, from Steve and JeanneAs the greenhouse fills with starts and the first direct-seeded spring crops sprout in the fields, we’ve been thinking about how much easier it is to get organic seed than it used to be.

In fact, one of the encouraging trends that we have witnessed over the last fifteen years of farming is the development of a viable organic seed industry (no pun intended). We have always sought out organic seed, and certified organic growers are obligated to use organically grown seed when it is available, but it has not always been as available as it is now. While the organic regulations sometimes do not go far enough in requiring organic farms to use organic seed (as in the case of strawberry crowns, as Steve wrote about in “Organic Strawberries from Conventional Stock?”), the requirements have been enough to push even the large organic farms to buy organic when available (and not prohibitively expensive). However, the large farms often go only as far as they absolutely need to to meet the requirements, so it is also a tribute to the collective power of more progressive smaller farms that the organic seed industry has really taken off. As a farm, we are also a consumer, and just as you make conscious decisions about whom you support with your dollars, we do as well. We spent over $30,000 last year on seed purchases. While this is not a large amount in comparison to the huge farms around us, it’s still enough to feel that we can have some small impact on the market.

In the early days, few organic seed varieties were available, and when they were, they often cost more than twice as much per pound as their conventionally grown counterparts. There were also questions about quality. It may have been that the organic seed growers were on the early part of the learning curve, or that demand was so low that the seed ended up sitting around for too long. But many growers had bad experiences using organically grown seed in the early days.

Over the last decade, however, both availability and quality have improved greatly. From beets and beans to bunched greens, squashes and herbs, we have reached the point where the majority of the seed we buy is grown organically. And the quality in almost all cases is excellent. While it is still more expensive than conventional seed, prices in general have come down as availability has increased.

All of this is great news, but until now I have not been able to find organic seed for the beautiful, productive, disease-resistant varieties of lettuce and spinach that are mainly coming out of Europe. Because we don’t use the fungicides that are commonly used in conventional fields, using varieties that have been selected for their natural resistance to fungal diseases, like the downy mildew that is so prevalent here along the coast, is critical.

Into this void has stepped the Vitalis Seed Company. Vitalis, which is a division of the Dutch seed company Enza Zaden, is an organic seed company with a very active breeding program. They like to try out their seed in real world conditions in different climates, and we are happy to help. Last year we trialed over twenty of their lettuce varieties, and found several that we really liked. This year we will be cooperating with them on trials of several more lettuce varieties, endives, arugula, and herbs.

The more we can help the organic seed companies to produce high quality seed, the more organic seed will be bought by farms of all sizes. As organic agriculture increases in proportion to conventional agriculture, it is vital to make sure that the first step in growing our food – the creation of the seed – is also done in an environmentally sound and safe manner.

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In the Box This Week

Bunched Chantenay Carrots

Bunched Red Ace Beets

Cauliflower

Red Chard

Leeks

Carola Potatoes

Marina Di Chioggia Squash or Kabocha Squash

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Veggie Notes: Marina Di Chioggia is a beautiful heirloom winter squash from Italy and is quite similar to the green kabocha in texture and flavor. The kabocha has a freckled appearance and may have an orange blush. The marina di chioggia has a turban-style bottom (the picture above on the left shows marina di chioggias, the one on the right shows kabochas). Both squashes have a dry orange flesh and they are great for soups or pasta or roasting. (Look for recipes for pumpkin soup or winter squash soup.) Chef Andrew has some good ideas, below.

How to Cut Your Squash: We realize that hard squashes can be intimidating. But don’t let that stop you from eating yours! Here is Chef Andrew’s take on how to cut up a squash:
To split the squash, you want to be careful if it is a hard squash. Use a thick sturdy knife or a Chinese cleaver. I feel that scoring the shell of the squash can make things easier, and to do this I use a carpenters knife-one of the ones where the blade slides out of the handle for various lengths. Pop it out just a little and then score the shell all the way around, going a little deeper each time. Then, line the edge of the knife or cleaver up with the score and tap the knife into the score by hitting it up near the handle of the knife. Work it so the tip connects to the cutting board and then lever the knife down to complete the cut. If your knife is short or you are intimidated, score the squash and insert a couple screwdrivers into the score, then slowly lever each screwdriver in the opposite direction at the same time.
Also, Joni Sare has a photoessay showing a step by step of cutting up winter squash on her website if pictures might be helpful to you.

Note: Our recipes are now posted by vegetable on our website, so that you can find what you’re looking for more easily.

Facebook Offerings:
CSA member Camilla Mann gave us some great recipe ideas for this week’s box. She even has pictures–the beets gnocchi looks really wild! Check out this Beet-Asiago Gnocchi or her Algerian Couscous with Saffron and Seared Cauliflower.

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Notes and Recipes from Chef Andrew Cohen
In spite of all the sunshine, my body still thinks it is winter and craves certain warming foods. A couple dishes I’ll probably make will be the Potato Leek Paves and the Carrot Puree. The paves are a bit of work, but are a big favorite around here, and as someone gave my some chanterelle mushrooms, I like the idea of mincing them up and cooking them with the leeks and using them that way. The carrot puree is simple comfort food that is easy to make and will go well with something roasted, like chicken. I might roast potatoes with the chicken for an easy to do dinner. While these items cook, I’ll prep the beets and put them in the oven while we eat the roasted chicken and potatoes. After dinner is cleaned up, the beets will be done and I’ll prep them for the Winter Caprese Salad which I’ll serve the next night. The cauliflower might get chopped into small bits which I’ll sauté with garlic and toss with pasta, or I might melt some butter and add some honey and spices which I’ll toss the florets in and then roast them. I think I’ll sauté the chard and finish it with vinegar and toss that with caramelized carrots for a sweet and sour approach. I love the translation for Marina di Chioggia I find on the internet-Sea Pumpkin from Chioggia- it just sounds so intriguing to me. I also am a fan of the mild sweetness and dry texture of this squash. I might simply wedge it and roast, and then drizzle it with pumpkin seed oil and aged balsamic vinegar, or I might puree it and serve it that way. It is also good cut into cubes and roasted after tossing it in seasoned oil, and would make a nice mixture with roast cauliflower, and shreds of flash sautéed chard and onion.

Winter Caprese Salad (Roasted Red Beets, Rocket, and Mozzarella)
Here’s a riff on a salad I had at a friend’s restaurant. I use baby arugula in lieu of basil, but if you can find basil, use it by all means. I cook the beets longer than I usually would so they take on a texture similar to tomatoes, and you could use different colored beets just as you might use various tomato types, just remember to keep the red beets separate while prepping until the last moment as they will stain everything.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can just toss the cheese and beets together and sprinkle with the arugula, or mix them all together. If you have basil, tear up the basil leaves and mix in with the cheese or sprinkle over. If you use different colored beets, you might want to keep them away from the red beets until you serve, or else the red beets will stain everything else.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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Carrot Puree/Mashed Carrots/Carrot Baby Food
Okay, let me just get this out there right away. This dish started out as baby food for my first child. At the time, many of our friends wanted to come over and play with him, and stayed for dinner. At some point, I was too tired to make separate dishes for grown-ups, so I just served what I had made him (a trio of purees if I recall correctly), and it was a hit. So here it is, in its amended grown-up form.

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch Chantenay (or other sweet) carrots, stems removed, peeled, and cut into ½ inch thick slices (1-1½ pounds)
1 teaspoon sugar (or not). If the carrots are sweet, this may be superfluous)
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil, or more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to cover carrots by 1 inch
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
-OR-
A pinch each of ground cinnamon and ground cardamom

Serve hot to adults, cool it down for babies.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

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Potato Leek Pavé (Potato Leek “gratin” Squares)
In classic French cuisine, a pave is a cube or squarish block of food resembling old French paving stones. This potato gratin uses little liquid and is cooked under weight so it is compact. This is a two day affair (for the best results, but could be hurried along. See Notes and Tips) and takes a little work, but tastes great and is a nice addition to a fancy meal. Once made, the second day work to get it on the table goes quickly.

INGREDIENTS:
3 leeks, trimmed of most of the green parts, split, rinsed, and finely sliced
¼ cup white wine
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced as thinly as possible lengthwise on a mandolin
½ pint heavy cream
Butter as needed
Grapeseed oil as needed
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

Special Equipment:
1 8x8x3 inch baking pan
Foil
1 8×8 in cardboard square, wrapped in several layers of foil, or a second pan the same size
1 oven-proof weight (like a brick) smaller than the inside dimensions of the baking pan

METHOD:
Heat a pan over medium heat, and when hot, add some oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the leeks and season with salt and pepper and some thyme. Add the white wine and cook until evaporated. Reduce heat to medium-low or low. Cook slowly, trying not to let them color, until meltingly tender.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can use other things for the filling. Try mincing and sautéing mushrooms, onions, or a combination. You could use a mixture of broccoli and cauliflower also. Although the recipe is long, once you have done it is pretty simple. Since most of the work is done ahead of time, and the finishing is fairly easy, this can be an elegant dish for a fancy dinner party where you need to pay attention to other dishes just before service.

Serves: 4-8

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

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Sign Up for 2012

After this last winter delivery this week, we have just a few weeks to gear up for the spring season. We have a lot of spring vegetables in the ground already, so we’re looking forward to the first spring harvests of salad mix, carrots, fava beans, braising mix, spring onions, strawberries, and lots more. Now is the time for you to let us know that you’re on board by signing up! (Thank you to those who have already signed up.)

The 2012 season will run from March 14/15 to November 14/15.
Please Sign up On-Line!
OR, you can just send us a check as always and we’ll enter you in our new system from here. Send your check to:
High Ground Organics
PO Box 2601
Watsonville, CA 95077

Sign Up Options for 2012:

Full year regular sign up with discount (amounts to one free week) if you pay by March 13, 2012:

$770 vegetables/fruits only
$1050 vegetables/fruits + flowers

You may also pay in quarters. The Spring session goes from March 14/15 to May 9/10.

$198 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits
$270 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits + flowers

Pick-Up Site Changes
We have new! pick-up sites in the following locations:
North Mountain View: just off Hwy 101 between Ellis St. and Moffett Blvd.
San Jose Camden: Camden Dr. off Almaden Expwy
Watsonville: Lincoln St.

The following 2011 sites are not available for 2012:
Soquel/Aptos (McGlenn Dr.): Please consider using the Soquel pick-up site (near Soquel HS), Capitola 49th, or the Aptos: Ledyard Way site.
Watsonville-Bronson St.: Please consider using the Redman House Farmstand pick-up site, or our new Lincoln St. location!
Watsonville-West Marine: Please consider using the Redman House Farmstand pick-up site, or our new Lincoln St. location!

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Full List of 2012 Pick-Up Sites

San Jose Metro Area/Palo Alto: Wednesday Deliveries
Blossom Hill Belwood Lane
Campbell: Old Orchard School
Los Altos-Downtown
Los Altos-Loyola Corners
Los Gatos-Downtown
Los Gatos -JCC
Los Gatos Wilma Way
Mountain View: Harpster Dr.
North Mountain View (NEW)
Palo Alto Cornell
Palo Alto-Vista
Portola Valley
Rosegarden: Shasta Ave.
San Jose Camden (NEW)
San Jose Chabrant Way
Santa Clara
Saratoga -Quito
Saratoga- Via Madronas
Stanford
Sunnyvale: Pear Ave
Sunnyvale: San Diego Ave.
Sunnyvale: Vireo Ave.
Willow Glen: Avalon

Santa Cruz County: Thursday Deliveries
Aptos: Ledyard Way
Capitola: 49th Ave.
La Selva Beach: Aptos Academy
Santa Cruz: Downtown
Santa Cruz: Fairmount
Santa Cruz: Happy Valley School
Santa Cruz: High Street
Santa Cruz: Linden
Santa Cruz: Ocean View
Santa Cruz: Westside
Scotts Valley
Live Oak
Rio Del Mar
Soquel
Watsonville: Lincoln St. (NEW)
Watsonville: Redman House Farmstand

Monterey County/ Salinas (Thursday Deliveries)
Carmel Taylor Road
Moss Landing
Monterey: Fenton Keller
Monterey: MIIS
Monterey: UUCMP
Pacific Grove
Salinas
Seaside
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Cook ‘Outside-the-Box’ Culinary Classes by Chef Joni Sare

Find the fun in Culinary Arts with Joni. She will share with you the ease and grace of using the produce in our box. All classes will be in her 10-person kitchen, at her home in Cupertino. Below is the basic info, see Joni’s website for details and payment info: www.jonisare.com/csa-cooking-classes $25 for each class, pre-payment is required, 10 people maximum capacity.

Some hands-on ‘Knife skills’ will be part of each class. If you can, bring your chef knife and cutting board (optional). We will dice, slice, make triangles, rondelles, juliennes, and batonnet, brunoise, lozenge, paysanne cuts. Each class will be 2 hours. Each class includes a light meal of the food we make. We’ll make 3 dishes in each class. All meals will be vegetarian (ideas can be given for meat, fish, poultry). Each class will have a theme, see below.

Dates for Feb, March and April Classes
In February we’re focusing on COOKING METHODS:
Feb 23, Thursday, noon: Success with simmered, sauteed and steamed veggies

In March, we’ll cover FLAVORS:
March 7, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Demystifying the “mirepoix,” the base for soups and sauces
March 15, Thursday, 6:30pm: Joni’s top 3 favorite spice and herb blends (Herbs de Provence, Chinese 5 Spice, Panch Phoron)
March 24, Saturday, 10am: How to bring out the flavors of food with cooking oils, liquids, salt and citrus

In April, we’ll cover TEXTURES, SHAPES and SIZES to make an interesting and appealing dish:
April 5, Thursday, 6:30pm: Textures – Creamy, crunchy and chewy
April 11, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Shapes – triangles, dices and slices
April 28, Saturday, 10am: Sizes – bite size, rough chopped and minced

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Gift Certificates AvailableIt’s the perfect gift for the vegetable lover in your life–fresh vegetables from the farm! Send us a check for $88 for 4 weeks or $198 for 9 weeks of CSA vegetables and we’ll e-mail you a gift certificate as a pdf that you can print out (or we can send it directly to the receiver). You can also add flowers ($120 for 4 weeks vegetables + flowers; $270 for 9 weeks veg + flowers).

Checks should be sent to:
High Ground Organics
PO Box 2601
Watsonville, CA 95077

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CSA at School

Any school that is within our service area can become a pick-up site with as few as 10 members (assuming some basic logistical criteria are met—a shady place to keep the boxes, not too far off our delivery route, etc.). Just ask us for a CSA at School packet (including fliers and sign-up sheets that you can hand out to interested parents). Schools that become pick-up sites will have the opportunity to learn about their farm through the newsletter, and can come visit their farm on a field trip once a year. In addition, we will donate $1 per box to participating schools, to help struggling schools with their fundraising efforts. (Sell vegetables, not candy bars!) If you’d like to arrange for a CSA pick-up site at your kids’ school, contact us (csa@highgroundorganics.com or 831-254-4918) and we can get you started. Thanks!

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Pick-Up Site Etiquette Reminders
Please remember to check off your name on the sign in sheets at your pick-up site. Note: If your name is not on the list, please do not take a box–call us for clarification 831-254-4918. We may not have received your renewal check, or may have made a mistake. Either way, it is important to leave the boxes at the site for those people who are on the list. If you’re getting flowers make sure your name is checked off on that sheet as well. The Trade Box is placed at the site so that you can trade an item you don’t want for one that you do. Please only take an item if you leave one behind. Be gracious to our pick-up site hosts–they are offering their space so that this community vegetable delivery can happen. When you take your vegetables, fold your box and leave it stacked neatly at the site. If there are any questions, please contact us at (831)254-4918 or csa@highgroundorganics.com. Thank you all for your support!

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Come join us on Facebook!

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

Jeanne Byrne — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:07:00 +0000

I recently started playing in the Watsonville Community Band and the conductor likes to warm-up for every rehearsal and concert with a piece called In the Bleak Midwinter by Gustav Holst. This mid-winter has not been very bleak so far, but at last this week we got some rain and blustery winds, so we can feel like mid-winter is upon us at least momentarily! We’re still far below average rainfall for the year, however, and this storm has not really amounted to much. (Quick plug: free band concerts March Sundays in Watsonville, Santa Cruz, Salinas, and Hollister.)

Sarah’s been helping some of you through the sign-up process on our new on-line system and there are some questions that seem to be coming up a lot. So here are some tips to help you through the sign-up.

Unless you paid us for 2012 before we switched systems, we have probably not transferred your information into the new program. Even if you’ve been with us for 10 years, you should still go into the Sign Up For CSA link rather than the Manage Your Account link. You’ll enter all your information as if you were a new customer. Sorry for the extra step, but it’s just this once and we’ll have your correct up-to-date information.
If you are a host, however, we have entered you. You will go into the Manage Your Account link. Sarah will need to tell you your balance, which you will type in if you want to pay on-line. Just ignore the Total: $22 that appears. We’re trying to fix that.
A couple people have accidentally added 2 shares when they only wanted one. Be sure to look at the right side of the screen to where your subscription will show up. If it says quantity “2″ you should change the quantity to “1″. You can delete an item entirely by clicking on the black x to the right of the item.

Sarah is available to answer your questions. Just give her a call at (831)254-4918 or e-mail csa@highgroundorganics.com.————

In the Box This Week

Bunched Chantenay Carrots

Delicata Squash

Bok Choi OR Broccoli

Fennel

Red Russian Kale

Romanze or Desiree Potatoes

Leeks

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Veggie Notes: Leeks can be used just about anywhere–potato leek soup, sautes, stir fries… The easiest way to wash leeks: Cut leek in half lengthwise, keeping the root end intact. Then, hold the leek under cold running water and fan out the layers to get at the dirt that sometimes gets trapped in between. I keep putting in Andrew’s recipe for Leeks en Papillote (below) because it’s so good and fairly simple. Give it a try! Bok choy is simple to prepare and cooks up quickly for a side dish, or part of a stir fry. Red Russian Kale is a variety that seemed to be out of vogue for awhile and is coming back “in”. It is easy to strip the leaves from the stems with a thumb and forefinger. You can cook the stems, they just need longer to soften up so throw them in first.

Note: Our recipes are now posted by vegetable on our website, so that you can find what you’re looking for more easily.

Facebook Offerings:
CSA member Camilla Mann linked to some recipes on her really wonderful food blog that would go well with this week’s box: Check out this risotto using fennel and leeks or her potato salad with leeks and kale.
And Laura writes: “This weekend I grilled potatoes, carrots, leeks from my box and made a warm potato salad. Delicious. I also grilled some winter squash and it was great.”

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Cook ‘Outside-the-Box’ Culinary Classes by Chef Joni Sare

Find the fun in Culinary Arts with Joni. She will share with you the ease and grace of using the produce in our box. All classes will be in her 10-person kitchen, at her home in Cupertino. Below is the basic info, see Joni’s website for details and payment info: www.jonisare.com/csa-cooking-classes $10 for each class, pre-payment is required, 10 people maximum capacity.

Dates for Feb, March and April Classes
In February we’ll focus on COOKING METHODS:
Feb 8, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Soups on the stove top: dairy-free cream soups, using 3 substitutions (coconut milk, eggs and white beans)
Feb 11, Saturday, 10am: Veggies in the oven – broiled, braised and baked (roasted veggies)
Feb 23, Thursday, noon: Success with simmered, sauteed and steamed veggies

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Notes and Recipes from Chef Andrew Cohen
This box has me making an old stand-by, and still a favorite-potato bacon quiche with cheddar and onions. (See recipe) The carrots may wind up in lunch boxes, in a stir fry with bok-choy, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese sausage. I might just sub in some Spanish chorizo for the Chinese sausage since I have that already, and it will cook up close to the same. I will cut the Delicata squash into ½ inch thick rings-removing the seeds and threads-and toss with some oil and spices and roast the rings while I roast and glaze the fennel. Roasting chicken at the same time makes sense, plus there can be left-overs for lunches. I am still on a roasted leeks kick, but I have added some oyster mushrooms tossed with oil and soy sauce for a variation. I think this week I will try cutting the leeks into ½ inch thick rings and cooking them en papillote. The Red Russian kale will get tossed into sautéed onions and mushrooms and cooked down quickly as a side dish. If I have some leftover whole grains I will add them to the dish.
This is one of my favorite quiches. It’s like an entire breakfast in one item. People were very skeptical the first time I ran it as a special-in fact I gave away slices. However, it became a favorite quickly, and maybe you’ll feel the same way.

Potato Bacon Quiche

METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch potatoes until just tender. Drain and allow to dry well. In a 10 inch sauté pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper toweling. If there is a lot of fat in pan, drain some so the pan bottom is well filmed. Cook the onion until soft and colored golden brown. Add the potatoes, and oil or a little bacon fat if needed. Toss to coat and cook until just starting to color. Season with salt and pepper and herbs. Toss with the bacon and add to the pie shell. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half, season with some salt and pepper. Place the pie pan on a sheet pan lined with foil on the center rack of the oven. Pour the egg/dairy mixture into the pie shell to come just to lip.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top is golden. The quiche will probably have puffed up a little. To tell if the quiche is done, jiggle it. The center should not look “wet” still, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can use different potatoes, I just like these, as well as Yukon Golds and Yellow Finns. The sweetness of these potatoes just add something, but I have even had success with Russets. Just don’t cook them too long in the water as they get soggy easily. You could try adding sautéed mushrooms to this dish. If you want to go vegetarian, try seasoning with Pimenton de la Vera and use olive oil. It’s a different beast, but still good. Artichoke hearts go well with this quiche also.

Serves: 6

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

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Oven Roasted Glazed Fennel Bulb

METHOD:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut most of the core from the fennel bulbs. Leave a little so the layers stay connected. Then, using a thin sharp knife, make slices all the way to the cutting board from the top of the bulb towards the root end, but do not slice all the way through. The root should remain as a whole unit. Thinly slice the onion lengthwise, following the curve of the onion rather than cutting straight down. This gives more even slices. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, film the bottom and heat the oil. When hot, add the onions and toss to coat. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching and ensuring even cooking, until onions are very soft and caramelized some. Transfer the onions to a pan that is oven/stovetop safe and just large enough to hold the onions and fennel bulbs. Spread the onion over the pan bottom, then place the fennel bulb halves in the pan so they are flat with a bit of space between them. Brush with a little olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Heat up some stock or water, almost to a boil. Pour enough around the fennel bulbs to come 1/3^rd the way up the fennel. Sprinkle the sugar, or drizzle the honey, around the fennel into the hot liquid. It’s fine if some gets onto the fennel. Add the butter bits around the fennel, and then sprinkle with the thyme. If you wish to up the fennel flavor, take a couple sprigs of the frond and place around the bulbs in the liquid. Drizzle the bulbs with a little of the liquid in the pan, then seal up tightly with foil. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check the fennel. It should be easily pierced by the tip of a sharp knife. If the fennel is tender, use a spatula to gently press down on the bulbs at an angle so the fennel fans out just a little. Baste with juices in the pan. Leave uncovered and return the fennel to the oven, on a shelf near the top. Cook for 15 minutes or until the bulbs are golden. The liquid should have cooked down to a syrup. If not, remove the fennel to a serving plate and reduce the pan liquid over medium-high heat on the stove-top until it is syrupy, then paint it over the fennel. Serve hot.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can broil the fennel for a more golden color. You could add apple slices and a little apple juice to the mix for nice flavor and a glaze as well. Blood orange juice and olives could be an interesting combo as well-sweet/tart/and salty all at once.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

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Roasted Leeks en Papillote, from Chef Andrew

This is a riff on a dish I found in “Vegetables A to Z” by Elizabeth Schneider. The result is sublime. I find it interesting to note the changes in flavor as I eat the different colors of the leek, from the white to the palest green to the more uniform green. Try these as a starter or have as a side with roast chicken, salmon, or braised beef.

INGREDIENTS:
4 medium leeks, trimmed of most of the greens, split lengthwise, cleaned, and cut into 1 inch lengths
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil as needed
Salt (such as Maldon or other coarse grained salt) and pepper

METHOD:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Lay an 18 inch piece of parchment paper out on a sheet pan and lightly oil it. Place the leek pieces onto the middle of one half of the paper, then scatter the carrots over that. Try to fit them into a single layer. Drizzle or spritz with a little more oil, then scatter the herbs over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Fold the paper over and crimp the edges starting at one corner next to the fold, tightly sealing the packet all the way around. Shake the packet to flatten out the contents. Place in the middle of the hot oven and cook for 20 minutes. This should be sufficient to cook the leeks until they are entirely tender, but open the packet carefully to check so you can re-seal it for further cooking if need be. (Once you have done this and know the recipe/your oven, this step probably won’t be necessary.) Once the leeks are done, open the packet and serve the leeks hot.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can gussy these up in many ways. If serving with fish, try adding some lemon juice or white wine when sealing, or drizzle with lemon when you serve them. You could add capers to the packet, or various types of mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms would cook in the allotted time, as would thinly shaved button mushrooms. Sauté thicker mushrooms before and add them in. You could also add asparagus, or a couple drops of truffle oil.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew Cohen (after Elizabeth Schneider)
——— Sign Up for 2012

The 2012 season will run from March 14/15 to November 14/15. Please Sign up On-Line!

Sign Up Options for 2012:

Full year regular sign up with discount (amounts to one free week) if you pay by March 13, 2012:

$770 vegetables/fruits only
$1050 vegetables/fruits + flowers

You may also pay in quarters. The Spring session goes from March 14/15 to May 9/10.

$198 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits
$270 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits + flowers

The following 2011 sites are not available for 2012:
Soquel/Aptos (McGlenn Dr.): Please consider using the Soquel pick-up site (near Soquel HS), Capitola 49th, or the Aptos: Ledyard Way site.

Watsonville-Bronson St.: Please consider using the Redman House Farmstand pick-up site, or our new Lincoln St. location!
Watsonville-West Marine:Please consider using the Redman House Farmstand pick-up site, or our new Lincoln St. location!———–
Full List of 2012 Pick-Up SitesSan Jose Metro Area/Palo Alto: Wednesday Deliveries
Blossom Hill Belwood Lane
Campbell: Old Orchard School
Los Altos-Downtown
Los Altos-Loyola Corners
Los Gatos-Downtown
Los Gatos -JCC
Los Gatos Wilma Way
Mountain View: Harpster Dr.
North Mountain View (NEW)
Palo Alto Cornell
Palo Alto-Vista
Portola Valley
Rosegarden: Shasta Ave.
San Jose Camden (NEW)
San Jose Chabrant Way
Santa Clara
Saratoga -Quito
Saratoga- Via Madronas
Stanford
Sunnyvale: Pear Ave
Sunnyvale: San Diego Ave.
Sunnyvale: Vireo Ave.
Willow Glen: Avalon

Monterey County/ Salinas (Thursday Deliveries)
Carmel Taylor Road
Moss Landing
Monterey: Fenton Keller
Monterey: MIIS
Monterey: UUCMP
Pacific Grove
Salinas
Seaside

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Gift Certificates Available

It’s the perfect gift for the vegetable lover in your life–fresh vegetables from the farm! Send us a check for $88 for 4 weeks or $198 for 9 weeks of CSA vegetables and we’ll e-mail you a gift certificate as a pdf that you can print out (or we can send it directly to the receiver). You can also add flowers ($120 for 4 weeks vegetables + flowers; $270 for 9 weeks veg + flowers).

Checks should be sent to:
High Ground Organics
PO Box 2601
Watsonville, CA 95077

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CSA at School

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Potato Salad with Caramelized Leeks and Kale

Sarah Brewer — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:50:41 +0000

from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

I usually make a potato salad with caramelized leeks and pancetta, but I needed a vegetarian version for this weekend. I had some lacinto kale in my High Ground Organics CSA box, so I decided to add that.

Start by caramelizing leek coins and sliced kale…

Melt a pat of butter with a splash of olive oil in a large flat-bottomed pan. As the oil heats, sprinkle a small amount of salt over the leeks to help draw out the moisture. Put the prepared leeks into the pan and sauté. Once the leeks have wilted slightly, add the kale and 2 T of ginger syrup (or use honey). Add some water to the bottom of the pan and cover. Reduce the heat to low and allow to steam and cook. Stir the contents periodically.

Keep an eye on the leeks and kale. Don’t let them scorch, but allow them to reach a golden brown. Remove them from the heat and add to your recipe.

Wash, cube, and boil potatoes – I used a mixture of purple, Yukon gold, and new red - till they are fork tender. Once they are cooked, drain them. In a large mixing bowl, place the potatoes, leeks, kale. Add mayonnaise, mustard (in this case I had hot and sweet mustard from Trader Joe’s) and season it all with smoked sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Make this the day before you need to serve it so that the flavors have time to develop.

Asparagus-Fennel-Leek Risotto

Sarah Brewer — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:47:12 +0000

from http://culinary-adventures-with-cam.blogspot.com/2011/10/asparagus-fennel-leek-risotto.html

Tonight I decided to make a risotto – just for the leftovers. My husband accused me of being just like my 9-year-old who wanted to order pizza in a box – just for the box. Thankfully I found out that the box was his actual goal, and not the pizza, so I just asked a pizza place for a clean box and skipped the entire pizza delivery experience. It’s not that I didn’t want to eat the risotto, I just have a recipe that uses leftover risotto. Stay tuned for that tomorrow.

The secret to risotto, as Maria told me, is stirring: usa il cucchiao…sempre. Use your spoon…always; keep stirring.

Maria was the cook for the Nuzzo family who was ordered to teach me all her recipes. Then she was fired and I was tasked with cooking for the family six days a week. Thankfully she didn’t blame me for the impossible situation and we stayed close throughout the year that I was there. And sometimes when I cook, I head her instructions in my head.

Make risotto with whatever you have on hand. Tonight I used sliced fennel, sliced leeks, and chopped asparagus. Stir in the arborio rice – one handful per person you’re serving and un’altro per la pentola (an extra for the pot). Maria’s voice again. Add one ladel of simmering broth* at a time, stirring, stirring, and stirring some more till the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until the rice is soft. Let stand for 5 minutes. Season with sea salt to taste. Stir in marscarpone cheese. Serve with shreds or shavings of parmesan cheese.

*here’s a trick I love: instead of using straight broth, use the cooking liquid from whatever else you’re cooking that night. For instance, tonight I was also cooking artichokes. So when they were done cooking, I used the liquid for additional broth in the risotto. Because the artichokes were submerged in the water, some of the vitamins were leached out in the cooking process, but you’re now getting those back by using them in your other dishes.

Oven Roasted Glazed Fennel Bulb

Andrew Cohen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:42:41 +0000

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 medium to large Fennel bulbs, stalks removed and halved through the root with the width, 1 frond reserved if you wish
½ large brown onion, peeled and cut through the root
Vegetable stock or water as needed (Around 1 cup)
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tablespoon butter, cut into pea sized bits
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon fresh thyme
Olive oil as needed

METHOD:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut most of the core from the fennel bulbs. Leave a little so the layers stay connected. Then, using a thin sharp knife, make slices all the way to the cutting board from the top of the bulb towards the root end, but do not slice all the way through. The root should remain as a whole unit. Thinly slice the onion lengthwise, following the curve of the onion rather than cutting straight down. This gives more even slices. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, film the bottom and heat the oil. When hot, add the onions and toss to coat. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring to prevent scorching and ensuring even cooking, until onions are very soft and caramelized some. Transfer the onions to a pan that is oven/stovetop safe and just large enough to hold the onions and fennel bulbs. Spread the onion over the pan bottom, then place the fennel bulb halves in the pan so they are flat with a bit of space between them. Brush with a little olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Potato Bacon Quiche

Andrew Cohen — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:41:56 +0000

INGREDIENTS:
3-4 medium potatoes such as Romanze or Desiree, sliced into 1/8^th inch or ¼ inch slices (around 2 cups or more)
6 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1 inch long pieces
1 medium brown or white onion, peeled and cut into medium dice
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon minced thyme
1 teaspoon minced rosemary
Neutral flavored oil if needed
3 eggs
1½ cups half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
1 nine-inch pie crust (use your favorite recipe )

METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch potatoes until just tender. Drain and allow to dry well. In a 10 inch sauté pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper toweling. If there is a lot of fat in pan, drain some so the pan bottom is well filmed. Cook the onion until soft and colored golden brown. Add the potatoes, and oil or a little bacon fat if needed. Toss to coat and cook until just starting to color. Season with salt and pepper and herbs. Toss with the bacon and add to the pie shell. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Serves: 6

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen

Squash Squares

Sarah Brewer — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:23:20 +0000

Here’s a dessert idea for the squash from http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t–68974/squash-squares.asp

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups squash
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

METHOD:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in eggs, squash and oil; mix well.
Spread into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool.
Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and butter. Add milk, stir until smooth. Frost cooled cake.