Posts by: Sarah Brewer
By Keith Kimes, Kimes Apiary
Keith Kimes is a local beekeeper who keeps many of his hives on High Ground Organics’ two farm properties. We know that many of you are interested in the plight of honeybees worldwide, so we asked Keith for an update on his own efforts at limiting losses in his beehives.
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From Chef Susan Pasko
This recipe is just one version of my master method for One-Pot Easy-Peasy Market Box Veggies. The principles are always the same…. Start with onions and garlic cooked slowly in butter or oil. Always give the onions a fifteen minute head start, (during which you can prep the other veg, or sit down with a cup of tea or glass of wine!) Then add the hard vegetables, cook 15 minutes more, then the quick-cooking vegetables for 10 minutes, then the leaves which will wilt pretty quickly in most cases. Adjust cooking times by tasting the veggies along the way…. These kind of recipes are guidelines, not rules.
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It’s a berry bonanza! The addition of strawberries and blueberries both in the box AND available for special order in the web store in bulk quantities this week has led to a frenzy of berry-related activity. If you have never ordered from the web store before, all you have to do is:
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Here is a celeriac purée offered by one of our subscribers. It is sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and sliced almonds and is topped with tofu baked with dandelion greens and fennel.
When blending the purée, add some milk and labne or yogurt/kefir, and tahini lemon sauce. You can also use butter in the celeriac… and a little lemon juice.
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This recipe is from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving. Using “paste” tomatoes such as San Marzanos are ideal because of their low moisture levels. Quickly blanching the tomatoes (boiling them until the skins split then transferring them into ice water) helps to remove the skin efficiently. A quick squeeze of the peeled tomatoes can release most seeds. Processing with a food mill can help remove any skins or seeds you didn’t catch and will give the ketchup the right consistency. This homemade ketchup tastes divine and has quite a bit less sugar and salt than the store-bought kinds.
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Sweet, tart and lemony, this jam is summer in a jar.
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups crushed strawberries 1 3/4 cups finely chopped rhubarb zest and juice of one Meyer lemon 2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice 3 TBS Ball Low-sugar pectin
METHOD:
PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
COMBINE strawberries, rhubarb, zest and juice of lemon and unsweetened apple juice in a 6- to 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
LADLE hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
PROCESS filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when center is pressed.
From Ball Home Canning SiteMakes about5 (16 oz) pints
Horseradish and hot peppers give this relish its zest. It’s a great way to use up extra zucchini from the garden, and it makes a great accompaniment to bratwursts hot off the grill.
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From the National Center of Home Preservation
INGREDIENTS:
7 lbs of 2- to 2-1/2-inch diameter beets4 cups vinegar (5 percent)
1-1/2 teaspoons canning or pickling salt
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
4 to 6 onions (2- to 2-1/2-inch diameter) if desired
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Makes about 4 to 5 (8 oz) half pints
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We offer several varieties of apples during the late summer and fall. At our home farm, we have planted orchards of Jonagolds, Rubinettes, Waltanas and Hudson’s Golden Gems.
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Basil is an aromatic herb belonging to the mint family. Basil originates from India but certain varieties are used commonly in Southeast Asian cuisines. It has a strong, pungent, if sweet, smell. This versatile herb is commonly used fresh in Italian and other Mediterranean dishes, added at the very end as to not lose too much flavor.
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Beans and peas are one of those marvelous crops that not only taste delicious, they actually give back nutrients into the soil. Peas can take nitrogen out of the air and “fix” it into the soil. Nutritious for you, nutritious for the earth. We offer several kinds of beans throughout the season.
Click for cranberry shelling bean recipes
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We grow several varieties of beets. Red Ace beets are the earthy deep red kind. Chioggia beets are a beautiful candy-striped beet, an heirloom variety from the Italian town of Chioggia, near Venice. Golden beets are sweet (and won’t turn everything you are cooking red).
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Braising mix is a variety of baby cooking greens. One of our favorite mixes includes mizuna mustard greens, tatsoi, red russian kale, and green kale. The tender baby greens can be sauteed quickly for a delicious side dish.