Weekly Share June 17th – 23rd

Fresh Garlic
Arugula or Salad Mix
Zucchini & Summer Squash
Young Fennel
Swiss Chard
Frisee
Basil

Crazy past week with lots of rain, almost 4 inches over the course of seven days and yet everything looked like it needed it. The grass in our fields changed color to a vibrant green over night and it wasn’t until the final storm what we saw any standing water. We anticipated splitting cabbages or rotting daikon, so we bulk harvested everything that was ready. We did not anticipate the grey cool weather slowing the growth in our early Summer crops; but hey we will take the Spring like temperatures for one more week before the Summer weather sets in. Overall it was a very good week aside from the Friday afternoon realization that we had lost 450’ row feet of ready to harvest carrots due to rot. A combination between the variety, the large size of the carrots, and our heavy clay not well draining soil set in some serious quick rotting at the base of the root. This was set to be our best carrot production in the Spring to date and in the coarse of 3 days we lost 35% of our Spring crop. This is a great example of the ever-shifting reality on a farm. We had no idea this was a concern, in that this has never happened before to us and we have had much wetter springs seasons in the past with no rot like this. But that is the point, this end result is based on the conditions of these carrots form start to finish. The greatest thing about farming, its never dull and we are always learning.
On a positive note, Basil is finally here and although the plants looked dismal when planted (due to field prep issues and planting 3 weeks late), the planting is now looking vibrant and growing strong thanks to the extremely wet past week. Fresh Garlic is also included in this week’s share. Fresh means it is not cured, which is when the garlic plant dries back; the neck seals up and all the layers around the cloves turn paper dry. Cured garlic is stable for many months, whereas fresh garlic has a month or so. The flavor is slightly less hot and a bit subtler and it does not need to be peeled, the outer skin falls away when you separate the cloves. Check out the recipes and enjoy the share……Autumn & Brian

Provençal Zucchini and Swiss Chard Tart

Rainbow Chard with Lemon, Fennel, and Parmigiano

Mussels with Fennel and Lovage

Fried Zucchini Slice with YogurtThe New Book of Middle Eastern Food pg.86 by Claudia Roden
For this Arab and Turkish way of serving zucchini, the vegetables may be deep fried, grilled, or broiled.
1 lb Zucchini, cut into slices lengthwise
Olive or vegetable oil
Salt
1 ½ cups plain whole-milk or thick strained greek-style Yogurt
Deep-fry the zucchini in hot oil till lightly browned, turning the slices over once, then drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Alternatively, brush the slices with oil and grill or broil them. Serve hot or cold with yogurt spread over each slice.
Variations: The yogurt may be flavored with crushed garlic, mint, or dill.

Aliciotti Con L’Indivia (Anchovy & Frisee Casserole) – Tasting Rome by Katie Parla & Kristina Gill
This dish is (one) of the most iconic in Roman Jewish cuisine and was a Ghetto staple, likely influenced by the seventeenth century sumptuary laws that limited the types of fish Rome’s Jews were permitted to buy. Brilliant in its humble simplicity, its peasant origins don’t mean this casserole lacks flavor or depth. You can top it with fine or coarse bread crumbs if you wish or omit them altogether, placing the focus on the slightly bitter greensand the flavorful fresh fish.
Sea Salt
1 large head Frisee
3 Tbls Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh anchovies, cleaned and filleted
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brings a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Salt the water. When the salt has dissolved, add the frisee and blanch until tender, about 1 minute. Drain, squeeze, and set aside.
Pour half the olive oil into a round 12”baking dish. Layer half the frisee in the bottom of the dish. Season generously with salt & pepper, then cover with half the anchovies, arranging them in a radial pattern. Repeat the frisee and anchovy layers once more. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly on top, if desired, then with the remaining olive oil. 
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden. If there is any water in the dish when you remove it from the oven, drain it off. Cut the casserole in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

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