Greetings Inland Empire CSA Members!
(Saturday, May 30th – Friday, June 5th)
• WELCOME!
We would like to welcome all of the new members starting this week! We truly appreciate the support you and all of
our members show to our farms, the local community and the environment. Just a reminder, there are pictures of
some of our greens on the website www.inlandempirecsa.com in the recipe section.
•
Just a reminder we do recycle the boxes. Please return them when you pick up your next box. This will help us keep
our costs down.
• WHAT'S IN THIS WEEK’S BOX? (Just a reminder, we only send out one email per week. Therefore, if you
receive your box on Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday, the contents of your box may differ slightly from this list. We
always want to have what’s freshest in your box.)
Lettuce, Broccoli, Carrots, Zucchini, Bunching Onions, Cucumbers, Heirloom Tomatoes, Mint, Strawberries, Lemons,
Grapefruit, and Avocados.
NOTE #1 – We have additional honey for purchase if you would like it. A 1lb. Jar is $4.65 and a 2lb. Jar is $8.25.
Just email us back and we can put it in your box the following week. We want to continue to use glass jars vs. plastic
jars for our honey; therefore, the cost of the honey has gone up to cover the additional cost of the glass jars.
A tip from Don, our Beekeeper, The wild flower honey has a tendency to
crystallize when it gets cold. You can get it back into its liquid state by gently
heating it. Remember, the honey you get is raw and has never been pasteurized (boiled). Boiling the honey or
heating it excessively will harm some of the beneficial properties of the honey.
We prefer the “set it the in sun” method. Find a spot that gets direct sun most of the day. Set it out in the afternoon
for a few hours and it will liquefy back to normal. Be careful to check it occasionally to make sure it doesn’t overheat.
• BOXES, HONEY JARS
We do reuse and recycle the boxes and honey jars each and every week. If you could please bring these items from
the previous week (or when you’re finished with them) we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!
News from the Farms!
Regardless of the day you pick up your box, we need to know by Wednesday of that week if you are going to be out
of town. If your box is not picked up, we will happily donate it. Thanks so much for your help with this.
Sage Mountain Farms – Phil and Juany Noble
Weather is still cooperating, we're gliding into summer, looks like Tomatoes and Peppers like the weather so far.
Cool nights (at least not hot) allow for more Broccoli production but not for much longer. The Potato crop is
amazing!...late June.....
Heirloom Tomatoes and Cucumbers hit the boxes this week, the prized Tomatoes are Cherokee Purple!
The prized Tomato seedlings are from Gary and Mel @ our partner farm De Luz Farms.
Chicken News....We are raising a few Cornish Game Hens to see how they taste! We expanded our Chicken Coupe
this week due to we're picking up a couple hundred egg layer chickens for both farms on Monday, we're transporting
them in the back of our pickup truck.
There are a few quarter steers left, if you want information on purchasing a quarter of excellent beef, e-mail to me
phil@sagemountainfarm.com.
De Luz Farms and Nursery – by Gary and Melodee Leavitt
Just a reminder for those of you who may be interested in our Manzano peppers. We don’t put them in the boxes
unless you request them as the can be pretty hot sometimes. Just send us an email if you are interested.
Our kiwis are doing well but chances are very slim that they will produce any significant amount this year. They are
slower growing than we anticipated.
The pineapple guavas are in full flower and we look to have a large harvest
this year provided the weather cooperates. Last year we had a Santa Ana week with temperatures in the high 90’s.
They flowers took a real beating in the heat and most were lost. We’re just finishing off the last of our frozen ones
from last year. They’re great in our morning smoothie.
Feijoa (pineapple guava) flower
RECIPES
Based on the items in your boxes, here are several recipes for you to try. If you have a recipe you would like to share
with our group, please email us and we’ll put it in the next email/newsletter. Also, the members of our Yahoo! Group
have been sharing numerous greens recipes. Be sure to check them out if you haven’t already. If you’re not a
member of our Yahoo! Group, please email us back and let us know – we’ll get an invitation out to you promptly.
Happy Cooking!
Sometimes we find recipes that don’t always match the produce in your boxes. We list them here to give you ideas to
try. We find that you can always substitute the produce in your box with the produce listed in the recipes.
Here’s a great blog from one of our members, Marianne M. from Temecula. She shares some great recipes that her
children are fond of.
http://marianne-whats4dinner.blogspot.com/
Zucchini and Rosemary Soup
Bon Appétit | June 1995
The Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels MD
From the Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels, Maryland
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
Yield: Serves 8
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
1 russet potato, peeled, sliced
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Croutons
Chopped green onions
Melt butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5
minutes. Mix in garlic and rosemary. Add stock and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add
sliced zucchini; simmer until tender about 15 minutes. Working in batches, puree in blender. Season with salt and
pepper.
Cook cubed zucchini in saucepan of boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Drain. Rewarm soup over medium heat.
Ladle into bowls. Top with zucchini and croutons. Sprinkle with green onions.
Grilled Zucchini and Coriander
Gourmet | May 2004
You can grill the zucchini alongside the grilled charmoula lamb chops , then loosely cover it to keep it warm while the
lamb is standing.
Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min
Yield: Makes 1 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 medium zucchini (1/4 lb), cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is
medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat
burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
Stir together oil, coriander, and salt, then brush on both sides of zucchini. Grill zucchini on lightly oiled grill rack,
turning over once, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes total. Cut zucchini diagonally crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Cooks' note:
If you aren't able to grill outdoors, zucchini can be cooked in a hot lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over
moderate heat. If also using grill pan for lamb, grill zucchini before lamb and keep loosely covered with foil while lamb
cooks and stands.
Sauteed Striped Bass with Mint Pesto and Spiced Carrots
Bon Appétit | April 2007
by Molly Stevens
In this dish, the mint pesto says spring every bit as much as the carrots do.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Pesto
1/4 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup lightly toasted shelled unsalted natural pistachios
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
Coarse kosher salt
Fish
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
4 (6- to 8-ounce) striped bass fillets (with or without skin)
Spiced carrots
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
12 ounces medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds
1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For pesto:
Blend mint leaves, pistachios, olive oil, and garlic in processor until coarse puree forms. Season with coarse salt. DO
AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring pesto to room temperature and stir before using.
For fish:
Combine olive oil, mint, and thyme in small bowl. Spread herb mixture all over both sides of fish fillets. Cover and
refrigerate fish at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.
For spiced carrots:
Stir all seeds in small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer seeds to spice mill or
mortar and grind coarsely.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, crushed red pepper, and ground
seeds; sauté until carrots begin to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Add broth and lemon juice and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until carrots are tender, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat.
Add fish and cook until browned on both sides and just opaque in center, about 5 minutes total.
Rewarm carrots just until heated through. Divide carrots and any juices among 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fish
fillet. Spoon pesto over and serve.
Pink Grapefruit, Strawberry and Champagne Granita with Sugared Strawberries.
Bon Appétit | April 2004
Use a Microplane grater or the smallest holes on a box grater to remove the lemon peel in thin, fine pieces. Any
delicate buttery cookies — such as pirouettes, small shortbreads, or tender madeleines — would be delicious with
the granita.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup water
1 cup small strawberries, hulled (about 6 ounces)
3/4 cup fresh pink or ruby grapefruit juice
2 1/4 cups chilled brut Champagne
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
9 teaspoons mascarpone cheese*
18 whole small strawberries
Stir 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in large saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Cool. Puree 1 cup
strawberries in processor. Whisk 1/2 cup puree into sugar syrup. Mix in grapefruit juice, then Champagne. Pour
mixture into 8-inch square metal baking pan. Freeze mixture until firm, stirring every 2 hours, about 6 hours. (Can be
made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar and lemon peel in pie plate. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mascarpone around pointed tip half
of each whole strawberry. Dip in lemon sugar to coat mascarpone.
Moisten rims of 6 Martini glasses with water; dip rims into remaining lemon sugar. Scrape fork across surface of
granita to form ice shavings. Mound granita in glasses. Garnish with sugared berries and serve immediately.
*Available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.
Test-kitchen tip:
To coat Martini glass rims with sugar, barely moisten fingertips and run around edge of each glass, then dip rims into
sugar mixture. Keep the coated glasses in the freezer for up to two days before serving the granita.
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