News from the Farm
By Sarah Libertus

This Saturday’s Salsa Fest 2005 was an enormous success (at least in my mind). We had a great turnout, with over 25 people who were willing to drive the twisting turning valley roads in order to experience the full-meaning of salsa. The afternoon started with an exciting ride on our flatbed out to the tomato fields. Featherstone Farms is a beautiful place, but you never get the entire picture until you’re riding on uneven, pitted gravel roads on a truck that is held together with bale wire. After tomatoes, we rambled off to pick onions. Onions are the most gratifying of all the produce to pick: big bulbs lying on the surface of the ground with easy pulling that creates a satisfying crunch. After all the grueling picking, we walked up to the Common House where Tracy (Rhys’s wife, CSA member and all-around marvelous person) had cleaned garlic and set up stations, lemonade and iced tea. The rest of the day was spent chopping, broiling, tasting and talking food. (I was very happy.) I offered three recipes: Watermelon Salsa (great topping for fish), Corn Salsa (a sweet savory sauce) and a traditional Fresh Salsa with Broiled Tomatoes and people brought their own (Mango salsa, Jalapeno Salsa, etc.). I was hesitant at first to offer up a salsa class, because it seemed a bit dull, but the variety of salsas, the input from the group and the communal feel of walking the room with a handful of chips and tasting everyone’s masterpiece made me change my mind. Unfortunately, mine was the blandest, but together we were able to work out the kinks of the Fresh Salsa recipe and get a great end result. Aaah community. Thank you to everyone who came out and made it a great afternoon. I wish, as one CSA-er put it, “we should do this every week until all the produce is gone”. I hope that those that were there had fun and those who were unable to make it, remember that there is only one farm event left: the harvest Hoedown September 10th (more information next week).

CORRECTION: Last week’s newsletter had the Watermelon Rind Pickles and I failed to print the entire recipe. I am so sorry. Unfortunately, this is what happens when I flagrantly lift things off the web. Thank you to everyone who showed me the error of my ways. This recipe was provided by North Carolina’s Department of Agriculture:

WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES

• 1-1/2 quarts prepared watermelon rind
• 4 tablespoons salt
• 2 quarts cold water
• 1 thinly sliced lemon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 7 cups water

To prepare watermelon rind - trim green skin and pink flesh from thick watermelon rind; cut into 1-inch pieces. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water and pour over rind; let stand 5 to 6 hours.
Drain; rinse and drain again. Cover with cold water and let stand 30 minutes. Drain. Sprinkle ginger over rind; cover with water and cook until fork tender. Drain.
To Make Preserves - Sterilize canning jars. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 7 cups water. Boil 5 minutes; add rind and boil gently for 30 minutes. Add sliced lemon and cook until the melon rind is clear. Pack hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Varieties
By Sarah Libertus

Due to the nature of farming, the produce in the box may change with the weather. Please feel free to contact me if you need any additional assistance with what is in your box.

Lemongrass- You are probably wondering why you have grass in your box, but smell it. This is no ordinary Kentucky Blue, but the fun and exotic lemongrass. The lemongrass plant (cymbopogon citratus) is a native of India and Sri Lanka. Lemongrass is perhaps best known for its appearance in Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, but it is popping up in all sorts of fusion cooking and the extract and essential oil are also very important to the perfume and cosmetics industries. Lemongrass has long been used in traditional Indian medicine to fight fever and infection, giving it the alternate common name of fevergrass. Citral, the major chemical constituent of lemongrass essential oil, is used as a perfume and flavoring. The oil itself is antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral. It also has good deodorizing properties. In aromatherapy lemongrass is used as an antidepressant, to soothe aches and pains, and to relieve stress. Trim off the grassy top and root end. Peel away the outer fibrous layers until you reach the tender core, which is lavender or light purple in color. In dishes calling for minced lemongrass, you'll chop up only the bottom four inches or so. The rest of the stalk can be cut into short pieces for infusing stocks and teas. It is very fibrous and is hard to digest. Bruising the lemongrass with the side of a knife or cleaver helps to release the fragrant, flavorful oils. Minced lemongrass is typically used as is, or pounded into a paste with a mortar and pestle. Lemongrass infused butter (the most tender parts of the lemongrass, beaten with mortar and pestle and blended in with butter) makes a perfect complement to a lightly steamed broccoli. If you make your own ice cream add a lemongrass simple syrup: Boil a cup of water with minced lemongrass, add the sugar required for the ice cream recipe, cook to desired strength, then cool mixture, add to remaining ingredients and taste this grassy, lemony creamy joy.

Athena melons- I drive Rhys and Jack crazy by calling this a cantaloupe. Yes, it has a webbed shell, yes it has sweet orange flesh, but it is not a cantaloupe: it’s an Athena Musk Melon. Very sweet and tasty, the Athena Musk Melon is smaller than a cantaloupe. I like mine tossed with a bit of chopped mint.

Heirloom Tomatoes- This week’s selection contains a greater variety of tomatoes. Remember that heirlooms break down faster and should be eaten as soon as they are ripe. Heirlooms are also typically juicer than conventional tomatoes and should be drained before using in sauces (unless you want it thinner).
Broccoli- I can’t believe that it is broccoli time again. These are big beautiful heads and should satisfy all of you who have been missing your greens. Broccoli likes to be kept cold. The stalks can be eaten as well as the florets (top). Either slice the stalk into discs or julienne and cook a bit longer to desired texture.
Bok Choy- Bok choy has an elongated head with plump white stalks and deep green leaves. It is a member of the brassica family (like broccoli and cabbage), with vitamin C (44mg per cup), significant amounts of nitrogen compounds known as indoles, fiber and folate (69 mcg per cup). With its deep green leaves, bok choy has more beta-carotene than other cabbages, and it also supplies considerably more calcium (158 mg per cup). The stalks and leaves are very different, so it's like getting two vegetables for the price of one. It is unwashed in your box so that it stays fresh longer. Place unwashed heads of bok choy in a loosely closed plastic bag and refrigerate for no more than a day or two. Bok choy is more perishable than head cabbages. To prepare, rinse under cold running water and shake dry. Bok choy has a mild enough flavor to eat raw and the finely shredded leaves can go into salads. The stalks turn sweet and almost creamy, and the leaves taste something like Swiss chard. Bok choy can be cooked whole by steaming or braising. Slice the stalks and begin cooking them first. When the stalks begin to soften (about 2 minutes), add the shredded leaves and cook just until wilted. Bok choy is a natural for stir-fries and can also be steamed. The shredded leaves are a refreshing last-minute addition to a simple soup or broth.

I realize that I typically do recipes that one can eat, but this just seemed to be too fun. This is from Eleanor Athens.

FLORIDA WATER EAU DE COLOGNE:

• 1/4 cup vodka
• 5 cloves
• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced lemongrass
• 1/2 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon peel
• 2 Tbsp. orange flower water
• 3 Tbsp. distilled water

Place dry ingredients in jar and cover with vodka. Let stand for a week, shaking daily. At the end of the week strain, and add orange flower water and distilled water. Pour into mister or atomizer, keep in the fridge and use as perfume.

CREAMY BOK CHOY

• 2 tablespoons sesame tahini (or peanut butter)
• 2 tablespoons unrefined sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 4 stalks bok choy, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 6 scallions, chopped into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
• Sea salt to taste

Place the tahini in a small bowl, using a fork mix in enough water to make it creamy. Set aside.
Warm a skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the oil and when it is warm, add the garlic, cumin and sauté for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the carrot and stir-fry over moderate heat for 2 minutes or until the carrot softens. Add the bok choy and stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until crisp tender. Season with salt. Stir tahini puree into the vegetables and cook for 1 minute or just until the tahini sauce bubbles and thickens.
Makes 4 Servings

Here is another recipe for lemongrass:
LEMONGRASS-CRUSTED TUNA STEAKS
by Kate Heyhoe
Serves 2

• Tuna
• 5 stalks lemongrass
• 2 shallots
• 3 tablespoons corn oil (or neutral-flavored oil)
• 1 sprig of fresh mint leaves (about 9 leaves)
• 2 albacore tuna steaks (12 to 14 ounces total)
• Freshly ground black pepper.
• Lemongrass Cream
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons lemongrass broth (see steps below)
• Freshly ground dried green peppercorns, or black pepper.

1. Prepare the lemongrass stalks: Remove the top and root ends, and peel the outer tough layers from the stalks. Keep the trimmings, but discard any layers that are dirty. Cut about 3 inches of the thickest part of each stalk into 1-inch lengths. Set aside. Cut the remainder of the stalks, the tougher sections, into 1-inch lengths and place these in a separate pile..
2. Mince the tender sections in a food processor with the shallots, 2 tablespoons oil, and mint leaves. Process until the shallots are chopped and the mixture is a course paste. (Mixture will be fairly dry.)
3. Place the tuna steaks in a container for marinating. Season the tuna on each side generously with pepper. Spread the minced lemongrass mixture all over the tuna, pressing the mixture onto the tuna surface. Cover and marinate overnight, refrigerated.
4. When ready to cook the tuna, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet until hot. Carefully add the tuna steaks, keeping as much crust on them as possible. Fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and golden brown. Flip the tuna and fry the other side another 1 to 2 minutes. Tuna should be slightly pink in the center. Serve the steaks hot, with the Lemongrass Cream drizzled around them and any extra in a small dish on the side.

To Make the Lemongrass Broth and Lemongrass Cream:

1. In the same work bowl (do not rinse) used to process the marinade, process the remaining lemongrass trimmings until coarsely minced. Place these in a container with an equal amount of water. (You should have about 1-1/2 cups of minced trimmings.) Refrigerate overnight.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, covered, over medium-low heat. Simmer until the sauce reduces by half, about 20 minutes. The mixture will look thick and porridge-like. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain the sauce over a bowl, pressing on the trimmings to release excess moisture. You should end up with 1/2 to 2/3 cup of strained sauce.
3. Rinse out the lemongrass broth saucepan and add the cream. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half. Add the fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of the reduced lemongrass broth, and a generous amount of ground green peppercorns or black pepper. (Reserve any remaining lemongrass broth for another use, such as for cooking vegetables.) Simmer 3 minutes or so, just to combine the flavors. The sauce will be a bit thin, but flavorful. Use as directed above.

I also didn't mention that be careful when serving lemongrass. The more fibrous stalks should be used for flavoring and while it is edible, it is really fibrous and is typically extracted before it is eaten.