There’s nothing better than truly fresh produce. This doesn’t
mean the box-like tomatoes delivered
”
fresh
”
to the store. By the time they get there, they may have had
weeks of picking, cleaning and storage.
There’s nothing better than truly fresh produce. This doesn’t mean the box-like tomatoes delivered “fresh” to the store. By the time they get there, they may have had weeks of picking, cleaning and storage.
I’m talking about produce that comes directly from local farms. I know I’m as guilty as many others: If I’m in a hurry, I’ll settle for the bland produce at the grocery store rather than making the extra stop to get the good stuff. If you find yourself in this category too often, consider buying a basket of fresh, in-season produce once a week from a local farm.
Too busy to pick it up? Have it delivered.
Today’s farmers are finding ways to get closer to the consumers who are eating their produce. Farmers’ markets offer a way to get to know customers. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows farmers to deliver to the customer personally. How does it work? You subscribe to a CSA, thereby allowing a farmer to plan ahead for the crop season. Once the harvest season starts, the farms pack baskets or boxes with produce that is available that week fresh from the fields.
One drawback: You won’t get out-of-season vegetables and fruits. But you will get a huge variety of produce that is meant to be eaten the week you receive it. Local farms grow an incredible variety of lettuces, beans, peppers, corn, berries, tree fruits, potatoes, beets and more. You’d be surprised by the plush offerings, all grown nearby. CSAs pride themselves on providing recipes, too, helping to spur you to try new vegetables and preparations.
Below, I’ve featured two local successful and popular CSAs. They’d love to have you as a customer and signing up is quick and easy on both Web sites.
The season ends in November, so you still have about six weeks of great produce, during the most prolific season of the year for our area.
• Swank Farms, Hollister: Swank Farms’ beautiful produce stands, farmers’ market fare and famous Halloween corn maze continue to draw people to Hollister. If you haven’t had their “heirloom salsa,” you don’t know what you’re missing. Swank Farms has started a produce basket program, with weekly delivery of a wooden bushel basket bursting with produce. All produce is grown on the home farm in Hollister or by nearby farmers. Recipes accompany all baskets, as well as an ice pack to keep the delivery cold. Deliveries are made directly to your home or business in Hollister, San Martin, Gilroy and Morgan Hill (Hollister, $25, and all others, $30 per week). They’ll be happy to add a jar of salsa when you need one. 601 Churchill Rd.
(831)637-4704. www.swankfarms.com.
• Live Earth Farm, Watsonville: Live Earth Farm is an organic farm located in Watsonville. They specialize in 38 different kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as flowers. Their 20-acre farm is completely organic, using physical barriers, beneficial insects and well-bred plants to combat pests and disease. If you want to learn more about the farm, you can visit one of the many events listed on their Web site. Otherwise, you can enjoy superb, in-season produce by subscribing to their CSA program. For $23 per week, you’ll receive a large box of produce. Extras: $7 for extra fruit, $8 for flowers, or $13 for both. Deliveries are made to central points in each community on Wednesdays and are available for pick-up in the afternoon and evening. 172 Litchfield Ln., Watsonville CA, 95076.
(831) 763-2448. www.liveearthfarm.com.
• Recipe box: The following two vegetable dishes are from the Live Earth Farm weekly newsletters. The web site www.liveearthfarm.com contains many, many more great-sounding recipes. There are lots of fresh eggplants and beets around this time of year. Pick some up at your favorite local roadside stand.
Southwestern Ratatouille
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small globe eggplant (or 2-3 Oriental), diced (peeling is optional)
1 large (2 small) zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 serrano chile, cored seeded and minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup dark beer or ale
2 large tomatoes, cored and diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, eggplant, zucchini and serrano, sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes). Pour in 1/4 cup beer and scrape up any veggies that stick to the bottom of the skillet. Add tomatoes, cumin, chili powder and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding another 1/4 cup beer if it starts to look dry (mixture should be soupy). If beer is bitter, add sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in cilantro and serve over hot rice.
Teriyaki Beets
Serves 4-6
12 small unpeeled beets
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Boil or steam beets until almost tender. Rinse in cold water and cut into halves. Combine butter, honey, ginger, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and heat until butter and honey are melted. Brush some sauce over beets and place on heated broiler pan. Broil 5 to 10 minutes until tender, basting frequently. Transfer to serving dish and pour remaining sauce over.
• Tenderloin tip: I love pork tenderloins. They are great with a marinade or rub, and take minutes to make on the barbeque or under the broiler. Because they need less than five minutes on the grill, these would be perfect for a family weeknight dinner. This recipe is from Gourmet magazine.
Grilled Pork Kebabs with Ginger Molasses Barbeque Sauce
For barbecue sauce
Serves 4
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses (regular or robust; not blackstrap)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh serrano or other small hot green chile (1 or 2),
including seeds
1/2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
For pork
1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
Special equipment: about 30 (8-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Make barbecue sauce:
Stir together all sauce ingredients in a heavy saucepan and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes. Transfer sauce to a medium bowl and cool to room temperature.
Prepare and grill pork kebabs:
Slice tenderloins diagonally into thin slices. You will have about 12 slices and if they are too large, cut them in half for easier threading on the skewers.
Thread two skewers lengthwise through each slice of pork and transfer to a tray lined with plastic wrap. (Using two skewers makes it easier to turn the tenderloins.)
Heat up barbeque, grill pan or broiler.
Sprinkle pork slices with salt and brush both sides with barbecue sauce, then grill on oiled grill rack, uncovered, turning over once, until just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Discard any leftover sauce.
Notes: Barbecue sauce can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Kebabs can be prepared 6 hours before grilling (without salt or sauce) and chilled, covered with plastic wrap. If you aren’t able to grill outdoors, cook kebabs in a hot oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.
Makes 4 servings.
Tip of the Week:
Many recipe books warn that salad must always be torn, not cut, because cutting encourages browning. Not true, if it’s done right. If you use a sharp stainless-steel knife, browning will occur no faster than if you had torn the lettuce. If, however, you do not like the appearance of cut lettuce, stick with tearing.
Notes from Jenny’s Kitchen
Belle Vie Gardens & Nursery will be holding its third annual Fall “Herbs in the Garden” event on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you have never been to Belle Vie, give yourself a treat and spend a few hours wandering their beautiful herb and vegetable gardens. They are amazing!
You can browse, buy plants, and join one of many workshops, including indoor container herb gardening, preserving herbs, caring for irises and easy wreath making. Attendees will take something home from their workshops, such as a fresh wreath or scented bath salts. Fees for the workshops vary from $15 to $25. There is no charge to attend the event.
Belle Vie is located at 14035 Columbet Ave. in San Martin. Take 101 north, San Martin Avenue east, then left on Columbet. For a full schedule of events, call 683-5610 or look at Belle Vie’s Web site, www.BelleVieGardens.com.
End notes: “The Earth does not belong to man. Man belongs to the Earth. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the Earth, befalls the sons of the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life. He is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” ~ Chief Seattle
