October 11, 2022

 

What’s in this Week’s VEGGIE BOX: Onions, Eggplant, Kale, Parsley, French breakfast radish and Hot Pepper Mix (Red Serrano, Jalapeno and Habenero) and Apples

 

Bread this week: Round Lavain OR Whole Wheat, your choice of one

 

Come and celebrate the Capay Valley with us!

 

The day will feature a multi-course dinner prepared by local and guest chefs featuring produce, meats and other products sourced from the Capay Valley’s diverse farms. All proceeds benefit our local fire departments that are essential to our community. This year’s event will be at the beautiful Luna Lavender Farms in Guinda. Guests will enjoy wines, beer and olive oils from the region. The event will also include music, silent auction and even a live auction during dinner.

Tickets for the event are available. Each ticket is $75, and a table for eight guests is $560. All purchases can be made at TOC_2022.eventbrite.com or capayvalleyvision.net

 

 

This week on the farm

 Part of managing the crops at Good Humus is making sure to put eyes on all the plantings as often as you possibly can. Things can change in the blink of an eye, and the only way to make sure to have a handle on it is to see it yourself. So this morning, like many mornings, Jeff and I walked the fields. We spoke to Rogelio in the peppers, made sure that they were being harvested adequately and cleaned at the same time. We looked at the basil, loads of weeds, but is it worth the time and money to clean out the weeds when we only harvest for a few more weeks? We wandered to the last field and looked at our winter squash which ready for its final harvest, the watermelons are all ready to pick too (sadly not enough to supply to the csa-come to the Davis Farmers Market this weekend!). We saw that the cucumbers and squash plants have begun to die back and dry out; they will likely be finished in the coming weeks. In my flower beds, our broomcorn is a hotbed of activity, with flies, aphids, ladybugs, wasps, and more. What a fun thing to see, especially since the broomcorn will still be totally fine for harvesting. We look to each other and agree that we should plant broomcorn around the farm next summer as insect habitat because clearly it is a happy place for a lot of insects.

 Then we head to our new plantings, where Francisco and Juan are slowly cleaning out our massive crop of weeds to unearth some lettuce. Oy vey. The Back Ten over by Zach and Nicole’s house is a well fought success story. Eric and I planted 20 beds during that monster heat wave, and I remember thinking that the odds that the seeds germinate in 108 degrees seem low. I wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t as bad as I had thought, so with a little replanting, and some diligent weed management, we have a beautiful fall planting coming together. You have had 2 weeks now of some spicy radishes, we will likely be seeing Bok Choi and cilantro soon too, as well as some leafy greens. They all taste so good as the weather changes.

It’s all very cyclical, each time my dad and I walk the field we look for the seasons indicators of the challenges to come: soil health, insect damage, weeds germination, seed quality, and so on. Every summer presents a slew of challenges that are different from the assortment of obstacles that come in the winter. He has begun to test my knowledge, letting me assess the situation rather than telling me what is going on. Farming is both one of the most diverse and challenging jobs I have ever encountered, as well as the most routine and predictable jobs I have ever taken on.

I think fall also is the season that we notice time changing, because it is the most significant change. Spring comes slowly, and is the upward slope to summer, while fall takes the craziness of summer and brings it to a screeching halt. Fall is a time when we stop and look around and are in connection with the change, the cycles, the season, and passage of time.

 So next week, we will head out again to look at the fields. I can easily imagine we will curse under our breath because the weeds will have doubled in size before we could finish cleaning, the basil will still be overgrown, but we will be happily starting work at 7:30, and enjoying salads of leafy greens and roasted root veggies. Have a great week. ~Ali

 

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Eggplant Apple Vegetarian Quesadillas

Source:dizzybusyandhungry

 

1 large eggplant

2 apples (I used Gala apples)

2-4 tablespoons butter (or your favorite buttery spread)

2 cups fresh baby spinach

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese

8 whole grain or multigrain tortillas (soft taco size)

1 teaspoon nutmeg (divided) 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Core the apples and slice it and the eggplant into rounds about ¼ inch thick (use a mandolin or food processor if you have one). Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and apple and cook about 5 minutes until softened (you can do this in 2 batches if your skillet isn't large enough to cook it all at once). Set aside. 2-4 tablespoons butter Place 4 of the tortillas on a baking sheet. Layer about half of the cheese on each of the tortillas. Then distribute the apples and eggplant, then the spinach, and then the remaining cheese among the 4 tortillas. Sprinkle each with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. 2 cups fresh baby spinach,2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese,8 whole grain or multigrain tortillas,1 teaspoon nutmeg Place the remaining tortillas on top, then bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the tortillas are browned and crispy and the cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into quarters and ser

 

Quinoa, Roasted Eggplant and Apple Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Source: Foodnetwork

 

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Salad:

One 14.5-ounce can vegetable broth (about 2 cups)

1 1/4 cups whole-grain quinoa, preferably organic

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

One 1 1/4-pound eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious apple, unpeeled, cored, quartered

3/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted, or 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 large bunch watercress

For the vinaigrette: Toast the seeds over medium heat in a heavy medium skillet, stirring occasionally, until the seeds darken in color and become fragrant, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Place the seeds on a plate; cool for 1 minute. Grind the seeds finely in a small food mill or grinder.  Whisk the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and the toasted seeds until thick and blended in a small bowl. Stir in the shallots. Set the vinaigrette aside. For the salad: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Mix in the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool and fluff with a fork.  Meanwhile, spray a large rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Toss the eggplant with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper on the sheet. Roast until tender and browned, stirring once, about 30 minutes.  Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Add the vinaigrette, eggplant, apples, walnuts and cranberries. Toss to blend. Cover the bottom of a shallow platter with the watercress. S Spoon the salad on top and serve.

 

Spicy Eggplant and Kale Fettucine

Source:goodoldvergan

 

1/2 large bunch kale rough chop

2 tomatoes diced small

1 eggplant sliced lengthwise and then in small pieces leaving the skin pieces in longer strips and the skinless in small cubes

1 15-oz can chickpeas drained

4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 yellow onion diced

1 tsp olive oil

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 cups pasta water

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

black pepper to taste

1 pound fettuccine

Put on water to boil on the back burner for pasta to cook simultaneously with the sauce. In a large deep skillet, over medium heat, cook the garlic and onions in the oil for 2-3 minutes then add the eggplant, season with salt, crushed red pepper and smoked paprika and cook for about 8 minutes until eggplant is soft and browned Add tomatoes and chickpeas, and cook for 2-3 minutes until tomatoes release their juices Add 1 cup water, tomato paste and kale and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer until pasta is ready Toss the cooked pasta in the sauce and top with copious black and crushed red peppers

 

French Breakfast Radish Soup with Chimichurri Sauce

Source:tubtotable

 

3 tablespoons butter

3 scallions, white part only, sliced

1 red onion sliced thin

6 cups vegetable broth

1 large russet potato, skin intact

1 lb radishes cleaned and chopped, reserve several greens for chimichurri. 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

For the chimichurri

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup green leaves from radishes, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped chives

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the scallions and red onion and sauté until evenly coated and tender. Add the radishes and continue to cook until the radishes are softened about 5 more minutes. Add the vegetable broth and potatoes. Cover. Simmer for 20 -30 minutes, until the potatoes and are tender to a fork. While the soup is simmering, prepare the chimichurri. In a medium bowl, add the basil, radish greens, parsley, chives, and garlic. Blend well with a fork. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Once the broth is done, add the milk and cream to the soup and stir thoroughly. After 5 minutes at medium heat, remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly. Using a blender or hand held stick blender, blend until smooth. Serve with an olive oil drizzle and the chimichurri sauce.