Monday, June 15, 2009

Weekly newsletter from Summer Creek Farm

About the "Stinking Rose"

Better known as garlic, the “stinking rose” is a culinary treasure (and an excellent restaurant in San Francisco).

Garlic is a bulbous plant of the genus allium. There are around 500 members of this family, which includes other well known plants such as leeks, shallots and onions. Garlic has been used throughout history for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

Garlic grows under the ground in large, slightly off-white bulbs (or "heads") which are covered by a papery skin. Inside each bulb is anywhere from 10 to 20 individual cloves which themselves have a pinkish skin.

To easily peel the skin from garlic cloves, smash them with the flat side of a chef’s knife. (See this photo series for detail.)

Sources: www.garlic-central.com, www.wikipedia.com

Recipe Feature

Garlicky Lime-Cooked Fish

4 servings, 30 minutes

By Mark Bittman

4 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola

5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

4 large or 8 small fish fillets, 1 1/2 pounds or more

3 small hot dried red chilies, or dried chili flakes to taste

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, optional

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Combine 2 tablespoons oil with garlic in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until garlic browns, 5 to 10 minutes; season with a little salt and pepper, and turn off heat. Meanwhile, put remaining oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add fish and chilies and cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add all but a tablespoon or 2 of lime juice, along with tomatoes if desired. Cook another 2 minutes or so, until fish is cooked through, turning if necessary.

Carefully remove fish to a platter. Stir cilantro into pan juices and pour, with tomatoes, over fish, along with garlic, its oil and remaining lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe originally published on Mark Bittman’s NYT blog, June 18,, 2008

Link of the week

Maryland’s Best, from the Maryland Dept. of Agriculture

http://www.marylandsbest.net/

Fresh This Week

  • New potatoes
  • Garlic
  • A surprise

Contact us: farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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