Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Weekly update from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh this Week:
Mint
Salad mix
Strawberries
Purple spring onions
…and more!

Links of the week
The Kitchen Studio – July 17 and 18, Farmer’s Market cooking class
Check out this blog by one of our CSA members:Dianne’s Dishes

From Farmer Rick: The Week in Weather
The rain has really delayed the planting of crops and advanced weed growth. We will spend this week catching up on planting, weeding and finishing up hay. All we need is dry weather so we really will have to push to catch up. At some point in the future this delay will show up as lighter harvests, but we will recover later I am sure.

Recipe of the Week
Raita Yogurt Salad

1 large cucumber, diced
1 cup thick plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add yogurt right before serving. (Keeps in fridge without the yogurt for up to 2 days.) Serve with fresh naan, tandoori anything, or a great masala or daal.
Recipe: The Kitchen Studio

About the Editor
Farmer Rick asked me to include a little about myself in this issue (although I’d rather talk about Indian food!). I had so much fun cooking new things with my CSA boxes last year that I offered to help out with this year’s newsletter. By day I am a communications professional, but at work I don’t get to write about my favorite thing: food! Most (if not all) of the recipes I share here are ones I have tried (and liked), and many have become family favorites. (Note: I have no financial interest in the Kitchen Studio – I am just a happy customer!)

They are not available online, but send me an e-mail if you’d like my favorite naan and daal (yellow peas and rice) recipes: aprilfinnen@yahoo.com. I welcome your feedback, suggestions or requests.

-April Finnen

About Mint
Fresh mint comes in two main varieties: spearmint, which has bright green wrinkled leaves, and peppermint, which has smooth leaves. Chop or crush fresh leaves to release their flavor (remove stems). Mint is traditional with peas or potatoes, but it goes well with many fruits, vegetables, yogurt-based sauces and chutneys. It’s also great in tabouleh.

When I have fresh mint, I make Indian food. I took a class at Frederick’s own Kitchen Studio a couple years ago to learn more about Indian cooking.

We made a lot of fantastic food, including this coconut-mint chutney:
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup plain yogurt
½ tsp grated ginger
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for one hour. Serve at room temperature.

Sources: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman 2008, and Chef Christine, The Kitchen Studio.)

Contact us: farmer@summercreekfarm.com

4 comments:

Yeon said...

I wonder if April would read comments left here - the newsletter looks awesome! Maybe she would be interested in sharing her naan recipe in our blog??

smoo said...

I sent her a link to the post. I will ask her if she wants to share her recipe.

April F. said...

Hi guys. Got your message. I would love to share it online, but am afraid that would violate copyright laws, as it is not my recipe. I've tried several naan recipes over the years. The one that works best for me is Mark Bittman's (page 873 of the 2008 edition of How to Cook Everything). He has a blog at NYT.

smoo said...

Thanks April! Stop by any time!