Bakbraken Acres CSA Newsletter

Vol.  11

 August 27, 2012

The  cooler days last week gave us a moment to plant some broccoli and cabbage for winter. Erica is still putting in lettuce, beets, carrots, and parsnip seeds. We have had some volunteer weeders come out and do that beautiful meditaion in the evening- nothing like being close to the earth at the end of the day. G1 (garden one) is looking sweetly full of greens. We started a new compost pile at the farm and delighted in the great worm-full soil from the old one. Hope you are all getting full of summer and enjoying the rivers and the lakes. Fall is just around the corner and it is harvest season!

Baba Ganoush

(Recipe from davidlebovitz.com)

Eight servings I like my Baba Ganoush super-smoky, and leave the eggplants on the stovetop for a good ten minutes, but for most people, that’s probably too much. Five or so minutes, until the skin gets a bit charred, is probably right for most “normal” folks. If you have smoked salt, you can use that to give it another hit of smoked flavor, too. Sometimes I add a pinch of ground cumin. If you do, please just add just a bit. Baba Ganoush shouldn’t taste predominantly of cumin, which can quickly overwhelm.

3 medium-sized eggplants
1/2 cup (130g) tahini (sesame paste)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/8 teaspoon chile powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
a half bunch picked flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

2. Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.)

3. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance.

4. Remove from oven and let cool.

5. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

6. Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve drizzle with olive oil, perhaps some herbs and with crackers, sliced baguette, or toasted pita chips for dipping.

Storage: Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

Caprese Skillet Eggs

(recipe by Maryanne Welton, Sunset Magazine)

            2 tablespoons olive oil

            1/2 cup chopped onion

            3 medium tomatoes, chopped

            1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

            1/2 teaspoon pepper

            4 large eggs

            1/2 cup shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

            1/4 cup mixed chopped fresh basil, oregano, and chives

            Toasted sliced pane pugliese or ciabatta bread

.                 1. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened and released their juices, about 5 minutes.

.                 2. Use a spoon to make 4 wells in the tomato mixture and crack an egg into each. Cover pan and cook until whites are firm and yolks are just starting to set, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and cover again to melt cheese slightly, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with herbs and serve with toast.

 Eggplant Squash Saute

(Recipe by Beth Miller)

2 tbs Olive Oil

2 medium japanese eggplant sliced in 1/2 inch rounds

1 medium yellow pepper cut in strips

2 medium summer squash cubed

4 medium tomatoes cubed

2 ounces medium cheddar cheese cubed

2 tbs parmesan cheese grated

2tbs dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Saute the eggplant in the olive oil until soft about 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat. Then add the  yellow bell pepper and the squash and saute and cover the pan until soft about 5 minutes, then add the tomato and cook covered in the pan another 5 minutes. When all is soft and tender add the cheeses and cover the pan and turn off the heat. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings