Bakbraken Acres CSA Newsletter

 Vol. 14

September 17, 2012

Howdy Do CSA Members! Get ready to do some serious tomato eating this week. The sauce tomatoes are ripening up and heirlooms are at their peak. If you are interested in putting up pasta sauce or salsa now is the time to special order tomatoes in bulk, for CSA members they are only $1.50/lb. Also in you box this week are red onions, they are reaching the end of their storage period so refridgerate them and use ‘em quick…they are great for salsa. Fall is coming to the farm and the apples and pears are a week or two out! Aloha to Mary who is off to Hawaii for two weeks, wishing her a relaxing and inspiring adventure. Hope y’all are finding plenty of time to cook and enjoy the veggies and are discovering new favorite recipes.

Thanks for your support,

-The Bakbraken Crew

Fresh Tomato Sauce

(From Sunset Magazine, July 2010)

Ingredients

            2 pounds very ripe tomatoes

            2 cloves garlic

            3 tablespoons olive oil

            About 1 tsp. salt

            10 basil leaves

Preparation

.                 1. Core and halve tomatoes. Remove seeds (either scoop them out with a spoon or hold a half in your hand and squeeze out the seeds) and cut tomatoes into 1/2-in. dice. Set aside.

.                 2. Thinly slice garlic. In a 10- to 12-in. frying pan over low heat, cook garlic in olive oil until it is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

.                 3. Add tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until tomatoes give off their liquid and start to bubble. Reduce heat to medium-low or low, so the sauce gently simmers. Cook, uncovered and undisturbed, until oil separates from the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

.                 4. Meanwhile, chop basil. When sauce is done, stir in basil and add salt to taste.

.                 Variations

.                 Butter it up: Use unsalted butter in place of the olive oil and a chopped medium onion in place of the garlic.

.                 Explore the herb patch: Try 1/2 to 1 tsp. minced fresh oregano, marjoram, rosemary, or thyme instead of the basil.

.                 Add some heat: Toss in 2 or 3 dried whole arbol chiles with the garlic for a slightly spicy version. Remove chiles before serving.

.                 Pick more produce: At the beginning of step 3, add one skinned and chopped medium eggplant and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, before adding the tomatoes.

            1 seeded baguette (about 3/4 lb.)

            2 1/3 pounds firm-ripe tomatoes (red, orange, yellow, and/or green; large and small)

            3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

            3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as chives, basil leaves, and savory leaves

Rainbow Tomato Bruschetta

(Sunset Magazine, September 2001)

Ingredients

            1 seeded baguette (about 3/4 lb.)

            2 1/3 pounds firm-ripe tomatoes (red, orange, yellow, and/or green; large and small)

            3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

            3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as chives, basil leaves, and savory leaves

Preparation

.                 1. Cut 1 seeded baguette (about 3/4 lb.) diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in a single layer on two 14- by 17-inch baking sheets. Bake in a 450° regular or convection oven until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then mound in a basket or arrange on a platter.

.                 2. Rinse and core 2 1/3 pounds firm-ripe tomatoes (red, orange, yellow, and/or green; large and small). For tomatoes larger than 1 inch in diameter, thinly slice crosswise; arrange in a single layer on a rimmed platter. For smaller tomatoes, halve lengthwise and scatter on top. Drizzle 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil evenly over tomatoes; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as chives, basil leaves, and savory leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with toasted baguette slices. Mound tomatoes on slices to eat.