www.flatbushfarmshare.
com a partnership of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, Hunger Action Network, and Just Food
FLATBUSH FARM SHARE
NEWS
This week’s eats*:
1 melon
1 pint of strawberries
1 head of lettuce
1 Savoy cabbage
1 lb. of cucumbers
3 green peppers
1 lb. summer squash
* Please let us know what you think of the veggies
you are receiving! Our farmers want to know and
will try to adjust accordingly.
Core Group Meeting this Week
(July 29) at 8:15. If you would like to play a big-
ger part, join us around the corner of the porch!
Composting Demonstration at
this Week’s Distribution!! An-
gela Reyes-Paul, composter extrodinaire, will
be on site during our distribution this week
(the 29, 5-8pm) to show us how it’s done.
Volunteer Opportunity at
Flatbush Dutch Reformed
Church Sheila Friend, Pantry Coordinator
at the Church, needs two volunteers on Fridays
9:30 am-2 pm to pack bags at the food pantry.
Saturdays at 9 am, 3-4 volunteers are needed
to help prep for the soup kitchen. At 1 pm one
volunteer is needed to serve at the soup kitchen.
Please see Josh at the sign in table or at janker-
berg@nyccah.org or 212-825-0028 ext 210.
Also see him about volunteering at Greenmarkets.
Wintertime CSA Shares! (not
through FFS) Are you lovin’ your Flatbush Far
Share and wondering what to do once winter ar-
rives? You’re in luck because there’s a winter CSA
based out of Kensington! From their site: “Winter
Sun Farms partners with local sustainable farms to
supply a wonderful winter share of great tasting
frozen and storage vegetables all winter long. Our
goal is to deliver a superior product at a fair price
for you and the farmer... ” Pickup is once a month at
Sycamore Bar/Flowershop on Cortelyou: http://
www.wintersunfarms.com/ditmas.php Details:
http://www.wintersunfarms.com. ~Marie Spinney
1.9 / JULY 29 2009
Thanks to all members who braved the rain to make
our first-ever FFS community potluck a success!
There was really good food and great company! It was a chance to both put names and
faces together, to learn about the history and mission of the CSA, and brainstorm some
ideas for the future. We were pleased to learn that, with all the small bumps along the
road, the FFS is considered to be very successful for a newly-formed CSA. So kudos to
all of you/us!!! If there is enough interest, we can plan another potluck in the fall, as the
CSA season draws to a close -- to celebrate our success as we plan for next year.
We talked about planning a farm trip for any interested members. We are going to be
planning two trips -- one in August and one in the fall, and we will be soliciting your input
on dates, so please check at distribution and on the website for announcements. If you are
interested in helping plan the trip, please contact events@flatbushfarmshare.com.
Also, those of you who brought dishes are invited to send in your recipes. While we can’t
fit all of them in the newsletter, we will post them on the website (and maybe develop a
cookbook -- both as a handout for members who are not online, and possibly a fundraiser
for next year). Please send them to web@flatbushfarmshare.com.~Lisa Knauer
A Note from our Fruit Farmers: Dear Friends, We’ve got a beau-
tiful apple crop coming, and we can’t wait to flood you later in the season. Your invest-
ment in our orchard has enabled us to take good care of the trees, making this crop pos-
sible. We’re sorry for any confusion concerning the fruit; this week we’ll be sending you
a generous amount of peaches and nectarines as a goodwill gesture. Please enjoy! This
year has been challenging because of record-breaking rainfall (13” of rain instead of the
usual 4” for June). This has affected what we’ve been able to send to you and the shelf life
of our product. We appreciate your patience as we are recovering from a difficult Spring!
We’d like to invite you to visit our orchard at Stone Ridge for a day of picnicing and tour-
ing - Sunday, Aug 23 and Sept 6. We have over a 100 acres of apple trees, berry patches,
vegetable fields, woodland, fallow fields, a lake and geese. Please RSVP to BreezyHillMar-
kets@gmail.com or call 845-266-3979. We’ll have more details soon. We’d also like to
extend a discount for U-Pick to CSA members at any time.
Thanks for your support and investment in Breezy Hill Orchard. Please don’t hestitate
to contact us with any questions, concerns, or comments. We’d love to hear from you!
Thanks again for your dedication to regional, eco-conscious, people-oriented small busi-
ness and farming. Thank you! ~The Staff at Breezy Hill
Cilantro Pesto
Contributed by FFS member Lisa Knauer - This was a revelation to me
when I found myself with an 0verabundance of cilantro last summer.
Chiles, lime and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) give it a slight Southwestern kick.
Without cheese, it makes a nice accompaniment to grilled fish or vegetables.
One of my favorite fall/winter dishes is pasta tossed with roasted butternut
squash cubes and cilantro pesto (just seed the squash, leave the peel on, cut
into 1” cubes and roast with some olive oil at 425 until nicely browned,
tossing or turning over occasionally).
2 c. cilantro leaves and/or stems
1/3-1/2 c hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/2 t ground cumin
sm piece jalapeño/other hot pepper (ie scotch bonnets - hot, nice citrus taste)
2-3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1-2 T fresh lime juice
1/2 -3/4 c olive oil
salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste
freshly ground Parmesan/Pecorino Romano cheese (opt)
Tear cilantro into coarse pieces. I use stems unless they seem espe-
cially woody. Roast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium
heat, shaking or stirring occasionally, until they start to pop slightly.
Remove from heat; sprinkle the ground cumin into the pan and stir.
Put cilantro, pumpkin seeds and garlic into food processor for about
a minute and a half. Scrape down the sides. Add lime juice and 1/2
c. olive oil. Process until smooth. Add more oil if necessary (if
you are using cheese, then you probably need more oil). Add salt
and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve on pasta, with grilled or
roasted vegetables or spread on bruschetta. Keeps for a week or
more in the fridge and freezes well (cover with a thin layer of olive
oil to prevent browning or freezer burn). Note: I do not store pesto
with the cheese already mixed in. I add cheese when ready to serve.
Easy Skillet Cabbage
Contributed by FFS member Meredith Safran - Here’s a recipe I used last
night with the cabbage from this week’s share. It’s modified from a basic
Southern preparation, found at southernfood.com.
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 medium head cabbage, coarsely shredded
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
You might also add chopped root vegetables like carrots or
turnips; for meat-eaters, consider adding cubed ham, crumbled
bacon, or salami strips.
Since the cabbage is pretty tough, it’s key to shred it into small
enough pieces to chew. To shred the cabbage with only a knife,
cut off the leaf on either side of the central vein and discard the
vein (unless you like the toughness of the vein). Roll the leaves
into cigar-shaped rolls and cut them on the perpendicular.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter; add seasoned
salt, cabbage, and onion (and any other raw veggies). Cook,
covered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Blend
vinegar and sugar, then add to cabbage mixture; also add any
previously cooked meats at this time. Stir gently to blend; cook
cabbage 5-10 minutes longer, depending on the heat of your
range.
Lamb/Bean + Eggplant Pasta with Feta
Contributed by FFS member Melicia Laroco - Here is a new recipe for you. And
it’s made for the crockpot! Serves 4-6
1 lb ground lamb
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, diced (it’s fine unpeeled, too)
4 medium carrots, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (the dry type), chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste or 5 Tbsp of tomato sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Splash of red wine/broth (optional, but tasty)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
Freshly ground pepper to taste (I add at least 10 grinds)
1/4 to 1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Cooked pasta of your choice (I like “substantial” pasta such as penne.)
Brown the lamb in a skillet and put in the crockpot. Add the onions
(you can saute them first, but they’re fine if added raw), eggplant,
tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, wine, and spices.
Stir the mixture once or twice, then cover and cook on low for 5-6
hours, until the eggplant is tender (it can go as long as 9 or 10 hours).
The texture will be like a thick meat sauce, with the eggplant reduced
so it’s almost unrecognizable.
Just before you’re ready to eat, cook the pasta. Top the hot pasta with
the lamb-eggplant sauce, then garnish with crumbles of feta cheese
and the chopped basil or parsley.
Shredded zucchini + yellow squash w/ herbs
Contributed by Lisa Knauer - A pleasant change from grilled /sauteed summer
squash. Squash is shredded and salted to remove the liquid. Take it one step further
and cook it until quite soft and mash with a potato masher.
1.5 lbs unpeeled squash (mix summer, zukes, yellow squash, patty pan)
1/4 c sea /kosher salt
1.5 c chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. fresh dill/other mild green herb, washed and chopped
1/4 c parsley, washed and chopped
1/4-1/2 c olive oil
1-2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
Wash squash, trim ends. Shred in food processor or use hand grater. Put
shredded squash into a colander and sprinkle generously with salt (about
1/3 cup). Mix with your hands to distribute salt evenly. Place in the sink,
let sit for an hour or more. Squeeze handfuls of squash to remove more
liquid. Run cold water over squash, turning with your hands until salt is
completely removed - otherwise will be too salty. Turn the water off and
vigorously squeeze out water.
In a large cast iron skillet (NOT non-stick), heat 1/4 c. olive oil. When it
is hot (but not smoking), add chopped onion and stir over a medium-high
flame, until the onion softens and turns golden (3-4 min.) Turn to medium,
add garlic and stir, then toss in the shredded squash. Turn heat back up to
medium high and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until squash
softens. Add chopped herbs-you want a lot of green in this dish! Cook,
stirring frequently, until herbs have turned a duller green and vegetables
are softened.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly and taste to see how much salt you
need. Add freshly ground pepper, and squeeze some lemon or lime juice.
Tastes best at room temperature but good cold too!