Rampant Cucumbers, Sweet Potato Greens, and Prize-Winning Pristines (summer apples)

Dada Mail » F&F Notes for Henry's Farm Market Friends » Archives » Rampant Cucumbers, Sweet Potato Greens, and Prize-Winning Pristines (summer apples)

Date: July 22nd 2010

Farm Notes: Central Illinois is a tropical zone these days, complete with afternoon downpours, preceded and followed by beating sun that makes sweat roll like salty rain from the bodies of everyone working in the field. I was away in meetings most of the week, and Henry didn’t have time to tell me much about the farm work, but I know they were all engaged much of the time in the Sisyphean task of weeding. Zoe had six blisters on one hand to prove it when we toured the Univ. of Chicago last Saturday. (I have a feeling she was the only person adept and experienced in manual labor in our tour group of 50 or so.) The recent rains will start a whole new round of weeds. But there’s always a silver lining: the rain also ensures that the fall crops germinate and grow, which makes us all very happy.

Another silver lining of mid-summer are the evenings, which offer up head-swivelling skies where each minute reveals another shade of rose or lavender, another configuration of clouds, another blast of biblical rays piercing them, another other-worldly glow until finally Venus peeks thru the black silhouettes of trees, fireflies rise up from ditches, evening birds eat insects on the wing, the earth curves, curls in, and lays itself to rest.

Food Notes: Look for Lettuce (YES!), Prize-Winning Pristine Apples, Sweet Potato Greens, and Rampant Cucumbers!

This just in from our niece Halley:

This past week at the County Fair we entered five of our Pristine Apples in the open class. After carefully choosing the most beautifully blushed apples, we polished them with a towel and arranged them artistically in a simple tray. The next day, after the judges had gone through the building, we discovered a blue ribbon proclaiming our Pristine apples to be the best!

And no wonder. Biting into a Pristine produces a satisfying crunch and an explosion of exquisite mid-summer flavor. The skin is relatively thin, so this is an ideal eating apple. (And they keep well in the refrigerator.) We also like this apple for juicing and cider because it is so sweet.

Our next apple, Williams’ Pride, is slightly later and so was not ready for the fair. Nevertheless, this is truly a blue-ribbon apple. Slightly tarter than the Pristine, Williams’ pride is every bit as crisp and delicious. The brilliantly red skin makes an eye-catching applesauce as well.

The Nutting Bumpus apple has skin almost as unusual as its name. Bold stripes of green and red crisscross the apple in a random pattern of brushstrokes. It is a fabulous cooking apple that is slightly less crisp than Pristine or Williams’ pride. The final apple coming to market this week is Red Free. Only a couple of boxes are ripe but many more will be ready next week. This apple is tart and crunchy with green skin and a generous red blush. Read more in Teresa’s Fruit and Herb Notes below.

Back on Henry's Farm, at the end of May, in between the nearly constant rains, Henry managed to sneak some lettuce seeds into the ground. From those seeds came sprouts, then leaves. After the field hands thinned the rows, the remaining plants formed baby heads, and those very heads, now full grown, will be harvested tomorrow, then washed, chilled, packed, and iced down so that by the time they reach Evanston they will be as crisp as an October day, yessirree. Henry says look for a fair amount this week and next, but be prepared for a long dry period after that . . . corresponding to the wet month of June when no seeds could be planted. No planting; no reaping. That’s how it goes.

The dearth of lettuce will continue for some time after these next few weeks because, even though it dried up in July and we planted, almost none of the July-planted lettuce germinated because of the heat. Lettuce seeds can’t tolerate soil over 80 degrees or so. And the rain made the soil even darker than usual, so it soaked up more heat, reaching 100 degrees or more in the middle of the day, which burned the life right out of the delicate little lettuce seeds. Only those that Henry planted in the parts of the field that got the most shade came up, and not very many. The moral of the story? Buy lettuce now or forever hold your peace!

Meanwhile, loving the heat and the rain, are the Cucumbers. Henry says they are “running rampant.” As in: Tons of. As in: All kinds: Japanese, European Hothouse, Persian Babies, Poona Kheera, and old-fashioned regular ones. As in: On Special. As in: Buy more; save more. As in: We are eating them every day, for every meal, and you can too! Our mother (and Henry’s chief tomato-sorter – he actually constructed a new tomato-sorting station suitable for her 5-foot frame) has been making her famous vinegar-and-oil cucumber salad every day. It makes for a perfect light supper with a little crusty Italian bread and butter.

Shiso. And in your salads (whether cucumber, green, potato, tomato or bean) this week, try a little of the sprightly Japanese herb Shiso. It is also doing particularly well in this weather, and Henry will bring a lot of bunches. Just smell it or take a little taste and it will wake you up. It is rich in minerals and vitamins, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Traditionally, the Japanese used it to wrap raw fish to inhibit bacterial growth and they still use it in sashimi and sushi. (They also use it as a pizza topping in place of basil . . . and I heard that Pepsi Japan released a shiso-flavored Pepsi recently.) The easiest thing to do with shiso is just tear the big serrated leaves into small pieces and toss into any salad or use as a garnish on cold soups (see below).&n bsp;

I had never tried shiso on sandwiches until a few weeks ago one of our long-time friends and early morning Evanston Market setter-uppers, Marjorie, fed me a piece of bread with creamy cheese and a shiso leaf. It was remarkable combination, creamy and spicy, mellow and pungent all at the same time. So try a shiso leaf on your favorite sandwiches too.

Sweet Potato Greens - In this hot ‘n humid season, rampancy rules, especially in the sweet potato patch. We won’t harvest the tubers until autumn, but meanwhile there’s an abundance of delicious, nutritious leaves to enjoy. Often overlooked as a food here in the U.S., they are eaten all over Asia and Africa. They are particularly high in vitamin A, protein, and lutein, the latter of which may protect against age-related macular degeneration. There is also some evidence that eating sweet potato leaves lowers cholesterol.

The tender tips of the vines that Henry will be bringing up for you can be cooked as you would spinach or chard. – usually 5-7 minutes – and often with onion, garlic and/or hot pepper. Or try an Asian recipe by stir-frying them or cooking them in a coconut milk sauce.

Basic Sweet Potato Greens
vegetable oil for sauteeing
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 chile pepper of choice, seeded and minced
1/s pound sweet potato greens, thoroughly rinsed, stems removed
1 - 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to coat surface of pan. Add garlic, onion and chile, and allow to soften, about three-five minutes, making sure that vegetables don't burn.

Add greens, and with tongs, toss and coat well with aromatics. Allow to cook for at least five minutes, until greens wilt and soften. Add soy sauce just before serving.

If you prefer a milder dish, blanch the greens first by pouring boiling water over then. Let stand for 2 minutes, strain off hot water & rinse immediately with cold water (to prevent over-cooking). This leaches and neutralizes the white latex-like substance in the stem as well as some of the alkaloids associated with most dark green veggies, with minimum loss of nutrients.

Sweet Potato Greens in Coconut Cream

Blanch 2-3 bunches of sweet potato tips (see above), rinse with cold water and set aside.

For 3 cups of blanched sweet potato tips:

2 scallions, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

2 teaspoon grated fresh turmeric root (or substitute with flat tsp dried turmeric powder)

1 fresh chilli finely sliced

2" lemon grass stalk finely sliced

Soy sauce

1 cup coconut cream

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat sauce pan. Cover bottom with a little vegetable oil then add scallions, garlic and spices (ginger, turmeric, chilli, lemongrass), stir fry for a few minutes until the aromas rise

• Add a dash of soy sauce and stir through spices. Add coconut cream and water. Bring to boil

• Add blanched sweet potato tips, stir and bring back to the boil. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes. Serve!

Simple stir-fried sweet potato leaves
One bunch of sweet potato leaves
1-2 hot dried red chilies
1-2 cloves of garlic
Salt, soy sauce, pepper to taste

Fill a pot with water and put it on the stove over high heat. The pot should be large enough to hold the leaves, and there should be enough water to cover the leaves.

Mince 1-2 cloves of garlic. Chop the chilies fine, and combine with the garlic.

When the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and carefully add the sweet potato leaves. After 2 minutes, remove and rinse with cold water. Chop the leaves.

In a large skillet or wok, heat some vegetable oil over high heat. When it is hot, add the garlic and chilies. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring often. Add the greens, then stir-fry the mixture until the greens are tender, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper, soy sauce, or other flavorings to taste.

Back to the rampant cucumbers . . .

Henry’s wife Hiroko makes a terrific Thai Salad with them, which Henry says is “kinda addictive.” The raw zucchini has the same texture as papaya, which you might find in this salad in a Thai restaurant.

Thai Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and/or Zucchini

2 cups grated or julienned Cucumbers (matchstick sized pieces)

1 cup grated or julienned zucchini (may also mix in any other grated root vegetables such as the carrots or daikon)

1 cup chopped tomatoes (optional)

2 tsp chopped garlic

2-3 hot peppers, coarsely chopped (optional)

1 Tb sugar

2 Tb nam pla (fermented fish sauce)

juice of 1 lemon

½ cup dried shrimp (optional)

4 Tb Crushed peanuts

Put the cut vegetables in a large bowl.

Put the lemon juice, nam pla fish sauce, garlic, chili, sugar, and shrimp in a small bowl. Stir well, and then dump on top of the vegetables. Toss well, and scatter the crushed peanuts on top before serving.

And here’s Joel’s very refreshing simple cucumber salad, which he said is basically “a little of this and a little of that . . .”

Peel 2 cucumbers, any variety. Quarter them lengthwise and slice each quartered length into bite-size pieces. Place pieces in large bowl.

Salt, and pepper the cucumber to taste, but more heavily than you might think. Mix. Add a healthy sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes, to taste. Mix.

Add 1 TB of high quality white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar. Mix.

Add ½ tsp of sugar. Mix. The sugar should add a faint sweetness, but shouldn't overpower the mixture. If ½ tsp is not enough (or too much), adjust.

Add 1 to 2 TB of high quality olive oil. Mix thoroughly. Serve chilled.

Silky Cucumber Soup

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion or 2 large shallots, diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or dill, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3 3/4 cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer the soup to a blender. Add parsley/dill; blend on low speed until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining 1/4 cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve chilled. Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley, if desired.

Cold Cucumber Buttermilk Soup

5 regular cucumbers
1/2 cup chopped parsley
6 scallions or 3 negi (large Japanese scallions), chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 quart buttermilk
1 pint yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel cucumbers and cut them in half, scraping out seeds. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them stand 30 minutes. Drain excess water.

Chop the cucumbers coarsely and put the pieces in the blender along with scallions, dill, lemon juice, buttermilk, and yogurt. Blend at high speed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill well before serving.

Teresa’s Fruit and Herb News

An Abundance of Summer Apples!

Some of our market customers last week were lamenting that we had apples already and that having apples is a sign of fall and winter coming, and that they did not want to think about summer ending.

Au contraire! Apples are not all about fall -- Summer apples are a summer fruit – and a darn good one! If you wait until fall to eat apples, you will miss all of the wonderful summer varieties --some of which are only available for a week or two, maybe three if you are lucky. So, don’t wait!

This is the prime week for the Pristines, which are hands down one of the best eating apples, no matter what the season. Pristine is so crisp and juicy that when you bite into it, it pops! And the flavor…. sweet with just the right amount of zing….delicious! We will be having Special Sales if you buy more than one box of Pristine, so don’t miss out this week!

And don’t miss these other great apple varieties:

Williams’ Pride-These are another deliciously crunchy apple, but with a little more tartness (although they are sweeter than last week) and a delicious cider-y flavor. The skin is dark red and beautiful. If you like a tart apple, they are great for eating, and they make a gorgeous red colored applesauce.

Nutting Bumpus-This apple was introduced by James Nutting (1839-1893). Some say that he named the apple after the James Fennimore Cooper hero, Natty Bumpo, but no one really knows. Nutting Bumpus has red stripes on a yellow background and is juicy with a mild sub-acid flavor. Great for fresh eating or cooking.

Chehalis- Chehalis is a favorite of the Japanese beetles, and for good reason. It’s green skin is very tender and it’s white flesh is very juicy and sweet-tart. It is considered a larger, “improved” golden delicious. It’s another apple that just “pops” when you bite into it. Wonderful eating apple.

Redfree- Redfree is red on the sunny side of the fruit and green or yellow on the other side. It’s a smallish, crunchy apple that is fairly tart. Great for eating, sauce or baking.

Peaches - Peach growing has been a challenge this year because of the dastardly Japanese beetles, and also because of the heat. I’m not exactly sure how many marketable ones we will be able to harvest tomorrow…hopefully a lot….but come early if you missed them last week. They might not look perfect, but they taste unbelievable.

Other News

I’m going to cut the newsletter short tonight, because I am running out of time, but be sure to stop by and see and smell Jill’s new goat milk soaps. Her daughter, Halley, will be helping me at the market this week, and can tell you all about the goats (or you can see them and read all about them on the website she put together: www.redbarnfarmsoaps.com Check out the two photos of the barn built by our great-grandfather – one photo from 1912 and one from 2010 . . . and stay tuned for news of the centennial barn party, coming up in 2012!)

We will also have our herb teas and all of our fresh-cut herbs and flowers, including lots of orange, yellow, and bicolor red and yellow sunflowers. This is my last year for sunflowers since I am slowly phasing out my fresh flower business. (I will still have dried flowers in the fall and some fresh flowers until the seed runs out.)

It’s going to be a terribly hot day tomorrow, so we need to get to bed now and wake up at the crack of dawn to harvest as much as we

can in the relative cool of the first few hours of daylight. See you Saturday!

<< Previous: True Scallions, Special Basils, Apples, Peaches, and the County Fair

| Archive Index |

(archive rss , atom )

Food and Farm Notes: A weekly peek at what's happening on Henry's Farm and what's coming to market, and what to do with it (with a side helping of poetry, science, philosophy, and what have you) For more information: http://www.terrabrockman.com/Henrys_Farm/welcometohenry%27s.html