From Sarah Beth

By Sarah Beth

My time at the farm is coming to an end. I’m moving back home to South Carolina at the beginning of December. I want to take this space to give thanks for the past two years here in California and this farm. I’m so thankful for this farm and the blessing it has been to me especially amidst the pandemic. I’m also grateful to have been able to explore some of California's landscape and natural areas while here. I feel sad to leave this place and the people but also excited about what’s to come. Thank you all for a great season and happy holidays!

This Week’s Pick List:

Reminder: We are closed Friday! Today our store hours are 2:00-6 pm! If you cannot make today, please ask for a box.

• Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Matador Shallots, Ailsa Craig Sweet and Monastrell Red Onions

• Tetsukabota, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Winter Luxury Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn, Red, and Harvest Moon La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Mars Celeriac

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Song Cauliflower (lots!)

• Ruby King Red, Taiwan Flat and Murdoc Green Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Calypso Celery

• Mei Ching Choi

• Head Lettuce

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Regiment Spinach

• Ruby Red Chard

• Nettuno Sugarloaf, Leonardo Radicchio, Adige Medio Chioggia (All Chicories)

• Esmee Arugula

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Filigreen Farm Apples for sale!

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

Savory Pumpkin and Leek Muffins, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 3/4 cup millet flour (See note)

• 3/4 cup buckwheat flour

• 1/2 cup amaranth flour (see note)

• 1 1/4 cups whole milk plain yogurt (we used goat milk yogurt but you can use any kind

• 2 cups peeled and diced pumpkin (1/2 inch size)

• 4 Tablespoons butter, divided

• 2 medium sized leeks, thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes + fat pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup chicken stock or veggie stock

• 2 cups very finely chopped/shredded greens (tough stems removed)

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbed

The evening before baking, mix your flours with the yogurt and place in a warm spot in your kitchen. Cover with a towel. (see note)

The next morning preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin and set it aside (or use muffins liners)

Add the cubed pumpkin to a baking sheet and toss it with 2 Tablespoons of the butter and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to really massage the butter into the squash. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until lightly tender.

While the squash cooks heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leeks along with the thyme, oregano, pepper flakes and a fat pinch of salt and cook, stirring often until beginning to soften and brown up a bit. About 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and greens and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid evaporates and the kale turns bright green. Remove from the heat.

Add the baking soda and salt to the bowl with the dough and mix. Add the eggs and olive oil. Fold in the squash, leeks and kale mixture. Sprinkle in half of the cheese and mix well. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and top with remaining cheese (you will probably have enough batter leftover for about 3-4 more muffins).

Bake in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of a muffin. About 25 minutes. Start checking the muffins around the 22 minute mark. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven.

Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before chowing down! Store muffins at room temperature for 1 day and then keep them in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Note: If you don't have millet or amaranth flour, you can make up the difference with all-purpose flour. It's important to soak the flour in the yogurt the evening before to help break down the phtyic acid in the grains. This step helps to make the grains more easily digested and nutritious. You can also use any variety of winter squash in place of the sugar pumpkin

From Sam

Hello to Open Field Farm CSA members and all food lovers of all stars and stripes! Blog post write up time already and here I am in a race against the deadline, as usual;) I really and truly do not have much news to report today, except that it will be my last time to write the blog! Definitely a sad time for me but instead of having a cowabummer dude, I would like to reflect back on some of the things I most appreciated about my time on this wonderful farm...

1. Birds. They are real and they are here. I suggest picking up a pair of binocs and heading up into the hills if you have some free weekend time. Lately we have been tracking a harrier, some kites, some really awesome hawks, kestrels, meadowlarks, and many more of the usual suspects. Head into the eucalyptus groves for some excellent audio medicine!

2. Friends! If you talk to people here there is a good chance you will make a bunch;) Honestly some of the best human beings I have ever gotten to know are all located on this farm, because they are all great! Everyone here brings incredible talents, wisdom and hilarious jokes every day. I am deeply grateful for all the time I was able to spend with folks here, and the chance to soak up all this goodness. The best parts for me were all the hilarious things people say, lots of amateur stand up comedians at this farm! Especially during farm lunch, that's where the jokes really start crackin'. Also surfing with Cecilia, gettin it done and laughing a lot with Sarah B and my OG crew buddies last year, getting to know my New Wave crew buddies this year, playing bingo, riding bikes around Petaluma at night, living in the crew house, eating lots of cookies, making friends with all these lovely people..... honestly it's alll about the people here;) I love em and you can't get me to think otherwise.

3. Dogs. If you don't like dogs then this blog post is not for you, sorry! There are some great dogs here. Lucky for us we have Rosie to keep everybody coloring inside of the lines as it were. Also an honorable mention to one of my favorite cats Joey aka Willow, really a great cat if you get the chance to meet her!

4. Food. No need to preach to the choir;)

Alright I probably took too long to write this, and my keyboard will probably break if I keep crying all over it;P

It has legitimately been an honor and a pleasure, an invaluable experience I will always cherish. Thanks to everyone here and to all the people who have helped make this beautiful place a reality over the years!! Thanks to you dear reader for helping to make all this happen. Cheers and happy holidays!! Yours truly,

Samuel Dawes

This Week’s Pick List:

Reminder: Our store hours have changed to our winter hours: 2:30-6 pm!

• Eggs

• Takrima Leeks

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Matador Shallots, Ailsa Craig Sweet and Monastrell Red Onions

• Tetsukabota, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Winter Luxury Pumpkins

• Yellow Finn, Chieftan, and Harvest Moon La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Mars Celeriac

• Hablange Parsnips

• Purple Top Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Song Cauliflower (lots!)

• Ruby King Red, Taiwan Flat and Murdoc Green Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Calypso Celery

• Mei Ching Choi

• Head Lettuce

• Salanova Lettuce Mix

• Regiment Spinach

• Ruby Red Chard

• Nettuno Sugarloaf, Leonardo Radicchio, Adige Medio Chioggia (All Chicories)

• Esmee Arugula

• Tatsoi

• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro

• Filigreen Farm Apples for sale!

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup, from ambitiouskitchen.com

• ½ tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 large white onion, chopped

• 1 green bell pepper, diced very small

• ¼ cup diced cilantro

• 1 (4 ounce) can of mild green chiles (or use 1/4 cup freshly roasted and seeded chopped hatch green chile)

• 4-6 cups cubed butternut squash

• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• 4 cups (32 ounces) organic low sodium chicken broth

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 1 (15 ounce) can organic corn, drained (leave out if paleo)

• 1 small lime, juiced

• ½ teaspoon salt + more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper

Place a large dutch oven or pot over medium high heat and add in oil. Once oil is hot, add in garlic, onion, green pepper and cilantro; cook for a few minutes until onion becomes translucent.

Next immediately add in your green chiles, butternut squash, cumin and oregano. Saute for a few more minute to let the spices cook a bit, then add in chicken broth, chicken thighs, corn, salt and pepper and lime juice.

Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink.

Once chicken is cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to shred with two forks. Add chicken back to pot, taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serves 4.

Marshmallow and Ashwagandha

By Kelsey

A couple weeks ago, with help from the veggie crew, I harvested the roots of the marshmallow and ashwagandha from the flower garden. When using roots medicinally, it is best to harvest them during the Fall because at this time of year, the aerial parts of the plant die back and the plant’s energy moves down into the roots, making them more potent.

For us, harvesting the roots of these two plants marks the end of the herb harvest season. From here on out, my work will focus on tea blending and getting the perennial and herb circle beds tucked in for winter. It is always a big push to get these roots pulled in and processed, because they have to be chopped up into tiny pieces for drying. This year, it was a lot of fun to have the whole veggie crew help chop up the ashwagandha. We sat in a circle in the CSA barn, put on some jazz music, and feasted on the James children’s leftover Halloween candy while we chopped. It took several hours and lots of hand cramping, but it felt great to get it done in one day.

The marshmallow roots are larger than the ashwagandha roots, and last year we discovered that we can use a wood chipper to speed up the processing of these roots. That is, in part what I will be working on this week.

Working with these herbs and sharing them with you all is such a joy and an honor. I am so excited to start working on the blends and to offer them in the barn this Winter!

This Week’s Pick List:

Reminder: Our store hours have changed to our winter hours: 2:30-6 pm!

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Matador Shallots, Ailsa Craig Sweet and Monastrell Red Onions

• Takrima Leeks

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Tetsukabota, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Winter Luxury Pumpkins

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Song Cauliflower (lots!)

• Ruby King Red, Taiwan Flat and Murdoc Green Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Last week)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Last week)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro

• Mei Ching Choi

• Tres Fine Frisee, Nettuno Sugarloaf, Leonardo Radicchio, Adige Medio Chioggia (All Chicories)

• Head Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Tatsoi

• Filigreen Farm Apples for sale!

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

Chlorophyll Kraut, from culturesforhealth.com

• 1 large head green cabbage

• 2 bunches fresh parsley

• 2 small, or 1 very large, bunch of fresh collard greens

• 4 garlic cloves

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 4 Tbsp. sea salt

• Additional brine as needed: 1 quart water plus 2 Tbsp. sea salt

Shred the cabbage and put it in a large bowl.

Remove stems from collard leaves, roll the leaves, and slice vertically into 1-inch pieces. Turn and chop horizontally into 1-inch pieces. Repeat with all of the remaining collard greens.

Mince parsley and garlic cloves and add to cabbage and collards. Add the lemon juice.

Sprinkle in the salt and mix well with clean hands, massaging in the salt. Pound with a Cabbage Crusher or potato masher for 5 minutes to allow the juices to come out of the cabbage.

Transfer to a clean fermentation vessel. Pack down firmly using a clean fist, or a wooden spoon or pounder. The brine should come at least 1 inch above the level of the vegetables. If it doesn’t, add brine as needed.

Cover the jar with a tight lid, airlock lid, or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.

Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) until desired flavor and texture are achieved. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure.

Once the kraut is finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to cold storage. The kraut's flavor will continue to develop as it ages.

Harvest Festival

We hope you can join us this Saturday for the harvest festival from 10-3 pm!

This week we are cleaning up and organizing the barnyard to prepare for the festival, while still harvesting carrots, radishes, and kohlrabi from the fields. Some of the carrots did rot from the flooding, plus we lost some cauliflower plants. Overall, the rains were immensely beneficial and the losses were minimal.

The grass is growing each day and the farm is slowly turning completely green! We are so happy to still have puddles all around and for the continued rain this week.

This Week’s Pick List:

Even though we do have standing water in the fields, right now the crops look fine. We are hoping to harvest the most vulnerable crops this week but we have very little storage space left! We will keep you posted on any losses and hope that most crops survive.

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Takrima Leeks

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Winter Sweet Kabocha, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Winter Luxury Pumpkins

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Janvel Cauliflower (lots!)

• Ruby King Red, Taiwan Flat and Murdoc Green Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Sweet peppers

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro

• Tres Fine Frisee, Nettuno Sugarloaf, Leonardo Radicchio, Adige Medio Chioggia (All Chicories)

• Head Lettuce

• Regiment Spinach

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

Cauliflower and Parmesan Cake, from smittenkitchen.com

• 1 medium cauliflower

• 1 large red onion, peeled

• 7 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

• 10 medium or 8 large eggs

• Handful parsley, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese

• Salt and black pepper

• Butter, for greasing pan

• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Break cauliflower into medium florets (this will cause less mess than chopping it). Place floret in a pot with a teaspoon of salt, cover them with water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until quite soft. Strain and let drip in the colander for a few minutes so they dry and cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the batter. Halve your red onion and cut a few thin rings off the end of one side; set them aside. Coarsely chop the remainder of your onion. Heat all of your olive oil in a saucepan (I won’t tell if you use the one where you cooked your cauliflower) and saute the chopped red onion and rosemary together until soft, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Whisk eggs and olive oil and onion mixture together. Stir in parsley. Whisk flour, baking powder, turmeric, cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (use 1 teaspoon if you are nervous about this amount) and many, many grinds of black pepper together in a separate bowl and add to egg mixture, whisking to remove lumps. Stir in cauliflower gently, so most pieces remain intact.

Line the bottom of a 9-inch (24cm) round springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the sides generously. Put the sesame seeds in the pan and toss them around so that they stick to the sides. Pour in the cauliflower batter, arrange the reserved onion rings on top and bake cake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Before you serve the cake, be sure to run a knife around the pan. This was probably the first time in my life I forgot, and several parts of the seed-crusted sides tore off!

Danny and Rain

What a week is has been! First, I want to introduce Danny, who joined our crew in August to take over the care of the animals when Jorge left. Danny brings a wealth of knowledge with him; most recently he was milking cows on a local dairy. He is enjoying working with a diversity of animals, as well as alongside his cousin Jesse. Last week during morning circle, he led us in silence each morning, a quiet moment each day before the faster pace of prepping for rain!

The crew worked tirelessly last week getting the farm ready for rain. We cleared all the irrigation and more from the fields, sowed cover crop, and harvested as much abundance as possible. In any year, early rain in October is a blessing. It allows us to sow our cover crop early, with time to grow before winter sets in. The grass gets a jumpstart as well; you can already see the sprouts glowing in the sun. While this storm was large and unusual, a sign of our changing climate, just as much as the historic drought, I am so grateful for it. The boding sense of the unknown and the fear still exist, but right now I simply feel pure joy at seeing flowing water on the farm again, at knowing that the soil has been drenched deeply, the trees have been fed, and we have been replenished. I am also thankful that while the storm did cause damage, it was minimal, without any major mudslides. The drought is not over but we do have more water in our ponds than we did at the end of last winter. I hope that you can feel this joy too when you come this week and that together we can harness this energy into action, fighting for the earth and for change.

This Week’s Pick List:

Even though we do have standing water in the fields, right now the crops look fine. We are hoping to harvest the most vulnerable crops this week but we have very little storage space left! We will keep you posted on any losses and hope that most crops survive.

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Takrima Leeks

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Winter Sweet Kabocha, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Bora King Purple Daikon Radish

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli (lots!)

• Mardi Cauliflower (lots!)

• Ruby LKing Red, Taiwan Flat and Murdoc Green Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Sweet peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dill and Cilantro

• Tres Fine Frisee

• Head Lettuce

• Esmee Arugula

• Regiment Spinach

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Green Chile Grits, adapted from saveur.com

• 4 cups stone ground white corn grits, soaked overnight

• 4 cups whole milk

• 3 poblano (or numex) peppers

• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems (about 1 cup packed)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter

• Kosher salt

Drain and rinse the grits in a large sieve, and then place them in an 8-qt. saucepan or Dutch oven and stir in the milk and 4 cups water. Bring the grits to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Place the poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil, turning as needed, until blackened on all sides, about 20 minutes. Place the peppers in a bowl, and cover. Let the peppers stand for 10 minutes to steam, and then peel and discard their skins, stems, and seeds.

Put the cilantro into a food processor along with the peppers, and purée until smooth.

Remove the grits from heat, and stir in the poblano puree along with the butter. Season the grits with salt before serving.

Numex Green Chiles

By Cecilia

Recently someone asked me, "What is something Sonoma County needs but doesn't have?" and one of the first things that came into my mind was "New Mexican food"! In fact, I don't know of a single New Mexican restaurant in the entire Bay Area. It drives me crazy that in an area where you can find food from almost any country, there's nowhere to enjoy the cuisine from two states over. I guess it is a testament to how spoiled we are that I am this upset about not finding sopaipillas.

If any of you feel the same way about New Mexican food I hope you are as happy as I am about our incredible abundance of Numex green chilis. The Numex are our hatch-style peppers that are ideal for roasting and making green chili sauce. I love putting green chili sauce on almost everything I eat- cheeseburgers, steaks, enchiladas, mixed into stews (perfect for our hopefully rainy winter!). We have A LOT of these stored right now and expect to keep having them for weeks to come. I recommend taking a big batch home, roasting and peeling them, and freezing them to use all winter. I have not tried freezing actual green chili sauce but I can't see why that wouldn't work!

PS. If anyone knows of a New Mexican restaurant in the Bay Area that I missed, please let me know!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Takrima Leeks

• Winter Sweet Kabocha, Butternut, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli and/or Mardi Cauliflower

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Sweet peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dill and Cilantro

• Tres Fine Frisee and Leonardo Radicchio

• Head Lettuce

• Esmee Arugula

• Regiment Spinach

• Pick your own: feel free to pick seed heads and whatever you can find!

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Hopefully on Friday… Eli’s oven is broken.)

• Filigreen Farm Apples for sale!

Traditional style New Mexican green chile sauce

*Feel free to get creative with spices and seasonings and make it your own!

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped onion

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin

• salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 1⁄2 cups stock

• 1 cup chopped roasted and peeled New Mexican pepper

• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano

In a medium sauce pan, saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium-high heat, until tender (about 3 minutes).

Stir in the flour, cumin, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Stir in the stock and simmer until thick and smooth.

Stir in the chiles and oregano.

At this point you may cool, and store in refrigerator, covered, for up to one day.

To serve, heat thoroughly.

Anna

Hi everyone! My name is Anna and I am the newest member of the Open Field crew! I grew up in rural North Carolina, went to school for wood science and design in Raleigh, then started my farming journey in western Montana. I thought I was taking a “fun job” to do “for a few months” before I “start a career” - HAH! I fell in love with the satisfaction of this work and the community and connection I feel through it to both land and people. After the season ended in Montana, I moved to Vermont to work at a farm and forest school as a farmer and mentor to elementary schoolers. I learned a lot there - how to tap a maple tree (did you know it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup??), the number of layers needed to work outside all day in ~10º temperatures (2 on feet, 3 on legs, 4 on upper body), and the best way to harvest potatoes with kindergarteners (like a treasure hunt!!). I realized there that while I loved the kids, my heart was in farming. I decided to move to a place I had never even visited, California, and now I’m here, typing to you from the CSA barn porch. I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the kindness I have been shown by everyone here at Open Field, and the beauty I am surrounded by every day. I also have been overwhelmed with the amount of fresh, beautiful produce I now am so lucky to have access to!!! Every night I fall asleep with my mind racing through the produce I want to cook with; last week I made pesto and pickled cucumbers and peppers. I welcome anyone’s recipe recommendations and I want to share my recipe pick for this transition into fall. This dish looks and feels somewhat ~fancy~ but really just entails stirring for a while (which I do with a glass of wine in hand!) while inhaling the delicious smells. Cheers!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Takrima Leeks

• Winter Sweet Kabocha, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Kossack Kohlrabi

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli and/or Mardi Cauliflower

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Sweet peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Tomatoes (Limited amounts and definitely the last week)

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Dill and Cilantro

• Tres Fine Frisee

• Head Lettuce

• Esmee Arugula

• Decorative gourds and pumpkins

• Pick your own: We may got a light frost last night and will likely get a harder one tonight. So far the beans and basil have been the most affect but you could still find good beans today. There will most likely still be flowers, beans, and peppers to glean but the field is fading fast!

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

• Filigreen Farm Apples for sale!

Squash Risotto Recipe (adapted from platingsandpairings.com) 

• 4 cups any type of broth

• 1 cup squash or pumpkin puree (I like to roast a kabocha and use that!) 

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 shallot (or some onion and garlic, whatever your heart desires) 

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 

• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 

• 1 “glug” white wine (or vinegar) 

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• Fresh ground black pepper

• Crumbled goat cheese (optional but HIGHLY recommended) 

• Dried cranberries (optional) 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the stock and squash over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover and keep warm.

Melt the butter in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot (or onion and garlic) and salt. Cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and rice and cook for one minute longer.

Add the white wine and a ladle of warm stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated. Add another ladle of stock, and continue cooking until evaporated again. Continue cooking, adding a ladle of stock at a time, and allowing to evaporate in between each addition. Cook until the rice is done, it should be creamy in texture, and will take about 20-25 minutes.

Mix in the parmesan, half of the parsley, and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining parsley, goat cheese and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.

Peppers!

October is usually the time of transition as the summer crops fade and the fall crops come in. Peppers are often the transition crop that shines in this in between season. The barn is full of delicious sweet and hot peppers! Here is a brief description of what is available:

Sweet Peppers (Most of the sweet peppers we grow come from wildgardenseed.com):

-Yella Bella and Bella Italia: These are large, thin skinned peppers that are excellent for slicing and adding to dishes. These are my favorite to freeze as well! I simply slice them thin, bag them, and freeze. Since they are such large peppers, we also tend to have a lot that have damage (sun spots or rotten tips mostly). These seconds are the ones I freeze. I cut away the damaged parts and there is still so much pepper left! Right now there are too many seconds for me to handle, so I am asking for your help! We will be offering the seconds in the barn this week.

-Jimmy Nardellos and Petite Marseillais: Both are thin skinned frying peppers. They are great to saute whole with olive oil and salt and then eat. They make an excellent side dish to any meal.

-Lantern and Little Tangerine Bell Peppers: Great for eating raw or roasting! You can freeze the roasted peppers as well.

-Stocky Red and Golden Roasters: These arrive later in the season and are also great for eating raw or roasting!

Medium Peppers:

-Hatch Green Chiles and Poblano Peppers: Both Hatch and Poblanos are mildly spicy peppers with a complex flavor. Hatch chiles are traditionally used in New Mexican cuisines, while Poblanos come from the state of Puebla in Mexico. They are both usually roasted, skinned, and seeded and then added to many dishes, or stuffed whole! These also freeze well after being roasted, skinned, and peeled!

All of the spicy peppers make great hot sauce!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold and La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Winter Sweet Kabocha, Gil’s Golden and Tuffy Acorn, Candystick and Zeppelin Delicata, Orangetti and Spaghetti Winter Squash

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Pink Beauty Radishes

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy and Solstice Broccoli (smaller side shoots mostly)

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage (Lots!!!!)

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash (Possibly last week)

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Sweet peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Tomatoes (Limited amounts and possibly the last week)

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers (Lots!!!!)

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Basil, Dill, and Cilantro

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons (Possibly last week)

• Decorative gourds and pumpkins

• Pick your own Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only)

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce Recipe, from ciaoflorentina.com

• 4 colored bell peppers -large

• 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil + more as needed

• 3 cloves garlic -grated

• 1 tsp sea salt + more to your taste

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• The juice from 2 limes or lemons (or red wine vinegar)

• 10 leaves basil

• 3/4 lb pasta -your favorite noodles

• 1 c reserved pasta water

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes -optional

Preheat a grill or cast iron griddle and charr the bell peppers until black on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle peel and discard the skins together with the seeds and core.

Transfer the roasted peppers to a food processor together with the garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika and lemon juice. Puree until smooth and season to taste with the sea salt and red pepper flakes.

Meanwhile cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package, making sure to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the roasted pepper sauce, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the basil leaves. Serve at room temperature.

This sauce would also freeze well!

Welcome drizzle

We were grateful for another round of cold and moist weather, with a small amount of drops!

We are harvesting potatoes this week and so far they look beautiful! The Yellow Finn are in the cooler, and we are working on bringing in the rest today and tomorrow: Harvest Moon (a purple variety), Red Norland, Chieftan, and La Ratte Fingerling. The onions and winter squash are already tucked away in the storage spots. Next week we will work on beets and carrots!

We also welcomed Anna to the crew this week! We are excited to have her here and for you to meet her as well!

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Finale Fennel

• Calypso Celery

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Sweet peppers

• Tomatoes

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Dill, and Cilantro

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Haitian Pikliz, from carribeanpot.com

• 2 cups shredded cabbage

• 1 large carrot

• 1 cup bell pepper (green, orange, red)

• 1 onion

• 2 scallions

• 6 hot peppers (the original recipe calls for scotch bonnet which we do not grow! use your favorite combination to achieve the spice level you prefer.)

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 12-14 peppercorns

• 2 cups vinegar

• 1/2 lime juice

• 4 cloves

This is a very simple recipe to put together as it involves a couple steps and some patience (to marinate). Start off by slicing the cabbage very thinly, same for the all the other ingredients. You may be tempted to use a food processor, but I would suggest you don’t. The food processor may overwork the vegetables and you won’t get that unique size/shape pikliz is supposed to have. Grate the carrot and diced the garlic very fine.

Place all the sliced ingredient sin a large bowl .. large enough so you can easily mix everything easily without spilling all over the place. Also mix in the salt, pepper corns and cloves.

Get a fairly large glass bottle and pack in everything, then all you have to do is top with the vinegar, cover and set aside to marinate. You can certainly begin using right away, but if you give it about five days to marinate and really take on the flavors of everything you’ll be rewarded with the best pikliz you’ve ever had.

Moisture rising

I have been wondering how the fall would feel during this intense drought. I look forward to the signs of the water table below the soil rising during this time of year. This year I wondered after a winter when the soil was never truly saturated, would these signs still appear? I am relieved to see them around: the green of the springs, the small patches of grass, the irrigation lingering. As we often have less fog in the fall, this moisture is welcome and it reminds us that the rains will come! (As they did briefly!)

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Finale Fennel

• Calypso Celery

• Diamond Eggplant

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Sweet peppers

• Tomatoes

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Dill, and Cilantro

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Broccoli Salad With Peanuts and Tahini-Lime Dressing, from nytimes.com

• 2 pounds broccoli

• ¾ cup thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (3 to 5 scallions)

• ½ cup lightly salted peanuts, finely chopped

• ⅓ cup tahini

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)

• ¼ cup toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

• 2 teaspoons honey

• a few dashes of hot sauce, plus more to taste

• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint

Trim the broccoli stalks and peel them to remove the tough outer layer. Cut off the florets, leaving as much of the stalk as possible intact, and set the florets aside. Using the shredding or julienne blade of a food processor, a mandoline or a sharp knife, julienne the stems and place them in a large bowl.

Finely chop or julienne the florets and add them to the bowl, along with the scallions and peanuts.

In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, combine the tahini, lime juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, and hot sauce, and whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss thoroughly to coat. Set aside at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, to allow the broccoli to soften slightly.

Just before serving, add the fresh herbs and toss well. (You can refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving.)

Unsung Heroes

By Sam

Well hey-diddly-ho there CSA memberinos (and other foodie citizenerinos:) I'm up for the blog post write-up again this week, boy howdy am I excited:) To be perfectly honest I don't have a heck of a lot of news to report on..... Things are starting to wrap up for the Summer vegetable season as of quite recently, which has definitely been a bittersweet feeling. There is a nice hour and a half in the mornings when it feels like a cool Fall day..... then the sun comes out and reminds us Summer isn't over quite yet;) Luckily for me and all the other Summer vegetable lovers, the field veggies are going strong! My favorite melon (the yellow Italian variety whose name I am blanking on right now, my bad!) is just starting to ripen, which is very exciting..... Also the hot peppers are continuing to ripen, the heirloom tomatoes are going strong and in my opinion the eggplants have never tasted better, plenty of good Summer veggie vibes to enjoy:)

Okay now that we have had some fun, I wanted to turn our attention to some more serious matters, and to give recognition to a few of the unsung heroes of Open Field Farm, namely the Supervisory Steering Committee who handle the quality control and basically keep everyone around here on track and in line. I have captured some compelling images of these valiant stewards in action. If you see them out and about, please let them know what an excellent job they are doing!

1. Crew Foreman Rosie performing routine equipment inspection

2. Crew Supervisor Dolly enjoying some much deserved R&R, Saturday stroll and tacos in the park

3. New Farm Intern Darla, pulling up some shade on break during afternoon potato harvest

4. Crew Foreman Rosie and Crew Technical Advisor Maki, listening in at the tractor safety meeting

5. Crew Supervisor monitoring harvest progress

6. Crew Foreman experiencing post-snack melan-collie

7. Crew Foreman enjoying one of her many daily micro-naps

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Hakeuri Turnips

• Finale Fennel

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Beatrice Eggplant

• Song Cauliflower- We have lots! Freeze or pickle!

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Sweet peppers

• Tomatoes

• Bastan Poblano and Highlander Green Numex Peppers

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Dill, and Cilantro

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Sam's Summertime Salsa (Georgia Edition)

• 3 lbs fresh tomatoes, chopped

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1-2 cloves garlic, diced

• 1 serrano chile and/ or jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds optional, feel free to add lots more peppers, I definitely do)

• 1 medium ripe peach, chopped

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• cracked black pepper to taste

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1/2 cup whey, sauerkraut juice or pickle juice

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Place all ingredients (except cilantro) in food processor and process until desired consistency is achieved. Add cilantro and pulse a few times. Place in a quart sized wide mouth mason jar, fill jar up to shoulder. Cover tightly, and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to the fridge. This will continue to ferment in the fridge and should be good for at least 4 to 5 weeks. Tastes good and it's good for you! (Insider tip: best enjoyed with huevos rancheros on a slice of toasted Revolution Bakery sourdough bread, thank me at your earliest convenience;)

Mullein

By Kelsey

This week I would like to highlight an herb that is, for the first time (despite Sarah’s and my efforts for the last few years), successfully growing in the herb garden: Mullein aka Verbascum thapsus! Mullein is a biennial plant and a member of the plant family Scrophulariaceae, or Figwort family.

It’s an impressive and unique looking plant, with its hairy leaves in a rosette and a very tall stem (1-2 m) with a dense spike of yellow flowers at the end. The underside of the leaves reveal veins arranged in a pattern reminiscent of the bronchi of the lungs.

In addition to its bold stature in the garden, mullein is something of a medicinal miracle. Gentle yet effective, it is an important plant to keep in mind as fire season is in full swing and many days our skies are obscured by smoke. Mullein has an affinity for the respiratory system and is indicated for all manner of respiratory conditions: it can help soothe a sore throat, calm a dry cough, and bring moisture and coolness to inflamed mucous membranes. Breathing smoke dries out the mucous membranes of the respiratory system and a tea of mullein leaves and/or flowers can help support the body in healing from this type of environmental stress.

Mullein leaves may be harvested any time of year, and the flowers should be picked when the morning dew has dried but before it is hot. When using mullein leaf for tea, it is important to strain it very well, or else the hairs will catch you in the throat! Perhaps this is a doctrine of signatures effect—the plant showing you exactly where it is working.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Ailsa Craig and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Diamond, Money Maker, and Beatrice Eggplant

• Solstice Broccoli and/or Song Cauliflower (depending on harvest)

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Sweet peppers

• Tomatoes

• Bastan Poblano Peppers

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley, Basil, and Cilantro

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Beet and Barley Salad With Date-Citrus Vinaigrette, from nytimes.com

• 2 medium beets, scrubbed

• ½ cup pearl barley

• Coarse kosher salt

• 1 lemon

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 teaspoons date honey (also labeled date syrup)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 handfuls of mixed slightly bitter lettuce, like chicory, arugula, romaine, Swiss chard or beet leaves, roughly torn

• 1 cup fresh mixed herbs, like mint, thyme, oregano, parsley, hyssop, lovage and cilantro

• 1 to 2 Persian cucumbers, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice

• 2 large shallots or 1/2 red onion, diced in 1/2-inch pieces (see Tip)

• 5 dried figs or 4 fresh figs, quartered

• 1 cup white or red grapes, or a combination, halved

• 1 cup mixed pitted olives, halved

• ½ cup pomegranate seeds

• ½ cup crumbled feta

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a baking dish with a 1/2 inch of water. Cover and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut into bite-size pieces.

While the beets are roasting, make the barley: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the barley and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until al dente.

While the barley is cooking, make the salad dressing: Squeeze the juice from the lemon (about 2 tablespoons) into a small bowl. Add the garlic and date honey, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the olive oil and set aside.

When the barley is cooked, drain, rinse and drain again. Taste, adding more salt, if necessary, and let cool completely.

When ready to serve, use your hands to gently mix the lettuce and herbs in a large salad bowl and scatter on the barley, beets, celery, cucumbers, shallots, figs and grapes. Top with the olives, pomegranate seeds and feta, and sprinkle on the dressing. Mix at the table and serve immediately.

If you’d like to mellow out the bite of raw shallot, you can soak it in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain.

Gracias a Jorge

Jorge is moving back to Mexico on Saturday. While we are sad to say goodbye and we will miss him, we are excited for him. Jorge joined us on the farm in 2013, even before we started the CSA. While he knows how to do most everything on the farm, his main love and focus has always been the cows. He certainly knows the cows and the pastures better than anyone else. I am certain they and the land will miss him as much as we will. We are grateful for the great care Jorge has given to all the animals, for the systems he has put in place, and for his work ethic and steadiness. While he is not the most talkative, we will also miss his jokes, his sharp comments, and his music. Most CSA members do not get a chance to interact with Jorge and probably won’t be able catch him to say goodbye, but as you drive by the cows, please join us in thinking of him and wishing him un buen viaje.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, Salt and Pepper, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Aura, Glow, and Jimmy Nardello peppers

• Tomatoes

• Bastan Poblano Peppers

• Jalapeno, Serrano, Rodeo, Aji Crystal, and Wenk’s Yellow Hot Peppers

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Head Lettuce

• Melons and watermelons

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, okra, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Melon, Cucumber and Cherry Tomato Salad, from nytimes.com

• 1 small melon, such as cantaloupe or honeydew (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

• 8 ounces cherry tomatoes of different colors, halved

• 2 medium English cucumbers (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste

• Small handful of basil leaves

• Small handful of mint leaves

Place melon, tomatoes and cucumber in a large salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Drizzle with olive oil and lime juice. Toss lightly and leave to marinate for a few minutes and up to 30 minutes, to let the flavors mingle.

Add the basil leaves, tearing larger leaves into pieces, and the mint leaves.

Just before serving, fold the leaves into the salad and toss well. Taste and add a little more lime juice, as needed.

Collards

A Bone to Pick with All You Northern Kale Eaters

I am a New Englander by birth and certainly by ancestry but I spent most of my childhood in Prince George's County Maryland just south of the Mason-Dixon line. I began working on a farm there in tobacco growing country when I was in High school. It was a beautiful farm and very well run. We grew amazing produce in that hot humid climate. The three things I remember most were the sweet potatoes, the giant watermelons and most of all the Collard Greens ( in caps as they should be). We grew huge thick incredible Collards. Most of the produce we grew ended up in Washington DC and I loved going into the city with the van and meeting all the beautiful older black women who would come pick up our produce and especially those Greens. They were always so excited and had such passion for food and cooking in traditional ways that had been passed down through the community. I think about those times and people often but one time that I always do is whenever I cook Collard Greens. I imagine those women in the market and how happy their families must have been when they got to eat those Greens cooked perfectly with so much love. So here's what I need all you northern kale eaters to do. Eat your Greens, Collard Greens that is! For 7 long years now I've sat idly by and heard how those Greens sit untouched week after week in the barn. In short, Collard Greens are amazing and have everything that kale doesn't: toughness, grit, stamina and loads of things that make you strong and vibrant. But here's the deal, you can't be afraid to cook them. So you can either call your best friend in the south and ask them, consult your Edna Lewis cookbook, or listen to my sorry New England ass tell you how I cook them though I don't know how they would be received at a church super in PG county Maryland we like them. Before I give you the break down theres really only 2 things you need to know to have Collards end up in regular rotation in your family. They need to change to a darker green sort of pail color and the thickest part of the bottom of the stem needs to be able to smush between your fingers for them to be properly cooked. I think that should take about 45 minutes but time is of no mind if those two things don't happen, longer is always better. The all day cook with ham hoc or bacon will not be what I give here but that sure cant be beat.

Slice one onion per large bunch of Collards

get the onions mostly cooked and a little brown in a nice hot pan with 2-4 tablespoons

of lard or olive oil.

Pile the greens and roll them in a tight roll then slice them nice and thin

push the onions to the edges of the pan and toss in a nice big pile of Greens

let them sizzle in the pan a bit then toss them around and let sizzle again

then add a bit of liquid ( we sometimes use Miran or just water)

cover and let cook until done as described above. I sometimes add a bit more liquid as they cook cause you don't want the pan to get dry and the bit of juice left at the end is usually tasty also.

Now sit down with your excited and lucky friends or family and take a moment to celebrate one of the greatest contributions to the American food culture and give thanks to the southern Black folks that have brought so much joy and love to life here. Thats what I do and it helps me stay connected to those important roots I have from my young and formative years and to something that I think is important to remember and think about. I hope you love them and keep coming back for more.

I understand that writing this in this way may be risky but it is meant to be from my own perspective and not more then that and it certainly comes from the heart.

Love, Seth

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Solaris Fennel

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, and Purple Shine Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Regiment Spinach

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Head Lettuce

• Tomatoes

• Aura, Glow, and/or Jimmy Nardello peppers

• Melons or watermelons (we hope!)

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Goodbye

Hey guys it’s me Celeste .

It’s been such a roller coaster with the barn .I remember when I started working for Sarah, Pascale and I were packing everything for you , and slowly we started to open the barn adding hygiene rules and limiting the amount of people in the barn . After, we loosen up a little bit and now I’m so excited that we will be able to open the bar to the public ( don’t forget to leave tips ) but it is time for me to say Goodbye , enjoy your freshly cut herbs and veggies and never take it for granted because who knows with this drought maybe next year will be hard to farm .

Last week , was my last week working in the afternoons in the CSA which means I will no longer be around telling you what to do (LOL) I will be only working in the morning in the wash station with Kelsey and Sarah J. The reason why is because I’m officially in my third trimester, Yes I’m very pregnant. And summer veggies are starting to get heavy for me to carry and my beautiful baby bump is on the way. Since the beginning of the year Sarah J. suggested it will be better for me to be more careful with what I do , carry and move around the barn/farm and I agreed, I have never been a mom before so I better listen to the expert. 

Which means that I’m definitely going to miss it and 

The plan is for me now to focus on the flower field with  weeding , direct seeding  , harvesting , and drying  the flowers. Which I think will be perfect; I will be able to nourish every minute of my pregnancy surrounded by beautiful flowers until the end . 

I’m very grateful with all the support the James’s  have given  me and my husband Jesse ( He also works here in the farm ) in this  new journey of our lives, they have been very patient with mood swings and hangriness. 

Here I share a picture of myself 28 weeks pregnant , due in November .We also decided to not know the gender of our baby ,because whatever it is I’m gonna love it with all my soul and being. (Also , Gender Reveals are annoying)

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Solaris Fennel

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, Purple Shine, and Shimoda Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Head Lettuce

• Caiman Tomatoes

• Aura, Glow, and/or Jimmy Nardello peppers

• Melons or watermelons (we hope!)

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, cherry tomatoes and tomatillos, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

Here I share a simple Recipe which you can also add an Avocado and it will taste just as fine.

https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/pico-de-gallo-recipe/

• 8 Roma tomatoes seeds scooped out, diced small

• 1 jalapeno diced fine

• ½ red onion diced

• ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped

• ¼ cup lime juice from about 2 limes

• ½ tsp salt or to taste

• ½ tsp pepper or to taste

Chop the ingredients: Dice the tomatoes and onion into small 1/4" cubes. Dice the jalapeno as fine as you can get it, and chop the cilantro well.

Mix the ingredients: Add the chopped ingredients to a bowl and pour in the lime juice, then season with salt and pepper. Toss everything until well combined and let the ingredients sit together for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Eggplants!

By Cecilia

It's eggplant season! I know there have been some questions in the barn about the five different varieties we are growing, so I thought I would write out a short description of each.

Diamond:

This is our tried and true field-grown variety. This is a thicker skinned eggplant, which allows it to hold up better against pest pressure. It has amazing flavor, but the skin makes it a little less tender for something like sautéing. This is our best eggplant for making a spread, like baba ganoush. The skins will blister and peel off perfectly after roasting. These also make a great grilling eggplant

Money Maker:

This variety is one that we typically grow in the hoop house, but we ran out of Diamond plants for our second succession. We ended up filling in with this type and I am really glad we did because these are delicious and have held up against pest pressure remarkably well. These are a very tender Japanese style eggplant that works great for stir fry or baking. They have a delicate flavor, making them really versatile.

Beatrice:

This is our first year growing this variety and I am completely in love. They have a creamy texture and a slightly sweeter flavor. They are similar to the Rosa Bianca heirloom variety. Their skin is a lot softer than the diamond, but they are hefty enough to hold up well to grilling. I read once that you can salt these for an hour before cooking them to enhance the flavor. I am too lazy of a cook to do that, but if someone tries it please let me know how it goes!

Purple Shine:

This is a great Chinese variety with a super mild flavor and a really thin, delicate skin that melts in your mouth. These are also grown in the hoop house to protect them from insects. Honestly, my favorite part about these eggplants is how easy they are to chop (I am a very, very lazy cook). My favorite way to cook these is to chop them into uniform rounds and just bake them in the oven on a cookie sheet.

Shimoda:

These are my favorite eggplants, but unfortunately we do not have as many because they were grown in an area of the hoop house that really struggled. This is a very thin-skinned Japanese eggplant, but the flesh is very dense and creamy. It's the perfect combination. This is my go to eggplant for saute or stir fry. I also love to cut them in half and grill them. Apparently these are a great variety for pickling, but I have never tried.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy and Red Long of Tropea Onions

• Alto Leeks (Last week)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Hakurei Turnips

• Solaris Fennel

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, Purple Shine, and Shimoda Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Head Lettuce

• Caiman Tomatoes

• Aura, Glow, and Jimmy Nardello peppers

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread (Friday only!)

• Filigreen Farm Peaches (Tuesday only!)
  

MOUTABAL

• 2 eggplants

• 4 tbsp of tahini

• 4 tbsp of Greek yoghurt

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1/2 tsp table salt

To begin, use a fork to prick the skins of the eggplants several times - this will stop them exploding as they cook

Place over a direct flame for 20 minutes (or until soft) until charred all over to help achieve a wonderfully smoky flavour. Allow to cool for 20 minutes

Carefully peel the eggplants, placing the flesh into a bowl and reserving as much of the charred skin as you can. Gently stir in the garlic, tahini, yoghurt, lemon juice and salt until combined. Season to taste

Add to serving bowls and scatter over garnishes of your choice. Serve warm or cold with pitta bread

August

I love the month of August. I am sure I am biased as it is my birthday month. I relish the ripening of the summer fruits: tomatoes, peppers, melons, and more. It always feels like we have waited so long for them to appear and they are so delicious when they do. The tomatoes we have been offering so far are from the tunnlels but the ones in the field are starting to turn as well. Maybe next week we will have some. The tunnel peppers are just starting to color up.

I am a little worried about the watermelons as it seems the crows have found them this year. I think they are thirsty and looking for water, as so many creatures are right now. Going into this season, we were prepared for more pressure from the deer, rabbits, and more, as there is less forage in the woods and pastures. I have to be honest that I did not think fully about the lack of water in the soil as well. We have had more gopher pressure, plus you may have noticed large holes in the fields around the CSA barn. A badger has taken up residence. We have always had badgers on the farm but never this close to human activity. We think they may be attracted to the wetter soil or gophers (which may be more abundant due to the wetter soil) or both. Please be careful for the holes! Most of the time we are able to accept minimal crop loss to share this space with the creatures, but when the pressure is more intense we do try to deter them. I am hoping the crows leave some watermelons for us. We are also planning to cover them with a shade cloth soon but shade cloth has been backordered.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy Onions

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Hakurei Turnips

• Solaris Fennel

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, Purple Shine, and Shimoda Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Head Lettuce

• Albion Strawberries

• Pick your own: padron and shishito peppers, jade and dragon langerie beans. Along with the flowers, there are shiso, purple and thai basil in the annual field.

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

• Filigreen Farm Peaches and Blueberries (Friday only!)

Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree, from foodnetwork.com (Thanks to Emma Logan for the recipe suggestion!)

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes (you can also use whole tomatoes cut into large chunks)

• 3 cloves garlic, whole

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

• 1 pound rigatoni pasta

• 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.

Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

Turning Point

As the month of July comes to an end, it is another turning point on the farm. We start to feel the shift toward fall, the changing light, and the harvests grow. Tomatoes and melons should be starting soon. We are slowly planting the last winter crops in the field, still trying to catch up on weeding, and winding down in the greenhouses.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy Onions

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Hakurei Turnips

• Diamond, Money Maker, Beatrice, Purple Shine, and Shimoda Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Taiwan Flat and Caraflex Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato and Old Growth Palm Kale

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Head Lettuce

• Albion Strawberries

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

LENTILS & CARROTS WITH SWISS CHARD & YOGURT, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 3/4 cup puy lentils + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

• 4 medium sized carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

• 4 tablespoons melted ghee (or butter) divided

• salt and pepper

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 bunch of swiss chard, leaves thinly sliced (stems saved for another use)

• 4-6 Tablespoons water

• 1/2 cup full fat plain yogurt

• juice of half a lemon

• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for serving

• Extra virgin olive oil for serving

Place the lentils in a pot and cover with 2 cups of water and 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Leave at room temperature for 8 hours (see note). Drain the lentils and rinse them under cold water.

Bring a medium saucepan filled 3/4 of the way with water to a boil. Once boiling, add the lentils, decrease the heat to medium, and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are soft but still hold a bit of a bite. Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the carrots with the melted ghee, salt and pepper and place them on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until lightly browned and tender. About 30 minutes.

Add the remaining ghee to a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, caraway, cumin, and a fat pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and fragrant. Add the chard, cooked carrots, lentils and water. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the chard leaves wilt down a bit and become bright green.

Remove from the heat, and top with the yogurt, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summer

By Sarah Beth

I hope you’re all enjoying the fresh summer veggies as much as I am! This time of year it seems like my dinners are a plate full of fresh veggies which is a big part of the reason why summer is my favorite season. There is even more to look forward to in the coming weeks and months! 

Along with all the wonderful things summer brings we also all know we are anticipating the fire season. Since March of this year I’ve been enrolled at the California School of Herbal Studies in a class titled Body Systems. It’s a mixture of physiology and herbal studies. This past weekend we covered the respiratory system and touched a bit on how to care for our bodies and lungs as we enter fire season. I would love to share some things I learned that might be beneficial to our members as well! 

First, stay hydrated and consume demulcent herbs and foods! An excellent way to stay hydrated is with delicious teas. Our Cold Brew tea (containing marshmallow, rose, and chamomile) that Kelsey formulated is a great option or simply make a cold infusion with marshmallow. In the herb circle you can also find violet which is a demulcent herb you can make as a tea as well. Other demulcent herbal friends are cinnamon (if it’s not too warming for you), plantain (which is found as a weed all around here), chia seeds, flax, and licorice.

Second, use herbs (whether in teas, tinctures, infused vinegars and oils) that have an affinity for the lungs such as mullein (which you can find in our herb circle), elecampane, thyme, tulsi, astragalus, and rosemary.

Third, protect your lungs by wearing a mask outdoors when air quality is poor. When outside for prolonged periods I also think it’s a good practice to shower at the end of the day to cleanse your skin. Last year I enjoyed doing herbal steams after showering. With caution, pour boiling water into a pot, add some lung supporting herbs like thyme or rosemary (NOT the essential oils but the actual plant) and breathe in the steam. Covering your head with a towel draped over the bowl helped to capture all the goodness! 

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy Onions

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Rhonda Beets

• Pink Beauty Radish

• Hakurei Turnips

• Solaris Fennel

• Gypsy Broccoli

• Beatrice, Purple Shine, and Shimoda Eggplant

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Emiko Napa, Taiwan Flat, and Caraflex Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Head Lettuce

• Albion Strawberries

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Since we have peaches for sale this week I thought I’d share one of my favorite peach dessert recipes. It’s a peach crisp by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) but I will just share the link because I love all of her photos and commentary. It includes a maple cream syrup which you can totally skip or substitute in vanilla ice cream.

https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10230/peach-crisp-wit/

Cistern

I took a walk to the cistern yesterday to check on its water level and was taken back by how beautiful the water looked, so clear and reflecting the mid morning light. The cistern holds the well water that is distributed to all the animals. It sits on the top of a small hill and then the water gravity flows through pipes to various spigots around the farm. While the drought continues to stressful for us all, I do enjoy these moments when I am able to visit the water sources on the farm and to express my thanks for their presence.

It feels like is the height of the summer on the farm: new crops are appearing each week, there is so much weeding to be done, plus we are still planting and sowing for fall and winter. This week the winter carrots and beets are being planted, as well as the first round of cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower.

This Week’s Pick List:

• Eggs

• Red Gold New Potatoes

• Candy Onions

• Alto Leeks (Young and tender!)

• Evergreen Hardy Scallions

• Yaya Carrots

• Hakurei Turnips

• Solaris Fennel

• Solstice Broccoli and/or Song Cauliflower (amounts depending on the harvest!)

• Dark Star, Yellowfin, and Cocozelle Summer Squash

• Mideast Peace, Silver Slicer, Sweet Marketmore, and Addis Pickle Cucumbers

• Emiko Napa Cabbage

• Rainbow Lacinato

• Champion Collards

• Ruby Red Chard

• Parsley, Basil, Cilantro, and Dill

• Regiment Spinach

• Esmee Arugula

• Head Lettuce

• Albion Strawberries

• Single Herb Tea (We are offering our remaining dried herbs in bulk now!)

• Saltonstall Olive Oil (Please bring your own jars!)

• Revolution Bread

Pyaz Ka Laccha (Raw Onion Relish), from nytimes.com

• 1 medium onion, preferably a sweet onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste

• ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more to taste

• ⅛ teaspoon ground chile, plus more to taste

Put onions in a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes. (This removes some of the onion’s bite, but you can skip this step if you’d like a stronger onion flavor.)

Drain onions and thoroughly pat dry. Return onions to the bowl and stir in lemon juice, salt, paprika and cayenne. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld before serving. Taste and add more salt, lemon and spices, if you like.

Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Serve alongside grilled or roasted meats and fish; stuff into sandwiches, especially grilled cheese or tuna salad; use as a topping for pizza, burgers and hot dogs; scramble into eggs; toss into salads, especially starchy grain and potato salads.