Weir River Farm Blog 8/30

Happy end of August!  As the weather cools down and the days become shorter and shorter, we reach that bittersweet part of the year where beds and implements are broken down, stakes and plastic are pulled, and cover crop is seeded.  While fall has been a very busy time for the Weir River Ag team in the past, a combination of weather and staffing means we wont be seeding or transplanting into the fall, as we have in previous years.  Thankfully, with the large majority of the share coming from Chestnut Hill, we'll be able to ride out their fall harvests while supplementing the share with our PYO (don't worry, there will be weeks more tomatoes, cherries, and peppers from our farm). Volunteers interested in helping with the end-of-summer house keeping: contact me or Eileen - there's plenty to do this time of year and it is far easier than transplanting or weeding in the summer sun.

Before I get to the share this week, I'd like to give a shout out to Des and her incredibly hard working team at Chestnut Hill Farm.  This has been an extremely difficult summer to farm (I'm sure this summer has taken innumerable years off of MA farmers lives) and the share has been consistently unique, on time, and of fantastic quality. The quantity of produce coming out of bone dry ground is a testament to the effort and skill they've put into growing this for us all, and they deserve far more than a foot note in my blog. Thanks so much guys!

What's in Your Share (maybe):

Broccoli

Cabbage

Tomatoes

Potatoes

Carrots

S.Squash

Peppers/Eggplant (choice)

Celery (?)

Lettuce (if it isn't bitter or still tiny- I thought we would get at least a little rain last week)

Recipes:

So more things to do with tomatoes (even though just slicing and eating them as much as possible is my usual go to). I came across this gorgeous looking Greek delight. You can watch a do-whoppy video of them making it here but otherwise....

Greek inspired, Rice Stuffed Tomatoes from 12Tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS

10 large tomatoes

3/4 cup un-cooked short grain rice

2 zucchini, peeled and grated

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 tablespoons dry mint

4 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 4 teaspoons dried)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds potatoes

PREPARATIO N

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Slice the tops o􀃙 the tomatoes (keep the tops, though)

and use a spoon to empty out the middle of the tomato.

Reserve the juice in one bowl and insides of the tomato

in a separate bowl. Make small slits in the inside bottom

of the tomatoes making sure not to cut all the way

through the tomatoes.

3. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and place the

tomatoes inside the pan.

4. Put the onion, garlic, a teaspoon of oil, and a pinch of

salt into a food processor and pulse until veggies are

slightly broken down and chunky.

5. Take the insides of the tomato and chop them into small

pieces, and then add them to a large bowl with the

grated zucchini. Then, add 1 tablespoon of salt, the dry

mint, parsley, and tomato paste and combine. Finally,

add the uncooked short-grain rice, 1 teaspoon of lemon

juice, and 3/4 cup olive oil and let the mixture sit.

6. In the meantime, peel the potatoes and cut them into

chunks. Toss them with the tablespoon of oregano, 3/4

cup olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Mix them well

and then add the reserved tomato juice.

7. Fill the tomatoes to the top with the rice mixture and top

them with their caps. Then, place the potatoes/tomato

juice in the empty space around the tomatoes also add

any leftover rice mixture in the gaps, too.

8. Add a cup of water to the corner of the pan and tilt it so

that the water is evenly distributed.

9. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F, and then

reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake them for

another 60-90 minutes. If it seems dry during the

process, add a little more water to the pan.

10. Enjoy!

I've gotten a couple of requests for Elspeth's Blueberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

She adapted a recipe she got out of Williams-Sonoma's Muffins Cookbook

Ingredients:

Topping: 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbsp each of brown sugar and granulated sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

Muffins:

7 Tbsps butter, room temp

3/4 cup granulated sugar (i think she used brown sugar or 1/2 maple syrup)

2 large eggs

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

4 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk (she used goat's milk)

1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup of dark chocolate chips (70-80%)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease 12 standard muffin cups with butter. 

Make the topping: stir together the flour, sugars, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut or rub the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form (you can also use a food processor).

To make the muffins: Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add the dry to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with milk and vanilla. Stir until just evenly moist but still lumpy. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the blueberries and chips into the batter. Take care not to over mix.

Spoon the batter into each cup, filling to the rim. Sprinkle each muffin with topping. 

Bake until golden and dry, springy to the touch. around 20-25 minutes. Toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean. Transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes, then loosed and unmold from pan. Serve warm with maple butter....(which is softened butter mixed with a little maple syrup....so good).