The Abundant Harvest Organics Seasonal Update Fall 2014

the

Abundant Harvest Organics

Seasonal Update 42

Seasonal Recipes Fall Produce Forecast!

The tangled origins of Apple Juice

and Apple Cider

DIY: Hoshigaki

Fall

Photo by Jessica Lessard

contents 4 Fall Produce Forecast

Get a peek at what’s coming this season!

8 Persimmons!

20 Say Cheers

A look at the origins of apple juice and apple cider in America.

27

Find out what makes this fall favorite so tricky and learn how to make your own Japanese-style dried persimmons.

16

Staff Spotlight

Say hello to your AHO truck drivers.

18 Cracked

Why you should go looking for broken fruit.

Two Artists’ Eye View

Los Angeles area roommates offer a tasteful perspecive on getting the most out of your produce box.

34 Three Sisters Raisins Meet your raisin farmer, Natalie Soghomonian.

38 History of Popcorn

How long have we loved this stuff ?

40 Fall Recipes

Breakfasts & Baked Goods, Veggie-Full Meals, Soups and Salads, Holiday Party

ON THE COVER

This young farmer in the making couldn’t be prouder of his first harvest, pre-season Autumn Royal grapes at Vernon Peterson’s farm in Kingsburg, California.

LEFT, Adventures in food: Nopales cactus leaves from KMK Farms in Kingsburg, California Isolated fruit and vegetable photographs on pages 35, 47, 50, and 55 by Jessica Lessard. All other photography, unless otherwise noted, by Amy Beth Beaver

Abundant Harvest Organics is a produce delivery service in California. We work with an alliance of California organic family farmers to bring a weekly delivery of fresh certified organic fruits and vegetables to communities across the state.

Also available from our farmers are certified organic meats (beef, chicken, turkey, fish, and pork), organic dairy (including butter, raw cheese, raw milk, and pastured eggs), nuts, beans, herbs, and other dry goods. This magazine is published for Abundant Harvest subscribers, and we are happy to share it with the rest of the world’s food lovers.

Fall 2014

fruit & veggie

Forecast

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

T

here’s no putting this fall season in a box.

(We don’t mean your AHO produce box!)

We’re just saying, this hasn’t been a typical year, if there is even such a thing.

Fall produce started to appear this season as early as the end of July—just couldn’t wait to join the party—and the season for early fall fruit like figs and grapes will nearly be at an end by the time it’s usually half way done.

The 2014 fall forecast includes a little bit of everything, with the exception of fresh spring goodies. You’ll continue to see some summer’s favorites, like tomatoes and eggplant, through October as long as temperatures stay warm, as well as the early appearance of some winter citrus.

The fall veggies follow the farmer’s schedule for the most part, but winter is the reset button and trajectory determiner for permanent tree fruit crops. Until then, we’ll keep on rolling with this early change of hands from season to season. Enjoy!

Fruit Apples Asian Pears Bartlett Pears Figs Grapes Late Season Melons Lemons Navel Oranges

Pomegranates Persimmons

Herbs Basil Cilantro Dill French Tarragon Garlic Chives Lemon Balm Lemongrass Mint Rosemary Sage Savory Thyme

early

mid-season

late

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Arugula Beets Bell Peppers Broccoli

Veggies

Bok Choy Cabbage

Carrots Cauliower Celery Chard Cherry Tomatoes Chili Peppers Collard Greens Daikon Radish Eggplant Fennel Green Beans Jicama Kale Lettuce Mustard Greens Onions Poblano Peppers Potatoes Popcorn Radicchio Radishes Sorrel Sweet Potatoes Spinach Turnips Tomatoes Winter Squashes early

mid-season

late

Waiting Game Ripening in the field slows down in the fall, and late season melons will need a few more days to ripen up at room temperature than melons harvested during the height of summer. The aroma of the melon is the indicator of prime ripeness. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 7

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

cut the drama,

eat sweet & keep on

Grinning for all the

r i g h t

reasons this

peR sim mon season

cut the drama...

by Jessica Lessard

Those of you who have discovered the difference between the Fuyu and the Hachiya persimmon will know well that mistaking one for the other is not a pleasant experience. To mistakenly bite into an unripe Hachiya can result in a knee-jerk reaction, a shriveling of the face, and perhaps an involuntary launching of the fruit across the room.

The first way to skip the cotton mouth, frozengrin pucker, is to learn to visually identify the difference between these two varieties. The second way to cut the drama is to understand what causes a Hachiya’s astringency and how to work with it.

Why So Astringent?

The astringency in Hachiyas and other similar varieties is caused by tannins. You’ve likely heard this term in reference to wine, but tannins can be found in all sorts of plant tissue.

The term “tannin” is likely derived from the process of using plant extracts to preserve and waterproof animal hides, known as tanning.

Tannins are biomolecules that bind things like proteins, starches, cellulose, and minerals. They are responsible for not only the unfortunate astringent taste that one gets in unripe fruit, but also some of the beautiful colorings that we find in plants, trees, and fruit. So we shouldn’t hold the bad bits against them.

So how do the presence of tannins result in involuntary mouth shriveling? When you bite into an unripe Hachiya, the tannins in the fruit react with your salivary glands, causing you to stop salivating. Hence the immediate feeling that you’ve just ingested a piece of chalk.

What’s a Persimmon Lover to Do? The key is reducing the tannins in the fruit, and there are a few ways that you can do this. The first is to wait. A Hachiya fruit will ripen on its own (thanks in part to the natural breakdown of the tannins 10

Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photos by Jessica Lessard

Persimmon-Induced Drama

a knee-jerk reaction, a shriveling of the face, and perhaps an involuntary launching of the fruit across the room. from insoluble to soluble) in about two to three weeks if left on the counter.

Once it has reached a squishy state and the skin has become clear, it is likely ripe. There are other ways to speed up the process that work with varying degrees of success. Historically speaking, removing the fruit’s access to oxygen has been known to help. Rather than burying it in the mud for several days, or sealing it in an earthenware pot with a stick of incense, as people have done in the past, you might try placing it in a sealed plastic bag with an apple or banana and let the ethylene gas they release speed up the ripening process.

Heart Shaped Means Hold On! (until soft and squishy) The heart-shaped Hachyia variety is the one to steer clear of if you’re looking for a quick snack. This fruit is extremely astringent until it is fully ripe and collapses in on itself on the counter top, like a water balloon would. When it’s ripe and ready, the pulp can be served on its own or used in baked goods. This is the variety to use for making traditional Japanese dried persimmons, hoshigaki.

H A C H I YA

Flat & Ffirm Means Ready to Eat! Short and squat Fuyu persimmons are the nonastringent variety and are perfect for eating out of hand like an apple or pear and can also be added to salads, salsas, and marinades.

TIP: Peel, core, steam and mash Fuyu pulp for a substitute for Hachiya pulp in baked recipes.

FUYU

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Supplies: Firm Hachiya Persimmons 2” Bamboo Pole or Drying Rack with Thick Poles Vegetable Peeler or Sharp Paring Knife String Screws Patience

1

First, peel the persimmons. Thinly peel the shoulder skin so it is even all the way around the top of the fruit. (If your persimmons have the stem intact, be sure to leave it on; if they don’t, no worries— we’ll show you a work around.) Then peel the rest of the fruit (just the outermost part of the peel) in strips from top to bottom.

Try to peel the fruit as evenly as you can with as few strokes as possible. The less pronounced the ridges between peeled strips are, the easier time you’ll have once the fruit begins to dry.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

P e r s i m m o n)

Try it for yourself this season!

(D r i e d

DIY Hoshigaki

photo by Ryusuke Seto

These naturally sweetened Japanese delicacies take 3 to 5 weeks to prepare, nevertheless, the art of making air-dried, hand-massaged Hachiya persimmons, a.k.a. hoshigaki is on the rise.

2

Choose a warm, dry, sunny spot in your house with good air circulation to set up your drying rack. (Hoshigaki is traditionally made outdoors on the south facing side of a home, but drying the fruit in the sun indoors reduces exposure to pests.) You can set up a fan to help with air circulation and keep moisture and mold at bay!

3

Tie two similar sized persimmons together by the stem to act as a counter balance and hang over the pole.

(If needed, you can insert a stainless steel screw to act as the stem.) It is important that the persimmons do not touch. You can vary the lengths of string you use to accommodate more fruit in a small space.

4

Leave the persimmons alone for about a week, so they can form a new skin. Once skin is formed, you will need to massage the persimmons to break up the inner pulp. To start, gently squeeze each persimmon close to the top. If there is a give, massage the fruit between your thumb and fingers softly for about 5 seconds.

Do this every few days to each fruit, increasing time to 10 and 15 seconds as the fruit dries. Be careful not to tear the skin and avoid making creases that could be susceptible to mold. As the fruit dries, the sugars inside will come to the top and form a white “frosting.”

This will take 3 to 5 weeks. You’ll know your hoshigaki are ready when the pulp inside sets and can no longer be rolled inside the fruit. Serve with green tea.

Special thanks to Mike Siegel, former chef de cuisine at the Asian fusion restaurant Betelnut in San Fransisco and current owner and head chef at Shorty Goldstein’s also in SF, for consulting on this article. photo by Kazuhiko Kato

sweet potato & persimmon soup 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped ½ large onion, chopped 4-5 persimmons, peeled 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil 2½ cups vegetable broth ¼ c whole milk Salt and pepper to taste Honey, buttermilk, or yogurt (optional) Saute the onion in the butter and olive oil on low heat until the onion becomes translucent. Toss the sweet potatoes and stir to coat in oil. Let cook for two minutes then add broth. Add persimmon pulp (ripe Hachiya or Fuyu). Bring to a boil and let mixture simmer until sweet potatoes are soft. Puree the mixture with immersion blender or in batches in a food processor. Return to stove top over medium heat and add milk. Thin the soup out with additional water if it’s too thick. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a swirl of honey, buttermilk, or yogurt.

persimmon Bread with cognac 3½ c flour 1½ tsp salt 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp nutmeg

2-2½ c sugar 4 eggs lightly beaten 1 c melted butter, cooled to room temperature 2 c persimmon puree (about 4 squishy, soft persimmons) ⅔ c cognac 2 c walnuts or pecans chopped 2 c raisins Preheat oven to 350° Butter 2 loaf pans and dust with flour.

Combine dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

aunt carol’s persimmon cookies 1½ c brown sugar ½ c butter, room temperature 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs ¾ c persimmon puree 2¾ c flour 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda ¼ tsp cloves 1 c chopped walnuts or pecans For the Glaze 1¼ c powdered sugar 2 tbsp milk 1 tbsp persimmon pulp 1 tsp grated orange peel

Cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl.

Add persimmon, stirring until blended. Stir together dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to persimmon mixture. Stirring just until flour is incorporated. Stir in nuts. Let dough chill for a couple of hours.

Preheat oven to 375°.

When dough is firm, scoop out in spoonfuls on greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched in center. Let Cool. When cookies have cooled combine ingredients for glaze and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cookies and let sit until glaze has become firm. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 13

Abundant Harvest truck drivers Juvinal Jacobo, Adolfo Ramos, Miguel Ramos, Esteban Carranza, and Ruben Prado transport fresh produce across the state, from Redding to San Diego every week.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 15

Photo by Jessica Lessard

AHO Road Warriors There is a varied team of people working together to connect you to the farms growing the fresh produce in the Abundant Harvest boxes. The farmers and field crews pass the baton to the employees at the packing line, and running achor is a team of five men who masterfully negotiate city traffic, lonely roads, early (really early!) mornings, and tight schedules to make sure the fruits, veggies, and organic extras “magically appear” in the right place at the right time.

All of the men “driving truck,” as is said here in the Central Valley, for Abundant Harvest have been employees for at least five years, two of them for more than twenty. Alternate driver and head of maintenance operations Adolfo

Above left, Ruben Prado goes over the inventory with Redding community host Mark Peterson.

Above right, Miguel Ramos and Juvinal Jacobo load their trucks for the weekend deliveries.

Right, Send these guys to Hollywood!

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Ramos started with the Peterson Family back in the 1980s, and Esteban Carranza, who was the first-ever truck driver for the company, wasn’t far behind.

The drivers have the full picture of the agricultural industry because they’ve been there to see it themselves. They’ve worked their way up the ladder, starting out on the field crews picking, pruning, and thinning. In between those beginnings and commanding the seat behind the wheel, these men have been fork lift drivers, mechanics, and maintenance crew—just about “everything,” Esteban says.

That experience is added to what they bring to your city when the AHO truck pulls up at your delivery site with the family farm in tow.

how do you

?

Find us on Instagram @ahorganics and Facebook at Facebook.com/AHOrganics

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Cracked Why You Should Go Looking for Broken Fruit

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photo by Stasi Albert

Around here, the only pomegranates

we eat, take home, or pass around to friends are

cracked.

~Vernon Peterson, fruit farmer

Fruit growers know that the cream of the crop, when it comes to fall season pomegranates and figs, is the fruit most people would reject. In most every other circumstance that intuitive avoidance of defect would pay off, but for these treeripened fruits, broken isn’t bad. Cracking and splitting (called checking or sugar cracks by those in the business) is a sign that the sugar content in the fruit has reached maximum capacity and the fruit is optimally ripe.

“They literally burst their skins to let us know they are ready,” said Vernon Peterson, of the

Peterson Family Packing Shed and Abundant Harvest Organics in Kingsbug, California about pomegranates ripening in the field.

A cracked piece of fruit may be the sweetest and best eating piece of fruit, but is not one that can catch a fair price in the commercial fresh fruit market and harvest season can turn into a game of chicken to see who will crack first: the fruit, or the farmer.

If it’s the fruit this season, a fruit lover’s best play would be to get in line for the spoil that will fall into the “passed around to friends”” category and find out the truth about split fall fruits for yourself.

Farmer Bob Steinacher holding a perfect Black Mission fig during harvest at his farm in Corning, California.

“Splitting is a sign of ripeness. The best eating fig of all is one that is slightly spit.” ~ Bob Steinacher of Maywood Farms www.abundantharvestorganics.com 19

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photo by Jessica Lessard

Cheers!

Untangling the Surprisingly Complex History of Apple Juice and Apple Cider in America

by Jessica Lessard

Do you remember the day you had your first glass of real apple juice? I do. When I was a kid I used to drink store-bought apple juice like a fish, but it wasn’t until years later that I tasted the real thing. It was on a class trip to Europe, a celebration of finishing my senior year of high school. We had stopped for a day in the quaint medieval German town of Heidelberg. Midmorning we came upon a beautiful cobblestone square, and at its center a little wooden carriage and a man dressed in lederhosen serving fresh pressed, unfiltered apple juice.

I eagerly took one of the small paper cups he offered, sipped and shuttered with excitement.

It tasted like heaven in a cup.

Ok, so I am not 100 percent sure the man selling this magical potion was wearing lederhosen, that part might be a wonderful figment of my imagination. What I do know is that after that fairy-tale day the apple officially became my favorite fruit. Yet looking back on that day now, I realize that what I might have fallen in love with was not apple juice at all, but apple cider. Or was it? Americans have long been plagued with a confusing set of terms to describe this favorite fall drink. So I decided to dig in, do a little research and figure out what exactly is the difference between apple juice and apple cider. But first, a little history on the apple and how it made its way to America.

Apples are Ancient History While we might like to take credit for all things apple, given our popular saying, “American as Apple Pie,” the history of this fruit of the gods is much older than our own and its origins quite geographically distant.

The apple is believed to have originated as a wild species of fruit in the forests of Kazakhstan and by 8,500 BCE apple trees were being actively cultivated in the region.

Archaeologists have even discovered the remains of apples in some pre-historic lake regions in Switzerland, believed to date back to the Iron Age. Apples have been noted in sources from Ancient Egypt, Rome, and China, where the fruit was consumed by both humans and animals. Historians can trace the movement of apples to Western Europe by the Middle Ages where both the fruit, and the drink, became a staple of the noble diet. It’s safe to say that as the bard himself, William Shakespeare, mentions the fruit multiple times throughout his works (13 times give or take) by the 16th century the popularity of the apple was solidly established in Europe.

Apples in America Unfortunately for those living in the North America, no real edible species of apple (aside from a few native species of crab-apple) existed www.abundantharvestorganics.com 21

on the continent until the arrival of English pilgrims in the early 17th century. Yet when they arrived, the production of apples for human consumption flourished quickly and by the end of the 17th century America had established vast apple orchards.

By the early 19th century, apple cider had become not only a common drink but a form of currency for bartering and wages. Given the political leanings of the time, cider was also seen as a “patriotic drink,” preferred over wine which was the beverage of choice for Europeans. At this point, apple seeds began to make their way west. Apples thrived in the Pacific Northwest, especially the state of Washington, due to its warm days, cool nights, volcanic soil and irrigated valleys. Today the Evergreen state remains the top producer of apples in the United States. tangled definitions So what exactly is the difference between apple juice and apple cider? If you take a moment to Google “apple cider” you’re likely to come up with a variety of responses and recipes, Photo by Jessica Lessard Sour Apples The DNA of apple seeds can vary so greatly that apple trees need to be grafted rather than grown from seed to ensure that the same type of apple will be produced. Due to the frequent production of varieties of apples that were too bitter to eat (and a resulting mistrust of apples—think Snow White and the poisoned apple), the fruit was primarily grown for the production of cider. Historically, the drink was considered safer than water, better tasting than whiskey, and was consumed by people of all ages.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

many of them “spiced,” a favorite drink during the fall and winter holiday season.

Adding to the confusion, some popular juice companies have even admitted to using the labels, “apple juice” and “apple cider” on the same product to promote further sales of one or the other based on term preference.

Historical Cider Looking to the etymology of the word “cider” helps identify the drink initially as an alcoholic one. Our modern word is derived from a 13th century Old French term, cidre, which itself was likely derived from Latin, itself derived from Greek (sikera), Hebrew (shekar) and even Arabic (sakar) terms referring to a “strong drink.” In Europe this alcoholic drink was being brewed in Northern Spain long before the Roman conquest of the region. In the region of what is now modern France and Germany, as early as the 9th century, the famed Charlemagne, King of the Franks, encouraged his peasants to plant cider apple orchards. The place Americans often associate most with cider, Britain, didn’t develop a flourishing cider culture until the arrival of the Normans in 1066. It was from here that cider made its way to the Americas.

When European settlers arrived in America in the 17th century, they pressed apples for brewing batches of apple cider, not juice, simply continuing this long-standing tradition of preserving apples. Early cider was created solely from fermented apple juice (without any added sugar) resulting in a slightly alcoholic and bubbly beverage (about 5% alcohol) best drunk young.

If, however, you went looking today for the drink most closely related to this historical one, you’re likely to find it here in the US down the liquor isle of the grocery store under the name “hard cider,” or even “cidre.” Yet if you are looking for the same drink while traveling in Europe, one simply needs to ask the bartender

for “cider.” This was something I learned quickly when living in Scotland. Best it keep it in mind to avoid funny looks from the locals.

American Apple Juice It would be nice if the terminology confusion ended there, but it doesn’t. If you were to stop by a roadside stand in the US today which was offering “fresh apple cider,” much like the one I encountered years ago in Germany, you could be handed a glass of liquid that isn’t in fact alcoholic. So why is this?

There are many theories as to why the alcoholic cider of early America became nonalcoholic. I secretly would like to believe that the difference between apple cider and apple juice has similar roots to the story of why Americans call Soccer, Soccer, and not Football, like the rest of the world. In case you didn’t hear, Soccer is in fact a British term for the game, but once Americans began to use it too frequently the Brits adopted the term “Football.” But I don’t think it’s that simple. It is generally accepted that the rise of the temperance movement in the 19th century, and subsequently Prohibition, led to alcoholic cider falling out of favor in America.

As Prohibition came to an end, America also saw the rise of beer production, which became more widely favored here. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 23

Photos by Jessica Lessard

Continuing Education If you are looking for some solid advice on how to track down the best varieties of hard cider, look no further than The Cider Press, a blog by Cider expert Chris Lehault. Chris will lead you through information on dry, sweet, German, American, Belgian— anywhere you can think of—ciders and tips on what you should look for and where to buy them.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

The simple term “cider” or “sweet cider” became the popular way, particularly at county fairs and farmers’ markets, to label an apple juice product that was seen as “farm fresh.” Some states, like Massachusetts for example, have even gone so far as to make this distinction law.

Cider or sweet cider, is technically any juice made from apples that is unfiltered and unpasteurized. Apple juice on the other hand is what you typically find at the store, a clear amber colored liquid, filtered and pasteurized.

So if we do the calculations, the apple-y drink that I consumed on that magical day in Heidelberg many years ago, by American definitions was apple cider, not apple juice.

The Cider Story Today With the increasing rise in popularity of hard ciders in the US, the government has continued to refine its definitions of what constitutes real cider. From the farming side of things, apples used to produce hard cider are higher in sugar content than regular “eating” apples and won’t be found in your AHO box or the local grocery store. Amy Stewart, in her article on the “History of Cider,” tells us that eating cider apples is akin to “biting into a soft green walnut, an unripe persimmon, or a handful of pencil shavings.”

According to US law apple cider is technically any alcoholic drink made from fermented apples that contains less than 7% alcohol. In California, cider producers must obtain a winemaking license, and are subjected to similar laws and taxes as those who produce wine.

Over the last ten years, the production of hard cider has become more of a “craft” with brewers combining interesting varieties of apples or adding in elements like hops to the process to create a more beer-like product. The increased awareness of gluten intolerance and Celiac disease has also led to the surge in hard cider popularity due to the true absence of grain in a traditional apple cider.

Baffled yet? Don’t worry, so am I, but what I have learned from all of this is that I enjoy all three: apple juice, sweet cider, and hard cider, and knowing the history behind these drinks just makes my fascination with apples grow (no pun intended).

Homemade APPLE JUICE Recipe and photo by Jessica Lessard

How To: To begin, simply slice several of your desired type of apple (no need to remove the skin, but do discard the seeds and stem), place slices in a deep pot on the stove, and fill pot with water till the apples are just covered.

18 apples should produce about 2 quarts.

Bring apples to a simmer for about 30 minutes until cooked down. You might want to help mash it along the way to get out all the juice.

Once cooked down, filter out the liquid produced by placing a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour the mixture through to catch the apple mash. You may need to do this process several times to reach your desired level or filtration.

When cool, transfer liquid to clean sealable glasses.

Here you might filter the juice again, for finer filtration you can employ a coffee filter to help with this. (Definitely keep the remaining apple mash for use in your at-home applesauce).

Once cool, taste the juice to see if it is to your desired sweetness. If not, you might consider adding in a little sugar, and reheating to dissolve. I actually added a bit of sugar and cinnamon during the cooking process and found it to be plenty sweet for my taste. But if it’s the added sugar you can do without, then skip this step.

Keep cooled juice in a clean glass jar in the fridge and it should stay good up to a week.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 25

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

Tasteful Two Artists’ Eye View of the Weekly Feast

P

hotographer Kevin McCarty and artist Haruko Tanaka have come up with a plan to save the world from wasted CSA produce: adding another day in the week dedicated solely to cooking. Brilliant. We here at AHO will second that. It’s about time there was a day set aside for the weekly feast. Now, how to make it happen?

Kevin works as a photographer and photography and graphic design instructor at the Art Institute of California and Haruko is an artist working in photo, film/video, and graphic design. They answered a few questions for us after visiting the farm here at AHO headquarters this past summer.

How did you hear about Abundant Harvest and when did you first try it out?

K/H: Our friend Eydie has been a long time AHO subscriber (go Pasadena!) and she impressed us so much with her unrelenting enthusiasm about the boxes of vegetables and fruit she was getting every week. So when we became roommates almost a year ago, we decided to split a large box. $20 (each) for a ton of local, organic, vegetables and fruits is a no-brainer!

What size box do you AHO subscribers Kevin Mccarty and Haruko Tanaka. typically See more of Kevin’s photography at get and www.kevinmccartystudio.com and Haruko’s art work at www.kissoftheworld.net what are your cooking habits?

K/H: We get a large box that feeds 2 people for a week. It’s a lot! We generally cook daily, but have found when we do that, we don’t get through all the food. It seems that it works better when we cook large dishes and eat leftovers, as opposed to making lots of small meals throughout the week.

How does eating from the AHO box fit with your lifestyle and food values?

K/H: Eating from an AHO box is like having the luxury of walking into a vegetarian restaurant that serves everything you can imagine, and feeling comfortable and safe knowing that anything you order is veggie. We are so super lucky. AHO does all the hard, responsible work, and we get to just hop on the AHO train knowing that what we’re consuming is healthy and conscientious AND we get to brag about it—which fits our lifestyle perfectly!

What is the most fun part of eating from the AHO box for you?

K/H: The most fun part of eating from the box is biting into a vegetable or fruit and admiring just how tasteful it is, especially www.abundantharvestorganics.com 27

Asian Pear Cake Fruit Mixture 3 c diced Asian pears 1 c chopped pecans 1 tsp cinnamon ⅓ c sugar

Cake: 1½ c flour ¾ c whole wheat flour 1 c brown sugar ½ c sugar 2 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp baking soda ¾ c oil 2 tsp vanilla 3 eggs

Preheat Oven to 350º. Flour and grease a bundt pan. Combine fruit mixture.

In another mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. With mixer on low stir in oil, vanilla and eggs until well blended. Combine fruit mixture with cake batter stirring to combine. Put into bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Turn out on plate when cool. May sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Left, Asian pears growing at the Jackson Family Farm Stay in Kingsburg, California.

Right, Subscribers Kevin McCarty and Haruko Tanaka visited AHO Headquarters this summer and took home a haul of freshpicked fruit.

compared to what we used to get at regular grocery stores. It’s amazing to discover how things can really taste...

What’s been your biggest challenge with eating from the box and how did you overcome it?

K/H: The biggest challenge has been getting through all the food in the large box!!! Luckily we compost and that goes back into the garden, but we have been experimenting—large box one week, small box another. We also recently spent an entire day just cooking as much as we could in one go, which was very helpful.

We’re thinking of adding another day in the week to dedicate to cooking.

Why do you continue to get your produce through AHO? K/H: There’s just no better deal anywhere —it’s all organic and totally affordable!

PLUS we went up to Kingsburg for an AHO Tour and met Uncle Vern and the AHO family. Now that we know our farmer, we’re totally locked in!

Can you speak from your experience of living in a big city and having a connection to the farms and farmers growing the food you eat? How has that connection affected you?

K: I grew up in Southern Ohio. My grandparents were farmers. My mother still gardens and cans beans and pickles cucumbers each summer. Getting an AHO box each week reminds me of summertime visits when my mom would take bags of corn to friends or coming home from my aunt’s house with a box of tomatoes. Since moving to Los Angeles the AHO experience has reconnected me with my roots.

K/H: Going up to Kingsburg, taking the AHO tour and meeting Uncle Vern has made all the difference. When we went up there we stayed at Uncle Vern’s cousin’s farm stay (The Jackson Family Farm Stay).

So we got to chat with Uncle Vern and Rob who gave us tremendous insight into the meaning of “sustainable” and “organic.”

We came away with a visceral feeling and conviction of “community” and how we all need each other to survive. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 29

Say the weekly feast does end up getting its own day. You’re going to need something to keep you busy. Why not start here with some of Kevin and Haruko’s favorite fall recipes?

AHO Sunchoke & Kale Hash with Quinoa

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

“We had no idea what to do with the sunchoke, so we just googled sunchoke and kale, and lo and behold a recipe popped up. This was a schmancy recipe from Food & Wine, which uses farro which we didn’t have (and also didn’t know what it was), so we switched it out with quinoa and it came out great!” ~ Kevin and Haruko 1. Cook up desired amount of quinoa and set aside.

2. Peel and chop sunchoke (any size, but not too small).

3. Cut up some onion (red, sweet, whatever came in the box!)

4. Cut up kale.

5. Chop up some mushrooms (these were store bought, but we probably could’ve used our AHO eggplant come to think of it).

6. Boil sunchoke to desired softness (we left it pretty crunchy) and set aside.

7. Blanch kale for a few minutes and also set aside.

8. With some oil, sauté onions, then add your sunchoke, kale, and mushrooms and the quinoa and then salt and pepper to taste!

Note: People say sunchoke is like a potato, but we found it to be more similar to burdock in crunchiness and earthy taste!

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Cauliflower Mash Steam 1 head of cauliflower until soft. Place the cooked cauliflower in a food processor. Add ⅓ cup chicken broth, 2 tbsp sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, then puree until smooth. Top with garlic chives or some grated cheese of your choice.

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

ANYTHING GOES! Kevin and Haruko’s Fall Vegetable Miso Soup 1. Make broth from boiling dried shiitake mushrooms and dried konbu (seaweed) in desired amount of water.

2. Remove konbu; the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms can be chopped and put in the soup.

3. Cut up any AHO fall veggies that you’d like in the soup. The pot size is your only limit!

4. Place everything in the broth and cook until vegetables are at desired tenderness.

5. In a separate bowl place desired amount of miso and dissolve it with a few ladles of the broth.

6. IMPORTANT: Mix the dissolved miso with the rest of your soup for the last 2 minutes.

(Miso should not be overcooked!)

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Hasselback Potatoes Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub your potatoes until clean. Using a sharp knife, make ⅛ inch slices across the raw potatos, being sure to stop before reaching the bottom. Cut a very cold cube of butter into slices and work them into the potato slices, filling every other slice. You can also do the same with your choice of cheese, alternating fillings from butter to cheese. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet.

Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil on top of potatoes. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. When close to done, you can drizzle with heavy cream, and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Top with Greek-style yogurt and fresh herbs. Serve.

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photo by Kevin McCarty & Haruko Tanaka

Watermelon and Tomato Salad Cut flesh of 1 large watermelon into 1 inch cubes. Dice 4 tomatoes into 1 inch chunks. Thinly slice 1 sweet onion and 12 fresh mint leaves. In a large bowl, gently mix watermelon, tomatoes, mint, onion and 1 cup crumbled feta cheese in a large bowl. Separately, whisk together Âź cup olive oil, 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, a pinch of coarse sea salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad and gently toss to coat. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 33

S i e s e t e r r h s T s i i n a s R d 34

Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Father and daughter Joe and Natalie Soghomonian of Three Sisters Organic Farm in Fresno, California.

Photo courtesy Natalie Soghomonian

N

atalie Soghomonian is the middle of the three sisters who inspired her farm’s namesake. She grew into her role as a full time grape and raisin farmer from the ground up, following her dad, Joe, in the vineyards as a little girl and spending five years as a full time tractor driver in her early twenties before she started managing the farming operations.

We tracked Natalie down in the vineyard during raisin grape harvest. For all farmers, harvest season is craziness: early mornings, long days, loads of people to manage, and windows of opportunity that can’t be rescheduled. Natalie has an extra layer of busyness layered into her harvest season—managing her sales directly.

Unique among Central Valley raisin growers, Natalie has accumulated her raisin customers herself, through farmer’s markets, CSAs, and food companies who have sought her out because they want to know exactly where the raisins they use are from. Most raisin farmers sell to a packing house where raisins from multiple farms are blended

together, but Natalie has opted out— keeping her fruit harvest unified.

“Every raisin is not the same quality, so you could have raisins from a farmer who doesn’t care and doesn’t have that quality mixed with those from farmers who know their vines and are very particular. Packers need to blend to basically sell those lower quality raisins and I don’t believe in that,” Natalie said. “I farm all my stuff the same. My dad taught me that. He’s just very, very particular, one tray would be bugging him if it wasn’t drying the same as the whole row.”

Natalie’s farming philosophy is centered on quality rather than production and selling her Three Sisters brand raisins herself guarantees the effect of that philosophy reaches the hands of the end customer.

Raisins are still being made the same way they have been for thousands of years, outdoors in the sun. One tub of grapes will fill a paper “tray.” These jumbo grapes cook in the sun for about two to three weeks total, and sometimes have to be flipped for even drying. After they’ve dried most of the way, the paper tray will be rolled up like a burrito and left in the sun to cook for several more days before being picked up and boxed.

Penne with Rapini, Sliced Almonds and Raisins 1 bunch rapini ½ lb penne pasta 3 Tbsp olive oil

4 large cloves garlic, minced ⅓ c raisins ⅓ c almonds, slivered

Red pepper flakes (optional) Salt Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Wash rapini well and separate stems and leaves. Bring several quarts of water to a boil. Blanch rapini one and a half minutes until barely tender. Remove the greens to a colander to drain. Reserve cooking water. Salt the water and add the pasta. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and soften it. Stir the greens into the garlic oil and remove from heat. When the pasta is cooked al dente, add the raisins, nuts and pepper flakes to the greens. Leave some water clinging to the pasta. Place the pan over high heat and toss the pasta with the greens. Season to taste. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

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Laying down raisins at Three Sisters Organic Farm in Fresno, California 36

Seasonal Update FALL 2014

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 37

A HISTORY OF

POPCORN

by Jessica Lessard

The smell of fresh popcorn conjures up a wealth of memories. Whether it’s your first trip to the movies or the Pavlovian cringe that arises when you catch the dreaded smell of office microwave popcorn that just won’t quit.

Popcorn has a place in our hearts here at AHO, it’s a symbol of fall and fun.

There is nothing quite like getting to eat fresh popped kernels right off the cob. Even more fabulous is: when we eat popcorn we are joining in on an age old tradition that stretches back thousands, yes thousands of years.

According to the American Popcorn Board and their Encyclopedia Popcornica (no I didn’t make that up), humans have been cooking up popcorn for over 4,000 years. We know this because remnants of popcorn ears from this period in history were discovered in the 1950s inside bat caves in New Mexico. In later periods, like the early 16th century, Native Americans would use the cobs (sometimes with popped kernels) as a means of bodily adornment. Seventeenth-century Spanish explorers to the Americas also noted that this corn was heated and eaten by the local tribes as a “confection” known as pisancalla.

In more recent history, we know that popcorn 38

Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Photo by Jessica Lessard

was a popular treat in the United States in the early 19th century. By 1848, the term “popcorn” (because of the sound the kernels made when bursting) was officially part of the dictionary.

Street vendors, much like the ones you see in New York today, would sell bags of popcorn to passersby. Throughout the Great Depression this was seen as one of the few luxuries that was worth saving up one’s pennies to buy (a bag usually went for about 5 to 10 cents). According to food historian, Karen L. Schnitzspahn, the absence of sugar in the US during WWII, led to an increased consumption of popcorn.

Not surprisingly, this treat we so often associate with going to the movies experienced a significant decline with the invention of television. But don’t let that fact fool you, Americans still consume a large amount of popcorn (thanks in part to the invention of the microwave in the 1980s—which by the way was invented in part thanks to popcorn).

On average, Americans consume over 16 million quarts of popcorn each year, around 70 percent of that total within their home, and 30 percent at sporting events, the theatre, school events and more.

Get Ready!

Stove Top Popcorn on the Cob To pop it on the stove top, remove the kernels from the cob by taking it in two hands and twisting your hands in opposite directions over a bowl or platter to catch the kernels. It sometimes takes a minute to get it started, but once the kernels are falling out the process should be fairly easy. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy saucepan (don’t use butter because it will burn) to between 400° and 460°. If the oil smokes, you know it’s too hot. Test the temperature by tossing in a few kernels; the oil is hot enough when they pop. Pour in enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan, give the pan a shake to coat the kernels with oil and keep them from sticking immediately, and cover with a loose-fitting lid so that the steam can escape. Keep the pot moving back and forth over the burner to keep the kernels from sticking and burning until all the corn is popped. The popcorn will be ready when the popping sounds peak and slow.

In the Field

Popcorn is a variety of corn, like sweet corn, or grain corn, but it wouldn’t ever be eaten fresh; it is meant to be dried and popped. The cobs of popcorn dry in the field while still on the stalk of the corn plant, are then harvested, and sent out.

The corn kernels pop when the moisture inside each kernel turns to steam when heated. You can expect to see this year’s popcorn in November.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 39

Fall Recipes 2014

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

FIG, RED ONION & PORT JAM ON SPELT PIZZA with GOAT’S CHEESE & ARUGULA 15(ish!)oz fresh figs 1 red onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup port 3 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the red onion in the oil for about 10 minutes until it’s going translucent and it’s nicely soft. As it’s cooking, finely chop up all the figs, removing the stems. When the onion is ready, pour in the port and scrape down the pan. Then throw in all the figs and stir it all together. Let it simmer with a lid on for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally, then remove the lid and continue cooking until you reach the jam consistency that you want! Now put it on a cracker, on some cheese, or load up a homemade pizza crust! photo by Kezia Neusch

by AHO Subscriber Kezia Neusch Redding, CA

I love small town living. There are many things I’ve learned to love in moving from the cosmopolitan millions of London to this Northern California 90,000 but one of them is the food producing and sharing community.

Picking up my veg box the other week, someone kindly handed me an extra half gallon of delicious raw milk from their goats; a friend brought me two massive bags of persimmons; while she was on vacation, another friend told me to go and pick chard and

strawberries from her garden.

I made Regularly I go to the gym and some sweet there is a box of garden bounty with orange, left by another gym member… vanilla and it’s a dream! Last week someone c i n n a m o n said they had a whole fig tree and then I that needed picking, and that is made this a red rag to this bull. I took a big one with red thewholefooddiary.com bag and went on my way home onions and port…it’s a winner in from a party. I picked and picked my opinion. And then to take it until the sun was down and I a step further, lather it on a pizza couldn’t see the figs any more! with goats cheese, fire it up and Thanks Craig and Cindy, you are then top it with rocket, a drizzle so generous. of balsamic reduction, and some But now, what to do with chopped nuts. Set it next to a hundreds of figs? Well, the same good glass of wine and you have answer as to hundreds of any the perfect early fall night. kind of fruit: jam. Perfect. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 41

Fresh Pear Cake 4 c peeled and chopped pears 3 c flour 1½ teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 egg whites 1 c chopped pecans 2 c white sugar 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cloves ⅔ c canola oil

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine the pears and sugar. Prepare a bundt pan with cooking spray. If you don’t have a bundt any other pan will do. Slightly beat the egg whites and combine with oil, chopped pecans and pear mixture. Stir dry ingredients together. Combine pear mixture and pour in prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before removing from bundt pan.

Breakfast & B aked Goods fall

Persimmon and Pear Bread 2¼ c flour ½ c packed brown sugar 1½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg ⅛ tsp cloves 1 c plain yogurt ⅓ c honey ¼ c canola oil

1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs lightly beaten ⅓ c finely diced ripe pears ½ c persimmon puree ¾ c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375° Coat 2 loaf pans with cooking spray. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In another bowl combine yogurt and moist ingredients. Fold the moist and dry ingredients together. Fold in the persimmon puree, pears, and pecans. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Fig Yogurt photo and recipe submitted by subscriber Lezie Mitchell www.skinnydecaflatte.com

“I used to buy flavored yogurt for breakfast but the more I became health conscious I realized flavored yogurts have unnecessary and unhealthy ingredients. So I decided to start making my own. It’s really easy, all you’ll need is your favorite yogurt and seasonal fruit.”

Clockwise: Fig yogurt (photo by Lezlie Mitchell); AHO apple, stone fruit and persimmon farmer Augustine Cardenas at his Central Valley ranch; Baby beets at Silveira Farms in Atwater, California.

Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes 4–6 beets, steamed and peeled ¼ c oil 1 stick melted butter ¾ c buttermilk 1 tsp each almond & vanilla extract 4 eggs lightly beaten 2 ½ c flour 1 ½ c raw sugar ¾ c unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt Preheat oven to 350° Use cupcake liners or lightly grease cupcake tin. Place beets in food processor. Puree until mixture becomes a thick liquid. Add buttermilk, butter, extracts, and eggs, and pulse to combine. Combine all dry ingredients.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and pulse until there are no lumps and it is well combined. Spoon batter into tin. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 12.

Optional to frost.

Harvest Spice Muffins 2 eggs 1 c milk ½ c applesauce or olive oil 1 c each diced pears & apples 3 c flour 1 c brown sugar 4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp nutmeg Whisk together eggs, milk and applesauce or oil until well blended. Stir in diced fruit.

Combine remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Add dry to wet ingredients and stir just until blended. Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes. Divide batter between 20 muffin cups and bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until brown on top. Serve warm and drizzle with a little honey.

Slice 3 seasonal figs into quarter pieces. Place 1 cup yogurt, sliced figs and 1 tsp honey into blender and blend for 30 seconds or until you see the fruit is no longer chunky. Place into bowl and top off with more sliced figs or cacao nibs. Enjoy!

Holiday Season Butternut Squash Bread 1 Butternut Squash 2 cups flour 1 ½ c sugar 1 c wheat flour ½ c brown sugar 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp each cinnamon and allspice ½ tsp baking soda, salt & nutmeg 2 cups mashed squash 2 eggs ½ cup oil ½ cup evaporated milk 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup pecans, chopped Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, place in a baking dish cut side up and add about ½ inch of water in the bottom of the pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 400º for 1 hour. Combine all dry ingredients and mix. Combine all wet ingredients and mix. Add the two together. Grease two loaf pans, add the batter and before you bake sprinkle each loaf with approx. 1 Tbls of sugar. Bake at 350º for 50-60 minutes.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 43

Warm Persimmon Sauce

de-ma-cuisine.com

6 persimmons, peeled and diced 1 tsp lemon juice Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil ⅓ c water then reduce to a simmer. Stirring often, cook for about 30 ¼ tsp cinnamon minutes, or until persimmons are soft. (Optional: At about pinch nutmeg the 20 minute mark, when persimmons are fairly soft, 1 tbsp honey mash with a fork to desired consistency. A potato masher, pinch salt hand blender, or food processor could also be used.)

Cornmeal Pancakes 2 tsp coconut oil (plus a little more for cooking) 2 egg 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp baking powder pinch salt ¼ tbsp maple syrup 1 c cornmeal ½ c buttermilk roasted almonds, chopped (optional – for topping)

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

recipes and photo submitted by AHO food blogger and subscriber Rachel Oberg

Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Whisk all ingredients together.

Let stand 5 minutes. (The batter should be pretty thin.)

Put a little bit of coconut oil on the hot griddle, over medium-low heat. Pour a small amount of batter in a circle (about 1/8 C or less). Cook about 2 minutes on the first side (until the bubbles that form stay, and don’t pop and disappear), flip, cook about 1 minute on the second side.

Top with Warm Persimmon Sauce, chopped almonds, and maple syrup.

Veggie-Full Meals fall

Baked Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Butter Preheat oven to 375 째. Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop the seeds and stringy pulp out of the squash and discard. In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp softened butter, 2 tbsp maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Rub the squash cavities and cut sides of the squash with the butter mixture and place squash halves on a baking sheet, cut side up. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 45

photos by Jessica Lessard

West Indie Curry recipe submitted by AHO staffer Jessica Lessard

fromhiskitchentoherplate.wordpress.com

2 cups cubed chicken 3 Scotch bonnet peppers, seeded & minced (Habanero’s and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar work as a substitute) 4 Cloves of garlic, minced 1 whole white onion coarsly diced 2 cups Jerusalem artichokes, peeled & halved 1 16oz can of whole garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro 4 tablespoons of your favorite curry spice mix 2 Tbs grape seed oil ¼ cup water

In a separate small pan over med-light heat toast 1tbsp of the curry seasoning until aromatic...do not burn. In a large pot heat the grape seed oil over med heat and then add the peppers, garlic and onions. Saute for about 1 minute, then add both the toasted and regular curry spice and chicken and the 1/4 cup water. Stir well and then let simmer. After 10 minutes add the chokes and simmer.

Simmer until the chokes can be pierced easily with a fork. When chokes are tender, mix in the the garbanzos and heat till hot throughout. Enjoy with roti or a warm tortilla garnished with fresh cilantro.

46 Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Califlower “Mac” and Cheese Salt as needed 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets Non stick cooking spray 1 c heavy cream 2 ounces cream cheese 1½ tsp Dijon mustard 1½ c shredded sharp cheddar cheese ¼ tsp black pepper ⅛ tsp garlic powder Cut cauliflower into florets and steam or cook till crisp tender.

Pat dry and place in casserole dish. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan and whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth.

Stir in 1 cup of cheese, salt, pepper and garlic and whisk just until the cheese melts about 1to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower and stir to combine.

Top with remaining cheese and bake until browned and bubbly about 15 to 20 minutes.

Depending on size of your head of cauliflower you may need to double the sauce to go over cooked florets.

Daikon Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce Daikon radish 1 15 oz can tomatoes 3 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1–2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves salt & ground black pepper 1–2 tsp rosemary, chopped

With a vegetable peeler remove the outer skin of the Daikon.

Continue down slicing the length of the Daikon with the vegetable peeler, creating long, narrow ribbons of radish that should look like noodles. Soak the radish “noodles” in a bowl of cold salted water for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion and garlic.

Saute until softened. Add the tomatoes along with the tomato juice, sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often until the sauce is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain the radish “noodles” and dry them with a kitchen towel. Add to the sauce and toss gently over medium heat.

Cook until just heated through.

Stuffed Chard with Fresh Marinara 1 pound lean ground beef ½ c plain dry breadcrumbs 2 medium shallots, minced, divided 1½ tsp Italian seasoning divided 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp freshly ground pepper 8 large chard leaves, stems removed 1-14 ounce can chicken broth 1 Tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp crushed red pepper 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese Gently mix beef, breadcrumbs, 1 Tbsp shallots, ½ tsp Italian seasoning, garlic powder and ¼ tsp pepper in a large bowl until just combined. Divide the mixture into 8 oblong 3 inch portions. Overlap the two sides of the chard leaf where the stem was removed and place a portion of beef there. Tightly roll the chard around the beef. Place each roll, seam side down, in a large nonstick skillet. Pour in broth, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, cook for 10-15 min. Discard remaining broth. In medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat oil. Add remaining shallots, Italian seasoning, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until shallot is soft, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 8 min. Serve the chard rolls topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 47

Soups & Salads fall

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Turnip Soup with Greens

Pomegranate Salad

¼ c pomegranate juice 1½ Tbsp Champagne vinegar 1½ tsp minced shallots 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper Mixed salad greens ½ c pomegranate seeds 4 tsp toasted pecans, finely chopped Combine juice, vinegar, shallots, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add salad greens, pomegranate seeds, and pecans; toss well to combine and serve immediately.

Curry Cashew, Pear, & Grape Salad 1 head lettuce or mixed greens 1 pear, thinly sliced 1 c red grapes, havled ¾ c cashew halves 4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped 1 tbsp melted butter 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1 tsp curry powder 1 tbsp brown sugar ½ tsp salt ½ tsp cayenne pepper Dressing: 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp Dijon Mustard ½ c olive oil 2 tbsp honey salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, toast cashews until golden brown.

Remove and cool. Cook the bacon until crisp.

Remove, chop, and set aside. In a medium bowl stir together butter, rosemary, curry powder, brown sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and toasted cashews.

Set aside. Make dressing, whisking together. Mix all in large bowl and sprinkle with nuts.

1 bunch turnips 1 bunch greens (mustard or kale) 1 leek or 1 onion 2–3 cloves garlic 2 tbsp olive oil 2 slices bacon or pancetta, finely chopped 4–6 c chicken broth salt and pepper to taste Wash and cut greens into strips. Peel the turnips, chop them into small chunks and set aside. Chop onion or leeks. Thinly slice garlic.

Heat the oil in a medium pot. Add the bacon or pancetta and cook until it is tender but not crunchy. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.

Add the chopped turnips and broth. Bring to a boil. Maintain a steady simmer and cook until turnips are tender. Stir in the greens and cook until greens are tender. Taste and add seasonings.

Creamy Root Soup Butternut or acorn squash, peeled and seeded Turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, or any root vegetable you have an abundance of Olive oil Salt and pepper 3 cups chicken broth Sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or other herb A couple of pinches of parsley or hot pepper flakes 1 cup cream Peel veggies. Cut squash and other large vegetables into wedges. Cut carrots into sticks. Drizzle all with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Have enough vegetables to fill a baking sheet and roast until all are fork tender. Transfer to a dutch oven. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil with sprigs of herbs. When vegetables are very soft; blend together so the mixture becomes creamy. Add parsley or hot pepper flakes (or both) and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cream before serving. Top with bread sticks or croutons.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 49

Italian Potato Soup 5-6 potatoes, scrubbed & diced 1 lb Italian sausage, bite size pieces 1 large onion, diced 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large can chicken broth 2 c water ½ c white wine ½-¾4 cup fennel, diced ¼ tsp chili flakes (optional) ½ tsp oregano, chopped parsley Olive oil for sautéing Salt and pepper to taste ½ pint half and half Parmesan cheese for garnish Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil in soup pot until soft. Remove and set aside. Sauté sausage until browned. Add potatoes and sauté for 5 minutes or until browned. Add onions and garlic to sausage and potatoes. Add chicken broth water, wine and seasonings, simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. As an option chopped Swiss chard, kale or spinach may be added. Add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving add ½ pint half and half.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheeses and serve.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

Kale Salad with Tahini Lemon Dressing

thewholefooddiary.com

For the salad: 1 bunch kale (about 8-10 stalks) ¼ c toasted pine nuts ¼ c raisins 1 apple or pear

For the dressing: Juice of 1½ lemons ¼ cup tahini 2 tbs olive oil 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp minced garlic salt and pepper to taste

Start by tossing the pine nuts in a small skillet over a low heat and toasting them for 5 minutes or until you can see them gently browning – you don’t want them to go black. Shake the pan regularly to move them around.

Take the kale and tear the leaves off the hard stems, discard the stems and put the leaves in a bowl. Now (don’t laugh at me…) you’re going to massage the kale. It might sound strange but it really does help to break it down and make it more palatable, give it a go for a few minutes until you feel a difference.

Now, in a bowl mix all of the dressing ingredients together thoroughly with a fork. You really want the dressing to coat the kale so pour it on and mix until its really well and evenly combined. Slice the pear and add that to the salad with the raisins and the toasted pine nuts, give it a gentle toss and you’re ready to go!

recipe and photos by Kezia Nuesch

Fennel, Apple and Pomegranate Salad

Fennel Soup

½ c olive oil ¼ c lemon juice 1 shallot minced ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved and very thinly sliced 1 apple, halved, cored and cut into matchstick size strips 4 c mixed greens (mustard, lettuce, etc.) ¾ c pomegranate seeds

¼ c butter 5 fennel bulbs, trimmed & quartered 32 oz vegetable broth Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Combine fennel and apple in bowl and mix with 3 tablespoons of dressing. Place mixed greens in bowl and add remaining ingredients and toss together. Drizzle in desired amount of dressing.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the quartered fennel bulbs, cook and stir until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pour in broth, and simmer until fennel is tender, about 15 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and season with salt and pepper.

www.abundantharvestorganics.com 51

Roasted Butternut with Pine Nuts and Parmesan 1 butternut squash salt and pepper to taste ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

3 tbsp pine nuts Optional: salad greens and balsamic vinaigrette

Preheat oven to 375° With a sharp knife cut off the top and bottom of squash. Slice the skin off the sides and remove the seeds. Dice into bite size cubes. Place in a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter a small pan. Drizzle the butter over the squash and add the salt and pepper, toss to combine. Pour squash onto a baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Roast for 15 minutes until squash is sizzling and golden brown around the edges. Grate Parmesan cheese over squash and toss quickly. Transfer to a plate. Toast the pine nuts and add to the plate of squash, toss to combine.

Eat by itself or over a salad.

Holiday Party fall

Baked Smashed Potatoes with Fresh Herbs 10–12 new or red potatoes, washed salt to taste olive oil black pepper to taste chopped savory or basil to taste (or any other herb you might have) Preheat oven to 450° In pan, boil potatoes in lightly salted water until fork tender. After potatoes have been boiled, place on baking sheet. With a potato masher gently press down to mash each potato. Drizzle the tops of potato with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and herb of choice. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. You may also top with grated cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese prior to baking.

Fluffy Sweet Potato Biscuits ¾ c cooked mashed sweet potato ⅓ to ½ c milk as needed 1½ c flour 2 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 6 tbsp butter cut into small bits Preheat oven to 425°. Grease baking sheet. Whisk together sweet potato and 1/3 cup milk, set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with your hands or a pastry blender. Add sweet potato mixture and fold to combine. Add remaining milk a little at a time until flour is moist. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 2-3 times until all comes together. Pat the dough to ½ inch thick and round. Using a glass cut the dough into biscuits. Gently reroll the scraps and cut out more biscuits. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.

Persimmon Pudding Ripe persimmons (2 cups pulp) 3 c milk 2 c sugar 2 eggs 2 c flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla extract Dash of cinnamon ½ cup chopped nuts (optional) Whipped cream Instructions: Remove the skin and seeds from the persimmons and puree the pulp in a blender. In a large bowl, combine the pulp, milk, sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until well mixed. Stir in the chopped nuts, if desired. Pour the mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13 and bake for 70 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream.

Clockwise; Farmer Chris Couture holds a fresh pomegranate at his Kettleman City ranch. Delicata squash in the AHO packing line. Rachel O’s Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad (photo by Rachel Oberg).

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad recipe by Rachel Oberg

2 beets, peeled and thinly sliced 4 carrots, thinly sliced 2 tsp olive oil to taste salt to taste pepper 2 oranges, segmented ¼ c walnuts, chopped

Dressing: 1-2 cloves garlic, minced pinch ginger to taste salt to taste pepper ¼ tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

de-ma-cuisine.com

1½ tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp honey 2 tbsp olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 375°. Toss beets and carrots with 2 t olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375F for 10-20 minutes, or until beets are slightly crispy and tender. Remove from oven and cool.

Whisk together dressing ingredients, streaming olive oil in last.

Arrange beets, carrots, and orange segments on a serving platter. Sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately. www.abundantharvestorganics.com 53

Green Bean Bundles 1 pound fresh green beans Olive oil Salt and Pepper Bacon Preheat Oven to 350°. Blanch green beans for 3 minutes in boiling water and then dunk in ice water. Toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper. Bundle about 5 green beans and wrap a piece of bacon around the bundle.

Place in a roasting pan and roast for 10-15 minutes until bacon is cooked.

Left, Green beans in the field at Rancho Piccolo in Atwater, California. Top, perfect for a party Riddlelove olive ang fig tapenade.

French Olive Fig Tapenade with Cheese recipe and photo by Katie Riddle

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Flat Apple Pie 5 peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples 2 tbsp flour Juice of ½ a lemon ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ tsp salt Your favorite perfect pie crust which should make a 2” crust pie 6 tbsp butter Preheat Oven to 375˚. In a large bowl stir together the apples, flour, lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt. Roll out the two pie crusts into large circles and place each on a large baking sheet. Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust. Fold over the edge of the crust so that it covers 2-3 inches of the apple mixture. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of butter. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is golden and bubbly.

If the crust looks too brown too quickly cover the edges with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time. Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter.

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Seasonal Update FALL 2014

1 c dried figs or 1 pint fresh figs, chopped ¼ c water ¼ c white wine 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced 1 tsp fresh thyme 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar ¼ tsp powdered cayenne pepper ⅔ rounded cup kalamata olives, chopped 3 small cloves garlic, seeded and minced Celtic sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste ⅓ c walnut pieces 8 oz feta cheese or cream cheese Bring figs, water, wine, rosemary, and thyme to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and add all remaining ingredients but the walnuts and cheese. Stir well. Cover and chill anywhere from 3 hours to overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

On stoneware (preferred) or a baking sheet, bake walnuts for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. Set aside. Before serving, place cheese on platter. If using cream cheese, squish it down to about a 1/2 inch thick circle. If using feta, crumble it and loosely bunch it together to about the same size.

Combine walnuts and olive mixture. Spoon it over the cheese and serve with crackers, French bread, and/or or vegetable slices.

Apple Pomegranate Crisp 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced ½ cup pomegranate seeds ½ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup flour ½ cup sugar ½ cup butter melted Preheat oven to 375°In large bowl toss apples, pomegranate seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread in 9×13 pan. In the same bowl stir together oats, flour and sugar, drizzle in butter and stir with a fork to obtain a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

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