The only year-round CSA produce box program featuring Alaskan vegetables!

How would you like to pick up a box full of beautiful fresh, local vegetables when you need produce? Subscribers to our Glacier Valley Farm CSA program aren’t limited to our short farmers’ market season to get Alaskan vegetables--we’re loading boxes with Alaskan produce year-round! Each box also includes a newsletter packed with delicious, healthy recipes specifically tailored to the vegetables of the week! The weekly update also includes vegetable storage tips and news about the local farms that contribute produce to the boxes. While you’re enjoying delicious, economical Alaskan produce, you’re also supporting your local farmers! You can sign up to receive a box of produce once a week, twice a month, or more sporadically—you choose the dates! You pre-pay $35 for your box, then pick it up at a pre-determined location.

HELP US PRESERVE AGRICULTURE LANDS IN ALASKA
Only 4% of Alaska’s farmland is accessible and viable for farming, and less than 5% of food consumed in Alaska is locally grown. Here is a great way to make your voice heard and it takes less than a minute. Please go to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/Help-save-Alaska-Farmland to learn more and help us reach the 1,000 signatures needed! 

what’s in the box?

Week of March 7, 2010 box contents

From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, VanderWeele Farm: Alaskan yellow onions | Alaskan Russet potatoes| Alaskan beets

From Outside: certified organic Braeburn apples | certified organic Honeygold grapefruit | certified organic blood oranges | certified organic broccoli | certified organic cauliflower | certified organic chard | certified organic collards | certified organic delicata squash garnet yams

Week of March 14, 2010 box contents

From Alaska’s Glacier Valley Farm, VanderWeele Farm: Alaskan yellow onions | Alaskan Russet potatoes| Alaskan beets

From Outside: certified organic red D’Anjou pears | certified organic navel oranges | certified organic kumquats | certified organic escarole | certified organic cauliflower | certified organic chard | certified organic Romaine lettuce | certified organic rappini (a/k/a broccoli rabe)

We should have all the ingredients listed above, but we might have to make last minute substitutions.

glacier grist

Issue #60 • Wednesday, March 10, 2010

DID YOU KNOW
Blood oranges are a type of orange, but the distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, (an antioxidant) a pigment common to many flowers and fruit, but uncommon in citrus fruits.  Blood oranges do tend to be a little more tart than regular oranges.  They look and taste wonderful in salads.

Honeygold grapefruit was originally planted only 50 years ago in south Texas. It has a pink-yellow honey-like flesh.  Truly a treat since there are only 5 acres growing at this south Texas farm.

LOOK FOR YOUR NAME ON THE LABEL!
Look for your box label with YOUR name on it.  If you should happen to take someone’s box, please call customer service at 529.7630.

DO YOU HAVE ANY GLACIER VALLEY BOXES?
You can always drop them off early the day of delivery or bring and bag and leave your box the day of delivery. 
If that is not convenient, please let us know.  We will work with you to get rid of your box clutter.

ALWAYS REMEMBER that if you are not happy with something in your box, please let us know right away.  We are dealing with Mother Nature and sometimes she throws us a curve. We will make it up to you in your next box. 

recipes

for glacier grist Issue #60

broccoli with cashew nuts

(contributed by Nancy)

The one thing I have encountered with cooking broccoli, is that it really buddies up to any type of nut.  In this case we’re using cashews, but please feel free to substitute anything you might have on hand.  This is my version of something I saw on allrecipes.com. 

1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews

1.  Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender but still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter.
2.  While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli. Serve immediately.

indian spiced cauliflower soup

(contributed by Nancy)

This soup is very creamy even without adding the yoghurt.  Cauliflower is like a blank canvas and takes to other flavors easily.  From Mark Bitman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon garam masala (or curry powder)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
salt and pepper
½ cup white wine
3 cups vegetable (or chicken stock)
1 cups yoghurt
cilantro for garnish(optional)

1.  Heat a soup pot to medium and add oil to pan. Add garam masala and cumin and stir for 30 seconds. Add garlic, onion, and cauliflower plus a good pinch of salt and some pepper. Stir regularly until onions are soft - about 10 minutes.
2.  Add wine and cook down for a minute or two. Add stock, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until cauliflower is very tender, 15-20 minutes.
3.  Cool slightly and put through blender. Return to pot on low heat and whisk in yoghurt.
4.  Taste and correct for seasoning. Serve topped with cilantro and pepper.

sicilian blood orange salad

(contributed by Nancy)

You can enjoy the blood oranges just as is or you can incorporate them into a salad.  This recipe is from the SplendidTable.com.
The technique of icing the onions takes away their sting and makes them a crisp contrast to the oranges.

1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
ice
water
1 to 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
1 navel orange, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
about 1/3 cup juice from the oranges
about 6 black kalamata or italian olives
fruity extra-virgin olive oil

1. Half fill a medium-size bowl with ice, add the onion slices, cover with more ice, and fill bowl with cold water. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or up to a couple of hours.
2. Shortly before serving, fan the different colored oranges on a large plate. Drain the onions, pat dry, and tuck the onion rings here and there among the orange slices. Lightly dust the salad with salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle the salad with the orange juice, scatter the olives over it, and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Taste for seasoning.

A North African Variation: This seemingly exotic blending of savory and sweet flavors is evidence of the lasting Arab influence on Sicily’s cuisine, dating back to their invasion of the island in the 9th century.

Across the Mediterranean in North Africa, the salad is seasoned as above, along with a little orange flower water, sugar, cinnamon, and hot paprika. Add these to taste, starting with very small quantities of about 1/4 teaspoon each and working up from there.

fluetters

(contributed by Nancy)

The one special piece of equipment you need for this is a ricer.  If you don’t have a ricer see if you can borrow one from a neighbor.  Ya, these are that good! These Alsatian baked dumplings are delicious and go with any main dish.  From One Potato Two Potato by Roy Finamore with Molly Stevens.

2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed
coarse salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 small garlic clove, minced
freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick unsalted butter), melted

1.  Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by at least an inch, add a good pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium, cover partway, and cook until the potatoes are very tender.  Drain the potatoes.  Set on a rack to cool.
2.  As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and rice them into a large bowl.  Spread them out with a wooden spoon so that they cool and do not steam.
3.  When the potatoes are cool, stir in the eggs, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper.
4.  Use your hands to shape quarter cupfuls of the potatoes into balls or egg shaped dumplings.  The fluetters can be made ahead and covered and refrigerated for several hours.
5.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a baking sheet or large baking dish.
6.  Set the fluetters at least ½ inch apart on the baking sheet or in the dish.  Paint the tops and sides of the fluetters generously with about half of the melted butter.  Bake, brushing with the remaining butter partway through cooking until heated through and golden on top, 35 to 45 minutes.  Serve warm.

sauté of collard greens

(contributed by Nancy)

I originally saw this recipe in Gourmet, but changed it by reducing the amount of boiling time and adding more flavorful heat.  You can also use this recipe with chard or kale.

approx 1 pound collard greens
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
red pepper flakes or cajun spice blend (optional)

1.  Remove and discard stems and center ribs of collard greens. Cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a kettle of boiling water cook collards 5 minutes and drain in a colander, pressing out excess liquid with back of a wooden spoon.
2.  Mince garlic. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides and stir in garlic, collards, and salt and pepper to taste. 3.  Sauté collard mixture, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes.
4. Drizzle collards with lemon juice and red pepper flakes (or Cajun spice blend) and toss well.