glacier grist
Issue #128 • Sunday, July 31, 2011
Hi Everyone,
The season is in full swing now, what fun we are having now!
In the greenhouse; the tomatoes are in full production now! As I reported last week the cucumbers have slowed way down not sure how much longer they will be around, we’ll see.
In the field; The berries have also slowed down we are only getting a few pounds a week right now, I am hopeful the weather will continue to cooperate so we can get another good week or two out of them.
The Zucchini is doing great, it is the best crop I have grown since I started farming. You will start seeing more local onions from here on out, they are growing great this year. I had the greens from one last night in my salad, yum!
If you haven’t had the opportunity to get to one of the many farmers markets this year now would be a great time to go, the markets are rocking! Last saturday we opened up a farm market at our barn here on the farm. We will have “The Barn” farm market open every saturday from 10-4. Our first week went very well we had a good response from everyone, thanks!
I hope to see everyone at the farmers market!
Cheers,
Arthur Keyes
Glacier Valley Farm
recipes
for glacier grist Issue #128
Cheese and Garlic Broccoli and Potato Bake
Rainy night comfort food!
1 bunch broccoli, washed and cut into small frourets
2-4 potatoes, washed and diced
tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup of your choice of cheese (I like pepper jack, Colby, or Swiss)
Heat the oil over medium high heat in your pan. Stir in onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli, potatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Cube the cheese and stir into hot mixture. Bake in a casserole dish at 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Balsamic Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Salad
I love a good vinaigrette dressing. When I make it from scratch, I know exactly what’s in it.
1/4 cup good quality balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons shallots or sweet onions (use red onions if you like)
1 tablespoon fresh herbs of your choice (I like a mixture of parsley and dill)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt
4 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled (I prefer gorgonzola for this)
1 head of lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
In a food processor or blender, mix together the vinegar, onions, and herbs. Add the olive oil in a slow drizzle while your machine is running. Add in half of your blue cheese and process until smooth. Add in the remaining blue cheese and leave chunky. In a large bowl toss lettuce, and enough dressing to coat. Now you can get creative and add in other salad ingredients you like. (I like some diced cucumber and grape tomatoes.) Enjoy!
Green Leaf Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This is a flavorful side to any Mexican meal. I love it with Carne Asada!
1 head of green leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Place the lime juice, cilantro, and hot sauce in food processor and add a little salt and pepper. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil. Taste dressing and adjust seasonings. Pour dressing into a bowl and add the lettuce and any other salad items like cucumber, avocado , or tomato. Toss gently and coat in dressing.
From Scratch Ranch Dip
A great dip for fresh veggies. I am not a fan of mayonnaise, so I offer alternatives that I enjoy.
1/2 to 1 small clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 scallion (white and green) minced
3/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Optional items I use occasionally to switch up the flavors include:
1 tablespoon fresh basil or oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne or red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of roasted red bell peppers or sun dried tomatoes
Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternatively, if you like a chunkier dip, mince the garlic, parsley and scallion and stir everything together until well blended. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to give all the flavors time to come together. Store for up to a week.
