Weekly Weeder

Olin-Fox Farms Volume No. 10 Issue No. 1 January 9, 2008

www.olinfoxfarms.com Winter Season Week 1


STANDARD REMINDER

Please be sure to wash your weekly share thoroughly before serving. To preserve freshness, it is NOT ‘table ready’ (i.e., pre-washed). We deliver your Olin-Fox Farms’ produce right from the fields to ensure highest quality.


This Week's News From The Farms

Welcome to the 2008 CSA Winter Program. We are pleased to announce that the organic citrus harvest was very good this year. We would like to thank Janet at Uncle Matt's Organics for all her help in obtaining citrus for our CSA.

On the other hand, this year's organic tomato crop was damaged by very low temperatures and were not suitable for pick up and delivery. But that's how it goes with winter tomatoes. It's really a hit or miss situation. Not every growing year is the same. Some things do better one year, and some do better the next.

With all the farmers and varieties being grown, one thing's for sure – there are always a number of varieties that do well, and then there are some varieties that do extremely well. Like the summer of '07 we call the Year of the Eggplant. And then, the year before was the Year of the Tomatoes. Anyway, you get the idea.

We, as well as many of the other growers, are working on more ways to increase production and protect our crops to ensure you a bountiful harvest, especially with many of us now growing year-round.

Crops showing good progress for the Winter Program are baby carrots, broccoli, cabbage, lettuces, and kale to name a few. Other items for the Winter Program are free-range eggs, and hopefully some natural honey.

In other news, we hope to have some new features on our website, as well as the 2008 Windows to the Farms slide show in early February. Please note, we still have a number of Helping Shares left for anyone interested. Please contact us for details.


In Your Produce Basket This Week

Free-Range Eggs, Baby Carrots, Rosemary, Organic Hamlin Oranges, Organic Cara Cara Oranges (pink flesh much like a Blood Orange), Organic Red Grapefruit

See your site's distribution list for more details.


Please Note: With elements beyond our control such as the start or the end of a harvest, or extreme weather conditions that may limit the quantity of produce coming in, we systematically address each delivery and pick up group each week and do our very best to see that everyone receives some of everything.


Recipes

Hamlin Oranges Poached in Riesling and Rosemary Syrup

1 750-ml bottle Riesling 2/3 cup sugar
4 Hamlin navel oranges, peel and white pith removed, oranges cut crosswise in half
2 3x1/2-inch strips orange peel (orange part only), cut into slivers
1 teaspoon fresh whole rosemary leaves (stripped from stems)


Combine wine and sugar in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Add oranges, peel, and rosemary. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors. Using slotted spoon, transfer oranges to medium bowl. Boil liquid in saucepan until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, about 8 minutes. Pour syrup over oranges. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.



Cara Cara Orange Tart with Hamlin Navel Orange Sauce

Many steps for this special dessert, but well worth the effort. Taking a couple days to prepare the parts will make this a manageable and delicious treat.


Cara Cara Orange curd
1 1/2 cups sugar 1/3 cup fresh Cara Cara orange juice
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 6 large eggs
2 large egg yolks 1 tablespoon grated Cara Cara orange peel
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature

Crust
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 2 tablespoons whipping cream


Tart Topping

4 Cara Cara Oranges 4 Hamlin Navel Oranges


Hamlin Navel Orange Caramel

2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh Hamlin Navel orange juice 1/2 teaspoon grated Hamlin Navel orange peel



For Cara Cara Orange Curd:
Whisk sugar, Cara Cara orange juice, lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and Cara Cara orange peel in medium metal bowl to blend. Add butter; set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until curd thickens and instant-read thermometer inserted into curd registers 175°F, about 12 minutes (do not boil). Remove bowl from over water. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; chill at least 1 day and up to 3 days.

For Crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream and egg yolk and process until dough clumps together. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Roll out dough on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Fold dough overhang in and press onto pan sides, forming double-thick sides. Pierce crust all over with fork; freeze 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake crust until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Spread curd evenly in cooled crust. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.

For Hamlin Orange Caramel Sauce:

Combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until deep amber color, occasionally brushing down pan sides with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes.

Carefully add Hamlin orange juice and Hamlin orange peel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until smooth and any caramel bits dissolve. Cool completely. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Final Assembly of Tart:

Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Transfer segments to paper towels and pat dry. Arrange orange segments in concentric circles atop orange curd. Chill tart up to 1 hour.

Remove pan sides. Cut tart into wedges. Drizzle lightly with Orange Caramel Sauce and serve.

Newsletter written by John Cooper and Alice Hershiser.

Bon Appetit!