Makes 4

12 12oz oz(340 g) (340 g) baby bok choy

2 2cups cups shiitake mushroomshiitake mushrooms

1 1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) butter or vegetable oil

1 1shallotshallots or green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 1/4cup cup(60 mL) sodium-reduced chicken broth

4 tsp soy sauce 4 4tsp tsp(18 mL) soy sauce

1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) sesame oil

1 1tsp tsp(5 mL) toasted sesame seeds

Preparation:  Cut bok choy in half lengthwise; rinse well between leaves. In skillet of boiling water, blanch bok choy, turning once, for about 2 minutes or until darker; drain and set aside. Dry out skillet. Trim off shiitake stems and discard; thickly slice caps. In same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat; saute mushrooms and shallot for about 2 minutes or until softened. Add bok choy, broth, soy sauce and sesame oil; saute for about 5 minutes or until no liquid remains. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Canadian Living Magazine, May 2008.

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Makes about 15

Ingredients:   

6 cups coarsely shredded peeled beets (about 6 medium)

6 tbsp all purpose flour

1½ tsp salt

1½ tsp ground cumin

¾ tsp ground coriander

¾ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp ground black pepper

3 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preparation:  Place shredded beets in large bowl; press with paper towels to absorb any moisture. In another large bowl, whisk flour and next 5 ingredients. Mix in beets, then eggs. Pour enough oil into large skillet to cover bottom; heat over medium heat. Working in batches, drop beet mixture by 1/4 cupfuls into skillet; spread to 3 1/2-inch rounds. Fry until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer latkes to baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead.) Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve latkes with relish and salsa. Bon Appétit, 2004.

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Serves 4

Ingredients:  1 tsp lemon juice

8 slices bacon

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch pepper

4 kaiser rolls, halved

8 eggs

2 tsp water

8 slices tomato

Preparation:  In large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate; drain all but 2 tsp of the fat from pan. Meanwhile, in small bowl and using fork, mash together avocado, green onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth; spread over cut sides of buns. Beat eggs with water and pour into skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, just until softly set but still moist. Divide among bun bottoms; top with 2 slices each of the bacon and tomato. Sandwich with bun tops. Canadian Living Magazine, 2011.

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Hi everyone!  Things look super nice this week.  Local beets, lettuce and shiitake mushrooms for everyone.  We appreciate the feedback given on our Facebook page as to what our farmers should be trying to grow this year.  We were able to touch base with Circle Organic farm (Peterborough) last week – they should be able to grow ground cherries and four different varieties of patty pan squash for us.  We’re checking a few things off the list every week that goes by.  We’re open to any feedback on the dried goods we offer too – or anything you think we should offer.  Hope you enjoy everything!!

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients. Julia Child

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Hi everyone!  Things look really great this week!  Some nice blood oranges should be coming in, we’ve been trying to lock them down for the past few weeks, we’re pumped.  We met with Julien from Stasis Preserves last week.  He’s doing some cool stuff, small batches, all Ontario produce.  The selection will be changing every few weeks – at the time of writing, we have beet marmalade, pear/garlic chutney, apple pie-in-a-jar jam, among a bunch of other things.  Hope you enjoy everything!!!!

 Blood Oranges        

A variety of Sweet Orange with a crimson, almost blood-coloured, flesh due to a natural genetic mutation. Blood Oranges have greater amounts of antioxidants and Vitamin C than other oranges. The anthocyanin (which are usually only found in red/purple produce) have anti-inflammatory properties, are good for preventing cancer, diabetes and bacterial infections, and can reduce the risk of heart disease.  Basically, they help the body heal itself.  Lately, there’s been many anti-aging skin-care products, as well as perfumes, which use extracts from Blood Orange.

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Ingredients: 

5 or 6 outer celery ribs, thinly diagonally sliced

Small inner celery ribs, including the leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup small whole fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preparation:  Place all celery in a bowl; toss with oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss with the parsley and mint. Serve immediately. It’s delicious served on a bed of thinly sliced beets. Parade, 2001

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Caramelized Blood Orange and Almond Sundaes

Make Ahead: caramelized orange sauce can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. 

Ingredients:   

3 blood oranges

2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

1 quart vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation:  Squeeze juice from 1 orange (about 1/4 cup) into small bowl. Cut ends off remaining 2 oranges to expose flesh. Cut oranges lengthwise into quarters; pull out and discard white center pith but leave the peel. Cut quarters crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom of heavy 10-inch-diameter skillet; scatter butter pieces over and drizzle with 2 tbsp orange juice. Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to melt and bubble, then swirl pan to blend. Cook until sugar mixture is dark amber, occasionally scraping down sides of skillet with heat-proof spatula, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tbsp orange juice, cook until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add orange slices, along with any collected juices, to skillet; stir until coated, about 1 minute. Cool. Scoop ice cream into bowls and spoon caramelized orange sauce over. Top with toasted almonds.  Bon Appétit,  2007

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Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:   

1¼ lb collard greens, halved lengthwise, with stems and center ribs discarded
3 slices bacon, finely chopped

Preparation:  Stack collard-leaf halves and roll crosswise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into very thin slices (no thicker than ¾inch). Cook bacon in 12-inch non-stick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Add collards, toss to coat, and cook until just bright green, about 1 minute. Season with salt and serve immediately.  Gourmet, 2001

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What we eat has changed more in the last 40 years than in the previous 40,000.  The survival of the current food system depends upon widespread ignorance of how it really operates.   Eric Scholsser,

Green Skin Avocadoes

Green Skin avocadoes are generally much larger than the more common Hass avocadoes.  They also tend to stay green as they ripen (unlike the Hass).  They have less fat and calories then the Hass, but their shelf life is also shorter – which is the reason you don’t see them as often (around 96% of the avocados sold in North America are the Hass variety).

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12 Servings: Served as a side dish

Ingredients: 

4 Fuji apples, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise

4 Bosc pears, unpeeled, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary

Preparation:  Preheat broiler. Brush 2 large baking sheets with olive oil. Gently toss apples, pears, ¼ cup oil, and minced rosemary in large bowl. Arrange fruit in single layer on sheets. Broil until fruit is tender and edges begin to brown, watching closely to avoid burning and turning sheets for even browning, about 5 minutes
Transfer fruit to platter. Sprinkle with pepper. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Bon Appétit, 2001

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