Sweet & Bell Peppers

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store unwashed in your fridge for a week or so(if left outside of the fridge at room temperature, peppers will continue to ripen, but also tend to shrivel). 

To Freeze: Wash, core, remove blemishes, and cut into pieces.  Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately. You can also freeze sweet peppers without blanching for thawing and eating raw. (Tip: If you lay the pieces on a tray in the freezer before putting them in a container, then the pieces will freeze individually instead of in a large clump and can be used at different times instead of all at once.)

Availability

August - October

Varieties

FRYING PEPPERS 
Jimmy Nardello
Carmen

PIMENTOS
Tangerine Pimento

BELLS 
Purple Bell
Orange Bell

TAPAS PEPPERS
Shishito & Padron
Shishito (a Japanese variety), and Padron (Spanish), are small peppers used as an appetizer or tapas. Both varieties are predominately sweet, but you’ll find that 5-10% of them will have some heat to them, providing the extra fun of “pepper roulette” at the dinner table! To prepare, heat a cast-iron pan or wok over high heat and add a tablespoon or two of oil. Toss the peppers in and cook on high for just a few minutes until they have softened and the skin is browned in some places. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve hot. 

Hot Peppers

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store unwashed in your fridge for a week or two (if left outside of the fridge at room temperature, peppers will continue to ripen, but also tend to shrivel). 

To Dry: String peppers together with a needle and thread, then hang in a window or put in your oven at 100°F for 24 hours.

Availability

August - October

Varieties of Note

Oh, the hot pepper. We love the color, shape, and flavor variety found in the pepper family so much. Here are this year’s varieties, listed in approximate order from least to most hot:

Ancho / Poblano – Called Poblano when green and Ancho when dried, these are relatively mild and used for roasting or stuffing. (1,500 Scoville units)
Hungarian Hot Wax – These large meaty peppers are mild enough that they can be thrown into a dish in large slices without overwhelming it.
Matchbox – Smaller and somewhat hotter then the Hungarian Hot Wax, but still relatively mild. Delicious chopped up in spicy omlets.
Jalapeño (5,000 Scoville units) - Make some delicious salsa.
Czech Black – A striking deep purple color, similar in flavor and spice to a jalapeño.
Bulgarian Carrot Chili
Serrano (20,000 Scoville units)
Cayenne (40,000 Scoville units)

(from here on down we recommend - from experience - wearing gloves while handling)

Red Thai & Yellow Thai - Very hot (75,000 Scoville units)
Red Mushroom - Very hot.
Habanero – Extremely hot (250,000 Scoville units).
Chocolate Habanero – Extremely hot.
Scotch Bonnet – Extremely hot (250,000 Scoville units)
Bhut Jolokia – One of the hottest peppers on record, also known as the Ghost Pepper. 1,000,000 Scoville units! Beware and please don't hurt yourself eating them - as a point of comparison, pepper spray (the weapon) measures approximately 2,000,000 on the Scoville scale.

Recipes

Honeyed Jalapeño Ring Pickles
Adapted from The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich
Makes 8 half-pint jars 

2¼ lbs jalapeño peppers, cut into 3/16 inch rings and, if you like, seeded
24 whole black peppercorns
8 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tbsp mixed pickling spices
1 quart cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp pickling salt
4 tbsp olive oil

Divide the peppercorns and garlic evenly among 8 half-pint jars. Tie the spices in a spice bag or a scrap of cheesecloth and put it into a saucepan with the vinegar, honey, and salt. Bring the contents to a boil. Add the pepper rings and bring the contents back to a simmer.

Divide the peppers among the jars, and pour the hot liquid over them, leaving a little more than ½ inch headspace. Discard the spice bag. Pour about 1½ tsp olive oil into each jar and close the jars with two-piece caps. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. 

Peas

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh Sugar Snap Peas: Store the pods unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week, but please eat them quickly - they're just better that way.

For Eating Fresh Shelling Peas: Store the pods in your fridge for up to a week. Shell the peas when you're ready to cook them.

To Freeze: Shell and then blanch for 2 1/2 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

May - June

Varieties of Note

Shelling Peas
Removing the peas from the inedible shells may be time consuming, but it is well worth it to have fresh peas. They are dramatically better then those that come frozen or from a can! If you want to put peas up for beyond the all-too short season when they are available these are ones to use. 

Snow Peas
With sweet pods and underdeveloped peas, these are used whole in stir-fries, salads, or sautés.

Sugar Snap Peas
The best of both worlds! Edible pods and large sweet peas. Delicious in any form, but good luck getting them home from the market without eating them all on the way! 

Recipes

Sesame Snap Peas

1 lb sugar snap peas
1-2 tsp sesame oil (or to taste)
1 tsp black sesame seeds
Coarse salt
2-3 fresh radishes (optional)

Remove strings from peas and toss with sesame oil and seeds. If using radishes, slice into thin rounds and toss with peas. Sprinkle with salt to taste. 

Parsley

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. You can also store parsley in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week. 

To Dry: Bundle the stalks with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Once dry, store herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

To Freeze: Wash, drain, and chop the parsley. (Tip: Ice trays make good herb freezing containers. They provide ready-made single meal servings.)

Availability

July - November

Recipes

Zhoug Chili Paste

1 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch parsley
2 hot green chilis, coursely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water

Blend all ingredients in food processor until it forms a course paste. Should be HOT!

Oregano

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store in a bag in your fridge and use within a week.

To Dry: Bundle the stalks with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Once dried, store herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

To Freeze: Wash, drain, and chop. (Tip: Ice trays make good herb freezing containers. They provide ready-made single meal servings.)

Availability

July - October

Lemongrass

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Chop off the reedy bit at the top and the tough part at the bottom, leaving about six inches in the middle, then strip down the tough outer layers. Store in a plastic bag in your fridge for up to a month.

To Freeze: Freeze lemongrass as is in a bag or container.

Availability

August - October

Recipes

Green Curry Paste
Adapted from Real Thai by Nancie McDermott 

1 tbsp whole coriander seed
1 tsp whole cumin seed
5 whole peppercorns
3 stalks fresh lemongrass
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp finely minced lime peel
3 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic
2 tbsp coarsely chopped shallot
½ cup fresh green Thai chilies
1 tsp salt

Place the coriander seed in a small skillet and dry-fry over medium heat until slightly darkened and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Repeat with the cumin seed. Combine the roasted spices and peppercorns and grind to a fine powder in a mortar or spice grinder. Trim the lemongrass, discarding grassy tops and cutting away hard root section. Slice each stalk crosswise very thinly, and then chop finely. Place in a large heavy mortar. Add the cilantro, ginger, and lime peel. Pound until the ingredients are broken down, scraping down the sides often. Add the garlic and shallot and continue pounding until a moist, fragrant paste forms. Add the chilies, then the ground spices, salt, and shrimp paste, and grind well. If you don’t have a large mortar, you can use a food processor instead, though the pounding and grinding of a mortar is preferable to the chopping action of a food processor;

Kale

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. For longer-term storage, a week or so, put the kale in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge.

To Freeze: Wash and then blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

June - November

Varieties of Note

Winterbor
Redbor
Beira
Red and White Russian
Red and White Russian Kale are essentially the same in terms of texture and flavor, but have slightly different growing habits. This makes them excellent companions throughout the growing season, as one is often doing better then the other depending on conditions. Both have a light leaf that cooks quickly and is excellent lightly sautéed or raw in salad.
Lacinato
Lacinato Kale, also known as Toscano, or Dinosaur Kale, is a traditional Italian variety with a firm leaf and lower water content then many other varieties. As a result it is the best variety for kale chips and also excellent in soup.

Recipes

 

Toasted Kale Salad
Adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson

1/3 C olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu
1 bunch winterbor kale
1 1/2 C unsweetened large-flake coconut (or 1/2 C finely shredded coconut)
2 C cooked farro or other whole grain (optional)

Prehead the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl wisk together the olive oil, seasame oil, and soy sauce. Put the kale and coconut in a large bowl and toss with about two-thirds of the sauce mixture. Spread the kale evenly across a baking sheet and bake until the coconut is deeply golden brown - about 20 mintes. Mix occassionally if kale is baking unevenly.  Remove from the oven and transfer back to the bowl, mix in more sauce if needed. Toss with grain and serve warm.

 

Kale Chips

This works best with lacinato kale since it contains the least water, but you can use any other variety of kale as well, as long as you remove thick stems first. 

1-2 pounds of kale
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F. Wash kale and remove stems larger then 1/8 inch thick. Chop coarsely and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven and cook, stirring frequently, until kale is dried and crispy, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with more salt as needed.

 

Kale and Potato Soup
From How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

1 large baking potato, cut into eighths
1 clove garlic, lightly smashed
5 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or water, preferably warmed
About 3 cups roughly chopped kale leaves (stripped from the stalks and well rinsed before chopping)
1 tsp fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or ½ tsp dried marjoram or oregano
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the potato, garlic, and 2 cups of the stock or water in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook until the potato is soft, about 15 minutes; cool slightly. At the same time, cook the kale in the remaining stock or water with the marjoram and bay leaf until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Puree the potato, garlic, and stock or water together; the mixture will be thick. Stir it into the simmering kale, season with salt and pepper, and heat through. Serve immediately. 

Hakurei Turnips

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh Turnip Greens: Remove the greens. Wash and dry and store in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge's crisper.

For Eating Fresh Turnips: Store beets unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to one week. The sooner they get eaten the better - they'll lose their tender crunch over time. 

For Freezing (Turnip Greens): Wash then blanch the greens for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

May - June, September - October

Ginger

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store as is in your fridge for up to a month. Ginger may turn rubbery after a few weeks, but it is still delicious to eat (remove any hardened scales before eating).

To Freeze: Peel ginger and freeze it in chunks. Take out and grate / cut up as needed.

Availability

September - October

Recipes

Ginger Scallion Noodles
Adapted from Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan

2 ½ cups thinly slices scallions
½ C finely minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ C grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
1 ½ tsp soy sauce
3/4 tsp sherry vinegar
3/4 tsp salt

Some sort of noodles (ramen, soba, or regular pasta)
Plus whatever else you want! Stir-fried or roasted veggies, tofu, pickled veggies, etc.

So, this is easy: Mix the sauce fixings in a bowl and let them stand for 20 minutes. Boil your noodles, drain, and toss with the sauce. Use about 6 tbsp of sauce per serving of pasta. Then top the noodles with anything you’d like. From our experience, this dish is begging for pan-roasted cauliflower (over high heat in a pan with some oil until the florets are slightly browned), sautéed eggplant and zucchini, and crispy pan-fried tofu. Super fresh cucumber pickles on top don’t hurt. Good news: it’s still amazing the next day, straight out of the fridge.

Garlic Scapes

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store the scapes in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to two weeks.

Availability

June

Recipes

Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto

2 loosely packed cups fresh basil leaves, big stems discarded
1 bunch garlic scapes
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons toasted almonds or walnuts
1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese (unnecessary but acceptable!)

Combine dry ingredients and half the oil in the food processor or blender, and blend while adding more oil slowly, until the pesto is the desired consistency.

The thing about pesto is that it is infinitely adaptable and customizable, so experiment.  Smoother or more dry, stronger garlic or more salt, cheese or no cheese, etc. Then, once you’ve developed a ratio that suits you, make a big batch and freeze it for winter - nothing beats winter like a steaming bowl of pesto, straight from summer.

Garlic

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh (Spring Green Garlic): Just peel and chop when you're ready - heads of garlic will be fine on the counter for weeks or months, as long as they're kept dry.

To Freeze (Spring Green Garlic): Peel cloves and put them through a food processor. (When you want to use some of the frozen garlic, scrape what you need straight from the big hunk into your cooking.) 

For Eating Fresh (Cured Bulbs): Store the cured bulbs in a cool, dry, dark place.

To Freeze (Cured Bulbs): Separate and peel cloves. (Tip: If you lay the cloves on a tray in the freezer before putting them in a container, it will be much easier to take out one or two cloves at a time.)

Availability

July - November

Recipes

Fennel

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Remove the tops and store in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge. Don't throw the tops away though - they're delicious chopped up in salads, or as an herb on fish.

Availability

September - October

Recipes

Braised Fennel with Onions and Vinegar
From How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

This makes a fine pasta sauce, thinned with a little of the cooking water.

¼ cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 bulbs (about 1½ pounds) fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock, or dry white wine, or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp minced fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried marjoram or oregano
1 tbsp sherry, balsamic, or other flavorful vinegar

Place the oil in a medium skillet or casserole that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the liquid, salt, and pepper and cover; turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the fennel is just about tender, another 5 to 10 minutes, then uncover. If the mixture is very wet, raise the heat a bit to evaporate most but not all of the liquid. Stir in the herb and the vinegar, taste and adjust seasoning, and serve.

Eggplants

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store eggplants in a cool place outside of the fridge, but don't wait too long to eat them. If you must, you can put them in the fridge for a week or so, but they wont be as tender when you cook them. 

To Freeze: Wash the eggplants, remove any blemishes, and cut into pieces. Blanch for 5 minutes in boiling water (to preserve color, dissolve 4 teaspoons of salt per gallon of boiling water). Cool immediately. (Tip: If you lay the pieces on a tray in the freezer before putting them in a container, then the pieces will freeze individually instead of in a large clump and can be used at different times instead of all at once.)

Availability

July - September

Varieties

ITALIAN 
Black Beauty, Rosa Bianca, White
The Italian eggplants are the most widely used in traditional American, European, and Middle-Eastern cooking.  Use these for baking, roasting, grilling, eggplant parmesan, and baba ganoush. These eggplants may have a characteristic bitterness, which can be drawn out by salting cut pieces and allowing them to drain in a colander for about half-an hour. Pat dry with a towel before proceeding after salting, and be aware that your recipe may not require more salt then you’ve already added through this process. Rosa Bianca is an especially stricking variety, with gorgeous pink coloration and an unusual shape that results in scalloped rounds if sliced horizontally. We find that Rosa Bianca also has a particularly creamy consistency and sweetness to the flavor.

JAPANESE 
Light Purple, Dark Purple, Kyoto Egg
The Japanese eggplant varieties are more tender and less bitter than their Italian counterparts; there’s no need to salt or peal these. They cook more quickly as well, so choose these for stir-fries and sautés. Slice the longer banana-shaped varieties just once or twice lengthwise before grilling or broiling.  

THAI
Purple Thai
Thai eggplants have a very firm flesh that is especially well suited to soaking up the sauces and broths of Thai and Indian cooking without disintegrating. Perfect for curries.

BABY 
Fairy Tale, Calliope
Sweet, tender, flavorful, and creamy, Fairy Tale are the best eggplants we’ve ever tasted. They cook quickly, and don’t need to be salted or pealed. Throw them whole or sliced once into stir-fries, sautés, or skewered on the grill. The baby eggplants are also the best for pickling. 

Recipes

Lebanese Pickled Eggplant Stuffed With Garlic
Adapted from The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich
Makes 1 quart 

1¼ lb 3- to 4-inch-long eggplants
1 garlic head, cloves separated, peeled, and crushed
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pickling salt
½ tsp cayenne
1 cup plus 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus more if needed
1 cup plus 2 tbsp water

Steam the eggplants for 5 to 8 minutes, or until they are tender but not mushy. Let them cool. Mix the garlic with 1 tbsp salt and the cayenne. Using the tip of a knife, slit each eggplant once lengthwise, cutting most of the way through. Stuff the eggplants with the garlic mixture. Pack the eggplants into a quart jar.

Combine the vinegar, water, and remaining 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Let cool. Pour the liquid over the eggplants, and top the jar off with a little more vinegar, if necessary. Refrigerate for 1-2 weeks before eating. The pickles will keep, refrigerated, for a couple months. 

 

Greek Eggplant Dip
From Vefa’s Kitchen

2 lbs eggplant
¼ tsp salt, plus extra for sprinkling
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup olive oil, plus extra for sprinkling
4 tbsp red wine vinegar (more or less)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 mild green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Preheat the broiler or light the barbecue. Broil or grill the eggplants whole, turning frequently, until the skins are charred and the flesh is softened. (Cooking over charcoal gives the salad a pleasant smoky flavor.) Remove from the heat and hold each eggplant briefly under cold running water until cool enough to handle, then peel immediately. Do not allow the unpeeled eggplants to cool completely or the flesh will turn black. When peeled, put them into a strainer and let cool completely. Chop the eggplant flesh and transfer to a bowl. Add the salt and garlic. Beating constantly with an electric mixer on medium speed, gradually add the oil, a few drops at a time, then in a slow steady thin stream until all of it has been absorbed. Continue beating and gradually add vinegar to taste, a little at a time. Transfer to a serving dish, cover, and chill in the refrigerator. Garnish with parsley, chopped bell pepper, and tomato. Sprinkle with a little salt and olive oil and serve with crackers or crudités.

Dill

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. You can also store dill in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week. It may wilt a little, but we promise it will still taste good. 

To Dry: Bundle the stalks with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Store dried herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

Availability

June - October

Cucumbers

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: You can store cucumbers in your fridge's crisper, but we recommend not waiting too long to eat them - they dry out and shrivel after four or five days. They do not store well once they have been cut.

Availability

June - July

Recipes

Refrigerator Pickles
Makes enough for 5 quart jars. These will be delicious after as few as three days, and will keep up to two months in the refrigerator.

8 lbs of cucumbers
5 tbsp salt
1 bunch fresh dill, chopped coarsely
1 1/4 tsp peppercorns
2 1/2 tsp mustard seed
2 heads garlic
White vinegar

Cut cucumbers into spears and place in a large bowl along with the dill. Sprinkle with salt, mix, and let them sit for 30 minutes. Pack cucumber spears into jars. To each jar add 1 or 2 squeezed garlic cloves,  1/4 tsp pepper corns, and 1/2 tsp mustard seed. Pour white vinegar into the jar until the liquid comes up about 1/3 of the way, then fill the jar to the top with cold water. Screw on lids and shake the jars to mix. Refrigerate.

 

Ten Minute Pickles
Adapted from Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan 

2 small or 1 large cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 tbsp sugar
1tsp kosher salt

Combine the cucumbers with the sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl and toss to coat with the sugar and salt. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Taste the pickles. If they are too sweet or too salty, put them into a colander, rinse of the seasoning, and dry in a kitchen towel. Taste again and add more sugar or salt as needed. Serve after 5 to 10 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

 

Mom's Magic Cucumbers
Contributed by Deborah Kanter 

6 cups cucumbers, skin on and sliced very thin
3 small Vidalia onions, sliced thin
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup cider vinegar

Combine sugar, salt and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour over cucumbers and onions. Let stand several hours for best flavor. Divine when refrigerated and eaten cold on a hot day!

Collards

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. For longer-term storage (one to two weeks), put the collards in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge.

To Freeze: Wash and then blanch for 4 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

June - July, September - November

Recipes

Double Garlic Collards
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman 

1 bunch collards with stems over ¼ inch thick removed, coarsely chopped
¼ C olive oil
¼ C thinly sliced garlic, plus 1 tsp minced garlic, or more to taste
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
Lemon wedges 

Place olive oil in a large, deep saucepan. Add ¼ cup of sliced garlic, pepper flakes, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Add the collards and the stock or water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the greens are wilted and just tender but still firm. Uncover the greens and continue to cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the liquid has all but evaporated and the greens are quite tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining minced garlic, cook for 1 minute more, and serve, with lemon wedges.

 
 

257 Tater Hill Rd, East Haddam, CT
Reach us at: fourrootfarm@gmail.com  

General & veg questions: Aaron @ (860) 550-1122
Flower questions: Elise @ (203) 767-7333