We have a new variety of dry bean to add to the current mix! Up until very recently the peruano and flor de mayo beans have had the bean shelf all to themselves. A few weeks ago, however, this new black bean variety entered the picture! Raul - our field manager and resident bean grower - tells us that he received a few gift beans from a friend, which he promptly planted. Last summer as the plants were growing, we admired their big, showy orange-red blooms and waited expectantly for the new black beans. And here they are! Yet, looking at them, I thought they were just a bit different from the typical turtle bean - the variety that generally goes by the moniker black bean. Back to Raul with our questions, "Do you know the variety?" "What's the name?" He wasn't sure, but I knew I had to get to the bottom of this new bean mystery. After a bit of sleuthing and a few online picture comparisons, it became clear that the new bean is an Ayocote Negro. These beans have a similar size and heft to Scarlett Runner beans, but with a silky black skin. The ayocote negro is quite large, flatter, and oblong. They are meaty beans that do well with a good soak before cooking. Similar to kidney beans, these black beauties have a thicker skin, but with longer cooking, they can get creamy. Alternatively, cook them until tender but still firm and add them to salads. Depending on the soaking time, cook time can be anywhere from one to three hours. Check these out on our bean shelf, but be quick! We only have a small stash left!

Last week, I said that the asparagus is taking over the world - and it still is! Bonus for you is our asparagus sale! Buy two bunches, get one free. Just in time for Passover and Easter holiday meals. Baby broccoli is also going a little crazy. It's time to load up! Bok choy is back in the stand and looks good, as ever. Our head lettuce is going gangbusters in the field, and we will have beautiful romaine, red butter, and red and green salanova heads at the stand. To complement all that lettuce, we should have the beginnings of a new harvest of salad turnips. Folks, we are down to red fingerling potatoes until our summer potato harvest. Lucky for us, red fingerlings are delicious! Try roasting them. Blueberries are back for Tuesday's stand, and we will have more strawberries as well. Had any grapefruit recently? Super delicious! Both the Mello Gold and the Star Ruby are outstanding right now. Blood oranges are back in the orange rotation. There are many wonderful mandarin and tangerine options, ready to mix and match. Don't let the overcast skies keep you away. Come by the farm and say hello!

-Eileen

Tuesday, April 15, 2024

Harvest Bag

all for $20

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Artichokes

Sugar Snap Peas

Red Butter Lettuce

Romaine Lettuce

Bok Choy

2 Asparagus Bunches

Baby Broccoli

Fuji Apples (Cuyama Orchards, certified organic)

Baghali Polo (Persian Dill and Fava Bean Rice)

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron, from about 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 cups shelled fava beans, (about 2-3 lbs. unshelled)
• 10 ounces fresh dill, woody ends removed and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Rinse and soak the rice. Rinse the rice with cold water in a fine mesh sieve until the water runs clear. Place in a bowl and cover with cold water with two inches clear above the rice. Leave to soak for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably overnight.
2. Parboil the rice. Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes before you want to serve your dish, begin cooking your rice. In a large non-stick pot, combine 6 cups of water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Drain and add the rice, stir, and cook uncovered until al dente, about 5 minutes.
3. Bloom the saffron. While the rice boils, add the saffron to a ¼ cup water and set aside.
4. Stir in fava beans and dill. Add fava beans to the pot of rice, followed by the dill. Gently stir into the rice to distribute evenly. Turn the heat off and drain the rice into a colander. Rinse out the pot you cooked the rice in and place on the stove.
5. Prepare the tahdig. Pour vegetable oil into the pot. Do not turn on the heat yet. Into a small bowl, add 2 cups of the cooked rice, dill, and fava bean mixture and 2 tablespoons of bloomed saffron water. Mix until it has turned golden. Add this rice mixture to the bottom of the pot and pat down flat with the back of a spoon.
6. Spoon the rest of the rice into the pot. Then, layer by layer, add the remaining rice mixture with a drizzle of olive oil on each layer, creating a loose mountain shape peak in the pot. Pour the remaining saffron water over the top of the rice. Poke 5 holes evenly across with the end of the spoon.
7. Steam the rice. Put the lid on the pot and turn the heat to high (you should hear the rice start to crackle). Once steam starts to rise, about 3 minutes, reduce heat to the lowest setting. Take a tea-towel, wrap it around the lid, and place it back on the pot. Steam for a minimum of 1 hour.
8. Finish and serve. Remove the lid. The rice on the bottom of the pot should be crispy, this is called the tahdig, and the rice on the top should be fluffy. Gently fluff the top rice with a fork. Then spoon into a serving dish. Lift the tahdig and serve in a separate dish in one piece or break up and place around the edge of the rice.

Thanks to https://www.themediterraneandish.com

Asparagus and Strawberry Salad With Parmigiano Wafers

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 lb. of asparagus
• 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 12 strawberries
• lemon
• Parmigiano Reggiano
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Wash and snap off asparagus ends. Boil in salted water for 5-6 minutes; drain and chill in ice water. When cool, cut in half lengthwise. 
2. Cut a few strawberries into wedges; blend the rest with 3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, a splash of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground pepper. Strain the sauce. 
3. Let the balsamic vinegar boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Cook 3 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano cheese in a non-stick pan for a few minutes; let it cool to obtain a wafer.
5. Dress asparagus with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt. Distribute in dishes, top with strawberry wedges and broken up Parmigiano wafers. Serve with the strawberry sauce and the balsamic vinegar.

Adapted from https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com

Halcyon Farms | 1075 The Pike in Arroyo Grande | www.halcyonfarmsag.com