Wow! This month there are blackberries. We intended to load a pound of cherries in your bag, but the squirrels ate them instead. Really trying to be forgiving.
NEWS FLASH: THERE WILL BE A SMALL BAG OF CHERRIES. HOORAY!
Gaytan Family Farm
Asparagus
Beets
Spinach
Sugar Snap Peas
Cauliflower
Romaine Lettuce
Lettuce - Red Leaf
Squash - Italian
Pickling cucumber
RUSD Food Hub
Cherries
Fox Farm
Loquats
Honey gold clementines -
Not a member yet? Why not? Click here to join the co-op at $100 for full membership. Be a member and a co-owner, bringing the power of economic independence to Riverside. Members can subscribe to our crop box too! $30/month with delivery available for $7.50/month. You benefit, your community benefits, and our partner farms and growers benefit.
Clafoutis is a traditional French recipe. A cross between flan and a tart. This one is not too sweet.
Berry Clafoutis (but cherries are more traditional)
From Food52.com. Serves about 6
Ingredients
½ pound blackberries
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour, plus extra for dusting the pan
¼ cup sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar, for dusting the pan
Butter, for greasing the pan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a pie pan or other round baking dish that measures at least 2” high and 9” wide. Scatter the berries evenly about the pan.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour, then add the sugar and baking powder and whisk again until combined. Slowly pour in the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour over the berries and bake until set and lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
If we can find cherries next month, or if you find them first, try this recipe. It is one of my favorites. Roasted Cherry Sorbet. It is a little work to pit the cherries, but it is very, very cherry, and very, very delicious.
Roasted Cherry Sorbet
From Food52.com. Makes 1 quart
Author’s note: Despite its simplicity, sorbet can be tricky to get right. Not all fruit sorbets need a simple syrup, but cherry benefits from the added water to thin out the fruit purée; otherwise you’ll get a thick, jammy texture. Also, don’t be tempted to dial back on the sugar because you’ll risk a harder, icier sorbet. That’s the beauty of the lime juice in this recipe—you can balance the sweetness to your personal taste.
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh sweet cherries (such as Bing), stemmed and pitted
1 cup granulated sugar
Generous pinch of kosher salt
¾ cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
Directions
Heat oven to 400° F.
In a 9-x-13-inch roasting pan with sides, mix the pitted cherries with the cup of sugar and a generous pinch of salt. Toss well to evenly coat. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit has softened and its juices are bubbling and starting to thicken. Add the water, then roast for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the juices start to bubble again. This step essentially creates a simple syrup in the pan. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Transfer the cherries and all accumulated juices into the jar of a blender, and blend well. Add lime juice to taste. Keep in mind that the freezer dulls sweet flavors, so aim for a base that tastes slightly too sweet before churning. You should have about 4 cups of purée.
Strain the purée through a fine-mesh strainer, pushing gently down on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Scrape the underside of your strainer to get all of the purée. Straining is optional, though I find it worthwhile to get a smooth, velvety sorbet.
Cover and chill the purée until very cold, at least one hour or overnight.
Pour the chilled base into the ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer directions, or until the sorbet is thick.
Transfer the sorbet into a freezer-safe container, and press plastic wrap against the top to prevent ice crystals from forming. It should keep well for up to a month.
Someone asked for the beet hummus I often make (click here for the recipe.) It has been in the zine several times, so hope it doesn’t bore you.
We have Kirby cucumbers in your bag this month. While you can slice and eat them, you can make pickles too. All of the pickle recipes below are brined, take less than 20 minutes to prepare, produce just one jar, and are ready to enjoy in about 24 hours, longer if desired. No need for canning.
Classic Dill Pickles
From Tasting Table. Yield one quart jar
Ingredients
1 pound Kirby , quartered lengthwise
¾ cup dill, fronds and stem
1 cup water
½ cup
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dill seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
Directions
1. Into a quart-sized sterilized jar, add the quarters and dill fronds.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and pour into the jar over the cucumbers.
3. Seal the jar and let cool completely, then place in the refrigerator and let for 24 to 48 hours before enjoying.
If you are feeling adventurous, try this variation. Less sweet than the dills above
French Pickles
Ingredients
1 lb Kirby cucumbers, quartered
1 cup water
½ cup white wine vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp herbes de Provence*
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Directions
Place the cucumbers in a sterilized quart jar. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining ingredients to a simmer over high heat. Pour over the cucumbers. Seal closed, let cool completely then refrigerate for 48 hours before enjoying.
*Herbes de Provence is a mix of herbs used in French cooking. There are a number of recipes, but here is a substitute:
For 2 tbsp herbs de Provence substitute as much of the following herbs as you have available:
4 tsp each dried thyme and marjoram.
1 1/2 tsp summer savory.
1/4 tsp dried rosemary and mint.
1/8 tsp fennel seeds.
Pinch each of dried sage and lavender flowers.
Simply Sauteed Fresh Spinach
From crunchycreamysweet.com
More cooking instruction than recipe, this is one you can keep in your back pocket for a delicious side to most any protein.
TIPS: Let the onion caramelized. It will give the spinach dish a deeper, richer flavor. The addition of soy sauce deepens the flavor.
Do not skimp on garlic! I love this dish quite garlicky and use up to 4 teaspoons of minced garlic.
Use fresh spinach for the best result.
You can roughly chop spinach leaves
Start by heating up olive oil in large skillet. Add chopped onion and minced garlic and saute until fragrant and the onion is almost caramelized.
Stir in soy sauce and fresh spinach. Cook stirring often until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
It’s asparagus season, and I can’t get enough of it. Roasting asparagus brings out its best. The tips get a little crispy in the oven, which I love, and the flavor is more concentrated than it would be if you steamed or sautéed it.
Roasted asparagus is the perfect springtime side dish, whether for brunch or dinner. As a bonus, it’s simple to throw together while your main dish cooks on the stove.
Simple Roasted Asparagus
From CookieandKate.com
How to Store Asparagus
Place your asparagus in a heavy-bottomed jar or drinking glass and add a couple inches of water.
You can place a plastic bag over the top to retain maximum freshness. Store in your refrigerator. It will stay fresh for several days longer this way!
How to Prep Asparagus
The ends of asparagus can be unpleasantly tough and woody. To remove those parts, sharply bend the asparagus near the base.
How to Roast Asparagus
Roasting asparagus is easy and quick! Simply toss your prepared asparagus with a light drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I like to do this on a lined with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Bake until the asparagus is easily pierced through by a fork, which will vary depending on the thickness of your asparagus.Pencil-thin asparagus, like the kind shown here, will be done in as little as 10 minutes. Thicker asparagus will need between 15 to 20 minutes.