THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: cucumbers, carrots, eggplant, tomatoes and/or cherry tomatoes, corn, red cabbage, TOMATILLOS, and sweet peppers

SAVE THE DATE: THIS YEAR’S PUMPKIN PICK UP WEEKEND WILL BE OCTOBER 18 & 19.  This is the time we set aside for you to come choose a carving pumpkin (included with your subscription), meet other subscribers, and enjoy a pot luck lunch topped off with PUMPKIN PIE PIZZA!  You don’t want to miss this.

Tomatillos have a wonderful citrusy flavor that pairs well with pork and can be added to any braised pork chop or shoulder roast you may be making.  They are perhaps most commonly found in salsa.  For the recipe below, we often add tomatoes and/or cherry tomatoes to fill it out. Roasting the garlic and tomatillos in this salsa give it a wonderful and unique taste.

SALSA de CHILES CHIPOTLES

6-8 fresh tomatillos, husked and washed

2 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

1-3 canned chiles chipotles, seeded

salt to taste

To roast the tomatillos and garlic, lay a sheet of aluminum foil to cover ½ of the bottom of a heavy skillet set over medium heat.  Lay the tomotillos on the foil for approximately 10 minutes, turning as needed until they are blackened in places and soft.  While doing this, place the garlic in the skillet, but off the foil, and turn as needed until the garlic is soft.  Allow the garlic to cool, slip off the skin and mince the cloves.  Place the tomatillos, garlic, and chipotles in a blender or food processor and puree.  Scrape into a sauce dish and, if needed, add 2 Tbs. of water to adjust the consistency.  If a smokier, and hotter, flavor is desired, stir in 1-2 tsp. of the sauce from the canned chiles chipotles.  Adapted from Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless.

SLOW COOKED PORK LOIN WITH TOMATILLOS

3 to 4 pound boneless loin of pork,cut in 2″ cubes

1 medium onion, sliced

3 jalapeno chile peppers seeded

1 clove garlic, crushed

6 outside leaves Romaine lettuce

3 tomatillos, fresh or canned

1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1/4 cup orange juice

Salt & pepper

1 cup water

Put pork loin in pan with water to cover. Simmer 1 1/2 hours; drain and transfer to slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Season pork loin with salt and pepper to taste then pour blended mixture over. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.  Serves 6 to 8.

MAYE’S RED CABBAGE SALAD

2 lbs. red cabbage

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 ½ lbs. tart green apples, peeled, quartered, and sliced

½ c. butter (I use less)

1 t. salt

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. cider vinegar

¼ t. cloves

pinch cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

black pepper to taste

¾ c. beer

Sauté the cabbage, onions and apples in the butter for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover, lower the heat, and let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The cabbage can be served at this point but improves if allowed to cool and reheated several hours later or the next day.  From The Vegetarian Epicure Book Two by Anna Thomas

With the rain yesterday, it really felt like autumn, and it wea clear that we were in a period of transition in the garden.  We were picking the last week’s worth of sweet corn, and then harvested the firs heads of cauliflower and broccoli.  After the disappointing summer broccoli harvest (some would say absolutely disastrous)  we look to be headed into a great fall broccoli harvest, perhaps even on a par with last year’s amazing crop!  I love it when the calendar, crops , and weather all come together in sync with each other.  It is a feeling not dissimilar to catching a wave in the ocean when body surfing; you’re just cruising along in perfection (though in the back of your mind you know that something might happen, and you’ll wind up being pounded into the sand at any moment!)  I intend to make the most of it while it lasts.