It’s hard to believe that the August long weekend is already here! With delicious sweet corn, apricots, green beans and cherries, we hope you’ll enjoy sharing your OAS goodies with friends and family. Have a safe and happy long weekend!
On the Menu:
Fruits:
Cherries (Warner’s Farm)
Raspberries (Barrie Hill Farms)
Apricots (Warner’s Farm)–see feature below
Veggies:
Green Beans (Sovereign Farms)
Corn (Chary Produce)
Green Peppers (Chary Produce)–the first peppers grown in soil this season!
Carrots (Barringer Organic Farm)–see what you can do with the tops below
Salad Mix (The New Farm)
Spinach (ANC Farm Produce)
Meat:
Lamb Kebobs (Beranger Organics)–great for an easy weeknight dinner!
Cheese:
Blossom (Monforte Dairy)–A lemony spreadable soft sheep’s milk cheese. Delicious in the morning on toasted bagels, or use it on burgers or on top of pasta.
Pantry:
White Kidney Beans (Pristine)–see below on how to cook dried beans.
White Kidney Beans–how to prepare dried beans**
Tip: One pound of dried beans makes about 5 to 6 cups of cooked beans.
Quick Soak Method
1. Place beans in a large pot with tight-fitting lid and cover with cold
water by 2-3 inches. Bring to a boil and boil beans uncovered for 2
minutes. Cover the pot, turn off heat and allow to soak for 2 hours.
2. After 2 hours, taste. If the bean is tender (but not done), add a large
pinch of salt and some pepper. Make sure there is at least 1 inch of water
covering beans. If not, add more water. If the beans are not yet tender,
DO NOT add salt, and ensure the beans are covered by 2 inches of water.
3. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce temperature to a gentle simmer. Cover
partially, and cook, stirring occasionally and tasting a bean for doneness
every 10-15 minutes. You may need to add more water. If you haven’t yet
added salt, add it once the beans are tender. Once the beans are done,
adjust seasoning and use in recipe.
Long-Soak Method
1. Place beans in a large pot with tight-fitting lid and cover with cold
water by several inches. Soak overnight, or for 8-12 hours.
2. Drain the beans and return to pot. Check for doneness. If they are
tender, add a large pinch of salt and some black pepper and cover beans by 1
inch. If not yet tender, DO NOT add salt, and cover by 2 inches of water.
3. Bring pot to a boil, then reduce temperature to a gentle simmer. Cover
partially, and cook, stirring occasionally and tasting a bean for doneness
every 10-15 minutes. You may need to add more water. If you haven’t yet
added salt, add it once the beans are tender. Once the beans are done,
adjust seasoning and use in recipe.
Featured Food: Apricots
We hope you enjoy the apricots in your OAS bags this week–a true indication that we are right in the middle of the summer season!
Apricots are a small, golden-orange coloured fruit with a hint of red on the side most exposed to the sun. They have a slightly velvety skin and have a smooth, slightly grainy and not-too juicy flesh on the inside.
Apricots is a species of Prunus–a genus of trees and shrubs. In this group, you will also find plums, cherries, peaches, and almonds.
It is an ancient fruit that has been cultivated in India and China from 3000 BC. It was also know in Armenia in Ancient times. Alexander the Great is credited for bringing the fruit from Armenia to Europe, via Greece.
Apricots grow well in our continental climate, as well as the Mediterranean climate. Although the fruit itself is more resistant to cold than peaches, early spring frost can kill apricot flowers, which tend to flower in early spring.
Good for you: Fresh apricots are a good source of beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamin A and fibre. Dried apricots are an excellent source of potassium.
To store: Store unripe apricots in a paper bag away from direct sunlight. Once ripe (they give a little when you touch them), store them in a plastic bag in the crisper.
Food fact: Many almond-flavoured drinks, such as Amaretto, are made from the extract of apricot pits, not almonds!! This is also true for commercial Italian Amaretti cookies. This shows just how sweet apricot pits are!
Apricot Recipes:
Try this simple appetizer recipe Apricots and Blue Cheese from Food & Drink Magazine:
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/RecipeController?language=EN&recipeType=1&action=recipe&recipeID=578
Or try roasting them to bring out their sweetness–delicious with vanilla ice cream!
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/RecipeController?language=EN&recipeType=1&action=recipe&recipeID=195
More Recipes:
Corn–eating it straight off the cob is best way to have the first Ontario corn of the season. Here are some topping ideas from Canadian Living Magazine:
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/corn_on_the_cob_toppings.php
Or this Bobby Flay recipe for Grilled Corn on the Cob with Garlic Butter, Fresh Lime and Queso Fresco:
Tips:
Wondering what you can do with Carrot Tops (aka Carrot Greens)?
Although not hugely flavourful, carrot tops are completely edible. Treat the tops more like an herb vs. a main vegetable.
Try adding them to soups, salads, as part of a pesto, or just use them as a garnish. Are you into juicing your greens? then try juicing them too!
As I was searching for carrot top ideas, I came across this amazing article. We’ve all heard about the trend of “nose-to-tail” restaurant concepts, well here’s an article featuring “stem-to-root” recipes and ideas!! Learn what you can do with corn cobs (ice cream and corn soup base), watermelon rinds (white gazpacho), carrot tops (salsa verde), broccoli stems (lemony salad) and more!
Have a great long weekend!