Farm Market Update

We will unfortunately miss the last two weekends of the West Bend Farm Market due to other commitments. But fret not, our hungry friends: we will still have on-farm hours each Tuesday! And as always, give us a holler if you'd like to stop out another day of the week.

And don't forget, we continue to grow all 12 months of the year so you don't need to go back to the tasteless greens at the grocery store just because the farm market ends.

Hope to see you soon!

Soup-er Mix

I don't know about you, but I'm very much in the mood to do some preserving! This recipe comes to us courtesy of one of our all-time favorite canning books, The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin. So. Many. Good. Recipes. And this former-professional-canner-turned-cookbook-author knows her stuff, imparting knowledge while also turning food preserving into a pleasurable activity, rather than inducing a mild sense of terror that you'll mess up in some subtle way and kill everyone you love. Not that I ever have that fear when reading American canning books. Ahem.

Anyway, as with most of her recipes, Corbin allows for substitutions; in this case her variations might include young turnips, shallots, celery, rutabagas, beets, or peppers, as well as many herbs. But the ingredients listed below form her suggested, go-to soup base (and just in case you're wondering, it's filed under celery because we substitute celery root for actual celery). She also notes that you'll want to use veggies and herbs that have the strongest taste and scent you can find.

Souper Mix

 

Makes three to four 8 oz. jars

 

9 oz. leeks

7 oz. fennel

7 oz. carrot

9 oz. celery root (or celery)

2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes

2 or 3 garlic cloves

3.5 oz. parsley

3.5 oz. cilantro

3/4 c. plus 1T salt

 

Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend together. The result will be a moist, granular paste. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Keep one jar of the mix in the fridge for everyday use, while the rest can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place. Use within 6 months.

 

To use the souper mix, just stir about 1 teaspoon of it into 1 cup of hot water.



We're now taking fall CSA reservations

It may only be August, but it's not too soon to start thinking about where you'll get fresh, tasty greens once the weather starts cooling off! Our fall CSA share starts in October, and there are only 15 spots left!

Contact us to reserve your (full, half, or design-your-own) share today!

Come meet us!

If you're looking for something to do this Thursday night, we've got an excellent option to consider: you can come meet us!

 

We'll be speaking at the Delafield Public Library, explaining what we do here at Lone Duck Farm and giving more information on aquaponics and permaculture in general. The presentation goes from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

 

We hope to see you there!

Strawberry Ricotta Bruschetta with Lemon and Arugula

Now that the strawberries have officially made it to our farmer's market, this week's recipe is a combination of both a spring favorite and a year-round staple at Lone Duck Farm:

Strawberry Ricotta Bruschetta

with Lemon and Arugula

 

 

Source

 

Strawberry Ricotta Bruschetta with Lemon and Arugula
Be sure to use a fresh ricotta for this recipe. A creamy, mild goat cheese may be used in place of the ricotta. Makes 2.
2 large strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 slices peasant or levain bread
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1/4 cup fresh ricotta or mild goat cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup arugula leaves, washed and dried
Freshly ground black pepper
Toss the strawberries and balsamic vinegar together in a small bowl; set aside. Preheat oven broiler. Brush bread slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt. Broil in the oven until golden brown, turning once.
Smear the ricotta over the bread slices. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Pile arugula on the bruschetta. Remove the strawberries from the vinegar, shaking off excess liquid, and arrange over the arugula. Whisk 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt into the remaining vinegar. Drizzle over and around the bruschetta. Garnish with black pepper.




Sesame Watercress Salad

This one's also a double-header (featuring two of our ingredients), and it's for the gourmand who loves a little spice in her life:

 

Sesame Watercress Salad

 

 

Source

 

Makes: 6 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

 

3 bundles watercress, torn into 1-inch pieces

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias

1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts, roasted and salted (approx. 3 oz)

2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 Tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

 

 

In a large bowl, combine watercress, celery, and peanuts. In a small bowl, whisk sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili-garlic sauce to combine. Toss greens with dressing to coat. Divide dressed salad among plates and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Breaking out the kale!

Just in time for Memorial Day weekend and all the grilling that entails:

 

Garlicky Grilled Kale Salad

with Grilled Bread

 

Source

 

 

Serves 4 to 6

For the salad:
2 bunches (about 1 pound) kale, washed and dried
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other high-heat oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for bread
2 thick slices sourdough bread (about 3/4-inch thick)
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoon shaved Parmesan (optional, see Recipe Notes)

For the dressing:
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cut out and discard the stem and central rib from each kale leaf. In a large bowl, toss the kale leaves with 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, until leaves are evenly coated with oil. Rub both sides of the bread with the remaining tablespoon grapeseed oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Rub the small garlic clove over both sides of the bread.
Preheat the grill or grill pan to high heat. Working in batches, grill the kale leaves until brown and crispy on both sides, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Grill the bread until crisp and lightly charred on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Roughly chop the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Cut the bread into large cubes and set aside.
To make the dressing, grate the large garlic clove with a microplane (or use a garlic press) and combine with the lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the chopped kale and toss to coat. Add the bread cubes and toss. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl and garnish with the cheese, if desired.