Salsa in a Husk

While the Europeans (the Italians) claim tomatoes as their own*, the Americas can safely claim tomatillos. Tomatillos are a small green tomato-looking fruit shrouded in a papery husk (a calyx). They are staples in Mexican salsa making and Mesoamerican cuisine. They happily grow at Bloomfield Farms with our hot days and cool nights. And to celebrate the hot days of a prolonged summer, this refreshing salsa highlights the amazing flavor of the fruit & is super easy to prepare. To prepare tomatillos, remove the husk and stem and rinse off the remaining sticky residue that coats the fruit. This recipe does not require roasting the ingredients but if you like that roasted flavor (who doesn't) you can roast each ingredient in a pan lightly oiled at 350 until browned or in a frying pan.

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa
adapted from Mexican Everyday
serves four

1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
2 serrano peppers or 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped ( depending on the spicy factor)
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt
squeeze of fresh lime juice

Place all ingredients except the cilantro in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine and get juices flowing.  Blend on low speed until a coarse puree is formed.  Add the cilantro and pulse again. Pour into a dish, taste and add more salt or lime if desired.  Salsa can be thinned with a bit of water if desired. Recipe Notes: To take this recipe a step further add an avocado to the mix.

* Tomatoes also come from Mesoamerica. They were brought back to Europe by Spanish Conquistadors. 

Farming Forward at Bloomfield

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

If gardens could talk what would they say? For New Zealander Jodi Roebuck, a bio intensive farmer and mentor with immense knowledge of the land, gardens would ask about weather just like the rest of us. They would also call for more carbon. Seemingly a dirty word,  “carbon farming” is one of the most effective ways to reduce greenhouse gases by using grazing and growing techniques to capture the heat-trapping gas in the soil and make things grow intensely!  Simple right?

Jodi spent a couple of weeks with Caley Morrison, our farm manager, visiting California’s farming and grazing visionaries like bio-intensive pioneer John Jevons in Willits and shepherd Leland Falk in Sea Ranch. Jodi, a smiling man and a powerhouse of enthusiasm, says that combining “mob” grazing techniques with the animals and using living ground cover with deep soil preparation will use less water, less amendments and produce more food and fodder than the usual conventional and even organic farming.  These techniques have arrived at Bloomfield in a real way and as we farm forward we will go beyond organic and incorporate Jodi’s ways into our growing future.  Grazing, gardening and bringing it to the kitchen couldn’t be a more perfect triumuferate in Bloomfield’s holistic approach. 

Summer Berries!

Bloomfield's red berries are here! Raspberries are fragile gems of summer flavor that stain my skin and open my palette to the possibilities of summer fruit. They are particully delicious with a small pitcher of cream or eaten in the morning with muesli. I love them layered in a white cakes, in a financier or just eaten unadulterated,  raw and freshly picked.  The brambles love the cool mornings at Bloomfield. And we love that they love it here! 

Here is a seasonal recipe for your raspberries that is super easy!

Simple Raspberry Tart

 A crisp pastry, a sweet cream and a perfect berry = a simple tasty raspberry tart

7 ounces puff pastry ( homemade or store bought: Dufour from Whole Foods)

1 cup of heavy cream ( add 3 tablespoons of sugar if you like it sweet or more depending)

2 cups of raspberries

Layer a sheet of puff pastry on a baking sheet and score the rim 3/4 from the edge all the way around the perimeter. Prick the plane with a fork. Bake in a hot oven at 375F for 20 minutes until crisp. Let cool.  Pile on whipped cream and then pile on the berries. Make sure the berries are dry after washing them and the cream is thick but not butter. Serve immediately.

 

Fava Season

Not day passes at Bloomfield that ceases to surprise and stun me with beauty and wonderment.  Whether it's witnessing the bees visiting the wildflowers in the fields or seeing bananas growing and green on the lofty trees in the hothouse. Our medicinal tea garden is in bloom too. So lovely! It's fava bean season again and this recipe will surely celebrate my favorite Italian legume. This one uses both Bloomfield's beans and garlic!

Fava Bean and Garlic Puree

1 1/4 lb. fresh fava beans in their pod (about 1 1/4 cup shelled)

1-2 green garlic stalks ( scapes even better)

1 teaspoon fresh mint, optional

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan or pecorino

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Fine sea salt, to taste

Shell fava beans and blanch them for one minute, drain them and plunge them into a bowl of cold water. Drain them again, then remove the skin from the beans to bring their bright green core to light. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Chop coarsely a stalk green garlic. Spread all the garlic onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat and sprinkle with olive oil and a bit of sea salt. Bake for 15.

Put fava beans and garlic in the food processor and pulse to chop. Add herbs and process some more, then add the cheese and process briefly. While pulsing, dribble the oil into the feeding tube, then the lemon juice. Finally, sprinkle a bit of salt and process to a smooth paste by pulsing for several seconds at a time.

Let the spread rest for 20 minutes or so, then taste and adjust seasoning (salt, lemon juice). Refrigerate until ready to use and take out of the refrigerator in advance, so that the spread in not cold when you serve it. Serve on toast or  even use it in pasta like a pesto.

Cooks and Books: Cheese Making with Louella Hill (SF Milk Maid)

Spring is here, Summer is on the way, and we've got a lot of fun events coming up on the farm. The first is a hands-on workshop in fresh cheesemaking with Louella Hill, otherwise known as the San Francisco Milk Maid. She is the author of Kitchen Creamery (Chronicle Books, April 2015) and the Bay Area expert on cheese making. 

We will start class by covering the basics of cheesemaking before launching into making our own individual to-be-aged bloomy rind cheese and a fresh ricotta. We will taste samples of fresh local artisan cheeses with our in-house guava membrillo perfectly paired with local hard apple cider. 

After class, we'll break for a stroll around the farm and simple lunch prepared by our own in-house chef Andrea Blum using ricotta of the day, herbs and the greens freshly harvested from the farm. You won't want to miss it!

Details:  Saturday, June 13th, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Tickets are $100 each. To purchase, please click here!

Preserving Spring

It’s been a couple of months since writing on our blog and now with Spring in full force, we're back. Even with little rain over the winter, the fields at Bloomfield Farms have shifted from grasses, to flowers and baby shoots of green. We have young fava beans, grape leaves, snap peas and shoots, chives, green garlic and loads of edible flowers.  So how can we celebrate Spring? One way is to preserve grape leave and make dolmas—a savory symbol of the season. This recipe includes fava beans and fresh herbs and a technique to preserve your own grape leaves.

Preserved Grape Leaves

Makes 1 pint

20 to 40 grape leaves, stems removed

Salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

pint jars

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add enough salt to make it taste like the sea. Get another large pot of water ready for the mason jars and canning lids (the rings, not the gaskets). Get a large bowl of ice water ready too. Boil the grape leaves for 30 to 45 seconds, then plunge into the ice water to cool. Drain them. Take about 6 grape leaves at a time and roll them up into a cigar from the side — not the top or bottom. Pack the grape leaves into the jar, making sure you have about 1 inch of space at the top of the jar. Add lemon juice to each pint jar. Bring the water you used to cook the grape leaves back to a boil and ladle it into the jars. Make sure the grape leaves are covered with the brine. Wipe the edge of the pint jar with a clean towel and seal the jar. Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. These will keep for a year.

Spring Dolmas with fava beans and herbs

Makes 15-20

 22-25 fresh vine leaves (spray-free), or a jar of preserved vine leaves ( extra leaves if you have them)

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup feta cheese

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 minced garlic cloves or one head of green garlic and include a bit of the green stalk

1/2 cup medium grain rice, washed and drained ( jasmine or basmati ok too)

2 tablespoons pine nuts or other nut like almonds

2 tablespoons currants

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

2 tablespoons cilantro

1 tablespoons marjoram

1 tablespoon of  chives

1/2 tea spoon fine sea salt ( or to taste)

freshly ground black pepper

lemon zest of 1 lemon

 1 cup water, extra

the juice of 1 large lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil, extra

If using preserved vine leaves carefully separate them under running cold water. Rinse well, then place in a bowl of cold water. If using fresh, trim the stalks off the fresh vine leaves, then cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and plunge several leaves in at a time, leaving them for 1-2 minutes before removing with tongs to a bowl of cold water. When all are done, drain, shake off excess water and snip off the stems.

Heat the first measure of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic gently until soft, then add the fresh fava’s that are already prepped by shelling them, blanching them and taking off the outer skin. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring then add nuts, currants, parsley, mint, and other herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat. Cook the rice. Once it’s cooked add the herb mixture to the rice mixture. When cool enough, add the feta cheese and lemon zest.

Place the vine leaves smooth-side-down on a clean surface, a few at a time. Put a teaspoon of filling in the middle of each leaf. Fold the stem end up, followed by the sides, then roll up tightly to form a log shape.

 Use any torn leaves to line the base of a small heavy-based frying pan, then put the dolmades in the pan, in one layer, seam-side down. Pack them as close as possible to prevent them unfolding during cooking. Cover the top with more leaves. Combine the 1 cup of water with lemon juice and the last measure of olive oil and pour over dolmades. Place a small plate over the top of them, to hold them in place then top with the lid. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a very low simmer and cook for about 1 hour, or until they are very tender. Remove from the heat and let sit, without taking the lid off until cool. When cool, transfer to a container, cover and chill until serving time. Serve with an extra squeeze of lemon.

Bloomfield Tropical

It's winter at Bloomfield Farms and all is not what it seems. California has had its warmest winter on record. Nary a drop of rain since December. Our banana trees, however, are loving the heat. While there are grave concerns for everyone in this state and we all hope for more rain*, the farm is still producing amazing things both tropical and regional. Our greens and roots are at their ultimate best.

* for more on our California weather or if your weather obsessed like me see this blog. It's super informative.

I have a recipe that needs sharing. I've been working with beets lately. In cookies, as a dye, in pasta, and as a hummus. This one is  inspired by the London-based chef Yotam Ottolenghi, the  one everyone is crazy about, and it's so easy, so delicious and striking in it's deep purple beauty. 

Beet Tahini Puree

6 medium beets trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and minced
half cup of plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon Za’atar (optional)
Salt
Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash and trim the beetroot and wrap each one individually in silver foil. Place in a baking tray and cook for about an hour – until you can pierce them with a sharp knife.

Once cool peel the beetroot, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, tahini, chilli and yogurt and pulse until pureed. Add the olive oil, and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Optional:Scatter the walnuts, goat cheese and spring onion of you like on top and serve.

Gallery Block

These are example images. Double-click here to replace these images with your own content. Learn more

What is a Shrub?

 A shrub has many definitions. A nickname for a former president, a woody plant smaller than a tree and most importantly, a vinegar-based drink made at Bloomfield Farms. "Drinking vinegars" aka shrubs have recently got some attention from mixologists and chefs who use them in diluted forms to create refreshing drinks. Our version is a base of feijoa and apple cider vinegar with some basil, kaffir lime, mountain mint cane sugar. The syrup will last up to four months in the refrigerator after it's opened and it mellows with time. The key is shake it up before using and to dilute it with sparkling water or a prosecco and lemon slice for a start then you can experiment with vodka or other favorite alcohols. 

The box delivery this week includes a small bottle of feijoa shrub, Bloomfield pesto ( add your own cheese), a bottle of lacto- fermented pickles of kohlrabi, carrots, daikon, coriander seeds collected from our own plants and chili. We also have collards greens, micro mix, onions, herbs ( rosemary , thyme, magoram, and oregano).

Lacto fermentation: a phenomenon that allowed people to preserve foods for extended periods of time before the advent of refrigeration or canning. It involves a simple mixture of salt and water to form an acid, which acts as a preservative. The simplest form of lacto fermentation is the venerable pickle.

Recipe for a New Year

A wonderful way to use your pesto is to eat it with fresh Dungeness crab. To cook a crab and clean it- see this "Intructables" or just buy precooked crab. Then get some good quality linguine —my favorite "Rustichella d'Abruzzo"— cook al' dente and mix in your pesto. This bottle does not have cheese already added so add your own top quality parmesan. Serve the pasta as a side dish to your cracked crab or add crab picked from the shells and mix it in the hot pasta. Making pasta is a great way to extent the crab and it adds a wonderfully rich flavor. Another option is to make a dip for the crab with the pesto. Just heat up the pesto with a little olive oil and use it as a condiment. 

                                   Happy New Year!!

The Festive

From one holiday to the next. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! This week we decided to do a little gift giving. While the box has our winter dino kale, leeks, feijoa, red onions and salad mix, we also included a Bloomfield-made feijoa jelly or jam which goes wonderfully with a hard cheese or buttered toast, a hard cider from Devoto Orchards in Sebastopol, a Bloomfield chili oil,  artisan bread and a Bloomfield wreath to hang or to use as a center piece. Enjoy the bounty! 

View fullsize

View fullsize

The Feast

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday!  I am so thankful to be part of Bloomfield Farms and the amazing opportunity to cook and create things from what we grow. I am very excited about the succulent salad greens growing in the greenhouse. This morning we harvested delicate mache, miners lettuce, cress and a lemony red leaf mixed with arugula, wasabi arugula and other young leaves from the fields. I suggest eating this mix as soon as you can to get the full effect of the  delicate flavors. We also have two types of tatsoi, collards, squash, chard, leeks, beets, kale, feijoa and herbs.

I am sure you have many ideas for Thanksgiving. This one uses the collard greens or the chard and leeks for a gratin that would be amazing with turkey. 

Leek Chard Gratin

a bunch of Swiss chard or substitute collards 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4  leeks, white and tender green parts only, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 quart whole milk

1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground pepper

In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the chard or collards in batches until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the chard, squeeze dry and chop it small.

Heat the oil in the pot. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until tender, 7 minutes. Uncover, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the chard, season with salt and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter a 10-by-15-inch baking dish. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour over moderate heat to form a paste. Gradually whisk in one-third of the milk and cook, whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken. Repeat two more times with the remaining milk. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, 15 minutes. Whisk in the cheeses and the nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Mix the sauce into the leeks and chard. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown on top. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The unbaked gratin can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking.

November Provisions

This week we have a varied box that holds on to summer with the last of our sweet peppers and basil and welcomes the winter with purple cabbages. We are busy in the fields planting and planning for next year. I've been having lots of fun in the kitchen experimenting with the feijoa's too... preserving and making sweet things for us all to enjoy for the coming winter. We are also planning for Spring with our wonderful beekeeper, Jennifer, for the debut of Bloomfield's honey. The Queens are happy and so are her worker bees. 

The box:

This week includes a taste of young salad leaves mixed with borage and basil flowers, kale and chard, parsnips, beets, sweet peppers, basil, onions, tomatillos, some fresh bergmont for tea ( just stick it in a tea pot with hot water) and feijoa fruit.

As far as cooking ideas...

 A meal:

Roast the peppers until the are charred on the outside, skin and deseed them. Sprinkle the cleaned peppers with basil leaves, olive oil, and salt and you have a starter for a bigger meal. The cabbage can cooked as a braise with sautéed onions and rosemary and served with sausages or a grilled steak from your favorite butcher. 

Happy Halloween!

This week we have a few creative and delicious treats in the box: a medicinal tea & a Bloomfield-made vegan pumpkin cake with walnuts ( if you like, I can share the recipe). I couldn't resist. There's more about the tea in the previous post. Essentially the mint-like flavors of the various plants are good for the tummy and digestion and even the skin. 

The vegetables for this week:

Kale, chard, a black Spanish turnip, onions, leeks, mild peppers, a green winter squash, eggs, tomatillos ( also included one hot chili for the recipe below), a few guavas for the sauce and a Mexican herb called papalo used much like cilantro.

FYI: The squash has a very hard exterior so be careful when cutting it.  With a sharp knife cut it in half then turn it on its side to cut into slices. At this point, I cut off the skin, put salt and olive oil on the flesh and then put it on the barbecue. When cooked this way, the squash has a wonderful potato like texture. 

Tomatillo and Papalo Salsa

Here's a salsa recipe using the papalo. The herb is also great in an egg scramble with sautéed onions.

Tomatillo Papalo Feijoa Salsa

• a bag of tomatillos (8-10), roasted in the oven, or boiled.
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 small onion roasted in the broiler
• 1  mild pepper roasted with the onion, seeded and cut into chunks 
• a part of the dried red chili pepper soaked in water ( very spicy so the amount depends on your spice meter).
• juice of a lime
• 2 tbs. papalo leaves ( they have a strong flavor)
• salt to taste
• optional 1-2 feijoas to sweeten the sauce

Blend the ingredients in a blender just enough to mix it but not into a puree. Eat with chips and guacamole. It's really good.