Chard---Beautiful chard to steam or saute. Here’s what we do: wash well and chop up. Saute some leeks in a bit of oil. Then add the chopped chard with just a touch of water or broth. Cover and simmer until tender: not very long. We also always add them to cooked beans.
Black Beans---Our own dried beans grown right here in Santa Rosa. Here’s how I cook them. Rinse well and make sure there are no small rocks. Put into a pot and cover with a couple of inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, turn off, cover and let sit for about an hour (or more). Drain and then proceed with any recipe for beans. I like to chop leeks (a lot) and saute in oil. Then add the beans with a few cups of water, simmer with desired spices such as chile or chipotle powder, cumin, a bit of oregano. Simmer until tender (this should take less than an hour). When tender to your liking, add canned tomatoes and salt to taste and any other spices you may think should go in. That’s it! Yum!
Beets and their Greens---Boil, steam or bake but we think baking is the best. Chop (or not), stir around in olive oil, put on a cookie sheet and bake at about 375 until tender, less than an hour. Bake up some of the carrots at the same time if you like. For the greens, chop and saute like the chard. They are really great. Try recipe below.
Leeks---We’ve got lots of leeks, so you’re getting lots of leeks as well. To clean, slice lengthwise down the middle. Rinse out any dirt that might be there in the layers. Then chop up. I chop off the tougher part on top and use that in broth. I also inch my way into the leek and use all the tender green part inside. Does this make sense? Hope so...In other words, I use the whole leek!
Carrots---Two kinds: Purple and Orange. Sweet and nutritious for a nice daily snack.

Big Sur Black Bean Soup
adapted from recipe in California Home Cooking by Michele Anna Jordan

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and minced

2 celery ribs, minced (optional)
1 - 3 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp cumin to taste
crushed red peppers or chile powder

1 cup black beans, soaked overnight or “quick soak”
1 bay leaf

Kosher salt
Black pepper / Canned tomatoes Chopped Swiss Chard

In a large, heavy stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks, carrot and celery and cook them until they are tender and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Add the cumin and red pepper and stir for another minute. Add the black beans and 4 - 5 cups water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the beans until they are completely tender and begin to fall apart, between 40 to 90 minutes. As the beans cook, add more water if needed to keep them from becoming too dry.
Remove the bay leaf. If you like, puree half the beans using an immersion blender (or blend some of them in a blender) or simply cook them longer until they nearly dissolve.
Stir soup, add the Chard and tomatoes if using them. Cook until Chard is soft.

Chard with Beet Vinegar
from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd and Fran Raboff

2 large beets, cooked and peeled

1 cup rice vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice
dash white pepper/ butter to taste

1 large bunch fresh chard or beet greens, chopped
In a blender, puree the beets together with the rice vinegar, sugar, lemon juice and white pepper. Pour into a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Cool. Steam the chard or beet greens until tender, drain. Toss greens with butter and pepper to taste. Arrange cooked chard on a serving platter. Spoon over some of the beet vinegar to taste and garnish with a generous dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

VISIT THE FARM: Please come on in for a visit whenever you can and bring the kids!


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EGGS---Our chickens are starting to lay their eggs! Hooray. These beautiful and delicious eggs are available at the Farm Stand. Better watch out, though: the customers at the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market would take them all if we'd let them. You all get priority! Come check them out and see what a really fresh egg looks and tastes like.




Calling all loyal CSA members. We would love to put your recipes in the Menu. If you have anything that you'd like to share, please e-mail me at evie@tierravegetables.com and most likely your recipe (or comment) will make its way to this little Menu.

BOXES CONTINUE: The regular season continues after Thanksgiving. We go until December 21 for the regular season and then will start up on January 9 for the monthly winter boxes which will go monthly until the end of May when the weekly boxes will start up again.
WINTER BOXES will be the same size as the weekly boxes. We just don’t have enough variety to go every week but we do have enough to go once a month. The price is the same as it is now. If you want the boxes please call or e-mail and make sure I have confirmed it with you. You can sign up for the five months or the whole season. Whole season subscribers will get a discounted rate.