Volume 2 Issue 6 - (June 2007)

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June 2007, Volume 2 Issue 6
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In This Issue:
Welcome to the June eFoodletter
Alan's Recipes of the Month: Pea and Lettuce Soup; White Fish Cooked in Tomatoes and Olive Oil
Who We Are and How to Reach Us
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Welcome to the June eFoodletter

We can't say we weren't warned.

I'd been reading about the benefits of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for years. And the abundance that comes with signing up for one. My brother had been involved and spent many a summer's day canning tomatoes and making soup.

But somehow, when I signed up this year, I just didn't picture how vast an array of food there would be. Thankfully, we started out "small" with a half-share.

The first box arrived last week. Our friend Douglass dropped it on the counter with grim warnings that, "We're just getting started".

There were three kinds of lettuce, spring peas, snow peas, spring onions, garlic scapes, strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, mint and a little bouquet of flowers. Muttering darkly about potato season, he left to continue his rounds.

We've been eating like kings all week. Alan made a wonderful batch of minted lettuce and pea soup with an asparagus garnish from the leftovers. In fact, we're almost ready to take on the next round.

If you want a real food adventure, I highly recommend signing up for a CSA subscription in your area. If it's too late for that this year (and they do get started early in the season), at least check out your local farmers' markets/farm stands.


Eat locally. Eat well!
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Alan's Recipes of the Month

Pea and Lettuce Soup

Ingredients
3 T Vegetable Oil
1 small Onion, roughly chopped
6 c Various Lettuces, roughly chopped (use romaine, iceberg, boston, etc - just about any you have on hand)
1 c Fresh or Frozen Sweet Peas
3-4 sprigs Fresh Mint (leaves only) - or use Fresh Basil, Thyme, Marjoram, Tarragon, Chervil or Italian Flatleaf Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Soften the onions in the oil over medium-low heat. Add the lettuces and peas. Add enough water to just cover the contents (remember that lettuces contain a lot of water; it's easier to add more later). Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the herbs and puree either with a hand or free-standing blender. You can pass the soup through a fine mesh strainer, if desired.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or cold. If serving cold, a little more salt may be required to bring out the flavour.
Serves 4.


White Fish Cooked in Tomatoes and Olive Oil

Ingredients
1 quart Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (red, yellow or a mixture of both), sliced in half
1/2 c Good Quality Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 6 oz Pieces of White Fish, fresh from the lake or the sea
1 sm bunch Fresh Basil, roughly chopped
2 T Unsalted Butter (optional)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method
Gently heat the tomatoes and the olive oil in a wide, shallow pan over low heat. You just want to bring out the juices from the tomatoes.
Slip the fish pieces into the pan and cover with the liquid. Raise the heat to medium and cook the fish until it is just done through (careful not to overcook).
Gently remove the fish pieces to a plate. Swirl the butter and basil into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the sauce between four large, flat bowls and place a piece of fish on top of each.
Serve with boiled/steamed new potatoes and a loaf of good, crusty bread.
Serves 4.


visit us on the web at: www.pannifers.blogspot.com

(check it out - the website for May December Home and Barb's home-decor blog www.maydecemberhome.blogspot.com)

Cheers!

Barb & Alan