Live Earth Farm Brings Peppers and Potatoes to Market

The culinary possibilities of fresh produce expand the deeper into summer we go. Live Earth Farm always brings a huge variety of lettuce, kale, collard greens, carrots and leeks, and now there are several new vegetables appearing among this colorful mix. 

The most exciting new addition is probably the peppers. Live Earth Farm is the only farm at the Scotts Valley Market that is carrying the Spanish padron peppers. These tiny green peppers are mild, and only one in 10 are actually a bit spicy, which makes them fun to eat. These peppers are traditionally served as tapas in Spain, lightly fried in olive oil with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. They're easy enough to make and delicious when prepared this way.

There are also larger green peppers called corno de toro, meaning horn of the bull in Spanish. They are another sweet-frying pepper with a mild taste. They're large enough to be used in some stuffed-pepper recipes, like the mashed potato stuffed pepper recipe listed below. Then there are the lipstick peppers, also pretty mild, which should be appearing in the next few weeks. These peppers turn bright red when  ripe.

Also new to the scene are the yellow fin and fingerling French potatoes. 

"The yellow fin potatoes are just amazing," said Taylor Brady of Live Earth Farm. "They are creamy and sweet. The owner, Tom Broz's, favorite crop is actually the potatoes." 

Brady suggests using the yellow fin potatoes for mashed potatoes or roasting. I purchased a couple pounds of the smaller yellow potatoes, which roasted up deliciously with some rosemary and garlic. 

If you're still looking for greens, consider trying the red Russian kale. They look like red and green butter lettuce heads, but are actually kale.

"It's fabulous, a little more tender and less bitter, so we call it the 'beginner's kale,'" said Brady, adding that the green beans are also rocking right now.

Below are some vegetarian recipes created with the new vegetables from Live Earth Farm.

Peppers stuffed with mashed potatoes

Taken from Your Organic Kitchen:The Essential Guide to Selecting and Cooking Organic Foods, by author Jesse Cool.

Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:

4 medium Poblano or Anaheim chili peppers (any of Tom Broz's peppers would work fine)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk
2 ounces cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut peppers in half lengthwise, removing seeds and stems and scraping away the white membranes. In a medium bowl combine garlic, vinegar, oil, salt and black pepper. Toss peppers with this to coat. Place, cut-side down, on a baking sheet and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash with chives. Cut cream cheese in pieces and melt/mash into potatoes, adding enough milk to make them smooth and creamy. Turn peppers cut-side up on baking sheet. Mound each pepper with mashed potatoes and top with cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Green bean and potato curry

This is a simple curry that can be served with rice, pickles and chutney. Courtesy of Rebecca Mastoris of Vibrant Foods Catering.

2 medium potatoes (about 1/2 lb.) cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/2 tsp. turmeric 
3 tbsp. oil of choice
15 basil leaves
1 cup very finely chopped leeks, mostly the white part (I also use the tender green part)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. finely chopped ginger
3 green chilies cut into fine rings
3/4 lbs. green beans cut on a diagonal at 1/4 inch intervals
4 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 can coconut milk
1 stick cinnamon
 1 1/4 to 1/2 tsp.sea salt
 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

In a medium pot combine the potatoes with enough water to cover them well, and 1/4 tsp. turmeric. Bring to a boil. Cover partially, turn the heat down, and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, but still hold their shape. Drain.

Next, put the oil in a large sauce pan, and set over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, ginger, garlic and green peppers. Sauté for two to three minutes, then add the basil leaves. Add the green beans and sauté for another minute. Add in the curry powder and stir at once. 

Then pour in the coconut milk, one cup of water, the remaining turmeric, the cinnamon stick, salt, and potatoes. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover and cook about 15 minutes or until the beans are just tender. (Cook for less than 15 minutes if you like your beans on the crunchy side.) Stir in the lime juice, and then remove the cinnamon stick and serve. This is a delicious dish served over brown basmati rice with a spinach salad on the side.