Yerena Farms

Cooking Fresh Heirloom Beans

Posted on by Mission Community Market in Blog, Sensory Revolution, Yerena Farms | Leave a comment


One of the most unique items at the MCM are the fresh heirloom beans from Yerena Farms. They look like large wax beans with a very firm pod shell speckled with brown, pink and beige. Pop open the pod and you’ll usually find between five and seven large fresh beans with a distinctive flavor that has been preserved and and cultivated for many generations–much like heirloom tomatoes. Separate the beans from the pod (a great activity for kids to participate in!), place in a strainer or colander and rinse well. Since the beans are fresh, there’s no need to soak them–they’re ready to cook once they’ve been rinsed.

To cook 2 cups of fresh heirloom beans, chop up an onion and a few cloves of garlic. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions and garlic and cook until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the rinsed beans and enough water to cover, plus an inch or two. Add plenty of salt and pepper and fresh herbs or spices if desired (Try Sensory Revolution’s‘s Sensational Seasonings Green herb mix), stir well and cover the pot. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mixture covered for 45 minutes to an hour. Taste a bean to check done-ness. Beans are done when they can easily be chewed.

Once the beans have been cooked, use them in burritos, enchiladas, soups, salads or as they are for a healthy, protein-rich meal/side dish. Enjoy!

Apple-Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Raspberry Salsa

Posted on by Mission Community Market in Blog, Tomatero Farm, Yerena Farms | Leave a comment

One of the most exciting things about early Fall (more exciting than the new school year, even more exciting than Halloween!) is the plenitude of crisp fresh apples available. These gorgeous jewels make it extremely difficult to make it all the way home from the MCM without reaching into my Ecobag and devouring a juicy apple from Hale Apple Farm. On the rare occasion that self-control prevails, I immediately make this easy yet impressive-looking quesadilla, topped with raspberry salsa (made with fresh raspberries from Yerena Farms and ripe tomatoes from Tomatero Farm). It’s a great dish to throw together for unexpected guests and makes a lovely vegetarian entree, but can also be sliced into thin wedges and served as an attractive appetizer.

Ingredients

8 6” corn tortillas
2 medium-size, sweet apples, such as Braeburn or Fuji, cored and sliced thinly
8 tbsp. soft goat cheese
about fresh raspberries
1 small handful cilantro, chopped finely
2 tomatoes, cored and diced
1/2 jalapeño, diced finely, seeds discarded if you prefer a milder salsa
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place raspberries, cilantro, tomato, jalapeño, lime juice and salt into a food processor or blender. Puree until just slightly chunky with green flecks. Alternatively, chop everything very finely using a sharp chef’s knife. Set aside.

To assemble the quesadillas, spread each tortilla with a tbsp of goat cheese. Sandwich a few slices of apple and a few grinds of black pepper between two tortillas. Press gently to adhere the top tortilla to the bottom one and the filling. Repeat until 4 quesadillas have been assembled.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan or grill pan over high heat. Cook quesadillas, working in batches as necessary, for 2-3 minutes on each side or until tortillas are crispy and golden and cheese has softened.

Cut into wedges and serve with the raspberry salsa.

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