- Sugar Snap peas!! – finally ready for harvest, a taste for everyone with more to come. You can eat the whole pod, we enjoy them raw, but if you must cook them see recipes below.
- Spinach – enjoy our new dark green variety from Osborne seeds in Washington State.
- Kale – our new crop from the field. They have been “kissed” by slugs and flea beetles, but this way you know they are organic!
- Beets – enjoy the tender roots and the delicious greens. We just sauté the greens with the garlic scapes, add a dash of tamari and call it good.
- Kohlrabi or radish or turnips – these roots (Kohlrabi) are like the broccoli stem, but sweeter. Make sure to peel them. Again we love them raw sliced in the veggie bag for school lunches, but you can cook them or check out last week’s note chock full of recipes.
- Garlic scapes – this is the special time of year to enjoy these garlicky – sweet garlic flowers. We gave you lots of recipes last week so enjoy them. If all else fails just chop them up and sauté like regular garlic for a subtler flavor.
- Chinese broccoli or cauliflower or Swiss chard – It is on its way out L. We were able to harvest it for 4 good weeks, the regular broccoli is on its way.
- Onions or shallots – this is the last week of our storage ! We will switch to green onions next week and wait until July to harvest our main crop onions.
- Salad mix – this is the last week of salad mix (we think). We will move on to head lettuce next week. Make sure you try my dressing below! We recommend washing and drying (spinning) your salad mix the first day you pick it up and having it ready for the week.
We can feel the shift on the farm. The outside crops are leaping ahead. We are harvesting lettuce, kale and spinach from outside. The greenhouse tomatoes are growing and in flower all ready. The spring potatoes are almost ready to dig (1-2 weeks), and we will pull out the Chinese Broccoli soon and shift to cucumbers.
Most of the field is planted. We are counting the beds and strategizing about space for the eggplant, tomatillos and final summer crops while saving space for the fall favorites like Brussels Sprouts. Planting and seeding and weeding never end on the farm. We are doing all of these things along with two weekly harvests until November. We continue to juggle the farm, my work, the farmers market and the livestock, oh yeah and we have a son graduating from high school and the end of the lacrosse season!
If you want to help with the harvest the sign-up is in the barn next to the sign in sheet. We ask that each member contribute twice during the season to help with the harvest. We begin at 7 – 7:30 and we ask that you stay until the harvest is complete ( 11- 12). You can reach us on our cell phones if you have questions or can’t make an assigned day.
As we are in the planning mood we are busy setting dates, so mark your calendars too!
- Canning party – September 12th , 2015 : a fun filled day from 9 – 5 where we come together as a community to put the extra produce from the farm to work for our winter enjoyment. Many more details to follow.
- Harvest Festival – October 18th, 2015: a community event not to be missed! 2-6 p.m. here at the farm. This is our chance to shine and celebrate the culmination of a great harvest season. We will also celebrate the centennial of our barn, stay tuned for special events around this theme.
It is time to you pick! Strawberries are coming in and many of our Helvetia neighbors have picking available. Check out the Tri county information at: http://www.tricountyfarm.org/farms. Our neighbors on Helvetia are not organic but are open for you pick Monday – Saturday.
Off to harvest, enjoy your week.
Lyn’s Salad Dressing
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic pressed
Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with lid. Shake until creamy and well blended.
Chioggia beet salad
adapted from the LA Times: November 15, 2006
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus 1 hour standing time
Servings: 4
Note: From Christian Shaffer. Red and golden beets may be used instead of the Chioggia beets.
1 bunch beets: any color
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1/2 teaspoon (scant) toasted ground coriander seeds
1 shallot, minced
4 ounces (1/2 cup) crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fresh mint or chervil or parsley, whole leaves or rough chopped
1. Boil the beets in enough water to cover, with 2 tablespoons salt, until tender, about 30 minutes, depending on the size of beet.
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, coriander and shallot and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes. In another bowl, combine the crème fraîche, horseradish, one-half teaspoon salt and pepper and set aside.
- Drain the beets and, while still warm, peel them. Slice them into wedges, about 8 to 10 per beet, and cool.
- Pour the vinegar mixture over the beets and let stand, covered, at room temperature for an hour. Spoon the horseradish cream onto a platter, covering the bottom. Using a slotted spoon, mound the beets over the cream. Garnish the beets with the chervil and serve.
Each serving: 152 calories; 2 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 13 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 12 mg. cholesterol; 285 mg. sodium.
Braised Chicken with Green Garlic
from Weir Cooking in the City by Joanne Weir
1 large chicken (about 4 pounds)
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
S and P
1 cup water
3-5 stalks green garlic, trimmed and cleaned as you would a leek, and chopped
1 1/4 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Remove the wings from the chicken and discard. Cut the chicken into 8 pieces, each breast half cut crosswise into 2 pieces, 2 thighs, and 2 drumsticks.
Melt the butter in the olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken, season with S and P, and cook until golden brown on one side, 6-8 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and cook unti lgolden brown on the second side, another 6-8 minutes. Transfer chicken to aplatter; cover with foil, and keep warm. Pour the excess fat from the pan and discard.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the water and garlic, and cook until the garlic is soft and the water has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add more water during cooking if necessary. Puree in a blender on high speed until very smooth; reserve.
Return the chicken to the pan and increase the heat to high. Add the white wine, chicken stock, and garlic paste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover , and simmer until the chicken can be easily skewered, 20-25 minutes. Season with S & P.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil. Over high heat, reduce the sauce until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Serves 6.
Kohlrabi Saute w/ Garlic & Lemon Juice:
2 med Kohlrabi bulbs
1 Tbls olive oil
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 med Onion, chopped
1 Tbls Lemon juice
2 Tbls Parsley, chopped
2 Tbls sour cream
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Peel the tough outer skin from the kohlrabi, then coarsely grate the bulbs. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic, onion and kohlrabi and saute, stirring for 5 to 7 minutes until kohlrabi is tender crisp. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in sour cream, and serve hot.
Sugar Snap Peas with shallots and Thyme
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- kosher salt to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Spread sugar snap peas in a single layer on a medium baking sheet, and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with shallots, thyme, and kosher salt.
- Bake 6 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender but firm.
Lemony Sugar Snap Peas
Thanks to Benedictine University Dietetic Intern Erica Hanson for sharing this recipe. Erica says this recipe is great for kids because it combines new flavors with a favorite vegetable…and “once the ingredients are prepared by an adult, kids can prepare the rest of the recipe on their own.”
2 ounces raw sugar snap peas
1/2 peeled and sliced Hass avocado
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/16 teaspoon kosher salt
1/16 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the raw sugar snap peas and avocado, tossing gently to combine.
Serves 2.
Kale Omelet
By the Armard Family
INGREDIENTS
– as much kale as you could get with two hands together (as a bunch) after it has been chopped (aprox. 2 cups)
– Olive oil (2-3 tablespoons)
– One small well-chopped clove of garlic
– 1 teaspoon of salt
– 1/4 cup of feta or chevre cheese (small pieces)
– 1 small-medium ripe tomato or 4-5 cherry tomatoes (chopped)
– Fresh black pepper
– 3 eggs
– Finely chopped basil or parsley
PROCEDURES
– Stir the eggs very well with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and black pepper in a bowl. Set aside
– Heat the olive oil at medium-high and when hot add the kale and the chopped garlic. Cook until kale is soft stirring constantly. Don’t overcook. Then take out
– Reduce the fire to low-medium (let the pan cool down a little first), re-stir the eggs and poor them on the pan (use more olive oil if needed before adding the eggs)
– Immediately add the cooked kale/garlic, the chopped tomatoes, the cheese and the remaining salt
– Cover for about a minute with a lid
– Fold or whatever you prefer or can do (frittata Vs. Omelets)
– Take out and add some chopped parsley or basil on top
Spinach, Radish Slaw with Crispy Chiles and Pepitas
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 dried Anaheim or dried New Mexico chiles,* stemmed
Canola oil
2/3 cup shelled raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
4 9-ounce bags spinach leaves (not baby spinach)
2 10-ounce bunches large red radishes, trimmed
4 ounces Cotija cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
Whisk both vinegars and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD:Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.
Cut chiles in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Using scissors, cut chiles crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Pour enough canola oil into large skillet to reach depth of about 1/8 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Add chiles and fry until beginning to crisp, about 45 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add pepitas to same skillet and fry until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to another set of paper towels to drain. Sprinkle chiles and pepitas with salt. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Line 1 large bowl and 1 small bowl with paper towels. Working in batches, stack spinach leaves into piles and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Transfer to prepared large bowl.
Using grating disk on processor, grate radishes. Place in strainer set over another bowl; drain 15 minutes. Transfer to small bowl lined with paper towels. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.
Place spinach, radishes, chiles, pepitas, and cheese in very large bowl. Toss with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
* Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.
Bon Appétit
December 2008
by Tori Ritchie