- Lettuce
- Kale, chard, or collards
- Herbs
- Sugar snap peas
- “purplette” red bunching onion, use as a fresh onion for salads or pickling
- Garlic (still young and not cured so won’t last to fall. If you are struggling to use it all consider hanging it in a dark area with lots of ventilation and you can cure it yourself, making it’s flavor get stronger and making it last0
- Zucchini (this will be the year of the zucchini, just a bit slow to get started. The 2 outside beds are looking great and just starting to set fruit)
- Broccoli (the smallest heads ever produced) of Chinese broccoli (the last of this spring favorite)
- Cabbage (Savoy or carafax (cone shaped with very little center) – it has not matured at a very steady rate so not enough for everyone, take it this week and leave it for others next week.
You know how you were always told not to compare your children, each one has her aptitude and special feature, well the same goes for vegetables and growing seasons. I decided to go back and look at what we gave last year at this time, ugh. Crops such as onions, garlic were ready to be harvested at this time last year. We were giving beans, favas and cabbage at this time. All those crops are weeks behind this year and it seems like not much to fill the gap, except . . . lettuce. We are just having a hard year, too wet and too cool.
The heat and dry have been helpful in the last few days but still can’t make up for the cool spring. We can hope for a long warm Indian summer to make up for the spring. According to those who read the farmer’s almanac that is not in the cards. So enjoy what we can produce. If it is any consolation the berries are also weeks behind, no blueberry raspberry tarts for Fourth of July this year. The raspberries are at least 2 weeks behind and who knows about the blueberries.
We have managed to really spruce up the farm. It has been great having Pascal working side by side with the Honduran weed whacking machine. We managed to tame the front garden and will replant with annuals for the fall harvest party. The herb garden which was threatened by an invasion of 8 foot tall thistle is now dry but thistle free. The back garden (which hasn’t been producing much but sorrel and sage for the past few years was also inundated with thistle and now looks better. The thistle is not irradiated just tamed, but it will be back. Pascal and Jespen (our summer intern) managed to salvage the onions from the weeds and they are actually starting to head. I got the cucumbers going up instead of out and they are blooming. The tomatoes need weekly training and since I planted over 180 plants that is a few hours a week.
The fall broccoli is ready to be transplanted and it is without a home until the garlic comes out. It feels like every square inch is planted. Our corn is not going well. The starlings found it and have managed to pluck out every sweet kernel as it spouts. I am trying to get some germinated in plug trays to transplant out but it isn’t ready and it isn’t “knee high by the 4th of July”.
Thanks to harvest helpers this week and last, it really makes a huge difference to have extra hands.
Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad
1 large round fennel
fine sea salt
¼ pound goat (creamy) cheese
black pepper from a pepper mill
3 T olive oil
Thinly slice fennel place in bottom of deep serving dish and sprinkle with salt. Add cheese in 1/4” rounds place over fennel. Pepper on medium grind liberally and drizzle with oil. Serve.
STEAMED SAVOY CABBAGE AND MUSTARD GREENS WITH BACON
3/4 pound sliced bacon
1 large head Savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)
2 bunches mustard greens (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
6 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and in a large heavy skillet cook over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp and golden. With a slotted spoon transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Thinly slice cabbage and discard coarse stems from mustard greens. In a large steamer rack set over boiling water steam cabbage, covered, until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer cabbage to a large bowl and keep warm, covered. In steamer rack set over boiling water steam mustard greens until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add mustard greens to cabbage and keep warm, covered.
Mince garlic. In a small saucepan heat garlic, butter, and oil until butter is just melted. Drizzle butter mixture over vegetables, tossing to distribute evenly, and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer vegetables to a serving dish and serve topped with bacon.
Gourmet
November 1998
Zucchini Avocado Salad
Published August 17, 2010
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Large pinch granulated sugar
- Large pinch cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Salad
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound zucchini (3 small or 2 medium)
- Olive oil
- 2 ears corn
- 1 large Hass avocado
- Salt
- 1/4 cup toasted shelled pumpkin seeds (if yours are raw, toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and toast in a skillet or toaster oven until lightly colored and beginning to pop)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons cotija cheese, crumbled (you can substitute añejo or a dry feta)
Instructions
To make dressing: Mix all dressing ingredients together and adjust seasonings to taste.
To make salad: Place the sliced onions in the dressing (so they have a chance to lightly pickle) and set aside.
Preheat grill to medium-high (see note). Slice the zucchini(s) in half and brush lightly with oil. Grill the zucchini halves for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until tender but not mushy. While the zucchini is grilling grill the corn, turning every 2 to 3 minutes until some of the kernels are slightly charred and the corn is hot. Let cool for a few minutes. Slice the zucchini halves into bite-size pieces and place in the center of a serving bowl.
Pit and peel the avocado, and slice into eighths. Fan the slices around the edge of the serving bowl.
Sprinkle the zucchini and avocado with a light dusting of salt. Shave the corn off the cob and scatter over the zucchini.
Using a fork, remove the onions from the dressing, and scatter on top of the corn. Top with the pumpkin seeds, cilantro and cheese. Stir the dressing, pour over the salad and serve.
Note: To check grill temperature, count the seconds you can hold your hand, palm side down, 2 to 3 inches above the rack, until it feels uncomfortable: 3 seconds for medium-hot.
Zucchini and Avocado Salsa Salad
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Whenever you make a dish with uncooked zucchini, be sure to slice or dice it finely, so that the zucchini can absorb the dressing or seasonings. I like to eat this salsa salad with rice.
1 medium zucchini
Salt to taste
5 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, to taste
1 Haas avocado, ripe but not too soft, cut into tiny dice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Boston lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves for serving
1. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt, and drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Rinse if the zucchini tastes very salty, and drain on paper towels.
2. Combine the tomatoes, chiles and cilantro in an attractive bowl. Combine the zucchini, avocado and lemon or lime juice in another bowl. Taste and add salt if desired. Add to the tomatoes, and toss together gently. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve on lettuce leaves as a salad, or serve over rice.
Yield: Serves six.
Advance preparation: You can assemble this several hours ahead. It will even keep for a day in the refrigerator, but it will become watery. This isn’t a bad thing if you are serving it over rice, with the juices poured over.
FENNEL AND CELERY SALAD (DAMA BIANCA)
2 medium fennel bulbs, stalks discarded
6 pale inner (white) celery stalks, leaves discarded and stalks thinly sliced
1 (1/2-pound) ball buffalo mozzarella (optional), roughly torn
1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest (preferably from an unwaxed organic lemon)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons good-quality fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Halve fennel lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise about 1/4 inch thick. Toss with celery and arrange on a platter with mozzarella.
Whisk together zest, juice, oil, sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and drizzle over salad.
Gourmet
April 2008
Savoy Cabbage and Fennel with Parsley-Lemon Butter
Local Flavors, Deborah Madison
½ small Savoy cabbage or other green cabbage
1 large fennel bulb, quartered
1 large leek (or onion)
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice and zest 1 Meyer lemon
3 tablespoons chervil or parsley leaves
- Cut the cabbage, fennel, leek into very thin slices and wash. Don’t dry, though.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large wide skillet. Add the vegetables and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Check after 5 minutes and make sure there’s a little moisture so that the vegetables don’t brown. Meanwhile, simmer the lemon juice in a small skillet until only 1 tablespoon remains. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining butter.
- Finely chop the lemon zest with the chervil. Stir half into the butter and add the other half to the vegetables. Toss well, taste for salt and season with pepper.
Fennel and Quinoa salad with Parsley and Dill
Living, Martha Stewart
Serves 4
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
- Prepare an ice-water bath. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, slice lengthwise as thinly as possible. Place in ice-water bath.
- Toast quinoa in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add water, raise heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate, uncovered, until cool, about 1 hour.
- Drain fennel and pat dry. Add parsley, dill, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper, and toss. Divide quinoa among bowls. Top with the fennel mixture.