Salad mix: “Salanova” lettuce makes her debut this week. This is a special lettuce, bred by Johnny’s seeds to make only small leaves even when fully mature. We have selected the varieties we like best with dramatic colors and varied leaf size. She is just starting so stay tuned.
Arugula: it is a new variety this year called “speedy”. Honestly she is not speedy. We seeded this arugula in the depths of winter (January and February) and it took forever to grow and now it is bolting! The flavor is good and makes a super salad on its own or mixed into the salad lettuce. We will try it again in the fall, probably the best for late fall and winter production.
Radishes: As many of you know we love radishes and usually have tons. This spring with the rains one of our green houses had a huge wet spot and had variable germination. We will alternate with Arugula.
Shallots: these are one of our favorite aliums (onion family). They pungent and give a lot of punch to salad dressings. They can be roasted, pickled or made into shallot “jam”. I am planning on roasting them and adding them to my spinach and egg flan for Easter brunch.
Spinach: Don’t be intimidated by the huge leaves. They cook down and can be added to stir fries, soups or made into creamed spinach. We love the spinach soup, you cook the spinach for only 5 minutes and the soup is a lovely bright green.
Walnuts: These were gathered from our enormous walnut tree that graces the center of our farm. We figure it was planted in 1915, when the barn was built. It is a grafted tree black walnut root stock and English walnut as the cultivar. We gathered them and dried them last fall. This will be the last of them until the fall.
Kale or chard or collards: We are finishing up the fall planted kale and moving into the early spring kale. Enjoy the sweet leaves as the frost this week makes them so.
Sprouting broccoli or Chinese Broccoli: This is the last of the purple sprouting broccoli. The heat this weekend will cause it all to flower. The Chinese broccoli is just coming on but does not like 80 – 100 degree weather.
Bok Choi: a versatile vegetable that tends to absorb the flavor of the sauce or soup it is cooked with. I have included our favorite recipe which we have made twice this week. The pork ribs make it! The recipe seems involved, but it is really not difficult to make and makes a hearty meal. You could add the spinach too towards the end for more greens.
The weather is not doing us any favors. It got down to 32 degrees earlier this week and will be at least 80 degrees today. Many plants to not understand this type of flux in weather and get the message they have gone through winter and it is time to make seed. We can do “everything right” as farmers and Mother Nature throws a curve ball. That is why we keep trying new things, planting crops over and over trying to get them to the right combination of fertility, temperature and water.
Speaking of water, it has been dry! Juve is busy trying to get irrigation on the crops we have planted outside. It is always a challenge at this time of year to get all that needs to be done, completed by the end of the day.
We went crazy and got a whole new set of laying hens. Of course they are just days old and will need to grow for the next 4-6 months to take over the duty of their sisters that we have currently producing eggs. They are delicate and require care, heat and good luck. We also got a whole bunch of meat chickens. Again we will have to wait and see how many survive before we get out there and try and sell them.
We will spend the week planting the alliums. These are the onion family. We have about 700 feet of them to plant and it always feels like such an accomplishment when they are in the ground and we can move on to tomatoes and peppers.
Diego and two high school friends hosted a group of fourth graders on the farm. They gave them a tour and taught them about seeding, transplanting and harvesting and then shared a meal of wonton soup. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We will have a group of high school students out to the farm this Thursday to do much of the same. We hope to get the winter squash seeded, lay water lines and transplant the leeks. I am always more ambitious about what can be accomplished in a short time especially with novice workers!
We have vegetable starts available for our subscribers that want to plant their own garden at home. They will be ready in May. I have sent a list to subscribers. Polly (from Pumpkin Ridge Gardens) and I have worked at the Beaverton Farmers Market for over 10 years selling vegetable seedlings and our season starts the first week on May. We are there from 8 – 1:30 every Saturday. We will have a sale on April 25th and 26th with Birthing Way Midwifery School at the parking lot of Ben and Jerry’s on Hawthorne. I will be at Catlin Gable School on May 3rd from 11 – 4 also selling vegetable seedlings. Lots of opportunities to get the very best for your garden.
It is Time to head out to harvest before it gets too hot.
WONTON SOUP WITH BOK CHOY
For soup
2 lb country-style (meaty) pork ribs
2 lb chicken thighs, legs, and wings
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, chopped
12 cups water
1 1/2 lb bok choy, leaves halved lengthwise, then stalks and leaves thinly sliced crosswise
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper \
For wontons
1/2 lb ground pork (not lean)
1 large egg yolk
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
About 30 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
Make broth:
Simmer pork ribs, chicken, scallions, ginger, and water in a 6- to 8-quart tall narrow stockpot, uncovered, until meat is very tender and falling apart, 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Pour broth through a sieve into a large bowl and discard solids. Cool broth, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 1 1/2 hours.
Make wontons:
Stir together pork, yolk, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper in a bowl in 1 direction with your hand until just combined (do not overwork, or filling will be tough). Put 1 wonton wrapper on a work surface (keep remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap). Spoon a rounded teaspoon of filling in center of square, then brush water around edges. Lift 2 opposite corners together to form a triangle and enclose filling, pressing edges firmly around mound of filling to eliminate air pockets and seal. Moisten opposite corners of long side. Curl moistened corners toward each other, overlapping one on top of the other, and carefully press corners together to seal. Make more wontons in same manner.
Finish soup:
Skim any fat from broth, then bring to a simmer in a 5- to 6-quart pot. Stir in bok choy, salt, and white pepper and simmer, uncovered, until bok choy is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add wontons and simmer, uncovered, gently stirring, until filling is just cooked through, about 3 minutes (cut 1 open to check).
Cooks’ notes:
• Broth can be chilled up to 1 day.
• Wontons can be made 1 month ahead. Freeze in 1 layer on a plastic-wrap-lined baking sheet until firm, about 30 minutes, then transfer to a sealable plastic bag and keep frozen.
Gourmet
January 2004
Whole-Wheat Penne With Walnut Pesto and Kale
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Lacinato kale, also called Tuscan, black or dinosaur kale, is narrow leafed, dark blue-green and crinkly. Other varieties of kale may be substituted if lacinato is unavailable. Be sure not to toast the nuts too long; burned nuts will make the pesto taste very acrid. Whole-wheat pasta varies widely in flavor and texture; Imported Bionaturale brand, which is sold at New Seasons Markets, is one of my favorites. If you prefer, regular pasta may be substituted for whole-wheat.
- 11/2 cups walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (divided; see note)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Pinch granulated sugar
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces), plus additional for serving
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bunches fresh lacinato kale, stemmed, coarsely chopped and rinsed well
- 1 pound whole-wheat penne rigate pasta
Combine 1 cup walnuts, garlic, thyme and pinch sugar in food processor and process until evenly ground, about 15 seconds. Add cheese and oil and process just until blended, about 4 seconds, scraping down sides of work bowl as necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; set pesto aside.
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, add salt and greens and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Leaving the boiling water on the heat, use tongs or long-handled strainer to transfer greens to large bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When greens are cool, drain and squeeze firmly between hands to remove excess moisture. Coarsely chop greens and set aside.
Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to directions on package. Drain pasta through colander, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot and toss with pesto until well-coated. Add reserved pasta water, as necessary, to moisten pasta. Using tongs, distribute cooked greens through pasta; season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among bowls and serve garnished with remaining 1/2 cup walnuts and additional grated parmesan as desired. Note: To toast nuts, spread on baking sheet and bake in 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until they start to brown.
White House No-Cream Creamed Spinach
Published May 25, 2010
Makes 6 servings
This side dish is one of Michelle Obama’s favorites because it has a creamy texture without a lot of calories and fat. One person who’s not a fan, however, is Sasha Obama, who is turned off by the bright green color — a shade of the vegetable rainbow she has yet to embrace.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 shallots, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Wash and clean the spinach. Place a large bowl of water near the sink, and put several handfuls of ice cubes in it. Place a colander in the sink.
Fill a medium-sized pot with water, and sprinkle in some salt. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully add 8 ounces of the spinach (about a quarter of the leaves) and let it boil for just 30 seconds.
Carefully pour the spinach and water into the colander to drain the spinach. Then, using tongs or a fork to handle the hot spinach, immediately “shock” the spinach by putting it into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Let the spinach sit in the cold water for a minute, then drain it again in the colander. Squeeze the spinach with your hands or press the spinach against the colander with the back of a spoon to remove excess water.
Place the cooked spinach in a blender and purée. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add shallots and garlic and cook until the shallots turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the rest of the spinach leaves, tossing with a spoon and sautéing until the leaves are wilted. Add the puréed spinach and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
Adapted from White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford
Kale Salad (from Kris Schamp)
Flax oil (1/8 C)(I often use olive oil)
Lemon juice (1/8 C)
Soy sauce* (less than 1/8 C)
1 bunch kale
Red onion
(everything after this is just icing on the cake, I rarely add the below ingredients)
Shredded or shaved (with peeler) carrots
¼ C pumpkin seeds
1/8 C sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Sprouts (any kind)
Mushrooms (optional)
* can use Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce
1) Make the dressing: equal parts flax oil, lemon juice & soy sauce (or Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce. Use less soy sauce if sensitive.)
Marinate very thinly sliced / shaved red onion in the dressing while you prepare the kale.
2) De-stem the kale – try to get the young, tender smaller leaves.
Cut it into ribbons. Place in very large bowl to allow for easy mixing.
Add rest of “dry” ingredients.
3) Add the dressing and marinated onions to the kale mixture. Using hands, gently massage the dressing into the kale; softening down the structure of the kale and aiding the absorption of the dressing by the kale.
Let sit for a while (20-30 mins) before serving. Can be made well beforehand and refrigerated. Can add chopped avocado when serving. Goes well with marinated tofu-you can use the same dressing.
Arugula Pesto with Herbed Ricotta Gnocchi
Pesto
2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 1/2 cups arugula leaves, well rinsed and towel-dried
1 1/2 packed cups fresh spinach leaves, well rinsed and towel-dried
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Gnocchi
1 cup semolina flour
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chervil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh fennel leaves
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained
Olive oil, for tossing gnocchi
12 lemon gem marigolds
1. Make the pesto: With the motor running, drop the garlic through the feed tube of a food processor to mince. Add the pine nuts, arugula, spinach, and Parmesan and pulse until the greens are finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil to make a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. (The pesto can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.)
2. Make the gnocchi: Place the semolina, chives, sage, chervil, fennel, salt, nutmeg, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Transfer to a medium bowl and, with your hands, blend in the ricotta. Flour your hands and knead the dough in the bowl until all the ingredients cling together. The dough will be sticky, but do not add more flour or the gnocchi will be heavy.
3. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and dust with flour. Place about 1/3 cup of dough at a time on a lightly floured work surface and roll it underneath your palms to make a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the rope into 3/4-inch-long pieces. Using the tines of a fork, press an indentation into each piece and place the gnocchi on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used.
4. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they rise to the surface. Boil for 30 seconds, until the gnocchi are set but tender. Drain well. (The gnocchi can be made up to 4 hours ahead, rinsed under cold water and drained well.) Toss the gnocchi with olive oil and store at room temperature. To reheat, cook in a large nonstick skillet over low heat, or drop into boiling water to warm. Toss the hot gnocchi with the pesto, garnish with marigolds, and serve immediately.
The Complete Kitchen Garden
Text copyright © 2011 Ellen Ecker Ogden
Sherry Vinaigrette
adapted from Mediterranean Fresh, by Joyce Goldstein
¼ cup sherry vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
S & P to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Thyme, Rosemary, and Wine Vinegar Dressing
adapted from: Cooking with Friends, by Trish Deseine and Marie-Pierre Morel
1 cup olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
Sea salt and black pepper
Blend the thyme and rosemary leaves in a food processor or crush them with a mortar and pestle. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and combine with a whisk.
Shallot Salad Dressing
1 spring shallot, cleaned and chopped, include most of the light green part
1/3 cup (or to taste) vinegar: we use champagne or sherry vingear
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
S & P to taste
3/4 cup best olive oil
Whirl everything in a blender or food processor. I use an immersion blender for this with the ‘jar’ that came with it: any jar will do. Super easy! You control the quality of the ingredients! enjoy.
Julia’s Favorite Daily Dressing
Into a mini blender jar (or small canning jar, they work with most American blenders), put in equal parts vinegar (balsamic or rice or sherry or?) or lemon juice, and olive oil. With S & P you’ve got dressing. Extras I like to add to this dressing: 1 roughly minced, peeled garlic clove, a small dollop of fancy mustard, and a small dollop of jam. Screw blender bottom onto the jar, then insert into the blender and whirl. You’ve got dressing! The variations are endless….
Low-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing
adapted from Cook’s Country
makes about 1 cup 8 servings
Use a great pungent cheese
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 Tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, grated (try a microplane!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
Lemon Shallot Vinaigrette
2 small shallots
2 Tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup extra‑virgin olive oil
Peel and dice the shallots very fine. Put them in a small bowl with the
vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. Stir and let the mixture sit for 10 to
30 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Low-Fat Ranch Dressing
adapted from Cook’s Country
makes about 1 cup 8 servings
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup reduced fat mayo
1 Tablespoons water or buttermilk
1 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated (try a microplane for this job)
1 Tablespoon minced chives
1 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne pepper
Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
Tahini Dressing from Salad by Amy Nathan
1/2 Cup safflower oil
1/2 pound soft tofu
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
generous 1/4 cup tahini (julia says: use toasted for a richer flavor)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 scallion, chopped
2 Tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
3/8 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. (Julia says: I like to use my immersion blender in a tall jar). Adjust the thickness to your liking by adding water. This stores well if covered.
Tahini Dressing
Adapted from The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin by Shopsin and Carreno
1 cup tahini
3 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
¼ teaspoon sugar
Combine everything with 2 cups of water in a blender and blend until smooth.
Dijon Vinaigrette
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
2 T each plain non-fat yogurt, lemon juice and red wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, parsley, etc. or a mixture or dried, but use less if using dried.
Combine in a blender at medium-high speed. Chill overnight before serving.
From : Chef Andrew Cohen
Honey Mustard Cilantro Dressing
1C cilantro stems
1/4 C water
1/4 lime juice(or lime/lemon or lemon)
1/4 C honey
1/4 dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 small clove of garlic peeled(optional)
Puree in blender til smooth, then through opening in top add olive oil slowly until the hole at the center of the dressing disappears. This is usually the proper amount of oil for a properly emulsified vinaigrette.
Options: use some cayenne powder to heat it up. Use 3:1 basil to flat leaf parsley instead of cilantro and use red wine vinegar instead of citrus juice.