Week #2 2017
Salad Mix or braising mix – the first of the new lettuce, small tender leaves. As this is just coming on we are offering either salad or braising mix.
Kale – amazing stuff, just pumping out the leaves, thank you super food. Enjoy it weekly (we eat it daily!) some of our favorite recipes are listed below, many more on the website.
Spinach – Osbourne seed company has a winner with this very dark green spinach. The vitamins are surging through the leaves and will contribute to your health. Try Polly’s recipe below for Saag, with or without the lamb.
Shallots – held over from last season, strong and flavorful, use as you would an onion.
Walnuts – our grand old tree did well last season. Thanks to all the hands that went into gathering them. Most are in great condition, some are not, hard to tell until you crack them, so enjoy.
Broccoli raab – these are the flowerets of sprouting broccoli, kale and cabbage. You can use the recipe below or roast them with some olive oil and a dusting of cheese on top. I like to put them in the oven at 350 for 20 – 30 minutes.
Beet greens – these are like the best chard you have ever eaten! Any green recipe will do or use it like the spinach below.
Radishes – enjoy pink or red, they are still sweet before the heat of the early spring adds some spice. I loved seeing Jodi’s family eating the whole bunch on the way from the cooler to their car!
Our opening potluck was a success despite no power or water. We had over 80 people join us for pizza making. Jed and his band warmed the air with blue grass music until the rain moved everyone onto the deck or into their cars. The electrician showed up at about 5:00 to reconnect our power (it took about 15 minutes!) and we were so happy. Thanks to all the hands that helped make the event happen, especially our kids.
We have been busy this week. Juve got a few beds tilled, but the ground is still not really dry enough. We planted some of the broccoli and cabbage and will hope to get the remainder in later this week if the weather holds out. He transformed greenhouse #2, making channels for the water to flow, should it flood again, and big beautiful beds to hold our cucumbers that will go in the ground in a week or two.
We will have vegetable starts. I sent a list with the weekly email. You can either send it to me in an email, leave me a note or text me. I will have starts available beginning to mid May. I have some kale, and sugar snaps right now, available in the barn. Come see me at Catlin Gable School on May 7 (12 – 4), I will be selling all the starts we grow. The Beaverton Farmers Market opens on May 6 and runs through October. Come see me on Saturdays 8 – 1:30, I sell with Pumpkin Ridge Gardens.
So much political angst in the air. I try and focus on what I can do to make a difference. I appreciate all who showed up to the Tax March yesterday. I am planning on participating in both the Earth Justice March in Portland on 4/29 and the People’s March (Day without an Immigrant) May 1 in Salem. If you want to be involved please text or email me and I can add you to my “activism” email list, our group is called “United Unidos” and we meet several times a month to coordinate activities. We will be making signs on April 24th in the barn (after 6 p.m.) you are welcome to join us.
Off to harvest
Kale Salad (from Kris Schamp)
(A brief note: I use just kale, and red onion most of the time and it is delicious, this dressing recipe works well on most spicy greens like arugula and mustard as well)
Flax oil (1/8 C) (I use Olive oil)
Lemon juice (1/8 C)
Soy sauce* (less than 1/8 C)
1 bunch kale
Red onion
Shredded or shaved (with peeler) carrots
¼ C pumpkin seeds
1/8 C sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Sprouts (any kind)
Mushrooms (optional)
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. You can add chopped avocado when serving. Goes well with marinated tofu-you can use the same dressing.
Asian Broccoli (sprouting broccoli or raab can be substituted)
1 bunch broccoli
1 teas. minced garlic
1/3 c. chicken broth
2 tbl. soy sauce
1/4 tea. sesame oil
Peel the stems on the broccoli. Slice into “coins.” Cut the tops into
flowerettes.
Heat a wok until very hot. Add the oil and immediately add the garlic. Let
sizzle for 15-20 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and give everything
a quick stir. Without turning the heat down, cover the wok and let steam
for 4-6 min., until the broccoli is done.
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BRAISED MUSTARD GREENS WITH GARLIC
1/2 lb mustard greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped (4 cups packed)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water
Blanch mustard greens in a 4-quart heavy pot of boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain greens in a colander and wipe pot dry.
Cook garlic in oil in pot over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add greens and water and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Gourmet
December 2004
WHITE CHEDDAR POLENTA WITH SAUTEED GREENS AND GARLIC-ROASTED PORTOBELLOS
3 medium portobello mushrooms
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
4 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) or yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup (packed) grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
Baked Crispy Kale Recipe
Servings: 4 as snack Prep Time: 5 Cook Time: 20
The biggest secret to getting the kale super-crisp is to dry them in a salad spinner. If there is moisture on the leaves, the kale will steam, not crisp. Also, do not salt the kale until after they have come out of the oven. If you salt beforehand, the salt will just cause the kale to release moisture…thus steaming instead of crisping. I’ve also found that the convection setting on my oven works really well too – I set the convection on 325F and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Have fun with this recipe, I sometimes mix the salt with Cajun or Creole seasoning.
Ingredients:
4 giant handfuls of kale, torn into bite-sized pieces and tough stems removed (about 1/3 pound)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt or kosher salt
(I like to grate parmesan or romano cheese over them before baking)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the kale leaves into a salad spinner and spin all of the water out of the kale. Dump the water and repeat one or two times more just to make sure that the kale is extra dizzy and dry. Use a towel to blot any extra water on the leaves. Place the kale on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle olive oil over the kale leaves and use your hands to toss and coat the leaves. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes until leaves are crisp. Take a peek at the 12 minute mark – the timing all depends on how much olive oil you use. Just use a spatula or tongs to touch the leaves, if they are paper-thin crackly, the kale is done. If the leaves are still a bit soft, leave them in for another 2 minutes. Do not let the leaves turn brown (they’ll be burnt and bitter) Remove from oven, sprinkle with salt and serve.
LAMB SAAG
- 4 lamb shanks
- 2-3 Lbs. spinach
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 Tbs. ghee (or butter and oil mixed)
- 1 tsp. brown mustard seed
- 1/8 tsp. asafetida
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 3 Tbs. water
- 3 Tbs. cream (or use sour cream or yogurt)
- 2 tsp. salt
Cover lamb shanks with water in a large pot. Add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until the lamb is starting to loosen from the bone. If you have time, put boiled lamb shanks onto the grill to brown. Chop lamb and set aside.
Meanwhile, wash spinach and strip leaves off of stems. Chop coarsely. Combine cayenne, coriander, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and cumin in a small bowl, add water, and stir well. Melt the butter and oil (or ghee) in a 5-quart pan over moderate heat. Add mustard seed and cook until it starts to pop. Add asafetida and let it sizzle, then add spice mixture and onion. Fry for about 2 minutes.
Add spinach to pan, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Cover and reduce heat. Stir occasionally until spinach is all bright green and very wilted. Add water if necessary. At this point, the saag can be removed from heat and can sit if necessary. Before serving, put spinach in a food processor and puree. Return it to the pan, add chopped lamb, stir in cream and reheat briefly.
Adapted from The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.
by Tori Ritchie