- Lettuce
- Bok Choi or spinach
- Kale
- Chard
- Chinese broccoli
- Kohlrabi or radishes
- Onions
Welcome to week number six out of 29 weeks of our CSA season. There are a lot of greens again this week as we wait for peas and zucchini to show up ready to harvest. We have fennel coming soon as well. Please remember if you just ate one vegetable a day you would consume the whole harvest.
We have turned over many of the greenhouses from early spring crops to summer favorites. We had our very first zucchini on the grill and they were delicious. We are likely still a couple of weeks away from full production but excited to welcome zucchini back into our diet. Is it exciting to see that the zucchini in the field that was hit by frost seems like it’s going to make it. It is starting to flower and the old leaves hit by frost have shriveled and new ones are coming. It is hard to tell at this point if the beans will make it or not but we are ready with newly seeded beans should they fail.
We managed to get the cherry tomatoes in the ground. I promised to do less than last year but alas I was so excited by eight new varieties of cherry tomatoes that there are still 140 plants for the 90 members. That means you get 1.75 plants per share, so get ready to enjoy cherry tomatoes. There are new varieties like pink grape 88 and chocolate sprinkles and “Sunchola” can’t wait to taste and see their beauty.
I continue to transplant onions, shallots and leeks. It is arduous and slow as I do not seem to have enough time in the week to get them in the ground. I hope by the end of today to have the shallot completely planted and have only leeks remaining.
This week we celebrate the overwintered onions from the hoop house. I seeded them last August, transplanted them in the end of September and now mid May they are ready to eat. They will be coming to you to use fresh in your cooking. Last week I grated one of the leftover onions, one bunch of dill and chopped two bunches of parsley into the ground beef for lettuce wrapped hamburgers. Delicious, we managed to eat the full share in one meal. I sure hope you’re enjoying the Chinese broccoli as we have a few more weeks. It is one of our Family favorites. We ate three of the kohlrabi peeled and chopped into our salad dressed with my signature dressing. I hope your family is enjoying eating green vegetables this spring.
The green garlic that we shared with you last week was the entire garlic crop from seed that we purchased from grow organic. It was a complete and utter crop failure. Fortunately they reimbursed us but that means that we will be without a garlic crop this year. The elephant garlic is seed we saved ourselves and seems to be doing well. We have heard from subscribers that they enjoyed it’s mild flavor and so are waiting for it to head before we give it . I am sorry to report that for Fava Bean lovers I did not manage to get them in the ground this year. There is a very small window to get them in the ground and it was either too wet or we didn’t have beds available. For those of you who struggle to eat the fava beans with all their prep time you get a year off.
Maia, one of our CSA members who has grown up eating our veggies, made a short film about our CSA as a project and we are excited to share it here: https://youtu.be/pP3x01mFz7w . Thank you Maia, for thinking of your farm as an interesting place to explore your talents.
It is election week. Ballots are due by 8:00 pm on Tuesday May 18th. You must drop them at a dropbox and not put them in the mail. Also tax day tomorrow – ugh, most of you are surely on it, others can defer for a few months :_!
Politically I do not have time to process all that is going on – Israeli’s bombing Palestinians is horrific, Republicans continuing to spread the Great LIe and destroying our democracy, CDC lifting mask order just as we are trying to put a lid on the pandemic, Asian hate continues and I just attended my first medical conference and there was a blue lives matter flag on the wall and all I could do was focus on that sign of white supremacy.
Time to cook some food – hooray for plant based diets! During my “free time” I am watching “What the Health” on Netflix and feeling even worse about our planet and this country. But at least eating the food we produce that is vegetable seems to be on the right track.
Cauliflower and Tuna Salad
1 cauliflower broken into small florets
1 5 oz can tuna packed in oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/3 c chopped parsley
3 Tbs capers (or coarsely chopped olives)
1 Tbs lemon juice
3 Tbs sherry, champagne or white balsamic vinegar
5 Tbs EVOO
Salt/ pepper
Steam the cauliflower until just tender and drain. In a large bowl mix together everything else except for the tuna, then mix the cauliflower and tuna into the dressing. Marinate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm, cold, or at room temp.
I threw in some cherry tomatoes and served it with farro and some salad greens—it was great on a warm evening.
Baked Spanikopita Pasta with Greens and Feta
4 c spinach or chard, stems removed and coarsley chopped
4 c chopped arugula, watercress or mustard greens
1 c chopped dill and or parsley
6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 lb tubular pasta like rigatoni or fusilli
2 Tbs butter
4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
8 oz cream cheese cut into 1/2” cubes
4 oz mozzarella, grated
4 oz crumbled feta
Heat oven to 450. In a 9×13 baking dish toss the greens, herbs, scallion greens w/ 2 tsp salt and squeeze a bit with your hands to wilt.
Cook the pasta until al dents; reserve 1 c pasta water and set pasta and the water aside.
Melt the butter in the pasta pot Add the white arts of the scallions and the garlic and sauté until soft. Add the cream cheese and the pasta water and stir until smooth. Stir in the wilted greens, half the mozzarella and half the feet until combined. Stir in the
pasta.
Transfer all this back to the baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and back until bubbly and starting to brown.
Green Garlic Toast
1/2 c unsalted butter
1/2 c grated Parmesan
2 1/2 Tbs chopped green garlic
1 Tbs minced chives
Salt & pepper to taste, pinch red pepper flakes
Mix ingredients together to make a compound butter. Spread on sliced of good bread, toasted
Sheet Pan Scallion Chicken with Bok Choy
4 scallions trimmed and finely chopped
3 Tbs Dijon mustard
3 Tbs minced fresh ginger
2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs miso paste
2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 c canola oil
1 1/2 lbs baby bok choy halved
8 bone in skin on chicken thighs, skin removed
Heat oven to 450. In a small bowl combine scallions, mustard, ginger, garlic, miso, salt and pepper to taste and 6 Tbs of the oil.
On a rimmed baking sheet toss the bok choy with remaining 2 Tbs oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer, then arrange chicken on top of choy and coat chicken with the scallion mustard marinade. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30”. Serve over rice and spoon pan juices over the chicken.
Kale and Sugar Snap Pea salad
Dressing:
3/4 c canola oil
1/2 c peeled chopped ginger
1/4 c miso paste
1/2 c rice vinegar
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons or limes
1/4 c sugar
Salt and pepper
Salad:
2 Tbs sugar
6-8 dried apricots
1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
2 c sugar snap peas
4 oz feta, crumbled
1/4 c almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 Tbs chopped mint
Make the dressing in a blender or food processor and process into a creamy emulsion.
Poach the apricots in 1/4 c water mixed with the 2 Tbs sugar until rehydrated, then remove from heat.
In a serving bowl combine the kale, snap peas and feta. Add the dressing and toss well. Sprinkle with the almonds and garnish with the apricots and mint to serve.
Kale Salad (from Kris Schamp)
Flax oil (1/8 C)
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)
* 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.
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.
Chinese Broccoli
(Lyn’s Quick Stir Fry)
1 bunch Chinese Broccoli (flower, stem and leaves) – remove any hard end of the stem
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
1 – 2 tablespoon soy sauce
¼ cup water
Olive oil
Heat a wok or frying pan and add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Add minced garlic until aromatic (about 1 minute) then add the broccoli and toss to coat with oil and garlic for about 1 minute. Add soy sauce and coat then add the water and cover for 3-5 minutes until tender and still bright green. Serve by itself or over rice. . . YUM!
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