- Kale
- Spinach
- Arugula
- Shallots
- Raab
- Chard
We spent the week prepping the farm for the big event. Mother nature cooperated in a way that we had not allowed ourselves to imagine. The weather on Friday was extra hot, but on Saturday it was absolutely perfect. The apple trees burst into bloom and leafed out, making just enough shade to make the orchard the perfect venue for a Jacob and Courtney’s wedding. The party started at five and went on into the wee hours of the morning.
Our hearts are full, celebrating the beautiful union of this young couple with so many of our family and friends. It was a labor of love with so many hands working to pull off the event. It felt like we used every inch of our property and that we finally got a party vibe back in this post pandemic period.
We will take advantage of the next couple of days and try to whip our farm into shape. The hot weather dried out the soil and off to get it ready to plant and we will do our best to get everything that is backlogged from the soggy spring into the ground. I even managed to get two beds of tomatoes planted with my sons before the wedding celebration started. That was heaven.
My niece kept me company every night for three nights during the last week to glaze my pottery. I have been working to make new pieces. I just couldn’t manage to get them glazed. Fernanda was a great motivator as well as the upcoming wedding.
We have tons of eggs, beef, flowers and new ceramics in the barn!
We are a bit worn out but will get the harvest done and have veggies for your family to enjoy this week. Here are a few recipes:
Pickled Chard Stems
These are quick pickles and not meant to be kept a long time. If you want to can them, check out the USDA complete guide to home canning. I’d say it’s best to eat them within a few months, as they’ll fade the longer they’re kept. You can vary the recipe by using rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, although I wouldn’t use anything too fancy because the spices and other flavors will overpower it. The chile adds a bit of heat but you can skip it if you want to.
Servings 8 servings
- Swiss chard stems from one large bunch, about 12 ounces (340g) stems, washed
- 1 Thai chile, fresh or dried, split lengthwise (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 2 cups (500ml) white vinegar
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 tablespoons kosher or coarse white sea salt
Trim the chard stems of any bits of leaves and put them in a large jar that has a lid (mine was about 1 quarts/2l) along with the split chile (if using) and sliced garlic.
Toast the seeds in a skillet, stirring them frequently over medium to medium-high heat, until they’re fragrant, which will take just a few minutes. Set aside.
In a small, nonreactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, stirring until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and let the brine cool 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times as it cools.
Pour the brine into the jar, add the seeds, and cover it. Let it sit at room temperature for about an hour, agitating the jar every so often. If after an hour, if some of the stems aren’t submerged in the brine, open the jar and press them down, so they are. Refrigerate the Swiss chard stems for about one week before e
Swiss Chard Stem “Baba Ganoush”
Reserve greens for another use (think anything you would do with spinach except better!) trim dry ends of the stems, then cut into 2” pieces. Boil in water until tender (?about 15 minutes?) then drain well.
In a food processor or blender, puree 1-2 cloves garlic, then add cooked chard stalks, juice of 1 lemon, and 2-3 Tbs tahini. Buzz until smooth, then adjust seasonings to taste
Grilled chard stems
Reserve leaves for another use and trim ends. Steam until tender but not mushy and pat dry. Brusl lightly with oil and salt and pepper, garlic if you’d like, and grill until starting to blister.
Martha Steward’s Swiss Chard Tzatziki: https://www.marthastewart.com/1134875/swiss-chard-tzatziki