- Shallots
- Braising mix (kale, chard, spinach, mustard, Chinese collards)
- Lettuce (Oscard, Red sails, butter crunch, Deer Tongue)
- Arugula
- Radishes (Cherriette)
- Turnips “Hakurei”these are so tender you don’t even need to peel them, yum! The greens are good to eat too.
What a beautiful day yesterday. Too bad we couldn’t plant all day. We managed to get several beds planted and composted. Juvencio is trying a new method for adding compost and it seems to be working great. We will have to wait a few weeks to months to see if the plants liked their compost distributed this way. In the past the bed would be prepared, I would plant and Juve would come in after and carefully place compost down the center of the bed trying not cover the new seedling. He is now just composting the bed with a thick layer and I plant right into that layer. This method seems to hold the moisture better and get more compost around the plant.
The dry weather made it possible to till the whole field and prepare the alliums beds (onion, leek and shallot). This is a labor intensive crop to plant as each plant is like a blade of grass. We usually have them in the ground by beginning to mid April and they are smaller. The added weeks in the flats will make the transplanting a bit easier as they are stockier. It will likely take several weeks to get them all planted.
End of April and beginning of May are some of the hardest times for us as we wait for crops to grow and always feel worried that the harvest will be too light. The overwintered chard, kale, sprouting broccoli is almost done. The spinach is growing slowly outside (imagine it didn’t like 32 degrees every night last week!) and we are relying heavily on greenhouse spinach to feed 66 shares. On the horizon we have Chinese broccoli, Japanese turnips, beets and bok choi. This week we are doing a big braising mix combining all the greens for a sauté or stir fry.
Some housekeeping needs to be done:
1) There are many members that have not paid their April 11 payment. This is half the remaining balance for your share. Please make your check out to “La Finquita del Buho” and drop it off this week.
2) Please do bring plastic containers with lids from yogurt etc. (8 ounces or larger), egg cartons (dozen only), brown paper bags (I use them for the farmers market and can also use shopping bags from clothing stores of any size), green berry baskets.
3) Please do not bring any plastic clamshell containers from strawberries etc. We are not using these anymore.
4) We still have some grass fed beef and lamb for sale. See the “extras” tab on the menu across the top of the website for details. Send an email to lynjuve@msn.cocm or sign-up on the sheet in the barn.
5) Don’t forget to buy flowers to brighten your day! Just $6/bouquet and will last all week!!
Recipes for the week:
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)
1 large bunch Swiss chard, ribs cut away, leaves cut in 3×1-inch strips
1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach leaves
Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Remove stems from mushrooms and chop finely; place in prepared baking dish. Using small spoon, scrape away dark gills from underside of mushrooms and discard. Cut each mushroom cap into 8 wedges; add to baking dish with chopped mushroom stems. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 1 minced garlic clove, parsley, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake until tender, 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 4 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to low. Cook until polenta thickens and begins to pull away from sides of pan, whisking often, about 25 minutes for polenta or 15 minutes for yellow cornmeal. Whisk in butter, then cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté 30 seconds. Add Swiss chard and spinach and sauté until tender but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon polenta onto plates. Top with greens and Portobello mushrooms.
MIXED LETTUCE CHIFFONADE WITH GORGONZOLA-HERB DRESSING
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup Gorgonzola dolce or other soft blue cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 head romaine, thinly sliced crosswise (5 cups)
1 small head radicchio, quartered and thinly sliced lengthwise (3 cups)
1 small head frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (3 cups)
2 Belgian endives, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
Blend parsley, cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a food processor until smooth. Blend in buttermilk, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and stir in chives.
Toss lettuces together in a large bowl, then toss with a generous 1/2 cup dressing.
Cooks’ note:
• Dressing keeps 5 days, covered and chilled. Stir before using.
Pasta with Arugula and Goat Cheese Sauce
from A Complete Menu Cookbook for All Occasions by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette 4 servings
a bunch of fresh arugula
4 springs fresh parsley
1 8 ounce container low-fat yogurt or sour cream
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
S and P to taste
1 pound fusilli noodles
Grated parmesan cheese, as garnish
1. Before preparing sauce, fill a large casserole with water, and bring the water to a boil.
2 Wash and clean well the arugula and parsley. Dry thoroughly. Trim and chop both the arugula and the parsley.
3. Place the arugula and the parsley in a food processor. Add the yogurt or sour cream, goat cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend the ingredients thoroughly. Keep the sauce at room temperature until ready to use.
4. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water, and cook the fusilli noodles following the instructions on the package. When the noodles are cooked, drain them, and place them in four serving dishes. Pour the sauce evenly over the top of each serving and add some cheese to each dish. Serve immediately.
Arugula, Watermelon Radish, and Sauteed Mushroom Salad
2 large bunches of arugula, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well and spun dry (about 8 packed cups)
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms, lightly sauteed in a bit of oil or butter and cooled
1 cup grated watermelon radish (or daikon if watermelon radishes are unavailable)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice from one large or two small lemons
Parmesan curls made with a vegetable peeler
S & P
Combine the arugula, mushrooms, and the radish, drizzle the oil over the salad, and toss the salad gently. Toss with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and serve it topped with the Parmesan. Serves 4 to 6.
ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE eat with artichokes, noodles, toast, carrot sticks…
3 cups packed arugula (about 3/4 pound), washed well and spun dry 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted golden and cooled 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large garlic clove, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup hot water plus additional if desired In a food processor pulse together all ingredients except oil and water until arugula is chopped fine. With motor running add oil in a stream, blending mixture until smooth. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Bring sauce to room temperature to continue. Stir in 1/4 cup hot water plus additional for thinner consistency if desired.
ARUGULA SALAD The Victory Garden Cookbook, Marian Morash
Wash and dry the arugula. Chop garlic and toss with arugula. Use a good strong green olive oil and red wine vinegar. Dress with oil, a bit of vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Turnips and their greens
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1 navel orange, plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 pounds young turnips and their greens—turnips halved, greens stemmed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 ounces baby spinach (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. In a mini food processor, puree the olives; transfer to a bowl. Using a sharp knife, peel the orange, removing all of the bitter white pith. Working over another bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections.
- On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle the turnips with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Roast for 20 minutes, until almost tender.
- Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the water and turnip greens, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the greens are just tender, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the orange juice over the turnips. Roast for 5 minutes longer, until the turnips are tender and glazed; season with salt.
- Add the spinach to the greens; toss until wilted. Drizzle the pureed olives onto a platter. Top with the turnips, greens, orange sections and hazelnuts. Serve hot or warm.