Tuesday, June 19, 2012

CSA Share # 2 Tuesday, June 19th



What You’re Getting:

Kale, 1 bunch
Swiss Chard, mini bunch
Head lettuce, 2 heads           
Pac Choi, 1 head
Hakurei Summer Turnips, 2 bunches

Farm News:

We’re big on volume and short on variety this week as we wait for the salad mix, field scallions, and radishes to bounce back from the rain – several plantings of salad mix and radishes bolted before we could harvest them. However, with all this lettuce you’ll be eating lots of lovely salads this week, and soon enough we’ll be swimming in other goodies. It’s had to be patient!

The tomatoes are covered in green fruits and we cannot wait for some fresh tomatoes –yes yes, still weeks to wait, but vary exciting. We also had a few greenhouse cukes this week – not enough for everyone, unfortunately, but there will be a few available for purchase for those of you picking up at the farm.

On the farm we are working furiously to get weeding projects done in this hot, dry weather. Whew! Soon July and August will be here with their never ending harvests, so we’ve got to get ahead of the weeds now, while we still have some time!

Enjoy, see you next week!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy


Recipe of the week:

Massaged Kale Salad with Fresh Strawberries

This raw kale salad is lovely, especially since local strawberries are starting to be available, but I also highly recommend the Roasted Kale Chips – you can find the recipe on our blog by clicking on the “Kale” label!

  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup diced red or green onion
  • ¾ cup diced strawberries
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar

De-stem kale by pulling leaves away from stems. Wash leaves. Spin or pat dry. Stack leaves, roll up, and cut into thick strips. Put kale into a large mixing bowl, add salt, and massage kale with your hands for about 2 minutes. Stir onions & strawberries into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and mix.


Glazed Hakurei Turnips

Simple and delicious. Check out http://blog.cookingchanneltv.com/2011/07/16/hakurei-turnips-recipes-and-tips/ for more Hakurei ideas!

  • 2 bunches baby hakurei turnips trimmed, greens reserved
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • Kosher salt

    Place turnips in a large skillet; add water to cover turnips halfway. Add butter, sugar, and a large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and turnips are tender, about 15 minutes. (If turnips are tender before liquid has reduced, use a slotted spoon to transfer turnips to a plate and reduce liquid until syrupy. Return turnips to pan and stir to coat well.)



Monday, June 11, 2012

Share # 1 Tuesday, June 12th



 
What You’re Getting:

Scallions, 1 bunch           
Radishes, 1 bunch
Head lettuce, 1 head           
Pac Choi, 2 heads
Summer Turnips, 1 bunch
Mint, 1 bunch

Farm News:

We’ve loved these warm, sunshiny days that are helping dry the farm out after all that rain! Large volumes of heavy rain wash fertility out of the soil and increase the chances of soil borne diseases, so a wet May or June can be frustrating, but with the sunshine things are starting to bounce back.

Mike and our three apprentices, Kirsten, Thomas and Kenny, have been spending long days out in the field to get caught up after the cool, wet weather, and this week will be our last big planting week, although we will still be planting our successional crops throughout the season. Lizzy and Christa have been helping out as much as they can, running the greenhouse, the office, and keeping Lizzy out of trouble. She’s a mover and a shaker these days!


Enjoy, see you next week!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy


Recipe of the week:

Roasted Radishes with Radish Greens

People seem to be on one side of the fence or the other with radishes, but if you’ve never liked them, this dish has changed many minds! The roasted radishes are juicy and slightly sweet… not spicy!

  • 2 bunches medium radishes
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.

Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.
From Bon Appetit, April 2011

If you’ve never had them before…

Hakurei Summer Turnips
            If you think you don’t like turnips, think again! These turnips are juicy, nutty and a little sweet, excellent for raw eating. Slice into a salad or dip in a sauce! Their tops are also great for sautéing. 

Pac Choi (Also known as Bok Choy)
            These crisp Asian veggies are our favorite springtime treats. Fantastic in a stir-fry. Use the whole head – the juicy crunchy stems are the best part!



Remember, the shares start out slightly smaller and get bigger as the season builds. Enjoy spring salads now, and look forward to summer bounty!