CSA Week 3

Better late then never…a busy week, beautiful sunny weather made sitting on the computer seem much less attractive!

This week we have:

• 1 Head Green Oakleaf Lettuce
• 1 Head Red Oakleaf Lettuce
• 1 Head Romaine Lettuce
• 1 Bunch Green Garlic
• 1 Bunch Garlic Scapes
• 1 Bunch Cherry Belle Radishes
• 1 Bunch Hakurei Turnips
• 1 Bunch Red Mizuna
• 1 Bunch Kale

Fields are greening up, and I spy some sizeable tomato plants inside those greenhouses!

 

We’ve mostly been using the veggies for salads and sandwiches so far this week.   Lesson learned from the first two weeks:  The looseleaf lettuce wilts quickly!   Plus, the only spot in my fridge for it is in the actual crisper drawer, anywhere else  and it sadly gets ice crystals.   Any idea why that would happen?   Water in other items in that location does not freeze, just the lettuce.   Strange.

Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes

A few people have asked here and on Facebook about Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes.    I used both in last night’s dinner (a second run at last week’s pesto) and thought I’d check in with a quick discussion of these tasty spring treats.

Both green garlic and garlic scapes are products of the grower’s spring maintenance work on the later garlic crop.  They share a light garlicky flavor and a relatively short window of availability.

When one gets “green garlic,” one is getting the entire garlic plant, from roots to leaves.   The plant is immature and has been pulled from the field as the farmer thins the crop.

Botanically, a scape is a flowering plant stem, usually without leaves.  Hardnecked garlic needs to be pinched back in the spring for the best development during the growing season, so growers cut off the young scapes.  They are smaller and more tender than the stalk of green garlic.

As you see in the photo, this particular head of green garlic was more mature than most, and even has a scape of its own still attached.   This head was actually much less tender than the rest of my green garlic, and was less usable.   The smaller, more tender specimens cut and cook better.  May people will sautee garlic scapes whole and eat them as a vegetable all by themselves!

The time to enjoy these treats passes quickly!  I see lots around at roadside stands, if you haven’t been lucky enough to get some through a CSA, stop and pick some up.

Dinner, Wed June 22

Feeling lazy for dinner, so I whipped up a quick frittata.   Sauteed Chard and arugula in oil, added some spring onions and asparagus, and then tried to sneak in leftover roasted beets.

Whipped 10 eggs (a mix from Hall’s farm stand and other local source Flamig Farm) with shredded cheddar and poured it over the sauteed veggies.

To cook this, or any fritatta, start on the stovetop.  Do not stir the mixture, just let it cook on a medium temperature until the sides pull away from the pan.   Then, put the whole pan in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the whole thing is puffy and cooked through.

The verdict:   “This is so good, mom.   But, these red things remind me of those gross beets you made last week. “

So, it looks like we’ll be eating our beets raw from here on out!

Dinner, Tues June 21

Well, with the amazing lettuce we got in the afternoon, a giant salad was in order. We filled a bowl with a mixture of all the different leafy vegetables in our share, and then added our own:

• Shaved Chioggia beets (from the Hall’s farmstand)
• Crumbled Feta Cheese
• Diced Cucumber
• Marcona Almonds
• leftover brown basmati rice
• Chick Peas
• Diced Red Pepper
• Diced Grilled Chicken Breasts

A splash of dressing (I was lazy and just used Newman’s Own from a bottle!) and Dinner is served! Delicious.

 

CSA Week 2

 

What a difference a week of sun makes!   The heads of looseleaf lettuce were sweet and petite last week, and this week each head was an armload of beauty.  Our share this week was:

1. 1 bunch green garlic
2. 1 bunch garlic scapes
3. 1 bunch Mizuna (a very big bunch…it looks like some was about to flower, so it’s time to enjoy this first round of this tasty green!)
4. 1 bunch arugula
5. 1 head Green Lolo lettuce
6. 1 head Green Oakleaf lettuce
7. 1 head Red Oakleaf lettuce
8. 1 head Romaine lettuce (a shorter head than you’d see in the supermarket, but the leaves are so much more thick and dark…screaming “I AM GOOD FOR YOU, EAT ME!!!”)
9. 1 bunch Swiss Chard
10. 1 Quart strawberries

We remembered our bags this week, and enjoyed filling them up with our goodies.   It’s a GREEN week ahead of us!

 

Here is a shot of the fields…a little bit more lush, with the greenhouses opening up to the summer air!

Fields...Week 2

Dinner, Fri Jun 17

Pesto night! And, of course, I invented my own recipe, because I’m apparently genetically incapable of following someone else’s instructions.

• 4 heads and stalks of green garlic, chopped
• 1/2 c arugula, chopped
• 1/2 c mizuna, chopped
• 1/2 c chard, chopped
• 1/4 c slivered blanched almonds
• juice of 1 lemon (I got about 1/3 c from mine)
• 1/2 t lemon zest
• 1/4 c grated parmesean cheese
• Canola Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sautee the green garlic in the canola oil, then add in the greens and almonds. Transfer to food processor bowl when garlic is translucent and greens are bright. Run processor while drizzling in Olive oil (about 1/3-1/3 c) and lemon juice. Mix lemon zest and parmesean cheese, pulse to blend. Salt to taste

Covers 1 box of Farfalle pasta nicely.

Just a few strawberries and a little chard left, now! I’m looking forward to next week’s goodies already!

Dinner, Thurs June 16

Dinner tonight was a stir-fry served over whole wheat couscous and lentils.

Used 1 head green garlic, half the chard, and some chives in the stir fry, added chicken, red pepper, and asparagus from our own stash.