Spring Share Newsletter May 3 2017
Welcome to our first-ever spring share! We are delighted to offer you fresh greens a month earlier this year. In your share this week, you’ll find the following:
• Leeks: overwintered in our garden, these are Siegfried Frost leeks, a German variety known for hardiness
• Dill: A generous bunch of fresh dill.
• Lettuce: One head of Prizehead lettuce, for a little color.
• Bok Choi: One head of Shuko Bok Choi, my favorite for its thick and crunchy petioles.
• Mustard Greens: Japanese Mizuna, a wonderfully mild green that we use in our daily salads.
• Spinach: Sweet and mild, good raw or cooked.
• Garlic: We still have some garlic in storage from last year. Help yourself!
Thanks for your support!
Your farmers,
Aaron, Zack, Annie & Stephanie
Fresh Dill Salad Dressing
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced shallot or other onion
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Add all ingredients except oil into a blender and blend until smooth. With the motor running, add oil in a slow trickle until emulsified.
Recipe from Bobby Flay, foodnetwork.com.
Garlicky Bok Choi
1 large bok choi or several baby
1 1/2 tsp neutral flavored oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp broth or water or wine
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Trim the stem end slightly, separate out the leaves but keep the center intact and clean under running water. Drain.
Place wok or frying pan on your stove and add the oil, garlic and ginger. Turn on heat to medium high. When fragrant, add bokchoi leaves and toss for 15 seconds. Add liquid and cover immediately for 1 minute. Season with salt and drizzle sesame oil on top.
Recipe from Jaden Hair,
Spring Share Newsletter
May 10 2017
Last Friday’s windstorm did a little damage to the hoop house, but all of the veg inside is just fine. Watercress was omitted because it is starting to flower and is probably a bit too spicy, so we’ve got some piquant arugula for you instead. Here’s what’s in your bag this week.
• Rhubarb- Well known for use in desserts, but also is fantastic in a beef stew!
• Scallions- A bunch of scallions ready for stir fry, salad…
• Cilantro- This herb thrives in cool weather, despite its association with tropical places.
• Dill- Yes, we may have grown too much dill, but I’ve included some ideas to use it.
• Radishes- These say spring to me!
• Bok Choi- Another big delicious choi for you.
• Arugula- It’s a spicy one. Would make a nice punchy pesto.
• Lettuce-Our choice of red Prizehead or green Buttercrunch
Check out the picking garden while you’re at the farm to cut some fresh herbs, such as thyme, mint, sorrel, chives or sage. Explore, there’s more than what I listed available.
Thanks for your support
Your farmers,
Aaron, Zack, Annie & Stephanie
Yogurt Biscuits with Dill
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup yogurt
1/4 cup fresh dill
Heat oven to 450. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add to food processor with butter and pulse to combine. Stir in yogurt and dill. Knead ten times and press to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut and place biscuits on baking sheet and bake 7 to 9 minutes.
Recipe from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
Potato Salad with Yogurt, Arugula and Dill
1 1/2 pounds potatoes
salt and pepper
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 large shallots (or 4-5 scallions), thinly sliced
1 large bunch arugula, roughly chopped
1 small bunch dill, finely chopped
Cook potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and return to cooking pot. Use a fork to pull out a hot potato and slice into quarters. Repeat with all potatoes, adding them to a large bowl.
Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and toss with potatoes. Then toss in onions, arugula and dill. Season to taste and chill at least one hour before serving
Recipe from thekitchn.com.
Spring Share Newsletter
May 17 2017
I’ve really been enjoying all of the fresh produce that we’ve grown for the Spring Share. It’s been a great excuse for me to have fresh food earlier in the season than we usually do. Thanks for joining us in this season extension experiment! Here’s your share:
• Radishes - one bunch of Cherry Belles
• Dill - one modest bunch
• Cilantro - one bunch
• Turnips - If you’ve never had Japanese turnips, you’re in for a treat! These are crisp, fresh and mild, wonderful fresh or quickly cooked. The greens are good quickly cooked.
• Bok Choi- these are smaller and more tender than last week
• Mesclun Mix- A mix of small greens for salad.
• Lettuce- Buttercrunch (green), Prizehead (red) or Flashy Butter Oak (red/green speckled)
• Scallions - one bunch
We are still accepting members for our summer Farm Share, so please pass the word along to your friends and colleagues. If a new member writes your name on their application, we will give you a free Thanksgiving share!
Your farmers,
Aaron, Zack, Annie & Stephanie
Creamy Cilantro Dressing
This is from a taco salad recipe. Toss with lettuce, bok choi, cooked black beans, diced avocado, tortilla chips, scallions, olives and shredded cheese for a delicious salad.
1 cup loosely packed cilantro (stems removed)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp fresh lime juice (half a lime)
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp mild vinegar (rice, white wine, or sherry)
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined and smooth. If it seems too thick add water a tablespoon at a time. Add more salt and pepper if desired.
Recipe from Megan Gordon at thekitchn.com.
Sauteed Japanese Turnips with Greens
kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs (one bunch) Japanese turnips with green tops
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile cut tops from turnip roots, leaving a little stem. Wash and slice roots top to bottom into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Add greens to boiling water and cook until just tender, 1-2 minutes. Drain and chop into small pieces.
Heat oil over high heat and add turnip slices. Season and toss until well browned in spots, 3 mins. Add greens to warm through, drizzle on oil, season and serve.
Recipe from seriouseats.com.
Spring Share Newsletter
May 24 2017
Here in the vegetable garden we are entering the peak of our season - transplanting, trellising, weeding are all at their maximums for the next few weeks. Crops can sneak up on me and the Broccoli Raab and Arugula were surprises this harvest day.
• Radishes - one bunch of French Breakfast
• Broccoli Raab - one bunch. Tangy Italian green is great lightly cooked for pastas, pizza etc.
• Lettuce - Yugoslavian Red or Flashy Butter Oak
• Scallions - one bunch
• Napa Cabbage - one large head, mild and crunchy goes well in salad
• Baby Beets with Greens - use the greens as you would Swiss chard
• Arugula - is spicy. I recommend cooking it or cutting it with a milder green.
See you next week for the first Summer share!
Your farmers,
Aaron, Zack, Annie, Monica, and Stephanie
Steamed beets and greens with tahini sauce
1 bunch small beets and greens
Salt
1 plump garlic clove
1/4 cup tahini
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
2-4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Cut greens off beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub beets. To steam beets, place in a steamer above 2 inches water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover. Turn down heat to medium. Steam beets for 30 minutes, until you can pierce the beet to the middle with a knife. Remove from heat. When beets have cooled, cut away ends and slip off skins. Slice in rounds or cut into wedges. Steam greens for 2 minutes, using tongs to flip the greens over top to bottom halfway through, for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop coarsely. To make sauce, purée garlic cloves with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in tahini. Whisk in lemon juice, beginning with smaller amount. The mix will stiffen up. Gradually whisk in up to 1/4 cup water, until sauce has consistency of thick cream or runny yogurt. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice. Line a platter with the beet greens and arrange beets on top and around greens. Drizzle on tahini sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Broccoli Raab
Unlike many greens, broccoli raab tastes good overdone, so don't worry about overcooking!
1 lb broccoli raab
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/4 cup water
Clean and trim broccoli raab as necessary. Heat olive oil in a large skillet (with a lid). Cook garlic about 1 minute, until tender. Add the broccoli raab, season lightly with salt and crushed red pepper, and stir. Add 1/4 cup water, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan tightly. Cook, lifting the lid occasionally to turn stalks, about 12 minutes, or until the broccoli raab is tender. Adjust seasonings and serve.