Welcome to the farm And thanks for deciding to join our ‘share this year. I use this newsletter to share farm news, information on the vegetables in your share and recipes for how to use them. This has been a very wet spring so far, but we have been able to keep up with planting. Most of our soil drains well, so crops haven’t been drowning. I’ve learned to be very efficient when we get a few dry days!
Kohlrabi
By looks, it’s not obvious what to do with a kohlrabi, but its secret is hidden beneath the skin- crispy, fresh tasting flesh, mild with a slight bite. I prefer to use them raw. Think of them as a crudite, they go with many other flavors. If you must cook it, gentle sautéing or steaming is probably best.
Pac Choi (Bok Choi)
Pac choi is distantly related to turnips, and shares some of that flavor. It’s a very reliable crop for us, so I grow quite a lot of it. Choi can be used raw- it is crunchy yet tender enough for salads or as a raw element in noodle/rice bowls. If I want to cook it, I usually separate the leaves from the stems, so that I can add the leaves towards the end of cooking to keep them from getting overcooked. It can release a fair amount of water, so I would not add too much water when cooking. Quick, high heat sauteeing or stir frying are the best ways to cook choi.
-Aaron
Vegetables: Scallions Spinach Lettuce Pac Choi Radishes or baby beets Kohlrabi Kale
Herbs
Upper Garden: Mint (Chocolate, Apple, Mountain), Oregano, Sage, Thyme, Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Hyssop, Catnip , Winter savory, Lovage
Lower Garden: Parsley, Marjoram, Cilantro, Dill, Summer Savory
Mixed greens with cumin and paprika
12 cups mixed greens (kale, broccoli raab, chard, mustard etc)
salt
4 garlic cloves
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
for garnish: oil cured black olives, wedges of lemon and tomato
Discard any inedible parts of greens. Set in a steamer with tougher leaves on bottom and cook until tender, or boil each type separately in salted water and drain. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Pound garlic with 1/2 tsp salt until smooth then work in herbs briefly to release their flavors. Warm oil with paprika and cumin until fragrant, be careful not to burn. Stir in garlic then add greens, cooking until excess moisture is gone. Pile onto a dish and garnish with olives, lemon and tomato. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Spinach salad with feta and pecans
1 cup pecan halves
6 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
salt, pepper
1 lb spinach, large leaves torn (if not enough, use lettuce for half)
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries, or chopped apricots
6 oz feta
Toast pecans in a dry skillet, about 5 minutes. Combine oil, vinegar and honey, whisk to combine and season. Toss spinach, pecans, dried fruit in salad bowl. Crumble feta over the salad, add dressing and toss again.
Pickled chard stems
12 oz chard stems
1 Thai chile, split lengthwise (opt)
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 cups white vinegar
1 cup water
Heat oil in large pan until very hot. Add ginger, chili and garlic, then choi stalks. Stir fry one minute. Add leaves and stir until wilting. Remove from heat, add pinch salt, soys sauce and sesame oil. Recipe from riverford.co.uk