Week Five Summer Share June 16th 2015
Important information
- Please unfold the new larger share boxes carefully so as not to tear the flaps.
- And don’t forget to return your share box each week.
Farm News from Jane
Rain… We sure needed all we received but as much as it is great for the peas, potatoes and almost everything else the strawberries do not fare well under these warm and wet conditions. They are very ripe and a bit soft so eat today or freeze as the grocery store labels read! Quite a few were too soft to harvest for shares but were enjoyed as we were picking them. The variety we are picking this week is called Honeoye and their flavor is as delicious as the berry is red.
We also began picking peas today. The variety is an edible pod one and is called Sugar snap. They exploded in growth over the weekend with the heat and precipitation and sure do have a great crunch! We’ve had members share that their peas never make it home as they ate them all on the drive home.
We planted four varieties of winter squash this weekend: spaghetti, acorn, butternut and carnival. The conical cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and white cauliflower were transferred from small cells in the green house to larger ones and after they grow large enough they will be transplanted outside next month. The summer squash is beginning to blossom so although this is the last week for asparagus we will have summer squash coming soon! The potatoes plants have tripled in size and the tomato plants are growing quickly also. With the long day length of sun and heat June is a great growing month. We hope that you have been enjoying the lettuces we have been harvesting. They have been green Romaine, Red Fire or Cherokee. They are cut the morning of shares so are as fresh and crisp as possible. It was a very busy and long day harvesting; we hope that you enjoy the bounty from the fields. Savor the flavors of spring; summer is coming soon, Jane
Produce: Strawberries Sugar Snap peas (edible pods) Kohlrabi Garlic scapes 2 Head lettuces Asparagus
Produce tips:
– After two inches of much needed rain the produce needs an extra rinse this week!
– Please enjoy your strawberries today but definitely wash the sand off first!
– Sugar snap peas can be eaten raw as well as steamed or stir fried. Just “unzip” the pod from the stem end first.
– Steam peas lightly, no more than 2-3 minutes.
– Try adding lightly steamed peas to a salad.
– Remember to bag and refrigerate your scapes to keep them tender.
Recipes
KOHLRABI AND APPLE SALAD WITH CARAWAY
1 t. caraway seeds, T olive oil, 2T white wine vinegar, 1Tdijon mustard, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, 2 medium kohlrabi or 1 medium celeriac, peeled, thinly sliced on a mandolin, 2 small heads frisee, torn into bite sized pieces (about 6 c.), 1 crisp red apple, thinly sliced, 4T chopped fresh chives, divided Toast caraway seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, tossing often until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Whisk caraway, oil, vinegar and mustard in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add kohlrabi, frisee, apple, and 2 T chives to bowl with dressing and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Top salad with remaining 2T chives just before serving.
Serves 4; Recipe from Bonappetit
MARKET RAGOUT OF KOHLRABI AND PEAS * substitute sugar snap peas for shelled peas.
1 tbsp butter; 6 spring onions, halved; 1 large kohlrabi, peeled and chunked; 1 marjoram or thyme sprig; sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 pound pod peas, shelled; a few handfuls baby spinach; dollop crème fraiche; 4 large basil leaves, slivered
Melt the butter in a skillet and add the onions, kohlrabi, and marjoram or thyme. Add water to cover halfway and a teaspoon of salt. Simmer while you shuck the peas. As soon as the vegetables are tender, after 12 to 15 minutes, add the peas and spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted down, a few minutes more. Stir in the crème fraiche and add the basil. Taste for salt and season with pepper. Serve this as a side dish or a course by itself. With a starch (puff pastry, ravioli, even buttered toast), it can be offered as a vegetarian main dish. SERVES 2
JACKIE’S ‘GRAS WITH CLASS
DRESSING: 1 lemon; 2 Tbsp. white vinegar; 1/3 cup sugar; 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil; 2 tsp. poppy seeds
SALAD: 1/4 cup sliced almonds; 1 pkg. spinach or salad greens; 8 oz. raw or lightly steamed asparagus, thinly sliced *; 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
Zest lemon to yield 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice lemon to extract 2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil, and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread almonds in a single layer over the bottom of a baking pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool almonds in pan. Place spinach, asparagus, and onion in a large serving bowl. Whisk dressing and pour over salad. Mix well. Top with almonds and serve immediately. Serves 8 as a dinner salad or 4 as an entree. Recipe for MACSAC
*Variations: fresh strawberries, apples, pears, oranges or a combination may be used.
ASPARAGUS QUICHE
9 inch pastry shell; 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated; ½ cup green garlic or onions, chopped; 1 cup asparagus, cooked and chopped; 4 eggs; 1 ½ cups milk; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Place cheese, garlic or onions and asparagus in bottom of pie shell. Beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over ingredients in pie shell. Sprinkle parsley over top. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake for 45 minutes more, or until quiche is golden brown and knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the quiche.
SALAD GREENS WITH JOHN’S OIL AND VINEGAR DRESSING
1 cup red wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 cup olive or canola oil; 1 pinch salt; 1 tablespoon horseradish mustard; 1 pinch pepper; 5 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste); salad greens
Mix all ingredients (except greens). Toss with greens. This recipe was inspired by Rob Summerbell.
Makes about 3 cups dressing. Recipe from Zephyr Community Farm
EASY THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING
Makes about 1 cup (eight 2-tablespoon servings)
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt; 2 tablespoons minced onion; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon bottled sweet pickle relish; 1/4 cup bottled chili sauce; 1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk al1 ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
PASTA WITH PEAS, FRESH BASIL, AND BREAD CRUMBS
sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1/2 pound small pasta shapes; 4 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup finely diced scallion; 1 pound sugar snap peas; 3 tbsp chopped basil; 1 tsp grated lemon zest; 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs; ½ cup chopped parsley or more basil
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt and the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet, add the scallion, and cook gently for a few minutes, until softened. Add the peas, basil, and 1 cup of the pasta water and stew until the peas are bright green and tender, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest. Crisp the bread crumbs in the remaining butter or oil in a small skillet. When the pasta is done, drain it, add it directly to the peas, and toss. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and toss with the parsley and bread crumbs.
CHILLED SUGAR SNAP PEA SOUP WITH FRESH MINT
1 large Vidalia onion, minced; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 1 pound sugar snap peas, ends trimmed; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves, plus small sprigs for garnish; salt and cracked pepper to taste; Crème fraiche, clotted cream, or sour cream for serving; Minced radishes for garnish
In a heavy stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the butter and oil until translucent. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Drop in the sugar snap peas and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Puree the soup and stir in the cream, mint, and salt and pepper. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche in the center of the bowl. Garnish with minced radish and mint sprigs. Recipe from The Café Pongo Cookbook
SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD
1/2 c sugar; 1 T poppy seeds; 2 Tbsp sesame seeds; 1 1/2 tsp minced onions; 1/4 tsp paprika; 1/4 c cider vinegar; 1/4 c wine vinegar; 1/2 c canola oil; 2 Tbsp butter; 3/4 c slivered almonds; 1 lb spinach, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces; 1 pint strawberries, sliced
Put sugar, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onions, paprika, vinegars and oil in shaker jar. Shake to emulsify. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add almonds; cook and stir until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine spinach, strawberries and almonds in serving bowl. Pour half of dressing over and toss. Add more dressing as desired. Serve at once. Makes 8 servings
CHILLED STRAWBERRY SOUP
1 quart fresh strawberries; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup plain yogurt; 2 teaspoons minced fresh mint; 4 cups ice water; 3/4 cup dry white wine
Chop the strawberries in a food processor and then force them through a sieve. Mix in the sugar, yogurt, and mint. Add the ice water and white wine and sample for sweetness. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. 8 SERVINGS Recipe from Herbal Soups, Salads, Breads and Sweets
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE PIE
1 c sugar; 3 Tbsp cornstarch; 2 pints fresh strawberries, washed and hulled, divided; 3 Tbsp strawberry gelatin; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 1 (9-inch) baked pie shell; Whipped cream
Mix sugar and cornstarch; set aside. Crush 1 pt strawberries, and add enough water to make 1 1/2 c. Place in saucepan, and bring to boil. Stir in sugar mixture. Stir constantly until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Set aside. Mix cream cheese and 1 Tbsp hot cooked strawberries; spread mixture over baked pastry shell. Stand remaining uncooked strawberries, pointed end up, on cream cheese. Pour hot mixture over. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. Top with whipped cream.Makes 8 servings Recipe from Farm-Fresh Recipes.