Summer Share Eight July 12th 2016

Important information:

• My apology for those members who were not aware that fruit shares were in separate boxes which also need to be returned each week.
• Park School members: don’t forget to avoid camp dismissal time between 3:15-3:45 if possible.

Farm News from Jane

Well, the peas have already come and gone… Although we have continued to water them the hot weather has caused them to mature and begin to dry down (dried peas anyone?) One member this morning lamented the fact that she could make a delicious and nutritious pea hummus with the post mature ones. We tried to pick only the tender sweet ones but sometimes in our quest to pick quick and efficiently we find a few bigger ones in our baskets. If per chance you have a few that are large and a bit starchy know that you are getting the most nutrition that a pea can provide! We did have one more planting of sugar snap peas but the yield is marginal and we had to leave them in the field…

But here come the beans! Next week we will begin the string or snap bean harvest with yellow beans. If conditions are right we will be able to pick a different variety of beans each week for about eight weeks.

We picked the first of the cucumbers this week. We’ll start out with just one or two this week and hope to have more to share as the cucumber patch matures. For those of you who enjoy summer squash the patty pan should be a special treat. They are quite versatile for preparation. The scallion harvest is also complete and next week we start harvesting bulb onions. Walla Walla onions are the first to mature and are the sweetest and mildest of all the onions we grow.

The most exciting news this week is that the first block of sweet corn has tasseled which means we are now in the “corn countdown”. About four weeks from now we should have sweet corn for shares. It seems hard to believe that this week ends in mid July. How quickly the season progresses from veggies to veggies. Soon we will have “new” potatoes. Rumor has that someone dug up some little red beauties to sample; it wasn’t me. We’re still finishing up last season’s spuds!

Until next week, enjoy your peas and cukes, Jane

 

Produce:   Zucchini   Patty pan squash   Yellow squash   Cucumber   Kale or Collards  Celery   Shelling peas   green Kohlrabi   Scallions   Head lettuce  

 

Produce tips:

– SHELLING PEAS can be opened easiest by snapping off the blossom end first and pull to unzip.

– CUCUMBERS are sweet, crunchy and delicious but may have some surface blemishes form the cucumber beetles!

– PATTY PAN SQUASH is a buttery tasting summer squash. Small patty pan squash may be braised, steamed, roasted, or grilled whole. Larger ones may be hollowed out and stuffed or even used as soup bowls. Slicing them horizontally also makes a nice shape for grilling or roasting. They are very versatile!

 

Fruit Share:   Sweet cherries

 

Recipes

GRILLED PATTY PAN SQUASH
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 pound baby patty pan squash, cut in half crosswise, 1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces, Preheat grill. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Thread squash and onion alternately onto each of 8 (10-inch) skewers. Place skewers on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until tender, turning frequently. Drizzle with juice. Sprinkle with mint. Variation: use a grill wok instead of the skewers.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine

 

KICKIN’ COLLARD GREENS
tablespoon olive oil, 3 slices bacon, 1 large onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon salt,1 teaspoon pepper, 3 cups chicken broth, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 1 pound fresh collard greens, stems removed and cut into 2-inch pieces
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and return to the pan. Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until just fragrant. Add collard greens, and fry until they start to wilt. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender. Pour in chicken broth, and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until greens are tender.

WALNUT-MOZZARELLA SALAD
1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons prepared Dijon, mustard; 1/4 cup walnut oil (can be found in specialty stores); 1/2 cup broken walnut pieces; 2 cups sliced fennel stalk or celery; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped; 2 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes; 1 small onion, sliced in rings; 1 cup shredded or cubed Mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup basil, chopped

In a small bowl, combine vinegar and mustard; set aside. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add walnuts, sautéing until they begin to brown. Toss in fennel and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly until fennel begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and mix in remaining ingredients. Blend in vinegar mixture and toss gently. Serve immediately on a bed of lettuce for each serving. Serves 4; Recipe from Especially Herbs

SWEET-SOUR CELERY
3 c. sliced celery; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tbsps. Flour; 2 T Sugar; 3/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper; 2 tbsps. Vinegar; 1 c. water; 1/4 c. dairy sour cream
Cook celery in boiling salted water until tender; drain. Meanwhile, blend together egg, flour, sugar, salt and pepper in saucepan. Blend in vinegar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Add to drained celery. Makes 6 servings; Recipe from America’s Best Vegetable Recipes

SPRING ORZO SALAD *Substitute kohlrabi for asparagus first peel and then cut into sticks
8 oz. orzo pasta ; 1/2 cup bunching onions, finely chopped; 8 oz. mushrooms, quartered; 1 lb. asparagus, tips trimmed, stems cut into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 cup frozen peas; 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts, optional
Vinaigrette: 3 Tbs. red wine vinegar; 2 Tbs. olive oil; 2 tsp. whole-grain mustard; 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water, and drain. Set aside.  Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onions are soft. Raise heat to medium-high, stir in mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes. Add asparagus, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, or until asparagus are crisp-tender. Stir in peas, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat. To make Vinaigrette: Whisk together all ingredients in small bowl until emulsified. Place pasta, vegetables, and vinaigrette in large bowl, and stir to combine. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts, if desired. Serves 6

MARKET RAGOUT OF KOHLRABI AND 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

KOHLRABI PANCAKES WITH FLAXSEEDS
Adaptable to many vegetables, these savory pancakes go great with Cucumber Tzatziki, plain yogurt, or sour cream.
1 pound kohlrabi (peeled), 3 tbsp ground flaxseed (whir whole ones in a blender or processor until ground), 2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt, 1 carrot, 1 tbsp oil for frying (coconut oil is tasty)

Grate the kohlrabi and carrot (a food processor makes it easy). In a large bowl, mix the ground flaxseed, flour and salt. Then add the grated carrot and kohlrabi and mix. With your hands, form smallish patties about 1/2 inch thick. Cook in a frying pan with the oil until each side is golden brown. Add more oil if needed between rounds of pancakes. I love the way the ground flaxseed holds these together! You could also get them to hold together with egg if you don’t have flaxseed. You could probably finely chop kohlrabi greens too, and add those in to this. Recipe from red Fire Farm

 

LEMONY KALE SALAD

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 4 cups torn kale leaves, 2 cups torn Swiss chard leaves, 4 teaspoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, 1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 2), 1 ounce shaved pecorino Romano
Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add kale and chard; toss. Let stand 10 minutes.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add kernels; cook 5 minutes or until brown, stirring frequently. Add kernels, onions, and cheese to greens; toss.

Variation 1. Spicy Soy: Combine 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce in a bowl. Add 4 cups torn kale, 2 cups torn Savoy cabbage leaves, 1 cup shredded carrot, 1 cup sliced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup sliced radish, and /4 cup chopped cilantro; toss. Let stand 8 minutes. Serves 6 (serving size: 1 cup)
Variation 2. Greek-Style: Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon

 

CHARLEMAGNE SALAD WITH HOT BRIE DRESSING

Salad greens; 1/4 cup white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; garlic croutons; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup olive oil; 4-5 ounces ripe brie, rind removed, cheese cut, or cheese of your choice; 2 teaspoons minced shallots or green onions into small pieces and brought to room temperature; 1 teaspoon minced garlic; freshly ground pepper

Clean the greens; dry them in a salad spinner or kitchen towels. Tear greens into bite-size pieces and toss with garlic croutons in a large bowl. Warm oil in a heavy skillet. Add shallots or onions and garlic and cook until golden, 3-5 minutes. Blend in vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard. Add the cheese a little at a time, stirring constantly. Toss the hot dressing with the greens and croutons. Serve immediately with freshly ground pepper.

Makes 6 servings; Recipe from Matthew and Susan Smith, Blue Valley Gardens

 

CUCUMBER-YOGURT SOUP

1 medium cucumber, pared, seeded, and cut in large cubes (reserve 4 paper thin slices for garnish); 1/2 tbsp minced fresh chives; 1 tbsp minced fresh mint or 1 tsp dried mint, crushed; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup plain yogurt; 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1/2 cup dairy sour cream; 1/2 clove garlic, quartered; 1/2 tbsp sugar; Minced mint or mint leaves for garnish

In blender or food processor, place all ingredients except garnish and blend until pureed. Refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with a garnish of cucumber slice on each serving, topped with additional mint. Serves 3

 

WILTED LETTUCE SALAD
3 slices bacon; 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/2 T lemon juice; 1 Tbsp water; 1 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 4 c leaf lettuce – washed, dried and torn into bite-sized pieces; 3 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 hard-cooked egg (optional)
Cook bacon over medium high heat until evenly brown. Remove from skillet, crumble and set aside. Reserve drippings. Combine lettuce and green onions in large bowl. To the hot bacon drippings, add vinegar, lemon juice, water, sugar and pepper. Stir over medium heat until hot and sugar is dissolved.  Add warm dressing and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle with bacon. If desired, garnish with egg. Serve immediately. Makes 3 servings