Summer Share Five June 22nd/24th 2021
Important information:
- This is an odd biweekly distribution as well as a weekly distribution.
- Please check for boxes that may be accumulating and bring them to distribution this week; Thanks!
- Please notify us to cancel or reschedule your share if you will be out of town.
Farm News from Jane
Welcome summer, Swiss chard and sugar snap peas! We had a wonderful harvest day in the field today without any rain. Of course, we had a torrential shower this afternoon and that was fine as we are currently six inches behind in rainfall and Ben could use a break from irrigation duties. And speaking of Ben if you see him on Thursday wish him a Happy Birthday!
The produce is changing as you can see and peas will be replacing asparagus on your plate for the next few weeks. There are multiple plantings but sometimes when it is hot, the peas mature faster that we can pick! This year’s first harvest of sugar snaps is fabulous. They are long and slender and crisp and sweet. One of our members shared that they are as sweet as candy; they are so good. And those funny looking curly things in your share (garlic scapes) are very user friendly. You’ll be receiving them for a few weeks so instead of allowing them to pile up, roast them for a real treat. Just like roasted garlic cloves, heat mellows them and changes some of their carbs into sugars just like onions. There is a reason fried onions are so popular! A quick stir fry of sugar snap peas with the garlic scapes would be a perfect combination also. That is if you don’t eat all the peas raw. We have had members share that the peas don’t always make it home…
The tomatoes plants in the high tunnel are “fruiting” and the field ones are growing nicely but need trellising. It is a labor intense culture but makes harvesting a pleasure. We’re so happy for soaking rains last night and today and there is more in the forecast for later in the week. Summer is here and we are excited to begin harvesting the next veggie in the seasonal line up! When people ask what we grow we say, “From asparagus to zucchini (A-Z)! And that is almost a literal statement. So, pour yourself a glass of lemonade to sip on while you prep peas or just enjoy eating them one after another with the beverage of your choice.
Celebrate summer and all its goodness. So much to be thankful for! Jane
Produce: Sugar Snap peas Celery Romaine lettuce Swiss chard Scallions Garlic scapes
Produce tips:
– Sugar snap peas have edible pods; no need to shell. Just “unzip” them from the end that was attached to the plant or just pinch that blossom end off.
– Romaine is freshly harvested the morning of distribution and dunked in water to chill and clean. It may be a bit moist in the bag.
– Swiss chard is generally sauteed or “wilted” before ready to serve. Use as a base for an entrée or a stir fry addition This is the first harvest so the leaves are small and tender. They will soon be difficult to fit in the share box!
– Celery is not the same as the grocery type which is irrigated regularly and is very mild and tender. This is much more flavorful and firmer.
Storage tips:
– To keep garlic scapes fresh it is best to bag and refrigerate them.
– Celery and Swiss chard should be bagged and refrigerated.
Recipes
SUGAR SNAP PEAS AND RED GRAPES
3/4 lb. sugar snap peas, strings and stems removed; 1 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 1/4 tsp. salt; freshly ground black pepper; l-2 cup seedless red grapes, halved lengthwise; 1 tbsp. dry white wine
Blanch the peas in boiling water for two minutes. Drain the peas, and then refresh them under cold running water until cool. Drain them again and set them aside. Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook the shallot until soft – about two minutes. Add the peas, salt and pepper, and cook until the peas are heated through – two to three minutes. Add the grapes and wine, and cook until the wine has evaporated – about one minute. Serve immediately. Serves 4
SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH MUSHROOMS
2 tablespoon oil; 1/2 mushrooms, sliced; 1-pound fresh sugar snap peas, cut into half crosswise; 2 Teaspoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed
Heat oil in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir fry until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 3 minutes. Increase heat, add peas and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Cover and cook 1 minute longer. Sprinkle with sesame seed and serve. 4 servings
CABBAGE AND PEAS
1 1/2 c fresh peas; 1 small head cabbage, chopped; Salt and pepper to taste; 2 tbsp butter
Cook peas in boiling salted water in saucepan until tender; drain. Cook cabbage in another saucepan in a small amount of water until tender crisp; drain. Combine vegetables; season with salt, pepper and butter.
PEAS WITH SWISS CHARD
1 pound snow or sugar snap peas; 1/2-pound Swiss chard; 3 tbsp oil; 2 bunching onions, chopped; sea salt
Trim and string the snow peas. Wash the Swiss chard in a bowl of cold water, then remove and shake off the excess water. Heat a large skillet or a wok. Add the oil, swirl it around, then add the onions and snow peas. Stir-fry the peas for 1 minute, then add the chard and a pinch of salt and stir-fry until the leaves are tender and bright green. Serve right away.
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.
GREEN PEAS LORRAINE
3T. butter; 1/3 cup water; 2 cups sugar snap peas; 2T. finely chopped onion; 1 T finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 tsp sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional); 4 to 6 outside lettuce leaves, finely shredded; ½ cup light cream
Heat butter, water and peas together. Add onion, parsley, sugar and seasonings. Cover and simmer until peas are almost tender. Stir in lettuce. Continue cooking 5 minutes longer. Blend in cream. Heat and serve. Makes 5 to 6 servings.
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
SESAME GARLIC SNAP PEA SALAD
1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas, 6 T. toasted sesame oil, 2 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar, 1 tsp. Aleppo chili flakes, 1 clove of garlic, mashed, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. sesame seeds
Put the snap peas in a medium bowl or a gallon size zip-top bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, chili flakes, garlic, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if you’d like it a little saltier, etc. Pour dressing over the snap peas and toss to coat well. Sprinkle on sesame seeds and toss again to distribute them. Keeps well in the fridge for a day. Serves about 4 as a side salad.
Recipe from The Hungry Mouse website
SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD
¾ cup buttermilk, 3 Tbsp. plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 small garlic clove, finely grated, a large pinch of kosher salt, 8 oz. sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced, 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more, 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus more, Flaky Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
Whisk buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, and a large pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl. Toss sugar snap peas, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1 tsp. lemon zest in another medium bowl; season with sea salt and pepper. Pour dressing into a shallow bowl and pile sugar snap peas in the center. Drizzle with more oil, season with more pepper, and top with more lemon zest. Recipe from Bon Appetit
BARLEY SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS & GREEN ROMESCO DRESSING
2 cups water, 1 cup quick-cooking barley, 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and sliced into matchsticks, ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, ¼ cup finely chopped red onion, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add barley and cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or according to package directions. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Rinse the barley under cool water and transfer to a large bowl. Add snap peas, parsley, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Recipe from Eatingwell.com
SWISS CHARD OMELET WITH MIDDLE EASTERN SAVOR
For each omelet: 1-2 teaspoons olive oil; 3 eggs, beaten; 1/2 cup chopped, cooked chard leaves and/or stems, warm or at room temperature; 1 tablespoon currants; 1 tablespoon finely chopped kalamata olives; I tablespoon toasted pine nuts; lemon juice; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; herb sprig (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc.)
Heat olive oil in small nonstick skillet over high flame. Add beaten eggs-they will immediately begin to set on bottom of pan. With a spatula or nonstick egg lifter, pull the cooked egg from outer edges of pan toward center. The uncooked egg will spread and cook. Use spatula to help spread the liquid egg off top of cooked egg and onto exposed sections of pan bottom. Continue to do this until nearly all the liquid egg is set. Reduce heat to very low. The egg will continue to cook as you layer the following across the omelet: chard, currants, olives, and pine nuts. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, hold a plate close to the edge of skillet and, shaking skillet slightly, slip omelet onto the plate, either rolling it into a cigar shape or folding it over into a half-moon. Serve immediately. (Or, since this entire process takes only 2-3 minutes, you can keep the omelet warm in the oven while you make more of them.) Garnish with an herb sprig. Makes 1 serving. *This is best if the chard has been cooked with garlic and onions. Recipe from MACSAC
SWISS CHARD PIZZA
First chop the chard leaves and stems separately. Then microwave them separately as the stems will take a bit longer. Knead dough into pan. Massage oil onto dough. Spread on the chopped chard leaves then cover with chopped onion, 4 garlic cloves, oregano, chopped stems and grated parmesan cheese. Cover with another layer of dough which you have rolled out to approximate size. Vent the cover with holes to allow extra moisture to escape. Bake for 25 minutes at 325.
ASIAN-STYLE CHARD
1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned; 1 tablespoon peanut oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic scapes; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; freshly ground black pepper
Cut off and discard thick stem ends of chard. Cut out ribs; chop ribs into 2-inch pieces; set aside in a pile. Stack the leaves in small piles; coarsely chop them. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high flame. Add ribs; toss and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add leaves and garlic; continue to cook, tossing often, until chard begins to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; cook until chard is tender, 1-3 minutes longer. Add pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 2-4 servings. Recipe from MACSAC
PAN-COOKED SUMMER GREENS
1 to 2 bunches Swiss chard, washed, dried and cut into thin strips; 1 tbsp olive oil; 3 bunching onions, diced; 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 2 tbsp soy sauce; Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Steam chard until bright, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Immediately immerse the greens in a bowl of ice water for 30 seconds and drain again. Set the cooled greens aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the greens and toss gently to combine well. Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the amount of greens. Add soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss ingredients and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and serve at once. You can also add zucchini and yellow squash to this recipe. Cut then into bite sized pieces and cook with onions. 2-4 Servings
GARLIC SCAPE AND SWISS CHARD PESTO
1 bunch garlic scapes,1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves only,1/4 C raw walnuts (optional),1/2 – 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional), Juice from half a lemon, 1/2 C extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste
Blanch the Swiss chard leaves in boiling water for about 30 seconds, just to remove chalky taste. Rinse under cold water and squeeze out the water.
Put blanched Swiss chard, garlic scapes, walnuts, crushed red pepper and lemon juice into the bowl of your food processor and process until still slightly chunky. Gradually pour olive oil in to feeder tube and continue processing until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve tossed with your favorite gluten-free pasta, add a little of the cooking liquid from the pasta to loosen up the sauce, if you wish.
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
8 oz. scapes cut in 1 in. pieces and processed with 1 C Olive oil, 2 C Parmesan cheese and ½ C lemon juice
GARLIC BUTTER
1/2 cup butter; 2 garlic scapes, minced; 1 Tablespoon parsley; 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Soften butter to room temperature. Combine other ingredients, mixing well. Use with meats, breads, and vegetables. Yields 1/2 cup
ZIPPY GARLIC DRESSING
2/3 c. salad oil; 1/4 c. wine vinegar; 1 tsp. sugar; 3/4 tsp. salt; 3/4 tsp. dry mustard; Dash freshly ground pepper; 1 garlic scape, minced
In a screw-top jar, combine all ingredients; shake well. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes about 1 cup
LIGHT CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
1 large potato, diced; 2 cups chopped celery; 1 ½ cups of water; ¾ tsp salt, plus ¼ tsp; ½ cup onion, finely minced; ½ cup celery, finely minced (use innermost stalks); ½ tsp celery seed; ½ cup milk, warmed; white pepper to taste; 2 -3 tbsp sour cream, half and half or heavy cream; freshly minced celery leaves for garnish
Place potato, 2 cups celery, water and ¾ tsp salt in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes – until everything is soft. Puree and transfer to a larger saucepan. Melt butter in a small skillet. Add onion, finely minced celery, celery seed and ¼ tsp salt. Sauté about 8 to 10 minutes – until the vegetables are just tender. Add to puree. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except garnish. Heat gently (don’t cook or boil) and serve topped with garnish. Serves 3 to 4
SAVORY WALNUT CHICKEN SALAD
2 C shredded or chopped chicken; 1/4 cup finely diced celery; 1/4 cup chopped walnuts; 2 Tablespoons minced savory; 2/3 cup mayonnaise; 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine all ingredients and serve with fruit on a lettuce-lined plate. Serves 2.
SWEET-SOUR CELERY
3 c. sliced celery; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tbsps. Flour; 2 tbsps. 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.
CELERY SALAD
1 bunch celery; 1 red onion, cut in 1-inch strips; 6 Tbsp vegetable oil; 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 1/2 tsp salt; Black pepper; 2 oz blue cheese, crumbled; 2 green onions, chopped; 1/4 c minced parsley
Cut celery crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Put in bowl. Add red onions. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients except parsley. Pour over celery and red onions. Toss. Top with parsley. Chill at least 4 hours and serve. Leftovers are great. Makes 6 servings Recipe from Farm-Fresh Recipes.
CELERY-FETA SALAD
6 oz feta cheese, crumbled; 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced; 1 small jar pimiento strips; 2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme or oregano; 2 Tbsp vinaigrette-style salad dressing; Leaves of 1 small head leaf lettuce
Mix the feta with the celery, pimiento and chopped herbs. Sprinkle with the vinaigrette. Place lettuce leaves on four plates; top with feta and celery mixture. Recipe from Farm-Fresh Recipes. Makes 4 servings
CAESAR SALAD
3/4 c olive oil; 1/4 c red wine vinegar; 2 tsp anchovy paste; 2 garlic scapes or green onions, minced; 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp ground white pepper; 1 c grated Parmesan cheese; 1 large head romaine lettuce; croutons
Put oil, vinegar, anchovy paste, garlic, lemon juice, mustard and white pepper in food processor; blend. Add Parmesan; pulse just to blend. Rinse, pat dry and tear lettuce into bite-size pieces. Add half the dressing to lettuce; toss. Add more dressing, to taste; toss, then add croutons. Serve at once. Makes 4 servings
GRILLED ROMAINE 1 head romaine lettuce – cut in half lengthwise and washed, shopping list 1/4 cup olive oil, shopping list 2 T balsamic vinegar, shopping list 1/4 tsp. dried minced onion, shopping list 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, shopping list 1/8 tsp. oregano ,shopping list 1/4 tsp. salt, shopping list 1/8 tsp. peppershopping list Place split heads of Romaine lettuce in a freezer bag .Mix all other ingredients together in a separate bowl and pour in bag. Lay bag flat in fridge for 15 minutes. Then turn bag over and lay flat again for another 15 minutes. Pre-heat grill. On medium heat, grill Romaine for about 2 minutes on each side. Serve warm.