Summer Share Nine July 20th/22nd 2021

Important information:

• This is both a biweekly odd and weekly distribution.
• Please return produce and fruit boxes at each distribution; we are running low again. Thank you!
• Park members: You may want to wait until 4:10 before arriving as day camp is in progress and departure time is 4:00. My apology for not letting you know before last week’s distribution.

Farm News from Jane
Beans and corn and a full moon. That is what we have to look forward to this week. I did not share last week that we tried out the new used bean harvester on half of the yellow beans. It was not a great first trial as the early plantings of beans were short and the field was wet from all the rain. Ben persevered and made more than a few adjustments. We hand-picked half the field so we had a comparison for yield and quality. The hand-picked beans were cleaner than the machine harvested ones but the yield was similar. This week we have clean green beans all mechanically harvested. I may be one of the few people who are disappointed at that. I enjoy picking beans and I will miss that job… But it saves countless hours of hand labor and most people are very happy to let this job go the way of the dinosaur… It will free us up to be more timely harvesting and weeding. Right now, we will be able to harvest the onions sooner. We began pulling the Walla Walla onions last week and laying them in rows on the ground to dry, unfortunately I think that it has rained every day since.  We will continue to harvest the other varieties because the leaves are beginning to die and the plants are changing quickly with the wet humid weather. Last year the same thing happened and we could not get the onions out of the ground fast enough and lost at least half the crop. I actually had to buy onions this last month! Thank goodness there were other local growers who had some beautiful onions left from last season.
The green houses are slowly emptying but just temporarily as we are transitioning from seeding the last of the brassica; lots of kales, kohlrabi and late broccoli. Soon we will be seeding the fall beets, and the high tunnel crops for fall planting; spinach, greens, lettuces, and perhaps even a few new things. So, it is just a short reprieve. Last year we tried celery in one of the high tunnels but it did not mature before it went to seed. It’s fun albeit disappointing when crops don’t succeed. But you don’t know until you try!
Please do keep your eyes open for the “Buck” moon this Friday to Sunday. It is known as this because the bucks are just beginning to grow their new set of antlers. It looks like it will be clear on Friday evening. Summer fun comes in all sorts of packages. We had a family get together on Saturday and after whittling more than a few marshmallows “sticks” we created some yummy fun even though it was a bit of a soggy day. The kids didn’t mind; splashing in the puddles can be great fun!
Enjoy your veggies & fruit, Jane

Produce: Sweet corn   Green beans   Chioggia beets with tops   Napa cabbage
Pepper   Cucumber   Zucchini   Yellow squash   Scallions

Fruit:   Yellow plums   Apricots   Sweet cherries

Fruit tips:
– Please open all bags of fruit and sort for ripeness before refrigerating. Always wash all the fruit.
– Apricots; some are very ripe and soft, others are firm. Enjoy the ripe ones ASAP.
– Yellow plums are delicious when firm and a bit under ripe although the skins tend to be a bit tart. However, if you let them ripen, they will soften and the skins will sweeten also.

Produce tips:
– Sweet corn should be refrigerated. I did see a few ears with small holes in the bottom of the stalk. But no freeloaders were found so far, but please watch. We had some for supper last evening; YUM!  To cook corn place in a pot of water which has come to a rolling boil. Cook only a few ears at a time and remove them when the water comes back to a boil; about 2-3 minutes. (Not 10)! It is a super sweet variety and you don’t want to boil all the sugar out of the kernels!
– Scallions; this may be the last week for scallions until the fall. We will begin to share sweet onions next week.
– Beets should be bagged and if you want to utilize the greens it is best to separate them from the beetroot and use promptly.
– Beans; remove the stem end and the “tail” if desired. Saute lightly or steam for five to eight minutes.
– Beets; don’t forget to try them grilled. Peel, chunk stir in a drizzle of olive oil and place on grill wok or pan salt and pepper and stir occasionally, Cook on medium high for approximately 30 minutes.
– Napa cabbage is great in a stir fry! Add it already shredded at the end to just wilt it down.
– Sweet corn; we raise a bicolor variety of sweet corn that is also a super sweet variety. It holds its flavor and sugar content for up to a week if refrigerated.

Recipes
APRICOT CRUMB PIE
1 9-inch PIE CRUST
Filling: 2 3/4 cups cooked fresh, frozen, or dried apricots; 2 eggs; 3 tablespoons warmed honey; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/2 cup cooking liquid from apricots (or orange juice); dash of nutmeg
Crumbs: 1/4 cup whole wheat flour; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 tablespoons soft butter; 1 tablespoon honey
Preheat oven to 450 F. Arrange cooked, drained apricots in pie shell. In a small bowl, beat eggs, add honey, salt, lemon juice, fruit liquid, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over apricots. Blend flour, cinnamon, and butter into crumbs. Add honey. Sprinkle over filling in pie shell and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 3500 F. and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer, or until set in center. If using fresh apricots for this pie, cook only 3 to 5 minutes; frozen, about 7 minutes; and dried, about 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Yield: 1 9-inch pie Recipe from Naturally Delicious Desserts and Snacks.

APRICOT CRUSH
1+1/2 pounds apricots; 1/2 cup orange juice; 1/2 cup sugar
Blanch apricots in boiling water. Peel and de-stone. Place in blender with l/2 cup water. Process until almost smooth. Combine with orange juice and sugar in medium saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens. Cool. Serve as ice-cream, shortcake, yam, or sweet-potato topping; as ham, fowl, or pork glaze; mixed into cold fruit salads; or as cake filling. Recipe from The Fruit and Vegetable Stand.

APRICOT EXOTICA
3-4 apricots; 1/2 cup light cream, half-and-half, or yogurt; 1/4 cup orange juice; 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup; 5-6 Ice cubes
Blend at low speed for 30 seconds, then at high speed for 10 seconds. Recipe from The Fruit and Vegetable Stand.

APRICOT-CHERRY CRISP
2 1/2 pounds ripe apricots; 1 pound sweet cherries or pie cherries; 2 tablespoons sugar; l 1/2 tablespoons minute tapioca; 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Crisp topping: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small chunks; 3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed; 2/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup rolled oats or finely chopped almonds; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 2 1/2-quart gratin dish. Pit the apricots and cherries, then toss them with the sugar, tapioca and almond extract. Lay the fruit in the prepared dish. Make the topping. Using your fingers or the paddle attachment of a mixer, work the butter with the rest of the ingredients until the texture is coarse and crumbly. Pat the topping over the fruit. Set the dish on a baking pan to catch the juices and bake until the top is browned and the juices have thickened around the edge, about 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla or honey ice cream. SERVES 6 TO 8 Recipe from Local Flavors.

FRESH DARK SWEET CHERRY COBBLER
5 c pitted and halved sweet red cherries, about 1.7 pounds, 2/3 granulated sugar, 2 T cornstarch, 1/4 tsp. salt, 2T fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract
For the topping:  1 C all-purpose flour, 1/2 C sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 T unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces, 1/3-1/2 C milk, cold
In a large saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until cherries are tender and juices have thickened. Transfer cherries to an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan.
Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add enough milk to moisten the dough. Drop by the spoonfuls over the top of the cherries. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and biscuit is cooked through. You’ll need about 1.7 pounds of cherries. *Make ahead tip: The cobbler can be baked up to 6 hours ahead of time and cooled completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHERRY BARS
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted (1 stick), 1 C light brown sugar, packed, 1 large egg, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 C all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp. salt, optional, 3/4 to 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 C cherries (fresh or frozen; pitted) *
Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 60 seconds. To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the egg, vanilla, and stir to combine. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over mix or the blondies will be tough. Fold in chocolate chips, fruit (I don’t halve the cherries: I like them chunky and big), and pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula or offset knife if necessary. Bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly pull away from sides of pan and center is set. ** Allow bars to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. *Can also use a combination of plums, peaches, nectarines, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries. **Baking time will vary based on types of fruit used and the moisture content of the fruit; and how gooey you like your blondies. A toothpick inserted into the middle may not come out clean due to the chocolate chips or juicy fruit. Recipe from: Averiecooks.com

CHERRY SOUP
1# fresh cherries, 2 C flour, 10 C milk, 1 t cinnamon, 1 C sugar
Place cherries in saucepan and barely cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 min. Drain and force through a sieve. Stir the flour into 4 C cold milk to make a smooth paste. Slowly add the flour mixture to the remaining milk stirring constantly. Add the cinnamon, sugar and cherry puree. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

CHEESE-SQUASH SCALLOP
4 c. yellow squash/ zucchini slices, 1/2″ thick; 1/2 c. chopped onion; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1/2 tbsps. Oil; 1/2 c. grated Swiss cheese 1/4 c. cracker crumbs; 1/4 c. chopped parsley; 2 eggs; 1/2 c. milk 1 tsp. salt; 1/8 tsp. pepper
Cook squash in boiling salted water until barely tender. Drain well. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic in oil until onion is soft. Place half of onion mixture on bottom of greased 1-qt. casserole. Top with half of cheese, cracker crumbs and parsley. Add all the squash, then remaining onion, cheese, crumbs and parsley. Beat eggs, blend in milk, salt and pepper. Pour over squash. Place casserole in pan of hot water and bake in slow oven (325°) 50 to 55 minutes, or until set. Makes 4 servings.

SLOW-COOKED THIN-SLICED SUMMER SQUASH SHOWERED WITH HERBS
2 pounds mixed summer squash; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 cup simmering water; sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley; 2 tablespoons chopped marjoram or oregano or torn basil leaves
Slice the squash 1/4 inch thick. Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Add the squash and cook over medium-low heat, flipping the squash in the pan every 3 or 4 minutes until it’s tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Add the water and continue cooking until none remains. Season with salt and pepper and shower the herbs over all. Slide onto a platter and serve. SERVES 4 TO 6 Recipe from Local Flavors.

COLD ZUCCHINI AND SUMMER SQUASH SOUP ADAPTED FROM BON APPETIT
2-3 tbsp olive oil and maybe some butter, 1 medium onion, sliced or chopped 2 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed, your choice, 6-9 medium zucchini or summer squash, or a mix, 4 cups broth, sour cream, for garnish
*You’ll need a blender or an immersion blender for this. Because you will be blending everything smooth, it doesn’t matter how well you slice or chop the vegetables—great, right? But large chunks still probably aren’t a good idea because that will affect cooking time. What I’m saying is: do a mediocre job at chopping, but not a sloppy one. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil and/or butter until they’re brown. It sounds pretentious but, if you are patient and cook the onion until it’s really brown and delicious, that taste will infiltrate the rest of your soup and it’s totally worth the extra time. Add zucchini and summer squash, toss with the onions. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, lower heat to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes, until zucchini is tender.
Let cool to lukewarm and blend. Serve lukewarm or cold. Garnish with sour cream—it’s kind of great because the soup is somehow, mysteriously, creamy and the sour cream adds a nice tanginess.

ZUCCHINI CHILI-CHEDDAR MASH
1T. canola oil, 1+1/4 lbs. zucchini (2-3), halved lengthwise and sliced, 1 medium onion. Chopped, 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles, drained, ¼ t. salt, ½ C. extra sharp Cheddar cheese
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and onion; stir to coat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Stir in chiles and salt; cook until heated through, 1 minute more. Transfer to a medium bowl. Mash with a potato masher until chunky. Not completely smooth. Stir in cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4 about 2/3 c. each

SHAVED SUMMER SQUASH SALAD
Roast 3 T. whole almonds and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off 1 lb. summer squash (a mix of green and yellow). Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 ½ ^T. extra-virgin olive oil, 2T. fresh lemon juice, 1 minced garlic clove, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand a few minutes, then add a few handfuls of baby arugula. Shave a little Pecorino over the squash and toss. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with crushed almonds. Serves 4. Recipe from Bon appétit magazine.

LEMON-PEPPER LINGUINE WITH SQUASH
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1½ tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground, 1 pound thin zucchini, trimmed and very thinly sliced lengthwise, 8 ounces thin yellow squash, trimmed and very thinly sliced lengthwise, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup packed soft fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, chives and/or basil, coarsely chopped, ½ cup finely grated Cacio de Roma or Manchego cheese, plus more for serving, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, 3 T lemon juice
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pot. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini, squash and salt. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until just softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the zucchini and squash to the pot with the pasta. Add the reserved pasta water, herbs, cheese, lemon zest and juice. Stir gently to combine. Serve with more cheese, if desired. Recipe form Eatingwell.com

CHINESE-STYLE GREEN BEANS
1 lb. fresh green beans; 1 tsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp peeled, minced ginger root; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 Tbsp water; 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tsp cornstarch; 1/2 tsp brown sugar; 1/2 tsp dark sesame oil; 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper Trim beans; place in vegetable steamer over boiling water; cover and steam 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water; drain. Treat large skillet with cooking spray. Add vegetable oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add beans; stir 5 minutes until heated through. Whisk together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, sesame oil and red pepper. Add to beans. Cook 30 seconds, stirring, until heated through. Makes 8 servings

CHINESE GREEN BEANS
3 c. green beans, cut diagonally in 1/2 slices; 1 c. celery, cut diagonally in 1/4 slices; 2 oz. can sliced mushrooms, Drained; 3 tbsps. Salad oil; 1 tbsp Cornstarch; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 beef bouillon cube
Cook beans in boiling salted water until tender-crisp. Do not overcook. Drain, reserving liquid. Meanwhile, cook celery and mushrooms in oil in skillet until celery is tender-crisp. Blend cornstarch with soy sauce, bean liquid, and bouillon cube. Add to celery mixture along with beans. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and bouillon cube is thoroughly dissolved. Makes 6 servings.

SUPER GREEN BEANS
4 c. fresh green beans; 2 T. butter or bacon drippings; 1/2 tsp. salt; 2 tsp chives; 1/4 c. boiling water; 1/4 c. light cream; 1/8 tsp. pepper
Select tender green beans that snap easily. Wash, trim off ends and remove any strings. Place in bundles on cutting board and cut in 1″ pieces. Heat butter in electric skillet or heavy saucepan with tight-fitting lid; add beans, salt, basil and boiling water. Cover; cook on high heat until steam is produced, then turn as low as possible and cook 25 to 30 minutes, shaking pan occasionally and watching at the last to be sure beans do not burn (they should be barely tender). • Add cream and pepper; serve at once. Makes about 4 servings.

GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH WALNUTS
1pound fresh green beans; 1/4 cup walnut oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; salt and pepper to taste; 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Parboil the beans, drain, and cool. Mix oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and pour dressing over the beans. Sprinkle top with the walnuts. Serves 4-6.

ITALIAN BEANS WITH PESTO
1 pounds fresh green beans; 1/8 cup olive oil; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/2 large clove garlic, mashed; 1/2 cup packed basil leaves; 1/8 cup parsley leaves; 1 tablespoon pine nuts; 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Parboil the beans and drain. Make a pesto sauce by putting oil, salt, garlic, basil, parsley, and nuts in a blender and pureeing them. Add cheese and blend again. Dilute as needed with more oil or a little hot water. Toss sauce with the beans and serve at room temperature. Serves 4-6.

SECRET CHOCOLATE CAKE (CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE)
2 C. cooked chopped beets, ½ c. applesauce, 1+1/2 c. sugar, ½ c. oil, ½ c. plain yogurt, 3 eggs, 1+1/2 t. vanilla, 1+1/2 c. flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour, ½ c. baking cocoa, 1+1/2 t. baking soda, ½ t. salt, ½ c. chocolate chips (I prefer mini chips), powdered sugar or your favorite glaze or frosting
Prepare beets by cooking, peeling, and chopping them. Combine with applesauce and puree with a hand blender or in a standing blender. Set aside. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. For 2 minutes. Add half the dry ingredients and incorporate slowly, alternating with the beet/applesauce mixture until everything is blended. Pour half the batter into greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips, then pour the remaining batter on top. Bake @ 350⁰ for 45-50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack. From Simply in Season Children’s Cookbook by Mark Beach & Julie Kauffman

LENTIL & ROASTED BEET SALAD
Salad: 1 pound beets (about 3 medium), 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup de Puy lentils (small, slate-green lentils from France; but it works using regular lentils), 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided, 1 whole bay leaf (dried or fresh), 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed, 1/2 medium onion, studded with a whole clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, freshly ground black pepper to taste, 6 cups mixed baby greens, 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Dressing (makes 1/2 cup): 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar, 2 Tablespoons whole-grain mustard, 1 tsp kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste, 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 medium shallots, minced
Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim all but 1 inch of the beet stems. Put the beets on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, and seal the foil to make a tight package. Put the package in a small roasting pan. Roast the beets until easily pierced with a knife, about 1 hour. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them- the skins should slide right off with a bit of pressure from your fingers. If they don’t, use a paring knife to scrape off any bits that stick. Dice the beets and set aside. While you roast the beets, spread the lentils on a pan and pick out any pebbles or other foreign matter; rinse and drain. Put the lentils in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary and the bay leaf to the pan, along with the smashed garlic, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Strain the lentils and discard garlic and onion. While lentils are simmering, prepare the salad dressing: Whisk vinegar with mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream to make a smooth, slightly thick vinaigrette. Stir in the shallots. Use immediately or refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days. Put the warm lentils in a bowl and stir in half of the dressing. Cool the lentils completely, then add the beets, parsley, and remaining 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lightly dress the greens with a bit of the dressing and divide among 6 plates. Spoon some of the lentil salad onto the greens, crumble goat cheese over each serving, and drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette.

ROASTED BEETS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE RECIPE
2 # red beets, medium sized, scrubbed clean, Olive oil, Salt, 1/2 c balsamic vinegar, 2 t sugar, 1 t grated orange zest, freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F and line pan with aluminum foil.  Rub beets with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, place in pan, cover with foil: Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil. Roast for 1 to 2 hours: Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.
Prepare balsamic glaze: While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat. Peel and cut cooked beets: After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. Cut the beets into quarters or more, bite-sized pieces. Pour glaze over beets: Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.

NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH PEANUTS AND CILANTRO
The Salad: 1/2 C skinned raw peanuts; 1 tsp peanut oil; 1 large carrot; 4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage; 2 cups slivered lettuce leaves; 3 thin scallions, including some of the greens, finely sliced diagonally; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves; 2 tablespoons torn basil leaves, preferably Thai basil The Dressing: 1/2 jalapeno chile, finely diced; 1/4 cup rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 1/4 cup roasted peanut oil
Heat the peanuts in the oil over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned after a few minutes. Blot with paper towels and set aside. Peel the carrot with a vegetable peeler and discard the skins. Then, with the vegetable peeler, continue removing long strips of the carrot until you’ve reached the core. Combine the cabbage, lettuce, and carrot with everything except the nuts. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss with the greens. Add the peanuts just before serving. Serves 4-6 Recipe from Local Flavors.

STEAMED NAPA CABBAGE WITH GREEN PEPPER
One 2-lb. Napa cabbage, thinly sliced; 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar; 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper; 1/4tsp. salt; 1 green pepper, seeded, deribbed and thinly sliced
Combine the vinegar, brown sugar, black pepper, red pepper, salt and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and cook it rapidly to reduce it by half – four to five minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside. Pour enough water into a large pot to fill it about 1 inch deep. Set a vegetable steamer in the pot and bring the water to a boil. Put the sliced cabbage and green pepper in the steamer, cover the pot tightly, and steam the vegetables until the cabbage is just barely wilted €about three minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and pour the sauce through a strainer onto them. Toss the vegetables well to distribute the dressing evenly, and let them stand for five minutes before serving. Serves 6