Newsletter for first pick up
on May 24 in CSA News, Farm News by JosieLet the food begin. Welcome to the bounty, you are in for an amazing season. Clay has gone a little crazy with the amount of food he has planted this year and you will reap the bounty. I think having a new baby kicked in his protective instinct and he wanted to have as much food as possible. We are so excite to bring you all these fresh veggies. In the first few weeks you will receive; salad mix, arugula, boc choy, radishes, boc choy, mustard greens, spinach, pea shoots, kale, turnips, and broccoli Rabb. Every pick up gets a little different variety but all the pick up spots will see these veggies in the first 3 weeks. It is so important for you to eat your greens and we will help you out with this in the spring.
So what do you do with all these things? I have included some recipes so have fun and remember, stir fry, stir fry stir fry!
Arugula- can be eaten raw in a salad or you can lightly wilt it in a pasta or make a pesto with it. I love to saute a little garil in some butter or olive oil and toss it over a nice pasta. I put in the arugula and let the warm pasta wilt it just a little then I top it off with a nice hard cheese like manchego or asiago and a little salt. Easy and so good! Try this if you think it is too bitter for your salad.
ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE eat with artichokes, noodles, toast, carrot sticks…
3 cups packed arugula (about 3/4 pound), washed well and spun dry 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted golden and cooled 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large garlic clove, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup hot water plus additional if desired In a food processor pulse together all ingredients except oil and water until arugula is chopped fine. With motor running add oil in a stream, blending mixture until smooth. Sauce may be made up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap. Bring sauce to room temperature to continue. Stir in 1/4 cup hot water plus additional for thinner consistency if desired.
RAPINI: also called raab, broccoli rabe, cime de rape, rape and brocoletti. It’s a form of turnip green. Blanched Rapini (Broccoli Raab)
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Using a salad spinner makes easy work of drying the cooled blanched rapini.
1 pound rapini (broccoli rabe), washed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Stir in rapinigreens and salt and cook until wilted and tender, about 2 1/2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cool empty saucepan by rinsing under cold running water. Fill cooled saucepan with cold water and submerge greens to stop the cooking process. Drain again; squeeze well to dry and proceed with one of the following recipes.
Rapini with garlic and red pepper flakes
2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 recipe blanched rapini greens (above)
Heat oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in medium skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add blanched rapini greens, and cook, stirring to coat with oil, until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, serve immediately.
Rapini with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
Follow recipe for Rapini with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes, adding 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips, along with garlic and red pepper flakes. Add 3 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts to skillet along with rapini greens.
Pea shoots check out this web site it is all about pea shoots, click here
Turnips Tips
adapted from “From Asparagus to Zucchini”
*Eat turnips raw. Slice or thickly julienne and add to vegetable platter or eat alone with or without dip.
*Grate raw into salads.
*Bake turnips alone for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, basted with oil, or bake along with other seasonal roots.
*Cook turnips with roasting meats.
*Mash or scallop turnips, just like you would potatoes.
* Dice turnips into soups or stews, and julienne into stir fries.
My favorite way to cook turnips is to saute them with a little oil until they are soft. I add garlic or cumin. Turnips seem to
