Week 3
Hi everyone,
Welcome to Week 3 of the CSA! Someone turned on the heat this past weekend, and it got pretty sultry at the farm. It's a bit rough on the young plants, since they aren't prepared for August weather in June, but the rain and cooler temperatures have things back on track now.
We tied up the tomatoes in the greenhouse yesterday-- they are growing fast and already setting blossoms and fruit! I always wait with great anticipation for that first cherry tomato to ripen and pop it into my mouth. It's bliss! And the wait just makes it even better. I don't buy tomatoes anymore, because they don't even taste like the same food as the beauties from the farm!
But the wait isn't over yet.... in the meantime, we have some delicious early summer greens for you and the first round of garlic scapes to spice up your suppers a little bit.
In your bags:
Salad Mix
Baby Kale
Garlic Scapes
Rainbow Swiss Chard
The baby kale is very tender and juicy- I couldn't help but munch on a few leaves when we were harvesting it. It would be lovely in a salad or just barely sautéed, but I wouldn't use these for kale chips. Wait for the bigger, tougher leaves later in the season.
Have you ever used garlic scapes before? It's not a common vegetable and certainly not one you would see in the grocery store, but it's a great first offering from the garlic plants. We won't be able to start harvesting their roots for another couple weeks, but in the meantime, they send up a flower stalk that, when chopped up and sautéed, has a great mellow garlic taste.
And the rainbow chard is just plain pretty! I am always amazed at the colors it comes in!
Here are some recipes to tempt you:
1) Creamy Pasta with Chard and Tomatoes
This looks amazing, and I'm a huge fan of Joy of Cooking. It has never steered me wrong!
Have you ever read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barabara Kingsolver? You really should! It's a wonderful book about food and eating locally and seasonally. She also shared this recipe in the book, and now I'm sharing it with you.
3) Pasta with Ruby Chard and Cherries
This recipe calls for Ruby Chard, which is simply a variety of Swiss Chard with all-red stems. Rainbow Chard is just the same, but with shades of yellow, red, pink, and orange.
4) Roasted Swiss Chard with Feta
I love cheese and greens! And the salty taste of Feta will pair wonderfully with the Swiss Chard.
5) Baby Kale Salad with Lemon, Parmesan and Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
For the Roasted Chickpeas:
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad:
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 oz Baby Kale
1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Regianno
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 10 -12 minutes, stirring once, until the chickpeas are slightly shrunken and crispy. Let cool.
In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the greens and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt). Arrange on plates and top with Parmigiano-Regianno shavings and crispy roasted chickpeas.
Enjoy the recipes and your veggies! Have a great week.
All the best,
Sarah VanNorstrand
for Lucky Moon Farm
