A Surprisingly Wet Early Summer

The past few summers have been very hot and dry, causing a host of problems for fruit and vegetable growers as a result of plant stress, particularly reduced production over the course of a plant's production and at any given time.  This season has been very different, and although excess rain can cause its own problems, it is incredible how much healthier our plants are this season.  When plants suffer from heat- and drought-related stress, they are not only less productive but also much more prone to insect-damage (sometimes significant enough to cause total loss) and disease pressure (just like a person with a compromised immune system is much more likely to become sick and have a much harder time recovering from an illness).  Although these plant may produce food, the farmer recognizes that the plant isn't doing well and reduced production and early cessation of production is very common.  When it rains (even above and beyond a plant's or an ecosystem's needs), certain issues do present themselves (weeds!!!, planting delays due to wet ground, erosion if efforts are not made to prevent it, an increase in certain diseases for certain fruits and vegetables if there are not periods of sun, and a reduction or delay in production for fruits and vegetables that prefer hot, dry climates - okra, for example).  However, almost all of these issues can be solved with a little extra work in terms of hand weeding, patience in terms of delayed planting and delayed production, or variety selection for varieties that do better in humid conditions.  The conditions caused by heat and drought are much more difficult to solve, and varieties that are able to produce in such conditions are not readily available (most plants have a biological mechanism that begins to shut down production above 90 degrees particularly if weather is dry and nights are also warm).  The difference in terms of plant health in a year like this one and a dry year is what is really incredible.  Plants may produce a little later, but they are so much healthier, meaning that they produce more over a longer period of time and a larger percentage of what is produced is marketable.  Lack of plant stress also improves flavor of most vegetables (tomatoes and melons being the exception), and I imagine, nutrition.  When it rains, plants are also better able to use the nutrients available in the soil and better able to fight off insect and disease pressure.  The farm becomes a jungle: lush, green, and productive.

Updates: all the garlic and red onions have been harvested and are curing (drying).  We will hand them out later in the summer, along with shallots (which aren't ready yet).  We have 5 new older hens by way of a CSA member (a Silver-Laced Wyandotte, a Barred Rock, two Americaunas, and an Orpington).

Potatoes, Fennel, and Leeks

Potato-Leek Soup (Martha Stewart)
You can also add fennel to this soup, in place of celery or in addition to.

• • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 6 leeks, white parts only, washed well, thinly sliced
  • 4 shallots, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 cups Homemade Chicken Stock Homemade Chicken Stock (http://www.marthastewart.com/261561/homemade-chicken-stock), or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 
    
  • Make a bouquet garni: First wrap bay leaves, rosemary, parsley, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth. Then tie with a piece of kitchen twine, and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil and butter in a medium stockpot. Add celery, leeks, shallots, and garlic; cook on medium-low heat until very soft, about 45 minutes, stirring only occasionally. Do not brown. Add potatoes, stock, and reserved bouquet garni. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove bouquet garni, and discard.
  • Working in batches, pass half of the soup through a food mill, fitted with a medium disk, into a large saucepan. Add remaining chunky soup. Place the saucepan on medium-low heat to warm soup. Slowly stir in milk and cream, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

  
  

  Potato,  Fennel,  and Leek Gratin (Ina Garten)

  2 small fennel bulbs
  1 yellow onion, thinly sliced or 2-4 leeks
  2 tablespoons good olive oil
  1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  2 pounds russet potatoes (4 large potatoes)
  2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (1/2 pound)
  1 teaspoon kosher salt
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  
  Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
  
  Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
  
  Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
  
  Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.
  
  

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice (the longest day of the year and the beginning of summer in the Northern hemisphere) is rarely celebrated or marked in our culture anymore.  However, day length (well and night length and whether days are getting shorter or longer) plays a very important role in fruit and vegetable production.  Most people know that plants are affected by the amount of sun and temperature and the amount of rain or water, but few focus on the role that day length has on plant growth and production and particularly how day length affects growth when those other factors (sun, temperature, and water) are also not held constant.  Long-day plants are those that start to bloom as the days become longer (this often means they are no longer usable as edible crops).  Most of these are what we think of as cold-weather plants, like spinach; however, there are several more complicated ones (mostly brassicas) such as cauliflower, which has long-day varieties (which produce as we approach the summer solstice) and short-day varieties (which produce as we approach the winter solstice).  Short-day plants are those that start to bloom as the days become shorter (most of these are warm-weather plants).  There are also day-neutral plants that aren't affected by day length at all.  
Beyond all these factors to scheduling and planting, the summer solstice is very important on many vegetable farms because it signals that it is time for onion and garlic harvest (give or take a few days in either direction based on variety and weather).  I love to watch the onions and garlic respond.  The onions bowing their leaves to the ground - an almost reverse surrender (as opposed to raising the white flag) to nature's course and their fate.  The leaves on the garlic seem to suddenly dry and droop, a similar recognition of time come.  Harvesting all those onions and garlic is a big job, but it somehow seems like a celebration - a farmer's anniversary and a way to mark the half way point (when the winter solstice arrives in December, there will no longer be enough daylight for plant growth, signally our opportunity to rest, harvesting what is left in the fields as needed).  

Here are some recipes for this half-way point, which this year seems to be exactly in tune with those other factors (sun, clouds, rain, and temperature).  Most of our "spring" vegetables are either done or look like they will call it quits this week or next, and many of our summer vegetables are beginning to thrive.  

Still looking for a fennel recipe...try this one.  This recipe includes leeks, which we will start handing out next week.

Leek, Scallion, and Fennel Gratin
From Deborah Madison's "Local Flavors"

3 large leeks, white parts only
2 fennel bulbs, about 6 ounces each
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch scallions, including and inch of the greens, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fennel greens
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk or half-and-half
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Chop the leeks into 1/2 inch pieces and wash them well in plenty of water, separating the rings.  Let them soak while you trim and quarter the fennel.  Slice the fennel very thinly, including the core.  Bring a skillet of water to a boil; add the fennel and a pinch of salt.  Simmer until the fennel is translucent, about 2 minutes, then drain. 

Melt the butter in a wide skillet.  Lift the leeks out of their soaking water and add them to the pan along with the fennel. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the leeks are tender, about 10 minutes, adding the scallions after 5 minutes.  Add the fennel greens and lemon zest, taste for salt, and season with pepper.  Scrape the veggies into the prepared dish.

Beat the eggs and milk together and add 1/2 teaspoon salt plus the cheese.  Pour it over the veggies, then bake until the top is browned here and there in places, about 40 minutes.  Let rest for a few minutes and serve.  

Braised Spring Onions, Fennel, and Swiss Chard 

Serves 4.

Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
3 small green bulb onions, julienned
2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems cut into 1/2-inch lengths, leaves cut into 1-inch lengths, leaves and stems reserved separately (you could also use New Zealand spinach)
Kosher salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Meyer lemon, zested on a microplane and juiced, zest and juice reserved separately

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Toss in the smashed garlic and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the garlic becomes golden brown and very aromatic, remove it from the pan and discard it. It has fulfilled its garlic destiny.
Add the onions, fennel and Swiss chard stems, stir to coat with the oil and season with salt, to taste. Stir in the white wine and the lemon zest and juice. Cover and cook over medium heat until the veggies have become soft and wilted but still maintain some texture, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until most of the liquid has reduced, another 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in the Swiss chard leaves, stir to combine and season with salt, to taste. When the leaves have wilted but still look vibrantly green, taste for seasoning. Reseason if needed (it probably will). Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

I assume most of you have never eaten New Zealand spinach until now.  It is rarely available, but grows well here after spring spinach has gone to seed (because the days were getting longer!).  Here are a few ideas: 

Tetragon (New Zealand Spinach) Pasta (from chocolateandzucchini.com)

7 ounces short pasta
4 generous handfuls tetragon leaves (a.k.a. New Zealand spinach)
a pinch chili pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, finely minced
4 filets salted anchovies packed in oil, drained and quickly rinsed to remove excess salt
olive oil
freshly grated nutmeg
salt, pepper
parmesan or pecorino, freshly grated, for serving

Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add a good swirl of olive oil, and when hot, add the chili pepper and garlic, and cook for a minute or two without coloring. Add the anchovies and crush them with a wooden spoon so they'll dissolve in the olive oil.

Add the tetragon to the skillet, sprinkle it with a touch of nutmeg, stir, and let it soften just a little (not too much!) in the heat. Remove from the heat. (Alternatively, if you wish to blanch the tetragon because you're concerned about the oxalic acid -- see note above --, add it to the pot of pasta during the last 30 seconds of cooking to blanch it instead of sautéing it.)

When the pasta is al dente, drain (not too thoroughly; keeping a little of the starchy cooking water makes it silkier) and pour into the skillet. Toss to combine over low heat, sprinkle with pepper and divide between two warmed pasta bowls. Top with grated cheese and serve immediately.

Aussie Alfredo
12 ounces tagliatelle or fettucine
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken meat
2 cups cooked New Zealand spinach (or spinach or chard leaves), coarsely chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Optional:
Halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes tossed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Grated parmesan cheese.
 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain.
2. While the pasta cooks, heat the cream in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by half, stirring often.
3. Stir in the chicken stock, nutmeg, chicken, and greens. Heat until ingredients are warmed through. Mix in the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more broth if the mixture seems too thick.
4. Pour the pasta into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the hazelnuts. If desired, serve with the tomato salad sprinkled on top of the pasta to balance the richness of the sauce.

Most folks usually welcome the arrival of summer squash, although by August they are usually ready to see it gone!  We are growing several heirloom varieties this season, including Summer Crookneck Squash (grown by Native Americans prior to colonist arrival), Cocozelle, and Tatume squash (a Tex-Mex border specialty that does well in hot, dry weather, see http://www.survivalblog.com/cgi-bin/mt5/mt-search.cgi?search=tatume&IncludeBlogs=2&limit=20).  A summer squash recipe or two for those of you who struggle with it.

Summer Squash and Citrus Pesto Salad (from Tucson CSA)  
I really recommend trying summer squash this way as a pasta replacement.  Make any sauce you want.
1 share summer squash (4-5 small squash)
2 loose cups of basil
1 jalapeno lightly chopped
1/3-1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or whole pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
1 teaspoon sea salt and
Black pepper to taste
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Zest of one lemon, juice from half the lemon
Blend basil, jalapeno, garlic, 1/4 cup nuts, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/3 cup of olive oil in a food processor or blender until it becomes a fine paste. Thinly slice the summer squash into ribbons. Toss summer squash with about 1/2 cup of the pesto or to taste.
Add lemon zest and juice to the salad. Add remaining nuts and toss. Check seasonings to taste.
If this makes more pesto than you can use for the squash, it will easily keep for at least a week in the fridge. Use it on pasta, rice, or other dishes.

Italian Scones

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp  granulated organic sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
3/4 cup  old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup summer squash, minced
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fennel, minced (Yes, it has fennel, too!)
1/2 cup eggplant, minced
1/2 cup mozzerella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl place the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and whisk to combine. Add the butter and using two knives or a pastry blender cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the rolled oats, vegetables and cheese. Mix until combined. Stir in the buttermilk (adding more buttermilk if necessary) and mix just until the dough comes together.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough four or five times and then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 1 1/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle into 8 circular sections. Place the scones on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 15 – 18 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Fennel, Beets, and Kohlrabi Recipes

Here are some simple recipes to go along with some of the veggies in your bin this week:

Fennel- (Think of using fennel in the same way that you would use onions).

Roasted Curried Fennel
Ingredients:
Fennel Bulb-1 sliced thinly from top to bottom
Curry Powder-2 tsp
Red Chili/paprika/cayenne-1 tsp
Salt-to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil-2 tbsp

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Mix the spices in a bowl.
In a greased baking sheet arrange the sliced fennel and sprinkle the spice mixture generously on both sides.
Pour some EVOO all over.
Bake in the oven for about 20 mins until all golden.

http://www.sonisfood.com/2013/04/roasted-curried-fennel.html

Halibut with Tomatoes and Fennel

Ingredients:
2 cups couscous
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise, plus fronds (optional) for serving
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 large tomatoes, diced large
1 1/2 pounds halibut, skin removed, cut into 8 small fillets

Directions:
1. Cook couscous according to package instructions.
2. In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium. Add fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften and release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Nestle halibut in tomato mixture and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until fillets are opaque throughout, 8 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous with a fork. Reserve 2 1/4 cups for another meal. To serve, divide remaining couscous and halibut-tomato mixture among four shallow bowls and sprinkle with fennel fronds, if desired.

http://shine.yahoo.com/food/recipes/halibut-with-tomatoes-and-fennel-852358-mslo.html

Roasted Shrimp with Feta and Fennel

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups medium-diced fennel
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Pernod
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds (16 to 20 per pound) peeled shrimp with tails on
5 ounces good feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (see note)
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 lemons

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 10-or 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes with the liquid, tomato paste, oregano, Pernod, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Arrange the shrimp, tails up, in one layer over the tomato-mixture in the skillet. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle over the shrimp.
Bake for 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the shrimp. Serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-shrimp-with-feta-recipe/index.html

Beets

Herbed Beets with Fennel
Ingredients:
6 medium beets
2 large fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dry vermouth
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped
1/2 bunch tarragon, leaves picked, finely chopped

Directions:
Place the beets in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the beets are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, then peel under cold running water. Set the beets aside to cool.
Trim any green tops off the fennel and slice the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the core from each half and slice the bulbs lengthwise in 1/4-inch-thick strips.
Return the large pot to the stove, add the olive oil and butter, and heat over medium heat. When the butter foams, add the fennel, season well with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the vermouth, mustard, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, slice the peeled beets into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Add the beets to the pot and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the herbs, taste, and adjust the seasoning as desired. This can be served warm or cold.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10627-herbed-beets-with-fennel

Lemony Roasted Beets

Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time: 40 minutesServes 4 Ingredients:

6 medium sized beets
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or to taste) (30 ml)
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (1 ml)
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil (2 ml)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup feta cheese (optional)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss all the ingredients together in an 8 inch (20.5 cm) square non-reactive baking dish, except the feta cheese and seeds. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and roast the beets in a preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for about 40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Shake or stir occasionally. Top with crumbled feta cheese and sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

http://www.areconnecting.com/roasted-beets.html

Herb Goat Cheese Tart with Roasted Beets
Ingredients:

-Marinated roasted beets 

2 golden beets
2 small red beets
1 small Albina Vereduna, white variety (optional)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 Tbsp olive oil
2Tbs sherry vinegar
sea salt, fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp fresh thyme

-For the pastry
1cup whole wheat pastry flour and
1 1/2 all- purpose flour or if you prefer use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

-For the filling
10 ounces soft mild goat cheese
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oreganofor garnish
fresh chopped herbs, baby arugula
fresh ground pepper, sea salt

Directions:

To roast the beets wrap them in aluminum foil, place on the baking sheet and bake for about 30-40 min in 425°F oven, wait until cool enough to handle and use paper towels to slip the skins off. Slice thinly and place red and golden beets in two separate bowls. Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme salt and pepper, pour over each bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In the mean time mix all of the ingredients for the pastry dough until smooth, flatten into a disc, wrap and refrigerate until ready to use ( at least 30 min).
In the food processor blend all the ingredients for the filling, until smooth.
Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick rectangular shape( if you're using this kind of pan) . Roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a tart pan with a removable bottom( I used 10.5x7.5). Line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners.You'll most likely use only 2/3 of prepared dough. Prick dough all over with a fork. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Bake for 10-15 min on the middle rack. Remove from oven, add the feeling and bake on the middle rack for another 30 min. Remove from oven, arrange the beets on top, garnish with chopped thyme, oregano and baby arugula, drizzle with some oil and vinegar mixture saved from marinating beets. 

http://signalmountainfarm.blogspot.com/2012/05/roasted-kohlrabi-beets-and-fennel.html

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi and Cabbage Salad with Maple Lemon Dressing
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
4 bulbs kohlrabi (I used 2 fennel bulbs and slice them thin,)
3 c shredded green cabbage
1/3 c dried cherries
1/4 c salted, roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 c chopped fresh dill
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
3 T real maple syrup
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 2 lemons
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 t kosher salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
If using kohlrabi, remove long stems and greens. Trim away the thick green skin until you reach the light green to white part that is free of tough fibers. Shred on the medium holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredder disc. For fennel, just wash and slice into half moons.

Combine kohlrabi or fennel, cabbage, cherries, sunflower seeds and dill in a large serving bowl. In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine olive oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat well. Let sit for about 20 minutes before serving.
http://thisishowicook.blogspot.com/2013/05/kohlrabi-fennel-cabbage-salad-with.html


Kohlrabi Slaw
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped cabbage
4 kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Toss the cabbage, kohlrabi, celery, carrot, and onion together in a large bowl.
Whisk the sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, and vinegar together in a separate bowl until smooth; pour over the cabbage mixture and stir to coat evenly. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour before serving.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kohlrabi-slaw/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=kohlrabi&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

Turnips and Radishes...Unappreciated Gems

Turnips, like radishes, are a very versatile, easy to prepare or cook vegetable that is appreciated by many cultures but often forgotten in American cuisine.  Fall/winter turnips or storage turnips (the typical being the half purple/half white round root, although we grow several different varieties) are best used for roasted mixed veggies, soups, gratins, tarts, and other long-cooking preparations.  However, spring turnips (we grow Des Vertus, a French heirloom, but Hakurei turnips are the most commonly recognized) are sweet and tender and don’t need or really benefit from such effort.  They are so delicately flavored that they really make a great raw snack, but they can also be added to salads, stir-fries, sandwiches, tacos, and even quick-pickled.  Here are a few recipes to get the creative juices going.  Try using radishes in similar ways.  I really like radishes in salads with early spring lettuce, scallions, white beans, oregano, and a lemon or red wine vinegar vinaigrette or stir-fried with equal parts soy sauce and balsamic vinegar with a dash of maple syrup or agave.  They also make a great addition to tabouleh or salsa (tomato and mango based).  or just eat them instead of snacking on carrots (or cookies)!

Nutritional benefit: both are a very good source of Vitamin C and Potassium and also provide Vitamin B6, Fiber, and Calcium.

Turnip and Egg Tacos

This recipe could easily be adapted for other eating styles - replace the egg with shrimp, fish, steak, chicken, or marinated tempeh.

Adapted by Farmer Dave’s  from Trusted Earth Farm and Forage

Ingredients:

• 1 small bunch hakurei turnips (4 Des Vertus turnips)

• 2 garlic scapes – diced (use garlic, garlic scapes aren’t in yet)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 tsp cumin

• salt and pepper to taste

• 2 eggs

• 6 small tortillas of your choice

• 3 oz queso fresco

• chopped cilantro to taste, if desired

• Salt & pepper

Directions:

Remove the turnips from their greens. Dice the turnips and mince the greens. Dice the garlic scapes. In another bowl crack your two eggs and whisk like scrambled eggs.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large pan. Once the butter has melted, add in the turnips and scapes – toss to coat them thoroughly with the butter. Cook for two – three minutes.  Add the cumin, salt and pepper. Toss everything again to make sure it’s all coated with butter and evenly seasoned.Cook another minute. Set aside – and in the still hot skillet – add your eggs and scramble quickly.  Warm your tortillas.

Assemble your tacos with the remaining ingredients!

Turnip Salad, like Potato Salad

Ingredients:

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1 cup water

3 cups peeled, cubed turnips

1/4 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and black pepper to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream

1/2 cup shredded sharp white Cheddar

cheese

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

(optional)

Directions:

Place the vegetable bouillon cube into a saucepan with the water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the bouillon cube dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in the turnips, onion, and garlic, return to a boil, and cook the mixture until the turnips are tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until most of the liquid has been evaporated, 10 to 15 more minutes.

Lightly stir in the sour cream to coat the turnips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with shredded Cheddar cheese and parsley.

Asian-Style Greens from rasamalaysia.com

The original recipe used bok choy, so if you have your bok choy from last week you can use that or a mix.  It will work with any green or cabbage.

Ingredients:

Your favorite Chinese greens (baby bok choy, turnip greens, mustard greens, Napa cabbage or a mix)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand preferred) or a mix of soy sauce and rice vinegar or sherry
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 dashes of white pepper powder

Garlic Oil:

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon oil

Prepare the garlic oil first by heating up your wok and stir fry the minced garlic until they turn light brown. Dish out and set aside.

Heat up a pot of water and bring it to boil. Add two small drops of cooking oil into the water. Drop your vegetables into the boiling water and quickly blanch them for about 20-30 seconds (depends on the quantity). As soon as they turn slightly wilted, transfer them out and drain the excess water off the vegetables. Arrange the vegetables on a plate.

In a wok, heat up the cooking oil, and then add the oyster sauce, water, sugar, and white pepper powder. As soon as the sauce heats up and blends well, transfer and drench it over the blanced vegetables. Top the vegetables with the garlic oil and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note:

For the garlic oil, the garlic will continue to cook in the oil so as soon as they turn light brown in the wok, you should dish it out. Eventually, they will turn golden brown.

Bok Choy and a Cooler, Wetter Spring

Bok Choy and a Cooler, Wetter Spring

Bok Choy (a quick, Asian cabbage or brassica that prefers stable cool temperatures and    a significant amount of rain) is not really suited for our climate.  It is one of the “wish list” vegetables that always gets tossed out during our winter planning sessions as completely illogical in our climate, marked by instability, long periods without rain, and in recent years an almost complete absence of those wonderful growing temperatures called the 60s (you may remember them, if you have lived here for many years!).  This winter, though, we were enticed by an organic, heirloom variety “Prize Choy” that some organic farmers in Virginia have grown as baby bok choy in the spring and fall.  We liked that it was darker green (higher vitamin content), had some purple accents, and could be harvested without significant losses in a climate one zone north.  We decided we would try it, on a limited basis.  Well, we lucked out.  March and April were significantly cooler than past seasons (sometimes more than 40 degrees), and we have had plenty of steady rain.  Really, to be honest, although the cooler weather has put us behind other seasons (by about 2 weeks), it has been the IDEAL spring for growing cool-weather, spring crops.  It is the first spring we have been here that we have not had losses (sometimes complete losses) of crops due to hot, dry weather (peas, spinach, carrots, radishes, cold-weather lettuces, early broccoli, and arugula being the typical victims). And, our crops are also much more on-schedule in relation to each other and in terms of expected days to maturity than they have ever been.  The farm really looks GREAT!  Now, we just have to keep the grass and weeds under control!  Spring growth is never really limited to what you choose.  If the bok choy grows, well, so does everything else!  Just to give you an idea of how delicate bok choy is, the one day that it hit 85 this spring, we lost about 15 plants to bolting (the process of going to seed which can be triggered by day lengthening or warming).  In any of the previous springs here, we would have probably lost all of our bok choy by mid-March.  The reason that it has flea beetle holes is directly related.  Our best defense against flea beetles is row cover.  However, even the thinnest row cover will heat up the soil and plants underneath it, as much as 5 degrees on a sunny day.  Here, those 5 degrees can mean the difference between bok choy that survives (although with holes) and bok choy that bolts.  We opted for the holes.

So what do you do with bok choy?  It is a very quick cooking Asian cabbage.  It can be eaten raw, lightly steamed, sauteed, or stir-fried or integrated into a huge variety of dishes from miso soup to egg rolls or wontons to steam buns to curries.  Below are a couple of recipes to try. 

Bok Choy Steam Buns (from Baker Creek Seeds)

Steam Bun dough:

3 c. flour

1 c. milk, your choice, room temp

1/2 c. warm water 

1 T. agave or sugar

2 1/4 t. active yeast

1/4 t. salt

Mix yeast, agave, and water.  Let sit 10 minutes.  Add dry ingredients.  Knead 5 minutes until dough is no longer sticky.  Let rise in an oiled bowl, cover with damp cloth, in warm place for 45 min.  

Steam bun filling: (Can be used for wontons or egg rolls or eaten on its own with brown rice)

6 cloves garlic, minced

6 c. mushrooms

2 carrots, grated

2-3 baby bok choy 

2 small shallots or scallions or diced onion

3 T. oil, your choice

1-2 T. sweet chili sauce or use the spicy kind and add a dash of agave to it

1 T. soy sauce

Thai basil or cilantro to garnish

Saute veggies in oil.  Add sauces.  Garnish with herbs.

Divide dough into 16 balls.  Flatten.  Add 2 T. filling to each one.  The thinner the dough, the more filling you can put it (and the better the result in my opinion).  Pleat circumference of dough and twist close.  Add to steamer lined with parchment paper, and steam in batches for 10 minutes.

Sweet Potato, Bok Choy Curry (from elspetheatsyumyum.blogspot.com, Deborah Madison has a very similar recipe as well)

Serve with rice, any other grain, or a good Indian bread.

“All you need to do for the sauce is warm a can (or two if you like a lot of sauce) of coconut milk with a few teaspoons of curry paste. Adding a ton of finely chopped cilantro and a thinly sliced Thai red chili or jalapeno to the sauce will make it more flavorful and pretty, but you don't really need that. While you warm the sauce, you can prepare the veggies you want to use. I used sweet potatoes, baby bok choy, sauteed shallots or garlic and onions, and mushrooms. Steam or saute the vegetables you want to use.  Do not overcook them because you will be adding them to the sauce to cook for another 5 minutes or so. 

For added protein, I used tofu. You do not need to use a lot of oil with the tofu. A couple of teaspoons is plenty if you have a nice non-stick griddle. Slice your tofu into 1" cubes, and use some paper towels to blot out a little of that water. Spread the cubes so that they are flat on your pre-heated griddle. Then flip after about five minutes or when the bottoms are a light golden brown. Repeat on the other sides so that you have nice crispy cubes.

When all of your veggies and tofu are done you can add them to the sauce. Coat and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice and you have a hearty and healthy meal!”

News from the farm, a brief synopsis, and then on how to make a wonderful Mexican meal out of tomatillos and lots of lettuce.

Farm brief: it continues to be hot and dry, so most veggies and fruits continue to mature between three and four weeks early.  Garlic and onions have been harvested for curing, and the potatoes are almost ready - enjoying their two week in-ground curing prior to harvest the second week of July.  Garlic and onion harvest appear to be great - it can always be deceiving as both can rot during storage for a variety of reasons.  Potato harvest will likely be much less than last year due to very early heat.  Almost everything else is growing very well, and we are enjoying watching the success of many local heirloom varieties of tomatoes, melons, green beans, limas, corn, and cowpeas.  Our only real bust of the season so far seems to be eggplant - our first succession was slammed by flea beetles (the farmer mill calls this the worst season in recent history - it is for us) - and our second succession is now being eaten by the "second" or "Southern" wave of Colorado Potato Beetles, which I think for timing reasons have never seemed to cause our eggplant and potatoes many problems but have been awful the past 7-10 days or so.  We are currently handpicking to control in second and third successions in hopes to keep them at bay.  The second succession already has small fruit on it, which probably would have been ready by the end of this week if not affected by beetles.  Our tomatoes look the best they ever have.  We made a few changes to the timing of some varieties based on past seasons' results as well as adding a couple of new-to-us heirlooms and that seems to have made a significant difference.  We also added in an organic fertilizer to their potting soil this season to improve root development and prevent nitrogen deficiency prior to transplanting.  The peppers also look great.  I think we will have ripe peppers by the end of this week (before we would typically have even green peppers)!  Also coming along are the dry beans (black, cannellini, Tiger Eye, and Jacob's Cattle), pumpkins and winter squash, melons, sweet corn, and dry corn.  We just finished hand pollinating one of our dry corn varieties, Cherokee White Flour (very much endangered) in order to save pure seed for following seasons.  

On to tomatillos and lettuce: Megan's Mole Verde.  So what exactly are tomatillos?  They are a member of the Physalis genus like ground cherries and part of the nightshade family like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplant.  They typically are green, although they can also be yellow and purple.  They come from Mexico, supposedly grown by the Aztecs, and are common in Mexican, Tex-Mex, and many Latin American cuisines.  First things first, remove the husk and wash them.  This is the best way to store them and also removes the sticky substance in between the fruit and the husk.  Mole verde: mole verde is a sauce common in Mexico typically used for pork or beef ribs but that also goes really well with chicken, seitan (my favorite), and tempeh.  It is also good with pork chops, cheese enchiladas, and even just as a dip with chips.  Traditionally, it incorporates acuyo leaves or leaves from chayote squash.  Neither of these are readily available here, so I have come up with a CSA friendly version.  

Ingredients:

3 heads of lettuce or 2 heads of lettuce and a bunch of chard (or an combination of the two, or you may substitute spinach, amaranth leaves, lamb's quarters, etc.)

2 small onions, quartered

3-6 cloves of garlic, depending on the garlic and your tastes, whole

4-6 chiles, roasted and peeled (poblanos, jalapenos, and Anaheims are a nice choice)

1/2 c. pumpkin seeds

1 lb. tomatillos, dehusked and washed

2 small, ripe tomatoes

1 bu. cilantro

1/2 t. cumin, optional

1 sprig oregano, optional, or epazote

1 t. organic, raw sugar

salt

Boil tomatillos and tomatoes for 5 minutes, until tomatillos change color.

Add 1/4 c. olive oil to pot.  Warm.  Add onions, garlic, chiles, and pumpkin seeds.  Cook 2-3 minutes, until seeds begin to brown.  

Add tomatillos, tomatoes, and mixture to a blender.  Blend with 1/2 c. broth or water.  Add back to pot.  Blend lettuce and/or greens with herbs.  Add to pot.  Add sugar and salt to taste.  Stir and bring whole mixture to boil.  Cover and reduce - it will splatter.  Cook for 20 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.  Add more broth or water if it is too thick.  Use right away or freeze (freezes really well).