Week 4

Things are definitely moving along.  Probably a little quicker than average.  Before I forget I wanted to mention that there is a really nice herb circle this year, with thyme, oregano, sage, and other things starting. Also lots of flowers for members to pick: zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons, bachelor buttons, calendula, marigolds.  Sunflowers are a week or two out.  Now to this weeks share . . .

carrots
squash/zukes
peas
lettuce
cabbage/chard (?)
garlic scapes

No one responded with a scape recipe, but I have a general CSA meal helper: pizza.  We often buy dough either frozen or not from City Market or Leonardos.  It is cheap and freezable, which makes it a great fall-back.  There are obviously a wide range of things you can do here, and somebody surely has said it before, the dough is just the canvas and you are the artists.  Some Pizzas recently made at our house: spinach and asian eggplant (which is great for this as it holds together really well) and yellow squash, chard, garlic scapes. In all cases this is my basic recipe:

1. Toss out dough onto oiled cookie sheet (I really do try to spin it, it makes for the thinnest best pizza)
2.  Bake in Oven on 425 for 7-10 mins
3.  Lightly saute the veggies you want
4.  First add sauce if desired, then your vegetables, then your cheese or cheeses.
5.  Put back in at 425 for 7-10 mins, or until cheese just starts to brown.

Enjoy, and see you soon, yeah for rain!

Week 3

Things in the field are looking great.  Many cosmos are out and some zinnias and a snap dragon or two.  If you haven't heard my spiel about cut flowers it's this: Cut Them! Many of them, if will make them produce even more!

As for veggies this week

Beets
Lettuce
Peas
garlic scapes
broccoli
chard/kale

I might sub something in for the chard or kale, depending on how things are growing.  It will have to be an exciting mystery.  As for this weeks recipe, garlic scapes are the ur-CSA crop.  Five years ago not many had heard of them, but now many Burlington restaurants will be featuring them the next few weeks.  All members with garlic scape pesto recipes feel free to post them as a comment.

Week 2

So, alot of the same stuff as week one, with gradual changes hinting at summer

spinach
kale / chard
broccoli?
radishes
lettuce
more dill/cilantro?

we won't have radishes (spring staple) too many more times but here  is a recipe for those who wonder, "what do I do with these things?"  This recipe will leave you wanting more radishes.

Fresh Asian Radish Salad

Source: Adrienne Meier, Ocean Mist Farms

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 bunch Radishes, washed and thinly sliced
1 Cucumber peeled and diced
1 Carrot, grated
2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro
4 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Asian chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Directions

Combine in a small bowl the following: Soy Sauce, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil.
Toss radishes, cucumber, carrot and cilantro with the Soy Sauce dressing.
Serve on chilled plates.

Week 1

In this weeks share

head lettuce (red oak leaf, green leaf, butterhead)
spinach
broccoli raab
arugula
radishes
salad turnips
dill and cilantro?

The question mark for that last item means we will see if it is big enough.

2 recipes

Greek fritatta

fry in olive oil one medium onion and one medium potato with a pinch of salt and pepper. while that is cooking chop four cups of spinach and two tablespoons of fresh dill. also crack six eggs in bowl and scramble, and crumble 1/2 cup of feta cheese. once the potatoes are soft add the spinach and dill.  once that is wilted add eggs and cover for five minutes, then add cheese and cover again for five minutes.  Then eat fritatta. This is a new staple in our house.  In the fall you will be able to make it with onions and potatoes from your share as well.

The JFK

For all of you who haven't tried broccoli raab, and those who like on the fly cooking like myself (Rachel is the meal planner in our house)

saute in olive oil a few cloves of garlic roughly chopped, and either red peppy flakes or an actual hot pepper chopped up.  Add one bunch of chopped Broccoli Raab and cover.  It will wilt quickly.  Put sliced provolone or Havarti on 1/3 a baguette.  Put greens on baguette.  Eat.  I had this last night.  It was awesome.  Raab is the first green I fell in love with when I started working on farms, so I'm excited to share it with you all.

This is a week earlier than we have ever started our CSA, and I was on the fence about whether to hold off or not.  I did choose to start a little earlier based mostly on the spinach and arugula, which I thought would start going by if I waited, and that seemed like too much.  Why think about it at all: I don't like to have too too many early weeks with just leafy greens.  Well the weeks and weeks of above average temps (about 7 degrees above at least with a few spikes) have brought everything on quick, and we will have peas and beets either next week or the week after, and I can't imagine squash being too far behind that.