Share Notes 2-6-20
CSA Share Notes:
We’re loading you down again with a bursting box! In fact this week you may notice we had to go up a box size for the large shares and yet the boxes are STILL STUFFED. We have no idea how long this insane abundance will continue, but we’re happy to be able to be sending such full shares while we can. We fully expect the boxes to be less full from here on out, but we’ll see what the garden does!
Here’s your vegetable line-up
- Kale—Large shares received Red Russian kale (flat, oakleaf). The Regular shares received our Lacinato (aka dinosaur or tuscan type) or Winterbor kale (curly and crunchy) We’ve got a great technique: massaged kale salad, to which you can add any number of delicious toppings. I suggest making a maple-citrus dressing with fresh squeezed grapefruit and orange juice- SO seasonal!
- Turnips—We’ve got a bumper crops, so you get to enjoy it with us! This week make a delicious turnip gratin, or try our roasted turnip and grain salad.
- Radish—Regular shares received French Breakfast radish, and Large shares received Easter Egg radish. Toast a piece of sourdough bread, spread it with an obscene amount of butter (or mashed avocado), and top with layers of thin sliced radishes and a sprinkling of salt. The greens are edible too, and make a great substitute for turnip greens in the salad linked above.
- Spinach—A nice big bag of fresh, iron-rich spinach. Some of these leaves are bigger than you’d typically want for a salad.
- Arugula—A large bag of delicious peppery arugula. This came from out in the field under harsher conditions, so it’s a sturdier leaf with a stronger flavor. The tender and more mild greenhouse-grown Arugula is about a month away.
- Spring Mix—A large bag of our Asian greens mix that includes frilly mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, pak choi, and tatsoi. It’s a range of spicy and sweet with all sorts of wonderful textures. It can be used in a salad when it’s young and tender like this, but is also great for braising, or roasting into an extra big batch of out turnip and grain salad.
- Broccoli—Loads of this crop is ready right now so we’re making sure you get tons of it while we’ve got it. The greens are edible. I would toss these beautiful leafy florets with a bit of olive oil and salt and put them straight into a hot oven to roast, as is, no trimming.
- Beets—Lovely baby beets from the field in a mixed bunch, Chioggia, Bull’s Blood, and Red Ace. Excellent roasted and put on top an arugula salad with goat cheese and walnuts (that was my dinner last night)
- Beet greens (thinnings)—Chioggia for the large shares, Red Ace to the regular shares. These are amazing sauteed with a whole bunch of browned butter and tossed with a good quality pasta. (sounds strange, but I’m tellin’ you). A chef roommate of our prepared them for us this way years back and I was sold.
Veggie Storage tips: Everything will keep longest stored in the fridge sealed up in produce bags. I suggest grabbing a box of Peak Fresh or similar type bags at Natural Grocer or online to help preserve your abundant harvest as log as possible. All root crops should be severed from their tops to keep the roots from getting rubbery. Everything will need a gentle washing before cooking, but leave the dirt on until you’re ready to use them to prevent spoilage. We’d love to hear stories and recipes of your culinary adventures this week. Send us a note or post a comment of how you’ve used your CSA share.
Your farmers, Jess & Justin
Large Share top left to right: Red Russian Kale, mixed baby beets, Chioggia beet greens, Easter Egg radishes, Purple Top turnips, broccoli florets, spinach, Spring mix, and arugula.