Items in your share may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Each share may not have every item listed below.
Sweet Corn
This is the earliest first harvest we can remem-ber. Enjoy! Refrigerate in the husks to keep fresh.
You are loaded up this week with the corn. Both the first two plantings are ready to harvest at the same time – possibly a result of our warm temperatures speeding things along. We will have a week without corn, so enjoy it now while there is an abundance.
Cucumber
Leeks – organic
These little leeks can be cooked whole; steamed, braised, or baked. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, but wrap lightly to avoid aroma spreading to other foods. Popular in soup recipes, leeks also offer a complimentary flavor to many meat dishes. Substitute for onions in recipes for a slight flavor change. Leeks and onions are cousins, but leeks actually belong to the lily family. Leeks are milder than onions but also sweeten when they’re cooked. Smaller leeks like in your share are more tender and have better flavor than larger ones.
New Potatoes – organic
Find a pound or so from the first row of the new potatoes dug this past weekend. This variety, Caribe, used to be one of our most popular – it is early to size up, has nice flavor, and the skin color is somewhere between a red and a blue potato.
The last two years, it has still been great to eat, but not so pretty to look at, so we’ll have to get back to testing out some new, early varieties. Store refrigerated.
Yellow Summer Squash
Green Tomatoes
This week find the first of the season’s tomatoes. Green tomatoes are most popular lightly breaded and either pan-fried or oven roasted. Serve with a special sauce, eat on sandwhiches like a BLT, and/or sprinkle with Worstershire sauce. Whatever your favorite, know that the ripe tomatoes can’t be too much farther away. Find recipes below.
You can substitute a green tomato for tomatillo when making green salsas (not as tart), or make chutney or relish.
Cabbage, Green – organic
Beets - organic
Though all shares had beets last week, we know from your responses that they are quite popular. Store the beetroot refrigerated for a couple of weeks, but use your greens fairly soon. They are your only leafy green this week – think quiche, lasagna, stir-fry, or use in place of lettuce on an oven-toasted sandwich.
Fresh Green Garlic - organic
These small garlic heads can be used as you would any garlic. They have not been dried as our later offerings will be – so your choice is to store refrigerated, or to air dry yourself by hanging in the pantry or out on the counter.
Cipollini Onions – organic
It is very special treat this week with a few of the specialty Cipollini onions ready for harvest. We know that once you have them, you will appreciate their special flavor compared to a traditional onion. Not as sweet as a “candy” type, these Italian onions are excellent cooked whole in liquid; they retain the juicy goodness until you cut or bite into them. We suggest the Gourmet magazine recipe found in the 8/18/08 newsletter on our web blog; or visit epicurious.com. You will want to use these in a special recipe so you can enjoy their flavor. Right now, the onions are being harvested fresh and you will want to store refrigerated and/or use soon.
Heirloom Tomatoes – organic
Find a small container of the first ripe tomatoes of the season. We start the seeds of these small varieties in January to transplant later and grow in the soil in our unheated high tunnel. The smaller tomatoes usually ripen quicker than larger ones and it is nice to have a taste this early in the season.
Broccoli Florets – organic
Broccoli harvest is trailing off for the spring crop; after the center large head is cut, the plants often produce smaller side shoots that we can harvest as florets. The smaller pieces will not keep as long, so try to use within several days. Broccoli salad is really nice this time of the year, or add to a quick stir-fry, or make a fresh garlic dip and enjoy as a snack or holiday party appetizer.
Recipes to Enjoy . . .
Cucumber Salad
3 medium cucumbers
1 tsp salt
2/3 C white vinegar
½ C sugar
1 tsp dill or chervil
1/8 tsp pepper
Salt think sliced cucumbers and let stand at least 1 hour with a weight to release liquid. Pour on vinegar and seasonings.
Braised Leeks
a Julee Rosso recipe for the microwave
1 pound leeks, cut in half lengthwise
2 tsp chicken or vegetable broth
2 T brown sugar
Put the leeks in a glass dish and add the broth. Cover tightly and microwave on high 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the brown sugar, cover, turning back a corner to vent. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Toss to coat and serve immediately.
Creamy Leek, Potato, and Sour Cream Chive Soup
recipe from From Asparagus to Zucchini
3 T butter
2-3 leeks, thinly sliced, about 4 C total
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 pound potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
4 C chicken stock
½ - 1 C sour cream
4 T chopped fresh chives, divided
salt and pepper
Melt butter in pot over medium-low. Add leeks and tarragon; cover and cook slowly, 15-20 minutes. Add potatoes and stock; bring to simmer, cover and cook until tender, 10-15 minutes. Puree mixture. Return puree to pot; stir in sour cream and 2 T chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle each serving with additional chives. Makes 6 servings.
Quick Fix, Fried Green Tomatoes
This is a fast and simple way to make Southern style fried green tomatoes.
Wash and slice tomatoes in ¼ inch slices.
Put cornmeal in a bowl; dredge each slice in meal, covering both sides.
Heat ½ inch depth of your favorite cooking oil on medium in a heavy iron skillet.
Gently lay tomato slices in pan covering bottom but not overlapping. Cook until brown and turn once, browning the other side. Watch carefully as they cook quickly.
Drain on paper towel. Serve warm; sprinkle with Worcestershire Sauce.
Herbed Green Tomatoes
This recipe takes more a little more time than the one above because it calls for draining the tomatoes before frying and adding a few more ingredients.
Wash and slice tomatoes in ¼ inch slices.
Sprinkle slices with salt and drain 30-60 minutes
Mix the following in a bowl:
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp all purpose flour
¾ tsp garlic salt
½ tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper
Beat an egg. Dip each slice in egg, then flour mixture covering both sides.
Heat ½ inch depth of cooking oil on medium in a heavy iron skillet.
Gently lay tomato slices in pan covering bottom but not overlapping. Cook until brown and turn once, browning the other side. Watch carefully as they cook quickly.
Drain on paper towel. Serve warm or room temperature.
