Sorry for the late newsletter. I was waiting for it to rain and it didn’t start until pick-up time. So I’ll quickly throw something together…
Farm News
Everything is going great!
What will we have this week?
We have summer lots of squash/zucchini (but not yet lots and lots [members from previous years know what I am talking about]), some kohlrabi, lots of green onions, some lettuce, some broccoli, kale, chard, garlic scapes, a few snap peas, a few snow peas, bok choi, and basil.
Since we already packed the boxes I can tell you what is in them this week! For a FamilyShare you get green onions, garlic scapes, a couple of summer squash, some basil, lettuce, broccoli, kohlrabi, bok choi, kale, chard, snow peas and snap peas. A CoupleShare gets green onions, garlic scapes, a couple of summer squash, lettuce, broccoli, kohlrabi, bok choi, kale and snow peas.
Produce Usage Ideas
This past weekend I attended a family get-together and made one of my favorite dishes: Summer Squash Salad. It is an easy dish to make and tastes delicious.
2, 3, 4 or many summer squash/zucchini
Olive Oil
Italian Dressing
Feta Cheese
Cut summer squash/zucchini into halves lengthwise. Lightly coat cut side with olive oil. Grill summer squash/zucchini cut side down until softened. Remove from grill and cool. Cut into bite size pieces. Put into bowl, crumble feta cheese over grilled squash. Pour Italian dressing over cheese squash. Mix and serve.
After looking at some of my favorite recipes I’m starting to realize it isn’t vegetables I like so much but feta cheese! Wait until the tomatoes and cucumbers come out and I post my Greek Salad recipe.
Another easy recipe I like that doesn’t include feta cheese is Lemon-Parmesan Swiss Chard. Hmm, maybe I like my vegetables with cheese. Anyway, here is the recipe:
1 or 2 bunches of Swiss Chard, stems removed and chopped, leaves chopped separately
Olive Oil
1 or more cloves Garlic crushed or 2 or more garlic scapes minced
1 or 2 green onions chopped
1 T lemon juice
At least 2 T Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic (or scapes). Cook until lightly softened (a minute or two). Add chopped chard stems. Cook until stems soften. Add chopped chard leaves. Cook until wilted. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Eat.
Another easy recipe we like to make this time of year is pesto. For those unfamiliar with pesto it includes the following ingredients: something leafy, something cheesy, something nutty, something oily and garlic. What this implies is that you can make pesto with just about anything that fits into these categories. I’ve heard of carrot top pesto. Cilantro pesto. Fennel frond pesto (one of my favorite). Chard pesto. Kale pesto. The list goes on. The nuts can be any nuts like walnuts, cashews, macadamias, pecans, etc. The oil can be any flavorful oil but typically is olive oil. The cheese can also be any hard cheese but usually is Parmesan. And finally garlic or garlic scapes. Here is a recipe for pesto using this week’s ingredients (though the CoupleShare delivery boxes didn’t get basil this week so hold on to some of your scapes for next week).
A bunch of Basil (0.2# is a good start)
A few garlic scapes (the more you use the stronger the garlic flavor)
1/2 c Walnuts (or other nuts)
1/2 c Parmesan cheese shredded
1/4-1/2 c Olive Oil
Put all the ingredients except the oil into a food processor and grind away. Dividing it into two smaller amounts will make it easier. Scrape down the sides several times between grindings until everything is finely chopped. With the food processor still running pour in the olive oil until it reaches your preferred consistency. For dips and spreads use less oil for a thicker consistency. For pasta sauce use more oil. Scrape down the sides occasionally to ensure complete distribution. Serve over pasta or zucchini noodles!
Finally, what do we do with kohlrabi? We usually just take off the leaves and peal the tough outer skin. Then cut the inner part of the kohlrabi into sticks and put them in a salad. It adds a nice crispness to a lettuce salad.
That is all for now. Feel free to contact me with questions, comments, suggestions, jokes, etc.
And finally here is a picture from our 4th of July celebratory display! We have the best tanks!
