WEEK of JUNE 16, 2008 | ISSUE #3

HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields

News from the fields Every week seems to have a theme on the farm. Last week it was PLANT! This week it's CULTIVATE! All the crops are growing so well- and amazingly fast- that it's taking quite a bit of juggling to keep on top of all of them simultaneously. Cultivating (weeding) at the right time is key, so that the weeds get eliminated before they get too large and established. Weeds can easily take over a bed of planted crops, especially those that are direct seeded like carrots and arugula, so we really need to keep an eye on them.

Can't get enough? If you're desperate for more farm news (and photos!) then you should check out our blog!

this week's HARVEST

TOSCANO KALE | Qty: 1 bunch
I don't know about you, but my body craves this stuff! So sweet, so delicious, but you have to cook it right! If you think you don't like kale, try this... Remove the stem, and coarsely chop the leaves. Steam until tender, but not overcooked. This can take a little bit of getting used to, because kale takes a lot longer to cook than most greens. When it's tender and turns a bright green, it's usually done. I toss the steamed kale in a bowl with fresh minced garlic (I prefer my garlic raw, but you can lightly saute it first if it's too strong for you), olive oil, umeboshi vinegar (ume plum vinegar), and a few hot pepper flakes. To make this a quick vegetarian/vegan meal, add cooked chickpeas and whole wheat penne pasta. This is a standard dinner in our house which we enjoy at least once a week!

SWISS CHARD | Qty: 1 bunch
As pretty as a picture-- and delicious too! Chard cooks very quickly, so be careful. I like to steam it gently and serve with butter and salt & pepper. The flavor is so subtle, yet so rich, it's a shame to overpower it with other ingredients.

BROCCOLI or SUGAR SNAP PEAS | Qty: 1 piece or 1 bag
Some of you will receive broccoli this week, and others, sugar snap peas. The peas are just starting to come in, so you'll all get your turn to find them in your box! To remove the stem on the pea, snap off the top and remove the attached string that pulls off down the side of the pea. I like to eat them lightly blanched (which brings out their sweetness!) and salted. To blanch them, boil a small pot of water, drop in the peas for just 1-2 minutes, and then remove immediately. They should be bright green and still a little crunchy. My mom makes a delicious appetizer with room temp blanched snap peas, chopped red onion, chopped mint, chopped garlic, olive oil and sea salt & pepper. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and serve!

ROMAINE LETTUCE | Qty: 1 head

GREEN CRISP LETTUCE | Qty: 1 head

STRAWBERRIES | Qty: 1 pint
The first of the season! More to come in the CSA share, or you can pick your own at the farm this weekend!

KOHLRABI| Qty: 1 bunch or a few
A funny name for a veg-- and an even funnier looking one! Kohlrabi is really delicious and versatile! It can be eaten raw (sliced into matchstick-size pieces in salads for crunch), or cooked (especially good in stir-fries). Remove the skin with a sharp pairing knife- the whole thing is edible! Try some of the recipes below and let us know what you did with your kohlrabi this week!

GARLIC SCAPES | Qty: 1 bunch
The scape is the top of the garlic plant-- a delicacy you only get to savor for a few weeks each June, so enjoy! Remove the top head (the bulbous lighter part). The rest is edible. It has a distinct garlic flavor, but it is certainly milder than the cloves. You can cook with it as you would garlic, add it finely chopped into salads, or try the cilantro pesto recipe I've described just below.

CILANTRO| Qty: 1 bunch
This is the herb that I love more than anything! Try this week's Halloumi recipe (which I share every year...) or a simple CILANTRO PESTO using the garlic scapes for a quick week-night dinner. Here you go: In a Cuisinart, whiz up the cilantro (leaves only- stems removed), garlic scapes (heads removed, cut into 1" pieces), and add a handful of pinoli nuts (also known as pine nuts), salt & pepper, and enough olive oil until the consistency is how you like it. Some people like very oily pesto. I prefer mine with just enough oil to make it hold together and stick to the pasta. This is a delicious pesto on whole wheat linguini or penne, or even on crackers as an appetizer.

BABY ARUGULA | Qty: 1/2 lb bag
Spicy, tender, yummy.

Note: The contents of the veggie boxes can change, depending on the day of the week. We update this veg list almost daily to reflect the next day's deliveries. Keep this in mind if you're looking at the list more than one day before your delivery.

RECIPES from the farm & from our friends

KOHLRABI GRATIN
Thanks to Riverford Organics for this recipe.

2 lbs. kohlrabi
3 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 lemon
2 oz. butter
1 cup cream
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Peel the kohlrabi, cut in half and slice thinly. Place half in a gratin dish and sprinkle with half the parsley. Finely grate the lemon rind and sprinkle half on top of the kohlrabi. Dot over half of the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Put the remaining kohlrabi, parsley and lemon rind on top. Dot with the remaining butter and pour over the cream. Top with the grated cheese and bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes, until tender.

HALLOUMI CHEESE WITH LIME AND CAPER VINAIGRETTE

12 oz Halloumi Cheese
2 tbsp flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp capers, drained
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp grain mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
To garnish: Fresh sprigs of cilantro

First of all, pat the Cheese dry with paper towels. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it into eight slices, including the ends. Now dredge in seasoned flour. Prepare the dressing by simply beating all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. When you're ready to serve the Halloumi, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is really hot add Cheese to the hot skillet—they take 1 minute on each side to cook, so by the time the last one's in, it will almost be time to turn the first one over. They need to be a good golden color on each side. Serve them on warmed plates with the dressing poured over and garnished with the cilantro sprigs.