Ah yes, I am tres late in posting this question, but maybeI'll get some answers -- and you all better do something with your share soon because another one is just around the corner!
As a reminder -- and an incentive for any readers who mioght want to share recipes but aren't in the cSA -- here's what you got last week and what I said about it then:
· A bag of lettuce – not the really sweet stuff of spring. It is actually a bit late for it to be hanging in there, but we have had a lot of rain and cool nights, so it is here for this last appearance until fall. Unlike earlier greens, which needed the lightest of dressings – you can feel free to slather it on for these tougher leaves. Or just use them as a garnish like bed for your beet salad.
· A bag of spinach – almost the same story as above, though the spinach holds it together a little better (especially the variety I grow, after much experimentation – Bloomsdale Longstanding, really resistant to bolt).
· Swiss chard bundle with a chive blossom (or scape). I love Swiss chard – there is a recipe in the quail egg section of the blog that is my standard Swiss chard fare. You can use quail or chicken or no egg in it. Chard is in the beet family, and the different colors do taste differently – the closer to red the chard is, the more you will know it is a member of the beet family. The stem and the leaves are edible, but you will want to separate them to cook them because the stem takes longer to cook. Do check out the blog recipe for chard with eggs as well as using chard in the stuffed chicken. The shallot scape is an edible flower that you can use as you would an onion. Taste a little before you chop it up and put it in something; it packs a wallop. I added it because it can be used instead of onion in the stuffed chicken recipe.
· An herb bunch – mostly basil, but a small amount of oregano and tarragon included. I added this this week because of that darn chicken recipe. You could use this bunch, chopped, as the herbs called for (I did). If you aren’t succumbing to the immense pressure to make that chicken, you could just leave the bunch sitting around to make things smell like summer (and don’t worry about wasting basil – you are getting a lot more).
· A bunch of beets – they are beautiful this week – you get a selection of yellow, Detroit (dark red) and Chioggia (red and white).
· John’s broccoli. I haven’t seen it yet, but he assures me it is professional. John can grow cabbage and broccoli. When I plant either of these, I get cabbage and broccoli bugs the size of a Toyota. So let’s all just take a minute to thank our lucky stars for John (who is baking your bread as I write this).
· Beans – Fin de Bangol to be exact. John may be able to grow a cabbage, but I am the Queen of Beans. These are the thin French variety. Do not put these in a casserole with mushroom soup. Do not boil them all day with bacon (we may have some beans for that later in the season). Steam or boil them lightly – 2-3 minutes. Then throw them back in a pan with a little butter, maybe some lemon (though I like just butter). Or rinse them in cold water and use them in a salad compose -- dress them lightly in a vinaigrette and top with crumbled bacon (you know I would work it in) and hard boiled egg. Put your beet salad (see the blog for the recipe) next to it.
· 1/2 pint of black raspberries: these are incredible. Just eat them. Do not cook them, do not share them. These are why you are in a CSA – you cannot find them anywhere else.
· A bag of spinach – almost the same story as above, though the spinach holds it together a little better (especially the variety I grow, after much experimentation – Bloomsdale Longstanding, really resistant to bolt).
· Swiss chard bundle with a chive blossom (or scape). I love Swiss chard – there is a recipe in the quail egg section of the blog that is my standard Swiss chard fare. You can use quail or chicken or no egg in it. Chard is in the beet family, and the different colors do taste differently – the closer to red the chard is, the more you will know it is a member of the beet family. The stem and the leaves are edible, but you will want to separate them to cook them because the stem takes longer to cook. Do check out the blog recipe for chard with eggs as well as using chard in the stuffed chicken. The shallot scape is an edible flower that you can use as you would an onion. Taste a little before you chop it up and put it in something; it packs a wallop. I added it because it can be used instead of onion in the stuffed chicken recipe.
· An herb bunch – mostly basil, but a small amount of oregano and tarragon included. I added this this week because of that darn chicken recipe. You could use this bunch, chopped, as the herbs called for (I did). If you aren’t succumbing to the immense pressure to make that chicken, you could just leave the bunch sitting around to make things smell like summer (and don’t worry about wasting basil – you are getting a lot more).
· A bunch of beets – they are beautiful this week – you get a selection of yellow, Detroit (dark red) and Chioggia (red and white).
· John’s broccoli. I haven’t seen it yet, but he assures me it is professional. John can grow cabbage and broccoli. When I plant either of these, I get cabbage and broccoli bugs the size of a Toyota. So let’s all just take a minute to thank our lucky stars for John (who is baking your bread as I write this).
· Beans – Fin de Bangol to be exact. John may be able to grow a cabbage, but I am the Queen of Beans. These are the thin French variety. Do not put these in a casserole with mushroom soup. Do not boil them all day with bacon (we may have some beans for that later in the season). Steam or boil them lightly – 2-3 minutes. Then throw them back in a pan with a little butter, maybe some lemon (though I like just butter). Or rinse them in cold water and use them in a salad compose -- dress them lightly in a vinaigrette and top with crumbled bacon (you know I would work it in) and hard boiled egg. Put your beet salad (see the blog for the recipe) next to it.
· 1/2 pint of black raspberries: these are incredible. Just eat them. Do not cook them, do not share them. These are why you are in a CSA – you cannot find them anywhere else.
There was a great recipe in the Washington Post for beans with feta and lemon. Never mind the exact quantities, I don't remember them- just go by feel.
ReplyDeleteToss your beans in a pot of boiling water for 3-6 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like them. Then shock them in some ice water to stop the cooking.
Toss the beans with feta, pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, and either fresh or dried dill. Ta da!
I also find that these are just as good without the lemon juice or with an extra addition of fresh chives. Can't wait to give this weeks beans the same treatment.