Week 2 Newsletter 2016

Dear Garden Pals,

I hope you are all enjoying the first tastes of your CSA bin or bucket. The full shares are packed in a 1/2 bushel black plastic bin and we are using an 8 quart sapphire blue bucket for the small share. Besides strawberries, there are a lot of good things to look forward to this week. Here is this week's list:

Week 2 Bin:

Strawberries
Romaine Lettuce
Mixed Greens
Garlic Scape
Butterhead Lettuce
Bok Choy
Sugar Snap Peas (edible pods)
Tarragon

Small Share:

Strawberries
Butterhead Lettuce
Garlic Scape
Bok Choy
Purple & Green Snow Peas

You might already be asking, what the heck do I do with taragon? Don't worry, we have you covered! At my house, I have even modified this recipe this time of year by substituting sliced pea pods for the celery.

Cherry Chicken Salad with Tarragon

INGREDIENTS

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat
1/4 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons dried tarragon (or 1-2 Tbsp fresh chopped tarragon)
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Mix all of the ingredients together. Adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce for a simple salad, in a
tomato that has been cut open for a stuffed tomato, or with slices of bread for a chicken salad
sandwich.

The solstice marked the beginning of summer this week and the temperatures are beginning to rise. The garden is springing into life--the broccoli is forming buds, the sugar snap peas and snow peas are producing like crazy and the strawberries get sweeter by the minute.

The first pick-up seemed to go smoothly this year. There are no forgotten bins in the cooler, so I guess that is a good sign! Don't forget to bring back your empty bin/bucket when you come to pick-up this week.

So there you have it, CSAers. Now you know the bin/bucket pick-up drill and can begin to think about all the yummy things you will make with this week's bounty. Here are a few more recipes for you to try.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy or Sturdy Greens

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  

YIELD 3 to 4 servings as a side dish  
TIME 15 minutes

Featured in: The Last Of The Fresh Greens.

INGREDIENTS

12 to 16 ounces bok choy or sturdy greens, like collards, or packaged Southern greens mix
¼ cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife or minced
1 slice ginger, smashed with the flat side of a chef’s knife or minced
 Salt to taste
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, to taste

PREPARATION

If using bok choy, trim off the bottoms and separate into stalks. Rinse if necessary and drain on paper towels. Cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces. If using collard greens, stem, discard stems and chop the leaves coarsely. Bring an inch of water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer, and place the bok choy or greens in the steamer basket. Steam 1 minute, remove from the heat and rinse with cold water. Squeeze out excess water and drain on a kitchen towel.
Combine the broth or water, rice wine or sherry, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and place within arm’s reach of your pan. Have the remaining ingredients measured out and near the pan.
Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or a 12-inch skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds, until fragrant. Add the bok choy or greens, sprinkle with salt and the sugar, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Stir the cornstarch mixture and swirl into the wok, then stir-fry 1 minute, or until the greens are just tender. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Remove from the heat and serve.

Grilled Romaine with Lemon and Parmesan
 

Serves: 2


• 1 Large head of romaine lettuce
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon Parmesan (grated or shredded)



If your romaine has extra loose leaves on the top and outer layers, remove these leaves and save them for a salad or another use. Rinse the romaine well, making sure to remove any dirt. Cut the romaine in half, vertically.

Place the romaine pieces flat side down on a large cutting board. Brush the rounded backs of the romaine with olive oil. Sprinkle with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Flip over and repeat on the other side.

Grill the romaine on three separate sides (like a triangle): first, place the romaine flat side down on a hot grill in direct heat. After about 1 minute, turn the romaine so it lays on half of the rounded side and grill for an additional minute. Complete on the final part of the curved side. Be careful - the romaine cooks quickly so do not walk away from the grill during this process.

Remove the romaine from the grill and place it on a large serving platter. Squeeze the lemon juice over the romaine and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately.