Every week we'll send you snapshots of veggies in your share. You can always find more recipes and storage info on our
blog and
website.
Mesclun: A freshly harvested bag of pre-washed greens! There are at least six different varieties of greens in the mix this week. Lots of yummy salad toppings in the shares! Keep the greens cold once you get home; if they warm up, they'll start to deteriorate.
Tomatoes: Fancy/ Localvore Share members receive a bag of slicing tomatoes! These are red, pink, and heirloom tomatoes. Please, take 1 bag along with your PURPLE bag. Check carefully as Localvore/ Pantry mushrooms are also in paper bags! Store tomatoes at room temperature.
Sweet Peppers: We have some greenhouse-grown sweet peppers this week for a couple of shares! These are green and purple bell peppers, great for snacking on raw or cooking into a wide variety of dishes - Mexican or Italian style dishes, eggs, stir fries, and much more. And look for many more peppers to come this summer!
Beans: Our first green beans of the season! These green (and other colored) beans are great for snacking and cooking up. Store in your fridge wrapped in plastic for up to 5 days. Try them braised, roasted, or grilled. These beans pair well with garlic, balsamic, and parmesan.
Zucchini: Zucchini and yellow summer squash are in Fancy/ Localvore & Large Share bags this week. This time of year, tender zukes are a treat. Store unwashed in the crisper. Use in a few days. Try grating them, and saute lightly in butter. Or eat them raw in salads. Shred them and mix into muffins or other baked goods. The possibilities are endless!
Lacinato kale: Also known as dinosaur kale because of its dark leathery leaves. Lacinato stands up really well to cooking, and will retain its shape even in soups and stews. Kale is in the super veggie club, 1 cup packing 1300% of your daily requirements for Vita K, 200% of your Vita A, and nearly 100% of vita C, along with lots and lots more vitas and minerals. It also contains several compounds fairly well documented to be helpful in fighting certain types of cancers. And what's more, it's tasty, so eat lots.
Bunched Beets: These bunched beets are starting to pop up! Fresh, tender beets are in some of the purple bags (if no beets, you'll find beans), coming at you with their tender green tops still intact! These bunched beets were freshly harvested and have their tops on. You can eat beet greens as well as the roots. The tops are great in salads or sauteed. Beets are great this time of year grilled in a foil pouch with other veggies, or shaved thinly over salads.
Scallions: often referred to as green onions, are a young onion with a small, white tip and a bright green, tall stem. You can use the whole thing in a recipe but I usually chop off the very bottom of the bulb, and then keep chopping up the stem until the chopped parts become less moist/crisp and more fibrous/leafy. The remaining parts make an excellent addition to soups or salads bringing a mild onion flavor and nice hint of color.
Rhubarb: If your site did not have rhubarb last week (Center Rd, MetroRock, Concept 2, Laughing Moon, White Meeting House), your rhubarb is OUT OF THE BAG. For Large Shares this week, your rhubarb is IN your bag. The rhubarb was harvested yesterday, Monday, but you may notice some discoloration. We recommend peeling your rhubarb (with or without the discoloration) to avoid the stringiness.
Featured Recipes
Easy Basil Garlic Aioli
1 cup extra virgin sunflower oil
2 eggs
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup fresh basil leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Pour oil and eggs into wide mouth Mason jar. Add peeled garlic cloves, lemon juice, & basil. Put the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the jar and turn it on and draw blender up and down at least 2 or 3 times to draw air into sauce. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Refrigerate and enjoy with meats, sandwiches, chips, fries, etc.
Beets with Stout and Sauteed Greens
If you don't feel like using a beer in this recipe you can sub balsamic vinegar.
1.5 pounds beets, trimmed, leaving 2 inches of the stem ends intact
3 tablespoons Guinness stout
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 bunch of greens, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped very coarse (kale or beet greens)
In a kettle cover the beets with 2 inches cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer the beets, covered, for 20 to 35 minutes (depending on their size), or until they are tender. Drain the beets and under the cold running water slip off and discard their skins and stems.
In a skillet bring to a boil the stout and the vinegar and whisk in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Stir in the beets, quartered, add the salt and pepper to taste, and keep the beets warm, covered. In a large skillet heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in it sauté the greens, stirring, for 5 minutes, or until they are tender, and stir in the salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the greens around the edge of a platter and mound the beets in the center.
Spicy Sauteed Kale with Lemon
Probably the easiest way to prepare your kale, this is a very nutritious, warm side dish.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Thai or jalapeno chile, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed and slices quartered
1 tablespoon honey
1 handful kale, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 leek, thinly sliced
Coarse salt
In a large skillet, heat oil and chile over medium-high heat. Add lemon and honey and cook, stirring, until lemon begins to break down, about 2 minutes. Add kale and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add leeks, season with salt, and cook 1 minute. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Citrus-Massaged Raw Kale Salad with Toasted Nuts, Dried Cherries & Parmesan
I love this salad because it's so versatile - you can change it depending on what's in your pantry or fridge or whatever you're in the mood for! The main thing is to soften the kale up using some acid – you can use lemon juice or vinegar - this relaxes the kale and makes it softer and easier to chew.
1 bunch kale (about 1 lb), rinsed and dried, center ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
Juice of 1-2 lemons, or 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts or almonds
1/4 cup dried organic cherries, cranberries or currants
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheeses plus some bigger shavings to top the salad with
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the thinly sliced kale in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice and olive oil (add more of either thing if you feel like there’s not enough to cover everything.) Massage the mixture with your fingers until all of the kale is well-coated and looks a bit darker in color. Let sit for a half hour (or not, if you’re in a hurry!)
Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Top with the shaved cheese and serve.
Grilled Scallions with Sesame Oil
Serve these whole as a delicious side dish or slice them for a garnish to enhance your meal.
8 scallions, cut in half lengthwise
Toasted sesame oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the broiler or lightly oiled grill to medium-high heat. Arrange the scallions on a shallow baking sheet or a piece of aluminum foil.
Pour a little of the sesame oil into a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to completely coat the scallions with a thin layer of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the scallions under the broiler or on the grill and broil until they are golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
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