May 17, 2018 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Asparagus

Cooking With This Week’s Box: 

Welcome back for another week of delicious spring cooking!  I want to start by thanking all of the members who have been posting their recipes and pictures in the Facebook Group.  You’ve been making some delicious creations and I appreciate the recipes you’re sharing with other members! 

So this week’s main focus is Asparagus!  In addition to the two recipes included with this week’s newsletter (see below), Food52 also has an interesting and diverse collection of asparagus recipes.  Asparagus is truly one of nature’s fast food recipes, so at the very least just give it a quick saute and serve it with your dinner. 

Sadly, this is our last week for ramps.  If you haven’t made Ramp Pesto or Ramp Butter yet, this might be the week to do so.  Both of these can be eaten when freshly made or you can freeze them in small portions and pull them out later in the year.  Ramp pesto is delicious when simply tossed with pasta for a quick meal and ramp butter is good on bread, steak and mashed potatoes. 

If this is your first time working with nettles this week, don’t be intimidated or afraid.  Check out last week’s vegetable feature on our blog which will guide you in handling them and includes a delicious recipe for Nettle & Mushroom Pizza with Ramp Cream.  One of our members also shared this recipe for a Crustless Spinach & Feta Pie that some members made using nettles instead of spinach!  What a great suggestion!

This week I’m going to make this Smoked Trout Spread using chives as the herb of choice.  This will be great spread on a bagel for lunch or on crackers for a little afternoon snack.  Kelly also reminded me that I need to make our annual batch of Chive & Parmesan Popcorn while chives are in season!

Lastly, we’re excited to be able to include rhubarb in this week’s box.  While rhubarb may be used in both sweet and savory ways, I always need to squeeze in a dessert or two during rhubarb season so I’m starting on the sweet side this week.  I found a recipe for Rhubarb Picnic Bars that I’m going to make for our market crew snack this weekend.  On the same website there’s also a recipe for Rhubarb Spice Cake that looks really good!

Have a great week and enjoy the last of the ramps and the first of the asparagus.  Next week we are looking forward to sending some gorgeous heads of lettuce along with the first radishes of the season!—Chef Andrea

Featured Vegetable: Asparagus 

“Asparagus signifies spring regardless of the weather…..The closer to you asparagus is grown, the better it is.”  This is an excerpt from vegetable chef expert, Deborah Madison, in the introduction for Asparagus in her book, The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  Asparagus is a perennial crop that we rely on in the spring before other spring planted vegetables are ready.  It is very weather dependent and it’s hard to predict when asparagus season will start.  Once it does start producing, it responds dramatically to temperature.  If you have a hot day, yields may double or triple compared to a colder day.  We usually harvest at least three times a week, however sometimes we pick five to six days a week when it’s in peak production.   Typically we see a harvest window of about 5 weeks, so pace yourself and plan out all the recipes you want to make!

As a perennial crop, it takes about three years to establish a field.  During the first few years after asparagus crowns are planted, the goal is to build fertility in the field, provide adequate moisture, and allow the plant to capture solar energy and store it in the roots.  Once we do start harvesting, we continue to focus on making sure there is enough fertility in the field as well as moisture. We also focus on weed control, which is very important in a field that will have the same crop for multiple growing seasons.  In the world of conventional asparagus production, asparagus fields are often bare because they are sprayed with herbicide to keep weeds under control.  Our asparagus fields are actually green because we employ a method of cover crops and hand weeding to control weeds instead of using chemicals.  We sometimes also use mechanical cultivation, but the risk of damaging the root system is pretty great so we’re limited with this technique.  While cover crops help to build soil fertility and help to decrease weed pressure, they also compete to a certain extent with the asparagus.  We do also walk the fields and pull weeds by hand.  As you can see, asparagus can be a labor-intensive and challenging crop to maintain!  Our cost of production is greater than conventional production, so if you ever wonder why our price might be higher than other growers, this is why. 

Asparagus may be eaten raw, although it’s most often cooked.  It may be steamed, boiled, sautéed or roasted.  The lower portion of the stem may be a little tough.  If this is the case simply snap or cut that portion off.  You can save these pieces and use them to flavor vegetable stock.  Be careful not to overcook asparagus or it will become soft, mushy and a dull olive green color.  Cook it just until it’s bright green and tender.  If you are boiling or steaming it, either serve it immediately or put it in cold iced water to stop the cooking process. 

Asparagus pairs well with other spring vegetables including ramps, mushrooms, green garlic and green onions and peas.  It’s also often served with lemon, cheese, cream, eggs, mint, parsley, chives, dill, bacon, pancetta.  Many times I never get past simply roasting asparagus as it is good when just eaten in this simple form.  It is also delicious in a quiche, frittata, scrambled eggs, risotto, or savory tarts. 

We hope you enjoy the bounty of this year’s asparagus harvest and eat it to your heart’s content.  Remember, we’ll only have it for a few more weeks!

Asparagus and White Bean Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing 

Yield:  2 servings as a main dish or 4 servings as a side dish

“Served with crusty bread, this salad makes a terrific meal.  White beans provide a delectable hearty-tenderness, without overwhelming the delicate asparagus.  Tangy feta, zesty lemon, and a touch of mint give this salad a bright and refreshing flavor.”

1 pound asparagus, cut on an angle in 1-inch pieces

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp chopped fresh mint

½ tsp freshly grated lemon zest

¼ tsp salt

⅛  tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cooked or canned white beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup thinly sliced radishes

2 Tbsp thinly sliced scallions (may substitute green garlic or ramps)

1. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket, set over 1 ½ inches boiling water, and cover.  Steam until the spears are tender-firm, 4 to 7 minutes depending on the thickness.  Drain and place in an ice water bath (or under cold, running water) for a moment to stop the cooking. (Chef Andrea Note:  You may also roast asparagus.  Lay the spears on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and then roll the spears with your hand to coat them with the oil.  Roast for 10-12 minutes in a 350°F oven.  Remove and cool before cutting into smaller pieces and adding to the salad)
2.  Put the olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until well combined.  Drain asparagus.
3. Combine the beans, feta, radishes, and scallions in a large bowl.  Add the asparagus pieces.  Pour on the dressing and gently toss.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.  (Chef Andrea Note:  You can turn also add a can of tuna, poached salmon or cooked chicken to this salad and serve it as a main dish.)

This recipe is featured in Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables, by our friend, Farmer John Peterson.

Sesame Noodles with Asparagus 

“Whenever people ask what they can make a lot of easily and ahead of time for a party, this is what I suggest.  It’s endlessly versatile-you can vary the vegetable to go with the season.”—Chef Deborah Madison in The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Serves 6 to 8

Marinade:

                ¼ cup light sesame oil

                1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

                7 Tbsp soy sauce

                3 Tbsp Chinese black or balsamic vinegar

                3 ½ Tbsp dark brown sugar

                2 tsp sea salt

                2 tsp chili oil

                1 Tbsp minced ginger

                1 clove garlic, finely chopped

                ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Noodles and Asparagus

                2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal

                1 (14-ounce) package thin Chinses egg noodles or rice noodles

                10 green onions, including the firm greens, thinly sliced (may substitute ramps)

                ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted until lightly browned

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add salt and the asparagus.  Cook until bright green and tender but still firm, just a few minutes.  Scoop the asparagus out, rinse it under cold water, and set on a towel to dry.
3. Pull the noodles apart with your fingers, add them to the boiling water, and give them a quick stir.  Boil until tender but not overly soft, tasting them often as they cook.  It should take only a few minutes.  Pour the noodles into a colander and immediately rinse under cold water.  Shake off the excess water.
4. Toss the noodles with all the marinade and most of the onions, sesame seeds, and asparagus.  Mound them in a bowl or on a platter, then garnish with the remaining asparagus, onions, and sesame seeds.

July 6, 2017: This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Amaranth Greens

What’s In The Box?

Purple Scallions: It’s been an excellent onion year so far.  Cross your fingers that the tops will continue to remain healthy in the field and the onions will keep growing and multiplying as well as these purple scallions have! 

Fennel: Please refer to last week’s newsletter and blog post about fennel.  You’ll find two delicious recipes plus suggestions for other ways to use this unique vegetable.    

Fresh Italian Garlic: This garlic was just harvested, so the layers of skin surrounding the cloves are still very fresh and will need to be pulled away to expose the fresh, juicy cloves inside.

Green Top Gold Beets: If you profess to not like beets, this may be the beet for you.  Golden beets are more mild in flavor and sweeter than red beets….and as always, eat the greens too!

Sugar Snap OR Snow Peas: We still have one more planting of peas coming…they’re blooming right now.  Don’t forget that all of our peas have edible pods.  All you have to do is remove the string that runs on top of the pea and is connected to the stem.  

Italian & Green Zucchini: Our first crop of zucchini is producing much better this week now that we have had some warm days! The Italian variety is lighter green with stripes and ribs.  It is more firm and best for grilling.

Green OR Silver Slicer Cucumbers: Another heat-loving crop that really stepped up production with the heat this week!  The silver slicer cucumbers have pale yellow skin, are a little smaller than the green cucumbers, and have a crisp texture with a fruity flavor.

Green Top Carrots: These are an older European “nantes” variety called “Mokum” that is known for being an early carrot with a sweet juicy flavor.  The greens are edible too!  Read on for suggestions about using the carrot tops!

Broccoli: The stems of broccoli are edible too.  Just peel away a thin outer layer of skin and you’ll find a tender, juicy core that is delicious raw or cooked.

Amaranth Greens: Don’t be fooled…this is a cooking green, but the leaves are mostly deep burgundy red in color and sometimes have a touch of dark green!  See this week’s vegetable feature below for more information about this cool vegetable!

Cooking with This Week's Box!

I recently picked up another cookbook entitled Six Seasons:  A New Way With Vegetables by Joshua McFadden.  In his book he divides the summer season  into three different sections, early summer, midsummer and late summer.  According to his system for seasonal distinction, we are still in early summer, as we transition from the tail end of spring into the first part of summer.  Salad mix is done until fall and it’s time to switch to summer cooking greens and salads made with vegetables other than lettuce!  There is quite a selection in this week’s box so cooking and eating is going to be very interesting this week!

Lets start with this week’s featured vegetable, Amaranth.  If you’re new to this green, take a moment to read the vegetable feature in this week’s newsletter or on our blog.  Our featured recipe this week is Spicy Amaranth Greens with Zucchini and Black-Eyed Peas.  This dish is tasty on its own, or you can serve it over grits, polenta or rice.  If you’re not into black-eyed peas, substitute another bean of your choosing or leave them out as well!

We’re going to have amaranth in the box again within the next few weeks and when we do, I want to use it to make a recipe for Amaranth Leaves Rotti, an Indian flat bread.  In this recipe they recommend serving the Rotti with a pickle, so I want to use the fennel this week to make the Indian Spiced Fennel Pickles mentioned in last week’s vegetable feature about fennel.  This recipe makes 2 quarts, so I might cut the recipe in half so I can use some of the fennel for another use.  I think the fennel pickles might go well with the rotti and some dal and you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.  I admit I don’t have much experience cooking food from India, so if anyone has another suggestion for what to pair with the Rotti, please let me know.  Otherwise, I’m going to try my combo and we’ll see how it is!

The remainder of the fennel is going to be used to make the Fennel and Beet Salad with Honey LemonVinaigrette featured in our June 2007 newsletter.  This is a recipe I developed the first year I was at the farm because Richard convinced me that beets and fennel are a seasonal pairing and go together well.  I really hadn’t used fennel much before, but played around with it and came up with this salad which remains one of our annual favorites!  

We’re excited to be harvesting carrots again!  This week we are delivering the carrots with the green tops still attached to the root.  In the cookbook I mentioned earlier, McFadden likens cooking vegetables to the whole nose-to-tail movement with meat whereby the user is challenged and encouraged to use everything, leaf to root!  So, in the case of carrots and beets that still have their tops on, we’re challenged to find a use for the greens and the roots.  It’s actually like having two vegetables in one, so why throw away half the package?!  “Ok, great Andrea, but what am I supposed to do with these carrot tops?”  What else do we do with green things we’re not sure what to do with?  We make pesto of course!  At the Kitchn blog, there’s an article entitled “Not Just Rabbit Food:  5 Tasty Ways to Eat Carrot Tops.”  One of the recipes they link to is for a Grilled Cheese with Roasted Carrots andCarrot Top Pesto.  If you’re like Richard and appreciate meat, you could add some crispy pancetta or bacon to this sandwich, or I’m sure prosciutto would be tasty too.  If the grilled cheese sandwich concept isn’t grabbing your attention but you like the pesto idea, there’s another version of CarrotTop Pesto from one of our past newsletters. If you aren’t sold on pesto, then consider Roasted Carrot and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro and Carrot Green Chimichurri. Chimichurri is another great way to utilize carrot tops.

So we have a use for the carrot tops, but what about the beet greens?  Fried eggs are my go-to “quick and easy but still good for you” dinner item and they go great with a wide variety of vegetable combos.  So this week my vegetable-egg creation started with some sautéed onion and garlic.  Once the onion and garlic were softened, add the chopped beet greens to the pan along with a few splashes of red wine vinegar a few pinches of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  Put a lid on the pan and let the greens wilt down.  Once they are wilted, allow them to simmer briefly until nearly all the liquid is evaporated.  Push the greens to the side of the pan and add some butter to the pan to fry your egg in.  Put the beet greens on your plate and add some crumbled feta cheese.  The egg goes on top of the beet greens and then you eat the whole mess with a few olives on the side and a piece of buttered toast.  So delicious! 

Golden Beets are so sweet and delicious that even people who don’t usually like beets often like them!  If you don’t use your beets in the fennel and beet salad I mentioned, then consider preparing them in a super-simple preparation such as this recipe for Roasted Golden Beets with Rosemary and Garlic. Sometimes the most simple preparations are the best!

Fennel Cucumber Salsa - photo from allrecipes.com

Thank goodness it warmed up so we can actually feel like it’s summer and enjoy our zucchini and cucumbers!  How about a juicy burger on the grill (beef, turkey or veggie….your choice) served with Baked Parmesan Zucchini and a simple Chili-Cucumber Salad. If there are any cucumbers left over, they make a great snack with just a little salt or put them on toast with cream cheese and fresh herbs. You could also turn them into a salsa such as the one posted by one of our CSA members in our CSA Facebook Group.  It’s a recipe for Fennel-Cucumber Salsa to serve with fresh bread, tortillas, or with sautéed fish or chicken.  

Of course, we’ve nearly used up our onions and garlic by now, but we still have broccoli and sugar snap or snow peas remaining.  Lets turn these vegetables into a simple but delicious Beef, Broccoli and Snow Pea Stir-Fry.   You could throw a carrot or two into the mix for a little color if you like. 

Well, this week’s Cooking with the Box should give you at least 2-3 main entrées and 1 sandwich idea along with a few salad options and a few side dishes including a pickle to enjoy over the next few weeks.  Add a little protein to some of the salads and sides and you should be able to round out a pretty delicious week of eating out of your CSA box!  Of course, there will likely be some leftovers to enjoy in your lunch or repurpose into snacks or dinner for another night as well.

I hope you’ll stretch yourself a little this week and try something new….perhaps this will be the week you tackle those beet and carrot greens!  Let me know how your creations turn out, or post in our Facebook Group and inspire another member!—Chef Andrea

Featured Vegetable:  Amaranth Greens

 Amaranth is a stunning “green” that actually has dark, burgundy colored leaves.  It is an ancient plant that was part of the diets of Aztec civilizations in Mexico up to 7,000 years ago.  It was also an important staple food for the Incas of South America and the people of the Himalayan region of Asia.  In these ancient cultures, amaranth was also used medicinally and in cultural rituals.  It was held as a symbol of immortality and means “never –fading flower” in Greek.  Like many other vegetables, amaranth was a multi-use vegetable.  The seeds were used as a winter staple and the young leaves were eaten as a fresh vegetable.  There are about 60 different varieties of amaranth, some grown to harvest seeds, others for the leaves, and several ornamental species.  The variety of amaranth we grow is referred to as “Polish Amaranth”….and there’s a story to go with this name.

We actually purchased the seed for this year’s crop from Wild Garden Seeds (WGS), which is kind of funny because Richard is the one who actually gave them the seed originally!  Some of you may have heard this story already, but for those of you who don’t know it the story goes like this.  One day Richard was driving to town and saw a beautiful red amaranth plant growing in a garden along the way.  He stopped and asked the people who lived there about this plant.  They said their Aunt May brought the seed with her from Poland and they were happy to share it with Richard. So Richard collected some seed and started growing it, mostly as a baby green to mix into his gourmet salad mix. It didn’t do so well as a salad mix ingredient, but in later years we found success growing it as a mid-summer bunching green used for cooking.  Since we aren’t in the business of seed production, Richard passed the seed onto Frank Morton at WGS and he has been maintaining this variety of amaranth.   Thanks Frank! 

Amaranth greens have become an important part of our seasonal diet because of their ability to grow in the heat of the summer when other greens, spinach and lettuce do not thrive.  Amaranth is able to adapt to variable conditions with little impact from weather or disease.  It is able to survive in extreme heat or drought conditions because it is able to convert twice the amount of solar energy using the same amount of water as most other plants. 

While I’ve never sent a sample to the lab to test nutrient levels, I think we can add amaranth greens to our list of HVF “super-foods.”  The leaves of this plant are high in calcium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin C, carotene, iron, B vitamins, and trace elements including zinc and manganese.  Compared to spinach, amaranth leaves have three times more vitamin C, calcium and niacin!  Of course we know vegetables that have rich colors like the magenta leaves of amaranth are also packed with important phytonutrients and antioxidants. 

Ok, enough of the history and science of this vegetable.  Lets get serious and figure out how to use it!  Amaranth is similar in flavor to spinach, except better!  You can prepare it similarly to spinach or other cooking greens.  While amaranth may be eaten raw, the more mature leaves and stems are best when cooked.  The stems and leaves are both edible, however the stems might need a little longer cooking time so it’s best to separate the leaves from the stem.   Amaranth greens may be steamed, sautéed, added to soups, stews, wilted and stir-fried.  Amaranth pairs well with so many other summer crops including onions, fresh garlic, zucchini, peppers, corn, green beans, basil, oregano and tomatoes. 

Amaranth is thought to have originated in Central and/or South America, but has made its way around the globe.  It can be found in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, which means there are many options for finding ways to use this vegetable.  Season it with cumin, coriander, oregano and serve it with black beans for more of a Mexican approach.  Stir-fry it with garlic, onion, ginger and a drizzle of sesame oil for more of a Chinese influence.  Mix it with pasta, tomatoes, oregano, basil and Parmesan for an Italian flair, or take it in more in the direction of Indian cuisine by choosing curry spices & lentils.  When I was first introduced to amaranth ten years ago, you could hardly find any recipes in cookbooks or on the internet.  That has changed a lot and now I’m confident you will be able to find at least one way to prepare amaranth that will become your “favorite” way to enjoy this vegetable.  We have some tasty recipes from previous newsletters available on our website as well.  We hope you enjoy this lovely green, for its aesthetics, nutrition, history and flavor! 

Vegetable Feature: Portuguese kale

by Andrea Yoder

This is one of those vegetables that you will likely never find in a grocery store or co-op in this country. This vegetable caught our eye in a seed catalog several years ago.  We only grow it once every few years, so take advantage of it this year and have some fun with it!

You’ll be able to identify this vegetable in your box pretty easily this week. It has large broad green leaves that are mostly flat but do have a little waviness on the edges. The leaves are thick, like a collard green, and have sturdy white ribs. It’s been really fun watching this plant grow—first it forms the large outer leaves, and towards the end of its growing season it forms more of a center head as the leaves curl towards the center. First it resembled collards, now the plants are behaving more like cabbage. We spaced the plants pretty far apart which has allowed them to grow up to 2 feet high and wide in some cases!  It’s quite an impressive plant!

In Portugal, this kale is the key ingredient in one of their national dishes called Caldo Verde. There are many versions of Caldo Verde, but all of them include several basic ingredients that characterize Portuguese cuisine. Some of the ingredients that complement Portuguese kale include potatoes, onions, beans and a spicy sausage (most often chorizo is used in this country). The recipe we’ve included in this newsletter is our favorite version of this Portuguese national soup. We’ve looked forward to eating this soup all year and think this is a great way to prepare this vegetable and you’ll only get to eat it once a year! This soup does freeze well, so make a big batch and put some in the freezer to enjoy later this winter!

One of the interesting things about this kale is that it is a little different from other kales in that the thick ribs can be eaten raw-simply remove the leaf from the rib. Thinly peel off the outer layer of the rib to expose the tender, sweet flesh—very similar to peeling and eating the stem of broccoli. The rib can be cooked separately or eaten raw. The leaves should be cooked. If you slice them thinly, they do not need quite as much cooking time. You should plan to cook the leaves in some kind of liquid—either added to soup, steamed or simmered in a small amount of water or stock. Store your Portuguese kale in the refrigerator wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. We hope you enjoy and appreciate trying this new kale as much as we’ve enjoyed growing it for you!

Caldo Verde-Portuguese Kale Soup

by Chef Andrea Yoder

Serves 6-8
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion or 2 leeks, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup of Portuguese kale ribs, peeled and sliced in ½” pieces
5-6 medium potatoes, peeled and large diced (Purple Viking potatoes are our favorite ones to use in this soup)
8 cups cold water or pork/chicken stock
10 ounces chorizo, diced
4 cups Portuguese Kale leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions or leeks and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and kale ribs. Cook for 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add the potatoes, and water or stock. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 
3. Remove the soup from the heat and take off the cover. Allow the soup to cool for 5-10 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. 
4. Return the soup to the pan and put it over low heat. Add the chorizo, cover and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the kale leaves, return the cover and simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until the kale is tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper to your liking. Serve hot.

**Note: If you’d like to make a vegetarian version of this soup, you can eliminate the chorizo and season the soup with a bit of smoked paprika.

Avocado & Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Serves 6
6 medium red or golden beets
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, diced fine
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp chopped chervil*
¼ tsp chopped lemon zest
¼ tsp orange zest
2 firm, ripe avocados
Chervil sprigs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim and wash beets. Put them in a baking dish, add a splash of water and cover tightly. Roast the beets in the oven for about 45 minutes, until they are cooked through.
3. When the beets are cooked, allow them to cool uncovered. Peel and cut them into wedges. Put them in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper, add the red wine vinegar and 1 Tbsp of olive oil and toss gently.
4. Put the diced shallot in a bowl and add the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Let macerate for 15 minutes. Whisk in ¾ cup olive oil and stir in the chervil, lemon zest and orange zest. Taste for seasoning.
5. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise and remove pits. Leaving the skin intact, cut avocados lengthwise in ¼-inch slices. Scoop out the slices with a large spoon and arrange them on a platter or individual dishes. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the beets over the avocado slices and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with a few chervil sprigs.

* Note: May substitute fresh tarragon or parsley if you don’t have chervil.

Recipe borrowed from Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Café Cookbook.

Vegetable Feature: Rainbow Chard

by Sarah Janes Ugoretz
This week, we’re honing in on rainbow chard. Now, I know what some of you may be thinking—that, in the words of the wonderful Deborah Madison, “…chard isn’t really all that exciting.” Regardless of chard’s wow-factor (or lack thereof), Madison does point out a few characteristics that are perhaps more important than the degree to which it excites the dedicated eater—namely, chard’s reliability, its usefulness and its pleasantness to work with. So, if you have yet to give chard a try, read on and then go out and get yourself some of this humble, highly nutritious vegetable!
Chard is a relative of spinach and beets. Unlike the beet, however, the majority of chard’s nutrients are concentrated in its leaves. Interestingly enough—and in great contrast to the sturdy beet—chard roots are inedible. Chard leaves and stems, on the other hand, are quite edible! While the stems are crunchy and taste slightly sweet, the leaves are thick and have a deep “greens”  flavor similar to spinach and beet greens.  In fact, if you’re in a pinch, you can easily substitute chard for either of these two leafy greens.
People tend to associate chard with winter. While chard can grow throughout the year and does have a preference for cooler weather, its prime cultivation period spans from June to October. Although chard isn’t a fan of extreme heat, it’s unlikely to bolt, as is common with other vegetables like spinach, arugula and basil.
In the kitchen, chard is extremely versatile. Whether your method is to sauté, steam or braise, chard will play along quite nicely. In terms of basic preparation, stack leaves and stems on top of one another. Trim the ends, and then separate the stems from the leaves. The general rule for dealing with the different level of thickness between chard’s leaves and stems is to cook the leaves as you would spinach and the stems as you would asparagus. For instance, if you’re sautéing your chard with some olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and sea salt, cook the chopped stems until they’re relatively tender before adding the chopped leaves for a final few minutes on the heat.
I will include one disclaimer here. Due to its leaves being somewhat thick, chard doesn’t work well as a raw addition to salads (unless you’re using very young leaves). Feel free to toss raw leaves and stems into your blender or juicer, however, and it’ll be sure to give you a nutritional boost.
Speaking of nutrition, chard is reputed to be just as nutritious as kale. (What?! Yes, so eat up.) Its plethora of antioxidants qualifies chard as a superfood. Meanwhile, chard is an excellent source of vitamins K, A and C. Time for a fun fact! While a single serving of chard has only 35 calories, this same serving contains more than 300% of your daily vitamin K needs. You’ll also be getting a healthy dose of potassium, magnesium, iron and fiber with each forkful.
For storage purposes, remove the twist tie from your rainbow chard, wrap the bunch in paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Sources: Deborah Madison’s Vegetable Literacy; The Wisconsin Master Gardener Program: Swiss chard

Chard with Raisins & Pecans

Recipe sourced from Wild About Greens, by Nava Atlas.

Serves 4
1 bunch rainbow chard
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup marsala or other dry red wine
⅓ cup raisins
1 Tbsp capers, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

⅓ to ½ cup finely chopped pecans

1. Cut the chard leaves away from the stems.  Trim about an inch from the bottom of the stems, then slice the stems thinly.  Stack a few leaves at a time and cut them into ½-inch ribbons.  Chop the ribbons in a few places to shorten them;  repeat this process with all the leaves.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet.  Add the garlic and saute over low heat until golden.  Add the marsala wine and as much chard leaves & stems as will fit comfortably in the pan.  Cover and allow the greens to wilt down briefly;  continue to add the chard until all of it is in the pan.  Cook, covered, until the leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the raisins and the capers, if you’re using them, then season with salt and pepper.  Scatter the pecans over the top and serve at once either on its own or spooned over soft polenta or rice.

Green Pancakes with Swiss Chard

Recipe sourced from Clotilde Dusoulier’s book, The French Market Cookbook.

Serves 4

1 cup all-purpose flour

Salt, to taste

4 large eggs (2 whole and 2 separated)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 Tbsp dry white wine

½ cup milk

8 ounces chard leaves, finely chopped

Olive oil for cooking

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and 1 tsp salt and form a well in the center.  Add 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks and stir to mix with part of the flour from the mound.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Add the garlic and wine and then pour the milk in a slow stream, whisking as you go, until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is creamy and mostly lump-free.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
2. When ready to cook the pancakes, remove the bowl from the fridge and fold in the greens.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the 2 egg whites with ¼ tsp salt with an electric mixer or a whisk until they form stiff peaks.  Fold them into the batter with a spatula, working in a circular, up-and-down motion to avoid deflating the egg whites.
4. Heat 1 Tbsp cooking olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Ladle about ¼ cup of the batter into the hot skillet, without flattening.  Repeat to form as many pancakes as will comfortably fit in the skillet, probably no more than 4.
5. Cook until the edges are set and the pancakes are golden underneath 4 to 5 minutes.  Flip and cook until the other side is set and golden, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer to a warmed serving plate, grease the skillet again, and repeat with the remaining batter.  You should have enough to make 10 to 12 pancakes.
6. Serve hot, adding a little more pepper and a sprinkling of salt on top.  

**Serving Note from the author of the recipe:  “They make for a lovely weeknight dinner, paired with a green salad, and they’re a welcome brunch item too.” 

Vegetable Feature: New Potatoes

by Andrea Yoder
The potatoes in your box this week are a variety called Red Norland, an early variety red-skinned potato with creamy white flesh and this week they are classified as a “new potato.” The difference between a new potato and others we’ll deliver this season is not the variety or the size, but the way they are harvested.  New potatoes are classified as such if they are harvested off a plant that still has green leaves on it.  With latter varieties, we’ll mow the potato vines about a week in advance of harvest.  In the week between mowing the vines and actually harvesting the potatoes, changes take place in the potatoes that help to set the skins and make them better for storage.  They are also easier to handle without damaging the skin.
New potatoes have a much more thin, tender and delicate skin.  They need to be handled with care so as not to disturb the skin and expose the flesh.  Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place, but not in the refrigerator.  It’s important they are not exposed to light or they will turn green and be bitter.  In general, potatoes will store for a few weeks at room temperature in a brown paper bag.  However new potatoes will not store as well and are best eaten within one week. Do not store potatoes in a plastic bag or in the refrigerator.
New potatoes are tender & creamy with a fresh, pure potato flavor.  This week’s variety is a “waxy” variety.  They lend themselves well to basic boiling, roasting or pan-frying.  You could make “smashed” potatoes with them, but I’d discourage you from making mashed potatoes out of them as waxy potatoes have a tendency to become sticky when mashed.  We still have several more varieties to dig.  Check the newsletter each week to find out more information about each variety and the best ways to prepare them.

Crushed Potatoes with Cream and Garlic

Recipe sourced from Nigel Slater’s book, Tender:  A cook and his vegetable patch.

Serves 4 as a side dish
1 pound new potatoes
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 cup heavy cream
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

1. Lightly scrub the potatoes but do not peel them.  Boil them in a pan of deep, lightly salted water for fifteen to twenty minutes or so, until tender.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves.  Pour the cream into a small saucepan, and add the leaves from the sprigs of thyme, the garlic, a little salt and some black pepper.  Let the mixture simmer over medium heat until it has reduced by about a third.
3. Once the potatoes are drained, put them in a shallow dish and crush each one lightly with a fork—you want to break the skin and flatten the potato just enough for its flesh to soak up some of the hot cream.  Pour the cream and thyme over the crushed potatoes and eat while hot.

Vegetable Feature: Sugar Snap Peas

by Sarah Janes Ugoretz

That’s right—sugar snap peas are back in season! After weeks of teasing you with pea vine, the time has finally arrived. For those of you who are less familiar with these delicious late-spring vegetables, sugar snap peas are a cross between plump garden peas and flat snow peas, which come shortly after the sugar snap peas.  Their ability to produce pods with enclosed seeds places them in the legume family, along with other familiar foods such as beans, peanuts, and lentils. Although you may find that your pods have “strings” along the seam, the entire pod is edible.
The crisp and crunchy texture of sugar snap peas, paired with their sweet flavor, makes them stand out among other vegetables. You can eat them raw, just as they are, or you can cook them. If opting for the latter, they’re excellent steamed, seared, or roasted. In order to preserve the unique crunch of your sugar snap peas, make sure you don’t stray too far from the kitchen while you’re preparing them. Pay close attention to suggested cooking times, since overcooked peas will be soft and much less flavorful.
Falling second only to lima beans, sugar snap peas are our best option for protein when it comes to vegetables. One cup will get you about two grams of protein, not to mention three grams of natural sugar and about two grams of fiber. When it comes to vitamin C, sugar snap peas get the job done even better than an orange! One three-ounce serving will provide you with more than half of the recommended daily intake of this important antioxidant. For storage purposes, be sure to keep your sugar snap peas in the refrigerator, and do your best to eat them within one week. Just as with corn, the sugars in these peas will naturally convert themselves to starch. Keeping them cold will slow this process, while also preserving their texture and nutrient content.
I’ll leave you with this interesting, trivial fact: because they hold up so well to freezing and canning, only about five percent of sugar snap peas are sold fresh in the U.S. As informed eaters, we know that these peas—as with other vegetable—are best fresh, both nutritionally and flavor-wise. That being said, enjoy these healthy, delightfully crispy sugar snap peas and savor their short-lived season!

Sources:

http://cals.arizona.edu/fps/sites/cals.arizona.edu.fps/files/cotw/Sugar_Snap_Peas.pdf

http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/fns/pdf/ffvp_fs_ssp.pdf

Kale Dip with Sugar Snap Peas

Recipe sourced from http://www.marthastewart.com/1050593/kale-dip-snap-peas

Serves 4
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced (or substitute garlic scapes)
3 cups thinly sliced kale leaves
Coarse salt
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Pinch red-pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic and kale and season with salt. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool. 
2. Transfer to a food processor. Add cottage cheese and puree until smooth. Season with pepper flakes and lemon juice. 
3. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook peas until bright green and tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath; drain. Serve with dip. 

Cook’s Note:  Dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Roasted Sugar Snap Peas with Black Pepper

Recipe adapted from Rachel Ray’s recipe featured on www.foodnetwork.com. 

Serves 2-3
½ pound sugar snap peas
Olive oil, to coat
Fine sea salt
Coarse black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
2. Coat the snap peas lightly with olive oil. Season with sea salt and lots of black pepper. Roast (in a single layer on a baking sheet) until browned at the edges but still with some bite left to them, 10 to 12 minutes.

Vegetable Feature: Garlic Scapes

by Andrea Yoder

Back in the early 90’s garlic scapes were not a vegetable you would’ve seen featured on any menu or in one of our newsletters.  In fact, we used to cut them off the plant and throw them on the ground!  Garlic scapes are a curly shoot that forms on a hardneck garlic plant and grows up from the center of the plant in June.  All of our varieties of garlic are hardneck garlic.  This type of garlic produces scapes as part of nature’ s plan for the plant to propagate itself.  The scape extends from the middle of the plant and forms a small bulb on its end.  If left to choose its own destiny, that bulb would eventually tip over and plant itself in the soil.  We want the garlic plant to focus its energy into producing a nice bulb of garlic, so we remove the scape from the plant.
We were the first farm in the Midwest to start saving the scapes and actually encouraging people to eat them.  In the early 90’s there was a woman from Korea who asked us to save the garlic scapes for her so she could make pickles.  We thought this was odd (remember we used to throw them on the ground), but saved some for her anyway.  She shared a jar of pickled scapes with us and we realized how good they are for eating!  We stopped throwing them away and started eating them!
Nearly the entire scape is edible.  They are best when harvested young and tender. I recommend trimming off the skinny end near the little bulb and sometimes you’ll need to trim the other end a bit as well.  The entire scape is edible and doesn’t need to be peeled….Easy!  Scapes have a bright, mild garlic flavor.  They can be used in any recipe that calls for garlic cloves, just chop them up and add them as you would clove garlic.  You can turn them into a simple pickle, or you can do a whole host of things with them including tossing them on a grill and then using them as a topping for a pizza. They are a great addition to eggs, are tasty when mixed with butter to use as a spread, or toss them into a stir-fry.
They’ll keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.  You could also take advantage of their unique & dramatic appearance and use them as a decorative item on your table for a few days before you decide to use them!

Pickled Garlic Scapes

Recipe borrowed from the blog Foodie with Family (www.foodiewithfamily.com)

Yield:  1 pint
1 bunch garlic scapes (washed and trimmed)
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cups water
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon raw sugar (can substitute granulated white sugar if necessary)
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon mustard seed (not ground mustard)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (can omit if you’re sensitive to heat)
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds (not ground coriander)

1. Coil each garlic scape and insert into a sterilized pint mason or ball jar. When you have filled the jar to within ¼ –inch of the top of the jar, coil or break any extra scapes and stuff them down into the center of the jar. When the jar is full of scapes, add the spices to the jar. Set aside.
2. Bring the apple cider vinegar, water, salt, and sugar to a boil, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Carefully pour the boiling brine over the garlic scapes. The garlic scapes will probably pop up and look like they are trying to get out of the jar. Use a sterile chopstick or butterknife to push it back into the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars, then fix the lid tightly into place. Let the jars come to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for 6 weeks before opening and tasting. Be patient. It’s worth it!
3. The pickled garlic scapes will store well for up to 8 months when stored tightly covered in the refrigerator. If at any point the scapes stick above the brine and develop mold, remove the entire scape that has mold. The rest should still be alright.

Garlic Scape & Cilantro Pesto

This recipe was recently published in the Edible Madison, Season by Season 5th Anniversary Edition. We’d encourage you to take a look at this publication, either in print or online: http://digitaleditions.sheridan.com/publication/?i=261309 or at their website: 

http://ediblemadison.com/recipes. It features seasonal recipes contributed by seasonal cooks and chefs from the region.  Dani Lind is responsible for this recipe.  Dani is a long time friend of Harmony Valley Farm and a talented chef and owner of Rooted Spoon Culinary in Viroqua.  If you’re in our area this summer, check out her website to see what special events she has going on.  (www.rootedspoon.com)

Serves 6 (Makes approximately 1 ½ cups)

1 cup garlic scapes (6 to 8 scapes, or about 1 bunch), cut into 1-inch pieces, tips removed and     discarded

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds, toasted and cooled

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems coarsely chopped

⅓ cup cold-pressed sunflower oil

2 tsp lime juice or apple cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine scapes and pumpkin seeds in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.  
2. Add cilantro, lime juice and oil;  pulse until evenly chopped.  Season with salt and pepper.  Use within a week in the fridge or freeze.

**HVF Serving suggestions:  Toss with hot pasta and grated cheese for a quick dinner;  Stir into scrambled eggs, use as a spread on a sandwich, mix with sour cream or plain yogurt and use as a dip for fresh veggies.

Vegetable Feature: Kohlrabi

by Andrea Yoder
Kohlrabi is one of our favorite spring vegetables (I say that a lot…I guess we have a lot of favorites!).  It fills a special spot in the season as it bridges the gap between all of the leafy greens we have early in the season and some of the more substantial vegetables such as beets, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and cabbage which need a little more time.  While many think that kohlrabi is a root vegetable, it’s actually a swollen stem that grows above the ground.  It has a unique appearance all to its own with collard-like leaves growing from thin stems that extend out of the bulb part of the kohlrabi.  The greens are also edible and can be cooked similarly to collards or kale.
You may find green or purple kohlrabi (or both!) in your box.  The only difference between the two is the color of the skin.  Once you peel it away the tender, crisp vegetable on the inside is the same.  The skin is a little tough, so we do recommend you peel it off.  I usually cut the kohlrabi bulb into quarters and then peel away the skin with a paring knife.
Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that you don’t really need to do much with to enjoy it. It’s a great vegetable to snack on with your favorite dip or salad dressing.  Sprinkle it with a little salt and a squeeze of lemon and you’re on your way.  If you do want to get more creative, kohlrabi makes an excellent slaw when shredded or sliced thinly and tossed with a dressing or vinaigrette of your choosing.  It can also be cooked, but be careful not too over cook it or it will lose its bright, mild flavor.  Lightly sauté it or stir-fry it with a little butter or a simple sauce…and don’t forget to add the greens too!
It is best to store kohlrabi in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or a container with a lid to prevent the greens from wilting.  The bulb will last for a few weeks, but I’d encourage you to eat it soon to make room on your plate for all the other vegetables coming your way soon!

Shanghai-Inspired Stir-Fried Pork with Kohlrabi & Bok Choi

by Andrea Yoder

Serves 4
16 ounces boneless pork loin, trimmed of fat
1 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp dry sherry
4 Tbsp soy sauce
¼ tsp ground white pepper
2-3 Tbsp peanut or sunflower oil, divided
¼ cup thinly sliced green garlic or garlic scapes
6 ounces shiitake or oyster mushrooms, sliced thinly (approx. 2 cups)
2 kohlrabi, leaves and bulb
2-3 baby bok choi, sliced thinly (approx. 2 cups)
Chinese chile sauce or 2 tsp red curry paste
Kosher salt, to taste
Cooked rice for serving

1. First, prepare all of the vegetables as indicated above.  For the kohlrabi, first separate the leaves from the bulb.  Remove the stem from the leaves and thinly slice the greens.  Cut the bulbs in half and peel off the outer layer.  Cut the flesh into matchsticks.  Set aside until you’re ready to start the stir-fry.
2. Freeze the pork for 15 minutes, then remove it from the freezer and slice it into ¼-inch thick slices.  Stack the slices and cut them into ¼-inch wide strips.  Transfer the pork to a medium bowl and toss with the cornstarch, sherry, soy sauce, white pepper and 1 Tbsp of the oil.
3. Heat a large skillet until almost smoking.  Add 1 Tbsp of the oil and heat until the oil shimmers.  Drain the liquid off the pork, reserving it for use later.  Add the pork to the pan and stir-fry until it is cooked through, which will only take about 1-3 minutes.  Transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.  Add a little more oil to the pan.  Add the green garlic or scapes and mushrooms.  Stir-fry for 30-45 seconds or until the mushrooms are softened and wilting a bit.
4. Add the kohlrabi greens and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until wilted.  Next add the kohlrabi bulb as well as the baby bok choi.  Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the pork and the reserved liquid back into the pan.  Stir-fry for a few more minutes or until the vegetables are just tender and the pork is hot.  
5. If you like a little spice, serve the stir-fry with Chinese chile sauce, or stir in 2 tsp of red curry paste at the end of cooking. 
6. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and white pepper if needed.  Serve immediately with cooked rice.

Vegetable Feature: Cilantro

by Sarah Janes Ugoretz

This week we’re excited to feature cilantro, one of the most healthy herbs out there! Beyond its renowned fragrance and its bright, citrusy flavor, cilantro is a powerhouse when it comes to medicinal properties. In Sarma Melngailis’s cookbook, Living Raw Food, she cites some of cilantro’s unique nutritional properties including one of its most unique features in supporting chelation. This process refers to cilantro’s ability-as a “substance that has a great molecular surface area and a negative ionic charge”-to essentially remove various toxins, heavy metals, molds, yeast, and fungi from our bodies.  This is an especially important property for those of us who reside in urban areas and are exposed to a number of airborne pollutants on a regular basis. Beyond its work as a chelator, cilantro is also an excellent source of zinc, thiamin, dietary fiber, and vitamins A, C, E, and K--just to name a few.
Thought to have originated in Greece, cilantro’s culinary history spans millennia. According to Lynda Balslev, writing for a 2010 National Public Radio article, coriander seeds were found in 8,000 year old caves in Israel, are referred to in the Bible and in ancient Sanskrit texts, and were even sprinkled across the floor of King Tut’s tomb. It wasn’t until the 1600s that these seeds made their way to the Americas, but today, cilantro is widely used throughout the American Southwest, Latin America, and the Caribbean, as well as in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Here in the Midwest, you’re most likely to encounter cilantro in salsas or guacamole, but it is also an excellent addition to shakes, salads, and-as you’ll see in the accompanying recipe-in soups.
Outside of the U.S. and Mexico, cilantro often goes by other names--primarily, coriander, pak chi, or Chinese celery. Unlike most of Europe where the entire plant is referred to as coriander, in the U.S. we identify the seeds as coriander and the leafy part of the plant as cilantro. Though they come from the same plant, coriander seeds and cilantro have entirely different flavor profiles.
For storage purposes, cilantro keeps best if kept upright in a jar with water. Cover with a plastic bag and place the jar in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that you can use not only the leaves, but the stems as well since they are thin and tender enough to blend right in with any dish!

Spring Shiitake & Cilantro Soup

by Andrea Yoder

Serves 4-6

2 Tbsp Sunflower oil

⅔ cup green garlic, greens & bulb chopped finely

3-4 green onions, greens and bulb separated

1 Tbsp minced ginger

6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly (approx. 2 to 2 ½ cups)

1 ½ tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Freshly ground white pepper, to taste (optional)

⅛ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp mirin or rice wine vinegar

⅔ cup asparagus, cut into ½-inch pieces

4 baby white turnips, tops removed, chopped finely

½ cup chopped cilantro

Toasted sesame or peanut oil, to taste

1. Heat the sunflower oil in medium sauce pot over medium heat.  Finely chop the bulb or lower portion of the green onion.  Thinly slice the green onion tops and set aside to garnish the soup at the end.  When the oil is warm, add the finely chopped onion and the green garlic.  Sauté for 1-2 minutes and then add the ginger and shiitake mushrooms.  Sauté for 2-3 more minutes or until the mushrooms start to soften.
2. Add the salt and season with black and white pepper and crushed red pepper if desired.  Add the chicken or vegetable stock, cover and return the soup to a simmer.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove the cover and add the soy sauce, mirin and asparagus.  Simmer for another 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the finely chopped turnip, cilantro and green onion tops.
4. Adjust the seasoning to your liking with additional salt and pepper if needed. 
5. Portion the soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of sesame or peanut oil.

Cocount Rice with Lemongrass & Cilantro

Recipe borrowed from Lorna Sass’ book, Lorna Sass’ Complete Vegetarian Kitchen

2 ½ cups water

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 tsp dried lemongrass, placed in a tea ball or tea bag

1 cup long-grain or basmati brown rice

½ cup unsweetened, grated coconut

¾ tsp salt

⅛ to ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flaces

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, bring the water and lemongrass to a boil.  Add the rice, coconut, salt, and red pepper flakes.  Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, until all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.  
2. Remove the tea ball or pieces of lemongrass.  Stir in the cilantro as you fluff up the rice with a fork. 

Vegetable Feature: Pea Vine

by Andrea Yoder


Pea vine is actually just an immature pea plant that we harvest before it starts to make blossoms. As an immature plant its greens are edible and have a delicious, mild sweet pea flavor.  Pea vine can be eaten raw as a salad ingredient or can be lightly sautéed, wilted into soups or stir-fried. While the tendrils and leaves are tender, the main stem can sometimes get tough depending on how big the plant is at harvest.  Unfortunately, Richard and I disagree every year as to when the pea vine should be harvested.  I argue that we should harvest it when the stems are short & tender.  Richard argues that we should let it get a little bit bigger and if some of the lower stems start to get a little bit tough and woody, just sort them out.  Well, I agree that I prefer a generous bunch of pea vine, but I really don’t enjoy sorting out the tough stems.
This year I did some more careful evaluation and I actually have to admit that I’ve finally found a reason to agree with Richard that we should let the pea vine get a bit more mature.  The flavor is actually better when the plant is a bit more mature!  Flavor almost always wins out in my book, so now I just have to figure out how to work with the plant so the stems don’t drive me crazy!  My solution has been to find ways to incorporate pea vine into dishes that can be blended.  This way you can add the entire plant and chop it up finely to extract all the delicious flavor!  You can leave the blended pea vine in whatever dish you are preparing if you don’t mind a little fiber and the fact that it will slightly thicken your dish.  If you prefer something smooth, you could also strain it out.  Using this method, you can make very tasty soups, sauces, or pea vine pesto.
So this year, Richard and I have finally come to an agreement as to when we will harvest the pea vine.  If you haven’t been a fan of pea vine previously, I’d encourage you to give it a try with the blender by your side to assist.  It’s worth the little bit of effort to be able to enjoy the delicious pea flavor packed in this green!

Fettuccine with Pea Vine Cream Sauce

by Andrea Yoder

Serves 4-6
12 ounces fettuccine noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 pieces green garlic, green top & bulb minced (about ⅓ cup)
3-4 green onions, green top & bulb minced (about ⅔ cup)
½ cup white wine
2 ½ cups half & half
4-6 cups (1 bunch) pea vine, roughly chopped
¼ pound asparagus, cut into bite-sized pieces or smaller
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Prepare a pot of salted boiling water and cook the fettuccine according to the package instructions.  Drain the fettuccine into a colander, reserving about 1-2 cups of the cooking liquid.  Set aside the cooking liquid and fettuccine until you are ready to add it to the sauce.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add green garlic & onion and sauté for about 1 minute.  Add the white wine and simmer until nearly all the wine is gone.   Add the half & half and reduce the total volume by half by simmering over medium-low heat.  Do not let the mixture boil or it will separate and curdle. If this does happen, don’t despair.  You can usually whisk the lumps out, or you’ll take care of them when you blend the sauce. Season the cream mixture with salt and black pepper.
3. While the cream mixture is reducing, prepare the pea vine.  Sort out any damaged leaves and trim off the bottom ½-1 inch of the stem.  Rough chop the pea vine into about 1-inch pieces.  Once the cream mixture has reduced by half, add the pea vine, cover and allow the pea vine to wilt into the cream, which will only take a few minutes.  
4. Once the pea vine is wilted, remove the sauce from the heat.  Carefully transfer the sauce to a blender and puree the mixture until the pea vine is completely chopped up.  Carefully pour the cream mixture back into the pan and return it to the stove top over medium-low heat.
5. Add the asparagus and lemon zest and simmer just until the asparagus is starting to get tender but is not completely cooked.  Add the fettuccine to the pan and stir to combine.  You want the sauce to lightly coat the pasta.  If the sauce is a little too thin, continue to cook the pasta in the sauce for a few more minutes.  If the sauce is too thick, thin it out by adding a little bit of the pasta liquid until the sauce is the desired consistency.  Taste the pasta and sauce and add salt and pepper to your liking.  
6. Serve hot.  While it’s delicious just as it is, you could also serve it with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan on top or a sprinkle of crumbled cooked bacon.  This dish is also delicious when served with grilled shrimp or chicken on top or with a piece of sautéed fish.  

*Note:  If you want a completely smooth sauce, you can strain the sauce before returning it to the pan.  However, if you have a good blender, you should be able to blend the pea vine into very small pieces that will actually thicken the sauce.  I do not enjoy cleaning the strainer and prefer to keep the fiber in the food, thus I usually do not strain the sauce.