So this week's items include the following "already seen" veggies: 

 

2 head's of lettuce (1 green, 1 red) - These heads just keep on coming.  I hope you are enjoying the high that fresh lettuce can provide! 

1 head of escarole - (Remember, this has a blue rubberband around it - don't confuse it with the green lettuce!)  After I sent out last week's newsletter, I read a newsletter from my old boss in which he did a much better job of giving cooking suggestions for this member of the chicory family.  Here is what he had to say, "I've probably said this before, but if there's one thing we don't eat enough of in this country it's bitter greens. Technically escarole is a type of broad-leaved endive, unlike the curly endive that you see in many California salad mixes . If you happen to be in France you can get broad-leaved endives that have been tied up and blanched in the center so that you can eat the center as a salad green . We're not quite that fancy, so this escarole is really a better cooking green . The greener the leaves on the endives, the more bitterness they have .Like arugula, bitter greens like escarole tend to be able to handle other strong flavors well . Quickly sautéing it with olive oil, garlic and some lemon juice is an easy way to get the full effect . If you happen to be roasting a chicken, sautéing it with the juices while making gravy is also a dynamite way to go . The only problem with it is that it cooks down so much that we end up fighting over it."  Makes you want to cook it up, does it not?  

1 bunch of arugula - Have you eaten this nutty, peppery green with eggs yet?  Give it a try, raw arugula with poached eggs and toast is a Farmer Favorite Breakfast! 

a bag of sugar snap peas 

a bunch of radishes OR spinach

a bunch of salad turnips - I'm curious as to what people are thinking abut these if you are new to this veggie.  I roasted some with radishes and garlic scapes last night - recipe below. 

a bunch of garlic scapes - I gotta say I love garlic scape season.  They are so cool looking, and again - great with eggs!! 

 

and the following NEW items:

broccoli OR cucumber 

a bunch of scallions - we should see scallions pretty regularly from here on out.  I love this member of the allium clan.  Though I love them all to be honest. 

a bunch of kale - finally!  The kale has been beautiful out in the field for a few weeks now, but since we had so many other greens for the boxes that don't hold quite as well we left it alone until today.  You've either got a white russian variety (lighter green, larger leaf) or a Lacinato/Dinosaur (darker crinkled leaf) variety. Since this is the first picking for both they are going to be really tender!  Recipes to follow...

a few sprigs of basil  - I know this might seem like a silly amount of basil, three sprigs, but we top the plants early in the season to encourage them to bush out, thereby giving you major amounts of basil in weeks to come.  So enjoy this fragrant peak into the future! 

 

Arugula with Soft-Cooked eggs and Toast From The Brain of Farmer Alissa 

 

Half of 1 bunch of Wellspring Arugula

2 eggs

a piece of bread or two 

 

Boil the water to cook your eggs - I recommend the "soft boil" or the poached method for this dish.  While the water is boiling, wash the arugula and coarsely chop, set on your breakfast plate.  Make your toast.  When the eggs are cooked in your desired fashion, set them on the arugula and break open the yolk, letting the greens mingle with the eggs.  Salt and pepper to taste, eat with toast. 

 

Roasted Radishes, Salad Turnips and Garlic Scapes (can be made with just turnips and scapes) From The Brain of Farmer Alissa 

 

1 bunch salad turnips

1 bunch radishes

1 bunch garlic scapes 

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Half/quarter the radishes and turnips depending on their size.  Chop the scapes into 1 inch pieces.  Place the three items in a bowl, coat with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on a roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes.  Enjoy!! 

 

Here are a couple of scallion pancake recipes for you to try - I really like these.  

 

Chinese Scallion Pancakes  recipe by Elsa Chen

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more for flouring the rolling surface
1 cup water
2 teaspoons oil
A bunch of green onions, green and white parts, chopped medium-fine

A few tablespoons of oil to brush on pancakes (a mix of canola or corn oil and sesame oil is good) some salt A few tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:
Mix together the first three ingredients by hand or in a food processor. Flour a surface and knead the dough. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes before continuing.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a well-floured surface into a big, flat square or rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
Brush the pancake with a bit of oil, and sprinkle with spring onion pieces and a little salt. Starting at one short end, roll up the dough tightly, jelly-roll style, so you have a "snake."
Cut the "snake" crosswise into 8 - 10 pieces. Then flatten each piece again gently with your palm and rolling pin to make a little rectangle. Don't flatten it too firmly, because you want a little air to remain trapped between the layers of the pancakes so they'll puff up a bit between the layers and be lighter.
Press one or both sides in sesame seeds (optional).
Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large skillet. Shallow fry the pancakes until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Serve plain or with dipping sauce. An easy sauce can be made by mixing soy sauce with a little minced garlic, scallion, and rice vinegar. 

 

Green Onion Pancake by Stella Fong

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup cold water
vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup minced green onions
Mix together flour and boiling water. Add 1/3 cup cold water and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Add more water if necessary. Cover and let dough rest for about 15 minutes. In a small bowl, combine sesame oil, salt and green onions. Set aside. Divide dough into 10 pieces. Flatten each piece in the palm of your hand. Then roll out into a 6-inch circle. Spread each piece with the green onion mixture.
Roll up dough into a jellyroll. Then wind up into a snail shape. Flatten slightly; roll on lightly floured surface to 5-inch circle. Spray pan with vegetable oil spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Fry pancake until golden brown, about 2 minutes, turn and cook other side. Serve hot. Makes 10 pancakes 

 

Marinated Kale Salad 

Mary Ann makes this for staff lunches and it is one of my favorites!  Should be made at least 24 hours in advance for better flavor but even a few hours will suffice (per Mary Ann). 

 

1 bunch kale 

2-3 TBS olive oil 

2-3 TBS soy sauce/tamari 

1-2 cloves grated garlic (to taste) 

1/2 cup nutritional yeast 

 

Remove kale stems and chop the kale up very fine and put in a large bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients and mix together, add more of any if necessary.  Stick in fridge and ignore for 24 hours! 

 

Kale with Olives, Feta and Walnuts From the Brain of Farmer Alissa 

 

1 bunch kale

2 TBS olive oil 

4 oz feta 

1/2 cup walnuts 

1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped 

 

Remove stems from kale and coarsly chop.  Simmer in boiling water for five to ten minutes, drain and press out excess moisture with the back of a spoon. Toss with remaining ingredients and serve.

 

Thanks again for making it to the bottom!! 

Farmer A 

 

 

VEGGIE PHOTOS and additional Kale recipes will follow in a separate email.  Executive Director Angie is having a photo transfer challenge and rather than holding up the e-news any longer, will follow up shortly with an additional photo and Kale recipes that were shared by K.C. Thorson of K.C.'s Kafe' at the June Cooking Class!

P.S. Photos at the top and bottom of the newsletter were taken by Farmer Alissa.