Kale is an excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and chlorophyll. Also, a rich source of minerals like copper, sodium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus.  

Kale with Tomato Risotto
serves 4
1 bunch Kale
1 teaspoon salt
13 oz chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Arborio Rice
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan Cheese

Wash Kale and cut off the stems below the leaves. Fill a large pot halfway with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil and blanch the kale for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Drain well and chop the kale.

Combine the broth and the tomatoes in a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  

 

Saute the onion and garlic in a medium size saucepan, and stir in the rice. Add about 1 cup of the hot broth and cook at a low boil (but not as low as a simmer), uncovered, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Add half the remaining broth and repeat the procedure. Pour in the last of the broth and cook until the rice is tender. Total cooking time should be 12 to 14 minutes. Add the Cheese and Kale.

 

 

 

Raw Kale Salad with Sprouted Quinoa and Pumpkin Seeds
Serves 4

This is a great salad we have been experimenting with. If you haven't sprouted grains before its really easy although, you must plan ahead so the grains have time to soak and sprout (instructions below). The quinoa in this salad can be interchanged with various sprouted grains and/or seeds (wheatberries, rice, barley, kamut, lentils, beans,etc.) 


1/2 bunch kale leaves (about 5-6 cups), chopped
salt
1/4 cup tahini
3/4 cup sprouted quinoa (see recipe below)
1/2 cup toasted tamari pumpkin seeds (see recipe below)

Place kale leaves in a large bowl and massage for about 2 minutes to help soften the kale.  A little salt can be added to help drain some of the kale juices and soften it up a bit as well.  Transfer kale to a fresh bowl (and discard any liquid from the kale) and mix with the tahini. Toss with the sprouted quinoa and pumpkin seeds.

Sprouted Quinoa
Makes about 3/4 cup

1/2 cup raw quinoa
Jar or glass container for sprouting
Cheesecloth to cover the jar
Rubber band
Water for rinsing

Put the quinoa in a glass jar and cover with water.  Put the cloth over the top and secure with a rubber band.  Soak it overnight or for at least 8 - 12 hours.  In the morning, rinse and drain the jar well.  There should not be water left sitting in the jar.

Leave the jar in a cool, dark place while the quinoa sprouts.  Make sure to rinse and drain the quinoa every 6 - 8 hours.  The quinoa will be done sprouting in about 48 hours.

Toasted Tamari Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tablespoon tamari

Mix pumpkin seeds and tamari in a small bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes so the tamari can be absorbed.  Place seeds flat on a baking sheet.  Toast in the oven at 250 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping at least twice.  The seeds are done with they are dry and crunchy.

Fresh tomatoes are very rich in potassium.Tomatoes also contain lycopene, a bright red carotne pigment, a phytochemical found in red fruits and vegetables. Lycopene protects cells and other structures in the body from oxygren free radicals. Red varieties of tomatoes are especially rich in lycopene. Tomatoes are also, a great source of folate, iron, calcium, manganese and other minerals.

 

We should have a generous pound for each box. Heirlooms are really fragile and prone to splitting and cracking. By the time we get them harvested and cleaned and ready to pack we have to pick some out for canners but are confident that we'll be getting you a nice selection this week, they are very ripe so enjoy soon. Likely varieties you'll be seeing are:

 

 

 Japanese Black Trifele  

This tomato is of Russian origin. In Russia the Trifele varieties of tomatoes (of which there are several colors) are highly prized. This short potato leaf plant yields The fruit looks like a beautiful mahogany-colored Bartlett pear with greenish shoulders. Very tasty flesh with a meaty core. The Black Trifele is one of the blackest varieties available.

 

Black Krim 

 

This heirloom tomato originates from the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea, near the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine. It is believed that soldiers returning home from the Crimean War, in the late 19th century, gathered these seeds and began sharing them. As a result these seeds were later widely distributed throughout Europe.This tomato can vary in color ranging from a reddish brown hue towards the bottom of the fruit, then darkening to greenish-dark purple shoulders.  

 

Cherokee Purple  

 

This variety is thought to have been saved and passed down from the Cherokee Native Americans. Cherokee Purple tomatoes are beefsteak in style, with green "shoulders" across the top. They are also notable for having a dense, juicy texture, with complex and sweet flavors. 

 

Jetsetter Tomato 

 

The Jetsetter tomato has a very rich tomato taste. Excellent in salads or sandwiches. 

 

Red Zebra  

 

A meaty red fruit with light yellow striping and red-yellow flesh. It has great flavor, retains its juices when sliced and cooks well.     

 

Striped Roman

 
A very unique tomato. The striped roman are long, roma-shaped tomatoes with orange stripes running down the length of the fruit. These tomatoes are very thick and meaty with a nice rich flavor. 

 

Goldie

A golden-colored heirloom tomato. The goldie has a very meaty texture and is believed to date back to the 1870's. Goldie is believed to be a yellow version of Giant Belgian, and is a tasty, non-acidic variety.

 

 

Green Zebra

A yellowish-green tomato with dark green zebra like stripes. The flesh has a lime-emerald color that has invigorating lemon-lime flavor. It is a little more tart than regular tomatoes.

 

A few tomato tips:

 Olive Oil
2 leeks, white part only, washed thoroughly and sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, sliced very thin
2-3 tomatoes. sliced very thin
2 summer squash, sliced very thin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/3 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

 

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Oil a 9 inch round or a 9 x 13 rectangular glass or ceramic baking dish.  In a sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the leeks over medium low heat until they are translucent, but not brown.   Add the garlic and cook for just another minute.  Spread the leek/garlic mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.

 

Layer the zucchini, tomato and squash slices on top of the onions in one layer.  Sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper, and thyme and then drizzle all with a tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes.  Uncover the dish, sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for another 30 minutes or until browned.

 

 

New this week is escarole. This Italian green is a bit bitter (and that's bitter in a good way) and is related to endive and chicory. We came up with the recipe below last week once again utilizing our secret go-to ingredient, anchovy paste. The sweetness of the caramelized leeks and carrots offset the bitterness (in a good way) of the escarole.  

 

 

Escarole with caramelized leeks and carrots

1 head escarole, chopped in to bite sized pieces  

1 cup carrots, sliced

2 leeks, white part halved and sliced

¼ dry white wine

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup diced fresh tomato

salt and pepper

 

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a sauté pan and cook carrots over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add leeks, and reduce heat if necessary so they don't brown. Cook carrots and leeks until leeks are tender, about another 7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring with a whisk to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the sauté pan. When carrots and leeks are cooked remove them from the pan and set aside.

 

Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to sauté pan. Add anchovy paste and honey and cook over low heat, stirring, until paste and honey are melted and combined. Add escarole and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the escarole is cooked down but still a bit crisp. Toss in carrots and leeks and season generously with salt and pepper. Top with diced tomato.

Can be served hot, room temperature, or cold.

 

 

Escarole Salad with Avocado and Parmesan
1 head escarole
½ firm-ripe avocado
Parmigiano Reggiano
Crunchy sea salt

For the dressing:
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. champagne vinegar
½ tsp. fine sea salt
5 Tbsp. olive oil

First, prepare the escarole. Pull off the outer layer of leaves. Cut the head in half from stem to tip, and then cut each half crosswise into coarse strips about 1 inch wide. Wash and dry escarole well. Turn them out into a salad bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, and salt, and whisk well to combine. Add the oil a tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously to emulsify. Taste, and adjust vinegar-oil balance, if necessary.

Shred Parmigiano Reggiano over the escarole in a bowl. Add a good splash of dressing and toss to combine. Taste and add dressing to your liking. Cut the avocado into thin slices. Serve salad with avocado and shredded Parmigiano and salt to taste.

 

Parsley is a great source of vitamin A, copper, manganese and is useful as a digestive aid. It helps to purify the blood and contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges and twice as much iron as spinach. Not to mention a natural breath freshener. 

This week we have an heirloom cucumber in the shares. It is called a true lemon. It is lemon-like in color, size and shape, the True Lemon Cucumber's white flesh is sweet with a nice crunch. Neither flesh nor skin is bitter, and it's versatile enough for slicing, pickling, and snacking.

Braised Cucumbers

Hot cucumbers, really??? Yes, it's really good!

 

3 c peeled, seeded cucumbers cut into medium chunks

1 TBS canola oil (any neutral oil will do)

1 TBS rice wine vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 TBS minced cilantro

1 chile pepper minced (any pepper is fine (jalapeno, Serrano, Hungarian wax etc.)-leave the seeds in for hot, take them out for less heat)

2 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1-2 tsp sugar

toasted sesame seeds, salt and pepper to garnish

 

Heat a medium sauté pan, put canola oil in pan, when a film forms add the garlic, ginger and chile peppers to pan, cook for 3-4 minutes until they are soft and aromatic but not browned.  Add cucumbers and cook for 1 minute until heated through, add vinegar, minced cilantro and sugar and cook until sugar dissolves-taste the dish now, it should be a bit sweet and sour, adjust seasoning, top with toasted sesame seeds and sesame oil.  Great as a side dish or top with a pieces of  grilled halibut.

 

 

Leeks are a good source of vitamin A, C, E, and K. Leeks are a great alternative to onions in a stew, sauté or risotto. Leeks don't contain as much moisture as onions, so you'll need to add extra oil or butter to prevent burning.