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Dear Common Thread CSA Members,
Happy Summer Solstice! It's late June, our main planting season is mostly finished and fall planting is starting. We're battling weeds and mowing tall grass. There are lots of flowering peppers, tomatoes, cukes, melons, summer squash and eggplants in the tunnels and fields that will eventually be fruit. The cucumber plants in the hoophouse are over our heads already (see Dan with them above). New veggies are coming in: mini-onions, chinese cabbage, zucchini and summer squash, kohlrabi and the very first of the hoophouse eggplant. Our apprentices are getting into the swing of harvest and distribution and have become fast transplanters and seeders. One more part time helper has joined us on the farm, Talon Westman. We're also grateful to Brittany for volunteering on the farm. Thanks to Jim and Deborah for the picture of their share last week (above).
We're buried in garlic scapes! As we mentioned last week, they are great raw or cooked as a garlicy scallion. Other possiblities: a table bouquet, garlic scape pesto, and garlic scape mashed potatoes.
Zucchini and Summer Squash are finally in! My family tradition is to steam zucchini discs and once they are cooked melt cheese on top, yum! They are also great for grilling, stir-fries, baking, omelettes and much more.
Kohlrabi is the vegetable that looks like a purple UFO. It can be peeled and eaten in raw slices or cut small for salads. It can also be cooked. It is related to broccoli and has a similar flavor and texture to a peeled broccoli stem, although it is slightly sweeter and crispier.
Chinese Cabbage (or Napa Cabbage) can be eaten raw in salads or cooked. It can be made into kimchi. Here is a recipe from epicurious.com:
Spicy Napa Cabbage Slaw with Cilantro Dressing 
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 fresh serrano chile, finely chopped, with seeds
- 1 small head Napa cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 bunch scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Preparation
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Whisk together vinegar, sugar, ginger, oil, chile, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add remaining ingredients and toss well. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 10 minutes.
Escarole is a great cooking green. It's tasty sauteed with garlic and olive oil. It's also a staple in the local dish, "Utica Greens". It can also be eaten raw in a salad but I would recommend a well dressed one since the leaves are more bitter than many other salad greens. Escarole is used a lot in Italian cooking and is tasty in pasta dishes. Here is one take on that from marthastewart.com: Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Gorgonzola and Escarole
INGREDIENTS
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium heads escarole (12 ounces each), ends trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into bite-size pieces, washed (but not dried)
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
DIRECTIONS -
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente; drain, and return to pot.
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Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion starts to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
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Add as much escarole to skillet as will fit; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, adding more escarole as room becomes available. Continue to cook until escarole is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add remaining tablespoon butter and escarole mixture (with any pan juices) to pasta in pot; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, and serve immediately.
Yours in the field, Wendy and Asher
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