SRJC Shone Farm CSA Newsletter

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SRJC Shone Farm CSA Newsletter

May 21, 2014

Flashy Troutback Lettuce

Kohlrabi

Dried Beans

IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK:

Flashy Troutback & Nevada Lettuce

Red Russian Kale

Kohlrabi

Young Garlic

Snap Peas

Dried Beans

Sage

Strawberries

NEWS AND VIEWS

Sheep Spa

Well, not really, but our sheep do need a little TLC in the grooming department. It's time for their annual buzz cuts. They're all getting the same "do" Tuesday, even if they'd prefer a different style. We have a professional sheep shearer coming to the farm to trim them, which is a great learning experience for the

students. It helps keep the sheep cooler as well as cleaner. Shearing cuts down on bacteria and disease and also helps them gain weight.

Killer Tomatoes!

In the garden, we're busy transplanting tomatoes. This week we plan on getting about 1,300 tomatoes into the field! They were planted around Valentine's Day and are now about 6 inches tall.

On the tomatoes' heels will be peppers and eggplant. These are all in the Solanaceae, or nightshade family. Although some members of the nightshade family are deadly, as we know, some are quite tasty. Then, of course, sometimes they are a combination like in attack of the killer tomatoes, but hopefully that won't happen here.

Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant all generally need lots of sun and time to grow. Farming certainly takes patience and hard work. We sow tomato seeds in February, transplant them in May, water them, weed them, trellis them, and then in September we'll be busy picking hundreds of tomatoes every day! Salsa, tomato sauce, and tomato caprese - yum!

TIPS & TIDBITS...

I see spots!

No, you see flashy troutback. That is the speckled lettuce in your box this week. Never heard of Flashy Troutback Lettuce? This Austrian heirloom is such a beautiful variety, it steals all the attention in the salad garden. It is a dark green leaved romaine splashed with wine-red speckles. Imagine dipping a paintbrush in red paint and giving it a hard shake onto your romaine lettuce. You've got the picture. Your taste buds will like it too, for its rich buttery flavor.

What to do with all that lettuce:

Think of your salad as a one dish meal. The possibilities are endless!
Add different veggies - snap peas, leftover sautéed veggies, or cooked potatoes.
Play with herbs either in the salad, or the dressing - parsley, basil, cilantro, tarragon, chives, dill, edible flowers (calendula, viola, nasturtium)
Throw some protein in - meat, eggs, tofu, pumpkin & sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, cheese (shaved parmesan or goat cheese are nice), fava beans (or any beans), lentils
For a kick, add - sliced strawberries or other fruit, citrus wheat berries, brewer's yeast, flax meal, salsa, Asian noodles, or water chestnuts

Sage

Wrap fresh sage in paper towels and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Add sage to salads, soups, spaghetti sauce and other dishes that need a hint of herbal flavoring. Sage is often an herb used in breakfast sausages and stuffing. It is delicious with scrambled eggs or potatoes as well as added to a salad dressing.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi can be one of those intimidating vegetables if you haven't been around it much. It has the look of an organic Sputnik, with a taste like fresh, crunchy broccoli stems accented by radish.

The name kohlrabi comes from the German kohl, meaning cabbage, and rabi, or turnip, and that kind of sums it up. Kohlrabi can be either green or purple.

To prepare kohlrabi, peel the outer skin. Then you can steam, boil, roast, mash it, or eat it raw.

THE RECIPE CORNER

Shone Strawberry Salad

Aprox. 1 head of lettuce

2 tablespoons basil leaves (optional)

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

Thinly sliced radishes and carrots (optional)

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

½ pint strawberries, sliced

Sunflower seeds or sliced almonds

Feta cheese

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1/8 cup fresh lemon juice

½ young garlic, finely minced

Pinch salt

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces, rinse and spin dry. If using herbs, mince them finely.

Mix together lettuce, herbs, radishes and/ or carrots and season with salt and pepper.

For the dressing, whisk ingredients together until well blended, or place in a food processor and pulse well to combine.

Gently fold the dressing into the salad, tossing to lightly coat the vegetables.

Last, add the sliced strawberries, seeds or almonds, and top with cheese.

Sautéed Kale with Kohlrabi

A splash of citrus and a handful of pistachios transforms this into a bright, fresh, and lively dish.

1 - 2 kohlrabi, peeled

1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 bunch Red Russian kale, stems and center ribs discarded

1 green garlic, finely chopped

1/3 cup salted roasted pistachios, chopped

Very thinly slice the peeled kohlrabi with a mandolin or the side of a grater.

Whisk together lime zest and juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi with dressing.

Tear kale leaves into bite sized pieces. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté garlic until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add kale by the handful, turning and stirring with tongs and adding more kale as volume in skillet reduces. When all of kale is wilted, sauté with 1/2 teaspoon salt until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Toss kale with kohlrabi and pistachios.

Sage & Bean Bruschetta

½ lb dried beans

1 green or young garlic

¼ bunch sage

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

Place beans in large bowl. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches and let soak 8 hours or longer. You can soak them on the counter as long as your house is semi-cool. Change the water after 8 hours if you are not cooking them right away, adding more water if it's absorbed.

When ready to cook them, rinse beans very well and add to a large pot. Cover with fresh water and add sage, olive oil and sliced green garlic. Treat the green garlic like a green onion. Slice the garlic part and then the green part that is tender and slices easily.

Bring water to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 30 minutes, or until the beans are tender. When they are cooked, drain and rinse them again. Remove the sage. Then add some salt, fresh black pepper and a little more olive oil. You can also add a little more sage, lemon juice or rind, and parmesan cheese if desired.

Serve over toasted baguette for a twist on bruschetta, or stir into pasta.

Eat Good. Do Good.