09 Jun Tue 2009
CSA Week 5--spring's garlic
Hello everyone--
I caught myself as I was putting 'spring' in the subject line. Sure feels like spring, and I suppose according to the calendar it still is, but something about being in the second week of June, seems odd to feel so spring like.....well, so be it. We get what we get and we adjust accordingly. For the most part, the plant life is thriving and vibrant. Those of you with gardens see the delay a cool seasons start has on the heat loving crops--tomatoes and peppers being the most obvious, and coveted for most--but the temperate greens and kohl crops find this lovely, or so I surmise from their perky appearance. Referring back to our subject line, we're talking garlic this week. Not the bulbous, clove-y kind, but the long, green, crunchy form. Garlic scapes or scants, as we've heard them referred to as, or dragon's tongues as we affectionately call them, are the immature flowers of the garlic plant. These offer a hint--or a lick--of the mature harvest flavor. The flowers, which resemble more a curly-Q stem or string bean, can be chopped and used raw in pestos, or as a sprinkle to dressings, or cooked dishes, they can be chopped and sauteed as you would garlic, or left whole and roasted or sauteed as you might asparagus or green beans. They have a VERY long storage capacity when kept in the crisper, not that you would have any reason to not eat them right away--but in this we feel you won't find them imposing or inconvenient in any way. Does it harm the garlic to take the flower? Quite the opposite---the bulb would feed the flower in order to self propagate. We, the eaters, step in and liberate the bulb from such burden in order to grow bountiful, fat bulbs for our own harvest and pleasure.
As for the other veg in your share we have your salad mix, radishes and collards....Collards, with being so early in our season of cooking greens, I'm shy to pass you a greens heavy recipe. But still, what to do with a bunch of collards? I would suggest breakfast (if you have the time, in the morning, otherwise, make it for dinner--it is nice to enjoy the meal called breakfast if you normally don't or cannot). Saute the de-stemmed and torn leaves in butter, ghee or oil of choice--if you're into bacon, cook this first and use the leftover pan drippings. Really don't skimp on the fat in the saute. Being a heavier leaf, collards will take a few more minutes to cook than kale or mustard greens--and don't use water--these leaves are supple and filled with moisture to aid cooking. With tongs or a fork, toss the leaves as they cook add salt and pepper to taste--a pinch of coriander is nice. May take 5-10 minutes, med-high heat. Once the leaves are vibrant, deep green, remove from the pan. Serve with eggs prepared to your liking--poached is our choice--and a side of soba noodles or your favorite bread toasted in the hot collard skillet.
Enjoy the week. If you haven't already done so, mark your calendar for the 21st, our potluck gathering here at the farm.
BE well
laurie, lee and Iris
I caught myself as I was putting 'spring' in the subject line. Sure feels like spring, and I suppose according to the calendar it still is, but something about being in the second week of June, seems odd to feel so spring like.....well, so be it. We get what we get and we adjust accordingly. For the most part, the plant life is thriving and vibrant. Those of you with gardens see the delay a cool seasons start has on the heat loving crops--tomatoes and peppers being the most obvious, and coveted for most--but the temperate greens and kohl crops find this lovely, or so I surmise from their perky appearance. Referring back to our subject line, we're talking garlic this week. Not the bulbous, clove-y kind, but the long, green, crunchy form. Garlic scapes or scants, as we've heard them referred to as, or dragon's tongues as we affectionately call them, are the immature flowers of the garlic plant. These offer a hint--or a lick--of the mature harvest flavor. The flowers, which resemble more a curly-Q stem or string bean, can be chopped and used raw in pestos, or as a sprinkle to dressings, or cooked dishes, they can be chopped and sauteed as you would garlic, or left whole and roasted or sauteed as you might asparagus or green beans. They have a VERY long storage capacity when kept in the crisper, not that you would have any reason to not eat them right away--but in this we feel you won't find them imposing or inconvenient in any way. Does it harm the garlic to take the flower? Quite the opposite---the bulb would feed the flower in order to self propagate. We, the eaters, step in and liberate the bulb from such burden in order to grow bountiful, fat bulbs for our own harvest and pleasure.
As for the other veg in your share we have your salad mix, radishes and collards....Collards, with being so early in our season of cooking greens, I'm shy to pass you a greens heavy recipe. But still, what to do with a bunch of collards? I would suggest breakfast (if you have the time, in the morning, otherwise, make it for dinner--it is nice to enjoy the meal called breakfast if you normally don't or cannot). Saute the de-stemmed and torn leaves in butter, ghee or oil of choice--if you're into bacon, cook this first and use the leftover pan drippings. Really don't skimp on the fat in the saute. Being a heavier leaf, collards will take a few more minutes to cook than kale or mustard greens--and don't use water--these leaves are supple and filled with moisture to aid cooking. With tongs or a fork, toss the leaves as they cook add salt and pepper to taste--a pinch of coriander is nice. May take 5-10 minutes, med-high heat. Once the leaves are vibrant, deep green, remove from the pan. Serve with eggs prepared to your liking--poached is our choice--and a side of soba noodles or your favorite bread toasted in the hot collard skillet.
Enjoy the week. If you haven't already done so, mark your calendar for the 21st, our potluck gathering here at the farm.
BE well
laurie, lee and Iris
Laurie_2
01:05 PM EDT