This week in the CSA bag:
CSA Pick-your-own
In the Store
Most of the crops listed above for the CSA will also be available in the store (exceptions for this week include kohlrabi and bok choi). We will have the first of our summer squash in the store on Thursday. When the harvest picks up (likely next week) we will begin to have summer squash and zucchini in the CSA bag as well.
Frittata With Greens
This is a typical Provençal or Italian frittata, something that is quickly thrown together, especially if you make a point of washing and blanching greens when you get them home from the market. It works best with the more tender greens like chard, beet greens, and spinach.
1 pound Swiss chard (any color), beet greens, or spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground pepper
8 large or extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds only, chard and beet greens for 1 minute, or until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the greens. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.
4. Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping every last bit out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan every once in a while, until the frittata is just about set. Meanwhile, light the broiler.
5. If the frittata is not quite set on the top, place under the broiler, about 3 inches from the heat, for 1 minute, watching closely, until just beginning to color on the top. Do not allow the eggs to brown too much or they’ll taste bitter.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes or longer, then carefully slide out onto a platter, or cut in wedges in the pan and serve.
Advance preparation:
The greens can be prepared through Step 1 or Step 2 several hours or even a day or two ahead. The frittata can be made a few hours or even a day ahead and served at room temperature. It does not reheat well.
Sautéed Beet Greens With Garlic and Olive Oil
NY Times Recipe for Health
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This simple classic (which can be made with any type of green) is great on its own as a side dish, or you can toss the greens with pasta, add them to an omelet or risotto, or use them in a gratin or a quiche.
1/2 pound beet greens (1 large bunch)
Salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly ground pepper
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem the greens and wash the leaves in 2 rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the greens. Blanch for 2 minutes, until tender. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze the water out from its leaves. Chop coarsely.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.
Note: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.
Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
- Carrots
- Swiss Chard- We plant a variety called Rainbow which has stems of different shades of yellow, pink, red and white. It is as nutritious as it is beautiful! Use it any way you would cooked spinach or other tender cooking green. Below is a recipe for eggs and chard, my favorite combination!
- Beets- The greens are our favorite part! We put them in fritatas or sautee them as a side dish, see the recipe below! For the beets I take Didi Emmons advice from Vegetarian Planet in her “How to Beat the Mess of Beets” advice: “Boil the beets whole until they are tender (about 30 or 40 minutes), then rinse them under cold running water while you press the skins off with your hands.” It’s grew to cook up all my beets at once, then I store them in the fridge to slice on salads throughout the week.
- Curly Kale
- Kohlrabi- This flying saucer shaped vegetable is crunchy and refreshing! I like it best chopped in a salad, serious fans slice it up and dip in sauces for a snack like you would carrots or celery.
- Hakurei salad turnips
- Red Russian Kale
- Lettuce
- Salanova Lettuce Mix
- Bok Choi
- Fennel
- Scallions
CSA Pick-your-own
- Basil- Time for pesto!
- Parsley
In the Store
Most of the crops listed above for the CSA will also be available in the store (exceptions for this week include kohlrabi and bok choi). We will have the first of our summer squash in the store on Thursday. When the harvest picks up (likely next week) we will begin to have summer squash and zucchini in the CSA bag as well.
Frittata With Greens
NY Times Recipe for Health
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This is a typical Provençal or Italian frittata, something that is quickly thrown together, especially if you make a point of washing and blanching greens when you get them home from the market. It works best with the more tender greens like chard, beet greens, and spinach.
1 pound Swiss chard (any color), beet greens, or spinach, stemmed and washed thoroughly
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Freshly ground pepper
8 large or extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1. Heat a large pot of water over high heat while you stem and wash the greens in two changes of water. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Blanch spinach for 30 seconds only, chard and beet greens for 1 minute, or until tender, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze dry, and chop.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in the greens. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl, stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, the milk, and the cooked greens.
4. Clean and dry your pan and return to the stove. Heat over medium-high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Hold your hand above it; it should feel hot. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping every last bit out of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan every once in a while, until the frittata is just about set. Meanwhile, light the broiler.
5. If the frittata is not quite set on the top, place under the broiler, about 3 inches from the heat, for 1 minute, watching closely, until just beginning to color on the top. Do not allow the eggs to brown too much or they’ll taste bitter.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes or longer, then carefully slide out onto a platter, or cut in wedges in the pan and serve.
Advance preparation:
The greens can be prepared through Step 1 or Step 2 several hours or even a day or two ahead. The frittata can be made a few hours or even a day ahead and served at room temperature. It does not reheat well.
Sautéed Beet Greens With Garlic and Olive Oil
NY Times Recipe for Health
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This simple classic (which can be made with any type of green) is great on its own as a side dish, or you can toss the greens with pasta, add them to an omelet or risotto, or use them in a gratin or a quiche.
1/2 pound beet greens (1 large bunch)
Salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
Freshly ground pepper
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic and hot red pepper flakes (if using) and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the greens. Stir for a couple of minutes, until the greens are nicely seasoned with garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and serve.
Note: Some people enjoy a few drops of lemon juice with their cooked greens, so you might want to pass a plate of lemon wedges.
Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days.