CSA Harvest #2!

Good day everyone! Before I forget in case any of you need to contact us via telephone please know that we had to get a new answering machine. Unfortunately we cannot make our own recording so when you call us a strange robot voice answers.. but our number is the same 863-2646. Also please be on watch as we have just received news that Asinete's brother who works on a container ship is entering U.S waters. His ship may come to the Port of Seattle and if that is the case Asinete and I will make the trip up north. We are still not sure as to what day his ship will arrive but we are really hoping it won't be Thursday! As soon as we find out we'll let you all know if we need to change the CSA day for this special occasion. Asinete has not seen another person from his country for two years! Much less his own family.
What a busy time of year! In addition to caring for our own farm we are farm sitting for my family who has gone on a three week trip. It's keeping us extra busy which is good though! On our farm we've been busy weeding, foliar feeding with fish emulsion (stinky but the plants love it!) We've planted melons (French charantais, and ambrosia melon) as well as Armenian cucumbers. We are hoping the striped and spotted cucumber beetles leave them alone long enough to make their first true leaves. They are the one garden pest I have no remorse about just squashing with my fingers they do way too much damage! Of course we try not to spray anything but squashing with fingers sometimes is not enough and we have to pull out the rotenone insecticide which is registered organic but still very strong.

Pictured above you will see our/your Big Lick Farm volunteers who have been with us since our first harvest last year. Pictured is Robin and his wife Violet along with master packer/weigher M.A. We are grateful for all the help and support!

On to the veggies!! In your basket this week you will find:

Graffiti Caulifower

Broccoli

Beets/Beet Greens

Rainbow Chard

Snow Peas

Cimarron Red Oakleaf Lettuce

Garlic Scapes (yummy loook at recipe ideas below) * a scape is a garlic stem and flower. Garlic flavor without the heat and bad breath!

Arugula

Basil (there won't be alot this early but at least enough to use as a garnish. There will be lots more to come!)


Garlic Scape Ideas:

-You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe.
-Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe.
- Great in guacamole and fresh salsa, too.
- Chop & add to softened cream cheese.
-Add chopped fresh scapes when serving a light garlic soup; can also add them to buttered, french bread floated on the soup. -Use them as you would green onions, they're just better.
- Good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza.
- An excellent addition to stocks....and much Asian cuisine.
-Put in Thai chicken/basil/coconut soup.

Garlic Scape Tortilla

1 & 1/2 cups chopped garlic scapes
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup hot water
Salt & Pepper
4 large eggs
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Place garlic and scallions in a 10 inch skillet with 1 tsp. oil, 1/4 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook covered over med. high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil to skillet. When oil is hot, shake skillet to spread greens evenly, add eggs. Cover and cook over med. low heat until top is set [2-3 Minutes].

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Scapes

2 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces.
2 Tablespoons butter (can omit this if on a restricted fat diet/lifestyle)
1-2 Tbsp, olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scapes
1/4 cup hot milk (or more)

Cook potatoes until very tender. Drain and return to pot. Over medium high heat, melt butter with olive oil in a small skillet. Add scapes and saute about 5 minutes. Add to potatoes and mash. Gradually add milk while stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken With Garlic Scapes & Capers

2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts, halved
2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 Tbsp. dry white wine
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4 chopped garlic scapes
1 Tbsp. drained capers

Between sheets of plastic wrap slightly flatten chicken. In a large heavy skillet heat 1Tbsp. of butter and the oil over medium high heat. Saute until cooked through. Season with salt & pepper. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm. Pour off fat from skillet and add the remaining butter, the wine, lemon juice, scapes and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in capers and salt & pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serves 4.

Roasted Garlic Scapes

Take the scapes and put them in a lightly oiled roasting pan, top with salt (kosher or sea salt works best but any will do). Put the loaded and covered pan in a hot (425 °F) oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are beginning to turn brown. serve as a side or main dish. Tastes like roasted garlic but creamier.

Graffiti Cauliflower Ideas: "Cauliflower," wrote Mark Twain, "is nothing but cabbage with a college education." The purple in the graffiti cauliflower is caused by an antioxidant called "anthocyanin" I just learned this~I'm not that much of a plant nerd! :) Thanks to NPR for allowing me to copy and use these recipes!

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas

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Nicole Spiridakis for NPR

If you have more time, you could also make this using the previous recipe for roasted cauliflower, though it is perfectly delicious on its own, without being pre-roasted.

Makes 4 servings

5 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 medium or large head cauliflower, washed and broken into florets

1/4 cup water

1 (8-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 1 cup dried chickpeas that have been soaked and are ready for cooking

Rice or couscous

In a large frying pan, cook the garlic, ginger and spices in the olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute to form a paste.

Add the onions and turn heat to low; cook for about 5 minutes until onions begin to soften.

Add the cauliflower and 1/4 cup of water, and cook on high heat for 1 minute, then turn heat to low and simmer gently. Cook for about 10 minutes until cauliflower becomes tender, but not mushy.

Add chickpeas and cook a few minutes more to let the flavors blend and the dish is hot.

Serve over brown or white rice, or couscous.

Roasted Cauliflower (one of my favorites!)

This recipe is more of a guideline. For example, if you follow a low-sodium diet, it's perfectly acceptable to omit the salt (and, conversely, if you're a salt-lover, to add a little more). The key is to roast the cauliflower until it becomes caramelized — don't be alarmed if some of the florets get slightly blackened, as this just adds to its addictive flavor.

Makes 4 side-dish servings

1 medium to large head cauliflower, washed

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim any leaves and cut the cauliflower into quarter-inch slices. Toss with the olive oil and salt, spread in a single layer in a baking dish and roast until it begins to brown a bit and the oil is sizzling.

Turn the pieces once or twice and give the pan a good shake while it's roasting, about 25 minutes.

Bestemor's Blomkal Gratin

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Nicole Spiridakis for NPR

This dish is inspired by my boyfriend Michael's grandmother. (Bestemor is "grandmother" in Norwegian; blomkal is "cauliflower.") I've added a few more ingredients than her original recipe to update it for my American palate, but the essential flavor is the same.

Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, thinly diced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper

1 large head cauliflower, washed and separated into florets

1 teaspoon dried basil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 1/3 cup milk

5 eggs, separated

Dash nutmeg

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until the onion is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, cook for 7 minutes more, and then season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower for 5 to 10 minutes until slightly soft. In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower gently with the garlic, onion and tomato, and season with basil, salt and pepper. Transfer the cauliflower to a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour. Cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour in the milk and whisk well. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for a few more minutes, stirring as the mixture thickens. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

With an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Gently fold into the butter and flour sauce.

Pour the sauce evenly over the cauliflower, top with the Parmesan cheese, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!