IN THE CSA SHARES THIS WEEK:
Braising Greens
Carrots
Leeks
Shallots or Garlic
Jerusalem Artichokes (or alternate root:)
Bosc and/or D'Anjou Pears
EXTRAS TO PICK THIS WEEK (FREE TO ALL SHARE MEMBERS):
UPICK for Herbs only from here on until Spring.
PLANTING SEEDS AHEAD OF THE RAIN & FEASTING ON SUNCHOKES
Our current mantra around here is "if you don't plant the seeds, the plants won't grow." What it lacks in poesis it makes up for in practice. We're packing the propagation house, transplanting peas in the field to make room for more, and Mark is putting some miles on the walk-behind seeder. We've wrestled with rowcover in the wind and we're playing the open it/close it/open it again/ok better close it game with greenhouse panels and table covers to keep up with the clear skies. Judging by the forecast, we won't have much more of that to worry about. We're looking forward to potting up tomato starts in the greenhouse while it pours at the end of the week. Rites of spring come in many forms.
We're going to nosh on another round of Braising Greens this week, and before we get to planting this year's round, we're going to feast on a few Jerusalem Artichokes, aka Sunchokes. For those of you who haven't tried them yet, Sunchokes are neither Artichokes nor do they hail from Jerusalem. They're actually relatives of Sunflowers, producing a tiny yellow flower in the latter part of the year. The tubers so just happen to taste a whole lot like globe artichokes. Roasting Sunchokes with Olive Oil is a great way of showcasing their nutty flavor, and they even make a great addition to a soups and salads. I happen to have a favorite Stir Fry recipe that I'm sharing below. They don't need to be peeled--just wash and go. One warning though...while just about everyone loves the flavor of a Sunchoke, a handful of people may find them difficult to digest, because they are high in inulin, a non-starchy dietary fiber. On the other hand, this is what makes Sunchokes such a great prebiotic.
Happy April,
Katie
PS: I'm also going to plant this little seed--it isn't too soon to begin thinking about Summer Share. You can sign up on our newly-designed website or as always, register at the farmstand in person.
HARVEST HIGHLIGHTS &
WHAT'S IN STOCK AT THE FARMSTAND
CSA Members receive a 10% discount on most items at our farmstand
HARE-RAISED:
- Salad Mix (limited)
- Celeriac
- Braising Greens
- Kale Raab
- Rainbow Chard
- Eggs
- Winter Squash
FROM BEYOND THE FARM:
- WA Organic Golden Russet, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, & Melrose Apples. Bosc & D'Anjou Pears
- NW Organic Roots, Potatoes & Onions
- Organic Fruit: Blood Oranges, Cara Cara Navel Oranges, Red Grapefruit, Meyer Lemons, Bananas, Limes, & Lemons.
- Olykraut, Essential Baking Co. Artisan Breads, Grounds for Change Coffee
- Dates, Ginger, Nuts, Sweet Potatoes and Dried Fruit
- Jody's Honey!
SEASONAL RECIPES & TIPS
SUNCHOKE & CASHEW STIR FRY
Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks
1 teaspoon peanut or sunflower oil
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon peanut or sunflower oil, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
3 medium shallots, chopped
1/2 serrano chile pepper, deveined and minced
1 cup very thinly sliced sunchokes, well scrubbed
Kernels from 2 ears of corn
1 1/2 - 2 cups day-old, cooked brown rice
1 egg, beaten (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste
1/3 cup toasted almond slices
1/2 cup toasted cashews
fine grain sea salt and pepper, to taste
plenty of chopped fresh basil (in Katie's humble opinion, this can be omitted if you're basil-less)
CONTINUE TO RECIPE
MICHAEL ANTHONY'S SUNCHOKE & APPLE SALAD
Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times
12 sunchokes
Olive oil to coat the sunchokes
4 apples, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
Mixed greens: radicchio, bok choy, mizuna, celery leaves
½ cup celery, minced
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 cup apple cider
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
CONTINUE TO RECIPE
GINGER FRIED RICE (WITH LEEKS)
Smitten Kitchen
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
Salt
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried
4 cups day-old cooked rice
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce
CONTINUE TO RECIPE
SOUP DORIA
Andrew Carmellini, American Flavor
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 slices bacon, diced large (2 cups)
1 large sweet onion, quartered and sliced (about 2 cups)
2 large leeks, cut in half, cleaned, and roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 2 cups)
1 large celery root, peeled, cut lengthwise into 6 pieces, and sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 2/3 pounds mixed potatoes (red, yellow, wax), washed but not peeled and sliced thin (about 2 cups)10 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled or scrubbed and sliced into thin rounds (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Herb packet: 3 dried bay leaves and 10 fresh thyme sprigs, tied together with string
1 bunch kale, washed, stemmed, and torn (about 6 cups)
OPTIONAL
Hazelnut or pumpkin-seed oil for drizzling
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
CONTINUE TO RECIPE