2007 CSA Week 4

News from Windy Willow Farm: 2007 Week 4
windywillowfarm@verizon.net 627-0476

This week’s share includes:
1 1/3 pound of Asparagus
Bag of spinach – If you’ve run out of fresh uses for your spinach, it freezes nicely: drop bunches in boiling water, just until wilted and dark green (approx. 10 seconds), then plunge right into cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and seal in bags.
Bag of arugula – I’ve been mixing my arugula with last week’s lettuce mix, and it gives an outstanding kick to my salad! See below for a wonderful-sounding recipe forwarded from one of our members. I try not to include recipes with out-of-season items, (this one has tomatoes), but it just sounds great.
2 heads Bok Choy
1 bunch cilantro- I’ve found that cilantro is a love it/hate it herb, with hardly any opinions in between. Some think it tastes soapy, but I think it tastes great. I don’t think it dries well, so I try to use as much of it fresh as I can, adding it to everything I can think of, salads, Mexican foods, eggs, bagels, pasta… it’s my favorite herb.
1 bunch radishes- I’ve grown radishes before, but never harvested any! They have a very short growing period (30 days from germination), so they’re easy to miss. I’ve literally forgotten about them, and remembered to check them, weeks too late. When past their prime, they turn pithy, so I tend to pick them on the small side. Enjoy their spice! A friend recommended this method for pickling them: “I slice my radishes thin, and then put them in a bowl with half cider vinegar, half sugar and about a teaspoon of kosher salt. Then I add a bit of thickly sliced red onion. Then I put the cover on the bowl, shake until the sugar dissolves, and stick it in the fridge. They get eaten the next day.”
1 pt strawberries- The strawberry season has started very slowly, as you can see. These range on the ripeness scale, so sort them and eat the ripest ones first and leave the rest on your counter for eating in a day or two. I’m hoping for lots more next week. If you’re interested in more, I’ll be opening my strawberry patch to U-Pick soon, by invitation only- I’m not advertising to the public, only to farm members and customers. Watch your email.
2 heads red buttercrunch lettuce – These fabulous heads of lettuce won’t be around for long, since they tend to bolt in hot weather, so enjoy them while they’re here! This red variety is new to our vegetable mix, and I love how there are red speckles on the inside leaves. It makes a striking addition to my salad.
1 head green buttercrunch lettuce- Our buttercrunch was voted the best lettuce last year, and has been eagerly awaited by myself and several CSA members.
Best guess for next week’s share: Spinach, green leaf lettuce, mesclun mix, strawberries, cilantro, maybe kohlrabi. Don’t hold me to it!

It seems like everyone has their own favorite method for preserving lettuce. Here’s what works for me: I wash all lettuce and greens in a sinkful of cold water, removing leaves from the lettuce heads. Then I spin, and repack into a fresh plastic bag. I’ve had no problem keeping lettuce for over a week with this method. I’ve found that wet lettuce rots, but dry lettuce wilts. I strive for the perfect balance of a little moisture with my greens.

We’ve been having animal problems here on the farm! Sarah’s kitten, Honey, has developed an intense interest in our baby chicks. The other day, I discovered that the chicks were grouped in two corners, away from the brooder light, and that they were quiet. (I’ve learned that happy, healthy chicks “sing” and there’s trouble if they are quiet.) So, an hour or so later, Sarah and I tiptoed out to the barn to see if it was Honey that was intimidating them. Sure enough, there she was sitting on the wall above them. I didn’t see that any were harmed, so I squirted water at the kitty and left. Later that day, I went back out and found her in the brooding stall, chasing the chicks around. She hadn’t yet caught any, but I’m not taking chances. Honey is restricted to her “cat room” unless Sarah is actively playing with her. In addition, our dog, Maverick’s fear of inclement weather is growing worse, and he’s been digging out from his pen. Numerous mornings (after evening storms) I go out to do the animals and find him napping in a pile of straw in the barn, happy as can be.

You may have noticed that the garden looks a bit different. We’ve removed all but two row covers from our crops. It’s so exciting to see what’s grown after we’ve taken off the cover, since the plants have been hidden since the day they were planted. The tomatoes were literally pushing up on the cover! They look great, tons of blossoms and beautiful greens. We’re busy weeding in the little holes in the black plastic, removing any competition for nutrients to our plants. The onions were completed last week and they look great. Anyone interested in a tour of our garden? Let me know, I’d be happy to show you around.

I know that it takes a leap of faith to fork over a large amount of your hard-earned money to someone who promises you 20 weeks of produce. I appreciate your trust and I hope that you are enjoying your CSA participation thus far! We are working hard to give you a fantastic, delicious CSA experience, where your produce has a name, a face and a place. As hard as we try to stagger harvests, sometimes crops ripen at the same time, no matter when we plant them. In this case, our broccoli, planted 3 weeks apart, is all maturing at the same rate. So, get your broccoli recipes ready… it’s coming! (consider yourself warned!)

Thanks for your loyal support,
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason

© Gwen Hyde 2007

Pasta with fresh tomatoes and arugula

1 lb pasta (we like mini-penne, but you can use any shape)
5 or 6 large or 7to 8 medium tomatoes, chopped
olive oil
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper
a splash of white wine
fresh basil (only if you have it, otherwise skip—NO DRIED)
a large bunch of arugula
fresh mozzarella cut into small dice
parmesan cheese

Put pasta water on the stove, make sure you salt water.
This sauce will be done by the time the pasta is cooked.

In a sauté pan, heat olive oil, toss in tomatoes. Then add garlic, wine and salt and pepper. When pasta is cooked, add basil to sauce.

Before you drain the pasta, put the cleaned arugula in the colander. Pour the hot pasta and water over the arugula. Drain well, put in serving bowl, toss with sauce and fresh mozzarella. Serve immediately with lots of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!


STIR-FRIED TOFU WITH BOK CHOY Serves: 4
This simple stir-fry is a great way to highlight this crunchy vegetable.
16-ounce tub firm or extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons light olive oil1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 good-sized bunch (about 10 to 12 ounces) bok choy
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, more or less to taste
3 tablespoons light soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, or to taste

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot well between clean tea-towels or several layers of paper towel, then cut into 1/2-inch dice.
Heat half of the oil in a stir-fry pan or wide skillet. Add the tofu and stir-fry over medium-high heat until golden on most sides. Remove to a plate.
Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the bok choy (both stalks and leaves) and ginger. Stir-fry briefly, just until leaves are wilted. Stir in the tofu dice, season to taste with soy sauce, and serve at once.

Spinach Dal
1 1/2 cups lentils
4 cups water
2 dried chiles, left whole
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup chopped onions
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger root
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Add washed lentils to a medium pot and cover with the four cups of water. Add the dried chiles, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until lentils are very tender, about 35 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep lentils from sticking.
2. About 10 minutes from the end of the lentil cooking time, heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the cumin seeds, and allow to cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in onions and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are softened and translucent. Add spinach and continue cooking for 5 more minutes.
3. When the lentils are cooked, remove the chiles and discard them. Add the onion-spinach mixture to the lentils, then add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Stir to combine.
4. May be served on top of rice, or alongside bread.
Serves 6.