This Week’s Share
- Arugula
- Broccoli
- Green Garlic
- Kale, Red Russian
- Lettuce
- Radishes, Cherry Belle
- Tomato Plant, Sungold Cherry Tomato
Share Notes
Cherry Tomato Plants: This week each share will receive a cherry tomato plant.
Cherry tomatoes are wonderful snacks and great in salads. They are easy to grow and fun to pick in small quantities. However, they are very labor intensive to pick on a larger scale. For this reason we are giving you your own plant to enjoy. We concentrate on growing many different varieties of slicing, saucing and heirloom tomatoes, which you will see in your shares starting at the end of July.
Tomatoes appreciate full sun, and plenty of space to climb. Bury the plants deep so that only a little stem and the newest leaves are showing. Water them deeply. This will help to encourage a strong root system. They like a trellis to keep their leaves and fruit off the ground. Once established, tomatoes do not need to be watered more then once a week. Use about 5 gallons of water per plant. Tomatoes don’t like wet leaves so try to keep the leaves dry when you water.
If you do not have room to plant the tomato outside you can plant it in a five-gallon bucket with a drain hole. Keep it in a sunny space and remember to water frequently as container plants tend to dry out quickly.
Recipes
Arugula Recipes
Arugula-Green Garlic Pesto
Adapted from the Seacoast Eat Local Blog, http://blog.seacoasteatlocal.org
2 cups arugula, washed
3-4 stalks green garlic, roots removed
1/2 cup pine nuts (cashews, almonds, or walnuts also work)
4-6 oz. chevre, gorgonzola or other soft salty cheese
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium low heat, tossing frequently until mostly golden brown. In a food processor or blender pulse the arugula and green garlic. Add pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese and process until there are no large chunks remaining. Great mixed in with pasta, on sandwiches, or in homemade salad dressings. It will keep fresh covered in the refrigerator for 7-10 days, or freeze for up to 6 months (or freeze up to a year if no cheese is added).
Arugula Salad with Mushrooms
From Recipes from Americas Small Farms by Joanne Lamb Hayes and Lori Stein
1 bunch arugula (about 8 cups loosely packed), rinsed and drained
8 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced (you many substitute porcini mushrooms or other specialty mushrooms, but sauté them until tender and let cool to room temperature)
6 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin recommended)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (6 ounce) piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at room temperature
Combine the arugula and mushrooms in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle mixture over the salad and toss to coat well. Shave thin strips of the cheese with a cheese shaver or vegetable peeler. Reserve your best strips for garnish if desired, and throw the rest into the salad and toss lightly. Serve at room temperature.
Green Garlic Recipes
Green Garlic Pesto
Adapted from www.culinate.com
4 stems green garlic, roots removed
1 cup raw walnuts, or other nuts you have available
1 to 2 oz. hard, salty cheese (romano, ricotta salata, parmesan, etc.)
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (sea salt and kosher have best flavor)
Cut root ends of green garlic and discard. Cut into 1-inch lengths, discarding the tougher green portions on top. In a saucepan over medium heat toast walnuts by cooking for several minutes, stirring constantly until they start browning. Place nuts and green garlic into a food processor or blender and pulse/process on low until roughly chopped. Cut cheese into chunks, add to blender/processor, and process. In a steady stream while blender/processor is running, add olive oil until desired consistency is reached. Salt to taste and keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Use with pasta, served over fish, spread on bread, or in whatever way pleases your pallet. If you have to much to use for one meal you can keep in a covered container in the fridge for 7-1o days, or freeze for up 6 months (will freeze up to a year with no cheese added).
Arugula Green Garlic Pesto
(see above in Arugula Recipes)
Kale Recipe
Kale Chips
Note: If you are an already seasoned kale chip lover spread the word to the newbies that it is definitely worth a try, especially if you have kale skeptic children in the house.
Kale (as much or as little as you like)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste,
pepper, to taste (opitional)
Wash kale and remove center stems. Tear kale into roughly chip size pieces. Toss with olive oil and salt. Place kale ‘chips’ in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in a hot oven, 400˚-450˚F. Bake watching closely, you may have to turn a few chips to make crisp on each side…Voila, Salty Kale chip snacks!
Radish Recipe
Radish Butter for Radish Sandwiches
From Local Flavors by Deborah Madison
A good radish sandwich can be nothing more than sweet butter on bread topped with sliced radishes and sea salt. This recipes gets right to business and brings your radishes and butter to your bread all in one step.
6 radishes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
sea salt
Wash and trim radishes. If the leaves are tender and fresh, set a dozen or so aside, stems removed. Slice the radishes into thin rounds, then crosswise into narrow strips. Each should be tipped with color. Chop the leaves. You should have about ½ cup. Mix the butter with the lemon zest until soft, then stir in the chopped radishes, radish leaves, and a pinch of salt. Spread on slices of crusty baguette and serve.