This Week’s Share
- Arugula
- Green Garlic
- Kale, Red Russian
- Lettuce
- Radishes, Cherry Belle
- Tomato Plant, Cherry
Cherry Tomato Plants
Note: This week each share will recieve a cherry tomato plant. If you are splitting a share you and your share partner(s) can decide which home it will go to.
Cherry tomatoes are wonderful snacks and great on 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
Radish Recipes
Beijing Radish Salad
From Marquita Farm in Watsonville, CA, www.marquita.com
1 bunch radishes
2 tablespoons rice or balsamic vinegar (or a combination)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 stem green garlic, finely chopped
Wash and julienne (cut into thin matchstick size sticks) radishes. You can use a mandolin to do the julienning if you have one, you can use a grater, or you can cut them into matchstick size pieces. Mix together the rest of the ingredients in small bowl and dress the radishes with the dressing.
Sauteed Radish and Arugula
Adapted from recipesource.com
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch radishes, halved or quartered depending on size
2 cups arugula
Wash the radishes and arugula. Melt butter in a sauté pan, add radishes and cook over medium heat about 4 minutes. Transfer cooked radishes to a bowl. Add the arugula to the skillet and sauté 3 minutes, until wilted. Return the radishes to the skillet and toss together with the arugula, heat briefly. Serve hot.
Arugula Recipes
Arugula-Green Garlic Pesto Pasta
Adapted from the Seacoast Eat Local Blog, http://blog.seacoasteatlocal.org
2 cups arugula, washed
3-4 stalks green garlic, root removed
½ 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
1 lb. fresh pasta (found at all grocery stores in the pasta refrigerator case, or make your own if you know how)
Start a large pot of boiling water for pasta. Meanwhile, 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. Boil pasta per package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. Drain the pasta. Add about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water to the pesto and pulse one last time. Toss pesto with pasta, adding additional cooking water if desired to achieve a more smooth consistency. Serves 4.
Note: You may also use this recipe as a general use pesto by not adding the additional pasta water at the end of the process. It’s great on sandwiches, in salad dressing, or any other use you may find for it. 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).
Sauteed Radish and Arugula
(see recipe above in Radish Recipes)
Kale Recipe
Kale & Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from a recipe by Ben Watson at the Riverford Farm Shop in the United Kingdon, http://www.riverford.co.uk/
½ cup mushrooms, sliced (porcini, portobello, or any other kind that is in season at the market)
½ bunch kale, stems removed
½ bottle red wine
2-3 cups vegetable/chicken stock or broth
3 medium onions, finely chopped
2-3 stems green garlic (or 5 cloves garlic), finely chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 strips bacon, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
balsamic vinegar, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1-2 cups parmesan cheese, grated (really you can use as much or a little as you like)
1-2 tablespoons butter
Soak the mushrooms in water. Coarsely chop the kale leaves and blanch for 7 minutes. Combine the red wine, the mushroom soaking water, and strengthen with stock/broth to make up to 5 cups total. Heat up the pot of liquid so it will already be hot when you start adding it to the rice.
While the liquid is heating add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a sauté pan and fry the finely chopped onions, green garlic, fennel seeds and chopped bacon for 5 minutes. Add the Arborio rice and stir until well coated. Turn down the heat and start adding the already heated liquid approximately ½ -1 cup at a time . Keep stirring and adding the liquid as it is absorbed by the rice.
After about 10 minutes add the kale and continue stirring and adding liquid as it is absorbed. After another 3-6 minutes add the mushrooms. When all the liquid is gone or the rice is cooked (whichever happens first) add a splash of balsamic vinegar and plenty of black pepper. Stir in the grated parmesan cheese and butter and serve. Serves 4.