This Week’s Share
Coming Soon:
Broccoli and Shelling Peas: You will see both these items in your share in the next week or so. They are both a crop that do not necessarily come to maturity all at the same time. Due to this nature we will rotate which pick ups get them throughout the next few weeks. If you do not see them this week you can expect to see them next week.
Recipes
Just fire up your grill and toss the garlic scapes with olive oil and a pinch of salt, they take only a few minutes on the grill to become tender and are of a milder garlic taste than the green garlic.
adapted from elise.com/ricipes
2 cups of packed arugula leaves
1/2 cup of walnuts
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic scapes or 1 clove of garlic, minced
1. Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave it takes 2 minutes.
2a Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, walnuts, minced garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.
2b Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.
Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.
3. Mix with freshly prepared pasta of your choice. You may need to add a little bit of water or more olive oil to mix the pesto more evenly with the pasta.
Makes enough pesto sauce for an ample serving of pasta for four people.
Adapted from Alice Waters’ “Chez Panisse Vegetables”
Braised Chard
Separate the leaves and ribs of a fresh bunch of chard. Wash, drain and cut the leaves. Slice a large sweet onion and several garlic scapes and stew in olive oil using a pot large enough to fit all the chard leaves. After the onion and garlic scapes soften, add the chard leaves, season with salt and pepper, cover and stew for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After making this dish you can use your stems for Chard Stem Gratin.
Chard Stem Gratin
Remove their strings and parboil until tender, drain and arrange in a gratin dish with bits of fried pancetta, some chopped garlic scapes, chopped flat-leaf parsley. Cover with a bit of béchamel sauce or cream and gratineé in a preheated 450˚F. oven or under the broiler until golden.
Fettuccine with Swiss Chard, Currants, Walnuts, and Brown Butter
Annie Somerville “Fields of Greens ”
1/3 cup brown butter
1 tablespoon dried currants
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 bunch red or green Swiss chard
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced, about 1 cup
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (feel free to substitute 4 garlic scapes)
1/2 pound fresh fettuccine
1/3 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Grated Parmesan cheese
Brown butter has a rich aroma and distinctive nutty, sweet flavor. This can be tossed with pasta or added to a hearty sauté of escarole, red chard, and kale. So make a batch and save it in the refrigerator for your future share with kale. Be sure to use unsalted butter and remove it from the heat before its amber color begins to darken. This butter holds indefinitely in the refrigerator. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As the butter gently simmers, the butter fat and mild solids will separate from each other. The solids will settle to the bottom of the pan, coloring the butter as it cooks. When it turns a rich amber color, in about 8 to 10 minutes, remove from the heat. Line a fine-mesh strainer with a paper towel or cheese-cloth and pour the butter through it, straining out the solids. The butter can be used immediately or cooled and refrigerated in a sealed container. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup.
Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil Plump the currants and golden raisins in a small bowl covered with 1/4 cup hot water. Trim the stems from the chard and slice across the leaves to make 2-inch-wide ribbons. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan; add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few pinches of pepper. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens and begins to release its juices. Add the garlic, chard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chard is just barely tender, then reduce the heat to low.
When the water boils, add 1 teaspoon salt. Add the fettuccine to the boiling water, timing it to finish cooking with the chard. (The chard should be very tender but not overcooked when the pasta is done.) When the pasta is just tender, drain it immediately in a colander, shake off excess water, and add it to the onions and chard, along with the plumped fruit, walnuts, and brown butter. Toss together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
Pizza with Mozzarella and Arugula
Janet Fletcher’s “Fresh from the Farmers’ Market”
Make enough dough for a 13- to 14- inch round pizza.
Topping:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic scapes, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 pound low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
1 ounce arugula
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, hot-pepper flakes and salt to taste. Let stand for 30 minutes to marry flavors.
Spread cheese evenly over the pizza dough, leaving a 3/4-inch rim. Brush the rim with some of the seasoned oil, then drizzle more oil, including the garlic and pepper flakes, over the pizza. Reserve a little oil for brushing on the rim after baking. Immediately slide pizza from peel onto a stone and bake until the crust is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Scatter arugula over the top. Brush rim of crust with remaining olive oil. Serve immediately.
Hazelnut-Garlic Scape Vinaigrette
Adapted from Annie Somerville’s “Fields of Greens”
This would be great over a nice plate of farm fresh arugula with radishes or turnips.
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2-3 garlic scapes, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons light olive oil
Combine everything but the oils in a bowl, then slowly whisk in the oils.
Makes about 1/3 cup