CSA Week 2

Carrots
Green Onion
Overwintered Onion
Radishes (Some drop sites may get baby turnips)
Parsley
Kohlrabi

Full Shares Only:

Baby Bok Choy
Butterhead Lettuce
Cilantro

A few repeats and a few new items for the second week: remember that it’s still very early in the season and we don’t have a whole lot to choose from yet!  You’ll recognize the carrots from last week, these will be the last of our greenhouse carrots and we’re hoping to start harvesting from the field next week.  I’ve also included parsley again, which I know will be a challenge for some.  If you don’t want to use it all now, you can dry it for later, or crush it up and mix it with oil (like pesto) to freeze.  To dry it, you can use a dehydrator or hang it in a warm sunny spot for a few days.  Once it’s fully dry crush it up and store it in a mason jar.

Today we have the first kohlrabi, which I know is new to many.  (Returning members, we are growing a lot less this year, but it’s one of the earliest veggies to be ready).  I love kohlrabi, and I usually slice it raw and eat it sprinkled with salt, dipped in hummus, or wrapped in a sushi roll.  It needs to be peeled and the tough bottom part cut off, the fleshy part of the bulb is the part you want.  These are a little smaller than we usually harvest them, so they are very tender.  Kohlrabi has a sweet flavor like a broccoli stem, and it’s crunchy and juicy.  If you don’t want to snack on it, you can include it in a stir fry, grill or roast it with olive oil and salt, or pickle it.

You can also use kohlrabi greens, they will be closer in texture to cabbage and benefit from slower cooking methods like braising.  Remember you can eat your radish greens, they could be stewed in with kohlrabi greens, or I more often throw them in a stir fry or cook them with rice.  I don’t like them raw so much because of their prickly texture.

We have the first of our onions today, and there will be lots more to come!  You’ve gotten a lovely fresh bunch of scallions, which add lots of mild onion flavor to salads, noodle dishes, and more.  Cut off the little roots and use the rest of the bunch raw or cooked.  You also have an overwintered onion that we planted in October and are just harvesting now.  You may have gotten a red onion, a white cippolini type, or a sweet yellow one.  All three are tasty and can be used the same, they just have different flavor profiles.  When onions are fresh like this they should be kept in the fridge, and you can use the green part as well as the bulb.  I love fresh onions, and we grow several kinds that you’ll be getting throughout the season.  Our main summer onion crop is off to a fantastic start!

We don’t have salad for you today, just heads of lettuce for full share folks.  Harvests have been tight here, and we had a couple bad rotations of salad paired with a delay setting up irrigation that forced us to rework our crop plan.  But we plant salad weekly and there are a couple nice rotations coming up soon.  Full share folks also have a nice fresh bunch of cilantro, which will go well with those green onions in a noodle salad or salsa. Store it (and everything else this week) in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Kohlrabi Pickle Chips

I like kohlrabi raw so much that I have yet to actually make anything with it that I like more. These easy pickles would maintain the appealing texture of kohlrabi, but dress it up a little. This recipe can also be used with cucumbers.

Peel and thinly slice:

1 ½ to 2 lb kohlrabi

            3 small onions

Mix together:

¼ cup pickling salt

            1 quart ice water

Pour this over the vegetables and soak them for 3 hours.

Drain them, rinse them, and place them in a bowl. Bring to a boil:

2 c vinegar

            2/3 c sugar

            1 Tbsp mustard seeds

            1 tsp celery seeds

            ¼ tsp turmeric

Cook for 3 minutes and pour it over the vegetables. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for 3 days.

Carrot, Parsley, and Chickpea Salad

Adapted from Cooking New American by Martha Holmberg. The chickpeas in this refreshing salad make it a substantial vegetarian meal, or an intriguing side. This recipe can be made in advance; just add the dressing right before serving. A unique combination of textures and flavors: scallions, radishes, and a splash of citrusy lemon make it piquant, lively, and delicious.

1 can chickpeas, (or equivalent cooked from dried), drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1 cup loosely-packed shredded carrot

1/2 cup sliced radishes

1/2 cup chopped fresh scallions or onions

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and pepper, to taste

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup crumbled feta or toasted pine nuts (optional)

Put 1/2 cup of the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash them into a coarse paste with a potato masher or large wooden spoon. Toss in the remaining chickpeas along with the parsley, carrot, radishes, and onions. Stir to combine.

For the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Continue whisking while adding the olive oil in a slow stream.

When ready to serve, pour dressing over the salad and toss gently. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with feta or pine nuts, if using, and serve immediately.