Spigarello: Another Mysterious Green In Our CSA Haul

Part of the appeal of a CSA is the element of surprise. One never knows what unusual vegetable will appear. Last week's share contained a bunch of Spigarello. This plant, native to Southern Italy, is related to broccoli and can be used in salads and pasta.

As I packed the bunches into members' bags, I had to ask Farmer Rich what prompted him to grow this leafy green. His reply, "We liked the way it looked in the catalog." And there I was thinking he had sampled it somewhere, had fancied its flavor and sought it out the seeds for planting. Not my romanticized version but it would have to do.

I took my bunch, chopped up the leaves and sauteed them with olive oil, Niman Ranch uncured ham, garlic and a touch of hot pepper. I used this as a sauce for pasta.


My husband took one look at his dinner and said, "Pasta with Weeds", his usual reaction to many of the esoteric greens I end up sauteing. Not sure if he was so fond but I would love to try them another way if more are in the offing.

Leftovers From My CSA - circa 2008 (or How To Shock The Farmer)

Last week, while sorting vegetables with Farmer Rich, I suddenly came to the realization that one item from last year's delivery, still remained, tucked way in the back of my fridge. Each time I cleaned the fridge, I left it there, wondering how long I could keep it and if it would still be okay to eat.

When I turned to him and shamefully admitted to having something leftover from last year's deliveries, he couldn't disguise his horror, his eyes popping, wondering at the disgusting possibilities. He was quite relieved to hear that it was simply a bag of wheat berries and not a festering squash or other unimaginably rotted vegetable.

And, lo and behold, the wheat berries are still fine to eat. In fact he said they last for quite a while. He recommended soaking them for several days and sauteing them with olive oil.. Hope to tell you about it soon!

Sharing The Farmer's Woes: Part and Parcel Of Belonging To A CSA

Joining a CSA can be somewhat of a gamble. I discovered that the first year I joined a local CSA that didn't quite deliver. Each week I held out hope that there would be something other than Swiss Chard or Tomatoes and then, each week I left feeling vaguely disappointed but still hopeful, as I wandered home with my measly bounty. When the end of the season arrived, I was committed to the concept of a CSA but decided I needed to find a different one.

And so I sought out Farmer Rich and decided to host one from my home. Over the past few years, he has delivered on his promise of providing members with a variety of vegetables and fruit in peak form. Yet Farmer Rich cannot control the sun, moon and stars or the weather so occasionally something does go awry, as it did this week. Apparently our large heads of Romaine lettuce, lovely bunches of beautiful Swiss Chard and mint (oh I do mourn the loss of that), met a sad fate in a cooler, where they were frozen to the core.

I had trouble envisioning how it was that a cooler froze greens as I had imagined an extremely large traveling cooler, instead of what the farmer actually uses. Apparently it is a cooler with a thermostat (Why is that not called a refrigerator? I have no idea!). The story goes that the cooler malfunctioned and the farmer was unable to salvage anything.

On the bright side, not all of the pickings were in that cooler so we still received some freshly dug potatoes, garlic curls, fava beans and zucchini.

And here's looking forward to a the usual overflowing bags of produce next week!

Using Up Odds And Ends

In my latest attempt to curb food waste, I tried to become inspired by what was in my fridge. With the odds and ends I discovered, I managed to make two satisfying meals.

The first dish made use of some leftover roast chicken, red pepper, onions and tomato from my CSA, sour cream on the cusp of turning, a half zucchini destined for compost and some vintage tortillas.

The recipe couldn't be simpler.

Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

1/2 small roast chicken, meat torn or cubed into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion,
minced1/4 red pepper diced
1 medium tomato diced
sprinkling of oregano
cilantro to taste
corn tortillas, warmed in a small skillet

1. In a few tablespoons olive oil, saute onion and red pepper 10 minutes, add tomato and cook until onions are soft and slightly browned.
2. Add chicken and oregano. Stir and cook until heated through.
3. Sprinkle with cilantro and fill tortillas.
4. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and a side of rice.

The second recipe used up half a red cabbage. I simply cut lengthwise and crosswise into small pieces, sauteed briefly in olive oil and drizzled with soy sauce. This made a perfect side dish for some bean curd, garlic, and chives. I generally slow cook cabbage but now I have a new option.

3-4 servings.

CSA Tuesday: New Zealand Spinach Saute

Farmer Rich is always surprising us with one mysterious green or another. This week it was New Zealand Spinach. I find it far fuzzier than ordinary spinach but just as easy to prepare. This quick saute (5 minutes) makes for a perfectly simple side dish. I made it for lunch yesterday (and I nearly never get near the stove at lunchtime) along with some sliced tomatoes and smoked trout.

New Zealand Spinach Saute

1 bunch New Zealand spinach or regular spinach (stems removed , rolled and julienned)
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. Cook garlic in about 2 tablespoons olive oil for a minute or two.
2. Toss in greens and stir until wilted.
3. Add vinegar, salt and pepper and cook a few minutes more.

3-4 servings

CSA Tuesday: Broccoli Collards

In the same vein as Fava Greens, Broccoli Collards are one of those things it is unlikely you will encounter unless you are a farmer or belong to a CSA. Apparently they are edible, even if the broccoli itself fails to thrive. Which is the reason we all found a bunch of these in our giant CSA haul today.

I chose to use mine right away, rather than run the risk of them turning into refrigerator compost. I removed the stems, chopped them into ribbons and added them to some spring onions and crispy bacon. Toss with farfalle and serve..presto, dinner!

Pasta with Broccoli Collards

3 slices of bacon chopped finely
3 spring onions or 1 large sweet onion
1 bunch broccoli collards, stems removed, sliced into ribbons and washed
olive oil
hot pepper flakes
1 lb. pasta
4 ounces fresh cheese (Bianca) or goat cheese

1. Saute bacon until crisp. Reserve

2. Saute onion in bacon fat with a few tablespoons olive oil, until limp and lightly browned.

3. Add greens, a few red pepper flakes, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

4.Meanwhile cook pasta.

5. Toss greens and bacon with pasta. Crumble cheese on top. Serve immediately or warm.

Makes four generous servings.

Kohlrabi Loses Its Bad Reputation: Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw

I will try anything once, if it is served to me. What I won't do is go out of my way to cook the unfamiliar, unless I have read or heard some compelling reason to do so. Which is why having a CSA is great because it forces me to try things that I might otherwise avoid. Take this weeks haul, which included kohlrabi, my case in point.

I have seen this light green martian-looking bulb with leaves attached, at the supermarket and elsewhere but as far as I was concerned it could just stay there. You see I associated it with a group of very old ladies who lived in my old apartment building on 54th Street. Our floor always had a rather stale cabbage like smell and in my mind, kohlrabi was the offender.

So when kohlrabi showed up last Tuesday I figured it might be destined for the compost heap. After a few members picked up their shares, I then realized that I had to do something with it since everyone was turning to me for kohlrabi advice.

I turned to the internet and discovered that kohlrabi need not be so cabbagey and unpleasant. It could be transformed into a light summer salad, which I might actually enjoy eating.

I found the recipe for Kohlrabi/Apple Slaw here. At the last moment, I decided to grate up a whole batch of it for our July 4th BBQ. I can't say that Izzy was wild about it but I thought it made a decent slaw contribution to our meal. It is definitely light and refreshing. If any more kohlrabi comes my way, I might consider making this again or venturing into the kohlrabi unknown.

Sweet Greens: Kale,Caramelized Onions and Cranberries

What to do with my greens? That is my weekly question and I usually just braise them in olive oil with caramelized onions or garlic, like this. The onions certainly help to reduce the bitterness but this time I added extra sweetness to the mix in the way of dried cranberries. Turned out to be a fine combination.


Kale, Caramelized Onions and Cranberries

1 medium bunch of kale, trimmed of stems, rinsed and chopped into ribbons (easier for kids to eat)

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

2-3 tablespoons dried cranberries

olive oil

salt

pepper

1. Saute onion sprinkled with salt, over low heat until soft and browned.

2. Add kale, cranberries and 1/2 cup of water. Turn to coat and cover. Simmer over low heat until kale is tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add more water if necessary.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Makes 3-4 servings.

CSA Tuesday Tidbits

Now that I have my own garden, I take advantage of the fact that a real farmer visits my house once a week. Not only does he drop off the wonderful produce he has harvested but he is full of invaluable garden advice.

At today's drop-off, which included potatoes, snap peas, kale, lettuce, garlic curls and catnip, I asked him to come out back today to examine what I thought was a vegetable but he deemed a weed. While he was back there I tried to impress him with my gardening prowess. As I am accustomed to showing my garden to novices, for a moment there, I forgot who I was talking to. I pointed out one of the potted herbs, "And this is parsley." Well, duh. If he doesn't know that...

We both had a good laugh and I gave him a piece of cake for his troubles and he was off.

I then spent the rest of the morning as members stopped by to pick up and chat. I do love to hear what others prepare with their shares, not to mention gossip of one kind or another. My favorite tip of the day comes from my neighbor L. She suggested massaging the kale with salt and eating it raw. Do let me know if this works for you.

Farmers In The City: Catalpa Ridge CSA

How did I forget to mention that this past Tuesday was the inaugural delivery of our first CSA shares of the year. This is my third year hosting the Hamilton Park group for Catalpa Ridge Farm and it promises to be a fantastic one.

Farmer Rich and his wife, sometime Farmer Sue were both on hand which is rare, for this delivery. We each received a bag brimming with Swiss chard, garlic curls, fragrant mint, lettuce, radishes and sweet onions. I can't wait to see what else the season brings.

Farmer Rich was kind enough to have a look at my tiny garden and dispense with tidbits of advice. I hope I have his luck with my tomatoes!

Putting The Kibosh on Spaghetti Squash?

Who can honestly say that spaghetti squash is their favorite vegetable? Until today I couldn't weigh in on a spaghetti squash discussion, having never cooked or eaten this odd vegetable.

How did that come to be? I am not exactly sure but I never found it on my dinner plate as a child (probably because you couldn't find it in the frozen vegetable section). And then, later when I could and would eat nearly anything, recipes for spaghetti squash held little allure (stringy, watery textured vegetable..., uh,no thanks).

So how then did I find myself with two large spaghetti squashes in the fridge? Well I have Farmer Rich to thank for that. His harvest has forced me into experimentation. The squashes have been hiding in the back of the fridge, awaiting an uncertain fate. Cook or compost? That was the question. I hadn't planned on cooking them tonight but I was cleaning out my fridge and figured, now or never. So I googled and found a simple, straightforward recipe.

I cut the squash into halves roasted it drizzled with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. When it emerged from the oven I took a fork to create the "spaghetti strands". This is something Izzy took great interest in watching.

As I fluffed up the strands I was reminded of E., a CSA member who told me of how she could not eat spaghetti squash because she had been scarred by her mother's childhood preparation of the vegetable. It had been served, "spaghetti style" with tomato sauce. Now, examining the texture, I could see why she doesn't go near the stuff.

I needed to add some other ingredients but before doing so, I wanted an unadulterated taste. Verdict? A bland, insipid vegetable to be sure, nothing like its more orangey, sweet butternut cousins. The addition of some butter, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese (I left out the rosemary and added butter) definitely helped to elevate its status to something palatable. But still I would not go out of my way to buy or order this anytime soon, except for Izzy.

He had an entirely different perspective on the matter. He could not get enough of the stuff. He couldn't keep his fork away from the stove, spooning up mouthfuls at every turn.

Maybe he lacks for certain vitamins present in this squash. Perhaps he gets the taste for it from the other side of the family. Whatever the case may be, he finished the entire batch. Lucky for him, I still have one more in the fridge. After that, he might just have to wait until next fall before I find myself making another.

CSA Season Ends: Until Next Year Catalpa Ridge...

The only person rejoicing is my husband, who had little patience for stepping over the unpicked up shares in our vestibule or the stray vegetable leaves and parts scattered in our front yard. I think they add a certain "farmy" character to our house but that's me...

I mourn the end of friendly chatter during weekly pick-up and vegetable surprises (like the beautiful squash above and these yard-long green beans) which made my regular shopping trips easier. I will miss watching Izzy come home from school to inspect the weekly offerings and most of all I will miss the character that Farmer Rich's unusual harvests add to our dinner table.

Admittedly, some of the crops left me a bit puzzled. Take the vegetable above, on the right. I still don't know when and if I may actually use it, a gnarly horseradish grown awry. Not sure what went wrong but the idea of stuffing the tentacles into the food processor doesn't make sense to me since I think horseradish is better off grated finely, by hand.

Unusual crops aside, we were also the more than happy recipients of beautiful, more common produce. Butternut squash, heirloom tomatoes, garlic, red onions, Swiss chard, and zucchini were just a few of the vegetables to find a home in our weekly menus.

I am still left with a vegetable drawer full of turnips and squash I haven't gotten to using, some apples which I hope are still crisp, heads of garlic on the windowsill awaiting mincing and some green tomatoes from the last delivery.

Until next June, I will have to load up with extra produce on my weekly trip to Union Square, where I have been eyeing some Brussels sprouts and yellow beans. And maybe I will send Farmer Rich an idea or two for some strange crops of my own!

Not Fava Beans, Fava GREENS

Ever heard of them? I hadn't either until Farmer Rich included them in our weekly CSA haul. I simply love fava beans so I was thrilled to have the chance to try these. One more reason to join a CSA, the opportunity to try something new and unusual.

Izzy and I immediately sampled them, raw. We were both pleased with this new taste. The soft, raw leaves have a mild fava flavor and they would make a fine addition to salads. Izzy even took them for lunch, on a sandwich with mayo. But then I mistakenly tried to cook them (or perhaps I didn't cook them long enough). I sauteed them quickly with olive oil and garlic. This changed their texture considerably and though they maintained their wonderful flavor, they became chewy and less palatable for Izzy. They also wilt rather quickly so if you do get your hands on some, put them in a salad within a day or two.