MAY 21 CSA

This weeks' small shares contain:  2 pints of strawberries, 1 head of curly endive, 1 bunch of either kale or collards, 1 bunch of mint and parsley, 1 bunch of green garlic, 1 small fennel bulb.
Regular shares contain:  3 pints of strawberries, 1 head of curly endive, 1 bunch of kale or collards, 1 bunch of mint and parsley, 1 large bunch of green garlic, 2 small fennel bulbs, 1 purple kohlrabi, 1 head romaine lettuce.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING BACK YOUR EMPTY BOX, CLOTH BAGS, AND PINT CONTAINERS!  WE WILL RE-USE THEM!

Springtime Tabouli
first, cook 2 cups brown rice in 3 cups of water with a dash of salt
while it is cooking, prepare this dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 cup ume plum vinegar (or use red wine vinegar and salt to taste)
1/4 cup lemon juice
black pepper to taste
when the rice is done and still warm, pour the dressing over and stir thoroughly and let cool
while the rice is cooling, prepare the vegetables:
1 fennel bulb sliced thinly ( i use up to where the leaves begin)
2 or 3 green onions (or a shallot, red onion, or several chives)
3 carrots cut into thin coins
all the mint and parsley in your box
some asparagus or peas if you have them
add the vegetables to the rice once it has cooled and toss well;  add more dressing if you think it needs it
serve cold

Endive is a bitter green.  It can be eaten raw in salad by itself or with lettuce if you like the bitterness.  It becomes less bitter when cooked.  We like it this way:

cut the head of endive into small pieces and wash.
cut 1 green garlic and saute in oil or butter
add the endive and salt and pepper
when the endive is wilted but still bright green, add 2 cans of cannellini beans and stir til warm
serve right away with some crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese

The green garlic can be used in cooking anywhere that you would used cloves of garlic.  It is milder than cured garlic.  You cut it just like a scallion and use up to where the leaves begin.  (the leaves can be used in soup or stock)

Kohlrabi is in the cabbage family.  It needs to be peeled.  It's a good crunchy addition to salad and is good boiled with potatoes and mashed together.

We have planted all the tomatoes we plan to and have lots of extras.  If anyone would like 1 or 2 or 50, we'd love to give them to you.  Please let me know if you're interested!  We have pink and yellow brandywine, amish paste, juliet, black cherry, sweet 100, cherokee purple.  Today and tomorrow we are planting the peppers and eggplant!  We will have extra pepper plants too if anyone wants some.  Hope you have a great week!   Sorry there is no picture this week...I find myself technologically impaired.