Calypso Farm Notes for the Week of June 20, 2005
Your Share This Week:
• Salad Greens
• Leaf Lettuce
• Kale
• Green Onions
• Radishes
• Garlic Whistles
• Swiss Chard
• Arugula
Your vegetables are growing heartily in the garden at the moment – thriving with the combination of sunshine and rain that we’ve been graced with. On Saturday, just before the rain settled in, I seeded three types of beets which are expected to provide tender baby beets late in the season. Meanwhile, the beets that we seeded in early May will be ready for a first harvest in a week or two. We have been experimenting with many different succession plantings in hopes of providing you with increased diversity in the shares this season. We have four different ages of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower in the field, three plantings of carrots, multiple plantings of greens and onions, kohlrabi, etc….
Come on out and see the garden this weekend for a fun work afternoon on Saturday, June 25th from 1-4 pm. Help Christie, Mary and I work on the field edges and slopes to eliminate weed seed beds and replace the areas with low growing sweet clover. The clover will replace weed species, enrich the soil and provide habitat for beneficial insects. We hope to see you up here – family and friends are welcome If you have any questions about the volunteer workday – call Brook in the office at 451-0691.
Enjoy all the leafy greens this week!!
Susan
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What is a Garlic Whistle?
We have a fantastic crop of garlic this year! We planted the cloves in
the fall, they overwintered and came up first thing this spring. Our plants
are now over three feet tall and have just begun to put on flower shoots
– also known as “scapes” or “whistles”.
We remove these shoots to allow the plants to allocate all of their energy
to the developing bulbs. Fortunately, these young flower stalks are full
of flavor and one of the best treats of early summer. Chop the stalks
and use them as you would fresh garlic or green onions.
Cooking Tips for Swiss Chard
• Remove leaves from the stem. Cut stems in 1 inch chunks and leaves
into ribbon like pieces.
• Sauté leaves and stems with butter, garlic and onions.
• Toss steamed chard with your favorite vinaigrette.
• Include chard in any stir fry – serve over rice.
• Blend cooked chard (including cooking water) with a tart plain
yogurt, herbs, salt a pepper – for a quick, nutritious creamed soup.
• Substitute Chard for any favorite spinach or greens recipe.
Sesame Kale Salad Adapted from Asparagus to Zucchini
This young, fresh kale is fantastic for this salad – however, if
you prefer lighter greens, mix in or substitute salad greens and/or swiss
chard.
1 lb greens 2 garlic whistles – finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Chop greens, steam very lightly until just tender. Drain and cool. Mix the remaining ingredients in another bowl; add to greens. Mix, chill and serve. Makes 4-6 servings
Calypso’s Spring Garden Pie
1 large mixed bunch of kale and chard 3 garlic whistles chopped
3 green onions, chopped 4-6 radishes, sliced thinly
1 cup milk or cream 6-8 eggs
herbs, salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons butter or oil
2 pie shells 1-2 cups grated cheese (optional - swiss or cheddar)
(any kind – we often create shells with butter, flour, and seeds)
Dash of paprika
Heat oven to 400°. In a skillet, melt butter, add sliced radishes, garlic whistles and green onions. Sauté over low heat until radishes are just tender, add chopped greens and wilt. Remove from heat. Spread greens mixture on the bottoms of the prepared pie shells. Sprinkle half of cheese over the greens mixture. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper and any favorite herbs. Pour egg and milk mixture over the greens. Layer the remaining cheese over the top and sprinkle paprika to finish. Bake for 25-40 minutes until the pies are no longer jiggly in the center.
Fresh Greens Soup Adapted from Fresh From the Garden by Perla Meyers
5 tablespoons butter 3 green onions, chopped
3 garlic whistles, chopped 6 cups strong chicken or vegetable stock
1 bunch kale 1 bunch swiss chard
2 cups salad greens 6 radishes, diced
2 tablespoons flour ½ cup heavy cream
1 small head of lettuce salt and pepper to taste
In a heavy saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over low heat. Add the chopped green onions and garlic and ¼ cup of broth. Simmer for a few minutes. Add radishes and simmer until they are tender. Add the chopped kale and half of the swiss chard. Remove from heat, strain liquid into a bowl and puree vegetables in a food processor until smooth. Whisk the puree into the broth and set aside. Melt the remaining butter in a heavy saucepan, whisk the flour into the butter and cook for 1 minute without browning. Whisk in the pureed soup and bring to a boil, reduce heat. Add the heavy cream with the chopped lettuce, salad greens and remaining swiss chard, and simmer until the leaves are just wilted. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot with bread and butter. Serves 6
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