Lettuce Head (Panisse Oakleaf or Helvius Romaine)
Potatoes (Nicola Golden)
Tomatillos
Peppers (Anaheim and Poblano)
Chiles (Jalapeno and Serrano)
Red Onions
Cilantro
Summer Squash
Cucumbers (Suyo Long)
Okra or Eggplant
With only three more weeks of our Spring/Summer share, we are already full steam ahead in planting our Fall and Winter crops. It has been a strange Summer with cool temperatures as of late; which makes our work a bit easier throughout the day; but is also strange for many of the crops. Here in Green Bay, June was very hot and dry and then July was more mild with rain and cloudy skies. This has had different effects on the various crop families. For many of our Late May/June planted nightshade successions (tomatoes, tomatillos, pepper, eggplant) this has meant slow growth. We could not water enough in June, so the leaf growth was minimal, disease and bugs were active and so some of the plants have been weakened, then July did not have the sun and temperatures needed to up production. These plantings will produce, just a bit slower than we anticipated. For our June planted cucurbits (squash, cucumber, watermelon) and bean successions the weather was helpful, they grow well as seedlings with ample sun and not too much water, but once they start flowering they need water, so by July when the flowering began, we had great weather for setting fruit. The weather has also helped out with our Summer successions of lettuce, arugula, and herbs, as we have been able to find cool weather windows that allow better germination of the seeds, meaning better stands of the crop. Our Fall starts have also thrived, as the last few weeks being in the 80’s has been perfect for getting the seedlings going, but not too hot to stunt their growth. Over two weeks we have planted cabbage, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli raab, mustard greens, kale (lacinato and russian), collards, radishes, salad turnips, bok choy, mizuna, arugula, carrots, salad mix, lettuces, radicchio, escarole, frisee, beets, spinach, scallions, fennel, and herbs. In the coming weeks spigariello, Japanese mustards, swiss chard, turnips, winter radishes, and rutabaga will be added to the list, along with more successions of the crops listed above.
This week’s share includes ingredients for making salsa verde or another splendid Mexican influenced dish. We have included a handful of chiles, maybe more than are needed for a week, but these will last up to a month if kept in a plastic bag or container in your refrigerator and they can also be frozen for use throughout the Winter. We absolutely love the Nicola potatoes. They are creamy, crumbly, and buttery. One of our favorite preparations is to pan fry with onions and either anaheim or poblano peppers, serve with eggs for breakfast or with beans, tortillas, and salsa for dinner. Lastly in case you have not tried our Suyo Long cucumbers, they are a delicious fresh eating cucumber with a sweet, crunchy flesh. They don’t have to be peeled and the seeds are very small. Enjoy the share… Brian and Autumn
Salsa De Tomate Verde, Cocida (Cooked Green Tomato Sauce) by Diana Kennedy The Art of Mexican Cooking
This recipe makes about 1 ¼ cups. Sometimes I will use jalapenos instead of serranos, or use a little onion to replace the garlic and if I have a little extra time, I will broil the tomatillos and chiles for 10 minutes instead of simmering in water, for added flavor.
1/2 pound Tomatillos , rinsed, husks removed
2 Serranos
1 Tbls Rough Chopped Cilantro
1 Garlic Clove or 1 small Onion
1 Tbls safflower oil
Salt to taste
Put the tomate verde and chiles into a pan, cover with water, and bring to a simmer; continue cooking until the tomate verde is soft but not falling apart – about 10 minutes, depending on size. Remove from the heat. Strain, reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking water. Put the reserved cooking water into a blender, add the chiles, cilantro and garlic, and blend until almost smooth. Add the tomate verde and blend for 10 seconds, no more, to make a fairly smooth sauce. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the sauce and reduce over high heat until it thickens and seasons – about 8 minutes. Add salt to taste.
