Weekly Share June 18th – 24th

Arugula
Fennel
Parsley
Swiss Chard
Escarole or Frisee
Chioggia & Red Ace Beets
Red Creole & Candy Onions
Cucumber or New Potatoes
Magda, Flaminio, & Zephyr Squash

We began our annual garlic harvest this past Thursday and will continue this coming week, hoping to avoid the rains on Wednesday and Thursday. This year’s crop looks really nice, with a limited amount of rot or fungal issues, a majority of good-sized heads, and an appropriate amount of drying back. There is always a very small window when the crop is ready to harvest, being fully formed, but not overly so or dried back too far. When it is dried back to far we get a lot of ripping of the skins around the bulb when we pull it from the soil, hence damaging the neck and compromising the curing of the bulb, ultimately making it less storeable. When it is under mature, we have a difficult time getting the skins to dry back quickly enough in the curing process, as our weather this time of year is almost always very humid. Curing of both onions and garlic necessitates very warm weather with lots of air circulation around the bulb so the neck will dry back quickly protecting the bulb and head from any damage and keeping it intact, juicy, and delicious for months to come. We cure garlic in the top part of our large barn, hanging bundles of garlic from nails along the rafters. Please check out some pictures taken last year by Alexis Courtney of our garlic harvest.

This week’s share will have the last of our Spring fennel. This crazy weather led to quick bolting of many of our more temperate crops, such as fennel, so it is making a quick appearance. We are glad to get you a few more greens and the first good crop of arugula for the season. Those who got cucumbers last week will get potatoes this week and vice versa. Check out he recipes below and enjoy the share…..Autumn & Brian

Beet, Orange and Arugula Salad

Smashed Potato Salad with Escarole

Fennel and Cucumber Salad

Halibut with Spring Onion and Summer Squash Sauté

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte with Parmesan

Roasted Beets, Avocado, and Sunflower Seeds from Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden
1 lb beets
kosher salt & black pepper
extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbls red wine vinegar
¼ cup salted roasted sunflower seeds
½ cup lightly packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 scallions, trimmed, (including ½” off the green tops), sliced on a sharp angle, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, and drained well
½ cup lightly packed, seeded, chopped pickled peppers
2 firm-ripe avocadoes
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Trim the tops and bottoms of the beets. Wash the greens and spin dry in a salad spinner. Rinse and scrub the beets to remove any mud and grit. Cut up any larger beets so that they are all about the same size.
Put the beets in a baking dish that’s large enough to accommodate all of them in a single layer. Season with salt, then pour ¼ cup water into the dish. Cover tightly with foil and steam roast until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Depending on the size, density, and age of the beets, this could take between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Meanwhile, if you have beet greens to cook, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add a glug of olive oil, add the beet greens, and toss them until they are wilted and a bit stewed, about 5 minutes. Set aside until cool, then chop through them a few times.
When the beets are tender, let them cool until you can handle them, then rub or pare away the skins. Cut into ½-inch wedges or chunks and pile into a bowl. Add the greens.
While the beets are still warm, sprinkle with the vinegar, ½ tsp salt, and many twists of pepper. Toss to distribute the seasonings and let the beets absorb the vinegar for a few minutes. Add a healthy glug of olive oil and toss again. Let the beets sit at room temperature until you are ready to serve.
To assemble for serving, add the sunflower seeds, parsley, scallions, and pickled peppers and toss gently. Peel the avocadoes and cut them into neat chunks that are about the same size as the beet wedges, and add them to the beets too. Toss thoroughly but very gently, so you don’t mash the avocado too much. Taste and adjust with more salt, black pepper, vinegar, or oil. Serve right away.