This week your basket contains: snap peas (full shares), Walla Walla onions (half shares), GARLIC SCAPES, BABY BEETS, cilantro, spinach, zucchini, kohlrabi, kale, bok choi, Swiss chard and lettuce.

Thank you to everyone who came to the farm Sunday for our subscriber pot luck.  We always enjoy getting to know who we are growing food for and hanging out enjoying the farm with you.  The salad below was brought to the pot luck by a subscriber.  It was so good that we wanted to make sure everyone had the recipe.  At this time of year, we would substitute thinly sliced kohlrabi for the jicama and radishes.

TOSTADA SALAD

2 t corn oil

1/2 C pepitas

1/2 t ancho chile powder or regular chile powder

1/4 t kosher salt

6 corn tortillas

12 C romaine hearts (or other greens), cut crosswise into 1 in. pieces

12 oz (about 1/2) jicama, peeled and cut into 1/2 x 2 in. pieces

1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced

1/2 pint cherry tomato, cut in half

1 (15oz) can black beans

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

8 oz queso fresco, crumbled

1/3 C chopped cilantro

Heat 2 teaspoons corn oil in a heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pepitas, chile powder, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and stir until pepitas are golden brown and beginning to pop, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Stack the tortillas and cut in half. Cut the halved tortillas crosswise into 3/4 inch strips. Fill a heavy deep skillet with 1 inch of corn oil and heat over medium-high until very hot. Reduce heat to medium and, working in batches, add tortilla pieces to the oil and fry, turning once, until the tortillas are golden and crisp, about 1 minute per batch. Transfer the tortillas to a brown paper bag or paper towels to drain. Sprinkle the tortilla strips with salt to taste. In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, jicama, radishes, tomatoes, black beans, and red onion. Add the tortilla chips and enough Creamy Lime Avocado Dressing to season to taste. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the salad with the cheese, chile pepitas, and cilantro.

CREAMY LIME AVOCADO DRESSING

1/2 avocado, pitted

1/2 C chopped cilantro

1/2 C pepitas

6 T extra virgin olive oil

6 T freshly squeezed lime juice

1 jalapeno

1 garlic clove, peeled

1/2 t kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Thin with additional olive oil and lime juice if necessary. From Salad For Dinnerby Jeanne Kelley.

Garlic scapes (the flower buds of certain garlic varieties) are used like scallions (mostly cooked) and are particularly good in omelets or other egg dishes.

The beets were thinned mostly for their greens, though the roots are of a very tender and tasty size.  This risotto could be made with the beets you have and any combination of the greens in your basket (though it will be less beet root heavy).

BEET RISOTTO WITH GREENS AND FETA

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 ¼ c. chopped onion

1 ½ c. arborio rice

1 ½ Tbs. minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary

½ c. red wine

3 ½ cups finely chopped peeled beets

2 vegetable bouillon cubes

3 c. water

3 ½ c. chopped greens

4 oz. feta cheese

½ c. chopped toasted walnuts