This week your basket contains: potatoes, shallots, leeks, BOK CHOI, MINT, and beets

This week’s bok choi was seeded last fall and has been growing in a hoop house all winter.  All of the bok choi leaves we’ve included in mixes this winter have come from these same plants, but it is time to harvest them as whole plants.  All members of the cabbage family (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.) are very sensitive to day length and at this time of year they have had enough daylight hours to be starting to flower.  The good side of this is that we are starting to get bunches of raab (cabbage family flower buds) that are tender, sweet and tasty.  Use them as you would regular broccoli.  Right now we have purple sprouting broccoli, a few overwintering cauliflower, and some other types of raab that we will be doling out as they come.  We’ll keep track and make sure who gets them each week until there is enough for everyone. This recipe is perfect for the bok choi and mint.

BOK CHOY AND MINT SALAD

1 head of bok choy, finely slivered
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 medium shredded carrot
1 cup shelled soy bean

Dressing:
1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 clove of minced garlic

Wash and drain bok choy.  In a bowl, combine slivered bok choy, onion, shredded carrot, soy beans.  Place mint, cilantro salt pepper, rice wine vinegar, sugar, mustard and garlic in a blender and puree. Just before serving pour over bok choy and toss ingredients. Dressing the salad at the last minute will keep it nice and crunchy.

We are getting to the end of the beets, and this week we harvested them as much for the greens as for the roots.  The greens are almost identical to Swiss chard and should be used the same way.  In this recipe, I include chopped beet roots with the greens.

BRAISED BEET GREENS

1 pound beet greens (beet tops)

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

salt and pepper

Flavorful vinegar

Heat oil or butter in large skillet. Add chopped onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add greens to onions, stir to coat with oil and lightly salt and pepper. When greens wilt down add 1/4 cup water or broth. Cover and cook until tender – the time will depend on the age of the greens: a minute or two for very young greens, 5 minutes or more for older, firmer ones. Taste to test. Uncover and cook for a minute or two to evaporate moisture. Serve warm, sprinkled with your favorite vinegar.

If you don’t use your mint right away, the best way to keep it fresh is to simply set it in a glass of water set on a window sill.  If you keep the water fresh, and you wait a while they may even start to grow roots!  In this case, you can plunk it into you own garden (or large pot to help keep it from spreading too much) and you will have a ready supply of mint of you own.

RHUBARB is just about ready.  We can send along enough for a pie (approx. 1Lb.) for only $3.  Email to order.

OUR CHICKENS HAVE STARTED TO LAY EGGS AGAIN. If you are on our egg list from last year, we will try to start giving you eggs again. If you want to be added to or removed from the list, please send us an email!

Our tulips and daffodils are emerging, though the cold weather has been slowing them down more than we would like.  If you have ordered flowers, we have you on a list and will be sending them along as soon as we can.  We will have $6 bunches available starting in the next few weeks.  Send us an email to order (one time or standing order).  The season usually lasts about 3-4 weeks