This week your basket contains: leeks, potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, garlic, beets, mustard greens, collards, RADISHES, and salad mix, (lettuce, spinach, and endive)WE STILL HAVE SPACES AVAILABLE FOR NEXT YEAR’S VEGGIE SUBSCRIPTION.  If you have friends, family, or neighbors who might like our service, please direct them to our web site.  If they sign up, we’ll reward you with a FREE MONTH OF FLOWER BOUQUETS.

Speaking of flowers, Spring is springing which means flowers are now blooming (starting with tulips).  Polly will put together a gorgeous bouquet of 10-12 stems for $6 and later in the spring and summer a mixed bouquet of approx.. 25 stems for $7.    In addition, RHUBARB is ready too.  We will put together a bunch (approx. 1 Lb.) for just $3.  Just email us to order.

Radishes are a very important crop for us.  Not as much in terms of filling baskets as in emotional terms.  They are the first crop we plant after the Winter Solstice.  Having them finally mature is the signal that the bounty of summer is just around the corner even if it was snowing here Monday morning!  These French Breakfast radishes are mild and lovely.  They are perfect in a salad, or sliced into a stir fry (that is if you can keep them from being eaten from the basket  immediately).  For a more formal salad, try this recipe.

RADISH SALAD

1 bunch radishes

2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives

olive oil

2 to 4 ounces Parmesan

salt and pepper

radish sprouts, leaves, or arugula greens, optional

Set aside a handful of the most tender radish greens. Trim the radish roots, leaving just a bit of the stem, and wash them well. Wick up the excess moisture with a towel, then thinly slice, either lengthwise or crosswise. Put them in a bowl and toss with salt, chives, radish greens, and enough oil to coat lightly.   Put the radishes on a platter, shave the cheese over them, and add pepper and the optional greens, if using.   Adapted from Deborah Madison.

MAYE’S BEETS

A number of years ago, this recipe was sent to us by a long time subscriber.  She said “This recipe calls for beets, but I have used turnips, rutabagas and celeriac too, and they were all great. The beets make a fuschia-colored salad though, and are definitely the prettiest. I have taken this dish to potlucks and gotten rave reviews, a pretty good trick for a root vegetable.”

2-3 medium beets

3 T. sour cream or yoghurt

1 T. prepared horseradish, or to taste

¼  t. salt

¼ t. sugar

dash of black pepper, to taste

Cut off the stems of the beet greens, scrub but don’t peel. (Save the greens for another dish, or use them as a garnish for this one.) Boil the beets in water to cover until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and cool. When cool, rub off the peel, and cut into thin strips, or for the talented among you, julienne them. There should be about 2 cups. Blend the sour cream or yoghurt with the horseradish, salt, sugar and pepper. Add the beets and stir gently. Chill and serve.  From Sundays at Moosewood.

This week’s salad contains some more hardy winter greens like endive.  This type of mix calls for a slightly more robust dressing.  Dressing the salad and allowing it to marinate the greens is also a great way to mellow and meld the flavors.  This is a good version to try (and play with to meet your tastes)

WINTER SALAD DRESSING

2 Tbs lemon juice (or rice vinegar)

2 Tbs Soy sauce or tamari

2 Tbs Olive oil 

Whisk all the ingredients together and dress greens.  The longer the heartier greens marinate, the more tender they become.