This week your basket contains: green elephant garlic, radish (half shares), turnips (full shares), parsley, mint, cooking greens (chard and bok choi), and lettuce mix. 

Thank you to everyone who has returned their renewal forms and surveys.  IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE DO SO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We are getting good ideas from surveys, which we will tabulate and communicate as they come in. One thing we have already done in response to a suggestion is to post a projected harvest list for the week on our website. Look for that on Sunday to make your meal planning easier. 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. RHUBARB is ready!  We will put together a bunch (approx. 1 Lb.) for just $3.  Just email us to order.

This week we harvested, almost exclusively, new lettuces seeded since February.  They include one variety that is perhaps our favorite, despite the difficulty of growing it.  Deer Tongue is a 19^th century variety that is very difficult to find.  This green lettuce has curved, tongue shaped leaves that seem to be a cross between romaine lettuce and butterhead lettuce.  It has an amazing flavor that is buttery and nutty as well as a silky mouth feel.  There is only a very short window of time in which we can successfully grow it (and only in a hoop house).  It seems to be very day-length sensitive and every pest in the world prefer it to all other food.  Slugs and flea beetles seek it out, and if a deer happens to find a bed of lettuce, they will eat all the Deer Tongue before trying other varieties.

Inspired by a recipe by Kathy Gunst, this sauce transforms grilled meat, fish or vegetables. It can also be used as a marinade or spooned into soups and salads.

CHIMICHURRI

¾ cup parsley, large stems removed

1/3 c. mint leaves

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 small green garlic, white and pale green part chopped

4 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Can be covered and stored in the fridge for a few days until needed. Makes about ¾ cup.

It has taken me a long time to think of parsley as more than garnish.  I’ve started adding it to basil when I make pesto and really like the way it comes out.  Additionally, featuring parsley in salads, like tabouli, or this recipe  is a great use of parsley.

LEOMONY RICE AND PARSLEY SALAD

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 cup Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 small sweet Italian, diced

1/3 cup black olives, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs.capers

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon wedges

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and simmer over moderate heat until just tender, about 14 minutes. Drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, toss the rice with the olive oil and lemon juice. Stir in the parsley, pepper, olives, capers and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges.  Adapted from foodandwine.com.

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

16 lettuce leaves

1 pound lean ground beef

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green garlic, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)

1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!