This week your basket contains: potatoes, leeks, carrots, beets, parsnips, CILANTRO MINIS, cilantro (full shares), and collards.

The bills in your basket are for the last monthly installment of the 2020-21 year.  Your last delivery of that year will be on May 18^th.  If you are continuing with us for the 2021-22 year we will bill for deposits in April.

CILANTRO MINIS are an experiment for us.  Micro greens are a new trend that we thought would help enhance our late winter/early spring lineup.  The pot will keep well in a window in your kitchen for a week or two before needing to be used or transplanted. You can snip the cilantro off to top chili or tacos, let the little plants grow out a bit more then transplant them to grow to full size, or use some now and let some grow.  Let us know what you think of them.  The recipe below calls for a lot of cilantro (full shares may have enough with the bunches they have) and I have always used less than called for with good results.

SALMON CAKES WITH GREEN SALSA

1 lb. fresh salmon, poached

4 oz. smoked salmon, minced

1 cup mashed potatoes, cooled

¼ cup finely chopped scallions

1/3 cup minced cilantro

2 eggs

salt and pepper

½ cup unseasoned bread crumbs

2 pint tomatillos

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Flake poached salmon into a bowl and mix with the smoked salmon, potatoes, scallions, 2 Tbsp. of the cilantro, and the eggs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Shape into 16 cakes each 3 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick.  Coat evenly with bread crumbs.  Cover and chill for an hour.  Meanwhile prepare the salsa: combine the remaining cilantro with the tomatillos, onion, chile, and lime juice in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, not pureed.  Transfer to serving dish and set aside.  Cook salmon cakes by heating oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Fry cakes, turning once, for about 8 minutes a side, until golden brown.  You can also broil the salmon cakes until browning and heated through.  Serve immediately with salsa.  From The Great Potato Book by Florence Fabricant.

Cilantro would be a great addition to this pesto.

WINTER PESTO

5 cups greens

3 cloves garlic

½ cup olive oil

½ cup toasted walnuts

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. salt

Squeeze the garlic into a food processor; add remaining ingredients except the cheese and process until it becomes a smooth green paste.  Stir in Parmesan, taste and adjust seasonings.  This can be served on pasta, dolloped on toast or used as the base for soup.

ROOT VEGETABLE, WHITE BEAN AND BREAD CRUMB GRATIN

Consider serving this with a grilled leg of lamb and braised greens. Or turn this side dish into a main dish by adding a big salad and some good bread and butter.  Julienned celeriac can be used instead of carrots

2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 medium cloves garlic, divided

2 sage leaves

2 tsp. tomato paste

2 cups cooked white beans, cooking liquid reserved, or 1 can (15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper

1 large parsnip, woody core removed, or 2 small ones

1 large carrot or 2 small ones

⅓ cup toasted breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, sauté the onion in 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil over moderate heat until golden. Mince the garlic and add half of it to the onions, reserving the rest. Cook and stir for one minute, then add the sage and tomato paste. Mix the tomato paste into the onion mixture and sauté for two more minutes, scraping up any brown bits that accumulate on the bottom of the pan. Add the beans and ½ to ¾ cup of their reserved cooking liquid. (If using canned beans, substitute water for the cooking liquid.) The mixture should be somewhat soupy. Season with salt and pepper. Partly cover the pot and let the beans simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the parsnip and carrot and cut each into ½-inch pieces. Steam the parsnip until tender, about 5 minutes, then steam the carrot until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the vegetables to the bean mixture and simmer 2 minutes longer. Add more bean broth or water if necessary. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining garlic and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil an 8-by-10-inch baking dish or gratin dish. Turn out the bean and vegetable mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the seasoned breadcrumbs over the beans and vegetables and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the gratin begins to bubble. Serve warm. By Kelly Myers on culminate.com