THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: lettuce, spinach, new potatoes, snow peas (half shares), snap peas (full shares), bok choy, BEETS, and Asian broccoli OR zucchini.

If you have Asian broccoli this week, remember that all parts (stems, leaves, and buds) are used when cooking it.

Our beets have very lovely greens this week.  They were grown in a hoop house, so have been largely protected from wind and rain which means they are more tender.  You can use the greens just like Swiss chard or spinach to which beets are closely related.  They, and your spinach, would be perfect in the recipe below.

BEETS AND BEET GREENS WITH TAHINI SAUCE

1 bunch medium or large beets (3 to 4)

1 large or 2 smaller bunches beet greens (about 3/4 pound)

 Salt to taste

1 garlic clove, cut in half

¼ cup sesame tahini

2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste

2 to 4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Cut greens away from beets, leaving about 1/4 inch of stems. Scrub beets with vegetable brush. To steam beets, place in a steamer above 2 inches water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cover. Turn down heat to medium. Steam small and medium beets for 30 minutes and large beets for 40 minutes, until you can pierce the beet to the middle with a knife or skewer. Remove from heat and allow to cool. To roast, preheat oven to 425ºF and place beets in a baking dish (or lidded ovenproof casserole). Add 1/4 inch water to the dish. Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (3 ounces or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (4 to 6 ounces) 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (8 ounces) 50 to 60 minutes, until they are easily penetrated with the tip of a knife. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the covered baking dish.   When beets have cooled, cut away ends and slip off skins. Slice in rounds or cut into wedges or half-moons. Blanch greens in salted boiling water for about 1 minute, just until they wilt. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture, taking up the greens by the handful. Alternatively, steam for 2 minutes, using tongs to flip the greens over top to bottom halfway through, for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and chop coarsely.  To make sauce, purée garlic cloves with a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle, or put through a garlic press. Transfer to a bowl or measuring cup and whisk in sesame tahini. Whisk in lemon juice, beginning with smaller amount. The mix will stiffen up. Gradually whisk in up to 1/4 cup water, until sauce has consistency of thick cream or runny yogurt. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice.  Line a platter with the beet greens and arrange beets on top and around greens. Drizzle on tahini sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

In the past year or so we’ve become enamored of chili crisp (especially the Portland based brand HAB and their Oregon Seaweed Chili Crisp).  We would definitely use it in the recipe below.

BOK CHOY WITH HOT BACON SAUCE

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chili sauce

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 Tbsp. cooking oil

3 cups chopped bok choy

Combine all but cooking oil and bok choy in a saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add bok choy and stir-fry until crisp tender. Place hot sauce over it when ready to serve.  Serves 6

WE HAVE RUN OUT OF STORAGE SPACE FOR EGG CARTONS.  Please do NOT leave any in your empty baskets.  We will let you know when we need them again. Thank you.

We do, however, need paper bags with handles.  Polly uses these at the Beaverton Farmers’ Market where she sells our garden starts.  Just leave them in your empty baskets for us.  Thanks!

STRAWBERRIES ARE HERE! We grow Shuksan (the Cadillac of Strawberries according to a local old-time berry grower).  $5 per pint;  $27.50 for 6 pints; $55 for 12 pints.  Email to order by noon the day before your delivery.  We have set the date for our first SUBSCRIBER DAY OF THE YEAR.  It will be on Sunday, June 22^nd   from 11:00 to 3:00.  We will contribute pizzas, lead farm tours and host the potluck lunch.    IT IS TIME TO ORDER GARDENS STARTS!  You can order from our full lineup of vegetable, herb and flower starts  from our website PUMPKINRIDGEGARDENS.SQUARE.SITE.  MIXED FLOWER BOUQUETS ($12) are ready!  Email to order (either standing order or one time) RHUBARB is also ready!  We can add a bunch (approximately 1 Lb.) to your basket for $4.