THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: lettuce, radish, zucchini, garlic, Swiss chard, beets, cucumbers, and basil

AUGUST FLOWER SPECIAL:  Polly does not go to the Beaverton Farmers Market in August (her primary outlet for flower bouquets) and so always has a surplus of flowers for the month.  You can sign up for weekly bouquets for the 4 Tuesdays in August ($12/week; $48 total) and we will deliver a gorgeous bouquet with each of your August vegetable baskets.  Simply email to order.  We will bill you in September for the flowers you get in August.

We recently ran across the recipe below and have been eating a LOT.  We don’t use as much rice vinegar as the recipe calls for which is a bit sweet for our taste (substitute apple cider vinegar for some of the rice vinegar).  You can also cut the cucumbers any way you like; it all tastes great! 

CHILI CRISP CUCUMBER SALAD

1 or 2 cucumbers, sliced

3 tbsp chili crisp or chili oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

2 green onion trimmed and thinly sliced

salt

Toss the sliced cucumber with ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Set aside to drain.  In a large bowl, whisk together the chili crisp, vinegar, soy sauce, scallions and sesame seeds. Transfer the salted cucumbers to the bowl with dressing and toss to coat.  To serve, transfer the cucumber to a large plate or platter, drizzle the remaining dressing on top. Serve right away. From cravingcalifornia.com

Another great recipe for cucumbers and beets is the one below.  Remember to set aside the beet greens to use with your chard!

ROASTED BEET AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING

1 pound beets

1large cucumber

one small red onion, sliced

Garlic Yogurt Dressing

1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Cut off the very top of each beet and clean them thoroughly. Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. Unwrap the beets and allow them to cool until warm but cool enough to handle. Remove the skin from the beets with your fingers or a paper towel. Slice the beets and cucumbers into uniform pieces. Slice the red onion and add to a medium-large bowl with the beets and cucumbers.  For the yogurt dressing, combine the minced garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. (You can allow this to marinate for a while if you prefer.) Add the yogurt, dill and mint and stir until well-combined.  Pour the garlic yogurt dressing onto the vegetables and stir gently.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.  Serves 6-8

The recipe below would be perfect for your beet greens and chard.

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.