Pickup Today on the
FRONT PORCH
Be prepared to carry a pumpkin, a watermelon, and your bag of food!

This week’s share:

broccoli

celeriac

cilantro

fennel

green pepper

eggplant

Florence long red onion

Yellow of Parma onion

marjoram

parsley

pumpkin

summer squash

tomato

thyme
sunflower

watermelon

We need a rating!

Can you help us out?

Tell everyone how we’ve been doing

at localharvest.org

Usually around this time of year we are getting the garden tucked in for winter. This year, we are planting new things that will hopefully grow into the winter. We’re using special fabric to cover some of the rows.

People claim you can grow lettuce into December, and I hope they’re right! We have been putting the row covers over the peppers and eggplants. We did this to make it nice and warm in there, so they produce. This week we did get a small amount of both.

New in your bags this week is celeriac. Celeriac will keep in the refrigerator up to one month, or store the root in a cold, moist place for 2 to 3 months. Leaves can be used as an herb in soups and stews.

The whole plant can be eaten. Slice off the stalks at the root, and soak the root in water to loosen dirt in the crevices. Then scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush. If the exterior is too tough, peel it with a sharp knife.

Peeled celeriac will darken when exposed to air. Just toss it with lemon juice to stop the darkening.

There is a heavy load of herbs in your bag today. Whatever you can’t use now, you can either dry (except cilantro) or freeze for later use.

The watermelons have been spotty – I’ve had three sweet and juicy melons and one that wasn’t sweet at all. I’d like to know how yours were last week. There are more melons this week, too.

We asked another farmer how he manages to get the cilantro ripe when the tomatoes are ripe, and he just said he plants cilantro every two weeks in hopes he gets it right. We will be trying that next year.

Sunflower

You can then dry your sunflowers whereever you want to, as long as it is warm and dry with good ventilation to prevent molding. A small shed might be perfect, or even in your house. You may still want to cover the seed heads with paper bags, especially if drying in an outdoor shed.

The seeds are ready when you hold up the head and rub your hand over the seeds and they fall right out. From there you can eat the seeds, feed them to the birds, or save some to grow next year.

We are struggling to understand how a whole row of radishes, all planted at the same time, are not all ready to be picked at the same time. It is maddening, thinking we’ll have enough radishes for your shares the next week, but then they don’t all ripen. One of the mysteries of nature!

Garlic Parsley Pesto with Pasta

– Madison Herb Society Cookbook

1 cup low fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta
 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup boiling water
½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
½ cup fresh basil
2 large cloves of garlic
Salt and coarse pepper to taste
3 cups tender-cooked pasta

Have cheeses at room temperature. Blend with remaining ingredients (except pasta) until smooth in blender or food processor. Toss with pasta. This is also good on baked potatoes, cooked rice, or steamed vegetables.

What to do with Fennel:

- add to soups: pureed or chopped
- substitute for celery in most recipes
- bake it, steam it, or sauté it
- use in place of dill – excellent on fish!

What to do with Cilantro:

- chop into pasta or potato salads
- toss fresh leaves into a green salad
- add to soups, stews, and stir-fries

Tangy Celery Salad

1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs lemon juice
¼ cup lowfat yogurt
1 large or 2 medium celery root
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 head of radicchio

In a medium bowl, combine mustard, lemon juice, and yogurt. Set aside. With a sharp knife, peel celery root and cut into julienne strips. Add to mustard mixture, mixing well to coat celery root. Cover and marinate overnight. Toss together with cut chives and parsley. Serve on radicchio leaves.

Have a splendid week! ~ Kathy

Week #6

This week’s share:

cilantro
Chioggia beets
Carrots
chard
cucumber
cilantro
green beans
kale
red leaf lettuce
rutabaga

This Past Week…

We noticed the muskmelons and the pumpkins forming. The purple beans are blossoming, as are the blue potatoes. We also saw the formation of a patty-pan squash. We are anxiously waiting for these items to ripen so we can share them with you .

We were able to purchase some basil plants from an area farmer, so hopefully we will have basil for you soon!

We are happy that the cucumbers are arriving a little early. There was just enough for everyone to have one today. But next week there will be many more. Start getting ready for cucumber season!

Just a note about washing – some of the produce is soaked or sprayed, but the reason we do this is to cool it down so it lasts longer for you. Please make sure you wash your food before eating.

Cooking Tips for Rutabaga:

• Scrub vigorously with a vegetable brush. For maximum nutrition, do not peel.
• Rutabaga can be grated into raw salads. Try a winter slaw combining grated rutabaga, celeriac, carrot, diakon radish, and apple with chopped parsley and a lemon/oil dressing.
• Steam 1-inch chunks for 30-35 minutes, or until tender. Mash and serve with butter and a sprinkling of black pepper. Mash with other vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes.
• Bake 1-inch chunks brushed with butter or oil for 40-50 minutes, or nestle alongside roasting meats.
• Make rutabaga chips: Deep-fry 1/8 inch-thick slices in very hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Do not crowd pan while frying. Drain on paper towel, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.


Storage tips:


• Rutabaga will store adequately at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerated in dehydrator drawer for up to 1 month.

• For longer-term storage, rutabagas may be packed in moist sand and kept in a cool, but not freezing location.

Rutabaga Caserole

by LaDOnna at allrecipes.com

• 4 rutabagas
• 4 carrots
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)

Directions

1. Peel rutabagas and cut into large cubes. Place in cold salted water, and bring to a boil. When fork tender, drain.

2. Mash rutabagas with grated carrots, sugar, and butter.

3. Place in oven at low temperature to keep warm. Cover so that the dish will not dry out. If it does, stir in a little milk.


Chili Roasted Rutabaga by MACSAC


2 tbs vegetable oil

11/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic salt

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne

1 ½ lbs rutabaga



Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Peel rutabagas and cut them into chunks that are about 2 inches long and ½-1 inch wide. Toss with spice mix. Transfer to large baking sheet, spreading pieces out evenly. Bake until tender and somewhat browned, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.



Cilantro Cream Sauce over Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked & kept warm.
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup of water
2 tsp granulated chicken flavor bouillon
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
Ground black pepper to taste

Place cilantro, evaporated milk, water and bouillon in blender. Blend until smooth.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in cilantro mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Season to taste with pepper, and pour over chicken.

Patty-pan Squash:

A Peek at the Muskmelons:

A view of the lettuce and carrots:

Pickup:

Front porch if rainy
Right side yard if nice

This week’s share:
basil
Chioggia beets
flat-leaf cilantro
green beans
kale
kohlrabi
red leaf lettuce

This Past Week…

We’ve kept busy staking and trimming tomatoes. They’re between three and four feet tall right now, and love this heat. The sunflowers and pumpkins have really taken off. They’ve grown over a foot in four weeks! We’ve even picked a few carrots. Yumm.

How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? How can things be improved upon? Tell us how we’re doing.

Chioggia Beets
Not Grandma’s Beets!

What about it: Chioggia is an Italian coastal town situated on a little island. It's here that this wonderful beet originated, which is highly sought after for its striking colors.

When its round root is cut, it reveals superb rings, alternating white and deep pink. After cooking, the flesh turns completely pale pink, which is why it is preferred in its raw form.

It matures early and has a mild flavor, and so requires less cooking time than most varieties of beet. (from theworldwidegourmet.com)

The news: Still found mainly in farmers’ markets but starting to show up in specialty grocery stores, these red-and-white–striped roots are sweeter than other beets, and so beautiful, they might win over any beet doubters.

Feel-good factors: Beets have lots of fiber, potassium, iron, and folic acid, a B vitamin. Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beets their color, is a powerful antioxidant.

Ways to try them: Sauté the greens. Roast beets until just tender; cut up for salads (they’re great with avocados). Slice raw beets paper-thin; add to soup. From sunset.com.



Roasted Beet Salad

6-8 small beets, scrubbed, tops trimmed to 1 inch
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup pecans
1 tbs Dijon mustard
4 tbs white wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby salad greens
½ small bottle onion or sweet onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

Heat grill. Place beets on heavy foil; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly, grill until beets can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pecans in a dry pan on the grill, tossing frequently. Finely chop the nuts. When beets are cooled a bit, use a paper towel to remove the peel, stems, and tails. Cut beets into quarters. Combine mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil until thickened. Add salt and pepper. Toss salad greens in a bowl with a little dressing. Portion the greens onto 2-4 plates. Top with beets, onions, blue cheese, and pecans. Drizzle with as much dressing as you like.

Adapted from Michael Waupoose’s winner in the 2001 Food for Thought Recipe Contest. Printed in “From Asparagus to Zucchini”.





Fried Beets & Carrots from Linda Derrickson, Sunporch Café

2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium beets, quartered, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 medium carrots, sliced ¼ inch thick
Tamari sauce
Beet tops, fresh spinach, or Swiss Chard

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add cumin, cook about 1 minute. Add beets and carrots; fry until tender. Remove from heat, sprinkle on a little tamari, and serve. Variation: if using young beets, save the tops. When the beets and carrots are tender, add chopped greens, cover, and cook until soft. Toss mixture, sprinkle with tamari, and serve. Makes 2-4 servings.


Enjoy what may be the last of the basil – looks like all the plants are diseased and they may succumb quickly. Big sad face :(

We are running low on brown paper bags. If you have any you could spare, we would sure appreciate it!

Have a stress-free week!

~Kathy

June 29, 2010 CSA News

A Note Regarding Pickup:


If there is inclement weather, you can pick up your bag on the front porch, in a large Styrofoam cooler. If the weather is nice, you can pick up your bag on the shady side (right side) of the house in a large white Styrofoam cooler.

This week’s share:

flat-leaf cilantro

green bean sample

kale

kohlrabi

green head lettuce

red leaf lettuce

Swiss chard

Such Lovely Weather!

It was beautiful early this morning as we harvested your food. We were really looking forward to providing beans this week, and we did, but there aren’t that many yet. Never fear, with 75 linear feet of bean plants, you will undoubtedly get your fill.

We are growing two varieties of cilantro. This week you are getting what you are probably used to seeing in the grocery store. If there is too much for you to use, lay it in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Wait a few hours for it to freeze, then place it in a zip-lock bag for use in the next six months. Just take out a sprig or two as needed, and use immediately. It is a treat to use home-grown cilantro all winter long.

Compost Share
Good compost is black gold to gardeners, and we have been making our own. Approximately every 30 days we should have a new batch completed. The struggle we’ve been having is our kitchen waste cannot keep up with the demand. This is where you come in:

Fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, and then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.

Acceptable:
• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits

• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers

• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags

• Hair and nails (animal or human)

• Egg and nut shells

• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths

• Houseplants and potting soil

•Dryer lint

•Vacuum cleaner bag contents

Not acceptable:



• Meat, chicken and fish

• Greasy food scraps

• Fat and oil

• Dairy items: cheese, butter

• Dog or cat feces, kitty litter

• Coal or charcoal

• Coconuts

• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil

How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? Have things been squished, wilted, or otherwise not in good shape? How can things be improved upon? Any feedback you can provide will make a positive impact on our operation and on your food. We welcome you, and well, beg you to tell us how we’re doing.



Want Eggs?

If you are interested in getting eggs every week with your CSA share from an organic farmer, let me know and I may be able to arrange this.



What to do with Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi can be one of those intimidating vegetables if you haven’t been around it much. It has the look of an organic green Sputnik, with a taste like fresh, crunchy broccoli stems accented by radish. The name kohlrabi comes from the German kohl, meaning cabbage, and rabi, or turnip.

Handling: If the kohlrabi leaves are still attached to the bulb, trim them and store separately. If the leaves are in good shape—firm and green—they can be cooked but will need to be used within a couple of days. The bulbs should be stored, unwashed, in a plastic bag. They will hold for about a week in the refrigerator. Smaller kohlrabi are the sweetest and most tender. Bulbs much bigger than the size of a tennis ball won’t be as tasty and often have a pithy flesh.

• Tender, young kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw. Peel the outer skin with a paring knife. Slice, dice, or grate, and add to salads. Use on raw vegetable platters or serve with a creamy dip.

• Substitute in recipes calling for radishes. Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressing.

• Kohlrabi can also be steamed or boiled. For this preparation don’t peel until after they are cooked. Steam or boil until bulbs are tender, peel skin, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, a cheese sauce, or just enjoy plain.

• The leaves attached to the kohlrabi bulb can be enjoyed as a cooked green. Wash the leaves and remove the ribs. Blanch in boiling water until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water from leaves. Chop leaves, then saute in a little olive oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar or squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

The next two recipes came from the Madison Area CSA Coalition’s cookbook: From Asparagus to Zucchini

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SNACKS

Peeled kohlrabi, chili powder, fresh lime juice. Slice the kohlrabi into rounds (not too thick). Dip the lower third of each round into lime juice, then into chili powder. Makes any number of servings.

Bratwurst Kohlrabi Vegetable Soup with Pumpernickel Dill Croutons

1 tbs butter, divided

2 cooked bratwursts

1 cup of chopped onions

2 medium kohlrabis, peeled, thin-sliced, and chopped

½ cup thin-sliced celery

2 tsp fennel seeds

3 cans (each 14.5 ounces) beef broth

1 cup thin-sliced potatoes

1/3 cup thin-sliced dill pickles

½ tsp dill weed

Salt and pepper

Croutons:

1 ½ tbs melted butter

½ tsp dill weed

1 ½ cups cubed pumpernickel bread

Brown bratwurst in a pot with ½ tsp butter. Remove and reserve meat. Add remaining ½ tbs butter, onions, kohlrabi, celery, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in beef broth, potatoes, pickles, dill weed, bratwurst, and 2/3 cup of water; simmer 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand one of more hours to develop flavor. To make croutons, combine ingredients; bake 10-15 minutes in 400-degree oven, tossing occasionally. Serve with reheated soup. Makes six servings.

Cilantro Pesto

(A Luna Circle Farm original recipe)

1 bunch cilantro

2-3 garlic scapes or cloves, chopped

¼ cup walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds

½ cup olive oil

¾ cup parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Put everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Serve on hot pasta.

I made this recipe up on Sunday. It was enough to make a pasta salad with 1 pound of pasta. I also lightly steamed sugar snap peas, snow peas and asparagus. I chilled them and added them to the pasta salad. Later in the season I add tomatoes, sweet peppers and steamed zucchini.



***************************************

Tips on Using Swiss Chard

• Include chard in stir-fries

• Sauté the leaves in garlic butter or with onion

• Use chard in any recipe calling for fresh spinach, like quiches, lasagna, omelets, etc.

• For soups, add chard stem chunks 10 minutes and leaves 4-5 minutes before soup is done.

• Raw baby chard leaves are wonderful in green salads. Many salad mixes include them.

Rainbow Swiss Chard Appetizer

3 tbs butter

2 tbs minced shallots

4 stems chives, chopped

¼ tsp dried, ground thyme

1 bunch chard (about 10 stalks) finely chopped (use the greens for another recipe)

Cream cheese, softened

Toasted, sliced French bread or gourmet whole wheat cracker

Melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add chives, thyme, and chopped chard stalks; sauté until stalks re tender, tossing to coat with butter. Transfer to bowl and let cool, patting it with paper towels to soak up excess butter. Spread cream cheese on toasted bread or crackers. When chard is cool, spoon some onto each cracker. Makes about 4 servings.



Happy Fourth of July!  Kathy

June 22, 2010 CSA News

A Note Regarding Pickup:


If there is inclement weather, you can pick up your bag on the front porch, in the large Styrofoam cooler. If the weather is nice, you can pick up your bag on the shady side (right side) of the house in the large white Styrofoam cooler.

This week’s share:

cilantro

basil

dill

kale

green head lettuce

red leaf lettuce

oregano

Swiss chard

Hello! Summer is here, and I am happy not to harvest in the rain this week. But, it rained last night, so I spent a good portion of my time today rinsing lettuce.

Trying to keep up with the weeds is NOT going to kill me…I keep telling myself. That has been a challenge in between all the rain. Another challenge that has come up is the finding of Colorado Potato Beetles in the community gardens. My son helped pick the bugs off, and so far we have been safe from them. They like to feed on potato, peppers, eggplant, and tomato. These little bugs can be quite devastating, so “drop everything & pick bugs” is the directive.

We found five beans yesterday, which are signaling the onslaught of bean harvesting which will begin soon. We also harvested one kohlrabi today, so the other’s time is near! There are tomatoes forming, and the potatoes, watermelons, and muskmelons all have blossoms.

Compost Share

Good compost is black gold to gardeners. We have been making our own compost, and approximately every 30 days we have a complete batch. The struggle we’ve been having is our kitchen waste cannot keep up with the demand. This is where you come in: You reduce the amount you put into the landfill, and at the same time help us build healthy soil. You fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, and then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.



Acceptable:
• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits

• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers

• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags

• Hair and nails (animal or human)

• Egg and nut shells

• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths

• Houseplants and potting soil

•Dryer lint

•Vacuum cleaner bag contents

Not acceptable:


• Meat, chicken and fish

• Greasy food scraps

• Fat and oil

• Dairy items: cheese, butter

• Dog or cat feces, kitty litter

• Coal or charcoal

• Coconuts

• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil

Thank you CSA member Kris S for the following recipes:

Baked Kale Chips (from smittenkitchen.com)

Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places

1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!

Freezing Greens

So, you've been enjoying all the kale, spinach, and lettuce you can eat. But let's be honest. There might still be some greens left over, and perhaps you are thinking, "Gee, I wish there was some way we could save these greens for later."

Luckily, there is a fast and easy way to preserve greens like kale, chard, spinach and mustard. Greens freeze VERY well, and with a little preparation you can fill your freezer with packets of greens that will make your day in January!

HOW TO DO IT
Wash and chop the greens into roughly 1-2 inch square pieces, removing any tough stems. Then plunge the greens into boiling water for the following periods:

Beet greens, kale, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach......................................2 minutes

Collards............................……………........................................................................3 minutes



As soon as the cooking time is up, plunge the greens in cold (preferably ice) water to stop the cooking process. Drain VERY well, and pack into storage containers (I use quart ziplock bags). Cool completely, label, and freeze! It is not only delightful, but quite convenient to pull a bag of parboiled greens out of the freezer for use in soups, stews, stir-fry, or for braising or sautéing. The thawed greens will require less cooking than they did when fresh, but, as always, cook to your tenderness preference.



How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? Have things been squished, wilted, or otherwise not in good shape? How can things be improved upon? Any feedback you can provide will make a positive impact on our operation and on your food. We welcome you, and well, beg you to tell us how we’re doing.

Want Eggs?

If you are interested in getting eggs every week with your CSA share from an organic farmer, let me know and I may be able to arrange this.


Hope your week is fantastic! Kathy

June 8 2010 CSA Newsletter

A huge welcome and a hearty “hello” to you! This is the first of weekly newsletters in which we will keep in touch with all the latest happenings. We are always eager to discuss our passion of the land, environmental sustainability, growing plants and cooking food, so please ask questions if there is something you would like to know.

We will be including recipes in our newsletters, and if you would like to contribute, we would love to include them.

This week: First produce pickup!

Tuesday, June 8th

3pm-6pm

232 S. Birdsey

If there is inclement weather, join us on the front porch to pick up your food and have a glass of lemonade. If the weather is nice, we will be on the right side of the house, sitting in the shade. Please bring your own produce bags to help reduce waste.

This week’s share:

cilantro

chive

daisies

dill

oregano

mint

rhubarb

radish

spinach

green onion

lettuce mix

A Blessing of the Land

Olivet United Church of Christ is holding an informal blessing of the land, its produce, the gardeners and all those who will be recipients of the food grown. This event will occur at the Community Garden on June 16th at 6:30 p.m., rain or shine. Everyone is invited to attend this short service.



Rhubarb

• Store wrapped in a damp towel or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.

• For long-term storage, rhubarb may be frozen (either cooked or raw). It should be washed, chopped, and drained. Place in airtight containers and freeze.

Rhubarbade  (Susan & Lee Greenler, Stoughton, WI)

Chopped rhubarb
Sugar

Puree rhubarb in food processor or juicer. Strain through cheesecloth-lined strainer, pressing solids. Let Stand several minutes, then skim froth from surface. Strain again. For every two cups rhubarb liquid add ¾-1 cup sugar and six cups of water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Serve iced. For every two cups rhubarb liquid, the yield is two quarts.

Cilantro

• Wrap cilantro in a damp towel or stand upright in a container with an inch of water, and refrigerate. Do not wash prior to refrigeration.

• Freeze fresh leaves in a plastic zip-lock bag. Remove air, seal, and freeze. Do not thaw before use.

• Cilantro is one of the few herbs that does not retain its flavor when dehydrated.



Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette  (Madison Herb Society Cookbook, K. Milanich)

2/3 cup (6 ounces) lime juice

3 tablespoons of minced garlic

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Pinch salt

2/3 cup packed cilantro leaves

2-4 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon cumin

¼ cup canola oil

Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender. Turn on blender and add oil very slowly through the “hole” in the middle. Use a little water if you lose the hole, but just enough to keep the little hole so the oil will get well blended. Makes about 1 ¼ cups.



Radish

• Store radishes for up to 2 weeks in a plastic bag or damp-wrapped in the refrigerator. Store green tops separately, wrapped in a damp towel in the hydrator drawer. Use as soon as possible.


Radish Bulbs & Greens Sauteed

2 bunches of radishes

1 ½ tablespoons butter

1 ½ tablespoons chopped green garlic

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Salt and pepper

Clean radishes well, cut off and chop upper leaves, discarding the rest. Trim and quarter the bulbs. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high flame. Add quartered radishes and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Stir in greens, green garlic, and chives and cook until wilted, another 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This is a great side dish with poached, steamed, or grilled fish. Makes 4-6 servings.

Mint

• Keep freshly picked mint in a glass of water in the refrigerator. Be sure to change the water periodically.

• Freeze fresh leaves whole in plastic zipper bags or minced in water in ice cube trays.



Minted Pears

1 pound pear halves

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup sugar or ¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Peel pears and poach in wter with lemon juice. Drain pears into a bowl, reserving 1 cup of the liquid. Combine the liquid with sugar or honey and heat until sugar dissolves. Add fresh mint and simmer 10 minutes. Pour hot liquid (strained, if desired) over pears. Cool and chill thoroughly. Makes 4 servings.

Unless specified, recipes and food information taken from: From Asparagus to Zucchini: A guide to cooking farm-fresh seasonal produce, third edition, Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition.

Have a terrific week!

Kathy Raatz