What’s in my box this week?

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Flower of the week: Ranunculus

Veggie Tips

Asparagus – our first asparagus of the year! We have many excellent asparagus recipes on our website, and here are a few more simple ideas. One suggestion: for the first bunch, we’d encourage you to prepare it simply to really let the flavor shine. Asparagus can be prepared so many ways (roasted, sautéed, steamed, grilled, blanched, stir-fried, boiled, broiled, etc.) and it can also be eaten raw! We like making a raw asparagus salad (shaved with a vegetable peeler, cut into small pieces, or thinly sliced) with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, with some cheese, nuts, breadcrumbs, and/or cooked onions or shallots sprinkled on top. Asparagus is best stored like flowers in a glass of water. Trim a small amount from the stems and store in the refrigerator with the stems in an inch or two of water, ideally covered with a plastic bag.

Broccoli – We get multiple harvests off of each broccoli plant. It first produces a large head and then after that is harvested, the plants send out smaller shoots, which is what is in your box this week. Broccoli is great roasted (see the Recipe of the Week), steamed (basic instructions here, and you can also make a pasta sauce), blanched (then make tots, pasta, or a salad!), stir-fried, sauteed, added to soups (with cheese or with potatoes), broiled, grilled, or raw. You can even add it to pizza! Make sure to use the stems; they’re crunchy and sweet and some people think they’re the best part. You can make pickles, or a salad, thinly shave and add to a salad (here’s another one), pasta, vinaigrette, or stir-fry with or without the florets. See the many other broccoli recipes on our website! Store broccoli in the refrigerator in a bag, with additional storage tips here.

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. We aim to harvest the carrots with the greens, but sometimes the greens snap off! This week you’re getting bagged carrots without the greens, but otherwise, they’re the same carrots (and you’re getting more than you would in a bunch!). We have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag in the CSA member store.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mizuna – Mizuna is a member of the mustard family but is much more mild and sweet than some of the other mustard varieties. We grow two varieties: green or red/purple. It is often incorporated into salad mixes or to make a salad: with citrus, potatoes, radishes, apples, or peanuts,or lettuce. Or you can make a pesto, or add to a grain. This webpage has a very helpful list of cooking methods and recipe ideas. When using in hot dishes, the leaves should be added at the end of cooking so the leaves can wilt. You can substitute mizuna for arugula in any recipe, and it would mix well for turnip greens. Like spinach or arugula, mizuna will shrink quite a bit when cooked. Store in the refrigerator in a bag.

Rutabaga – Long-time CSA members know that we’re rutabaga fans, and many of you have come to love them and have shared your tips:

• Roasted: “I peel it, cut it in half and then slice into about 1/4″ to 1/2″ half-moons. I toss them with olive oil and salt and put it under the broiler until soft and sweet.” Another member recommended this recipe with maple syrup and thyme.
• Dessert: “We just made this recipe this morning, but as muffins (bake 25 min at 375 in oiled muffin tin, skip the sugar topping), and it was fabulous and totally different from anything else we’ve ever done with rutabaga.” Gluten free? Try this version. There are other cake and muffin recipes out there too.
• Soup – several ideas on our website
• Other CSA members swap out rutabaga for potatoes in soups, potato salad, mashed potatoes (using half potatoes), home fries (with your scunion tops), rosti, and hassleback potatoes. They can also substitute for parsnips or sweet potatoes.

Roasting is one of the most popular ways to enjoy them – as an addition to a pan of roasted vegetables or roasted on their own, cubed or as “fries.” Add your seasoning of preference, smoked paprika and thyme being two great ideas. You can get a rundown of other basic cooking methods here or here. They can easily substitute for potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, turnips, and parsnips in any recipe, and are great in soups and stews or a mash (which can also include carrots, potatoes, or carrots and potatoes). You can also eat them raw (you can also make a salad with carrots, kale, or apples and dill). Additional recipe ideas on our website, with additional ideas here,  here, and here. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator – they can keep that way for weeks!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? It’s a combination of scallion and onions. It can be used just like a spring onion or scallion (more about the differences here) when cooking but it’s grown differently. Scunions are the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. Some cooking ideas: scallion pancakes, with broccoli (try the Recipe of the Week or roasted), charred (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Flower of the week: Ranunculus

Veggie Tips

Asparagus – our first asparagus of the year! We have many excellent asparagus recipes on our website, and here are a few more simple ideas. One suggestion: for the first bunch, we’d encourage you to prepare it simply to really let the flavor shine. Asparagus can be prepared so many ways (roasted, sautéed, steamed, grilled, blanched, stir-fried (add mizuna or carrots too), boiled, broiled, etc.) and it can also be eaten raw! We like making a raw asparagus salad (shaved with a vegetable peeler, cut into small pieces, or thinly sliced) with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, with some cheese, nuts, breadcrumbs, and/or cooked onions or shallots sprinkled on top. Asparagus is best stored like flowers in a glass of water. Trim a small amount from the stems and store in the refrigerator with the stems in an inch or two of water, ideally covered with a plastic bag.

Broccoli – We get multiple harvests off of each broccoli plant. It first produces a large head and then after that is harvested, the plants send out smaller shoots, which is what is in your box this week. Broccoli is great roasted (see the Recipe of the Week), steamed (basic instructions here, and you can also make a pasta sauce), blanched (then make tots, pasta, or a salad!), stir-fried, sauteed, added to soups (with cheese or with potatoes), broiled, grilled, or raw. You can even add it to pizza! Make sure to use the stems; they’re crunchy and sweet and some people think they’re the best part. You can make pickles, or a salad, thinly shave and add to a salad (here’s another one), pasta, vinaigrette, or stir-fry with or without the florets. See the many other broccoli recipes on our website! Store broccoli in the refrigerator in a bag, with additional storage tips here.

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. We aim to harvest the carrots with the greens, but sometimes the greens snap off! This week you’re getting bagged carrots without the greens, but otherwise, they’re the same carrots (and you’re getting more than you would in a bunch!). We have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag in the CSA member store.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mizuna – Mizuna is a member of the mustard family but is much more mild and sweet than some of the other mustard varieties. We grow two varieties: green or red/purple. It is often incorporated into salad mixes or to make a salad: with citrus, potatoes, radishes, apples, or peanuts,or lettuce. Or you can make a pesto, or add to a grain (with asparagus too!). This webpage has a very helpful list of cooking methods and recipe ideas. When using in hot dishes, the leaves should be added at the end of cooking so the leaves can wilt, or cooked for a very short period of time, like in this recipe. You can substitute mizuna for arugula in any recipe, and it would mix well for turnip greens. Like spinach or arugula, mizuna will shrink quite a bit when cooked. Store in the refrigerator in a bag.

Rutabaga – Long-time CSA members know that we’re rutabaga fans, and many of you have come to love them and have shared your tips:

• Roasted: “I peel it, cut it in half and then slice into about 1/4″ to 1/2″ half-moons. I toss them with olive oil and salt and put it under the broiler until soft and sweet.” Another member recommended this recipe with maple syrup and thyme.
• Dessert: “We just made this recipe this morning, but as muffins (bake 25 min at 375 in oiled muffin tin, skip the sugar topping), and it was fabulous and totally different from anything else we’ve ever done with rutabaga.” Gluten free? Try this version. There are other cake and muffin recipes out there too.
• Soup – several ideas on our website
• Other CSA members swap out rutabaga for potatoes in soups, potato salad, mashed potatoes (using half potatoes), home fries (with your scunion tops), rosti, and hassleback potatoes. They can also substitute for parsnips or sweet potatoes.

Roasting is one of the most popular ways to enjoy them – as an addition to a pan of roasted vegetables or roasted on their own, cubed or as “fries.” Add your seasoning of preference, smoked paprika and thyme being two great ideas. You can get a rundown of other basic cooking methods here or here. They can easily substitute for potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, turnips, and parsnips in any recipe, and are great in soups and stews or a mash (which can also include carrots, potatoes, or carrots and potatoes). You can also eat them raw (you can also make a salad with carrots, kale, or apples and dill). Additional recipe ideas on our website, with additional ideas here,  here, and here. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator – they can keep that way for weeks!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? It’s a combination of scallion and onions. It can be used just like a spring onion or scallion (more about the differences here) when cooking but it’s grown differently. Scunions are the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. Some cooking ideas: scallion pancakes (you can add mizuna too!), with broccoli (try the Recipe of the Week or roasted), charred (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Veggie Tips

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. You might get just the roots or you might get a bunch, with the greens. Both are from the same field but the tops broke off while harvesting. If you’ve got the greens, separate the root from the greens before storing them in the refrigerator, both in bags. Carrot tops are considered an acquired taste by some, but we encourage you to give them a try. You can add the greens to any soup or salad. Or make broth, pesto (add to anything, including with the roots) chimichurri, a warm salad, or couscous. More ideas here. For the roots: we have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag, available now in the CSA member store.

Fennel – For easier storage, separate the fronds from the bulb. For the fronds: many people like making a fennel frond pesto (add to risotto), or using it like an herb when cooking. Or save the stalks and fronds for stock/broth. The bulb is popular thinly shaved and added to a salad, especially with citrus, olives, both, cheese, or carrots. It can be made into a Caesar salad or massaged. You can also make a quick pickle and CSA members have shared that fennel stems work as a substitute for celery in a potato salad. If you don’t like the taste of it raw, try cooking (roasting, braising, sautéing, grilling, etc.) which will transform the taste – cooked fennel tastes like a combination between onion and celery. It makes a great base for soup or stew; a CSA member recently recommended this lentil soup (use this link if you don’t have NYT access). We also like it braised or caramelized (we have several recipes on the website) and it’s also is a good addition to other roasted or sautéed vegetables. Check out the other recipes on our website.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mandarin Oranges – These are from our friends and neighbors at Gold Oak Ranch. They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, or even on your counter but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks. Want more? You can order a bulk bag in the CSA member store. Consider making a dessert, like the Recipe of the Week, or add to a fennel salad!

Potatoes – Store in the refrigerator and out of the light (we recommend a paper bag). We’ve got several more potato recipe ideas on our website. If you like roasted potatoes, check out this roasted potato showdown!

Red Russian Kale – This is a soft, tender kale with a sweet taste, perfect for any and all kale dishes. Lots of kale ideas on our website, including this soup, pasta, and polenta. Make a salad with apples and cheese or quinoa, sauté, or add to soup or pizza. Don’t discard the sweet and beautiful purple/red stems! You can add them a little earlier in the cooking process, or save them for something different, like pickles. Try this recipe for Japanese-style pickles. Store in the refrigerator in a bag. We do our best to avoid picking produce with aphids, but you may find some on your kale. Aphids are unappetizing but your greens are perfectly safe to eat and can be easily salvaged. Instead of washing with plain water, swish them around in cold water that has a drop of soap or pinch of salt added. The salt or soap reduce the surface tension the aphids use to connect to the leaves. Leave the greens in the cold water for a few minutes, swish them around, use your fingers to rub off the aphids, then drain and rinse the greens.

Scunions – What’s a scunion? We grow two types of spring onions; most of the ones that you get are immature onions. The ones this week are a little different; they’re the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. We call these scallion-like onions “scunions.” They act just like scallions/green onions or spring onions (more about the differences here) – perfect for scallion pancakes, charring (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, fennel pasta, fennel soup, potato soup, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Veggie Tips

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. You might get just the roots or you might get a bunch, with the greens. Both are from the same field but the tops broke off while harvesting. If you’ve got the greens, separate the root from the greens before storing them in the refrigerator, both in bags. Carrot tops are considered an acquired taste by some, but we encourage you to give them a try. You can add the greens to any soup or salad. Or make broth, pesto (add to anything, including with the roots) chimichurri, a warm salad, or couscous. More ideas here. For the roots: we have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag, available now in the CSA member store.

Chard – Chard, like most hearty greens, is incredibly versatile. Chard makes a good pair with potatoes, and is excellent sautéed. Some people like eating it raw too – like in a slaw.  It’s perfect for soups and stews and other hearty fare, like curried lentils, creamed with spring onions, or a gratin. Make sure not to discard the stems, they’re the most flavorful part of the plant, and have a great texture. You can make something separate with the stems, like with beans, a gratin, pickled, or lentil soup. Or just chop stems into small pieces and add a little sooner to your dish when cooking. Store in the refrigerator in a bag that will retain moisture. We’ve got several good recipes on our website, and you can swap out chard for any recipe that calls for kale, beet greens, or even spinach (just cook it longer) or collards (just cook it less). Additional ideas here and here. Unfortunately, this time of year is peak aphid time and you may find some on your greens. Aphids are unappetizing but your greens are perfectly safe to eat and can be easily salvaged. Instead of washing with plain water, swish them around in cold water that has a drop of soap or pinch of salt added. The salt or soap reduce the surface tension the aphids use to connect to the leaves. Leave the greens in the cold water for a few minutes, swish them around, use your fingers to rub off the aphids, then drain and rinse the greens.

Fennel – For easier storage, separate the fronds from the bulb. For the fronds: many people like making a fennel frond pesto (add to risotto), or using it like an herb when cooking. Or save the stalks and fronds for stock/broth. The bulb is popular thinly shaved and added to a salad, especially with citrus, olives, both, cheese, or carrots. It can be made into a Caesar salad or massaged. You can also make a quick pickle and CSA members have shared that fennel stems work as a substitute for celery in a potato salad. If you don’t like the taste of it raw, try cooking (roasting, braising, sautéing, grilling, etc.) which will transform the taste – cooked fennel tastes like a combination between onion and celery. It makes a great base for soup or stew; a CSA member recently recommended this lentil soup (use this link if you don’t have NYT access). We also like it braised (add chard) or caramelized (we have several recipes on the website) and it’s also is a good addition to other roasted or sautéed vegetables. Check out the other recipes on our website.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mandarin Oranges – These are from our friends and neighbors at Gold Oak Ranch. They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, or even on your counter but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks. Want more? You can order a bulk bag in the CSA member store. Consider making a dessert, like the Recipe of the Week, or add to a fennel salad!

Potatoes – Store in the refrigerator and out of the light (we recommend a paper bag). We’ve got several more potato recipe ideas on our website. If you like roasted potatoes, check out this roasted potato showdown!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? We grow two types of spring onions; most of the ones that you get are immature onions. The ones this week are a little different; they’re the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. We call these scallion-like onions “scunions.” They act just like scallions/green onions or spring onions (more about the differences here) – perfect for scallion pancakes, charring (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, fennel pasta, fennel soup, potato soup, galette with chard, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Veggie Tips

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. We aim to harvest the carrots with the greens, but sometimes the greens snap off! This week you’re getting bagged carrots without the greens, but otherwise, they’re the same carrots (and you’re getting more than you would in a bunch!). We have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag in the CSA member store.

Chard – Chard, like most hearty greens, is incredibly versatile. Chard makes a good pair with potatoes, and is excellent sautéed. Some people like eating it raw too – like in a slaw.  It’s perfect for soups and stews and other hearty fare, like curried lentils, creamed with spring onions, or a gratin. Make sure not to discard the stems, they’re the most flavorful part of the plant, and have a great texture. You can make something separate with the stems, like with beans, a gratin, pickled, or lentil soup. Or just chop stems into small pieces and add a little sooner to your dish when cooking. Store in the refrigerator in a bag that will retain moisture. We’ve got several good recipes on our website, and you can swap out chard for any recipe that calls for kale, beet greens, or even spinach (just cook it longer) or collards (just cook it less). Additional ideas here and here. Unfortunately, this time of year is peak aphid time and you may find some on your greens. Aphids are unappetizing but your greens are perfectly safe to eat and can be easily salvaged. Instead of washing with plain water, swish them around in cold water that has a drop of soap or pinch of salt added. The salt or soap reduce the surface tension the aphids use to connect to the leaves. Leave the greens in the cold water for a few minutes, swish them around, use your fingers to rub off the aphids, then drain and rinse the greens.

Fennel – For easier storage, separate the fronds from the bulb. For the fronds: many people like making a fennel frond pesto (add to risotto), or using it like an herb when cooking. Or save the stalks and fronds for stock/broth. The bulb is popular thinly shaved and added to a salad, especially with citrus, olives, both, cheese, or carrots. It can be made into a Caesar salad or massaged. You can also make a quick pickle and CSA members have shared that fennel stems work as a substitute for celery in a potato salad. If you don’t like the taste of it raw, try cooking (roasting, braising, sautéing, grilling, etc.) which will transform the taste – cooked fennel tastes like a combination between onion and celery. It makes a great base for soup or stew; a CSA member recently recommended this lentil soup (use this link if you don’t have NYT access). We also like it braised (add chard) or caramelized (we have several recipes on the website) and it’s also is a good addition to other roasted or sautéed vegetables. Check out the other recipes on our website.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mandarin Oranges – These are from our friends and neighbors at Gold Oak Ranch. They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, or even on your counter but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks. Want more? You can order a bulk bag in the CSA member store. Consider making a dessert, like the Recipe of the Week, or add to a fennel salad!

Potatoes – Store in the refrigerator and out of the light (we recommend a paper bag). We’ve got several more potato recipe ideas on our website. If you like roasted potatoes, check out this roasted potato showdown!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? We grow two types of spring onions; most of the ones that you get are immature onions. The ones this week are a little different; they’re the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. We call these scallion-like onions “scunions.” They act just like scallions/green onions or spring onions (more about the differences here) – perfect for scallion pancakes, charring (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, fennel pasta, fennel soup, potato soup, galette with chard, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Veggie Tips

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. We aim to harvest the carrots with the greens, but sometimes the greens snap off! This week you’re getting bagged carrots without the greens, but otherwise, they’re the same carrots (and you’re getting more than you would in a bunch!). We have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag in the CSA member store.

Chard – Chard, like most hearty greens, is incredibly versatile. Chard makes a good pair with potatoes, and is excellent sautéed. Some people like eating it raw too – like in a slaw.  It’s perfect for soups and stews and other hearty fare, like curried lentils, creamed with spring onions, or a gratin. Make sure not to discard the stems, they’re the most flavorful part of the plant, and have a great texture. You can make something separate with the stems, like with beans, a gratin, pickled, or lentil soup. Or just chop stems into small pieces and add a little sooner to your dish when cooking. Store in the refrigerator in a bag that will retain moisture. We’ve got several good recipes on our website, and you can swap out chard for any recipe that calls for kale, beet greens, or even spinach (just cook it longer) or collards (just cook it less). Additional ideas here and here. Unfortunately, this time of year is peak aphid time and you may find some on your greens. Aphids are unappetizing but your greens are perfectly safe to eat and can be easily salvaged. Instead of washing with plain water, swish them around in cold water that has a drop of soap or pinch of salt added. The salt or soap reduce the surface tension the aphids use to connect to the leaves. Leave the greens in the cold water for a few minutes, swish them around, use your fingers to rub off the aphids, then drain and rinse the greens.

Fennel – For easier storage, separate the fronds from the bulb. For the fronds: many people like making a fennel frond pesto (add to risotto), or using it like an herb when cooking. Or save the stalks and fronds for stock/broth. The bulb is popular thinly shaved and added to a salad, especially with citrus, olives, both, cheese, or carrots. It can be made into a Caesar salad or massaged. You can also make a quick pickle and CSA members have shared that fennel stems work as a substitute for celery in a potato salad. If you don’t like the taste of it raw, try cooking (roasting, braising, sautéing, grilling, etc.) which will transform the taste – cooked fennel tastes like a combination between onion and celery. It makes a great base for soup or stew; a CSA member recently recommended this lentil soup (use this link if you don’t have NYT access). We also like it braised (add chard) or caramelized (we have several recipes on the website) and it’s also is a good addition to other roasted or sautéed vegetables. Check out the other recipes on our website.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mandarin Oranges – These are from our friends and neighbors at Gold Oak Ranch. They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, or even on your counter but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks. Want more? You can order a bulk bag in the CSA member store. Consider making a dessert, like the Recipe of the Week, or add to a fennel salad!

Potatoes – Store in the refrigerator and out of the light (we recommend a paper bag). We’ve got several more potato recipe ideas on our website. If you like roasted potatoes, check out this roasted potato showdown!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? We grow two types of spring onions; most of the ones that you get are immature onions. The ones this week are a little different; they’re the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. We call these scallion-like onions “scunions.” They act just like scallions/green onions or spring onions (more about the differences here) – perfect for scallion pancakes, charring (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, fennel pasta, fennel soup, potato soup, galette with chard, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any of the dishes on this list.

*Click on produce above for Recipes

Veggie Tips

Carrots – We grow super sweet Nantes carrots. More information about our carrots and how we grow and harvest them here. We aim to harvest the carrots with the greens, but sometimes the greens snap off! This week you’re getting bagged carrots without the greens, but otherwise, they’re the same carrots (and you’re getting more than you would in a bunch!). We have many recipes on the web and they taste great raw as a snack. If you want more carrots, order a bulk 5# bag in the CSA member store.

Chard – Chard, like most hearty greens, is incredibly versatile. Chard makes a good pair with potatoes, and is excellent sautéed. Some people like eating it raw too – like in a slaw.  It’s perfect for soups and stews and other hearty fare, like curried lentils, creamed with spring onions, or a gratin. Make sure not to discard the stems, they’re the most flavorful part of the plant, and have a great texture. You can make something separate with the stems, like with beans, a gratin, pickled, or lentil soup. Or just chop stems into small pieces and add a little sooner to your dish when cooking. Store in the refrigerator in a bag that will retain moisture. We’ve got several good recipes on our website, and you can swap out chard for any recipe that calls for kale, beet greens, or even spinach (just cook it longer) or collards (just cook it less). Additional ideas here and here. Unfortunately, this time of year is peak aphid time and you may find some on your greens. Aphids are unappetizing but your greens are perfectly safe to eat and can be easily salvaged. Instead of washing with plain water, swish them around in cold water that has a drop of soap or pinch of salt added. The salt or soap reduce the surface tension the aphids use to connect to the leaves. Leave the greens in the cold water for a few minutes, swish them around, use your fingers to rub off the aphids, then drain and rinse the greens.

Fennel – For easier storage, separate the fronds from the bulb. For the fronds: many people like making a fennel frond pesto (add to risotto), or using it like an herb when cooking. Or save the stalks and fronds for stock/broth. The bulb is popular thinly shaved and added to a salad, especially with citrus, olives, both, cheese, or carrots. It can be made into a Caesar salad or massaged. You can also make a quick pickle and CSA members have shared that fennel stems work as a substitute for celery in a potato salad. If you don’t like the taste of it raw, try cooking (roasting, braising, sautéing, grilling, etc.) which will transform the taste – cooked fennel tastes like a combination between onion and celery. It makes a great base for soup or stew; a CSA member recently recommended this lentil soup (use this link if you don’t have NYT access). We also like it braised (add chard) or caramelized (we have several recipes on the website) and it’s also is a good addition to other roasted or sautéed vegetables. Check out the other recipes on our website.

Lettuce – Store in a bag in the refrigerator, or wrapped in a damp towel, to keep it from drying out. And if it does get a little wilty before you get to it, lettuce (like most leafy greens) can be revived in cold water (more details here). Salad options abound and we have a few recipe ideas on our lettuce and salad mix pages.

Mandarin Oranges – These are from our friends and neighbors at Gold Oak Ranch. They may be stored in a cool, dark spot for a few days, or even on your counter but ideally should be refrigerated to extend shelf life up to two weeks. Want more? You can order a bulk bag in the CSA member store. Consider making a dessert, like the Recipe of the Week, or add to a fennel salad!

Potatoes – Store in the refrigerator and out of the light (we recommend a paper bag). We’ve got several more potato recipe ideas on our website. If you like roasted potatoes, check out this roasted potato showdown!

Scunions – What’s a scunion? We grow two types of spring onions; most of the ones that you get are immature onions. The ones this week are a little different; they’re the sprouts that you get from planting onions that are past their prime, just like how we plant “old” garlic and potatoes to get a new crop. We call these scallion-like onions “scunions.” They act just like scallions/green onions or spring onions (more about the differences here) – perfect for scallion pancakes, charring (with salad or pasta), tabbouleh, fennel pasta, fennel soup, potato soup, galette with chard, mashed or roasted potatoes, or any of the dishes on this list.