Featured left to right (top): Red Leaf Lettuce, Mizuna, Collard Greens, Daikon Radish
Featured left to right (bottom): Jalapeno Pepper, Carmen Pepper, Green Beans, Grapefruit
In your share this week will be:
Grapefruit: This variety of Red Ruby Grapefruit sweetened up perfectly after a recent frost we had on the farm. Juice them or scoop out the meat of the fruit for breakfast!
Carmen Pepper: An “bull horn” (corno di toro) pepper type from plant breeder at Johnny’s Seed, Carmen Peppers carry a dynamic sweetness to them that make them a tempting option for raw preparations like slaws, salads or dips!
Jalapeno Pepper: If you like a bit of kick like me, you won’t have a problem finding a use for these peppers in soups, on sandwiches, or finely diced into a black bean and rice dish. If spice isn’t your thing, I’d recommend pickling them to save for a later date and to neutralize a bit of the heat. Here is an excellent recipe from Simply Scratch.
Green Beans: Here is a recipe from Mari Lappin from the Southern Living site:
- Ingredients1 pound fresh haricots verts (tiny green beans)2 tablespoons light brown sugar1 tablespoon soy sauce1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (DICE JALAPENO)
1 medium-size red bell pepper, sliced (USE CARMEN)
1/2 medium-size sweet onion, sliced1 teaspoon peanut oil3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
- Preparation
Daikon Radish:
Recipe adapted from Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions by Elizabeth Andoh
Daikon Radish – peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick, large slices
2 tsp cornstarch 1 tbsp sesame oil (or other oil for frying)
1 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp vegetable broth or cold water
1 tbsp sake or mirin 2-3 tsp soy sauce
Over medium heat, add oil to pan. Coat daikon slices lightly on all sides with cornstarch. Fry in pan until slices start to become translucent and tender, about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Sprinkle the sugar over all of the slices. Mix the sake and 2 tbsp of the broth or water, and drizzle down the side of the pan to deglaze, jiggling the pan around. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 2 more minutes. Combine the rest of broth and soy sauce, and add to the pan to deglaze again. Turn the heat back up and once the sauce has thickened they are ready to serve.
Red Leaf Lettuce: Our Red Leaf is nutrient dense, flavorful, and adds vibrant color to any salad mix. Try one of our favorite farm house salad dressings:
Olive Oil – 1/2 cup
Lemon Juice – 1/4 cup
Tahini (sesame seed paste) – 2 tbsp
Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
1 clove of fresh garlic (finely minced if you don’t have a blender)
Chopped cilantro or sesame seeds are optional additions
If you have a blender, puree all the ingredients until smooth. You can add water to thin it out if it gets too thick. If you don’t have a blender, put everything in a tightly lidded quart jar and shake vigorously until well combined. Check seasoning and enjoy on your salad.
Collard Greens: In addition to its impressive nutrient content, collard greens are absolutely delicious! Heat unlocks the real treasure trove of nutrition in the broad leaves, making those vitamins and minerals above more available, while still packing a fiber punch to keep your gut happy and in working order. This hearty green definitely earns its rightful place in your kitchen. You can go the traditional route and cook it with meats, or use some less traditionalmethods like using aromatics (onions, carrots, celery, thyme parsley, etc.) when you cook them.
Mizuna: Mizuna has a mild and tangy flavor. Use mizuna as a bed or garnish for meat and fish. Mizuna has a bit of a peppery bite but is perhaps a bit more mild than something like arugula. Mizuna, which is a Japanese mustard, was traditionally pickled in Japan, and can certainly be enjoyed that way, as well as steamed or sauteed!