This Week we are happy to share with you some delicious brand new, right out of the ground, New Red Potatoes, Arugula, Scallions/Green Onions, Red Radish, Summer Squash, Purple Kohlrabi, Tender Panisse Lettuce, Green Cabbage, Fennel and some delicate and delicious English Peas.
New Red Potatoes Potato season has arrived!! This particular heirloom variety has been grown in Florida for over 100 years because of its ability to precede pesticide usage. To fumigate means to disinfect or purify (an area) with the fumes of certain chemicals. Many farmers do this to rid their fields of problematic nematodes that live in the soil and cause unsightly damage to potatoes. We do not fumigate our fields so we have to rely on certain varieties of vegetables that are resistant or less susceptible to certain diseases. Enjoy these freshly unearthed potatoes by simply washing them and preparing them as usual. Don’t bother peeling, the skin is so thin and tender and holds most of the nutritional value of the potato.
Try this perfect springtime potato salad featuring baby Red Potatoes, Fennel and English peas from your share!
Green Cabbage We harvest the cabbage by cutting the stalk just below the bottom leaves with a blade. The outer leaves are trimmed, and any diseased, damaged, or necrotic leaves are removed. We store the harvested cabbage in giant bins in our refrigerated shipping containers for up to three months and are cleaned/trimmed per order. Due to its long shelf life cabbage was a main staple in European countries during the 17th and 18th centuries. Read how Sauerkraut was used by Dutch, Scandinavian and German sailors to prevent scurvy during long ship voyages.
Magical Sour Cabbage- How Sauerkraut helped save the age of sail- Modern Farmer.Com
“Baby” Summer Squash refers to any variety that is picked very small. While they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors they all have similar properties: thin skins and pale delicate flesh that softens easily when cooked. They are grown in warm weather so they are particularly susceptible to the cold, however they deteriorate quickly when kept too warm. The ideal storage for these squash is in about 55 degrees, so the coolest part of the kitchen or warmest part of the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a paper bag or kitchen towel.
English Peas, meet the English pea, also known as the garden pea or the green pea. This variety of the legume family must be shelled. The seed pod easily splits open to reveal beautifully round and delicate green peas. Eat them raw in salads, simmer them in a saucepan, or blanch them (boil them for just a minute or two and then cool off in cold water and drain) and freeze them for later.
Red Radish most commonly known as table radishes or spring radishes. These beautiful red radishes are typically served raw in salads and vegetable assortments, however, they are delicious cooked as well. They too are members of the mustard family and tend to be a little hotter than the larger Asian Daikon radishes.
Purple Kohlrabi, a member of the vast mustard family (Brassicaceae), Kohlrabi is a crunchy vegetable with a mild flavor making it extremely versatile in the kitchen. When eaten raw it adds a crunchy addition to vegetable platters, salads and slaws. When cooked it becomes tender, much like a potato or cooked turnip. Make sure to remove the stems and leaves and peel the tough purple skin. I shredded it, tossed it in some fresh lime juice and used it as a topping on my tacos. The flavor of Kohlrabi is very mild so it goes well in just about any dish.
Panisse Lettuce it’s large, lime green, lobed leaves form this dense head lettuce variety. Wait to wash it until you are ready to use it as washing it strips it of some of its natural protective coating that helps it maintain a longer shelf life.
Arugula or Rocket, is a tender, spicy green that has grown in popularity in recent years. It can be eaten raw or wilted. It balances other flavors well, whether sweet, salty, rich or acidic. Toss it in your green salad or give it a quick sauté in a pan with a little garlic and olive oil. You can also dice it up and mix it in with some cooked quinoa and other similar grains to give them a little zing of flavor.
Fennel Crispy and fragrant this feathery vegetable is most commonly used for its white, bulbous lower stem. However, its fronds are edible too. Save the fronds for a garnish or use it as a herb in slaws and salads. Try slicing the bulb and serving topped with some goat cheese.
Scallions or Green Onions are picked before they have had the chance to form a bulb at the base, and their flavor is milder and fresher than mature bulb onions. Most western cooks use the tender white and pale green parts, while oriental dishes usually call for the long green shoots. The long shoots are great in stir-fry’s and dice up the pale green parts to use a garnish on top of soups and salads.
Peas, Love and Good Clean Food -Shani