The Peas Romaine Calm

How about these storms and heat so far through out July? The garden has been blessed with a regular watering and has been spared the hail from these storms. With the rain has come rapid growth in the vegetable garden.
I am so happy to bring you more variety to this weeks ig fresh haul. This time of year offers so much more than just greens and allows everyone to start digging into the great recipes to go with the wide array of veggies.

* New lettuce transplants under shade cloth          * Cabbages almost ready

Snacking & Admiring

I am now able to snack on carrots while I do my morning field walks. The cabbage seems to be bigger than my torso and onions seem to be doubling in size every week. The garlic, which is at our home garden is almost at the point where it is ready to pick. You can tell because the leaves start to die back. This means it is ready to be picked. We then have the option to give it to you fresh or let it cure so it is just like how you would buy your garlic in the store.

We have gotten ahead of the weeds and they are for the most part under control. The rain is consistent and the sunshine is bountiful. That doesn’t mean there still isn’t work to be done. We still have plants to prune. Beds to flip (pull old plants out and replace them with new crops). To survive this constant day time heat the lettuce is being covered with shade cloth. The shade cloth blocks out 70% of the sun and keeps new transplants safe from the heat. This week radishes were replaced with lettuce. To keep up with Zucchini and cucumber, they are being picked every couple days.

What’s In The Haul

Romaine Lettuce

Cucumber

Green Onions

Peas

Summer squash (zucchini Or Sunburst)

Carrots

Alfalfa Microgreens

Sweet Marjoram

Week Five Recipes

ROMAINE LETTUCE

Caesar Salad
Bacon Ranch Salad

Lettuce Storage Tips:

In a resealable container or bag, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place the lid back on or reseal the bag and store in your fridge for up to 7 days. A container works great because it prevents the lettuce from getting bruised.

Caesar salad

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup mayo

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tsp anchovy paste

Salt and Pepper

-Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your Caesar salad.

*anchovy paste in the tube stores well in the fridge and is way more convenient than a tin of anchovies.

1 large head or 2 medium heads of Romaine

1 cup of croutons

1/4 cup parmesan

Roughly chop Romaine into bite size pieces. Add croutons, parmesan cheese, and Caesar salad dressing. Mix together and enjoy.

Bacon Ranch Salad

1 head of romaine

1/2 cup bacon, cook and roughly chopped

4 hard boiled eggs, cut into 1/4’s

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 bundle chopped green onions

Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp green onion or chives

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dill

Salt and Pepper

-Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your salad.

CUCUMBER

Creamy Cucumber Salad
Tzatziki

About Cucumbers:

We are growing 2 different types this year. The smaller is known for a pickling cucumber and the larger an English cucumber. You can use the pickling cucumber in the same way you would a regular English cucumber. It does not have to be pickled and tastes great in any of. these recipes.

Cucumber Storage Tips:

Storing cucumbers is easy as wrapping them in dry paper towel and placing them in an open plastic bag. Make sure the bag is left open to allow air flow. Cucumbers will store in the fridge like this for a 10 days.

The alternative method is to just store the cucumbers on the counter. They will delicious and crisp like this for 7 days.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber

1 bundle of green onions

1 tbsp white vinegar

3 tbsp mayo

Salt and Pepper

Cut cucumbers into coins. Roughly chop the green onions. In a bowl combine cucumbers, green onions, vinegar, mayo, salt and pepper.

Tzatziki

1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded

1 bundle of green onions, chopped (optional)

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh or dried Dill

1 tsp salt

Using a cheese grater, grate the cucumber and combine the salt. Let the salt and grated cucumber sit for a couple minutes until the cucumber starts releasing its water. Next place the cucumber in a clean dish towel and squeeze the cucumber pulp, releasing the water from the cucumber. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, green onions. Add cucumber to the yogurt and mix well.

GREEN ONION

Put that shit on everything!!

Green Onion Storage Tips:

Cut off the roots of the green onion, then cut the onions in half. Pat dry with a piece of paper towel removing any extra moisture. Sandwich the dried green onions between two lays of paper towel and put in a zip lock bag and put in the fridge. They will store in the fridge for up to a week.

Pea Storage Tips:

Peas can be stored in a bag in the fridge for a week. Any longer the peas should be frozen.

Freezing peas, put the shelled peas into a pot of boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove and place the peas into a bowl of ice water. Strain the peas, putting the peas on a clean dish towel on a baking tray and freeze for 1 hour. Next put the peas into a zip lock bag and put into the freezer. They will last up to 6 months.

Dill Buttered Peas

1 cup shelled peas

Green onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp dill

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and Pepper

In a pan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Once the oil is hot add in the peas and green onions and saute for 2 minutes. Finish with roughly chopped dill, salt and pepper.

Summer Squash Storage Tips:

Store in your crisper as is, or place in a plastic bag leaving the bag open to allow ventilation.

If freezing the squash, first start by slicing the squash into half inch coins, next blanching it in boiling water for 2 minutes. Strain the squash in a colander, and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Next on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a clean dish towel, lay out the sliced squash in an even layer and freeze for 2 hours. Then move the veggies to a freezer bag, these will store in the freezer up to 6 months.

You can also shred the squash, squeeze the excess water out and put directly into freezer bags and place into the freezer.

Sunburst squash are very similar in texture and flavour to zucchini and are cooked in the same manner. Switch out zucchini for Sunburst in any of these recipes.

Garden Veggie Sauté

1 zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

1/2 cup peas

6 small carrots, cut into coins

5 small potatoes, cut into quarters

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 tbsp fresh herbs

4 tbsp butter

In a large pot cook the potatoes for 4 minutes over medium heat. Then add the carrots that are cut into coins, cook for 3 more minutes. Last add the peas to the pot and cook for another minute. Strain the vegetables. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, heat 3 tbsp butter. Once the butter is hot and sizzling add the chopped onion, zucchini, and garlic. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Next add in the potatoes, carrots and peas, toss together in the hot pan for another 2 minutes. Add in the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Dump into a dish and finish with the left over tbsp of butter.

Carrot Storage Tips:

When you get your carrots, cut the tops off. The carrot tops will literally suck the life out of the carrot. Place the carrots into a zip lock bag with a dry piece of paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any extra moisture the carrot gives off. The Carrots will stay crisp in the fridge up to 7 days.

Freezing carrots, cut into uniform pieces and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. This will slightly cook the carrot, but not completely through. With a slotted spoon remove the carrots, or strain with a colander. Dump out the carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer for 2 hours. Remove the tray and put the frozen carrots into a zip lock bag, and store it in the freezer.

Carrot Salad

8 medium carrots, grated

1 bundle of green onions, diced

1/4 parsley, roughly chopped

Dressing

3 tbsp olive oil

Juice from half of a lemon

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

Salt and Pepper

In a bowl combine the grated carrots, chopped green onion and parsley. In a separate bowl add in all the dressing ingredients and whisk until the dressing is smooth. Mix the dressing and carrot together.

**ALFALFA MICROGREENS**

Put that shit on everything!!

Microgreen Storage Tips

The greens will store in the bag it’s self for up to a week. To add extra length to the life of your microgreens. Put the greens between two layers of paper towel and put into a plastic bag or resealable container. This will store up to 10 days in the fridge.

Break up herbs into to categories, tender herbs and Harty herbs.

Tender herbs are as follows basil, cilantro, mint, dill, and tarragon. These herbs spoil quickly and should be used 5 days after getting. The best way to store them is in a mason jar or glass of water with the stock sitting in the water. Much like fresh cut flowers.

Harty herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sweet marjoram and sage are much more forgiving. Tie the bundle of herbs into a boutique and store in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Week 5 CSA Veggie Haul

The Peas Romaine Calm

Snacking & Admiring

What’s In The Haul

Week Five Recipes